May 09, 2008
Hotline After Dark -- General-ly Speaking
Barack Obama and John McCain made the TV rounds last night. Some highlights:
In his first nat'l interview since the 5/6 primaries, Obama spoke with CNN's Blitzer.
Obama, on the Time cover declaring him the "winner": "I don't want to be jinxed. We've still got some work to do. ... Senator Clinton is a very formidable candidate. She is very heavily favored to win West Virginia. She'll win that by a big margin. She's favored in Kentucky. We'll probably split the remaining contests so she's going to be actively campaigning."
On Mitt Romney saying he is inexperienced and being POTUS "is not an internship": "Yeah. Well, the contest didn't work out so well against John McCain suggesting that John McCain as a senator hadn't done what Mitt Romney had done. And yet here we are and there Mitt Romney is. Look, when it comes to national security, I think that what people are looking for is good judgment."
On McCain's comments that Hamas favors him for POTUS: "This is offensive and I think it's disappointing, because John McCain always says, well, I'm not going to run that kind of politics and that engages in that kind of smear I think is unfortunate, particularly since my policy toward Hamas has been no different than his. ... And so for him to toss out comments like that I think is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination. We don't need name calling in this debate."
More after the jump (KATHERINE LEHR).
Obama, on whether he would pick Hillary Clinton as his VP: "As I said before, Time magazine notwithstanding, we haven't wrapped this thing up yet. At the point where I'm the nominee I'll start going through the process of figuring out ... who my running mate might be. Senator Clinton has shown herself to be an extraordinary candidate. She is tireless, she is smart. She is capable. And so obviously she'd on anybody's short list to be a potential vice presidential candidate."
Blitzer: "A quick question on this Mother's Day weekend. Your mother raised you. She was on food stamps at one point. Single mother. If she were alive today and she saw ... the point that you have reached right now, what would she say to you?"
Obama: "She'd say don't let it get to your head, just keep on working hard. But I think she'd be pretty proud" ("Situation Room," 5/8).
Obama also sat down with NBC's Williams.
Obama, asked if he's had any discussions about declaring victory on 5/20: "That will be an important day. If, at that point, we have the majority of pledged delegates, which is possible, then I think we can make a pretty strong claim that you know, we've got the most runs and it's the ninth inning. And we've won."
Obama, on what his mom would say about the Time cover: "She'd like that picture. She always encouraged me to smile more."
Obama, asked if Clinton meets his criteria of a running mate: "Well, there's no doubt that she's qualified to be vice president, there's no doubt she's qualified to be president. Obviously I think I can be a better president, otherwise I wouldn't' be running. But she's a very capable, very smart person. And anybody who's been in a political contest with her, can tell you that she's no pushover" ("Nightly News," 5/8).
Politico's Simon, on Obama acting humble about being the "presumptive" Dem nominee: "He should keep up with the humble thing. I think it would be a mistake for him to declare victory after the last contest because the last contest gives him a very meaningful metric, the most pledged delegates, and that will give him the nomination, in the end" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 5/8).
FNC's O'Reilly caught up with McCain. "O'Reilly Factor" aired part one of the two-part interview last night.
McCain, on Barack Obama's main weakness: "Inexperience. I think inexperience and lack of judgment, and
a record that shows that, whether it be showing a desire to sit down with the president of Iran, who has articulated his country's commitment to the extinction of the state of Israel, to wanting to raise people's taxes. ... So I think it's inexperience and judgment and vision."
McCain, asked if he voted for Pres. Bush in '00: "Of course. I mean, that's a ridiculous question."
O'Reilly: "So [Arianna Huffington] lied?"
McCain: "Frankly, I do not read Huffington Post. I spare myself from having that experience. ... I voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004. ... And not only that, far more important than a vote, I campaigned everywhere in America for him" (FNC, 5/8).
CBS' Couric also conducted a two-part interview with McCain. McCain's 96-year-old mother, Roberta McCain, also joined them.
McCain, on enlisting the Chinese to help with the situation in Myanmar: "I would start putting some pressures on ... appealing to them to have this junta -- at least allowing aid to care for these people. This is a very bad government. And right now I think that we should ask the other countries in the region, as well as China, that they have close ties to, to really put some pressure on them for humanitarian purposes."
The rest of the interview will air tonight ("Evening News," 5/8).
"DON'T EVER THREATEN ME"
On the "Situation Room" last night, CNN's Henry broke the news about HRC supporter/Miramax co-founder Harvey Weinstein threatening to cut off contributions to cong. Dems unless Speaker Nancy Pelosi embraced his plan to finance revotes in FL and MI.
Henry: "CNN has learned Speaker Nancy Pelosi had an explosive phone call with movie mogul Harvey Weinstein late last month according to three officials briefed on it. Weinstein, a key backer of Senator Hillary Clinton, threatened to cut off campaign money to congressional Democrats unless Pelosi embraces his new plan to finance a revote in Florida and Michigan. The three officials told CNN, Weinstein appeared determined to buy Clinton more time by pushing for the revote which may be her last chance of catching Barack Obama. One official said Pelosi refused to give in, telling Weinstein, 'Don't ever threaten me again.' Though she would not discuss the matter after CNN broke the story."
Pelosi: "No. I think enough has been said about that phone conversation."
Henry: "Weinstein vehemently denied any threats to cut off campaign funds telling CNN, 'I told her people felt there would be a disenfranchisement of voters unless leaders came up with a remedy for Florida and Michigan.' Another person familiar with the call said Weinstein also warned that powerful Democrats may turn to Republican John McCain if the problem is not fixed. Pelosi, however, insists the long primary battle is not dividing the party."
Pelosi: "Me, I like combat, you know. I think the best training for campaigning is campaigning. So I think that as they have campaigned, the support in our country has grown for a Democratic message. This is all very healthy" (CNN, 5/8).
Clinton chair Terry McAuliffe, asked if he wants to react to the Weinstein/Pelosi story: "The first I've heard it. No one should be threatening anybody. We all agreed Michigan and Florida can't be disenfranchised and people go about arguing in different ways. It's the first I heard about it" ("Situation Room," CNN, 5/8).
Posted at 09:20 AM
Comments
Romney is a sore looser and is now very very desparate to become VP candidate. As has been proven this flipflopper will say and do anything to get close to the power.
Mittster | 05.09.08 12:11 PM
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Romney is a sore looser and is now very very desparate to become VP candidate. As has been proven this flipflopper will say and do anything to get close to the power.
Miister | 05.09.08 12:16 PM
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So Senator Maverick's accusing Obama of "lack of judgment"...
"I voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004. ... And not only that, far more important than a vote, I campaigned everywhere in America for him."
Sooo..... How's that been workin' out, John?
NH Dem | 05.09.08 12:21 PM
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Clinton takes Indiana by a ‘razor’ and Obama wins North Carolina by a huge margin. Nevertheless, Kentucky, Montana and West Virginia are still to come.
The Democratic race for nomination is still very much alive – and most likely to be decided by superdelegates
If you’re tired of waiting around for those super delegates to make a decision already, go to LobbyDelegates.com and push them to support Clinton or Obama
If you haven't done so yet, please write a message to each of your state's superdelegates at http://www.lobbydelegates.com
Obama Supporters:
Sending a note to current Obama supporters lets them know it's appreciated, sending a note to current Clinton supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Obama, and sending a note to the uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Obama. It's that easy...
Clinton Supporters too …. !
It takes a moment, but what's a few minutes now worth to get Clinton in office?! Those are really worth !
Sending a note to current Clinton supporters lets them know it's appreciated, sending a note to current Obama supporters can hopefully sway them to change their vote to Clinton, and sending a note to the uncommitted folks will hopefully sway them to vote for Clinton. It's that easy...
feeba | 05.12.08 08:28 AM
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