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ADMINISTRATION: Investigating The Investigators
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Also Featured on NationalJournal.com |
Thursday, April 17, 2008
  The Aye-rs Have It You weren't surprised that it took almost an hour for the debate to get into policy were you? After 20+ meetings and countless "forums" there's nothing substantive left to debate. Instead, we're left w/ scuffles over handwriting analysis and 60's radicals. Even so, will Obama's uneven appearance stop his PA momentum in its tracks? --A debate on policy, of course, is where HRC shines. Unless it's about driver's licenses, of course. But, we've also seen that mastery of policy details isn't enough to capture Dems attention (see: Biden, J. and Dodd, C.) --Obama was pressed hard (unfairly so, say 'netroots). Still, he had a great opportunity to put to rest concerns about whether he can handle pressure under fire. And, well, he didn't. He was flat, tired and seemingly distracted. For Dem voters open to supporting Obama but worried about whether he's a "safe" choice for 11/08, his performance gave them little reassurance. --So, we're back where we started, with neither candidate able to find that magic "tipping point" that will close the book on the never-ending primary. Even so, had Obama hit a home run, but still lost PA 4/22, what would that have told us?
 -- Obama strategist David Axelrod, on 4/16's debate, MSNBC, 4/17 |
Just A Bit Off The TopZogby has Obama and HRC tied in PA; Obama at 50% in Gallup tracking but his lead now in single digits. (#8), (#9)
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IN A CLOSE ELECTION, EVERYTHING MATTERS Presidential trivia expert Richard Lederer notes in the Concord Monitor that Hillary Clinton (at 5'8.5") would be taller than 10 previous presidents, while Barack Obama would be only our 6th brown-eyed pres. | |||||||
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McCain: "Well, I didn't know John was running, so I guess he will have to speak for himself. But I invite John to come out with me on the campaign trail. I out-campaigned everybody else, and that's why I'm the nominee of my party. I can certainly out-campaign either Senator Obama or Senator Clinton. I would match my record and my schedule, not only now, but in the past, with anybody's. And I guess Congressman Murtha will have to speak for himself and his own condition." FNC's Cavuto: "In a race where they're very touchy about mentioning race as an issue, feminism as an issue, age is okay. ... What do you make of that?" McCain: "I'm outraged. It should be never mentioned. Look, I had to show my party in my campaign, not only my vision, but also my vigor and my strength. ... There's no time for on-the-job training, seriously. My response to Jack Murtha is, look, we need somebody that needs no on-the-job training, that knows the challenges we face, and can take them head on and hit the ground running" (FNC, 4/16). FNC's Barnes, on Murtha's comments: "Look, I don't think anybody has any illusions about McCain's age. They all know. ... I think that's a minor issue. He polls the weakest among older people, actually" ("Special Report," 4/16). McCain adviser Charlie Black: "I don't think it's much of an issue. If you talk to the reporters who cover McCain, who go out with him on 14 and 15-hour days, sometimes seven-day weeks, they see the energy level that tells them that age is not an issue. But, you know, think about it. Ronald Reagan won the Cold War during his second term when he was a lot older than McCain is now" ("Morning Joe," MSNBC, 4/17). Get Carter Also during the interview, McCain brought up Jimmy Carter's meeting with Hamas leaders. McCain: "The word that springs to mind is 'unacceptable.' And another one is 'disgraceful.' These are thugs and murderers. Senator [Barack] Obama and Senator Clinton should directly repudiate and tell President Carter he should not meet with what is fundamentally a terrorist" (FNC, 4/16). Obama spokesperson Bill Burton responded by saying: "Proving once again that the Straight Talk Express has lost its wheels, John McCain is repeating tired and divisive attacks about Barack Obama that he knows are flat out untrue. Barack Obama disagreed with President Carter's meeting with Hamas and has said so repeatedly, and we look forward to John McCain's clarification and apology for his latest false political attack" (release, 4/16). Philly Phanatic McCain appeared on Bloomberg TV this a.m., where he talked about last night's Dem debate. McCain, asked if he watched the debate: "No, I did not. I obviously heard some of the dissection of it and analysis this morning, but I did not watch it last night." Bloomberg's Cook: "Senator Clinton said last night ... that Senator Obama's comments about Pennsylvania voters ... also his connections to Reverend Wright that have drawn so much attention, that that would be ample ammunition for you in a general election. Is she right? Is that going to be fair game?" McCain: "In the case of Reverend Wright, I have expressed in the past that I am sure that Senator Obama does not share the extremist statements that Reverend Wright made. But in the case of Pennsylvania made, I think it's very revealing, a very elitist statement, a failure to recognize history. ... I note with some interest that Senator Obama basically defended those statements and continues to do to this day. So, yeah, I think it would be because that really is a fundamental difference between myself and Senator Obama about our faith and confidence and trust in the American people." Asked if he will have a single Dem opponent to take on after the PA primary: "I have no clue. You and I were last together in South Carolina. The relationship, as far as Senator Obama and Senator Clinton and their chances, were different than they are today. And I am sure the next time we get together, they may be different again. One thing about this primary season on both sides of the aisle, I think you would agree, it's very unpredictable, including in my case" (4/17). Go For The Green McCain also touched on climate change during the interview. Asked if he will support Sen. Joe Lieberman's (I-CT) bill that would cap and reduce greenhouse gas emissions about 63% by '50: "I will support if we have a dramatically increased role for nuclear power. The radical environmental groups are still playing too great a role in this legislation. Nuclear power has got to be a very big part of any effective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. I am glad that Congress is moving." On Pres. Bush signaling for the first time he wants to stop the growth of greenhouse gas emissions by '25: "In due respect of the president, it is not enough, and it is too late" (4/17). A Three-Hour Economic Summit, A Three-Hour Economic Summit "Joined by a who's who" of Milwaukee area business execs., McCain spent "nearly three hours as questioner-in-chief" at an "economic summit" on 4/16. The event was held one day after McCain unveiled a plan to boost the nation's sluggish economy "that is based largely on a variety of tax cuts, including a summer 'gas tax holiday'" (see 4/16 Hotline). And on 4/16, McCain "settled in for two panel discussions" with the top execs. from A.O. Smith, We Energies, Northwestern Mutual Life, Froedtert Hospital and others -- "and asked as many questions as he answered." "In that regard, the event was meant to give McCain a statesmanlike role on a day in which Obama and Clinton met for a debate" in Philly. "It also amounted to a comfortable platform for McCain on the economy, an issue he has acknowledged is not his strong suit." McCain: "We know that America is facing challenges today. ... These are tough times now and [people] are hurting. I believe it's the responsibility of government to act quickly and decisively" (Borowski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/16). Holiday, Celebrate Meanwhile, McCain sent letters to both Clinton and Obama on 4/16, calling on them to join him in supporting the McCain-Kyl Summer Gas Tax Holiday Amendment, which would suspend the 18.4 cents/gallon Federal gas tax between Memorial Day and Labor Day '08 (release, 4/16). Cool Hand Luke McCain's recent economic proposals "have been greeted coolly by some of his fellow" GOPers. "While generally supportive," cong. GOPers "are split on some of the details, including a plan to stem the tide of foreclosures and another creating a summer gas-tax holiday." When asked 4/15 for his reaction to the McCain plan, Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell said he was in the process of receiving the details of the gas-tax plan. McConnell: "Well, I just heard about it. ... We'll be thinking about it and see if it has any merit." Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) said he supports elements of McCain's plan, including the reduction of the corporate tax rate. "But he opposes the gas-tax holiday because it would reduce money going to the highway trust fund, which provides money to local projects" (Raju/Kucinich, The Hill, 4/17). More from the response to McCain's economic proposals:
Three's Company McCain, who is basing his WH bid on "his credentials as a decorated veteran and leader on defense policy, has become the target of veterans groups pushing hard for more aid and relief for troops returning from" Iraq and Afghanistan. "At issue is a growing slate of legislation to boost veterans' education assistance and to rest troops between combat assignments." Two of the bills were written by Sens. Jim Webb (D-VA) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE), and would "substantially boost college assistance for returning war veterans," while mandating that troops "spend a month out of the combat zone for every month in it." A third measure introduced 4/16 would provide more education aid to Nat'l Guard members and reservists. "It is generally agreed that McCain is key to the bills' prospects for passage." And on 4/14, VoteVets.org delivered petitions with nearly 30K signatures to McCain's Senate office, "imploring him to back Webb's updated GI bill." McCain told reporters on his campaign plane 4/14 "that he is open to boosting educational benefits for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and is working with colleagues on language changes to the Webb-Hagel bills." McCain: "We are working on proposals of our own. I'm a consistent supporter of educational benefits for the men and women in the military. I want to make sure that we have incentives for people to remain in the military as well as for people to join the military." "All three measures could come up for votes this month or early next month" (Weisman/Shear, Washington Post, 4/17). Charles In Charge McCain will visit Tampa on 4/28 and 4/29 to hold two fundraisers and a public event concerning health care. The first fundraiser will be sponsored by FL Gov. Charlie Crist (R). And the next day, McCain will host a $1K/person fundraising lunch (March, Tampa Tribune, 4/17). Do The Right Thing Newt Gingrich sat down for an interview with GQ.com's Hylton, where some of the conversation focused on McCain. Gingrich, on how McCain should deal with Bush: "Sarkozy distanced himself from Chirac without being hostile. That's what McCain has to do with Bush. And what McCain is trying to achieve by explaining the dangers of the world to the public is like what Lincoln had to do in the Civil War." Hylton: "McCain doesn't exactly have Lincoln's rhetorical skills." Gingrich: "In style he's closer to Truman, who did not have the rhetorical skills, but had passion." Hylton: "Do you think that's enough against somebody like Obama?" Gingrich: "If you mean three weeks from now, I'd say no. But over the next eight months, I hope so. I think it'll be a question of whether people think McCain has the better argument. I f the issue is who's the better performer, Obama will win. If the issue is who is right, McCain will win easily" (4/16). If Only Rosie O'Donnell Was Still Around Cindy McCain will be a guest co-host of ABC's "The View" on 4/21. "There's no word on whether she'll be bringing any recipes to share" (AP, 4/16). Meanwhile, Wall Street Journal's Langley writes the latest profile of C. McCain. Some highlights:
Be It Ever So Hostile, There's No Place Like Home Lecturer/commentator Gebe Martinez writes in Politico, McCain, "the Latino-friendly senator, has morphed into McCain, the presumptive presidential nominee" of the GOP "that is hot over immigration." McCain "now talks only about border security 'first.'" So "add one more item to the list of reasons that Hispanic, immigrant and labor leaders plan to challenge" McCain's bid "in his own home state" in Nov. Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ): "He is the standard-bearer for the party. He is the standard-bearer for the poisonous atmosphere aimed at immigrants. He has to carry some of that poison around. ... I think we have a chance to cause him to spend some serious time and resources in his own backyard" (4/17). When Has Infuriating Democrats Stopped Him Before? Meanwhile, discussion of Lieberman possibly speaking at the GOP convo (see 4/16 Hotline) continued. Newsweek's Fineman, asked the pros and cons of Lieberman giving a keynote address: "I don't think there are that many cons for him. Probably if he had a big choice to make, it would be for somebody who could help him more in the Bible Belt, perhaps, but Lieberman can help him there, too. So, I think it's something he'll probably end up doing. I think it will infuriate the Democrats, but I don't think it will help McCain all that much." More Fineman: "If Lieberman wanted to, he could turn the majority over the to the Republicans by switching parties. That's why Harry Reid and other Democratic leaders haven't been attacking him frontally for this conversation today" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 4/16). Lieberman: "It was a quick conversation but my feeling is once I decide that I'm for somebody, and I'm really for John McCain, ... you are in it all the way. And if John McCain thinks I can help his candidacy for president by speaking at the convention in Minneapolis, I'll definitely do it" ("Morning Joe," MSNBC, 4/17). What About Bob? Ex-Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA) may have launched a WH exploratory cmte as a Libertarian, but many remember him as a "vocal" House GOPer. Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA): "I'm concerned that [Barr's candidacy] will detract from the Republican candidate and simply enhance the Democratic candidate." Columnist George Will went one step further, writing: "Come November, Barr conceivably could be to John McCain what Ralph Nader was to Al Gore in 2000 -- ruinous" (Alarkon, The Hill, 4/17). I Love The '80s Washington Times' Andres writes, McCain's "track record and personal style fit well into today's new electoral profile. Working with a smaller" GOP "base universe and a larger group of independent voters -- and possibly an augmented contingent of disgruntled" Dems, "bitter after a long and divisive primary" -- McCain "is positioned to perform well in this environment." "While this election is about change and the future, there are some aspects of the current electoral landscape that resemble"'80 "all over again." And "due to a nominee who knows this new terrain, it does give" the GOP "hope and a road map to potential victory" (4/17). (Back to Contents)
Overall, Clinton "sought to sow doubts in the minds of voters about whether Obama understands their problems and will be able to withstand" GOP attacks if he faces John McCain. On the other hand, Obama, after being "forced to defend" some of his past relationships, tried "to reassure voters by calling for an end to the politics of tearing each other down" (Lieberman, Harrisburg Patriot-News, 4/16). A War Of Words During this "tense and grim encounter," Obama "seemed on the defensive for much of the conversation about personal vulnerabilities." Here's some of what he said:
Where's The Gray Lady Leaning? On the front page of the New York Times this a.m.: "The result was arguably one of Mr. Obama's weakest debate performances" (Nagourney/Zeleny, New York Times, 4/17). MSNBC's Matthews, on the New York Times front page saying it was Obama's weakest performance: "I thought it was so rare that the Times ... would actually say who won or lost the debate right up in the front. They just say it, he lost. That's rare" ("Morning Joe," 4/17). NBC's Todd, asked if agrees with the New York Times assessment: "Absolutely. ... He didn't handle, I think, the tough questioning very well. He seemed annoyed by it. He seemed put off. And then he let it affect his performance when it went to the issues. ... I think he let folks see him sweat a little bit. ... The one thing they can be happy about is that she doesn't seem to benefit from these things some times, because when it's overly negative, it's like she's got reverse teflon" ("Morning Joe," MSNBC, 4/17). Morning Spin Obama strategist David Axelrod, on Obama: "I don't think he was irritated and annoyed other than that, you know, it was 50 minutes before a question on any substantive issue was asked. I mean, there we were in the constitution center, a few steps from where the great debates happened that led to our Republic. I think if the founding fathers had come back and watched this, they would have been scratching their heads, as were people all across Pennsylvania. ... I'm not going to whine about the questions in the debate, but I do think that there are things that are more important to people in that state and across this country" ("Morning Joe," MSNBC, 4/17). Clinton comm. dir. Howard Wolfson: "I thought it went exceptionally well for Senator Clinton. It did not go particularly well for Senator Obama. I think Senator Clinton was clearly in command of the facts. She was great on the substance. She was poised and relaxed. Senator Obama was clearly very much on his heels, getting asked questions that he did not have good answers for. And it was clear win for us" ("Morning Joe," MSNBC, 4/17). I'm Not Bitter While Obama "found himself consistently on the defensive" from Clinton's attacks, with few exceptions "he chose not to go after his rival aggressively, even when he was asked whether voters considered her honest" (New York Times, 4/17). Getting Hammered Last night, Clinton "hammered" Obama. There was "no sign of a strategic softening during the somber but sharp-edged two-hour debate" (Thrush, Newsday, 4/16). Slate's Dickerson, on whether Clinton will benefit from attacking Obama over the bitter remarks: "Well, it doesn't look like she's doing very well this time around either. ... Her negatives have gone up, and there is this question of trust that continues to dog her. She may not be the best messenger for this line of attack" ("American Morning," CNN, 4/17). HRC supporter Lisa Caputo, on Obama trying to keep things positive and deflecting negative attacks: "At every opportunity when the offensive shots were coming in, either from the journalists or from Senator Clinton, [Obama] really kept trying to pivot off of it and say this is the kind of politics people aren't interested in talking about" ("LKL," CNN, 4/16). Ex-WH adviser David Gergen, on how Clinton didn't avoid negativity at the debate to improve her image: "I thought, tonight, she might change course some. I thought, frankly, she would move to a lighter place and try to talk more positively about the future. I was surprised that she continued to go negative on him, because I don't see the evidence. They must have internal polls, the only thing I can conceive of" ("AC 360," CNN, 4/16). Gergen: "I don't think we got much new out of this about Reverend Wright. ... Every time one of these potential criticisms came up, Hillary Clinton wanted to dig it in, and he wanted to get away from these kind of questions" ("AC 360," CNN, 4/16). But Can He Win? There was a "brief moment of lightness" when Gibson "asked whether either would endorse a proposal by Mario M. Cuomo" to promise that whoever wins the nod "choose the other as his or her running mate, and that the loser would accept." Gibson: "So I put the question to both of you: Why not?" The lengthening "silence from the two candidates was filled by the laughter of the crowd." Later, when Clinton was asked if she thought Obama could win the general, "it took two answers" before Clinton "answered whether she believed Mr. Obama could win." Clinton: "Yes, yes, yes." Adding: "I think I am better able and better prepared" (New York Times, 4/17). By agreeing that he could win the general, Clinton undercut "her efforts to deny him" the nod "by suggesting he would lead the party to defeat." Asked if Clinton could win, Obama said: "Absolutely and I've said so before" -- a "not-so-subtle dig at his rival who had previously declined to make a similar statement about him" (Fouhy, AP, 4/17). Time's Halperin, on Clinton admitting Obama is electable in the general election: "I think, in general, she was in a box tonight. She was forced to say, by the questioning, that she believes Obama is electable in a general election. And her problem is, her main argument, that she's making privately, and the only way she can stop the superdelegates and the delegates from going to Obama is to argue that he's not electable, based on some of these things that came up this evening. That contradiction, acknowledging he's electable, but trying to make an implicit argument that he's not electable, is impossible to do, and again, made more difficult by the fact that she's got her own problems to deal with" ("AC 360," 4/16). Gergen: "I do think that was one of the most significant statements in the debate, when she was asked, point-blank, is he electable, and she said yes, yes, yes. That's going to come back. I think the big question now is, does she tell anybody else in the future he's not electable? That is when it's going to come back to bite her. She starts making that comment privately, Harold Ickes is out making that argument privately, then there are going to be all sorts of questions about hypocrisy and one thing and another. So, I thought that was a very significant statement tonight" ("AC 360," CNN, 4/16). Slate's Dickerson: "She can never say out loud what she's been saying in private, which is that Obama is fundamentally flawed and can't win in the general election. She can't say that out loud, so she was forced to say, yes, yes, of course he can win. Well, that does undermine her last remaining argument with superdelegates which is he has such big problems that he can't beat McCain" ("American Morning," CNN, 4/17). Where They Agreed Clinton and Obama greed that "both have made their share of missteps." Clinton, on her Bosnia comments: "We both have said things that, you know, turned out not to be accurate. You know, that happens when you're talking as much as we have talked." And Obama said: "Sometimes (our) message is going to be imperfectly delivered because we are recorded every minute of every day. And I think Senator Clinton deserves the right to make some errors once in a while. Obviously, I make some as well" (Gilbert, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 4/16). Dickerson, on whether the issue will go away now that Clinton has apologized for her Bosnia remarks: "No, I don't think the issue goes away. ... Obama will claim, and his advisers certainly claim, that this is a part of the big trust problem for her, and that Americans may forgive this particular slip up, as glaring as it was, but that it points to her fundamental flaw that makes her fundamentally unelectable, and that is she doesn't tell the truth and that voters don't trust her" ("American Morning," CNN, 4/17). Small Talk Of The War During the debate, Clinton "reasserted her commitment to begin a pullout within 60 days even if military leaders counseled against it" (Woodward, AP, 4/16). Ex-WH adviser David Gergen, on Clinton's plans for the Iraq war: "Once again, I think Senator Clinton was more rigid on that question, absolutely. In fact, almost any time any public policy came up tonight, she said, this is what I will do, period, end of sentence. She left herself no wiggle room. Barack Obama at least said, listen, this is the mission. I'm going to change the mission, but, of course, I'm going to listen to the commanders on the ground about tactics. That gives him some flexibility about sort of what the -- how it would actually be done over what period of time. It may well be he will have a different general on the ground" ("AC 360," CNN, 4/16). I'm Doing You A Favor, Buddy During the debate, Clinton "hit Obama hard." Clinton: "What is important is that we understand exactly the challenges facing us in order to defeat [Republican Sen. John] McCain." Coming back to Ayers, who was quoted by the New York Times as saying "I feel we didn't do enough" when asked if he regretted the group's bombings in the '70s, Clinton said: "This is an issue that certainly the Republicans will be raising" (Lucey/Davies, Philadelphia Daily News, 4/17). Clinton as essentially pressing the argument that "Obama hasn't been vetted enough to withstand" GOP attacks." Whereas Clinton's been tested, she said: "I have a lot of baggage, and everybody has rummaged through it for years. We know that they're going to be out there, full force." Obama replied: "there is no doubt that the Republicans will attack either one of us." Obama also said: "I can take a punch. I've taken some pretty good ones from Sen. Clinton" (Gillman, Dallas Morning News, 4/17). I, too, Am Related To A Mill Worker Clinton, who has "paternal roots" in Scranton "but now lives in an affluent suburb" of NYC, "sharply criticized Obama for his remarks about" small town PA voters. Clinton casted herself as the "granddaughter of a factory worker from Scranton," and said she did not believe "that my grandfather or my father or the many people whom I have had the privilege of knowing and meeting across Pennsylvania over many years cling to religion when Washington is not listening to them." In response, Obama "acknowledged" that his remarks "might have been offensive to some, but said they were misconstrued." Obama: "The problem we have in our politics ... is that you take one person's statement if it is not properly phrased and you just beat it to death, and that has been what Sen. Clinton has been doing over the last four days" (Micek/Drobnyk/Kraus, Allentown Morning Call, 4/17). Thanks George, You Owed Us One Washington Post's Shales writes, ABC News anchors Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos "turned in shoddy, despicable performances." For the first 52 minutes of the debate, the moderators "dwelled entirely on specious and gossipy trivia that already has been hashed and rehashed, in the hope of getting the candidates to claw at one another over disputes that are no longer news. Some were barely news to begin with." Gibson "sat there peering down at the candidates over glasses perched on the end of his nose, looking prosecutorial and at times portraying himself as a spokesman for the working class." Whereas the "boyish" Stephanopoulos looked like "an overly ambitious intern helping out at a subcommittee hearing, digging through notes for something smart-alecky and slimy." To Shales, "ABC's coverage seemed slanted against Obama" (4/17). Clinton "got the kind of debate conditions she wanted:" A heavy focus on Obama's "problem spots. There was even a "twist thrown in when Obama was grilled about his relationship with" Ayers. This was "the ground of Clinton's choosing, a debate as much about the issue of electability as the issues of the day. And Obama withered a bit in the spotlight" ("Horserace," CBSNews.com, 4/17). Others Saw It Differently New York Times' Stanley writes, Clinton was "under attack" from her ex-friend/ex-WH aide, Stephanopoulos. It was "weird to see hints of the disgruntled employee/imperious boss dynamic between" Stephanopoulos and Clinton. Still, there were moments when Clinton and Stephanopoulos "seemed back to their old war room sync." Like when Stephanopoulos asked Obama "about his ties" to Ayers and Clinton "took up where" Stephanopoulos "left off" (4/17). FNC's Hannity: "All credit finally to ABC News and George Stephanopoulos and Charlie Gibson because they asked them very tough questions. Finally the media asked [Obama] about Bill Ayers. ... He gave a pathetically weak answer. They finally asked him about Reverend Wright and some of the inconsistencies here" ("Hannity & Colmes," 4/17). CBS' Greenfield: "I actually think it was pretty rough on Obama. I don't think 'Saturday Night Live' is going do a sketch about how in-the-tank these guys were for him. They went after on all the vulnerabilities that emerged in the recent weeks" ("Early Show," 4/17). Speak For Yourself Stephanopoulos on his choice of questions: Stephanopoulos, on asking Clinton whether Obama could win the general: "Her campaign and Senator Clinton herself have been making the argument to superdelegates that Barack Obama can't win. In public, she was caught in a little bit of a bind. On the one hand, she didn't really want to admit that he could win. On the other hand, she calculated. And I think she was right in this calculation that if she didn't say directly yes at some point, Democrats would blame her. They would say she's being too negative, she's not allowing the parties to come together. She had no choice in the end but to say, yes, he can win. And, of course, you saw him do exactly the same thing." Stephanopoulos, on Obama bringing up Clinton's "elitist" comments in '92: "That was a really interesting moment for Barack Obama. First of all, I think that Senator Clinton was surprised that he brought up tea and cookies, but then used it as a way to set the issue aside. He also passed up an opportunity to question Senator Clinton's credibility and said he didn't want to do that. Now, she did not pass up opportunities to go at his past. ... Now, I just got word from the Obama campaign this morning. They say that some ... prominent Pennsylvania supporters are going to switch sides this morning from Clinton to Obama, because they perceived her as being too negative last night" ("GMA," 4/17). The Stupid Economy The most "substantive policy debates" came over Obama's proposal to "nearly double" the capital-gains tax rate from 15%; Clinton "said she would not raise the tax on investors to more than 20%, if she raised it at all." Clinton also "touted her plan to freeze interest rates on subprime mortgages" and "create a moratorium on home foreclosures as a way to stem the housing crisis." Clinton, on taxes, said: "I don't want to raise taxes at all" (Chozick/Timiraos, Wall Street Journal, 4/17). CNN's Crowley, on how Clinton's and Obama's economic plans will play to voters: "I think it plays very well in the primary. I think their problem is going to be when they get to a general election, whichever one gets there. You will see the Republicans and John McCain going after it, particularly, I think, on Iraq. He will talk again about the calamity that would happen if you pull troops out. I think they will talk about the idea of no new taxes. Now, as far as we know, John McCain, being a Republican, is also for no new taxes. I think one way around this for Clinton and Obama may be the definition of middle class. But I agree that they have really boxed themselves in. All I could think of while listening to this was George Bush 41 and that 'no new taxes,' you know, 'read my lips statement, which pretty much cost him the reelection" ("AC 360," 4/16). Time's Halperin: "Well, in the case of the taxes, I don't believe that ... either of them has been as explicit as they were asked to be tonight. And, on Iraq, their spokespeople had gone further than they have, in both cases, for being very emphatic about withdrawal from Iraq. In the case of the general election, I think their Iraq statements could be a real problem. And if either of them is elected president, in the Oval Office, they're going to face potentially excruciating choices on those two big issues if circumstances are changed, when they have got to go back on a very clear pledge on Iraq, and then again on the question of whether taxes would be raised on people making less than $250,000 a year" ("AC 360," CNN, 4/16). Crying Over Spilled Ink A wrap up of what some newspaper columnists thought about the Dem debate:
Obama and Clinton "have bashed free trade, promising to slow new agreements, renegotiate existing ones and punish China," with which the U.S. had a record $256B trade deficit last year. The two "also advocate greater supervision of financial markets and have devised plans to assist homeowners in danger of default." Dems "in all three states had a negative view of trade," with 58 percent in IN, 55 percent in PA and 61 percent in NC "saying it has hurt the economy. At least three in 10 in each state say it hurt a lot" (Benjamin, Bloomberg, 4/17). Club for Growth pres. Pat Toomey writes in the Philadelphia Inquirer, with all the NAFTA-bashing, "it is easy to forget that there was a time" when the Dem party "was not reflexively protectionist." Bill Clinton "deserves credit for shepherding the largest free-trade agreement in the Western Hemisphere through Congress." He "was right." Since NAFTA's inception, "bilateral commerce among" the U.S., Canada and Mexico "has more than tripled," from $297B to $930B. PA "is one of the country's top exporters to Canada and Mexico." Since NAFTA, PA has seen a 112% increase in exports to Canada, and a 160% increase in exports to Mexico. Moreover, in '93 the unemployment rate in the U.S. was 7.3%. Today it is 5.1%. "Do we really want to go back to the days of less commerce, fewer jobs, and higher unemployment?" (4/17). Wet The Sugar With Bitters, Mash Together With Orange And Cherry, Add The Rocks And Bourbon Wall Street Journal's Henninger writes, remember the culture wars? This week the Dems sued for peace. Time "was not long ago that" a Dem could have said folk "in small-town aAmerica" cling "to guns and religion and are hostile" to "diversity" with nary a peep from his party. Not now. "Obama was repudiated. Crushed. Media analysis suggested the damage could last til November." And before midnight, "Hillary was paddling down Whiskey River with the boys at Bronko's." Set "aside the controverseis over the name-brand religious-right leaders. Whatever one calls these people -- Reagan Democrats, the religious right, values voters -- their main beef was not with the election returns but with the manifest evidence that the big-city elites thought their beliefs and their lives were stupid. That is what died this week." Whatever he meant to say, Obama's small-town "cling-to" statement was the Final Condescension. Hillary's trip from Bronko's bar to Messiah College ratified drinkin' on Saturday night and prayin' on Sunday morning. "Certainly, both as president would stock the judiciary from the liberal flock. Conservatives should still pocket the fact that the awful culture war has been replaced by a legitimate political competition whos locus has moved rightward. What's left of the rancid war are guerillas in the Hollywood foothills, pot-shotting at Pat Robertson and other bogeymen. But at the big-league level of presidential politics, it's over. Say good-bye to the Michael Moore Mockathon. Say hello to the spirit in the sky" (4/17). Arizona Star's Parker writes, being effete "comes naturally" to Dems, though compared to Obama, Clinton "looks like a mud-bogger from East Texas." The truth is, Americans don't really insist that their presidents be as "ordinary" as they are. Only pollsters think they do. "But voters do like to feel respected, and Obama's San Francisco remarks sounded like contempt" (4/17). Wall Street Journal's Kopel writes, imagine a race of Pat Robertson versus James Dobson, "each of them appearing at organic grocery stores and Starbucks" throughout MA, "with each candidate insisting that he alone deserves to vote of gay-marriage advocates." An equally silly spectacle is taking place in PA, NC, IN, WV and KY, as Obama and Clinton "compete for the pro-gun vote" (4/17). Two Households Divided Against Themselves, Still Standing Meanwhile, Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA) endorsed Obama, became co-chair of his GA camp and "urged his wife to join the movement." Vivian Bishop "chose instead to become a leader" in the GA Women for Hillary Council. In contrast, Rep. David Scott (D-GA) and his wife, Alfredia, "started off together as Clinton supporters." But after Obama won "overwhelmingly" in the GA primary and in the 13th CD, Scott switched. His wife did not (Malone, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/16). (Back to Contents)
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A meeting of "several newspaper industry" groups "forced" Clinton "to explain her failure to deliver the couple of hundred thousand jobs she promised upstate [NY] when she first ran" for the Senate. HRC "admitted the number of jobs promised was 'a little exuberant,'" but said she had "expected" Al Gore "to be elected president and to continue most of the economic policies" of the Clinton administration. HRC: "I had every hope that Al Gore would be the president, and that we would build on the economic successes of the '90s. ... I was exuberant because I really believed we could create a lot more jobs, because I had thought, in particular, upstate New York hadn't had the opportunity to take advantage of some of the benefits, and be creative about how to do just that. Well, that didn't come to pass. And unfortunately, much of the positive economic policies that we saw in the '90s were slowly, steadily dismantled" (Shepard, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/16). The Bitter Truth Chicago Tribune's James writes, HRC "may not be getting the hoped for impact" from her attack ad in PA regarding Obama's "bitter" comments. "Our friends at HCD Research Inc. ... showed the ad to a group of 429 Democrats and independents. After being shown the ad, not many people shifted their views." "Polling has indicated that all the news coverage of Obama's controversial remarks and all Clinton's efforts to exploit them haven't changed the support levels for the candidates" in PA "or nationally. The results of the HCD study would seem to fall in line with the other data" ("The Swamp," 4/16). Attack Dog Finds Its Way Home Wall Street Journal's Mullins writes, "A pro-Clinton campaign group that sparked controversy" for a TV ad before the OH primary "is back. This time, [The American Leadership Project] is running a commercial" in PA "that trashes" Obama's health-care plan. The group "set off a firestorm when it was founded two months ago. Campaign lawyers for Obama said the group was a thinly veiled attempt by Clinton backers to get around limits on financial contributions. Several of the people involved in the effort have strong ties to Clinton and her husband" ("Washington Wire," 4/16). Outsourcing Security HRC's second ad to air in IN "blames" Pres. Bush for the move to China of an IN plant that made magnets for smart bombs. HRC: "George Bush could have stopped it, but he didn't. American workers should build America's defense." "Magnequench moved its equipment to China" in '03. "But the sale of the company to a Chinese consortium was approved" in '95, "during the Bill Clinton administration." (In '88, "Congress gave the president authority to block foreign acquisitions that could threaten national security.") Clinton spokesperson Jonathan Swain "said the 1995 deal was approved because the company promised to keep production" in the U.S. "When that didn't happen, Swain said," Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Rep. Pete Visclosky (D-IN) "asked the Bush administration in 2003 to review the old approval or take steps to block the move," arguing that "moving production raised concerns about maintaining a significant source of domestic production of rare-earth magnets." "Swain said Bayh and Visclosky did not get a response from the administration" (Groppe, Indianapolis Star, 4/17). Oil On His Hands New York Times's Bosman fact-checks HRC's attack ad against Obama regarding his claim of "I don't take money from oil companies" and his voting for "the Bush-Cheney energy bill." "Like Obama, Clinton accepts contributions from employees of oil companies. But she has not made a case of it in a commercial, as he did. The energy bill referred to was passed in 2005, and Obama did vote for it, arguing that it would help his home state because it encouraged ethanol. He has since been critical of the bill." The Clinton camp "is seizing a rare opportunity to take the high ground on campaign contributions. (Obama does not accept donations from Washington lobbyists; Clinton does.) And high gas prices resonate" in PA (Bosman, New York Times, 4/17). Low-Fare-Weather Friends "Few" of HRC's supporters in Congress "have responded to her pleas for cash since" Super Tuesday, when Obama "began to build his delegate lead. Nearly half her lawmaker backers have given nothing to her campaign, even though Obama's financial advantage has emerged as a major problem in states" such as PA. "Of the 94 lawmakers who have endorsed" HRC, 48 have given her money," but only 18 since her loss in IA, and only 8 since Obama's success on Super Tuesday. "Her allies on the Hill have, however, given hundreds of thousands of dollars" to the DCCC. "Most of those who gave money after Obama won more primaries on Super Tuesday represent New York districts and have incentive to curry favor" with HRC "even if she fails to become president." "Even fewer of Obama's supporters have given to him" since IA, "but his campaign has been awash in money." And "Obama is having no problem raising money, unlike" HRC, who has raised only $75M in the 1stQ, compared to Obama's $134M. "Lawmakers' contributions would make little difference because of the tens of millions both candidates have raised in such a short period of time. But the lack of contributions may also reflect the shallowness of their support" (Bolton, The Hill, 4/16). Swatting The June Bug Regarding the call by Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) that the Dem race should continue no later than 6/3, NBC's Todd: "Why does Barney Frank's voice count a little bit extra? Well, he is a Clinton supporter and, by the way, the brother of one of the members of Hillary Clinton's kitchen cabinet, Ann Lewis. So, having him say this and others that maybe support the candidate who's trailing, come out and say, hey, this is got to be resolved pretty quickly in June, I think, tells you that that's the most probable end game because you've got a calendar issue" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 4/16). Clinton chair Terry McAuliffe "said he believes his party's presidential pick will be sewn up shortly after the voters have spoken in the 10 remaining primaries." McAuliffe: "I think it will be over in June" (Mann, Medford Mail Tribune, 4/17). Spotty Rhetoric "Older voters gravitate" to HRC "because they're too wise to be fooled" by Obama's rhetoric, B.Clinton told PA voters 4/15. B.Clinton: "I think there is a big reason there's an age difference in a lot of these polls. Because once you've reached a certain age, you won't sit there and listen to somebody tell you there's really no difference between what happened in the Bush years and the Clinton years; that there's not much difference in how small-town Pennsylvania fared when I was president and in this decade." "Last week, however," B.Clinton "seemed to suggest that older voters might be more absent-minded than wise. Defending [HRC's] faulty recollection" of Tuzla, B.Clinton: "When they're 60, they'll forget something when they're tired at 11 o'clock at night, too" (Helman, Boston Globe, 4/16). Hugh's That? "Retired steelworker Bill Callaway admitted he never heard of Hugh Rodham," HRC's younger brother, "before he was invited to a campaign rally" 4/16 in Cedar Creek Park, PA. But Callaway "said he was glad for an opportunity to get a firsthand taste of presidential politics so close to his Rostraver home." Callaway: "Hey, it's beautiful outside this afternoon, and it gives me a little break from watching my grandkids" Rodham "is probably best known as brother-in-law Bill's golfing partner. He also is known for accepting" $400K "in legal fees from clients" to lobby B.Clinton "for presidential pardons before he left office. Rodham eventually returned the money" (Peirce, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 4/17). Rapid-Fire Rapport HRC "is about to walk into the lion's den" by appearing on "The Colbert Report" this p.m., "braving host Stephen Colbert's dry humor and his arguably Sen. Barack Obama-friendly audience for the first time." Colbert has "challenged" HRC and Obama supporters to donate to PA schools through DonorsChoose.org. More than 2.2K Obama supporters have "drastically outdonated" HRC's fans by contributing nearly $155K to PA schools in their candidate's name, while only 318 people have given just over $29K on behalf of HRC (Bellatoni, Washington Times, 4/17). Cementing Her Support On 4/16, HRC got the endorsement of the Operative Plasterers' and Cement Masons' International Association, a union representing about 45K workers. "It is the first endorsement Clinton has received from a national union in more than two months" (Marre, The Hill, 4/16). Cross-Gender Support The Clinton camp "released its list of female supporters in [NC] this week. Among the more than 100 names of female politicians, party activists and community leaders, one stood out -- that of Dana Cope... But Cope is a man." The list "also included the name of Ashley Thrift, a male lawyer" (Beckwith/Niolet, Raleigh News & Observer, 4/17). (Back to Contents)
DC Council member "and newly elected superdelegate" Harry Thomas Jr., "initially a supporter of" Hillary Clinton, announced he will cast his superdelegate vote for Obama. Thomas "received more than 100 phone calls and e-mails from constituents who feared" he would vote for Clinton "despite the city's overwhelming support of Obama in the Potomac Primary." Thomas: "After meeting with the candidates and listening to my constituents, I have to honor the 83 percent who support Barack Obama" (Stewart, "DC Wire," WashingtonPost.com, 4/17). Reps. David Price (D-NC) and Mel Watt (D-NC), who had supported John Edwards, endorsed Obama 4/16, and "both predicted" Obama's "bitterness" remarks would not hurt him in NC. Price said Obama was "simply stating the obvious." Watt said "that he's heard considerble backlash against" Clinton. Watt: "What I'm hearing is a lot of disappointment at the negativity, and the jumping on this and taking the words out and trying to parse them, that the Clinton campaign has done" (Dann, NBC/National Journal, 4/16). And OK superdelegate Reggie Whitten also endorsed Obama, saying, "I am certain Senator Obama will continue to build a broad coalition of Democrats, Independents, and yes, even Republicans. He unites us in the belief that without change in Washington, we as a nation cannot begin to address the challenges and opportunities of our future" (release, 4/17). Meanwhile, in non-superdelegate endorsements, ex-Sen. Donald Riegle (D-MI) endorsed Obama 4/16 (AP, 4/16). And 25 of SD's 35 Dem state legislators endorsed Obama 4/16, including the state House and Senate leaders (release, 4/16). You May Ask Yourself, Well, How Did I Get Here? The Philadelphia Daily News endorsed Obama, writing, "Contrary to Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign slogan, we believe Barack Obama is more likely to be 'ready on Day One' to lead us in a new direction. .. We are frankly troubled by" Clinton's "assumption that her husband's administration and accomplishments were her own." Based on Obama's "experience in running a quarter-billion-dollar enterprise with thousands upon thousands of volunteers, we could expect an Obama administration to be well-managed and cost-effective, with the president choosing forward-thinking advisers committed to his program, demanding that they work as a team and pay attention to details. He would be steady and calm, given neither to irrational exuberance or outbursts of anger. He would make mistakes, that's for sure, but he could be expected to recognize them, adjust, and move forward. He would adjust his views to reality rather than trying to adjust reality to his views." Obama is a "once-in-a-lifetime candidate" whose admin "would lower the tone of the rhetoric that separates us" (4/17). Fuel To The Fire The pro-Obama SEIU "is joining the ad fray" in PA, airing ads starting 4/17 in Pittsburgh and Philly "that highlight the rising cost of gas and tout" Obama's ability to solve the problem. The ad "opens with a montage of people listing the exorbitant price" of a full tank of gas, "then pivots to drub the oil companies for the profits they are reaping." One man says, "Too many politicians are in the pocket of big oil." Another: "Barack Obama is different. He doesn't take money from PACs or lobbyists" (Cillizza, "The Fix," WashingtonPost.com, 4/17). Featuring The Bob Casey Caboose? Obama returns to PA 4/18 for a five-day "On Track for Change" tour, on which "he will visit communities across the state by rail, road, and air." Obama kicks off the tour 4/18 with town halls in Erie and Williamsport and a rally in Philly. He'll spend 4/19 "making stops across" southeastern PA "by train" (release, 4/16). Meanwhile, Obama heads back to NC today, where his "bitter" remarks "could resonate" (Christensen, Raleigh News & Observer, 4/17). We Still Have A Jewish Problem "Seeking to assuage fears that he is anti-Israel," Obama "pleaded his case in front of the local Jewish community" 4/16 at a Philly synagogue (Anburajan, NBC/National Journal, 4/16). Obama said he has a "kinship" with the Jewish community "that predates my political career and will extend beyond this particular election. Know that I will be there for you, just as I believe that you will be there for me" (Parsons, "The Swamp," Chicago Tribune, 4/16). "Over and over again," Obama "said that he strongly supports Israel and its positions." He also "re-read part of his race speech" where "he said that he denounced" Rev. Jeremiah Wright's comments on Israel. Obama said he "did not become aware of them until I started running for president," at which point "I had conversations with him, in which I shared with him my deep concerns" (NBC/National Journal, 4/16). Obama: "I want to be clear that not only do I absolutely reject the anti-American statements of my former pastor, I reject the anti-Israel statements as well" (Eichel, Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/17). Obama also "denounced" Jimmy Carter's visit with Hamas, "saying that there should be no discussions with a terrorist organization" (NBC/National Journal, 4/16). Obama: "We must not negotiate with a terrorist group intent on Israel's destruction" (Fouhy, AP, 4/16). Obama "spent the bulk of the 50-minute session answering questions" on Israel and Middle East policy. "In his closing comments," Obama "offered the thought that some of his problems among Jewish voters stemmed from 'scurrilous'" emails, from his middle name and from the historical tensions between African Americans and Jews (Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/17). Asked if he would become another Michael Dukakis or George McGovern, Obama said they're "both excellent men, but I'm a pretty darn good politician. I can give a pretty good speech and I can connect and inspire the American people in ways that have become apparent" (NBC/National Journal, 4/16). Meanwhile, CBN's Brody reports, the "main political adviser" to the leader of Hamas said in an interview "the other day," "We like Mr. Obama and we hope he will win the election. He has a vision to change America" (CBN.com, 4/17). And Wright "is expected to speak in Dallas" 4/27 to "celebrate the 25th pastoral anniversary" of Friendship-West Baptist Church's Rev. Frederick Haynes III (Dallas Morning News, 4/16). WH '08, Also Known As The Best Book Tour Ever Obama and wife Michelle released their '07 tax return 4/16, reporting a household income of $4.2M -- a "substantial jump" from the roughly $1M in income reported in '06, "due to a sharp increase in the sales of his books." The Obamas reported $3.9M net profit from books, "a sum that dwarfed their combined salaries" of $260,735. The Obamas paid nearly $1.4M in federal taxes, and contributed $240,370 to "various charities" (Zeleny, New York Times, 4/17). $50K went to the United Negro College Fund; $35K to CARE and $26,270 to Trinity United Church of Christ (Henderson, Newsday, 4/17). The release of his '07 returns comes as Obama "tries to contain" the controversy over whether he's an "out-of-touch elitist." But the Obamas' income for '07 "is still well below" the $20.4M reported by the Clintons (Timiraos/Farnam, Wall Street Journal, 4/17). MSNBC's Carlson, on the $4.2M figure: "Why did it take him so long to pay off his college loans?" ("Morning Joe," 4/17). No Silver Foot In His Mouth, Either On a three-city swing through IN 4/16, M. Obama "dismissed notions that her husband is elitist." M. Obama told a crowd of about 1K in Indianapolis, "There was no silver spoon in his mouth. His mother was an 18-year-old white woman raising a black kid in the 1960s" (Ruthhart, Indianapolis Star, 4/17). M. Obama said of her husband's camp, "He reached out to regular folks. His view of fundraising was $23 is just as important as $2,300. ... The grass-roots support for Barack looks like every segment of society" (AP, 4/17). Earlier 4/16, M. Obama told a crowd in Evansville, "Folks are struggling like never before. We shouldn't be surprised that people are cynical. There is a level of cynicism that comes when you feel like no matter how hard you work, no matter how much you do, you never catch up and you certainly can't get ahead" (Indianapolis Star, 4/17). M. Obama closed the day speaking to a crowd of 900 at Anderson Univ. (Kerman, Anderson Herald-Bulletin, 4/16). Asked in an interview if she's "in a difficult spot" being "in favor of women's issues," M. Obama said, "I don't see it like that. ... There is no sort of doubt or hesitation or feeling that a vote for Barack would be a vote against the issues of women. We need a candidate who's going to represent all the people, who's going to have the kind of passion, who's going to bring a different voice to the table" (Kerman, Anderson Herald-Bulletin, 4/16). Might Want To Check On That Next Time Obama supporter/Teamsters pres. James Hoffa has gotten a "decent reception" as he's campaigned for Obama in PA, but "at each stop, there were Teamsters who said they preferred Obama to Clinton, but weren't going to vote" because they were registered as GOPers or indies and missed the 3/24 deadline to switch. Hoffa himself "reacted with surprise" to the news that PA's was a closed primary "when informed of that by reporters during the tour" (MacGillis, "The Trail," WashingtonPost.com, 4/16). In Your Letter, Ooh, In Your Letter Obama "is downplaying concerns" raised by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) "about the pace of the confirmation of judges." Specter had written to all the WH '08ers on the issue. In a letter released 4/16, Obama "said both sides were working to confirm" nominees, and deferred to Senate Maj. Leader Harry Reid and Judiciary Chair Patrick Leahy (D-VT). Though "only Obama has so far responded to Specter's letters," Specter "criticized him for deferring to Leahy and Reid" (Raju, The Hill, 4/16). No Direction Home In the press today:
And This Time, We Wouldn't Just Be There To See Bruce TV talk turned to the Bruce Springsteen endorsement: NBC's Russert: "Young Luke Russert. ... When he heard the words 'bitter' and the whole idea of clinging to faith and to guns, he said, you know, that's a Springsteen song. ... And it's kind of interesting when you think of those words and those kind of lyrics and the kind of people that Springsteen has written about, you understand how the timing may have been in an interesting way. Those comments may have motivated Springsteen to get into the race" ("Morning Joe," MSNBC, 4/17). MSNBC's Matthews: "When it comes to politics, Bruce obviously puts his time and energy where his heart is. In how many cities did Bruce Springsteen perform with the MoveOn.org during the Kerry campaign back in 2004? Thirty three cities Bruce Springsteen campaigned in, 33 cities performing for John Kerry. He will probably do as many for Barack Obama. Unfortunately for Hillary, she may have to replace the song she likes to use in her rallies, 'The Rising'" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 4/16). MSNBC's Scarborough: "You know, Wisconsin was close. We always say these endorsements don't mean anything, but when you're Bruce Springsteen and you are have a concert for John Kerry in Wisconsin ... and you draw 20,000, 30,000 people, who knows, it may carry a close state" ("Morning Joe," 4/17). (Back to Contents)
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