« HPN: Updates From Our State Affiliates | Main | HRC:When Did She Record Her Video? »

January 22, 2007

The Daily Troika; Biden Time In South Carolina

troi.GIF As he prepares to formally announces his presidential campaign, Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) is banking on a boffo showing in South Carolina. Why? Biden figures that, a year from now, Iowa and New Hampshire voters will divide the field, choosing different candidates as winners.

That'll scramble expectations heading into South Carolina, making that state, with its approx. 50 percent African American Democratic vote base, decisive. So long as Biden places third in either NH or IA, the thinking goes, he'll maintain his support in SC and is positioned to pull of the upset.

He's worked the state hard, visitng three times in '06. He already has the endorsement of several influential lawmakers, including State Reps. David Mack and Jimmy Bales. Lee Bandy, the avuncular press corps dean, clearly thinks highly of Biden. He gives one heck of a stemwinder. He is openly and occasionally clumsily courting the state's black Democratic power base. Several key black legislators are said to be private backers of Biden. He's spent quite a bit of time at South Carolina NAACP events. He's even making Republicans take notice.

Biden's advisers say he understands his climb to the nomination is steep, but his South Carolina strategy shows that he's not running to be vice president.

Squibs

  • Gov. Mitt Romney (from Israel, no less) issued this statement about the March For Life: "Boston, MA – Today, on the 34th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, Governor Mitt Romney released the following statement commemorating the annual March For Life:

    "Across this nation, thousands of Americans are gathering in their local communities and in our nation's capital to reaffirm their dedication to protecting the sanctity of life. We must create a culture of life where the weakest and most innocent among us are protected. While there are well-meaning people on both sides of this debate, no one can deny that when hundreds of thousands of abortions are performed every year, it should be a major concern for a nation as great as ours. If we commit ourselves to promoting a culture of life, I believe that one day our nation's laws may reflect what is in our hearts."

  • A Newsweek poll shows Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama leading John McCain in hypothetical WH '08 matchups. HRC leads 48-47%, while Obama has a 46-44% lead. In an ABC News/ Washington Post poll, HRC leads McCain 50-47% and Obama leads 47-45% (release).


  • The ABC/Post poll also has HRC leading the Dem field with 41% to Obama's 17%, John Edwards' 11% and Al Gore's 10%. Rudy Giuliani leads the GOP field with 34% to McCain's 27%; Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich are tied with 9%.


  • Chuck Hagel "didn't completely rule out a bid as an independent" (Omaha World-Herald). A John Kerry spokesperson said "he is in the final stages" of his decision-making (CBS4). And Gingrich said he he will run only as a "last resort" ("Fox News Sunday").


    Posted at 10:15 AM

    Comments

    Post a comment





    Remember Me?

    (you may use HTML tags for style)

    By using this Service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Although Hotline On Call does not monitor comments posted to this site (and has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems to be in violation of this rule.


    Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group Inc.
    The Watergate · 600 New Hampshire Ave., NW
    Washington, DC 20037
    202-739-8400 · fax 202-833-8069
    NationalJournal.com is an Atlantic Media publication.
    •