February 29, 2008

Pregnant Pause

It was, in this reporter's opinion, the most interesting moment in today's Clinton campaign phoner with reporters. Responding to the release of HRC's new TX TV ad, which asserts in no subtle terms that only she has the experience to deal with a major world crisis, and, relatedly, to keep your children safe, Slate's John Dickerson asked the obvious question:

"What foreign policy moment would you point to in Hillary's career where she's been tested by crisis?" he said.

Silence on the call. You could've knit a sweater in the time it took the usually verbose team of Mark Penn, Howard Wolfson and Lee Feinstein, Clinton's national security director, to find a cogent answer. And what they came up with was weak -- that she's been endorsed by many high ranking members of the uniformed military.

Take a listen ...

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.29.08 04:50 PM | Comments (154)

Taxing

Barack Obama's campaign is pushing Hillary Clinton anew to release her tax returns and White House schedules. During Tuesday's Dem debate she vowed to make the tax returns public with a caveat: "I will release my tax returns. I have consistently said that. I will do it as others have done it upon becoming the nominee or even earlier, Tim. I have been as open as I can be. The public has 20 years of records for me."

As for those scheds from her time as first lady, well, Bill Clinton is in possession of them. Here's what HRC had to say Tuesday about when he would release them: "I’ve urged that the process be as quick as possible. It is a cumbersome process set up by law."

And the related memo today from Team Obama:

To: Interested Parties
From: Obama Campaign
RE: Why Won’t Hillary Clinton Release Her Tax Returns?
DA: 2/29/08

During a recent MSNBC debate, Senator Clinton was asked if she would release her tax returns. She answered, “Well, I will do it as others have done it, upon becoming the nominee or even earlier.” But the very next day, her campaign backtracked, saying, “As is customary, as the Democratic nominee Sen. Clinton will release her tax information in April at tax time.”

But waiting until April is not customary. In the 2004 Democratic primary, Governor Dean, Rep. Kucinich, Senator Lieberman, and Senator Edwards released their tax returns in April of 2003 – a full year earlier in the primary process. Senator Kerry released his tax returns in December of 2003, and General Clark released his tax returns in January of 2004.

Senator Clinton’s refusal to make this very basic disclosure has raised a number of eyebrows among advocates for increased transparency. As her top Ohio supporter Governor Ted Strickland said in his 2006 campaign, if a candidate is not releasing his or her “tax return, what is he hiding? We should question what’s going on.”

Senator Clinton should explain why she believes voters in the upcoming primaries shouldn’t have access to the same information as voters in the general election.

Senator Obama has made a practice of releasing his tax returns (the summary and the schedules), because he believes that after seven years of secrecy from the Bush Administration, we need increased transparency in our government. Allowing voters to evaluate this information is good for the process, but this is particularly true when a candidate decides to use his or her own personal fortunes to fund their campaign, which Senator Clinton did when she loaned her campaign $5 million.

Senator Clinton’s refusal to release her tax returns is part of a pattern of secrecy that has imbued her campaign and raises questions about the sort of change she would be willing and able to bring to Washington.

Equally troubling is the fact that three years after Senator Clinton said all the record in the Clinton library would be available, less than 300,000 of the 78 million documents have been released.

In the debate, Senator Clinton tried to cast some of the blame on the White House for the delayed release of her records, saying, “Now, also, President Bush claims the right to look at anything that is released, and I would urge the Bush White House to move as quickly as possible.” But White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said that Clinton representatives have known since Jan. 31 that the documents – Senator Clinton's daily public schedule during her husband's presidency – have been deemed ready for public release by the National Archives. “To my knowledge, we have not been contacted by Mrs. Clinton or anyone else about moving more quickly with the review and release of Clinton material, specifically, her schedules.”

Senator Clinton’s misleading answers and refusal to release her taxes and her White House records speak to the fundamental choice facing voters in this election – more of the same Washington games or change the American people can believe in.

APRIL 2003: Howard Dean Released His 2002 Tax Return. “Democratic presidential hopeful Howard Dean and his wife, Judy, reported $145,634 in adjusted gross income for last year. The couple paid $29,242 in federal income taxes on a taxable income of $110,141, the two said Monday. The Deans' income came from his salary as governor of Vermont, her income as a physician and investments. Dean stepped down as governor in January. Their adjusted gross income was down slightly from the previous year - $160,033 in 2001; they paid federal income taxes of $33,294 for that year. Dean is not required to release his income taxes as part of his presidential campaign, but said he thought it important to do so.” [AP, 4/14/03]

APRIL 2003: Kucinich Released His 2002 Tax Return. Dennis Kucinich released his tax return from 2002 in April of 2003. [Plain Dealer, 4/12/03]

JANUARY 23, 2004: Wes Clark Released His 2002 Tax Return. “On Wednesday he invited an audience to review his records at the Manchester Public Library. The general's records in Room 417 lay on a table next to two empty boxes: One is labeled "Kerry's Documents"; the other is labeled "Dean's Documents." A Clark spokesman made sure to direct the reporter's attention to the boxes. Among the documents available for inspection are five years of Clark's tax returns, which show he earned $ 1.67 million in 2002; his voter registration, which shows he voted in the May 2002 preferential primary in Arkansas as a Democrat; and the date and fees earned for speaking engagements and media appearances, which show he usually received $ 30,000 a speech. The records also include a list of his people and agency contacts as a lobbyist, including dates. Clark's testimony to Congress about Iraq was also on the table.” [Arkansas Democrat Gazette, 1/23/04]

DECEMBER 2003: Kerry Released His 2002 Tax Return. “According to tax returns released by his campaign Thursday, Kerry, who files separately from his wife, reported taxable income of $111,540 for 2002, primarily based on his Senate pay. He paid $29,946 in federal taxes, $7,286 in state income taxes and $1,167 in personal property taxes. He also reported giving $18,600 to charities last year.” [AP, 12/18/03]

APRIL 2003: Joe Lieberman, Howard Dean, John Edwards Released Tax Information From 2002. According to the AP, “Joe and Hadassah Lieberman paid $ 73,751 in federal taxes, $ 24,592 in state and local income taxes, and $ 11,703 in real estate taxes, according to a release Tuesday from his campaign on the couple's 2002 tax return. They reported giving $ 18,898 to charities last year. Lieberman, a senator from Connecticut, is the third Democratic presidential candidate to voluntarily release his tax information from last year. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and his wife reported a taxable income of $ 110,141, while North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and his wife estimated theirs was nearly $ 1 million.” [AP, 4/22/03]

Posted 02.29.08 04:12 PM | Comments (4)

Rockefeller For Obama

Sen. Jay Rockefeller, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, endorsed Barack Obama today. (Nice counter to HRC's new TX TV spot, don't you think?)

Here's Rockefeller, in a statement released by Obama's campaign:

"Today, I’m proud to lend my support and strong endorsement to Barack Obama and his candidacy for President of the United States. Barack Obama is the most qualified person – Democrat or Republican – to lead our country in the face of enormous challenges – the very real threat of terrorism, economic uncertainty, and instability at home and abroad.

“As Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I am all too aware that the threats we face are unconventional. They are sophisticated. They are constantly changing and adapting. And they are very serious. What matters most in the Oval Office is sound judgment and decisive action. It’s about getting it right on crucial national security questions the first time – and every time.

“The indisputable fact is Barack Obama was right about Iraq when many of us were wrong. It was a tough call and the single greatest national security question, and mistake, of our time. Today, we remain a country at war, and countless mistakes over the last six and a half years have made us less safe. The stakes have never been higher, and that is why we must take a stand.

“I am not just supporting Barack Obama because of his strength on national security. I am equally proud of his commitment to rebuild America – so that we’re a country of equality and prosperity – where no segment of society is left behind. I know Barack Obama will fight and win the battle for health care, good paying jobs, and energy security."

Posted 02.29.08 03:58 PM | Comments (3)

Hotline TV: How Do You Say "Going Negative" In Spanish?

Posted 02.29.08 03:52 PM | Comments (4)

DEMographics

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics released new polls this afternoon of OH Dem LVs and TX Dem LVs. In OH, Hillary Clinton leads Barack Obama 46-38%, with 14% undecided, while in TX Obama leads Clinton 48-45%, with 5% undecided.

In OH, Clinton leads 51-33% among women, while Obama leads 43-41% among men. Clinton also leads white men by 3%, Inds by 4%, union households by 10%, those making less than $50,000/year by 10%, whites by 16% and non-college grads by 24%.

On issues, Obama leads by 12% on Iraq, while Clinton leads by 22% on immigration and 40% on health care. On qualities, Obama leads by 18% on change and 34% on chances to win in Nov., while Clinton leads by 61% on experience.

Meanwhile in TX, Clinton leads 50-43% among women, while Obama leads 52-39% among men. Obama leads white men by 20%, blacks by 78%, Inds by 16% and voters under 45 by 24%. Clinton, however, leads white women by 12%, Hispanics by 38%, non-college grads by 3% and those making less than $50,000/year by 3%.

On issues, Clinton leads by 40% on immigration and 17% on health care, while Obama leads by 35% on Iraq. On qualities, Obama leads by 53% on change, 17% on chances to win in Nov. and 36% on understands average Americans, while Clinton leads by 78% on experience.

(MATTHEW GOTTLIEB)

Posted 02.29.08 02:39 PM | Comments (0)

Weekend Lineup

Here are the lineups for the Sunday public affairs shows and other weekend programming:

SUNDAY:

Meet the Press hosts a roundtable with Dem strategist James Carville, GOP strategist Mary Matalin, Dem strategist Bob Shrum and GOP strategist Mike Murphy.

Face the Nation hosts Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) and Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Evan Bayh (D-IN).

This Week features a roundtable with New York Times' David Brooks, strategist Matthew Dowd, Dem strategist Donna Brazile, and George Will.

Fox News Sunday hosts Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Karl Rove.

Late Edition hosts NATO Sec.-Gen. Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, DNC Chair Howard Dean, Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), House Min. Whip Roy Blunt (R-MO), and a roundtable with CNN's John King, CNN's Gloria Borger, and CNN's Candy Crowley.

OTHER WEEKEND SHOWS:

Washington Week features Wall Street Journal's Jackie Calmes on OH; Politico's Gebe Martinez on TX; and New York Times' John Harwood on the WH campaign (PBS, FRI, 8 pm).

Real Time hosts actor Harry Shearer, diplomat Shashi Tharoor, journalist Christopher Hitchens, and Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA) (HBO, FRI, 11 pm).

MSNBC will reair the 2/26 Dem debate throughout the weekend -- Friday from 8-10 pm; Saturday from 8-10 pm; and Sunday from 4-6 pm.

Saturday Night Live has host Ellen Page and musical guest Wilco (NBC, SAT, 11:30 pm).

FNC will air William F. Buckley: Right from the Start (FNC, SAT, 10 pm).

Newsmakers hosts Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) questioned by Politico's Martin Kady and Roll Call's Jennifer Yachnin (C-SPAN, SUN, 10 am/6 pm).

Chris Matthews Show hosts BBC's Katty Kay, Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Cynthia Tucker, KXAS' Kevin Cokely; and WCMH's Patrick Preston (NBC, check local listings).

60 Minutes features Steve Kroft in OH where he talks to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama (SUN, CBS, 7 pm). [EMILY GOODIN]

Posted 02.29.08 01:36 PM | Comments (0)

Quote Of The Day

From today's Hotline:

"The biggest problem during the primary season has been too many voters."

-- Electionline.org dir. Doug Chapin, on continued shortages of voting machines, ballots and poll workers, USA Today, 2/29

Posted 02.29.08 12:56 PM | Comments (1)

Obama On HRC Ad: Scare Tactics Won't Work

Responding to Hillary Clinton's new TX TV ad, Barack Obama today claimed that by initially opposing the war, he demonstrated a judgment that would enable him to not only answer phone -- but make the right decisions about the nation's security.

"I stood up and I said the war in Iraq would be unwise," he said during a town hall in Galveston, TX. " It would cost us thousands of lives and billions of dollars. I said it would distract us from the real threat that we face, that we should take the fight to al Qaeda in Afghanstan. That's the judgment that I made on the most important foreign policy decision of our generation, and that's the judgment I intend to show when I answer the phone in the White House as president of the United States of America."

Obama also referred to the HRC spot as a scare tactic, and he pledged not to use terrorism as a political weapon.

"I will never see the threat of terrorism as a way to scare up votes because it's a threat that should rally the country around our common enemies," he said, reports NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan.

Posted 02.29.08 11:57 AM | Comments (4)

Failure Isn't An Option

And one more David Plouffe note for the day. Given the polls in OH and TX, and the benchmark that Hillary Clinton's camp previously set for itself -- to come within 25 delegates of Barack Obama -- Plouffe said Team HRC is bound for disappointment Tuesday.

"They are going to fail by that measure and fail miserably," he said, noting that Clinton would have to win OH and TX each by 10 points.

Here, by the way, is HRC pol director Guy Cecil during the campaign's Feb. 13 phoner with reporters:

"We expect that we will be in a virtual tie with Sen. Obama with delegates," he said, specifiying that Clinton will be "within 25 delegates by the fourth " of March.

Seems like a near impossibility. First Read's delegate count today is 1,398-1,291, advantage Obama.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.29.08 11:32 AM | Comments (2)

Her Red Phone Moment Has Come And Gone

David Plouffe, Barack Obama's campaign manager, dismissed Hillary Clinton's powerful new TX TV ad, which asks voters whom they want answering the phone at 3 a.m. in the White House when a crisis occurs.

"We don’t think the ad’s going to be effective at all," he said, "because Sen. Clinton has already had her red phone moment. It was the decision about whether to let go Bush invade Iraq. ... This is about what you say when you answer that phone. What kind of judgment you demonstrate."

Plouffe said Clinton failed to read the National Intelligence Estimate, and he said that her 2002 vote for the Iraq war resolution puts her in a category with George W. Bush and John McCain.

In numbers news, meanwhile, Plouffe declined to provide specifics about Obama's February fundraising take. Clinton's team announced yesterday that they raised $35M this month. While there are some reports circulating that the Obama campaign raised as much as $50M, Plouffe would only say today that they've done better than their rival. Plouffe said Obama received money from more new donors in February than January.

"We’ve raised considerably more than Clinton’s total, which is a very impressive total," Plouffe said.

Details to come, he promised.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.29.08 11:04 AM | Comments (4)

"A Party Transformed"

Many worthwhile reads in the issue of National Journal out today. Here are a couple:

Ron Brownstein, Atlantic Media's political director, writes about the evolution of the Democratic Party this primary season into a younger, more affluent and more liberal institution in "A Party Transformed."

Meanwhile, Hotliner Sean J. Miller takes a look at the Dems' impressive grassroots efforts in "Surprisingly Organized."

Posted 02.29.08 10:57 AM | Comments (0)

Nipping At Her Heels In OH

A new Reuters/C-SPAN/Houston Chronicle poll shows Barack Obama within two points of Hillary Clinton in Ohio and ahead of her in Texas.

Clinton edges Obama, 44% to 42% in the OH survey released today. He's up 48% to 42% in TX. The poll's margin of error is 3.8 percentage points.

Posted 02.29.08 10:53 AM | Comments (0)

McCain Ready To Drop Funding

It's nearly official: "Public financing" could soon mean grassroots tithing -- money lured from the masses into campaign collection plates so candidates can spend without limits. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., will opt out of the traditional public financing system that bears his name if Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois wins the Democratic nomination and does so first, McCain campaign policy director Douglas Holtz-Eakin said during an interview at the candidate's whisper-quiet headquarters in Virginia this week.

"Oh, yeah," he replied when asked if McCain would renounce the public funds he once admired (and required), if Obama -- as he keeps hinting -- jettisons the shackles of Federal Election Commission rules. Winning against a mega-fundraiser like Obama is daunting. "Make it no harder; it's hard enough!" said Holtz-Eakin.

McCain's finances, though improving, remain too lean to put Holtz-Eakin and other advisers on the payroll. "I never want to say we're at all like Obama, who is a money machine," he marveled. "It's really quite amazing. And I don't want to pretend he's not a hard opponent. Just look at the turnouts; they're phenomenal."

(National Journal's Alexis Simendinger)

Posted 02.29.08 10:25 AM | Comments (3)

"Children"

HRC ad running in TX ... 'It's 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep. But there's a phone in the White House, and it's ringing. ... Your vote will decide who answers that call."

This ad blends Rudy G.'s "Fear Factor" spots with John Edwards' caution that the nation must be stronger and more propserous for the next generation ... Effective spot, plays on voters' key looming fear about Barack Obama -- that he doesn't have the experience to do the job.

But is it too late?

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.29.08 09:52 AM | Comments (3)

Hotline After Dark -- Three Times The Fun

Here's the top political talk from last night:

ABC's McFadden spent the day with Hillary Clinton in OH for a piece on "Nightline":

Asked about her saying she hates being the frontrunner: "Because you're the big target. I'm still being treated like that, in terms of coming after me when this is a close contest."

Asked about looking back: "Not yet. I have to keep looking forward. ... I have just learned that it's really important to keep your concentration where it needs to be. I get up every day and think I think what do I have to try to do to advance my campaign?"

Asked about women who say they feel sorry for her: "I think a lot of women project their own feelings and their lives on to me, and they to see how hard this is. It's hard. It's hard being a woman out there. It is obviously challenging with some of things that are said, that are not even personal to me so much as they are about women. And I think women just sort of shake their heads. My friends do. They say, oh, my gosh, this is so hard. Well, it's supposed to be hard. I'm running for the hardest job in the world. No one has ever done this. No woman has ever won a presidential primary before I won New Hampshire. This is hard. Now every so often, I wish it were more of an even playing field, but I'll play on whatever field is out there."

On Obama: "I think the best description actually is in Barack's own book, the last book he wrote 'Audacity of Hope' where he said that he's a blank screen and people of widening differing views project what they want onto believe on to him. Then he went on to say, I am bound to disappoint some if not all of them. He just hasn't been around long enough. I'm a full-fledged canvas. You know, some people love me, some people a little less, but you know where I stand. You know the fights I've taken on. You know that you can count on me to do what I say I will do."

Asked if she'll know when she should drop out: "I don't think about that. I think about Tuesday" ("Nightline," ABC, 2/28).

Talk about the battle between Barck Obama, Pres. Bush, and John McCain after the jump. [EMILY GOODIN]

THREE TIMES THE FUN

CBS' Axelrod: "Positioning himself as the Democratic frontrunner, Barack Obama is not targeting Hillary Clinton, he is taking on President Bush and John McCain" ("Evening News," 2/28).

CNN's Yellin: "Obama is taking fire on all sides, but so far he is not letting any of his opponents see him sweat" ("Lou Dobbs Tonight," 2/28).

FNC's Garrett: "Obama took after John McCain and President Bush today on the sluggish economy" ("Special Report," 2/28).

Ex-WH adviser David Gergen: "I would imagine the Barack Obama people would love to have George W. Bush weigh in on the middle of this and go one on one. First of all, it elevates Obama. Secondly, the president is sufficiently unpopular that I think it makes Obama's case look stronger. And thirdly, it reminds a lot of Democrats with -- with President Bush and John McCain now taking swings on a daily basis at Barack, as McCain is, the Democrats need to get this settled" ("AC 360," CNN, 2/28).

Newsweek's Fineman: "It's interesting that their argument is strictly about Obama's qualifications and not about Hillary's. That's why in the sense, he has all of them right where he wants them" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 2/28).

CBS' Reynolds examined Obama's record for a piece on the "Evening News" last night: "Obama is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, but he has been absent a lot and has yet to meet the leaders of Britain, Germany, Russia or even Canada, according to his staff. Because he is so new to the national scene, questions persist about Barack Obama's identity, who he really is. Questions his political opponents will be only to too happy to answer this Fall" (2/28).

TAKING THE TOUR

ABC's Gibson broadcast the "World News" from Chicago last night and paid a visit to Obama's campaign headquarters:

Gibson to Obama strategist David Axelrod: "You're watching what Hillary does in real-time?"

Axelrod: "Oh, yeah. When she's making a speech, we're generally watching that speech."

Gibson: "So, if she does something and you haven't answered within an hour, you think you're running behind?"

Axelrod: "I think so. Yeah."

Obama manager David Plouffe, asked why he last had a day off: "Just Christmas Day. It was really surreal because the e-mails were quiet. I probably only got two or three phone calls. It was just quiet" ("World News," ABC, 2/28).

WOULD IT BE WORTH IT?

There was also a lot of talk about whether NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg could be VP:

CNN's Blitzer: "Bloomberg may be downplaying the possibility of being tapped as a running mate, but, if he were a vice presidential candidate, could he donate some of his fortune to the person at the top of the ticket? And he's worth billions and billions of dollars. One election law attorney tells us, the Federal Election Commission has never been asked to officially rule on that question, but he says precedent would indicate that, if Bloomberg were a vice presidential candidate, he could donate an unlimited amount of personal cash to the ticket if the campaign were not accepting public funding" ("Situation Room," 2/28).

MSNBC's Matthews, after hearing there's a lot of Bloomberg VP talk: "Where? Where? Stop right there. You're not going to do that on this show. He's not being talked about it here on this 'Hardball' show. Even though you said that, he's not being talked about for VP on this show" ("Hardball," 2/28).

CNN's Crowley: "Let's face it, he's the mayor of New York. I'm not sure that helps Hillary Clinton. It certainly doesn't help John McCain. I don't know what it does for Barack Obama. You know, these things aren't done like oh, look, he has the same ideas as I do. They're done on a whole host of issues, as to what a candidate, you know, what blanks a candidate has to fill in. I'm not sure what blanks Mayor Bloomberg fills in" ("Situation Room," 2/28).

MSNBC's Barnicle: "I don't think there's a chance in the world that Mike Bloomberg wants or would take the vice presidency. It's not in his nature to be number two. ... The guy has made an enormous fortune by being the guy, making the decisions. He's not going to be vice president and go to someone's funeral over in Africa or Asia" ("Hardball," 2/28).

Posted 02.29.08 09:12 AM | Comments (2)

February 28, 2008

A Message From Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton taped a series of special messages to be broadcast on tonight’s LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN. Check out one of her featured messages ...

Posted 02.28.08 08:34 PM | Comments (4)

Wooing Bloomberg

NY Mayor Michael Bloomberg's announcement last night that he wouldn't seek the presidency produced this varied react today from Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

"I had the opportunity to have breakfast with Mayor Bloomberg a few months ago, had a wonderful conversation, there are some areas where he and I agreed very strongly, there are some areas where we've got some differences, but I have always been confident in my ability to get votes from independents," Obama said, per NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan. "And, you know, I hope that Mayor Bloomberg will look at my track record of trying to reduce special interest influence in Washington, have common sense energy plans that can put us on a more a stable economic footing and conclude that I'd be in the best position to put forward the kinds of the pragmatic, common sense solutions that he's championed in New York. And I will definitely be reaching out to him."

Clinton called Bloomberg's decision not to run for president a very personal one, reports NBC/NJ's Athena Jones.

"I have the highest regard for Mayor Bloomberg," she said. "I have worked with him on many issues affecting New York and, you know, this is such a personal decision, as I can attest to. There are lots of reasons why people decide either to run or not to run, and I respect his reaching his own decision, and I look forward to continuing to work with him as the mayor for the next couple of years."

And here's a snippet from Bloomberg's op-ed piece in the New York Times today:

"In the weeks and months ahead, I will continue to work to steer the national conversation away from partisanship and toward unity; away from ideology and toward common sense; away from sound bites and toward substance. And while I have always said I am not running for president, the race is too important to sit on the sidelines, and so I have changed my mind in one area. If a candidate takes an independent, nonpartisan approach — and embraces practical solutions that challenge party orthodoxy — I’ll join others in helping that candidate win the White House."

Posted 02.28.08 05:19 PM | Comments (2)

"A Chain Reaction"

Hillary Clinton said she was excited and gratified that her campaign raised $35M in February, its highest monthly total to date, and had attracted some 200,000 new donors, many of them small donors.

"I think it says a lot," she said. "People demonstrate their support for a candidate in a number of ways. Obviously, they come out to events, they make phone calls, they hold signs, they are actively involved in supporting us, but contributions are another way of judging and when people found out that we didn't have the resources to compete, and I did put my own money in, it just set off a chain reaction across the country of hundreds of thousands of people saying 'Wait a minute, we want this campaign to go on.'"

Clinton said her campaign had not paid back the $5 million she had loaned it.

(NBC/NJ's ATHENA JONES)

Posted 02.28.08 05:16 PM | Comments (2)

HRC's $35M Haul In Feb

Terry McAuliffe, Hillary Clinton's national chairman, just announced on a phone call with the campaign's finance team (and reporters) that HRC's crew raised $35M in February, more than double its January take. He said 200K new donors gave this month and that their average contribution was about $100.

Overall, McAuliffe said, the campaign has raised in excess of $167M total, $145M of that has been primary money. HRC's loan to the campaign on Feb. 6, he argued, prompted the flood of cash.

"Our Interent exploded, and it has never stopped," he said.

More McAuliffe: "We have the resources to play in the big states coming up TX, OH, RI, VT and states beyond," he said.

He added: "It’s exciting, and we are in this thing for the long haul."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.28.08 02:41 PM | Comments (2)

Strickland On HRC: "She's Fighting For Us"

New Hillary Clinton ad up in OH -- "Fighter" -- featuring Gov. Ted Strickland. Also scripts of two new Clinton radio spots after the jump.

"Faith"
ANNC:

Governor Ted Strickland on Hillary Clinton…

Ted Strickland:

“I’ve known Hillary for fifteen years, admired her since the day I met her. “She’s a person of deep faith, who is driven by deeply felt-values, everything she does is an effort to make life better for other people. She’s also a person who I believe understands Ohio very deeply. Hillary Clinton is the candidate who can best provide the leadership that America and Ohio needs to revitalize our economy, to bring healthcare to our people, to make education high quality and affordable for all of our children and she is most capable of bringing this war to an honorable end…What Ohioans I think need more than anything else is to have confidence that their presidents going to be working for them and Hillary Clinton is a person who will be that kind of president. She’s fighting for us.”

ANNC: Paid for by Hillary Clinton for President

HRC: “I’m Hillary Clinton, candidate for president, and I approved this message.”

"Jobs"
Following is a script for “Jobs”

Man #1: “The economy in this state is terrible.”

Woman #1: “We need jobs very badly in Ohio.”

Man #2: “We need a leader who cares about the people.”

Announcer: She’s fighting for America’s middle class.

Man #1: “Hillary Clinton can and will turn this country and economy around.”

Man #2: “We’ve had steel mills here that have left. Casting plants that have left.”

Man #3: “These corporations are taking these jobs overseas.”

Woman #1: “Hillary has gone on record saying that NAFTA was a mistake.”

Man #1: “Hillary does have a plan to fix NAFTA. She wants to change it from free trade to fair trade.”

Man #3: “She wants to fix the problems.”

Announcer: She’ll end 55 billion dollars in giveaways to corporate special

interests and invest it to rebuild the middle class, create jobs, expand student loans and cut taxes for working families.

Man #2: “She has the knowledge. She has the ability.”

Man #3: “Hillary Clinton has the will it takes to get up every morning and fight for working families here in the United States of America.”

Woman #1: “She’s going to bring job back here to Ohio.”

Announcer: Paid for by Hillary Clinton for President.

Hillary Clinton: I’m Hillary Clinton, candidate for President, and I approved this message.

Posted 02.28.08 02:33 PM | Comments (0)

Quote Of The Day

From today's Hotline:

"I don't know much about Medvedev either."

-- Pres. Bush, asked if he has any advice for Dem '08ers on the incoming Russian pres., mult., 2/28

Posted 02.28.08 12:47 PM | Comments (0)

Another Super D Flips For Obama

The AP reported this morning that Democratic superdelegate and state Rep. Senfronia Thompson, of Houston, has defected from Hillary Clinton to endorse Barack Obama.

"I'm honored to have earned the support of Representative Thompson and am pleased that she'll play an important role in advancing our grassroots movement for change in Houston and across Texas," Obama said in a statement. "Throughout her three decades in the Legislature, she's been a tireless advocate for working families and when I'm president we'll work together to put the American dream within reach of every child in Texas and across our country."

Posted 02.28.08 12:40 PM | Comments (0)

Nader Picks Veritable Unknown As His Veep

Ralph Nader announced his pick of Matt Gonzalez, a past member of the San Francisco board of supervisors, as his running mate. If you're thinking -- 'Gonzalez, who?' -- you're probably not alone.

Gonzalez, a native of McAllen, Tx., ran unsuccessfully for mayor of San Fran in 2003, losing to Gavin Newsom. He graduated from Columbia College in 1987 and received his J.D. in 1990 from Stanford Law School, where he was an editor of the Stanford Law Review.

Nader said today that Gonzalez is "committed to his politics with clear eloquence and humane logic." And he mentioned that one reason that he selected Gonzalez is that the pol helped push to raise the minimum wage in SF, which boasts the highest rate in the nation.

Perhaps another reason Nader picked Gonzalez ... No one else would run with him. We're just speculating, of course. No real cause to think that Nader's choice of an nationally unknown city official as his sidekick might reflect a paucity of excitement among progressives about his third consecutive WH bid ...

The duo hold their first rally together this evening at George Washington University.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.28.08 12:01 PM | Comments (3)

That 'Hussein' Thing

CANTON, Ohio -- Michelle Obama often refers to what she calls the "fear bomb" that was used against her husband in his Senate race, as rivals questioned whether someone with his name could be elected. Today, she acknowledged that it is happening again in his presidential race, and said that the use of his middle name -- Hussein -- against him is an example of why America can't wait for a leader like him to be elected.

"They threw in the obvious, ultimate fear bomb," Obama said of her husband's '04 Senate race. "We're even hearing [that] now. … 'When all else fails, be afraid of his name, and what that could stand for, because it's different.'" She said rivals use innuendo to play on fears. "Just as they're saying it now," she said.

But, she told about 200 supporters this morning at a restored theater in Canton, Obama won despite that "climate of negativity and doubt" in 2004, and even after standing up against the Iraq war. "We learned number one that when power is threatened by real change they will say anything to stop it," she said. "But we also learned that the American people can handle the truth."

Just this week, the Tennessee Republican Party issued an inflammatory press release accusing "Barack Hussein Obama" of disliking Jews and linking him to Louis Farrakhan. A spokeswoman for John McCain's campaign promptly condemned the TN GOP for its tactics.

Meanwhile, Michelle Obama said this morning that what America needs is a "fundamentally different kind of leadership," one that challenges people to be different, and better, to one another. And that, she said to critics who say it is not his time, cannot wait. "Barack Obama will be the kind of leader we need right now, not in four years or eight years or 12 years," she said. "We can't wait to get this right. We need it to happen today."

Obama said her husband's effort to bring people together is grounded in the lessons he learned growing up. "You don't rip your opponents apart, because you never know when you're going to have to sit right down next to them and figure something out," she said. "That's how he was raised. Imagine a president of the United States who is trying to bring those values to the Oval Office."

(NBC/NJ's MIKE MEMOLI)

Posted 02.28.08 11:44 AM | Comments (0)

HPN: Updates From Our State Affiliates

Updates from our Hotline Political Network Affiliates

Nebraska -- Jordan on Politics

West Virginia -- Lincoln Walks at Midnight

New Jersey -- PoliticsNJ

California -- The Roundup

Missouri -- JohnCombest.com

Illinois -- Capitol Fax

Tennessee -- Tennessee Politics Blog

Florida -- SayfieReview.com

Alabama -- Doc's Political Parlor

Colorado -- ColoradoPols.com

Wisconsin -- WisPolitics

Texas -- Harvey Kronberg's Quorum Report

Georgia -- Political and Policy Digest

Iowa -- IowaPolitics.com

New York -- The Politicker

New Hampshire -- NHNewslinks.com

Posted 02.28.08 10:58 AM | Comments (2)

Baker To Endorse McCain

James Baker is endorsing John McCain today in Houston, reports NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-Treworgy. Baker, of course, spoke for George W. Bush during the prolonged 2000 election contest. And he has, as we know, held a number of big deal Washington jobs: chief of staff to President Reagan, as well as his Treasury Sec, chairman of George H.W. Bush's presidential campaign and later his Sec of State. Count Baker's endorsement of McCain as another, obviously at this point perhaps unnecessary, nod from the family Bush.

Posted 02.28.08 09:59 AM | Comments (2)

Hotline TV: Debate Redux

For those who might have missed it:

Posted 02.28.08 09:56 AM | Comments (1)

Hotline After Dark -- A Preview Of What's To Come?

The talk between John McCain and Barack Obama on Iraq netted the two men some TV coverage last night.

But before we get to that Hillary Clinton sat down with PBS' Woodruff:

Asked if the 2/26 Dem debate will affect the campaign: "One never knows, but I feel very good about it and have had a tremendously positive reaction from people where I've been today, in Cleveland, here in Zanesville."

On NAFTA: "Well, I had my doubts about it way back at the beginning of Bill's term, but I was working on health care. But David Gergen and others have apparently remembered a lot of the meetings we were in where I raised a lot of questions. But it's hard to argue with the economic success overall of the Clinton years. ... Since I've been in the Senate, I have raised a lot of serious questions. And I've said, look, I have a plan to fix it."

More from HRC and other WH '08 talk after the jump. [EMILY GOODIN]

On ex-Pres. Clinton saying she cannot get the nod if she does not win OH and TX, Clinton: "Well, I'm doing everything I can to win, so that's my goal. And I'm working really hard. I feel good about both states. We have great campaigns going, and I think that we're going to be successful."

On Lewis switching his support to Obama: "He is a dear friend. And I respect him so greatly. And I understand the incredible pressure that he's been under. So he's my friend today, just like he was yesterday, and he'll be my friend tomorrow."

Asked to explain how she lost her frontrunner status: "None of this is surprising to me. You know, last spring when I looked at how the race was shaping up, I knew that it would be a close contest, and I assumed it would be with Senator Obama. And at that time, you know, I said, 'We've got to start thinking about Texas. You know, we've got to start thinking ahead.' I think it's great that this has been a close contest. I don't have any problem with that. I don't think I'm entitled to anything. I hate being a frontrunner. I find that sort of, you know, burdensome."

Asked if she will win TX and OH: "I don't make predictions. I just get up every day and do the work. And what I have found is that more and more people seem to be taking a hard look at both of us and concluding that they will support me. And we'll see how it turns out on Tuesday when people actually get to vote" ("NewsHour," 2/27).

LEWIS MAKES A TOUGH COMPARISION

Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), on choosing Obama: "I love Bill Clinton, I love Hillary Clinton, but something is happening in America. Something is unbelievable, it is unreal. ... Forty-three years ago, I marched across the bridge in Selma. It was much easier than the decision that I have to make, but I have to make it."

NBC's Mitchell: "You're saying this decision was harder than the Selma march?"

Lewis: "It was much tougher."

Mitchell: "You got your head beaten in. Your face was covered with blood."

Lewis: "But this is tougher. I'm dealing with friends, people that I love, people that admire, part of my extended family" ("Nightly News," NBC, 2/27).

A PREVIEW OF WHAT'S TO COME?

FNC's Henneberg: "Trying to capitalize on what he sees as weakness in his potential Democratic opponent, today during multiple stops in Texas, Senator John McCain hit Senator Barack Obama hard on Iraq" ("Special Report," 2/27).

ABC's Wright: "Obama may be focused on McCain but he still has to get past Clinton" ("World News," 2/27).

Newsweek's Fineman, on the McCain/Obama spat on Iraq: "I think you have, on several levels in seed form, what the campaign in the fall is going to be about" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 2/27).

Washington Post's Milbank: "John McCain is not going to be subtle at all in trying to tease out these differences in Barack Obama's vulnerability" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 2/27).

FNC's Barnes: "Here's why I don't think what Obama did today will work in the general election, for two reasons. One, he can't fall back and say I was against the war in the beginning. That's not relevant now to what's going on in Iraq. You have to deal with what's going on now, and the improvements, and security, and so on, and reconciliation. So he's going to have to deal with that. And, secondly, he doesn't seem to understand what has worked in Iraq" ("Special Report," 2/27).

Posted 02.28.08 09:12 AM | Comments (1)

February 27, 2008

The Gates Of Hell

Barack Obama and John McCain traded barbs today about the presence of Al Qaeda in Iraq.

McCain, riffing off of comments that Obama made in last night's Dem debate, said that Obama is mistaken if he believes that the terrorist organization isn't rooted in Iraq. But Obama subsequently denounced (ahem) McCain's remarks, saying that McCain and President Bush are responsible for starting the Iraq war and leaving the region vulnerable to terrorist activity.

"I'm not embarrassed to tell you that I did not watch the Democrat debate last night, but I am told that Senator Obama made the statement that if Al Qaeda came back to Iraq after he withdraws – after the American troops are withdrawn – then he would send military troops back, if Al Qaeda established a military base in Iraq," McCain said while campaigning in Tyler, TX. "I have some news: Al Qaeda is in Iraq. Al Qaeda, it's called Al Qaeda in Iraq, and my friends, if we left they wouldn't be establishing a base, they wouldn't be establishing a base, they'd be taking a country. And I'm not going to allow that to happen my friends. I will not surrender. I will not surrender to Al Qaeda.

Obama, stumping in Columbus, sought to clarify his debate remarks, noting that he would reserve the right to go into Iraq to strike Al Qaeda.

"So you know this is how politics works," Obama said. "McCain thought that he could make a clever point by saying ,'Well, let me give you some news Barack, Al Qaeda is in Iraq,' like I wasn't reading the papers. Like I didn't know what was going on."

Obama continued: "But I have some news for John McCain, and that was that there was no such thing as Al Qaeda in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq."

Obama said McCain and Bush -- a pairing the Dem candidate is likely to utter repeatedly over the next eight months, should he win the nom -- took the United States into a war "that should have never been authorized and never been waged."

"So John McCain may like to say he wants to follow Osama bin Laden to the gates of hell, but so far all he's done is follow George Bush into a misguided war in Iraq that's cost of thousands of lives and billions of dollars," he said.

(JENNIFER SKALKA, NBC/NJ's ADAM AIGNER-TREWORGY and NBC/NJ's ASWINI ANBURAJAN)

Posted 02.27.08 04:18 PM | Comments (0)

Team Clinton Circulates Latest Talk V. Action Memo

Hillary Clinton's camp aims to revisit one not-so-fab moment for Barack Obama during last night's debate -- the revelation that the sub committee he chairs hasn't held any hearings about Afghanistan ... Related memo from HRC's team after the jump.

And courtesy of the Clinton campaign, here's a clip of that moment:

To: Interested Parties
From: The Clinton Campaign
RE: Talk v. Action
Date: February 27, 2007

Barack Obama has presented himself as a unique political figure who says what he means and does what he says.

Last night, we saw a glimpse of the real Barack Obama – the Barack Obama who became chair of a national security subcommittee, put it on his resume, but did not hold a single oversight hearing because he was too busy running for President; the Barack Obama who spends his time talking about change you can believe in instead of change you actually can count on.

Given the opportunity to take the reins of leadership and shape two critical areas of U.S. foreign policy -- Afghanistan and our alliances in Europe -- Senator Obama has done next to nothing.

As chairman of a key Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee, Senator Obama had an opportunity to assert his leadership and set an agenda for America to help address the war in Afghanistan and strengthen some of our most important alliances.

But by his own admission, he was too busy running for President to conduct a single substantive hearing of the committee he chairs. So he would rather talk about what he would do rather than do it through the responsibility he had.

Hillary Clinton doesn't just WANT the job of President. She wants TO DO the job or President.

How can we tell what Barack Obama would be like as president if he did not carry out his responsibility here?

Posted 02.27.08 03:12 PM | Comments (0)

Go Figures

A new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll out last night shows Barack Obama leading Hillary Clinton 48-42% among Dem primary voters, with 5% undecided. Obama's margins appear to be based on large leads among both men and self-described Inds. Obama and Clinton are tied 46-46% among self-described Dems, while Obama leads by 21% among Inds. They are also nearly tied among women (she is up 1%), while he holds a double-digit lead among men.

The survey shows Obama leads 55-37% among voters who have already cast votes in a 2008 Dem primary or caucus. Obama, however, only leads Clinton 51-49% in total popular vote (including MI and FL), meaning either more people have moved into his camp since they cast ballots or voters cannot remember for whom they actually voted.

What's more, given Obama's 6% lead in the full primary poll but his 18% lead in this already-voted subsample, one can extrapolate Obama's numbers are far weaker in the 14 states which have not yet held a Dem primary or caucus. Nevertheless, this anecdotal evidence should not trouble the Obama camp given the more their candidate campaigns in a state, the better he fares.

Also, some good news for the Clinton camp -- more than half of Dem primary voters believe delegates from MI and FL should be allowed to vote at the convention. The poll did not, however, specify how such delegates would or ask how they should be allocated.

On the GOP side, 24% of primary voters say they are unhappy John McCain is their Nom, a figure which jumps to 26% among self-described conservatives and 28% among evangelical/born-again Christians. These groups likely overlap with the 23% of primary voters, 26% of conservatives and 37% of evangelicals who say McCain is not a true conservative. Interestingly enough, only 6%, 6% and 7% of these groups, respectively, say McCain is not a true GOPer.

Finally, 70% of RVs say the U.S. is ready to elect an African-American man president, and 61% say the U.S. is ready to elect a woman president. But surprisingly, more men than women believe the U.S. is ready to elect a woman. The poll shows comparable numbers of Dems are ready for both a woman and African-American man president, while Inds and GOPers appear far more ready for the latter. Less than half of GOPers and six in ten Inds say the U.S. is ready to elect a woman, while 64% of GOPers and more than seven in 10 Inds say the U.S. is ready to elect an African-American man.

(MATTHEW GOTTLIEB)

Posted 02.27.08 02:36 PM | Comments (0)

Obama's "Voices" and "Oportunidad"

Both ads up in TX today, per NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan.
"Voices" and "Oportunidad" ...

Posted 02.27.08 02:26 PM | Comments (0)

Huck On Buckley

Here are Mike Huckabee's comments about the death of William F. Buckley, Jr.:

"Janet and I were sad to hear the news of William F. Buckley's passing. As one of the founders of the modern conservative movement, William Buckley helped turn the intellectual and political tide, shifting America from liberalism to conservatism. Our country, and our world, are better for his 82 years on this earth.

"Bill Buckley was also one of a kind-a scholar, an activist, a wit, a harpsichord player. As a young man, he wrote God and Man at Yale, an enduring critique of secular liberalism. In 1955, his National Review burst into prominence, influencing many millions of young conservatives, including one youngster from a little town in Arkansas. To this day, his magazine stands as one of the most important voices of conservative opinion. In addition, he produced a seemingly endless quantity of books, novels, articles, columns, and TV shows.

"So all conservatives owe Bill Buckley a great debt. Today, while our thoughts and prayers are with the Buckley family, we conservatives continue to draw inspiration from his life and work. But there is more to be done. It is up to us to carry on, fulfilling his enormous legacy."

Posted 02.27.08 02:21 PM | Comments (0)

Rep. Lewis For Obama

The Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that GA Rep. John Lewis, the civil rights leader, has finally decided to shift his allegiance from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama.

"Something's happening in America, something some of us did not see coming," Lewis told the AJC. "Barack Obama has tapped into something that is extraordinary.

Lewis had endorsed Clinton, but when his district voted overwhelmingly in the GA primary for Obama, floated to the New York Times that he might commit his superdelegate vote to Obama. Lewis told the AJC that this decision was enormously difficult.

"I did it because I felt I had to support Mrs. Clinton because of our friendship," Lewis said. "But also I thought she was ready to lead. Lewis had placed a called to Clinton's office Wednesday morning but hadn't heard back from her. He also had a Please-Return-The-Call message of his own from Obama. By midday, he still hadn't returned it.

"It's been a long, hard and difficult struggle to come to where I am now," Lewis said.

Posted 02.27.08 02:04 PM | Comments (0)

Quote Of The Day

From today's Hotline:

"I'll be there maybe later in the week or next week, if this continues"

-- NY Gov. Eliot Spitzer, explaining why he won't be campaigning for HRC in OH 2/27

Posted 02.27.08 12:49 PM | Comments (0)

Obama's "Quiet" and "Future" Ads Up In Ohio

"Quiet" -- which debuted in NH -- will air in Cinci market. "Future" to air in several OH markets. Both available after the jump.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

"Quiet"

"Future"

Posted 02.27.08 12:48 PM | Comments (0)

Bill: Hillary Hearts Outer Space

HOUSTON, TX -- Houston, we have a contrast.

Bill Clinton is fond of enumerating the differences of policy opinion between Hillary Clinton and her rival, often listing off their areas of disagreement on health care and trade. But residents of Space City USA were treated to a new "huge difference" during one of the former president's campaign stops on a day-long blitz here today.

"Hillary has always supported the manned space program just as I did when I was president," he told a crowd of over 250 who gathered in a picturesque neighborhood park in a Houston suburb today. "Her opponent says we should downgrade man space travel and upgrade robotic travel."

(NBC/NJ's CARRIE DANN)

The issue of space industry employment is key in a town home to NASA's largest R&D facility. According to the Greater Houston Partnership, the Johnson Space Center employs 3000 federal workers and as many as 14000 contracted employees.

"There are 16,000 jobs and a lot of Americans' futures riding on this centered here in Houston," said Clinton today. "You have to make a decision whether you care about this."

Another contrast Clinton continued to push in his remarks today centers around a new Obama ad airing in Texas markets. "There's a one minute ad on in Texas telling you how terrible things were in the nineties," he said, "Well, I think we did pretty well in the 1990s."

"If you believe things were bad in the nineties, just as bad as in this decade," noted the former president, "and you believe everybody should be eliminated from being considered for president if they did anything good, I think you should vote for him."

But, he added, if not -- Hillary's your candidate.

Posted 02.27.08 12:28 PM | Comments (2)

William F. Buckley Jr. Dies, 82

Conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. has died at age 82, according to the AP. His assistant told the AP that Buckley died Wednesday morning at his home in Stamford, Conn. The New York Times is reporting that Buckley suffered from diabetes and emphysema, but that the cause of death is unknown.

Buckley is known for his writings in his magazine, the National Review, which posted this statement:

I’m devastated to report that our dear friend, mentor, leader, and founder William F. Buckley Jr., died this morning in his study in Stamford, Connecticut, writes Kathryn Jean Lopez, NR editor.

He died while at work; if he had been given a choice on how to depart this world, I suspect that would have been exactly it. At home, still devoted to the war of ideas.

As you might expect, we’ll have much more to say here and in NR in the coming days and weeks and months. For now: Thank you, Bill. God bless you, now with your dear Pat. Our deepest condolences to Christopher and the rest of the Buckley family. And our fervent prayer that we continue to do WFB’s life’s work justice.

Statement from House GOP Leader John Boehner after the jump ...

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement after the death of William F. Buckley Jr.:

“America has lost a giant. William F. Buckley was, in large measure, the architect of the modern conservative movement. His intellect, wit, and dedication have inspired generations. In the 1950s, as many in America were moving toward a socialist future of ever-expanding government and ever-decreasing freedom, it took an act of courage and vision to stand athwart history and yell, ‘stop’ as Buckley wrote in the first issue of National Review. As long as America honors the ideals of our Founding Fathers – free speech, freedom of religion, and limited, Constitutional government - his legacy will be cherished.”

Posted 02.27.08 11:46 AM | Comments (0)

HPN: Updates From Our State Affiliates

Updates from our Hotline Political Network Affiliates

Nebraska -- Jordan on Politics

West Virginia -- Lincoln Walks at Midnight

New Jersey -- PoliticsNJ

California -- The Roundup

Missouri -- JohnCombest.com

Illinois -- Capitol Fax

Tennessee -- Tennessee Politics Blog

Florida -- SayfieReview.com

Alabama -- Doc's Political Parlor

Colorado -- ColoradoPols.com

Wisconsin -- WisPolitics

Texas -- Harvey Kronberg's Quorum Report

Georgia -- Political and Policy Digest

Iowa -- IowaPolitics.com

New York -- The Politicker

New Hampshire -- NHNewslinks.com

Posted 02.27.08 10:59 AM | Comments (0)

Hotline After Dark -- No Debate About It

Another day, another debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Here's some of the post-game anaylsis:

MSNBC's Olbermann: "Ninety minutes of them, now about 85 minutes of us" (2/26).

MSNBC's Matthews: "I think we learned tonight why Americans like high-scoring sports. This was a low-scoring game, perhaps like a hockey game. I didn't hear many goals myself. A lot of back and forth about health care, which I find almost absurd given the fact we don't have a national health care plan. ... I learned really nothing new except again Senator Clinton's admission that she would like to have that vote back" (2/26).

NBC's Mitchell: "I actually thought that she presented herself as a fighter, that was what was her mission was tonight. And she kept saying, I'm a fighter, you know, five or six times. That was the phrase she was using. And she came across very credibly, very strongly as a fighter. ... And while the details of health care may seem a little bit onerous to people watching, I think people in Ohio, from all of our polling, really care about it" (MSNBC, 2/26).

More debate reax and John McCain's apology to Obama after the jump. [EMILY GOODIN]

NBC's Russert: "When I asked the question about the Russian election on Sunday, I intentionally did not call on either one of them. It was a jump ball. I looked at both of them. Who wants in? Senator Clinton jumped in. She wanted the question. ... This is not rocket science. We distribute the questions in a very fair way, and I think what happens is, it's not the questions, it's the answers. ... You can't be a president who can make tough decisions unless you can answer tough questions" (MSNBC, 2/26).

CNN's J. King: "I think it was strikingly clear, especially during the cutaway pictures when one was answering a question and they showed the other one, these two are tired of each other. They don't think much of each other at the moment. They're frustrated in the campaign" ("AC 360," 2/26).

HRC supporter/Dem strategist Paul Begala, on HRC claiming she doesn't get a fair shake: "I don't like politicians whining about the press. And yet, she's right, simply as a matter of objective truth. Watch the debate." More Begala: "I don't think the media is anti-Clinton; I know the media is anti-Clinton. ... Let's just tell the truth here. I mean, there's a horrible deep bias against Hillary in the press. But that's life. There was a bias against her husband, and he carried 37 states" ("AC 360," CNN, 2/26).

Obama supporter/Dem strategist Jamal Simmons: "I don't think they're too easy on Obama. I mean, he sat there and had to take five or six minutes of questions about Louis Farrakhan. He spent the last couple of days looking at pictures of himself, you know, on a diplomatic mission doing what everybody else does, but suddenly it's a problem. It's interesting, Senator Clinton said that she didn't mind being asked the questions first, but clearly, she minded it, or else she wouldn't have brought it up. I think that's the thing that kind of shone through throughout the evening is that she just seemed to be a little testy throughout the whole evening" ("AC 360," CNN, 2/26).

TALK OF THE TOWN

There was also a lot of talk last night about the remarks talk radio host Bill Cunningham made at a pre-McCain rally in OH, in which he criticized "Barack Hussein Obama." McCain immediately apologized to Obama.

CNN's J. King, on McCain apologizing for Cunningham's remarks on Obama: "Bill Cunningham had his radio show later in the day, and he lashed out at Senator McCain, saying he cannot support Senator McCain now, said Senator McCain has thrown him under the bus, if you will. So, McCain trying put the controversy to rest, may have started another problem for himself with someone, for all his inflammatory statements, for all his past history of controversy here, all local Republicans will tell you in this area is influential with conservatives that are critical to John McCain's candidacy" ("AC 360," 2/26).

FNC's Henneberg: "McCain staffers say they depend on local organizers to pick the warm-up speakers such as Bill Cunningham. And the campaign says it realizes it needs new vetting procedures now for the speakers" ("Special Report," 2/26).

MSNBC's Olbermann: "This isn't about Bill Cunningham being, you know, a pig. This is a question of John McCain's judgment in action at the moment and maybe he got it right, 45 minutes later, but what happened at the moment? He failed" ("Countdown," 2/26).

Cunningham was on "CNN Election Center":

On saying "Barack Hussein Obama": "I have repeatedly used the name of William Jefferson Clinton, Hillary Rodham Clinton. And the purpose was to identify that particular person, a name which is a great Muslim name. Hussein is a great Muslim name. I meant no offense and none was taken. ... I was asked about a week ago by the John McCain camp to come in to the Republican faithful -- you had to have a ticket to get in this get-together -- and to throw them some red meat, to get them fired up, to get them active. And so I gave a little bit of a stump speech. And I, for one, regret that John McCain is the nominee of the conservative party, because John McCain's not a conservative. He ought to be attacking Obama politically, and not attacking Bill Cunningham, Rush Limbaugh, and Sean Hannity, both of whom came to my assistance today."

Cunningham continues: "I have had it up to here with John McCain. He's off the list. I'm joining Ann Coulter in supporting Hillary Rodham Clinton."

Asked if he had met McCain before: "Twice, in the home of Bob Ryan and with Senator Mike DeWine, who called me at my home to come to Kenwood Country in Cincinnati, Ohio, about six or seven months ago, specifically called me ... and said, Bill, come and meet John McCain. He wants to meet you. We sat around, shook hands, talked a little bit, exchanged some chitchat. John McCain is developing, maybe because of his advancing years, a bad memory" (CNN, 2/26).

He was also on "Hannity & Colmes":

Cunningham: "McCain should be repudiating Democrats and leaving conservatives alone. His people told me to give the faithful red meat. Give them red, raw meat. And so what I did was deliver a speech about Rezko, the developer in Chicago under a federal criminal indictment, a good friend of Barack Hussein Obama. I spoke about the circumstances involving Obama, Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who was the fellow who gave a lifetime achievement award to Louis Farrakhan."

More: "I do not believe Barack Hussein Obama is a terrorist or a Manchurian candidate. I do believe we know nothing about this guy from the daily political machine" (FNC, 2/26).

Posted 02.27.08 09:33 AM | Comments (3)

February 26, 2008

American Idols

Is MSNBC really asking debate viewers to pick a winner via text? Press 1 for Hillary Clinton, press 2 for Barack Obama ...

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 11:29 PM | Comments (4)

Spin

OH Gov. Ted Strickland for HRC: "Hillary Clinton showed Ohioans again tonight why she is uniquely qualified to be president and begin turning our economy around on her first day in office. Hillary is the fighter, the doer and the champion Ohio's working families need. No one is better prepared to deliver quality, affordable health care for every American and lead our country as commander in chief."

David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager: “Tonight, Barack Obama showed why he’s the one candidate who has the judgment to serve as Commander-in-Chief and can draw a clear contrast on foreign policy with John McCain. Barack Obama opposed this war in Iraq from the start, and said that it would distract us from the terrorists in Afghanistan. When he is President, he will end this war, take the fight to al Qaeda, restore respect for America in the world, and bring this country together to deliver the kind of change that will help struggling families afford health care, stay in their homes, and send their children to college.”

Posted 02.26.08 11:22 PM | Comments (5)

Rewind

Russert asks: Words or votes that you would take back, if you could?

Clinton said, as she has previously, that she would take back her Iraq war vote. "I would not have voted that way again. I would certainly as president never have taken us to war in Iraq."

Obama on Terry Schiavo debate: "It was not something I was comfortable with, but it was not something that I stood on the floor and stopped. ... As a constitutional law professor I knew better. I think that's an example of inaction, and sometimes that can be as costly as action."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 10:38 PM | Comments (4)

What's His Name

Russert asks: What can you tell me about V. Putin's successor?

HRC: He's hand-picked by Putin. "This is a clever but transparent way for Putin to hold on to power. And it raises serious issues about how we're going to deal with Russia going forward."

(She needed prompting from Russert to summon his name, however. And we're guessing Obama might have had a similarly tough time. Let's wrap back to that commander-in-chief question, shall we?)

Obama: "I think Sen. Clinton speaks accurately about it." Hand-picked by Putin.

Both candidates knock Bush for neglecting relationship with Russia.

Russert: Ok, guys, he's 42 yrs old, a former law professor, was Putin's campaign manager.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 10:28 PM | Comments (0)

On Farrakhan

Obama on Louis Farrakhan's endorsement:

"I have been very clear in my denunciation of Minister Farrakhan's anti-semitic comments. I think they are indefensible and reprehensible. I did not solicit this support. He expressed pride in an African American, who seems to be bringing the country together. i obviously can't censor him. But it is not support that I sought. And we're not doing anything, I assure you, formally or informally, with Mr. Farrakhan."

On Israel:

"I have been a stalwart friend of Israel's. I think that they are one of our most important allies in the region, and I think that their security is sacrosanct. And that the United States is in a special relationship with them. As is true with my relationship with the Jewish community. And the reason that I have such strong support is because they know not only would I not tolerate anti-semitism in any form but also because of the fact that what I want to do is rebuild what I consider to be a, what I consider to be, a historic relationship between the African American community and the Jewish community."

Posted 02.26.08 10:17 PM | Comments (4)

Of Love And Taxes

HRC: "I will release my tax returns. I have consistently said that. I will do it as others have done it upon becoming the nominee or even earlier, Tim. I have been as open as I can be. The public has 20 years of records for me."

Russert presses her to release the tax returns, filed jointly with her husband (who makes a bundle in overseas speaking), by Tuesday: "I can’t get it together by then. But I will certainly work to get it together. I’m a little busy right now. I hardly have time to sleep."

What about those first lady scheds, released by the National Archives a month ago, but not yet made public. They are in Bill Clinton's possession. "I’ve urged that the process be as quick as possible. It is a cumbersome process set up by law."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 10:08 PM | Comments (0)

Obama On Public Financing

Obama: "I am not yet the nominee, and what I have said is when I am the nominee, if I am the nominee … then I will sit down with John McCain and make sure that we have a system that is fair for both sides. Because Tim, as you know, there are all sorts of ways to get around the loopholes."

Posted 02.26.08 10:04 PM | Comments (0)

The Ghost Of Presidential Debates Past

Those watching the debate on local Cleveland TV got treated during the commercial break to a familiar face from debates long ago -- Dennis Kucinich. He's also on the ballot next week, and he's facing a primary challenge. So he is on the air now running ads for his re-election bid.

In fact, Kucinich exited the White House race in part because he was facing a serious primary opponent for the first time. Unlike '04, he was worried about keeping his day job.

(NBC/NJ's MIKE MEMOLI)

Posted 02.26.08 09:57 PM | Comments (0)

About That GWB Comparison

Clinton has said on the trail that Obama's foreign policy experience reminds her of George Bush's bona fides circa 2000. The postscript is, well, of course, look where that's gotten us.

Obama counters: "Sen. Clinton equates experience with longevity in Washington."

More: "On the critical issues that actually matter I believe my judgment has been sound."

HRC: "I have put forth my extensive experience in foreign policy." Notes her work helping with peace process in Ireland and her landmark Beijing human rights speech.

She criticizes Obama for giving his 2002 anti war speech and then voting once in the Senate to fund the war. Also notes as she has previously that he would be willing to meet with some of the worst dictators in the world "without preconditions."

"I will have a much better case to make on a range of issues that America must confront on issues moving forward," she said.

But Clinton declines, as she did in last week's CNN debate, to directly answer a question about Obama's readiness to be commander in chief.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 09:35 PM | Comments (0)

NAFTA

Russert asks if Clinton would tell Mexico and Canada that in six months time she plans to withdraw from NAFTA.

"I will say we will opt out of NAFTA unless we renegotiate," Clinton said.

Cinton says that parts of New York state have benefited from NAFTA. "It has worked in some parts of America. It hasn’t worked in Ohio."

Obama: "I will make sure that we renegotiate. I think we should use the hammer of a potential opt-out as leverage to make sure we get labor standards that are enforced."

The economy and jobs, are, of course, the most critical matters on the minds of OH voters.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 09:32 PM | Comments (2)

Channeling Eleanor?

HRC on health care: "If you have a mandate it has to be enforceable. It would be as though Franklin Roosevelt said, let's make social security voluntary."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 09:23 PM | Comments (2)

Life Imitating Art

When asked about NAFTA, Clinton says she resents the fact that she's had to field questions first over the last several debates. Says she doesn't know if anyone's seen SNL's campaign spoof (skit last weekend about media being in the tank for Obama), but: "Maybe we should ask Barack if he's comfortable and needs another pillow."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 09:18 PM | Comments (3)

20

Cleveland State University, 20th Dem debate of the 2008 election season, no rules ...

Opening Q charts Hillary Clinton's change of tone over the last few days ...

Clinton: "This is a contested campaign. As I have said many times, I have a great deal of respect for Sen. Obama, but we have differences." Said it's "disturbing" to her that Obama has misrepresented her positions on health care and NAFTA in mailers circulating in Ohio.

But to that end, Brian Williams asks, can she say unequivocally that she knows nothing about the photo of Obama wearing Somali elder garb that was posted on Drudge. "So far as I know it did not (come from the campaign), and I certainly know nothing about it," she said. "We have no evidence where it came from." She said she would ask someone to leave her campaign if it turns out the photo originated from her team.

Response -- Obama said campaigns are rough and tumble but that his campaign hasn't whined about Clinton's mailers or robocalls.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 09:00 PM | Comments (13)

"Inevitable Hillary?"

As Hillary Clinton's staffers struggle to halt Barack Obama's stride toward the party's nom, they have wagged fingers at the press for unfairly targeting the New York senator, for being tougher on her than her rival.

But a look back at press coverage of Clinton from as recently as November indicates – even if anecdotally – that she was widely portrayed by the media as the front-runner, the inevitable nominee. It was only when Obama’s fundraising machine kicked into the highest of gears, when Oprah hit the trail, and, most importantly, when voters started to tune in – and head to the polls – that the landscape changed dramatically.

Check out these headlines:

The Seattle Times, Nov. 16: “Clinton throws counterpunch; Democratic debate – Front-runner ready when Edwards, Obama go on attack”

Baltimore Sun, Oct. 21: “Clinton’s Steady March; Going Into Iowa, She’s The One To Beat – If Anyone Can”

“Can anybody stop Hillary Clinton? The former first lady appears to be pulling away from her rivals in the Democratic contest. Many analysts seem to have all but conceded the nomination to her.”

Cleveland Plain Dealer, Oct. 18: “Hillary Clinton In The Catbird’s Seat”

“The latest round of financial filings and polls suggests that Hillary Clinton’s bid to position herself as the all-but-inevitable Democratic presidential nominee is working.”

Chicago Tribune, Oct. 12: “Obama takes aim as Clinton pulls away; Campaigns trade words on Iran vote”

Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 11: “Inevitable Hillary?”

“Clinton is not Dean. Her national campaign machine is massive, her pockets are deeper, and so is her experience on the national scene. Her national appeal among Democrats looks genuinely broad among reliable primary voters: women, seniors, and blue-collar workers.”

Chicago Sun-Times, July 27: “Hillary Thrives On The Campaign Trail”

“The big story line out of the Democratic campaign thus far has got to be how Hillary Clinton keeps improving, maturing and getting more effective as a candidate.”

Meanwhile, do not forget this terrific Clinton line, offered up in response to heightened attacks from her rivals during the Nov. 15 debate in Las Vegas: “People are not attacking me because I’m a woman. They’re attacking me because I’m ahead.”

Her words, not ours.

Meanwhile, USA Today/Gallup tracking polls show that Clinton held a 30-point lead nationally over Obama just three months ago. She peaked at 50% in the survey conducted between Oct. 12 and 14; Obama won just 21%. Even in mid December she was still up, 45% to 27%. Solid leads by anyone’s measure.

And yet, as Clinton and Obama face-off tonight in Cleveland tonight for their last debate before the critical March 4 contests in OH and TX, all eyes are on the former first lady, who is no longer ahead but struggling instead to keep her campaign alive. The latest USA Today/Gallup tracking poll – taken after Obama won 10 straight primary contests – shows her down 12 points.

It’s easy to blame reporters. And certainly should Clinton not find a way to scrap back into the fight, theses will be written, books, too, about the failure of her once-dominant campaign -- and the role of the press, and for that matter gender politics, in her collapse. But it’s wise to remember that from name recognition to cash, Clinton entered this race with every advantage. And for a long time, per the press, she was inevitable.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 08:27 PM | Comments (15)

Richardson To Endorse?

Check out this clip of Bill Richardson telling CNN's Wolf Blitzer that he's pondering a pre March 4 endorsement ... Long loyal to the Clintons, if Richardson backed HRC would he give her a much-needed positive headline? Could he help Clinton with Latino voters in TX, in particular, where some polls show Barack Obama overtaking her?

"I may make a decision and do an endorsement," Richardson said.

Blitzer: "Within the next few days?"

"Possibly, yes," Richardson responded.

Richardson said he isn't interested in giving hints about his leanings, but then hinted: "I think it's going to be very, very close. I don't think this race is over."

Posted 02.26.08 05:59 PM | Comments (1)

A Big Maybe

COLUMBUS, OH - Responding to Mike Huckabee's call today for a GOP debate, John McCain left the door open for a face-to-face meeting.

"I did not know that he had sought to do that," McCain said in Cincinnati. "In fact, we've had 16 debates since this campaign began, and I've been engaged in every one of them. So, I would certainly consider that proposal."

Chip Saltzman, Huck's campaign manager, said that the campaign had not officially sent a letter or contacted the McCain campaign seeking a debate, but reiterated the former AZ guv's earlier words that campaign officials had "made it very clear" that they wanted a forum. Saltzman also said there had been plans for a debate, but the television network scheduled to air it backed out.

(NBC/NJ's MATTHEW BERGER)

Posted 02.26.08 01:28 PM | Comments (2)

All Net

A statement from Barack Obama's campaign:

Greg Oden, the centerpiece of Ohio State University’s 2006-2007 Big Ten champion and national runner-up team, announced today his endorsement of Barack Obama.

The number one overall pick in last year’s NBA draft, Oden is a first-time voter, and he decided to speak out about this election because he believes America is at a critical juncture.

“Like a lot of young people, I’ve been drawn to Senator Obama’s campaign and the potential he has for our country,” Oden said. "Obama gives Americans, especially young voters like me, a sense of hope in politics. He makes us feel like we can come together for the good of our country. Topics like education and healthcare are very important to me, and I agree with Sen. Obama's views on these issues."

Oden will work with the campaign to reach out to young voters in Ohio and states that are still to waiting to have primaries, such as Indiana, where Oden was the high school basketball player of the year, and Oregon, where Oden plays for the Portland Trail Blazers.

“Greg Oden meant a lot to the state of Ohio, and we’re proud to have his endorsement,” Obama Ohio Director Paul Tewes said.

Posted 02.26.08 01:22 PM | Comments (10)

Quote Of The Day

From today's Hotline:

"I don't think it's just me. I think it is still the burden that women in public life have to bear."

-- Hillary Clinton, San Antonio Express-News, 2/26

Posted 02.26.08 12:50 PM | Comments (3)

Dodd: Obama Has Experience, Vision To Lead

CLEVELAND, OH -- Conn Sen. Chris Dodd today endorsed his onetime rival, Barack Obama, giving the novice Washington lawmaker the stamp of approval of a veteran policy-maker. Dodd is also the first former Democratic presidential hopeful to back another candidate.

"I believe that Barack Obama has the experience, the ability, the vision to lead this country, to make a difference both at home and abroad," said Dodd, who has served in Congress for more than three decades.

Dodd, who joked that he had hoped to be on the receiving end of endorsements, said that he had been moved by the crowds that have come to see Obama and the sentiment that he stirs in young people.

"I think the ability of Barack Obama has brought to this to reach out and attract the kind of response is certainly something none of us have seen in a long time in American politics," Dodd said. "Certainly in the last generation. The kind of response where we saw in this primary the crowds showing up, many of them coming to listen and hear for the first time but walking away convinced they were hearing something different contributed, I think, to the judgment I had today to support this candidacy."

Dodd also argued for a quick resolution to the nominating contest. He said he is worried about the potential for long-term divisiveness within the party, and he noted that, historically, contentious nominating processes have caused the party to lose the general election.

"A cautionary note here, to campaigns and the people around them, be careful this week," he said. "We have good people running. We have remarkable people running in these two candidates. ... I don't want a campaign that is only divisive here, and there is a danger of it becoming that, not because the candidates want it, but too often the advisers, the consultants, others are seeking for that divisiveness."

Dodd said he spoke to Hillary Clinton last night, noting that "these are not easy conversations." He praised Clinton and her work for the country and said that he believed she would have contributions to make for many years to come.

"But it's the hour to come together," he added. "I appeal to Democrats, Independents, and others who will participate in the primary vote here next Tuesday, in Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island. This is the moment for Democrats and Independents and others to come togther, to get behind this candidacy."

(NBC/NJ's ASWINI ANBURAJAN)

Dodd said he "wasn't suggesting at all" that Clinton should drop out of the race.

Asked why he had endorsed Obama after he had strongly criticized his foreign policy stances over the summer and readiness to be president, Dodd argued that "we can't splice every statement made over the course of the campaign here."

"Obviously, there are going to be some differences along the way here, not suggesting otherwise, we've had our differences and disagreements," he said. "But we're making a judgment here far beyond specific statements that have been made or a press release that went out here. The judgment of an individual to be the standard bearer of a great national party, to win a national election and to lead our county."

Dodd also said that he had reached out to try and contact John Edwards about his decision to endorse, but hadn't been able to reach him. He said that Edwards would have a strong role to play in the Democratic Party.

Obama and Dodd walked out of the press conference with their arms around each other. Any thought of VP nod was quickly put to rest by Dodd, who offered a quick, "No," when asked if the prospect had been discussed.

Posted 02.26.08 12:47 PM | Comments (2)

Huck: Debate Me

CLEVELAND - Mike Huckabee said his campaign has been asking John McCain's campaign to debate, and suggested today that questions surrounding McCain's adherence to campaign finance laws raise doubts about his viability.

Speaking at a press conference that drew just the six reporters still traveling with Huckabee - even though the national press corps is in town for the Democratic debate - the candidate said he wants to debate his rival.

"There's a race going on, and I wish Sen. McCain was debating me this weekend," Huckabee said. "I wish we were gonna be in Cleveland tonight on stage or in Dallas or in Houston or San Antonio or Austin or somewhere between now and Tuesday having a debate."

He said Republicans deserve a one-on-one face-off and that he was "disappointed" a forum between the remaining candidates (Ron Paul is still in the GOP race as well) hasn't been planned.

"We've made it very clear that we would love to have, whether it's a debate or a forum or 'Q and A', where both of us are there; I think any type of format would be acceptable to us, and any location would be acceptable to us," he said.

Huckabee said that the race remained open while questions linger about McCain's spending.

"What can John McCain actually spend?" he asked. "And he seems to be almost being bitten by his own campaign finance reform act, and there are a lot of issues to be settled with what happens in his spending limits."

He said McCain may have to "go completely dark between virtually now and the nomination convention."

Huckabee did not hold a public event in Cleveland, but did receive a private tour of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, before traveling to Columbus and Mason for rallies and a fundraiser in Dayton.

(NBC/NJ's MATTHEW BERGER)

Posted 02.26.08 11:52 AM | Comments (7)

Portman For McCain

Ohio Rep. Rob Portman, the former U.S. trade rep and pension reform guru, endorsed John McCain today.

"I am proud today to announce my support for Senator John McCain to be the next President of the United States," Portman said in a statement released by the campaign. "John McCain is a proven leader with a track record of breaking through partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C. and achieving results in the national interest. He has been an effective champion for fiscal responsibility and pro-growth economic policies. No one is a more committed advocate for our men and women in uniform, and no one understands better the threats America faces. John McCain is the right choice for Ohioans to keep our nation secure and to get our economy back on track."

Portman, like McCain, has a rep for reaching ably across the aisle. And, well, the popular moderate calls Ohio home. The latter should make him an automatic addition to McCain's short list for veep.

But then, of course, here's another likely McCain veep shortlister on MSNBC this a.m. -- in a clip released by the campaign:

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Posted 02.26.08 10:38 AM | Comments (0)

Bush V. McCain On Lobbyists

Smart new vid from the DNC that pushes theme of last week's NYT story, that John McCain is too cozy with lobbyists. Shows a clip of George W. Bush slamming McCain during the 2000 GOP primary campaign:

"My friend is raising money from people who have business in front of his committee," Bush said. "Nothing illegal about that. But I just want to make sure the facts are laid bare."

Posted 02.26.08 10:30 AM | Comments (0)

Hotline After Dark -- A Picture's Worth ...

Most of the TV talk last night concerned the Hillary Clinton campaign -- with pundits trying to figure out exactly what strategy the senator is employing. There was also plenty of talk on the photo of Barack Obama in native African dress:

NBC's Mitchell: "With Hillary Clinton slipping in those national polls, she is taking a noticeably harder line
against Barack Obama" ("Nightly News," 2/25).

National Journal's Douglass, on HRC: "Clearly, she's listening to the people who said, Look, this is your last stand. You've got to do everything you can to try to reinforce any doubts that are growing among people who still aren't sure they know enough about Obama. So she's decided just to go for it" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 2/25).

CBS' Axelrod: "A senior Clinton aide told me Hillary Clinton doesn't like it at all the way her final warm remarks were seen as a farewell so she is leaving no doubt that she will fight and fight fiercely for the Democratic nomination" ("Evening News," 2/25).

More Clinton talk and the Obama photo after the jump. [EMILY GOODIN]

CNN's Borger: "It's clearly an inconsistent campaign. She hasn't had one clear message. She's had three messages. One day, she reaches over and she touches Barack Obama's arm. The next day, she's saying, shame on you. The next day, she's running as an experienced commander in chief. You know, it's difficult to win with one message, much less three messages. ... This has all the trappings of a campaign that is having an internal argument about how to proceed, because there isn't any clear direction" ("AC 360," 2/25).

Ex-WH spokesperson Dee Dee Myers: "It's been a frustrating campaign for her. ... Early on the campaign was praised for message discipline and strategic discipline and it turned out that the strategy didn't work. And all of a sudden, they are running against this phenomenon called Barack Obama. And it's really difficult to run against him and they haven't figured it out" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 2/25).

A PICTURE'S WORTH ...

NBC's Todd: "I think that the one thing that Obama knows how to beat back is this stuff. I mean, he's lived with this name his whole life, you know? You know, 46 years he's had to deal with this. So I think he knows how to handle this stuff. And they beat it back fast" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 2/25).

Newsweek's Wolffe: "I think the Clinton campaign could have done itself a world of favor whether or not they wanted this photo out there to say, listen, this is not the kind of tactic that we Democrats stand for. We're all patriots here. That's not the thing we condone. And let's move on and discuss what really matters. Instead of this idea of we didn't sanction it, we didn't know about it and the other side is behaving badly. It just doesn't seem to be rising above it, which again, that was got people applauding to their feet last week" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 2/25).

CNN's Crowley, on the Obama camp: "They think that some voters really fear what his background is, aren't quite sure. And they think this picture was intended at least to feed into that. ... There's been denial from the Clinton campaign that it came from them. ... They, in fact, think that this is the Obama campaign trying to sort of whip things up" ("Election Center," 2/25).

Dem strategist Donna Brazile: "I have been to Africa seven times. I probably have pictures like Senator Obama. African-Americans are proud of their heritage. We are Americans, but we are from African descent, and, clearly, so is Senator Obama. There's nothing wrong with showing him with that picture. But there's something wrong with a campaign the would to somehow or another insinuate, because of his name or his heritage, that something is un-American about him" ("Situation Room," CNN, 2/25).

OBAMA -- THE STATE SENATE YEARS

ABC's Moran examined Obama's past political record for a package on "Nightline":

Moran: "Emil Jones was the Democratic party leader in the Illinois state senate and when Democrats took over in 2002, Obama came to see him."

Jones: "And he said to me, he said, you're the Senate president now and with that, you have a lot of power. I said, Barack, what kind of power do you think I have? He said, you have the power to make a United States Senator. So I asked him, I said, if you think I have that kind of power, I said do you know of anyone I can make a United States Senator? He said, me."

Moran: "So he was a young politician on the make, but his colleagues, Democrat and Republican, say he was also eager to get things done."

More Moran: "What is Obama's record on the longest period of public service in his career? ... Obama's major piece of
legislation was challenge, a complete overhaul of Illinois's campaign finance and ethics laws. It was a heavy lift. Obama's Democratic colleagues resisted reform fiercely, as did Republicans. But the bill passed in large part of the rookie senator, the bill's cosponsor."

Moran continues: "But not all of his former colleagues are impressed."

State Sen. Dan Cronin (R): "You know, I hate to burst the bubble. There's been a lot of hype and, you know, when he served down here, his career was not particularly distinguished."