June 01, 2007
Hotline After Dark: What's Going Around
The Atlanta man under federal quarantine for tuberculosis continued to dominate TV coverage last night. WH '08 was also mentioned:
The "O'Reilly Factor" showed the second part of FNC's O'Reilly's interview with John McCain.
McCain, asked why far-left Dems want Americans to think there is no war on terror: "I don't know the motivation for it. But I think that most Americans appreciate the fact that this is a titanic struggle between everything we stand for and believe in and radical Islamic extremism. We have to win. We can win. We will win. We will never surrender. They will."
Asked why he wants to put his family through a "nasty" WH race: "If it was not for the issue that we were just discussing, that 9/11 changed this country and the world and our challenge, I would not be running. I believe my whole life, my inspiration, my heroes, and my experience have qualified me to serve. I'm not the youngest candidate, but I'm the best prepared. I am committed to seeing this nation through one of the most difficult periods of our history. And, like Ronald Reagan, I approach it with optimism, with hope and belief in the American people and the future of this nation, that our best days are ahead of us" (FNC, 5/31).
Meanwhile, ex-FBI Dir. Louis Freeh was in the "Situation Room" last night to talk about his endorsement of Rudy Giuliani.
CNN's Blitzer: "Why Rudy Giuliani as opposed, shall we say, to Hillary Clinton, whose husband you worked for, who nominated you to be the director of the FBI?"
Freeh: "I've worked for Republican presidents and Democratic presidents, as you know. But I've always made it my point to really support quality leaders who I think will make a great difference for the country. And I think Rudy will make a tremendous president and a great leader for the country. I've never publicly campaigned for anyone for any office. And I'm very pleased and privileged to do so for Rudy."
On speculation he will get a job in a Giuliani admin.: "I served 28 years in the federal government. It was a very great privilege to do that. Any return to public service would have to be approved by my wife and six kids. So I need a slip from her to go back into public service. So I don't rule anything out. I'm very, very happy and content with what I'm doing now. I want to help him get elected because I think he'd be a great president, a necessary and important president for us. And, you know, what the future holds, I don't know."
On whether HRC would make a good POTUS: "I have tremendous respect for Senator Clinton. I didn't actually work with her because I left before she really got into the Senate there. I think she's competent. I think she has a very good staff and good people advising her. But, again, as I said, I picked who I think is going to be the best president" (CNN, 5/31).
And NBC's Shamlian's exclusive one-on-one-interview with Michelle Obama aired on "Nightly News."
M. Obama, on criticism that Barack Obama is "not black enough": "Folks aren't asking about whether Barack is black. ... They want to know, what's his policy positions? What is his stance on the war in Iraq?, what is he going to do for domestic issues, what are his issues on the environment? ... They are not confused about race on this" (NBC, 5/31)
GOP consultant Ed Rogers, on M. Obama: "She is good timing for the Obama campaign. I think the guy is slipping into reality and becoming somewhat banal. And, so, they need a little charge. ... She is very appealing. She has a cool television demeanor. ... Everybody's spouse gets softballs. They get a certain amount of distance. They have a lot of goodwill and respect from the media. So, she will be a huge asset, right when they need it" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 5/31).
ALL PRESS IS GOOD PRESS?
Talk also continued about Fred Thompson:
New Republic's Lizza: "It's like not running is the new running in this campaign. And, you know, everyone sits on the sidelines and begs these big candidates to get in. Once they are in, the opposition research starts flying and people learn about their positions, and they get a little
disappointed. ... How does he live up to the expectations? ... Wesley Clark, a week after he got, everyone was like, he's a terrible candidate. What were we thinking? You know, running as an outsider is very popular right now. That's the way to run in this election. ut when people find out that Fred Thompson spent 14 years as a lobbyist and eight years in Washington as a senator and then became a
lobbyist again after he left the Senate. ou know, stuff like that is going to come out and people are going to start to second guess him a little bit" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 5/31).
Syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer: "Right now, he's like the New York Yankees. On paper they beat everybody, but then they actually have to go out and play the game. Now, on paper, he's got everything. He's an affable personality, he's easy on camera, easy to like. And in terms of his positions, he appeals to conservatives in a way that the top three candidates don't. ... But his problem, I think, is ... we heard him say we have to get a different message. ... He's been trying out his messages and speeches. Well, Ronald Reagan did not try out his messages. He had his message, he knew his message, he believed in his message. He was a conviction politician. Thompson is not. ... It's OK to have an affable, likable conservative who doesn't have a burning idea, but that's not a Ronald Reagan" ("Special Report," FNC, 5/31). [KATHERINE LEHR]
Posted at 08:51 AM
Comments
The better question to ask about Barak Obama is not "Is he black enough?" but "Is he Democratic enough?"
I have never once got the sense listening to Barack Obama that he can be an effective ambassador for the Democratic Party. The Democrats have an incredible opportunity to finally put a stake through the heart of George Bush's conservatism and Sen. Kumbaya talks about how he thinks he has the "capacity to get people to recognize themselves in each other." He needs to buy a clue: I don't recognize myself in anyone in the Republican Party, nor do I want to. Furthermore, if he thinks the Republican Party is willing to work with the Democrats check out how hard John Boehner and Mitch McConnell are working to gum up the works now that they're in the minority.
I want to elect someone who can represent the Democratic Party ideals and hold them high, in contrast with the utter failure of the Republican Party. I won't support a candidate who runs against the Democratic Party.
I don't think Barack Obama is a good candidate for the Democrats, singing an ode to faith, kindness and crossing party lines.
corinne | 06.01.07 09:39 AM
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> I don't recognize myself in anyone in the
> Republican Party, nor do I want to.
I think that this sentiment is exactly what Obama is reacting against --- the tendency to treat members of the other party as sub-human. We are all humans, we are all Americans, we all want America to succeed. We simply have different visions on what that means. Dismiss it, call it singing kumbaya, call it new age, whatever --- those attacks still don't take away the power and the truth of what he is saying.
Look at Obama's record and ask yourself if he is Democratic enough (he's actually extremely liberal). Ask yourself who the only first-tier candidate is who opposed this quixotic war from the beginning.
What's going on here is that Obama is not pandering in the primary. Those, like corinne, who expect and want to be pandered to are unhappy. You have to decide for yourself whether pandering is what should get your vote.
goethean | 06.01.07 11:02 AM
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On Obama and pandering: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1627031,00.html
goethean | 06.01.07 11:07 AM
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I think that this sentiment is exactly what Obama is reacting against --- the tendency to treat members of the other party as sub-human.
No, he's not. He's making bipartisanship a centerpiece of his campaign. The Republicans aren't interested in playing nice and he's going to learn that lesson the hard way. The Republicans are unable to put principle above party.
Look at Obama's record and ask yourself if he is Democratic enough (he's actually extremely liberal). Ask yourself who the only first-tier candidate is who opposed this quixotic war from the beginning.
I'm not voting for someone based on what he did in 2002. He was right on the war, but hasn’t done much to try and end it. As I see it, that's the extent of his appeal. His health insurance plan is so-so, his foreign policy statement buys into the "war on terra" frame, and he wouldn't say he was voting against the supplemental until the very last minute. Oh yeah, what a portrait in courage.
And his voting record is very similar to Hillary Clinton's. So similar, in fact, that they differed on just one vote.
Those, like corinne, who expect and want to be pandered to are unhappy.
What a disingenuous comment. I never asked to be pandered to. What I want is a candidate who acts like a Democrat.
Right now, anyone would be better than George Bush because the bar has been set so low. But while Barack Obama may be able to deliver a speech with soaring rhetoric, I don't think he'll come close to delivering on his promises.
corinne | 06.01.07 01:52 PM
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So O'Reilly talks about how immigrants are trying to break white, Christian, male power structure and McCain agrees with it!
SHAME on you Mr. McCain. You have turned from a respected guy to a pitty and pathetic human being.
Check out this conversation between Bill'O and Double Talk Express McCain:
--
Bill O'Reilly: But do you understand what the New York Times wants, and the far-left want? They want to break down the white, Christian, male power structure, which you're a part, and so am I, and they want to bring in millions of foreign nationals to basically break down the structure that we have. In that regard, Pat Buchanan is right. So I say you've got to cap with a number.
John McCain: In America today we've got a very strong economy and low unemployment, so we need addition farm workers, including by the way agriculture, but there may come a time where we have an economic downturn, and we don't need so many.
[crosstalk]
O'Reilly: But in this bill, you guys have got to cap it. Because estimation is 12 million, there may be 20 [million]. You don't know, I don't know. We've got to cap it.
McCain: We do, we do. I agree with you.
--
Shame on you McCain.
Tim | 06.01.07 02:42 PM
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Oh, give it a rest Goethean! Obama wasn't even in the U.S. Senate when the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 vote took place. However, Sens. Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Tom Harkin, Tim Johnson and Senate Majority leader Harry Reid were -- and they all voted "yes".
So, it's easy for him to be an armchair quarterback. In 2002, Obama was serving in the Illinois Senate where his big accomplishments were creating programs like the state Earned Income Tax Credi and an expansion of early childhood education (yawn).
He is pandering... and you are taking the bait!
wx_insider | 06.01.07 03:27 PM
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