November 28, 2007
Hotline After Dark -- Experience This
Last night's TV primarily focused on the Annapolis Summit and the death of NFL's Sean Taylor, but a few WH '08ers made appearances:
Joe Biden was on "NewsHour" as part of their WH '08 series:
Biden, on his full-page ad in the Des Moines Register: "It's kind of a tongue-in-cheek ad. ... But I'm basing it on my experience. The fact of the matter is that, although Senator Clinton talks about having the most experience -- and she has great experience -- while she was working for the Children's Defense Fund, I was writing laws protecting children in the United States Senate. She did good work. I was in the Senate. While Barack Obama talks about change, I was able to convince the Democratic Party to change their position on the criminal justice system, on crime issues, on the Violence Against Women Act. I've been able to convince President Clinton to use force in Bosnia to end the genocide. But it's really not about change or experience. I think it's about action."
On his son Beau saying he will rebuild the country the way he rebuilt his family: "I was taken aback when my son introduced me that way, not in a bad way, but it just kind of caught me off-guard. But I do think that how we deal ... It doesn't remain the same. And it's given me confidence to believe that I can handle serious crises. ... So I don't know how it affects the voters, but I know how it affected me. It makes me realize that there's nothing that is critical other than life and death and that there is a solution to almost every problem" (PBS, 11/27).
And Chris Dodd was in the "Situation Room" to talk about the Annapolis Summit, but conversation turned to Iraq and WH '08:
Dodd, on John McCain saying the military surge in Iraq is succeeding: "I have great respect for John and like him very much. But I think, clearly, you put 30,000 troops in a province somewhere, of course you are going to get some semblance of peace. The question you and I need to ask here is, once we leave, is that going to continue? And I think many people, including most of us here who have watched this, have serious doubts, given the failure of the political and religious leaders in Iraq to demonstrate a willingness to come together."
On Rev. Jesse Jackson saying all the WH '08 Dems, with the exception of John Edwards, "have virtually ignored the plight of African Americans" in the U.S.: "I work with Reverend Jackson all the time. In fact, I was one of the few who participated last year in his Wall Street summit that he has periodically to talk about these issues here, and certainly been deeply involved in dealing with the predatory lending practices. I'm sure he has observed that over the last number of months, since I became the chairman of that committee back in January, doing everything we can to get the stakeholders and others to keep people in their homes. So, I care deeply about these issues, not just this year around, but have been deeply involved with them over the last quarter-of-a-century. ... So, I welcome his ideas and comments. We have worked very closely over the years. So, he may be talking about others, but our involvement on these issues go back a long time and are consistently there" (CNN, 11/27).
AN ENDORSEMENT IS BORN
There was also talk of Barbra Streisand endorsing Hillary Clinton for "Madame President":
CNN's Cafferty: "Reclusive, neurotic, over-the-hill vocalist endorses Hillary. I mean, is the ground supposed to shake now and lightning bolts fly out of the sky? ... Who cares?" ("Situation Room," 11/27).
FNC's Garrett: "The Obama campaign not that impressed. Said one Obama aide, is that really their response to Oprah Winfrey?" ("Special Report," 11/27).
MSNBC's Carlson: "I think she succinctly sums up what I suspect a lot of women who are planning to vote for Hillary Clinton are thinking, which is, she's a woman, I'm a woman, there's a kinship there. I'm voting for her."
GOP strategist Kellyanne Conway: "There is some of them, Tucker, but not enough for her to
become president. And here's why. Hillary Clinton has a very big man problem, and not just at home. She
has a reverse gender gap. ... Many men in this country, particularly Independent men who otherwise would lean Democratic in this very anti-Republican climate, they don't like her, they don't like her policies, they think that she's going to cost them money. ... And for Hillary Clinton to bank on the woman's vote, she's going to need to outperform her husband's take among women" ("Tucker," MSNBC, 11/27). [KATHERINE LEHR]
Posted at 09:02 AM
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