January 31, 2008
Hotline After Dark -- Endorsements, Dropouts, And Debates
With a GOP debate, Rudy Giuliani endorsing John McCain and John Edwards abandoning his WH bid, TV had plenty to talk about last night.
We lead off with the debate talk, which focused on the tensions between McCain and Mitt Romney:
CNN's J. King: "I thought the highlight overwhelmingly was the crackling exchanges and the tension, you could see it, the looking and glaring at each other, between McCain and Romney" (1/30).
Bill Bennett: "I don't think it changes much, palpable as the tension between Romney and McCain. That exchange was quite interesting. I think Huckabee performed well. He didn't get a lot of time. This thing goes on and we'll see this fight continuing over the next few days" (CNN, 1/30).
Ex-WH adviser David Gergen: "Mitt Romney came into this needing ... to score a couple of touchdowns. At best, he got a couple of field goals. I think that John McCain maintains the momentum coming out of this. The Schwarzenegger endorsement tomorrow, coming on top of the Giuliani endorsement today, makes him look very formidable going into this. I don't think that Mitt Romney got what he needed tonight, even though he did score occasionally" (CNN, 1/30).
(EMILY GOODIN)
JOHN'S OUR MAN
There was also a great deal of talk of who will benefit from Edwards' exit:
FNC's Garrett: "Essential dynamic for the Clinton campaign is to emphasize the economic message. They believe that's the heart and soul of the Edwards' supporters who remain left to be gathered up. The Obama campaign believes the change message is how they bring them aboard. Both will be fighting over them in the coming days" ("Special Report," 1/30).
NBC's Mitchell, on Edwards' possible endorsement: "It may not come. I mean, he may decide that the effectiveness -- because you could measure the effectiveness. And if he throws it one way or the other and that person wins or loses, he really has no clout left. He is not a player. But if he can argue that he has persuaded them both to adopt his cause, his language, that he has moved the party to the left, he has made it more populist, then he can say, Look at me, I accomplished something" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 1/30).
National Journal's Brownstein, on Edwards' voters: "You got to look at his voters so far, there's no reason to assume that they would break in any disproportionate way for Obama or Clinton, I think regardless of what John Edwards said. I don't think candidates really control voters once they leave the race" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 1/30).
Bloomberg's Hunt, on how the race between HRC/Obama will change now that Edwards is out: "I don't think there will be as much negative as there will be before" ("Money & Politics," 1/30).
FOLLOWING IN HILLARY'S FOOTSTEPS
And ABC's McFadden followed Hillary Clinton for a day-in-the-life piece for "Nightline":
Asked if Obama called to congratulate her on her FL victory: "Well, we're busy. We're on the road."
Asked if B. Clinton went too far: "I think he is a very passionate promoter of me and I appreciate that. I think we all have spouses who are totally committed are candidacies but this campaign is about me and what I will do as president."
More: "Whatever he said, which was certainly never intended to cause any kind of offense to anyone, ... yet if it did give offense I take responsibility and I'm sorry about that."
Asked if she can control B. Clinton: "Oh, of course. There's only president at a time."
McFadden: "Newsweek magazine says this week flatly, if you're elected, it will be a co-presidency."
Clinton: "Well that is not the case."
McFadden: "Maybe it's a good idea?"
Clinton: "Well it's not. It's not. I learned that. I learned that the hard way. It's important for the country to know who they're voting for and everyone in the White House is there only there for their relationship to one person -- the president."
Asked if Obama snubbed her at the SOTU address: "I reached out my hand in friendship and in unity and I'm still reaching it out. I expect we'll shake hands at the debate in California."
Asked if she thinks Obama intentionally snubbed her: "You'll have to ask him. I don't know. But again, the differences between us are nothing compared to the differences between us and the Republicans. That is what I want people to stay focused on."
On why she told a reporter she hadn't asked for Edwards' support: "Of course I would be honored to have his support. ... But it's a little bit unseemly to me. It's kind of harsh to say, oh, okay, goodbye, hello. And maybe that's a mistake. Maybe I should. Maybe I should swoop in but that's not how I am. I want to give respect to him" (ABC, 1/30).
Posted at 09:40 AM
Comments
Post a comment
The Watergate · 600 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-739-8400 · fax 202-833-8069
NationalJournal.com is an Atlantic Media publication.
