|
 |
Republican Leach Backs Obama more similar news »
Former Iowa Rep.
Jim Leach (R-IA) will be endorsing Sen. Barack Obama this morning, according to Radio Iowa.
"Leach, as you may recall, lost his bid for re-election in 2006 after
three decades representing portions of eastern Iowa in congress. Leach
was considered a "moderate" Republican and was a backer of campaign
finance reform. Leach did not accept campaign contributions from
political action committees."
On an Obama conference call this morning, Leach will be joined by other Republicans who are backing the Illinois senator.
Tue Aug 12, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Corzine Faces Tough Re-Election Bid Next Year more similar news »
Looking ahead to next year's race for Governor in New Jersey, a new Quinnipiac poll finds Gov. Jon Corzine, who has been "plagued by ongoing budget problems," now locked in a dead heat with
federal prosecutor Christopher Christie (R). Christie edges Corzine, 41% to 40%.
Key factor: Only 32% of voters are "very satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied" with the way things
are going in New Jersey, while 67% are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied." This
dissatisfaction rate has been in the 2-1 range for more than two years.
Tue Aug 12, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Big Primary Day in Colorado more similar news »
CQ Politics: "Colorado's primary election on Tuesday will
effectively select two members of the next Congress, set up two highly
competitive races in November and also determine the fate of a freshman
Republican incumbent who faces a serious intraparty challenge."
Tue Aug 12, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
A Case of Plagiarism more similar news »
At least two political science professors -- Steven Taylor and Mark Kleiman -- are convinced by my earlier post that Sen. John McCain used plagiarized lines from Wikipedia in his speech on the Russia-Georgia crisis today.
These are just some of the dozens and dozens of reactions on this story today. It was also mentioned by Keith Olbermann on Countdown tonight (about three minutes into this clip).
Tue Aug 12, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
How Clinton Lost more similar news »
Today's must-read piece is from Josh Green:
"Hillary Clinton's campaign was undone by a clash of personalities more
toxic than anyone imagined. E-mails and memos -- published here for the
first time -- reveal the backstabbing and conflicting strategies that
produced an epic meltdown."
The memos which were the basis of the article are also all online.
Tue Aug 12, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Obama Running Ahead of Kerry in 41 States more similar news »
Josh Goodman compares state polling in the presidential race to the results of the 2004 election and finds that Sen. John McCain "is only running ahead of Bush's 2004 result in four states." Meanwhile, Sen. Barack Obama "is doing at least 2.46 percentage points better than Kerry in 41 states. In 2004, 2.46 was Bush's margin of victory in the national popular vote."
Most interesting fact: "Every single one of Obama's 12 strongest states when compared to Kerry has an African-American population that is below the national average of 12.4%. This group includes four states -- Montana, Idaho, South Dakota and Wyoming -- that have the four lowest black populations in the country."
Mon Aug 11, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
PPP Poll: Obama Still Ahead in Colorado more similar news »
A new Public Policy Polling survey in Colorado shows Sen. Barack Obama maintaining a small lead over Sen. John McCain, 48% to 44%.
Analysis: "The key for Obama is that he has held McCain to a one or two point lead among white voters in each of the polls. If he is able to do that in November he will take the state easily because of his dominance with the state's Hispanic voters, with whom he leads 51-36."
Mon Aug 11, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
SurveyUSA: Virginia Still Deadlocked more similar news »
A new SurveyUSA poll in Virginia shows Sen. John McCain barely edging Sen. Barack Obama, 48% to 47%.
Key findings: McCain holds 89% of the GOP base. Obama holds 86% of the Democrat base.
Independents break 5:4 for McCain. Moderates break 3:2 for Obama. Obama
leads slightly among those who have graduated college. McCain leads
slightly among those who have not. McCain leads among those who attend
religious services regularly. Obama leads among those who rarely go to
church. McCain leads 2:1 among Pro-Life voters. Obama leads 2:1 among
Pro-Choice voters.
Meanwhile, in the U.S. Senate race, Mark Warner (D) crushes Jim Gilmore (R), 58% to 34%.
Mon Aug 11, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Obama Book Coming Soon more similar news »
In just about a month -- and without any leaks -- Washington superlawer and book agent Robert Barnett brokered an interesting book deal for Sen. Barack Obama that will turn the nation's bookstores into yet another advertising outlet for the Illinois senator's presidential campaign.
All profits from the book will go to a yet-to-be-determined charity, with none being retained by either Obama or his campaign.
Political Books has more details.
Mon Aug 11, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Edwards Lie Cost Clinton Nomination more similar news »
Sen. Hillary Clinton "would be the Democratic presidential nominee if John Edwards had been caught in his lie about an extramarital affair and forced out of the race last year," insists Clinton aide Howard Wolfson, ABC News reports.
Said Wolfson: "I believe we would have won Iowa, and Clinton today would therefore have been the nominee."
Political Insider: Why the Edwards affair matters.
Mon Aug 11, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
McCain Empties His Coffers more similar news »
Sen. Barack Obama may be outspent this month by Sen. John McCain, "who has accepted federal campaign funding and is required to empty his treasury before his party's Sept. 1-4 nominating convention in Minneapolis," according to Bloomberg.
"Yet in the general-election season, which begins after the conventions, McCain will have to limit his spending to the $84.1 million in federal funds. Obama has decided not to accept those funds and may have two to three times more money to spend."
Mon Aug 11, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
McCain Visit to Pennsylvania Starts VP Buzz Again more similar news »
As the New York Times notes Sen. John McCain gets the campaign trail to himself with Sen. Barack Obama on vacation. McCain will start the week campaigning through Pennsylvania with the state's former Gov. Tom Ridge at his side.
CNN notes that anytime
McCain "appears with someone that might be on his vice presidential
shortlist, it stirs up a whole new round of speculation. And as
Pennsylvania is a key battleground state, Ridge is getting plenty of
attention."
Mon Aug 11, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Clinton's Daughter Will Introduce Her at Convention more similar news »
Sen. Hillary Clinton "wants to be introduced by her daughter Chelsea at the Democratic National Convention, and party insiders say Barack Obama has signed off on the idea," the New York Daily News has learned.
"The New York senator will deliver the Denver convention's keynote address in primetime Aug. 26, a plum speaking slot that indicates just how much Obama wants to keep his vanquished primary opponent happy."
Mon Aug 11, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Crisis in Georgia more similar news »
The following guest post is from Dan Conley, a former speechwriter for Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder and Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley.
While most of America is distracted with the Olympics and the Edwards scandal, the world is inching closer to a massive, destructive war between Russia and Georgia, one that could possibly draw in Ukraine as well. So far, the domestic political implications of this conflict have been minimal, but the actions of both campaigns raise troubling questions about how either Senator would perform as Commander in Chief.
For Barack Obama, the problem is foreign policy incoherence. Obama has become a willing pawn of foreign policy experts -- to the point that he's embraced Georgia's entry into NATO without understanding the full implications of that strategy. As we now see, embracing Georgia in NATO means a willingness to defend that country in a war against Russia. Yet Obama's response has been all over the map, matching consensus global opinion. At first, he blamed both Georgia and Russia, then called for Russia to withdraw, now he's demanding an immediate cease fire. Events are in the saddle and Obama is going along for the ride -- this matches President Bush's approach to the crisis, and that's not a good thing.
For John McCain, the problem isn't coherence, it's bellicosity. McCain has been the strongest global voice behind Georgia since the shooting began. The problem is, when does the McCain tough rhetoric end and World War III begin? The McCain team will argue that the only way to deter Russia, Iran and other global aggressors from taking actions like this is to stand up to them forcefully, with credibility. The problem is the second half of that equation -- with U.S. troops in Iraq and even Georgia unsure how to get their 2,000 Iraqi troops back home in time to make a difference, how exactly would the U.S. help Georgia in this conflict, short of starting an all-out war with the second biggest nuclear power? At this moment, the U.S. has no credible way to threaten Russia. So unless McCain is willing to get the U.S. in the middle of every armed conflict on earth -- giving new definition to his promise of "more wars" -- a McCain Presidency would mean that we're at least going to enter a new age of foreign policy brinkmanship that will demand a military sufficient to fight these battles. That means either getting out of Iraq or reinstating a draft, because the military today is incapable of matching McCain's rhetoric.
One final point: yesterday, one Georgia official claimed that Russian jets targeted the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which carries roughly one percent of the world's oil to Turkey, bypassing Russian ports. The strike, if it actually happened, was unsuccessful. There has been no independent confirmation of the attack and considering how easy it's been for Iraqi insurgents to knock out pipelines over the last five years, one would assume that if Russia really wanted this pipeline out of service, it would be blown to bits by now. Yet despite the dubious nature of these reports, the Drudge Report threw up a headline this morning entitled The Pipeline War and now every American news source has followed their lead. All based on one man's unconfirmed report. Such is the ridiculous state of American news coverage in 2008 and another reason why the oil futures markets have become completely insane this year.
Sun Aug 10, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Hot, Flat and Crowded more similar news »
Here's one to add to your Fall reading list: Hot, Flat, and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution -- and How It Can Renew America by Thomas Friedman.
"Friedman takes a fresh and provocative look at two of the biggest challenges we face today: America's surprising loss of focus and national purpose since 9/11; and the global environmental crisis, which is affecting everything from food to fuel to forests. In this groundbreaking account of where we stand now, he shows us how the solutions to these two big problems are linked -- how we can restore the world and revive America at the same time."
"Friedman makes it clear that the green revolution we need is like no
revolution the world has seen. It will be the biggest innovation
project in American history; it will be hard, not easy; and it will
change everything from what you put into your car to what you see on
your electric bill. But the payoff for America will be more than just
cleaner air. It will inspire Americans to something we haven't seen in
a long time -- nation-building in America -- by summoning the intelligence,
creativity, boldness, and concern for the common good that are our
nation's greatest natural resources."
Sat Aug 09, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
McCain Considers Lieberman for Veep more similar news »
Sen. Joe Lieberman, "the former Democratic vice-presidential nominee who has
endorsed John McCain, is being vetted as a potential running mate for
the Republican presidential hopeful," according to the Financial Times.
"Mr Lieberman, who has campaigned for the Arizona senator, has long been
Âconsidered an unconventional but plausible choice for Mr McCain."
Sat Aug 09, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
National Security May Still Be Top Issue more similar news »
The following guest post is from Andrei Cherny, a former speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore and Sen. John Kerry, and the author of The Candy Bombers.
One of the great misconceptions of political junkies and historians alike is that Harry Truman won reelection in 1948 with a "Give 'Em Hell" campaign of populist economics and paeans to the New Deal. Or that he won because of the farm crisis or by appealing to labor voters. Or that he won because, in the famous quote, Thomas Dewey looked like the little man on the wedding cake. All these, it is true, played a part. But, as I write in The Candy Bombers: The Untold Story of the Berlin Airlift and America's Finest Hour, it turns out that Harry Truman won in 1948 on the issue of national security -- by exploiting a very real fear of war.
The 1948 campaign was the first modern campaign in so many ways and some of the ways in which national security was used in 1948 could be ripped from the political noise of our post-9/11 campaigns. Today it is jihadism, then it was communism. The RNC chair at the time said Americans had a choice "basically between Communism and Republicanism" and that the Democratic Party's heart had been captured by "a radical group devoted to Sovietizing the United States." Republican campaign pamphlets showed the Democratic donkey wearing a turban decorated with a hammer and sickle. Harry Truman got in on the act and continually castigated Dewey and the Republicans as tools of the Communist Party.
Even with the current economic difficulties, Americans look to the President first and foremost as the Commander-in-Chief. Democrats have to be able to show their bona fides on national security in 2008, just as they did in 1948.
Sat Aug 09, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
McCain Limits Media Access more similar news »
"There's no question that John McCain has made a major change in his media strategy. The candidate that once spent hours cracking jokes with reporters, now significantly limits access for the national press corps," according to Michael Calderone.
"The presumptive Republican nominee spent a total of 38 minutes talking to print, television, magazine, and radio reporters from national publications over the past week, according to the count on my recorder."
Sat Aug 09, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Edwards on Infidelity more similar news »
From a CBS News interview broadcast on December 19, 2007:
Katie Couric: Harry Truman said, "A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other." Some people don't feel comfortable supporting a candidate who has not remained faithful to his or her spouse. Can you understand their position?
John Edwards: Of course. I mean, for a lot of Americans, including the family that I grew up with ... it's fundamental to how you judge people and human character: Whether you keep your word, whether you keep what is your ultimate word, which is that you love your spouse, and you'll stay with them...
Couric: So you think it's an appropriate way to judge a candidate?
Edwards: Yeah. But I don't think it's controlling. I mean, I think that, as you point out, there have been American presidents that at least according to the ... stories we've all heard, that were not faithful, that were in fact good presidents. So I don't think it controls the issue. But I think it's certain ... something reasonable for people to consider.
Sat Aug 09, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Edwards Admits to Affair more similar news »
John Edwards "repeatedly lied during his presidential campaign about an extramarital affair with a novice filmmaker," the former senator admitted to ABC News.
Edwards said "he did have an affair with 42-year old Rielle Hunter, but said that he did not love her. Edwards also denied he was the father of Hunter's baby girl, Frances Quinn, although the one-time Democratic Presidential candidate said he has not taken a paternity test."
The National Enquirer first broke the story.
Here's an interesting angle: "Edwards denied paying any money to Hunter to keep her from going public but said it was possible some of his friends or supporters may have made payments without telling him."
Update: In a statement, Edwards says, "In the course of several campaigns, I started to believe that I was
special and became increasingly egocentric and narcissistic. If you
want to beat me up - feel free. You cannot beat me up more than I have
already beaten up myself. I have been stripped bare and will now work with everything I have to help my family and others who need my help."
Fri Aug 08, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Will Edwards Speak at Convention? more similar news »
There's still no word on when John Edwards will speak at the Democratic convention, but the Charlotte Observer reports "a number of
Democrats are saying that Edwards needs to publicly address National
Enquirer stories that have alleged he had an affair with a campaign
worker and fathered her baby."
"If
Edwards fails to clear up the story in short order, he risks party
officials deciding not to have him speak or, if they do, creating a
distraction from a week focused on Barack Obama accepting the
nomination."
Said former DNC Chair Don Fowler: "If there is not an explanation that's satisfactory, acceptable and
meets high moral standards, the answer is 'no,' he would not be a prime
candidate to make a major address to the convention."
Fri Aug 08, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Timing Suggests Conventional Veep Picks more similar news »
A great point by Walter Shapiro: "Deciding when you pick a vice president shapes whom you pick. By
waiting until the eve of their conventions, both Obama and McCain will
face nearly irresistible pressures to pick nominees who are safe,
secure and a trifle soporific. There is nothing like the onset of a
convention to create a groundswell for a conventional vice president."
Fri Aug 08, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Blue Dixie more similar news »
In the mail: Blue Dixie: Awakening the South's Democratic Majority by Bob Moser.
"In 2000 and 2004, the Democratic Party decided not to challenge George W. Bush in the South, a disastrous strategy that effectively handed Bush more than half of the electoral votes he needed to win the White House. As the 2008 election draws near, the Democrats have a historic opportunity to build a new progressive majority, but they cannot do so without the South."
It's worth noting the book got a starred review from Publishers Weekly: "Well-written, well-researched and perfectly timed with this year's election cycle, this fascinating read is highly recommended to anyone interested in unraveling political fact from fiction and detecting the myriad complicated relationships that knit a nation together."
Fri Aug 08, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Internal Clinton Campaign Memos Leaked more similar news »
Advisers to Sen. Hillary Clinton "are in a tizzy over an
upcoming piece in the Atlantic Monthly that chronicles the inner
workings of the now-defunct campaign," according to the Washington Post.
"Of particular concern are nearly
200 internal memos that the author, Josh Green, obtained -- 130 or so
of which he plans to scan in and post online. When the piece is
published sometime next week, readers will be able to scroll through
the memos, from senior strategists such as Mark Penn, Harold Ickes and
Geoff Garin, and see what exactly was going on inside the infamously
fractured Clinton organization. That has some former team members in a
panic."
Fri Aug 08, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
The Oprah Effect more similar news »
A new study by economists at the University of Maryland finds that Oprah Winfrey's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama in the Democratic primaries dramatically increased the overall voter participation rate and and increased the number of contributions received by Obama.
The very interesting 59-page analysis details how
geographic differences in subscriptions to Oprah's magazine and
book sales related to her popular book club affected the primary outcome.
Ultimately, the authors estimate that Winfrey's endorsement was responsible for approximately 1,000,000 additional votes for Obama.
Fri Aug 08, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Obama Starts Vacation more similar news »
Sen. Barack Obama is expected to arrive in Honolulu today for a nine-day vacation, according to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
"The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee is expected to be accompanied by his wife and two daughters. The vacation will also feature a campaign fundraiser at the Kahala Hotel & Resort, estimated to pick up more than $1 million."
Political Insider: The campaign enters a quiet period.
Fri Aug 08, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
WPRI Poll: Obama Ahead in Wisconsin more similar news »
A new Wisconsin Policy Research Institute poll shows Sen. Barack Obama leading Sen. John McCain, 44% to 38%.
Key findings: "Obama leads the race primarily because of a combination of
the most important issues on the minds
of voters and the impact of President Bush and the voter's view about
the direction of the country. The two
issues that voters felt personally were most important to them were the
economy and creating jobs (24%), and dealing
with the war in Iraq (12%). On these issues Senator Obama
had large leads. On the economy, Obama led Senator McCain by a 62% to 20%
margin. On dealing with the war in Iraq
his lead was 66% to 22%. Another issue that was frequently mentioned was
improving education, where Senator Obama's
lead was 73% to 10%."
Thu Aug 07, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
McCain Offers Prizes for Spam Comments more similar news »
Sen. John McCain's campaign is urging supporters to spam blogs and forums with official talking points, according to the Washington Post. If you do a good job, you can even win prizes.
"That, in essence, is the McCain campaign's pitch to supporters to join
its new online effort, one that combines the features of 'AstroTurf'
campaigning with the sort of customer-loyalty programs offered by
airlines, hotel chains, restaurants and the occasional daily newspaper."
"People who sign up for McCain's program receive reward points each time
they place a favorable comment on one of the listed Web sites (subject
to verification by McCain's webmasters). The points can be traded for
prizes, such as books autographed by McCain, preferred seating at
campaign events, even a ride with the candidate on his bus, known as
the Straight Talk Express."
Thu Aug 07, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Something to Agree On more similar news »
In a set of interviews on pop culture, Entertainment Weekly asks the presidential candidates, "If you could be any superhero, which superhero would you be?"
Sen. John McCain: "Batman. He does justice sometimes against insurmountable odds. And he doesn't make his good works known to a lot of people, so a lot of people think he's just a rich playboy."
Sen. Barack Obama: "I was always into the Spider-Man/Batman model. The guys who have too many powers, like Superman, that always made me think they weren't really earning their superhero status. It's a little too easy. Whereas Spider-Man and Batman, they have some inner turmoil. They get knocked around a little bit."
Thu Aug 07, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
SurveyUSA: Oregon Remains Very Tight more similar news »
A new SurveyUSA poll in Oregon finds Sen. Barack Obama just ahead of Sen. John McCain, 485 to 45%, within the survey's 4 point margin of sampling error.
Key findings: "Among voters younger than Obama, Obama leads by 15 points. Among voters older than McCain, Obama leads by 9. Among voters who are inbetween the ages of the two candidates, McCain leads by 9. McCain holds 82% of the GOP base. Obama holds 80% of the Democrat base. Independents split. McCain is backed by 80% of conservatives. Obama is backed by 83% of liberals. Moderates break 5:3 for Obama. McCain leads 2:1 among those who attend religious services regularly. Obama leads 2:1 among those who almost never attend religious services. Among men, McCain leads by 5 points. Among women, Obama leads by 13."
Thu Aug 07, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Daschle Says Celebrity Ads Working more similar news »
Sen. Tom Dashle, a senior adviser to Sen. Barack Obama, told the Financial Times that the recent attack advertisements "comparing the Democratic presidential hopeful to celebrities Britney Spears and Paris Hilton" are to blame for his candidate's recent dip in the polls.
Said Daschle: "To a certain extent the ads are having some effect. But you can't be thrown off your game plan by a momentary dip in polls."
Thu Aug 07, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
McCain's Challenge more similar news »
Karl Rove: "Mr. Obama has the easier path to victory: reassure a restive electorate
that he's up to the job. Mr. McCain must both educate voters to his
opponent's weaknesses and persuade them that he has a vision for the
coming four years. This will require a disciplined, focused effort. Mr.
McCain has gotten this far fighting an unscripted guerrilla campaign.
But it won't get him all the way to the White House."
Thu Aug 07, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Obama, Clinton Insist They're United more similar news »
With buzz that Sen. Hillary Clinton's supporters may try to push for a convention vote, Sen. Barack Obama's press office issued a joint statement with the Clinton campaign:
"We are working together to make sure the fall campaign and the convention are a success. At the Democratic Convention, we will ensure that the voices of everyone who participated in this historic process are respected and our party will be fully unified heading into the November election."
Thu Aug 07, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
McCain Will Also Run Ads During Olympics more similar news »
"A week after the Obama campaign spent $5 million on advertising during
NBC's Beijing Olympics telecasts, the McCain campaign has ponied up $6
million," according to Hollywood Reporter.
"That sets up a battle between the likely Democratic and Republican
nominees during the summer's biggest TV event, and well before the
normal after-Labor Day intensity of the campaign."
Thu Aug 07, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
Gingrich Threatens Government Shutdown more similar news »
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich "indicates his party is seriously
considering another shutdown threat to force a vote on offshore oil
drilling in September," CNN reports.
"The precise maneuvering of a shutdown threat is complicated, but it
revolves around the fact that key government spending bills expire when
the fiscal year ends September 30 and Congress must vote next month to
keep the government operating."
Said Gingrich: "Are [Democrats] really prepared to close the government in order to
stop drilling? Because I think the country will find
that to be a suicidal strategy."
Thu Aug 07, 2008 more from this source»»
|
|
