The Best Gustav Coverage Online
is here, at Brendan Loy's WeatherNerd site.His round-up suggests that most experts think that the worst of the storm will miss New Orleans. If the levees hold....
« July 2008 | Main | September 2008 » August 2008 ArchivesAugust 31, 2008His round-up suggests that most experts think that the worst of the storm will miss New Orleans. If the levees hold.... Wolfson, Hesitant To The End, Finally Saw Some Of The MagicWatch for an op-ed in tomorrow's Washington Post by former Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson, one of Clinton's still-stalwart defenders. Last Thursday, he paid attention, along with 32 million other Americans, and saw something he hadn't seen before.The key line: Barack Obama pulled it off. For 18 months, I listened to Obama on television, sometimes intently, often just barely - background noise to a running series of conference calls and meetings and e-mails. In person, my attention undivided, I saw something of what so many others had seen for so long. Progress in America is never cheap, and even today history exacts a price for Obama's victory - the dreams of electing the first female president, the dreams of so many who rushed toward Hillary Clinton on rope lines across America and refused to give up her hand and their hopes. Today these dreams are giving way to another kind of progress. For me, the presidential campaign began in a crowded Iowa hall, where I saw a man my age lift up a daughter around my daughter's age and tell her that one day she could be president. Last week things came nearly full circle, when I saw another man my age lift up another child and say the very same thing. There's A Lawyer Vet, Then There's A Political VetLet's accept that AB Culvahouse, John McCain's veepstakes vetter, did a careful legal vet of every jot, tittle and parking ticket of Sarah Palin's. Her health, her family, her life. A political vet -- one done by political researchers -- is entirely separate and equally as important. Political attacks often hurt as much, if not more than, long-ago put-to-bed legal troubles. And it looks as if one major part of the political vet -- the hometown newspaper archive search -- did not take place. Update: Reader P writes: The story you quoted from Huffington Post in your latest post is inaccurate. The basis for the claim is that the paper doesn't have an online archive. That's demonstrably false, with archives stretching back to the 90's through Advanced Search.Reader J writes: Your Reader P is the one who has it wrong in the 31 Aug 2008 08:41 pm post titled "There's A Lawyer Vet, Then There's A Political Vet." Those online archive for the Valley Frontiersman are extremely incomplete and even what they do have only goes back to 1998, from which they have a single article available (there's only 3 articles available for all of 2000 that mention Palin, for that matter). However, Palin became mayor in 1996 and served on the city council from 1992 to 1996. That's especially important because a lot of the potentially interesting things happened immediately or soon after she assumed office as mayor (ie, demanding the resignation of various city officials, etc). I don't see how there's any way Google can make up for an actual trip to the archives here. Palin Drops HRC From SpeechAfter her mention of Sen. Hillary Clinton drew boos yesterday in Pennsylvania, Gov. Sarah Palin dropped Clinton's name from her remarks today in Missouri....Mitt Romney Keeps His Republican Hat On
Thank you, thank you. You know they said, they said they did not think Missourians would turn out on a Sunday afternoon when its as hot as this, but you sure did. People all over the country, people all over the country are watching Missouri and understanding why it is you came out and it's because this is a critical year and a critical time. And you want to make sure our next president is someone who when talk about protecting our nation and doesn't just a let's sit down with the world's worst actors Ahmadinejad and the Castro brothers. But instead says, let's sit down with the best democracies in the world and form a league of democracies. Let's protect America. You want to make sure the people of America understand that when it comes to strengthening our economy we're not in favor of raising taxes and cutting off trade and drawing a line and saying no nuclear, no coal, and no more drilling. Instead, you want a president who will say I'll get this economy going with low taxes, and more trade for our goods, and yes, we will drill for more oil. We want a president who combines with a great maverick, two mavericks come together on a team to take on the tough challenges America faces. Washington is broken, and these two are going to fix it. Now I just got back from the Olympics over in Beijing, and I was over there watching an event and some people around the stadium were noticing me and taking my picture. These were Americans and some Chinese I said to my wife, you better be careful how you look because they are taking our picture. She pointed behind me, there was Kobe Bryant sitting behind us. I feel the same way right now. You don't want to listen to me. Let's listen to the next president and vice-president of the United States, John McCain and Sarah Palin. Josh Green Amid The Stunned Republicans Of MinnesotaMINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL--Seems like ages ago now, but before Hurricane Gustav hit the Doppler radar screen, Hurricane Palin swept through first. Here at the Republican National Convention, Palin still edges out Gustav as the main topic of intrigue--at least among the dwindling number of delegates and operatives who showed up--but only narrowly, and talk of each is geared mainly toward damage assessments. An afternoon spent
mingling with political types at the high-powered Atlantic/General Motors
brunch at the Chambers Hotel (where a $4 million Damien Hirst calf's
head-in-formaldehyde
is displayed behind the check-in desk, because--well, Jesus, who knows why?
It's bizarre.) yields the following insights: Most Republicans have never met
Sarah Palin and are processing the news of her selection as VP with the
stunned-but-well-meaning emotions you might feel toward an acquaintance who
just came out of the closet. Those given to caution when discussing such things
at a brunch with journalists put a hopeful, might-be-a-stroke-of-genius spin on
their astonishment. Those less inhibited--who are also better people--generally
see the pick as irresponsible and politically motivated (and not in a good way).
No one believes Palin was fully vetted. And no one has any
idea how this will play out. The best analogy I
heard came from a bright young Republican operative, who--borrowing from the
sports world, as the secret Republican-operative rulebook stipulates one
must--likened the Palin pick to an NFL team using the top pick in the draft to
select an unheralded, but promising, player from a small college. Looks great
on paper: you just hope and pray they can adjust to the speed of the
professional game. It's a useful analogy because it gives a good sense of the
odds--for every Phil Simms (quick: name his alma mater*) there have been
countless small-college players who put up great stats but never caught on in
the pros.--JOSHUA GREEN *Morehead State University The Politics Of Putting Aside PoliticsMcCain, speaking to some delegations tonight via satellite:So ahead of time I wanna thank all of my fellow Republicans as we take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats and we say "America, we're with you. America, we're going to care for these people in their time of need" and we're gonna display it in every possible way as Americans always have and Americans always will.Everyone's first thoughts are with those who are evacuating, and the Democrats would probably have done much the same thing, but it would be a little myopic to lose sight of the fact that McCain and the Republicans have ALL the incentive in the world to do exactly what they are doing. McCain says that he's putting people before politics. In this case, what is the most politically astute is also, it turns out, what helps the most people. The politics of putting aside politics ... is still politics. Here's The RNC Release Announcing All The Gustav-Related Changes
Continued after the jump. Continue reading "Here's The RNC Release Announcing All The Gustav-Related Changes" » McCain On The Convention, LiebermanHere's an except from an interview Sen. John McCain have to to NBC News's Brian Williams today:
Does McCain Need A Convention? Or Just a convention?Well, obviously, he needs to be nominated, which requires a meeting of the Republican National Committee at a lower c-convention. That will happen Thursday.If indications are correct, the Palin pick seems to have raised the enthusiasm level of Republicans significantly, although we're assuming this from the behavior of Republican activists. It has forced the news media to reframe the race, it has forced Barack Obama out of the headlines, it has begun to redefine who McCain really is. Does he even need a convention at this point? Sure, it would be nice -- four days to better introduce Palin and to savage Barack Obama, to help Americans get over the warmer feelings they have for the Democratic candidate. But if you take as the goal of McCain's convention the need to re-energize the party's base, then no, McCain doesn't really need one. His pick did that. And with the Republicans intent on turning the convention period into a massive, nationwide call to action, he'll stay in the headlines, and the party's brand will won't be, at the very least, further tarnished. It's perhaps impolitic to say this, but message-wise, McCain could do a lot worse than to cancel corporate fundraisers, parties and delegate-fests and urge the country to suspend politics and open their wallets for victims of Gustav. And he has, thanks to President Bush, the entire federal government backing him up here. McCain doesn't really need a Convention.... A Convention Suddenly Turns Into Something Very DifferentPresident Bush and Vice President Cheney will not speak. The Louisiana delegation is being flown home. Fundraisers are being turned into charity events. Network anchors are flying South. All Monday speeches have been canceled, leaving only formal Republican National Committee business on the program. John McCain has ordered substantial changes to the program for the rest of the week. The primetime TV hours will include coverage of both the RNC and the hurricane.Issues And Answers: Palin Pick Perfect For Purple Polities?Did the Palin pick surprise Barack Obama's campaign? Yes. They believed the media for one in their lives and it turned out to be a mistake. Though the Democratic National Committee had a research folder prepared for Palin, the VP rapid response team read up on Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and Joe Biden all week. The Obama campaign was caught by surprise and scrambled to figure out the best way to respond. By the end of Friday, they seemed to have settled on a two-pronged response: Obama, Biden and the campaign would be respectful and Democratic allies would aggressively peddle research to the media, simultaneously trying to convey the impression that they respect the historic nature of the pick while doing their best to discredit Palin. Why did he pick her, really? To be president? The argument that she is "more qualified than Obama" is not the same thing as an argument that she is ready to be president. Republicans had to reach, pointing out her fishing dispute negotiations with Canada and her service as the head of the Alaska National Guard. Hey, Howard Dean was head of the Vermont National Guard, come to think of it. She's just had a baby. Can she be a full-time campaigner? Tough question. The McCain campaign would say "Would you ask that question if she were a man?" And I'd say, "you answer my question first, and then I'll answer yours." And the McCain campaign would say: "It's a sexist question." And I'd say: "You're answering the argument, not the question. " And they'd say: "You're just against her because she an evangelical Christian and you secular media types can't stand a feminist who isn't a liberal." And I'd say: "What were we talking about again?" Forget about the pieties. It's a legit question, one that'll be on the minds of many mothers and fathers who struggle to balance work and family life, and given the rigors of a presidential campaign and the extreme rigors of being the vice president, it's one that Palin herself will probably find a way to answer down the line. Continue reading "Issues And Answers: Palin Pick Perfect For Purple Polities?" » August 30, 2008The Tickets: Iconography ComparisonRead these images... and comment.  Here's How Democrats Are Trying To Frame The Palin PickPalin: "I'm just an average hockey mom."The Democratic response: "Hey think people want an average hockey mom from Alaska taking over in the event of John McCain's death?" The Obama Campaign Thinks We're DummiesThe headline from a story the campaign just sent around:First Two National Polls Find Palin Gains LESS Support from Women Suddenly the Obama campaign finds solace in A SMALL ONE NIGHT TRACKING SAMPLE from Gallup and an IVR poll they usually dismiss....conducted over a weekend? Come on, guys... August 29, 2008Thoughts On An Epic SpeechPutting aside the speech and its politics, last evening was very moving for everyone there, myself included. It was a privilege to have witnessed it The staging was spectacular. Hard to be immune to an experience of an historical first and the emotions 85,000 peers. I write this because, as I read some of the news coverage, the tone borders on rapturous, and I wonder if reporters who attended were unduly influenced by the surroundings. It was not the best speech Obama's ever given, but probably his most urgent; it checked all the boxes, some of which had been empty for a while. It was a stump speech...but different from his regular stump speech in structure and even substance. A remarkably non-defensive speech for a Democratic presidential candidate. He's not going to be Dukakis or Kerry.... He didn't talk much about his biography. The film and the week did that. He skipped over almost everything but his Iraq vote. A lot of symbolic talk from Obama and Biden and others about Obama's life fulfilling America's promise. For all the talk about how "this" is about "you," it was really about what Obama represents...not what he's done...but what he represents. If the first three days of the convention were too inwardly focused, too much about HRC v. BHO, the last day was about all Obama v. McCain, with Obama assuming ownership of parts of the Clinton legacy. And the McCain campaign response was weird, suggesting to me that they really had no idea what they had just seen. He went after McCain's temperament. Crossed that Rubicon. I do not think that the McCain campaign anticipated that Obama will do so frontally. Clearly, the Obama campaign wants to frame the national security debate as one where judgment is prior to experience, where wisdom is superior to strength. Importantly, Dems of all stripes seemed to love the speech.The Daily Bric-A-Brac: Sarah!So Bill Burton is spending a day under the bus... although I gather that, down the road, the campaign will be grateful for its "hair-trigger" reaction.Barack Obama is a bigger cultural phenomenon than American Idol, the Beijing Olympics, and the Oscars. McCain first met Palin in February of 2008, according to an official tick-tock e-mailed to reporters. I've posted it after the jump. Dan Gerstein, a former adviser to Sen. Joe Lieberman, in the New York Daily News: "In picking an unknown, untested, half-a-term woman governor from Alaska to be his running mate, John McCain is following in a long line of reckless men who have rolled the dice for a beauty queen. Except in this case, McCain is taking one of the biggest, boldest gambles in modern American political history." GOP Strategists Mixed ReviewsI cannot overestimate the degree to which Republican political strategists were stunned by the pick.A few I spoke with or e-mailed were optimistic, using phrases like "brilliant" and "game-changing." One GOP strategist who has worked with Palin says she's coated with Teflon -- "attack at your peril." She "renews McCain's maverick credentials." One person close to Romney said she "looks like a real reformer. She's done what Obama's talked about." A few are cautiously optimistic that it'll turn out OK, but most of the strategists and consultants I've spoken to, e-mailed with, or read/watched are struggling with it. They expect her to have a good week... and then to crash and burn when she hits the campaign trail as scrutiny catches up with her. Some of these strategists are close to those Republicans who were vetted but not picked, but many of them aren't. "It's like playing poker blind," one strategist said. Another e-mailed: "Obama's lack of readiness was THE only way to win." When these Republicans ask the McCain campaign for guidance, all they hear back is: "She's more experienced than Obama is." Conservative activists, almost to the man and woman, LOVE the pick. BTW: The moose stew stuff and her childrens' names may be geographically and culturally appropriate, but pardon me if I surmise that some folks in the Pennsylvania T aren't going to be entranced. (They would think I was weird too, but I'm not running for VP.) Your Thoughts On The Palin PickOpen thread.McCain And WomenDems: McCain's Age Is "Fair Game"I get the sense that John McCain' age is now fair game for Democrats. Democrats feel that McCain's Palin pick has given them the green light to use phrases like "a heartbeat away" in their press releases and reactions.McCain's proximity to death and her proximity to him justify the attention that will be drawn to McCain's age, in this view. Watch the number of press releases that mention McCain's birthday and/or contain "heartbeat"-type phrases in them. What The Campaign Giveth With One Hand, The Candidates Take AwayTake two: a much more respectful, classy statement from Chicago, this time in the names of Barack Obama and Joe Biden."We send our congratulations to Governor Sarah Palin and her family on her designation as the republican nominee for Vice President. It is yet another encouraging sign that old barriers are falling in our politics. While we obviously have differences over how best to lead this country forward Governor Palin is an admirable person and will add a compelling new voice to this campaign, A Fundamental Questionis whether undecided women, weakly partisan Democrats, independent suburban women, women between the ages of 30 and 50, will now take a hard second look at John McCain because of his choice of Sarah Palin.I think they will. A second look,... doesn't mean they'll vote for him. But he's earned himself a second look. Identity politics works that way. The Obama campaign will try to find a way to connect with these women. McCain's national security argument didn't drive them to Obama, and Obama's "she's not ready" argument won't drive them away from McCain. Equal pay, abortion rights, gay rights, Palin's reputed temper, the environment... there's a grab bag of issues to choose from, but they need an argument, not an issue. Wolfson: Palin Pick Makes One Wonder Why Obama Didn't Pick HRCThe former Clinton communications director writes: "...you are going to have a lot of women voters wondering why Senator Obama didn't tap Senator Clinton as his running mate."Sarah Palin's IntroducedShe is a very effective stump speaker, spunky and upbeat, and her first try at a persuasive argument on John McCain's behalf succeeded. She looks and sounds very different than he does. That's a plus. On the other hand, she talked about change, not experience. And we live, as John McCain reminds us, in a time of war.Read the McCain and Palin speeches after the jump. Obama Campaign Reactions: Inexperience A "Heartbeat Away"From Obama spokesman Bill Burton:
Palin ProfileHere's a comprehensive Palin profile courtesy of the Almanac of American Politics.Hear Sarah Palin Talk About Windfall Profits Tax And ANWROfficial Statement From McCainU.S. Senator John McCain today announced that he has selected Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to be his running mate and to serve as his vice president. Palin's Foreign Policy ExperienceA reader:I thought you might like to know that under the heading of "Sarah Palin on Foreign Policy" at the On The Issue site for her, this is what's listed: Palin's Facebook Imagery Did Palin Support A Windfall Profits Tax?From the Seattle Times:
McCain Aide On Palin PickFrom a senior adviser:A maverick with a record of reform picks a maverick with a record of reform. John McCain puts Washington on notice that there is a shake up coming." Palin, Pro And ConPro:A huge-attention-getting pick. Talk about McCain the fighter pilot... McCain, whose hero is Teddy Roosevelt The cable press is talking about the VP choice, not Obama's piece. She's charismatic. The potential appeal for women. (Although, in 1984 Reagan won 54% of the vote in Ferraro on the ticket. Identity voting has no history on the presidential race.) She has some reformist creds, taking on her own party... She's blunt and outspoken. Joe Biden might want to modulate his tone against a woman. Her husband works with his hands and races in snow. Rush Limbaugh likes her. She's not from Washington. Con: After spending six months trying to discredit Barack Obama's readiness to be commander in chief, McCain has chosen someone with even less experience. (She was a mayor of Wasila Alaska, which is smaller than Obama's state senate district.) Palin has not been exposed to the rigors of national politics Palin does not know McCain well. She will be forced to bone up on everything and forced to debate Joe Biden. The accusations that McCain chose her because she's a woman. An ongoing ethics investigation (although she was punishing someone accused of domestic violence.) Disagreements with McCain on some issues, including gay rights. (She opposes same-sex marriage too, though.) The Palin File, In Brief44 years old. .... Five children. .... Dynamic personality. .... Elected in 2006 as a reformer. Opposed Don Young's re-election bid. ..... Anti-same sex marriage but supports other gay rights. .... She's a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association. .... Pro life.. Signed into law a very aggressive ethics reform package. ...... Good symbolism: she sold the former governor's state jet right after entering office. She's at the forefront of the oil drilling debate...very popular among all Alaskans. ......She faces a state probe into whether she tried to get a former brother in law fired from his law enforcement job.. .... Born in Idaho...grew up in Alaska... It would be hard for Sen. Joe Biden to bully her in a debate. ....She's very unknown (which means that the curiosity quotient will be huge) and has scant national security experience. ... But Obama can't really make that argument, can he? (Maybe third party groups can...) CBS: Palin's Parents Told To Wait By Radio...CBS News' Ryan Corsaro reports that Gov. Sarah Palin's parents were told to expect "exciting news" if they listened to their radio in the morning.... link coming soon...A Second Plane -- Even More Interesting Than The FirstAnchorage to Dayton VIA ... Flagstaff, AZ.The plane is owned by a McCain donor, Lacy Clay. Romney's Not In DaytonTwo sources say Gov. Mitt Romney will be in Boston, not Dayton, today.Hazelbaker: McCain Will Choose From The HeartHere's a rush transcript of what McCain communications chief Jill Hazelbaker told the Early Show's Maggie Rodriguez:Ms. HAZELBAKER: Well, I know that John McCain is going to make the choice from his heart. He's going to choose someone who can be a partner in governing. He's going to choose someone who brings character and principle to the table and who shares his priorities and I'm confident that he's going to make a great pick. Pawlenty Won't Be In DaytonJust now, he spoke to CBS affiliate WCCO in Minneapolis and said that he would be picking up his regular schedule today and that it would be safe to assume he wasn't the pick.....Developing... (nod to Jonathan Martin) Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty told WCCO Radio Friday morning that he was not going to Ohio today. The governor told WCCO Radio's Eric Eskola that he will be at the Minnesota State Fair Friday, doing his radio show. Speculation had been rampant that Pawlenty would be named John McCain's running mate at a rally in Ohio Friday. "I'm not going to be there. I plan to be at the state fair. You can draw your conclusion from that," Pawlenty said. Fun With FlightAware, McCain EditionThanks to the readers who pointed me to the journey of a sturdy Gulfstream 5 with the tale number of N22GY. Anchorage, Alaska to Hook Municipal Field in Ohio. Nearby Dayton. 30 miles away. And the plane was in Flagstaff, AZ recently.And where was the plane registered? To an entity called Gypsy Two LLC. It shares an address with a tax exempt organization called the Dean Weidner foundation. Dean Weidner is a Republican donor.. and a guy named William Weidner, the CEO of Las Vegas Sands corp, is a McCain bundler.  Mean something? I don't know. Romney Expected To Appear In Dayton TomorrowSo -- two senior McCain campaign officials confirm that John McCain will appear with his vice presidential pick in Dayton, Ohio tomorrow at noon ET.And Gov. Mitt Romney expects to be in Dayton, Ohio tomorrow, having been asked there by the McCain campaign, a reliable source close to Romney says. (Another source says Romney will be in Boston.) Gov. Tim Pawlenty is currently at the governors' mansion in Minneapolis. There is no guidance about his schedule. We don't know if all the VP hopefuls have been summoned to Dayton; we don't know if some have. (MIke Huckabee won;'t be going.) It would be weird, wouldn't it, to force the losers in this contest to appear onstage with the winners mere hours after they got the news..... I'm NOT saying that Romney will be the pick. We may be missing an entirely different side of the story. August 28, 2008
On the field....live Twittering....Obama's speech......McCain's VP pick.....the sights....the sounds...the drama...
Live From Invesco FieldMore tweets here. South Carolina GOP Brings Up McCain's "Torture" To Rebut Many Homes ChargeIt'll run on cable in Minneapolis-St. Paul, which means that it's designed to influence the media (and probably to earn SC GOP chair Katon Dawson some props from RNC members ... he's interested in the RNC chairman's most.) The ad points out that McCain once lived in a box and was tortured.The Obama "Surprise"So this morning, everyone sees the photos and the headlines and thinks, aw shoot, I missed Obama's speech last night. And they read the article. And they realize that nope, the speech is tonight. And they all tune in. A Post On Diversions That Chuck Todd Will AppreciateA reader writes:Marc - remember back to the 2007 World Series. Pawlenty Clues -- Sked ClearedCBS affiliate WCCO in Minneapolis is reporting that Gov. Tim Pawlenty's schedule has been cleared for today and tomorrow...Now -- McCain's campaign could have made similar requests of other candidates. But Pawlenty's is the first we know about. When Is A Bounce Just A Blip (Updated)When it happens in real time.I know Democrats are super eager to see Barack Obama open up a lead over John McCain, but they need to temper their enthusiasm just a bit. Remember, each track includes a three-day sample of interviews, and Wednesday night's festivities haven't even been polled yet, so you can't credit Biden's speech with anything. Conclude if you'd like that people responded favorably to the convention initially. But a bounce -- a real bounce -- is not a transient, one-day spike. Check back in mid-September. If Obama has opened up a lead and the lead is steady, then you can fairly say that the convention provided Obama with a boost. My colleague Mark Blumenthal... actually, more than a colleague..a real polling pro who knows what he's talking about... will, I'm sure, weigh in. Slow Striptease Diverts Reports' AttentionFirst came word, leaked to friendly reporters, that McCain would appear with his pick on Friday, the day after Obama's speech.The official campaign response: "We don't discuss the timing." Then came word that McCain might announce the pick on Thursday. The official campaign response: "We don't discuss the timing." Now, Matt Drudge's "source" is hinting a leak DURING the Obama speech and a confirmation a bit later. The official campaign response: "We don't discuss timing." Well done, McCain campaign. Reporters' attentions have been diverted. DNC/Obama Ready to Vet The GOP Veep"We're ready no matter who he picks," says Mike Gehrke, the DNC's research chief. "Republicans have a habit of pulling surprises." So: "We've dramatically expanded what the DNC has done previously and tied it in tighter with the message team earlier." 15 different picks were thoroughly vetted by the DNC... Gehrke won't say who. What about an independent Democrat named Lieberman? "No names," he says. To prepare, the team held conference calls with local officials in the potential picks' home cities and states. And a website to heckle the pick has already been set up.But the DNC and the Obama campaign have special VP boiler rooms ready to go in Denver and Chicago. As soon as the pick is announced, those operations will pounce. DNC Preps For VP Pick"We're ready no matter who he picks," says Mike Gehrke, the DNC's research chief. "Republicans have a habit of pulling surprises." So: "We've dramatically expanded what the DNC has done previously and tied it in tighter with the message team earlier." 15 different picks were thoroughly vetted by the DNC... Gehrke won't say who. What about an independent Democrat named Lieberman? "No names," he says. To prepare, the team held conference calls with local officials in the potential picks' home cities and states. And a website to heckle the pick has already been set up.But the DNC and the Obama campaign have special VP boiler rooms ready to go in Denver and Chicago. As soon as the pick is announced, those operations will pounce. Pawlenty Canceling Interviews...Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN) is canceling print and broadcast interviews for the day...Huge Crowds...Lots Of MagsThe bad news is that 75,000 people will be let into Invesco Field only an short while before the program starts. (3pm local).The good news is that the Secret Service has set up at least 50 magnetometer stations around the perimeter, which ought to speed things up. VP -- McCain Insists He Hasn't Made Up His Mind YetReally?John McCain says he hasn't decided on a running mate just yet. The Republican presidential candidate told a Pittsburgh radio station he wouldn't even talk about which way he is leaning. In the interview with KDKA NewsRadio on Thursday morning, McCain talked very highly about one of the people considered a strong possibility to be his choice, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge. He called Ridge a great American and a dear friend whom he has relied upon for years.With less than 24 hours to go before the announcement rally in Dayton, Ohio? That's a stretch....either the New York Times and Mike Allen are completely wrong, or McCain is fibbing. And why does McCain keep praising Gov. Tom Ridge? The Enthusiasm GapThe way Obama campaign manager David Plouffe tells it, one of the most important national metrics is way underreported. That's the enthusiasm gap between supporters of Barack Obama and supporters of John McCain.Barack Obama can fill a 75,000 seat stadium. John McCain, it seems, is having trouble filling a 10,000 seat theater in Dayton. They're giving away free tickets in several states and plan to bus in supporters. The VP announcement can't be overshadowed by a less-than-capacity crowd. This isn't a McCain-bashing post. McCain's campaign has got to be concerned about the relative level of excitement that the GOP base feels. One way to generate some heat is to turn Barack Obama into a boogeyman. That's had a marginal effect so far. Only McCain can close the gap. So will his convention next week be about McCain? Or Obama? Biden's Most Important Line?A smart reader notes that the press isn't giving much attention to perhaps the key line from Joe Biden. It's part of the advice his mother gave to him when he was bullied."Joey, go bloody their nose so that you can walk down the street." The reader images that some focus group of steel workers in southern Ohio broke the dials when they heard that line. Expect to hear it and see it more. Now He Has A Middle NameThe New York Times prints "Barack Hussein Obama" twice on its front page today.Are we beyond the point where it remains controversial? August 27, 2008The Democrats Nominate Barack ObamaThe major goal here was a peaceful, unified process... one that did not embarrass either Clinton or Obama.The Clinton campaign and Democratic state chairs really wanted as long a roll call as possible...to give voters and states their due. The Obama campaign wanted Clinton to put Obama over the top. The Clinton campaign said yes immediately. A necessary benediction and passing of the torch. The Illinois to New York yielding was worked out today.... There was no acrimony... just some confusion about precisely what would happen. Illinois To New YorkNew Mexico... will yield to Illinois; Illinois will yield to New York...Hillary Clinton will put Sen. Obama over the top.Roll Call VotesI'm still getting to the bottom of the last-minute switch to Illinois as the state that will put Sen. Obama over the top.And I'm getting guidance that Sen. Clinton will be seated with the New York delegation. The Clinton folks have insisted on every state getting to voice its preference...as have Democratic state chairs. RNC Rules Committee Tinkers With CalendarAfter January, no deluge?Under a plan approved today by the rules committee of the Republican Party, states would be penalized if they held delegate selection contests before the first Tuesday in March. That would allow more than a month of campaigning between the privileged early states -- Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. An Ohio member's more ambitious calendar reform plan to institute rotating regional primaries failed by a vote of 39-to-12. The McCain campaign supported the March window; they opposed the Ohioan's plan. The RNC will penalize errant states by taking away half of their delegates. That punishment did not work in 2008, as Florida and Michigan, both rule violators, played decisive roles in winnowing the field of candidates and eventually handing McCain a victory. Other News: Clinton Releases Her Delegates** Sen. Hillary Clinton formally released her delegates this afternoon, but she said that she would not tell her supporters how to vote.** The Obama campaign believes that Rudy Giuliani disqualified Sen. John McCain from serving as president because Giuliani said that "this is not the time to have somebody with no executive experience as President of the United States." Did The Obama Campaign See FInal Version Of Clinton's Speech Beforehand?Patrick Healy, writing a fascinating New York Times article on Hillaryland, said no.The Obama and Clinton campaigns both say yes. Repeated drafts. Including the final draft. Bill Clinton's final draft will also be shared... although the man is famous for late rewrites. Plouffe: McCain-Romney Would Be "Greatest Job-Killing Machine" In HistoryWe're getting a transcript of David Plouffe's long interview with the Atlantic Media Company's convention forces, but here's another highlight:Plouffe had this to say about McCain's vice presidential pick. "If he does pick Romney, what a duo! It's the greatest job killing machine in the history of American politics. Mitt Romney is an expert on Cayman Island tax shelters. You couldn't have a more out of touch ticket." The McCain Ad Shell GameMcCain campaign airs provocatively misleading ads.The press has a conundrum. If we want to point out how misleading they are, we air the ad. McCain's campaign wins the point. If refuse to point out how misleading they are, McCain's campaign escapes criticism. Quote Of The Day"Everyone has to wear Abercrombie and Fitch tomorrow."Obama campaign manager David Plouffe responding, in jest, to a reporters' question about whether the demographic skew of tomorrow night's Invesco field event will be young. Plouffe Sanguine About Obama's ProspectsBarack Obama's margin among independent swing-voting women and sporadically voting Democrats are two of the main metrics his campaign is closely monitoring, Obama's election manager, David Plouffe, said today.Plouffe, speaking to reporters, editors and executives of the Atlantic Media company in a throwback conference room in downtown Denver, said that Obama's internal polling suggests that McCain runs a double-digit deficit with this group runs into the double digits in some swing states. "And that's before they know about his position on choice and that he's against equal pay," Plouffe said. Voters, he said, were treated to an "a ha!" moment last week when McCain couldn't recall the number of houses he owned and suggested that earning $5 million a year would not make a person rich. "The development on the out of touch argument is an actually critical development of the campaign," he said, because "[s]ome of the voters images of McCain don't jibe with reality." He acknowledged that the campaign still had work to do in order to fill in some details about Barack Obama. "We have to be very careful how we approach the swing electorate because they don't have the information about Barack Obama." We tried to get Plouffe to react to a spate of national polls showing a tightening race. "All we care about is these 18 states," he said. He repeated, with emphasis, that the campaign does not care about national polling. Instead, the campaign's own identification, registration and canvassing efforts provide the data he uses to determine where to invest money and resources. Other nuggets from Plouffe: ** If McCain doesn't win Colorado, "he has a 5% chance to win the election." ** He believes that they have "a slight edge" in Virginia. ** He said Obama is underperforming only among working class whites over 70 and pointed to a poll showing that Obama is over performing John Kerry with working class white voters under 50. ** Said that the campaign's target in Georgia is about 47% of the vote, owing to Ex-Rep. Bob Barr's ability to siphon votes away from John McCain. ** Said HIllary Clinton's speech "could not have gone better." ** Said the campaign "is really pleased" with where they are in Montana. New McCain "Ad" Calls Obama "Dangerously Unprepared"A new McCain campaign "ad" (airing presumably on cable in a few states) is notable for the narrator's tag line: "Barack Obama. Dangerously unprepared to be president."No Bruce At InvescoAn Obama aide e-mails: "Since there have been some inaccurate reports out there, wanted to make sure you knew that Bruce Springsteen will not, in fact, be performing at the convention." An accompanying statement from Springsteen's manager, Jon Landeau: "Bruce has been and continues to be an ardent supporter of Barack Obama's."Should Clinton Have Vouched For Obama's C-in-C Readiness?There's a debate about whether Hillary should have vouched for Obama's commander in chief credentials.Here is why, according to an aide, she did not. Had she done that, all the media would focus on is the disparity between her convention praise and her primary criticism. And she would not have sounded genuine. It would have been contrived. Tonight, Sen. Joe Biden's goal is to vouch for Obama as a commander in chief. That's going to be tough, given Biden's past insistence that Obama wasn't ready. Biden has two other jobs tonight. One -- Democrats are salivating for a tough anti-McCain speech, and Biden will give it to them. But he has a very compelling life story, one that is attractive to working class whites... he needs to find a way to merge those themes. With Warner, Obama Introduces A ThemeListening to several speeches, it seemsThis fits into the frame that the general public has about both candidates. The technology stuff is key, since it's the meat on the bones of the rhetoric, but the past versus the future, especially when it comes to economic challenges, is the type of nutshell theme that many Obama partisans have been waiting for the campaign to embrace. Who Vetted Daddy Yankee?Say this: Daddy Yankee has cred.The Reggaeton superstar who endorsed Sen. John McCain yesterday, was accused in 2007 of assaulting a soccer player at his hotel... and took a bullet in his leg during an altercation. His lyrics are also quite NSFW and colorful. Was he vetted by McCain's campaign? A McCain spokesman would only say: "Don't mess with Daddy Yankee." August 26, 2008In A Convention Fairly Devoid Of ZingersThis, from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, was pretty good:
Massive Mag LinesThere are massive lines at the main guest and delegate magnetometer checkpoint at this hour. It's a widely known but little reported fact that many delegates, most guests, and nearly all donors choose to attend only the primetime hours.Obviously, when ten thousand people try to go through ten magnetometers, there'll be problems. Some Clinton supporters are grumbling that there must be some sort of conspiracy to deny them access to the hall, but there's not. In The Hall TonightYou'll see "Hillary Voters for Obama" signs...Warner's KeynoteBuzzwords....Energy...China....Technology....Thomas Jefferson....broadband to remote areas...Some interesting passages: People always ask me, "What's your biggest criticism of President Bush?" I'm sure you all have your own. Here's mine: It's not just the policy differences. It's the fact that this president never tapped into our greatest resources - the character and resolve of the American people. He never asked us to step up. ...The full keynote after the jump. Sign Of The Times; NAM Courts DemocratsA discordant sight at the Democratic National Convention: Jay Timmons, walking the halls. Mr. Timmons is famous in politics for being the long-time chief of staff to Sen. George Allen of Virginia. (No, Mr. Timmons was not on staff for Sen. Allen's dalliance with "Macaca.") Timmons is now the executive vice president of the National Association for Manufacturers.When I ran into him, he was wearing an "honored guest" hall credential. He was here in Denver, he said, to promote the virtues of tonight's keynote speaker, the former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner. Timmons is a big fan of Warner's. Might Republicans, I asked, have been inclined to vote for a Warmer-Obama ticket? "Absolutely," he said. NAM has traditionally felt a gravitational pull toward the Republican political orbit, but it has reached out to Democrats this cycle -- a clear sign of the times. (The Chamber of Commerce remains a mostly Republican organization.) Barack Obama "is willing to listen," Timmons said. "And we have a great relationship with Biden's office." Romney's In The HouseGov. Mitt Romney has media credentials for the Democratic National Convention... so expect an interesting evening behind the scenes.An Obvious Explanantion For No-BounceGallup suggests that Obama's pick of Sen. Joe Biden did not appreciably bump up Sen. Obama's poll numbers.One reason is that Americans don't know about Joe Biden. That's partly what the convention is for. But Democrats ought not be anxious just yet. This is a banal observation: there are some Democrats who are disappointed that that he didn't choose Hillary Clinton. If these Democrats remain disappointed in mid-September, then the extra-juicy angst will pulpy. Until then..... patience, Democrats...patience. This Is Why I've Stopped Reporting On The New McCain-Hillary AdsThey're almost video press releases... running on fumes...Obama Camp's Data On Michelle's SpeechA senior Obama official says that, "to a high degree of confidence," the campaign knows that Michelle Obama's speech went over well in the 18 battleground states that Barack Obama is focusing on.That means, yes, that the campaign ran several focus groups last night in those states. Of Michelle and Barack Obama: "By the end of this convention, people will know that they are both sort of classic American stories," a second adviser said. Some In McCain Camp Ponder Thursday VP AnnouncementPerhaps hoping to turn a fresh page from the Democratic convention, advisers to Sen. John McCain are considering a Thursday night vice presidential announcement, an aide said yesterday, although the unofficial word from campaign headquarters is that Friday is still more likely.The prospect of a slightly earlier announcement has some Republicans worried that McCain has settled on Sen. Joe Lieberman., They assume that the campaign would not risk the bad form associated with jumping on Obama's night if McCain announces a traditional pick, such as Gov. Mitt Romney or Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Several McCain advisers, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, are actively pushing for Lieberman. Others, including many top fundraisers, are hoping that McCain chooses Gov. Mitt Romney. A smaller faction that includes some of McCain's longest-serving advisers believe that Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota would be a better pick. McCain isn't showing his cards, not even to the five or so campaign officials who have been privy to the vice presidential search process. The choice of Lieberman would surely precipitate fireworks during next week's Republican National Convention. Some McCain allies think that would be a good thing. It would, in their thinking, allow McCain to confront the protests and proclaim his independence. Others worry that the demonstrations would get out of hand and could badly divide a weakly unified party. Although speculation about McCain's pick has been intense, it has not generated the amount of media interest that Barack Obama's search did. Indeed, the McCain campaign will not officially confirm that Washington lawyer A.B. Culvahouse is heading the search. Some McCain advisers -- cautioning that they do not know what McCain is thinking -- say they assume that Obama's selection of Joe Biden may influence McCain's decision in one way: Biden is a spectacular debater and has a formidable stage presence. McCain's vice presidential nominee ought not appear wimpy in comparison. Clinton Will Get Nominating, Seconding Speeches TomorrowA senior conventional official says that supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton will formally place her name into nomination Wednesday night with regular nominating and seconding speeches. The roll call of states begins around 6:00 pm ET. As part of that process, Clinton delegates have been alloted time to speak. Sen. Barack Obama, of course, gets a nominating speech too. But he gets three seconding speeches. No word yet as to the identity of the speakers.Bill Clinton To Accompany HIllary To Hall TonightFormer President Clinton will accompany HIllary to the convention hall tonight, according to a convention official. It's unclear whether the Clintons will appear on-stage together. Chelsea Clinton was observed practicing with a hand-held microphone earlier today, and a Clinton adviser confirmed that she planned to introduce her mother.Clinton and Obama Tongs UniteEach convention day, a group of senior campaign officials hold twenty minute briefings for the major television networks. The briefings provide a preview about the evening's events. Today, senior Clinton adviser Mandy Grunwald and Obama campaign manager David Plouffe are briefing reporters together as a deliberate symbol of unity, according to an official.These meetings are called "Tongs." Why? No one seems to know. Biden's Influence Runs DeepTom Vilsack, the former governor of Iowa and a prominent supporter of Sen. Hillary Clinton, is enthusiastic about the prospect of an Obama-Biden ticket.Mr. Vilsack counts Biden as one of his major political influences. When the mayor of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa was assassinated, Vilsack, then a lawyer, recalled what Sen. Joe Biden had once said that good men and women have a duty to serve because if they don't less qualified people will take the job. So Vilsack ran for mayor, won, and then went on to serve two successful terms as governor. Vilsack's then 26-year-old son met Biden at the 2004 Democratic convention and mentioned to the Delaware senator that he would be vacationing on the Jersey Shore, just up the coast. Biden gave Vilsack's son his home phone number and told him to call anytime if he needed anything -- after all, his parents would be far away, in Iowa. "My son still has that number," he said. I asked Vilsack whether Biden had been angry about his endorsement of Sen. Hillary Clinton. No, Vilsack said. "He knows that loyalty gets you very far in politics." Bob Bauer's Election Protection MissionBarack Obama's campaign predicts that as many as -- if not more than -- 130,000,000 voters will go to the polls this November, by far a record. The man in charge of making sure it all goes smoothly, Bob Bauer, is decidedly calm about the massive endeavor he is coordinating.At a lunch for election lawyers, corporate and union counsels and a few nerdy reporters this afternoon, Mr. Bauer, Obama's general counsel, outlined the campaign's integrated election protection effort, the largest ever in the party's history. A team of lawyers works out of an Obama for America pod at the Democratic National Committee. Donna Brazille, the longtime Democratic activist, is coordinating the party's end of the multi-million dollar program. (The DNC's efforts predated Obama's, having been announced in August of 2007.) Bauer said that state councils have already been established, with volunteers working with state and local officials to preemptively resolve crisis before they're unveiled. Across the country, counties have reported massive increases in voter registration, mostly Democratic, and many municipalities were overwhelmed by larger-than-expected turnout during the Democratic primaries. Bauer said that "thousands" of lawyers were participating. To those in the media who wonder about the effect of thousand of lawyers scrutinizing every polling place, Bauer said: "We're not looking for a fight," he said. "We're looking to prevent a fight." Mr. Bauer had invited as his guest Tom Daschle, the former Senate Majority Leader. Mr. Daschle recalled his first election to Congress. At age 29, he was elected by 14 votes, but legal disputes held up his victory for more than a year. In 2004, when Daschle narrowly lost to challenger John Thune, he said that voters on American Indian reservations reported being harassed, and he recalled incidences of voter intimidation in black communities. Daschle shepherded through Congress a palette of election reforms after the 2004 election. "Don't let anyone persuade you the job is done," he said. Just Wanted To Have FunTonight, I made my debut on CBS News's Campaign '08 webcast with Katie Couric. As much as I would like to brag about being an A-list guest, that distinction is reserved for Caroline Kennedy... and Cindy Lauper, who dropped by unexpectedly. I'll be on the show each night at 11:00 pm ET.August 25, 2008DNC08 LiveMarc Ambinder's Live TwitteringExpectatons For Michelle ObamaHate to say it, but she has to appear normal, average and exceptional. She is the most modern of first ladies-in-waiting, but the Obama's marriage and family life are the most traditional of any presidential candidate's family in recent memory. Michelle Obama is in a unique position to describe why this is so and how it reflects on her husband.She will joke about her husband and bring him down to earth a little. She's good at that. Many white Americans still have stereotyped impressions about black women and black families, and have very hook little to hang their minds on about the millions of middle class black families. Michelle Obama will help them fill in this perceptual gap. Michelle Obama can be edgy; as a passionate advocate for her husband, she can occasionally veer into the eschatological. She will temper that understandable instinct. She is an independent woman, balancing family and career. There is much for supporters of Hillary Clinton to admire in Michelle Obama, if only they can look beyond politics. Michelle Obama: Barack Is "The Same Man I Met 19 Years Ago"There is plenty in Michelle Obama's speech about her husband Barack, but her own introduction and identity are important too. She is, she says, first and foremost, a mother:"But each of us also comes here tonight by way of our own improbable journey. I come here tonight as a sister, blessed with a brother who is my mentor, my protector and my lifelong friend. I come here as a wife who loves my husband and believes he will be an extraordinary president. I come here as a Mom whose girls are the heart of my heart and the center of my world - they're the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing I think about when I go to bed at night. Their future - and all our children's future - is my stake in this election.
And I come here as a daughter - raised on the South Side of Chicago by a father who was a blue collar city worker, and a mother who stayed at home with my brother and me. My mother's love has always been a sustaining force for our family, and one of my greatest joys is seeing her integrity, her compassion, and her intelligence reflected in my own daughters.On Obama: A vignette that may well stick in the minds of many who are uneasy about the commonness of the Obamas. Caroline Kennedy: Obama and Ted Came Along "When We Need[ed] Them the Most"Excerpts of Caroline Kennedy's speech:"I am here tonight to pay tribute to two men who have changed my life, and the life of this country - Barack Obama, and Edward M. Kennedy. Their stories are very different, but they share a commitment to the timeless American ideals of justice and fairness, service and sacrifice, faith and family. Leaders like them come along rarely. But once or twice in a lifetime, they come along just when we need them the most. In Retrospect, Not The Best Way To Say He's An Average JoeSen. Joe Biden, in a South Carolina Democratic debate in 2007: "I don't have Barack Obama money either. My net worth is $70,000 to $150,000." The quote and video are making the rounds among Republicans trying to figure out how to take the populist Democratic ticket down a notch. Also Happening Today: Pro-And-Anti Obama Ads, Biden Visits 16th StreetThe Clinton and Obama campaigns have pretty much figured out how they want the roll call to proceed on Wednesday. It'll start traditionally, with states announcing their votes, and then, when it's New York's turn, Clinton will release her delegates and urge them to nominate Obama by acclamation.Obama's campaign released a fact check ad on William Ayres. The ad is designed to respond to a Republican 527 group's $2.8 million advertising campaign linking Obama to the former Weatherman. In the ad, the narrator said that Obama has "denounced Ayres." John McCain sent Cindy McCain to Georgia. A black Republican PAC is airing an ad in the Dayton, Ohio market accusing Obama of supporting infanticide. And Sen. Joe Biden paid a surprise visit to downtown Denver's pedestrian mall today, where he was greeted by hundreds of locals and a large press corps. Pictures Of The Convention. 10:02 MT Monday Condoms, Condoms, CondomsWhat a lucky break for the Trojan prophylactic company, and what a potentially embarrassing, although entirely uncontrollable, image snafu for the Democratic Naitonal Convention.Reporters, staffers and even delegates walking toward the 14th street magnetometer checkpoint have to first survive a a guantlet of yellow-shirted condom-bearing soldiers hired by the Trojan company to promote its safe-sex, sex-positive message. The DNC is not amused, although there's nothing they can do: Trojan rented the parking lot from the owner of the adjacent building. As one reporter accepted a condom, he was heard to say to the vendor, "You think I have time to get [lucky] this week?" Here's my (revealing?) interview with the Trojan folks. This Convention Is About A NumberDepending on the measure, Obama receives the support of about 80% of people who describe themselves as Democrats. John McCain receives the support of at least 85% of those who describe themselves as Republicans.Now -- in this cycle, many more Americans describe themselves as Democrats than Republicans. The two split independents, but the party ID gap explains why Obama is still slightly ahead of McCain nationally. He has better standing among virtually every demographic group now than John Kerry did at the time of his election. Among all groups...but people who call themselves Democrats. (Kerry won Democrats 89-11.) Obama will try to use this convention to increase his standing among Democrats. This convention is NOT aimed at persuading people who call themselves independents and moderates. It's about persuading people who lean left and call themselves Democrats but who, for many reasons, aren't sure about Obama. They are, yes, Hillary supporters, but a certain type of Hillary supporters: mainly white voters without college degrees. Ron Brownstein has noted that in four polls taken before the convention, Obama sits at 38% with this group. These voters, as pollster Stan Greenberg's new data shows, have a panoply of concerns. Unquestionably, some are racist. But a majority of them worry about Obama's credentials, his liberal positions on national security issues, and whether he truly understands their economic insecurities. It is much easier to convince these voters to vote for Obama when they see Obama as the antidote to the Bush presidency, and when they see McCain as a Bush Republican. SO -- you will hear and see speaker after speaker portray McCain as a Bush Republican. Polling shows that even when recalcitrant Democrats learn about Obama's middle class roots, they're still skeptical. It is MUCH harder to convince them to vote for Obama because they LIKE him. It is much easier to convince them to vote for Obama because they think McCain represents a continuation of President Bush's policies. (Obama's campaign has polling data suggesting that an unusually large number of pro-choice Democrats don't know that McCain is pro-life.) Is The Kristol Float Official?Bill Kristol's New York Times column seems to reflect thinking at a very high level of the McCain campaign. One part of it, anyway.Just asking: would a floor fight at the convention be disastrous? Might it reinforce, in a way, McCain's anti-Republican Republicanism. RNC IE Goads Clinton SupportersThe Republican National Committee's independent expenditure unit goads Clinton supporters with a new ad airing in Colorado, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin. Brad Todd, the RNC's IE supervisor, sends along a link to the ad.
Hillary Alums Debate SupportThe debate in Clintonland rages on. Are Clintonites insulting Hillary by not supporting Barack? Is Barack not being nice to Hillary? Check out this exchange from a restricted access Google group for Clinton campaign alumni.From: clinton-08-alumni@googlegroups.com [clinton-08-alumni@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Jane Dreher Emerson [REDACTED] Here's A Way To Make Sure VP Cheney Doesn't Distract From The RNC ProceedingsHis office announced a trip to central Asia. He'll leave right after he speaks to the Republican National Convention next Monday evening.Vice President Cheney will travel abroad beginning September 2, 2008. President Bush has asked the Vice President to travel to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Italy for discussions with these key partners on issues of mutual interest. The Vice President will meet with President Aliyev of Azerbaijan, President Saakashvili of Georgia, President Yushchenko of Ukraine, and President Napolitano and Prime Minister Berlusconi of Italy, as well as senior officials of their respective governments. In addition to meetings with foreign leaders, the Vice President will attend and address the Ambrosetti forum entitled, "Intelligence on the World, Europe and Italy" in Lake Como, Italy. A Flare-Up Between Hillaryland and DenverPolitico's editor in chief and a colleague report on tension between the Clinton and Obama camps over Bill Clinton's speech. I've downplayed reports of tensions in the past. But sources back up the Politico to a point: things are getting a little hairy as the reality of the convention sets in. Obama aides acknowledge that there has been some recent bumps on the road but insist that reports of boiled over anger are way overplayed.It's not surprising that a former president thinks he ought to be able to talk about what he wants. And President Clinton wants to talk about the economy as much as the theme of the night, which is national security. The Obama campaign has asked Clinton to stick to his theme. This dispute played out a bit ago, but frustration lingers. Another point of tension, sources say, is that the Obama campaign is aware that Mark Penn is advising Bill Clinton on the speech. Obama's campaign doesn't like Mark Penn. (Also writing: Don Baer, Clinton's former communications director. Obama's campaign is fine with Baer.) On the Clinton side, there is some anger that the Obama campaign did not sufficiently communicate to Democrats about the (dismal) prospects of Hillary Clinton joining the ticket. One Clinton adviser: "On the vetting, please. They did not prepare the ground for it not to be her. The last 72 hours were poorly scripted." Also: Cheryl Mills, Clinton's chief negotiator, is a passionate advocate for her client. But she's been getting along with David Plouffe as well as could be expected. The Obama campaign is trying to beat back these reporters. They do not want to be distracted by the blow-up, and they do not want reporters to focus on fighting. Update: the Clinton and Obama campaigns offered this joint statement: "We understand that some in the news media are more interested in reporting the rumor of controversy than the fact of unity. The fact is that our teams are working closely to ensure a successful convention and will continue to do so. Senator and President Clinton fully support the Obama/Biden ticket and look forward to addressing the convention and the nation on the urgency of victory this Fall. Anyone saying anything else doesn't know what they're talking about. Period." The Texas Republican Party Attacks; Mentions Obama's Brother's PenuryThis is a web video designed to rally the Republican faithful. It was produced and paid for by the Republican Party of Texas.The key line: "If Barack cares so much about your family , why doesn't he take care of his family first?. Barack Obama lives in this house [Hyde Park home], wants to live in this house [the White House] , while his own brother lives in this one. (A picture of George Hussein Onyango Obama 's shack in Nairobi.) The imagery includes a still of Obama fist-bumping wife Michelle. August 24, 2008Sunday Night Live TwitteringMarc Ambinder's Live TwitteringSen. Kennedy Might Attend ConventionIt's been rumored for weeks, and official sources have not tamped down on the speculation. But Democratic officials familiar with the convention schedule say that there are indications tonight that room is being built into the line-by-line event rundown for a surprise guest during tomorrow night's planned tribute to Sen. Edward Kennedy. Kennedy, who has brain cancer, has good days and bad days, people close to the family say.His immune system has been weakened by chemo and radiation treatments, and so a cross-country flight and appearance before a large crowd might be medically dangerous for him. His son Patrick Kennedy told the Associate Press that an "eleventh hour" decision will be made. Obama Looks To History As He Edits His SpeechBy some accounts, Barack Obama has spent more than a dozen hours already practicing his Invesco field acceptance speech.Clues about its substance are hard to come by, but the campaign has begun to let some details out. Let's get this out of the way: the speech will not be a reprisal of his 2004 convention keynoter, or so the campaign says. 2008's speech will be "workmanlike." Less broader themes and more of Obama's life story and the people he's met on his journey. Then he "will put in front of Americans the choice they have in this election." A senior campaign official said that Obama had recently read John F. Kennedy's convention speech in 1960 and Ronald Reagan's convention speech in 1980. Kennedy asked whether Americans have the "nerve and will" to reclaim what's great about the country amid international crisis and "eight years of fitful sleep." And after eight years of drugged and fitful sleep, this nation needs strong, creative Democratic leadership in the White House.Reagan said that the "major issue of this campaign is the direct political, personal and moral responsibility of Democratic Party leadership--in the White House and in Congress--for this unprecedented calamity which has befallen us." McCain-Whitman Buzz In DenverA Democratic member of Congress throws out the following scenario:With Biden on board Obama's train, McCain will find himself boxed in by events. He can't choose Tim Pawlenty -- a man with arguably fewer foreign policy credentials than Obama. He still doesn't trust Mitt Romney, and he's stung a little by the thought of a 15-houses-between-them ticket. (Doris Kearns Goodwin disagrees; she thinks Romney is now the obvious pick because of his debating skills.) He can't choose Lieberman because he fears a pro-life revolt. So --- he chooses Meg Whitman. eBay's CEO. A former Romney fundraiser. McCain trusts her judgment on economic matters. (He told Rick Warren that she would be one of the three people whose advice he could not do without.) She's It's a thought. But eBay's lost a lot of value in ten years. There's a lot about Whitman we don't know. A lot that social conservatives might object to: eBay is very good to its gay employees, for one thing. And Whitman has her heart set on the governors's mansion in California. Is she ready to lead from day one? When was the last time she went to Iraq? Etc. Etc. McCain: Don't Forget About Disunity, Democrats. Disunity! -- Updated With Clinton ResponseSo let's get this straight. Joe Biden insinuates that Obama is unqualified. That he has a lot more learning to do. That he needs more substance and style. And Obama picks him. John McCain's new ad, designed to reinforce the spurn that Hillary Clinton supporters feel, claims that Obama rejected Clinton because she said the very same things about him. Huh? Now -- not saying that it's a bad ad. It's provocative. It was played on the Sunday morning chat shows. It injects Clinton agita back into the proceedings. It's also very tactical, very inside-the-beltway. Clinton's political office released this response: "Hillary Clinton's support of Barack Obama is clear. She has said repeatedly that Barack Obama and she share a commitment to changing the direction of the country, getting us out of Iraq, and expanding access to health care. John McCain doesn't. It's interesting how those remarks didn't make it into his ad."The thinking in Obamaland is that once many of the recalcitrant Clinton voters know about McCain's record on abortion and other women's issues, they'll come back into fold. The Obama campaign has polled this... Explaining "Indianapolis."Earlier this week, I reported that an advance team affiliated with Sen. Obama's campaign was on its way to Indianapolis to set up for a Saturday event. The item was first reported elsewhere, and an Obama campaign official confirmed to me that there were Obama advance agents in Indianapolis.Well, it's Sunday. And, uh, nothing happened in Indianapolis yesterday. So what happened? Looking back, I overwrote. There were Obama advance folks in Indianapolis. But they weren't there to set up a homecoming event for vice presidential nominee Evan Bayh. They were there to scout locations for events connected with a presidential debate. I too quickly took the confirmation of their presence as confirmation that they were connected with a Saturday event. I got caught up in the moment. That happens sometimes, but given the intense speculatory environment, and the consequences of said speculation, even sourced, I should have been more careful. August 23, 2008Saturday Night Live Twittering And Video UpdatesMarc Ambinder's Live TwitteringClueless Commentary AlertThe thesis: "Joe Biden appeals to white working class voters, so his selection will give Obama a bump in that demographics."Huh? Most Americans don't know enough about Joe Biden to know who he is. 70%. Including most Democrats, according to a CNN poll. So we don't know who Biden will help with, or whether he'll help with anyone. The "third senator from Pennsylvania" has to introduce himself to 48 other states. (Confession: I've made this analytic point before, so I'm just as clueless.) Biden's EconomyThe Obama campaign particularly likes this paragraph from Sen. Biden's speech today:
RNC To Highlight Biden's "Gaffes"A Republican official says that the Republican National Committee plans to unveil a "Biden Gaffe Clock" to show off the Democratic vice presidential nominee's propensity for wordiness.First up: "Barack America." Biden said that today. (The crowd in Springfield corrected him.) So far, the McCain-RNC crowd has limited its criticism to Sen. Obama; after all, McCain and Biden are friends. No longer. (An Obama spokesman: " RNC staffers shouldn't throw stones from their 7 glass houses." An Outside The Comfort Zone PickMy first thoughts, updatedObama-Biden will be a formidable ticket, and a risky ticket, and not a comfort zone choice for Obama. "It's a big ball pick, not a small ball pick," an adviser said. Put aside the obvious: Biden has foreign policy meat on his bones...He's a great debater... he's the party's best foreign policy surrogate... world leaders call him...he has a working-class Scranton-bred Irish-Catholic heritage...he knows Washington very well...he has known tragedy in his life.. He was elected to the Senate as a change agent at the age of 29. He is comfortable but not wealthy -- he has not used the prerogatives of office to enrich his personal wealth, although his family has benefited from his stature. (The GOP will quickly point out that one of his sons is a lobbyist.) Biden premised his presidential candidacy on the notion that Obama was unqualified and not ready from day one. You can expect that the McCain campaign or the RNC will run a national television advertisement featuring Biden's many and various quotations to this effect. Biden will have to explain why he has changed his mind. I gather that what impressed Obama about Biden is that Biden gets things done. He's a man of action. He's not a bullshitter. I also get the sense that Biden, 65, is pretty well aware that, at age 73 in eight years, he's not going to be a viable presidential choice, and thus was able to convince Obama that because the vice presidency would be his terminal position, the famous Biden ego will take a subordinate role. I gather that Obama realizes that he needed a pick that would demonstrate some level of intellectual seriousness about the condition of the world. One of his sons heads for Iraq soon. Obama knows that, for Biden, getting Iraq right is much more than just about proving a point. If Georgia had not been invaded by Russia, would Biden be as attractive? Maybe. Counterfactuals for another time. Biden is also a fighter on domestic policy. He touts as one of his greatest legislative accomplishments 1994's Violence Against Women Act. He's a mainline Democrat whose fingerprints are on most of the major liberal policy accomplishments over the past few decades. Some liberals think he's a bully who got the Iraq war wrong (although Biden did try to pass a less bellicose resolution.) But I suspect that the general response from most Democrats will be "Great choice." The criticism will focus on Biden's 1987 plagiarism bout, his support of credit card companies (he pushed the bankruptcy bill that Dems hate), his comments about Obama, his racial obliviousness (the comment about Indian-Americans in 7/11). He's a DC Insider. Obama didn't double down on hope. In a normal year, this stuff would have disqualified him instantly. The biggest trope may be that the Dems are an All Talk ticket. Two famous talkers. Early Thoughts On The Extremely Early Biden Spin WarsA very aggressive response from the McCain campaign. Statement matched by new ad... reams of research...The network morning shows seem to be highlighting Biden's gaffes. Ok -- but Obama campaign's Gibbs was on CBS and ABC.... And who watches morning news on Saturday anyway? McCain Campaign Turns Biden's Words Against ObamaA new ad airing in "key states."This is pretty tough... This is going to test the Obama campaign's rapid response capability. One would assume that they're locked and loaded to respond. We'll see. Obama's Website Offers Clues About What Obama Sees In Biden Text on Obama's website provides the first official description of what Obama sees in Sen. Biden:And I think the campaign kept its promise. Supporters who went to bed before midnight ET will wake up and check their cell phones...presumably before they flip on the TV. The first page of the website is a fundraising solicitation. On the home page, supporters are invited to send Biden a welcoming e-mail. The Text Is Here!
Obama/Biden -- Vote and Comment HereMy comments board is down, so comment via the Polldaddy.com link after you vote.More Republican Oppo On BidenQuotes making the rounds of GOPers:
McCain Campaign Reacts To Biden's Selection
The words of Ben Porritt, a McCain spokesman. Obama Picks Sen. Joe BidenThis is a formidable ticket, and a risky ticket, and not a comfort zone choice for Obama.Put aside the obvious: Biden has foreign policy meat on his bones...He's a great debater... he has a working-class Scranton-bred Irish-Catholic heritage...he knows Washington very well...he has known tragedy in his life... He was elected to the Senate as a change agent at the age of 29. He is comfortable but not wealthy -- he has not used the prerogatives of office to enrich his personal wealth, although his family has benefited from his stature. Biden premised his presidential candidacy on the notion that Obama was unqualified and not ready from day one. You can expect that the McCain campaign or the RNC will run a national television advertisement featuring Biden's many and various quotations to this effect. I gather that what impressed Obama about Biden is that Biden gets things done. He's a man of action. He's not a bullshitter. I also get the sense that Biden, 65, is pretty well aware that, at age 73 in eight years, he's not going to be a viable presidential choice, and thus convinced Obama that because the vice presidency would be his terminal position, the famous Biden ego will take a subordinate role. I gather that Obama realizes that he needed a pick that would demonstrate some level of intellectual seriousness about the condition of the world. One of his sons heads for Iraq soon. Obama knows that, for Biden, getting Iraq right is much more than just about proving a point. Biden is also a fighter on domestic policy. He touts as one of his greatest legislative accomplishments 1994's Violence Against Women Act. Some liberals think he's a bully who got the Iraq war wrong (although Biden did try to pass a less bellicose resolution.) . But I suspect that the general response from Democrats will be "Great choice." The criticism will focus on Biden's 1987 plagiarism bout, his support of credit card companies (he pushed the bankruptcy bill that Dems now hate), his comments about Obama, his racial obliviousness (the comment about Indian-Americans in 7/11). In a normal year, this stuff would have disqualified him instantly. That Obama (apparently) picked him demonstrates a recognition that the Democratic ticket ought to be more than just about Obama's personality... or a statement of bipartisan pragmatism... it's easy to float on gossamers when the world is safe, but when it's burning down, a guy like Biden is just the ticket. August 22, 2008Republicans Begin To Spread Biden ResearchLike this quote, from 2007, from an unpublished interview.On Obama: "You know he's a very smart guy. I can't speak for me. But I know for me that it was a learning experience. I worked very hard. I'm sure he's working very hard too. I've watched seven presidents, and I've watched presidents who have come to office who haven't thought through some of the areas that they've never worked in, for example foreign policy. I watched several presidents come in and they're smart as the devil and they get here and unless you already know when you get here exactly what your foreign policy is, it's awful hard to hit the ground running and not to make serious mistakes the first couple of years. I'm not saying that senator Obama is where I was [when elected to the senate at age 29]. I was younger than he was when he got to the Senate. But I do think, I acknowledge that experience is not the issue, it's whether your experience has been good or bad. Somebody with 34 years of bad experience isn't perfectly qualified to be president, someone with 34 years of good experience that makes a big difference. So, again, I know it's kind of difficult to master, it's kind of difficult to feel sure-footed in a lot of areas that you haven't spent a long of time dealing with." It's Almost OverObama Camp Will Send Text Tomorrow MorningAccording to a campaign official, the plan is to send out the text message a few hours before Obama's 12pm CT event in Springfield.Most everyone in the national press corps think that it's Joe Biden. But no one knows, and no one is willing to pull the trigger. I can confirm reporting by NBC News that Gov. Tim Kaine's associates are saying that Obama did not choose him, although I don't have any first hand accounts. Sources close to Biden and Bayh have been in lockdown mode. Btw: on that Flightaware fun: someone apparently flew from ILG to MDW earlier this morning, so the flight we tracked might simply have been a credit card company executive returning from a meeting in Chicago. Live Twittering From DenverTriumph Of New Media Over Old MediaA reader writes:Wolf Blitzer on the Situation Room begging viewers to stay tuned so CNN can bring them coverage of a text message. Fun With Local TV News Stations: Obama-Bayh Stickers?I doubt the following story.... the bumper sticker is just too ugly to be official.From KMBC in Lexena: After weeks of speculation and days of intense rumors, the answer to who Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama would name as his running mate may have come down to a bumper sticker printed in Lenexa.KMBC's Micheal Mahoney reported that the company, which specializes in political literature, has been printing Obama-Bayh material. That's Bayh as in U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana. Word leaked out about the material as it was being printed up by Gill Studios of Lenexa. The Obama campaign had said it would make the announcement by text message on Friday. http://www.kmbc.com/politics/17267009/detail.html  Fun With FlightAware: What's This Flight?http://flightaware.com/live/flight/EJA863A flight from Midway to New Castle, DE... to pick someone up? Who knows? No other flights from anywhere in and around Chicago to anywhere in and around Delaware... or vice versa. Just this charter.  Timing Hints: Gibbs Doing The Morning ShowsObama chief strategist Robert Gibbs booked on morning shows tomorrow....Hard to imagine he'd appear BEFORE we know... Veepstakes TidingsCNN first reported, and I can confirm, that Barack Obama has begun calling some folks who were vetted but who didn't quite make it.Maybe these aren't the short-listers. Maybe these are the long-listers. In any event, Hillary Clinton has NOT been called. (There's "news" of her not-being vetted, but the New York Times reported this a while ago.) Evan Bayh has NOT been called. and Joe Biden has not only NOT been called, it appears that everyone associated with him as gone to ground. And FWIW: some Bayh folks think Biden's the guy. Also FWIW: Virginia Democrats still don't think Kaine's the guy. Podium Wars!The Real Democratic Podium: Let The Voting Begin McCain's PickDownhill On The Road To DenverMaybe Barack Obama should thank John McCain. McCain hands him this beautiful gift of an out-of-touch rich guy statement right when he's about to pivot to the economy, Obama gets to mock it all day long today, he baits McCain into unleashing some of the most negative ads he's likely to put out there, THEN announces his vice presidential friend.Then he has a four day national commercial in which everyone close to a camera talks about the seven houses gaffe. THEN gives a (we all presume) barn-burner of a speech presenting his economic plan. One assumes. Barns don't burn as easily as they used to. McCain has changed messages. His new ad is all about how obama isn't a naive self-important celebrity anymore; instead, he's a scheming back-room corrupt pol, didn't you know? Obama's aides think that these ads go a bit too far. Not light and demeaning.... but mean and cold. We will see. Hints Of Major McCain Rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan On Or About 8/31So there's apparently going to be a major political event in Grand Rapids, Michigan on or about 8/31.A McCain campaign event, say two sources. (Cautioning as always...plans could change, but...) On one hand, Mitt Romney's home base is in Oakland County, or Macomb County, not Grand Rapids. On the other, other hand, Romney has campaigned in GR many times. On the other, other, other hand, Michigan is a swing state. CW says McCain will appear with his pick in Ohio on Aug 29 and then tour the country. A stop in Pennsylvania is also planned, probably on the 30th. So is, apparently, a stop in Michigan, on the 31st. A Michigan GOP spokesperson referred questions about the schedule to the McCain campaign, which declined to comment. Dems Encouraged By Obama's AggressivenessOne prominent Dem consultant e-mails:I am very encouraged by the NYTimes story this morning that HILLARY needs to do more to help unify the party, not Obama, with testimonial quotes from HER voters. It's like the hamster started running again in the mind of his campaign and they're acting like desperate, scrappy street yard bulldogs not aloof Ivy Professors. A Note On Body LanguageVirginia Democrats close to Gov. Tim Kaine read a lot into Kaine's body language during the day yesterday. He seemed... to know. Apparently, he doesn't have much of a poker face. From his mien, we've all concluded that Obama told Kaine he wouldn't be picked and that Kaine was wearing the rejection.Maybe. But perhaps the opposite is true: perhaps Kaine, having been entrusted with an enormous secret, a life-changing secret, was stunned into humility. Would YOU feel all jazzed reading the talking points if you knew that your life would be changed forever just 24 hours hence? I'm not trying to confuse matters here... just saying that we ought to be careful of confirmation bias when trying to read the body language of VP contenders. Seven Houses: How's It Playing?The Obama campaign sends clips to reporters this a.m from the network evening newscasts local news in places like Raleigh-Durham, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Erie and dozens of excerpts from newspapers and websites.I'm betting that the McCain campaign hopes that Obama's VP roll-out eclipses this stuff, but something tells me that Obama's campaign may milk it, even as both candidates are technically "off" today. For VPs, Trust? Who Needs Trust?DENVER -- I'll confess both ignorance and agnosticism about Time's reporting that Sen. John McCain has "settled" on Mitt Romney. I just don't know. We will see.But if it is Mitt Romney, and if Barack Obama has indeed chosen Sen. Joe Biden, as Time also insinuates (and as a report, one that I have a better feeling about), note, then, that both Obama and McCain would seem to have settled on the consensus Washington choice. DC establishment types with Rs after their names long ago settled on Mitt Romney as the "obvious" best pick for McCain; the Biden consensus came a little later, but it exists. IF Obama has picked Biden and IF McCain has chosen Romney, then both men will have rejected the proffered advice that they only choose someone they completely and explicitly trust and in trust's stead, followed some other guidance. Does McCain have warmer feelings after Romney? Sure. We can buy that. Does he trust him? I mean, I can remember some of the things that McCain said about Romney, in private, that were imparted to reporters on an off-the-record basis, things that were meant to convey the impression that McCain just didn't like the guy and, most of all, felt he could not be trusted. A lot of current McCain advisers felt the same way. Trusting Biden is less of a sell, but there are many Democratic contenders -- Daschle, Dodd, Kaine, Sebelius -- who Obama clearly trusts more. August 21, 2008Bayh or Biden Or...Live TwitteringTraveling to Denver (through MSP -- don't ask), so I'll put the twitter badge up in order to stay connected.Marc Ambinder's Live TwitteringObama Picks VP; Won't Say WhoThe big tease. He says he knows who he's going to pick. Won't say whether he's informed the pick. Says the person will "push against his preconceived notions" and would be independent.McCain Prepares Rezko Ad; Wright "Now Fair Game"; GOP 527 AttacksSen. John McCain's campaign is finishing a hard-hitting television ad highlighting Barack Obama 's ties to shady Chicago land dealer Tony Rezko, the one-time Obama patron who was convicted earlier this summer of fraud.A campaign official said that the decision to Go Rezko was Obama's. "He's opened the door to this," the official said. The ad will be released to network news divisions in time for their broadcasts tonight. Though McCain is widely perceived to to drawn first blood by attacking Obama's character, the official said that the difference between Obama's mocking McCain for his wealth and his shaky answer on the number of homes he owns was that McCain's charge "reflects an existential reality," where Obama's charges "attack Cindy. She owns the homes. I thought he said the wives were off-limits." McCain strategists hope that Obama's brass knuckles punch doesn't work. "Americans don't like this class warfare stuff," the official said. They aspire to be rich, the official said. They don't aspire to eat arugala or hang out with celebrities. Earlier in the news cycle, McCain's press team invoked Obama's friendship with a former member of the Weatherman, William Ayres, and an official said that even Obama's former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, "is now fair game." The official declined to say whether the campaign was contemplating running an advertisement linking Obama to Wright. McCain also released a second web video mocking Obama as "The One." A group called the American Issues Project said it launched a 2.8 million television ad buy highlighting Obama's ties to Ayres. The group calls itself "an organization representing a coalition of activists committed to raising conservative issues both during and after the election." It includes longtime Republican activists like Ed Failor, Jr. of Iowa. Failor was a McCain adviser in the state. The ad will air in Ohio and Michigan. Here's the script: Narrator:
Traveling to Denver (through MSP -- don't ask), so I'll put the twitter badge up in order to stay connected.
Marc Ambinder's Live TwitteringWho Has The Cooler Podium? -- SUSPENDEDThis vote suspended until I get an official picture of the DNC podium...The GOP...  Or the DNC?  (image courtesy of Reuters) APSAlutelyEminent political scientist John Pitney e-mails:: Fine. That explains, but doesn't really excuse, from an institutional point of view, the idea that, in politics, theory and practice could not be more alienated from each other.
After SpringfieldPer the campaign: Obama's in Eau Claire,
Wisconsin on Sunday, the Quad Cities area in
Iowa on Monday, Kansas City,
Missouri on Tuesday, Billings, Montana next Wednesday. No Indianapolis.... Meanwhile, the RNC and McCain campaign announced plans to bracket the Democratic National Convention. They're sending Rudy Giuliani, Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney to Denver and calling the Dems' festival "Mile High and an Inch Deep." Maybe Obama's Just Sticking To PlanHere is the Obama campaign's perspective on the summer, as suggested by a plugged-in reader:
Elephants Sometimes ForgetAnd the DNC calls John McCain "forgetful" in its latest release, entitled: " McCain's Abodes: A Luxury Travel Guide for the Rich, Famous andForgetful."Worse Than A Scanner Moment?Or maybe...This'll be tough for McCain because our current economic situation is so directly tied to the housing crisis. Maybe McCain isn't thought of as "rich," but it doesn't take a whole lot of persuasion to convince people that he doesn't have a feel for what's going on with the economy. I'd say that 99% of Americans know exactly what their mortgage rate is each month, not to mention how many homes they own. (McCain does not have a mortgage.) It fits perfectly into Obama's out-of-touch Washingtonian versus new ideas for today's world frame. And it's tailor made for late night comedians, campaign media moments, and nonstop mockery from Obama from now until November. 
McCain Is To Houses What GWBH Was To Grocery Store Scanners?Says an Obama aide: "It's his Bush grocery scanner moment - but far worse."Maybe. But President Bush's dalliance with a pricing scanner was caught on videotape, and McCain's comments weren't, although Politico plans to post the audio later today. Also: the word "John McCain" means a lot of different things, but rich isn't one of them. So Obama and the Democrats must use this moment to convince Americans in real time to think differently about McCain. That's one reason their new ad airs on national cable. Cable ads aren't persuasion ads; they're agenda-setting ads. If McCain's gaffe had been somehow age-related, then they'd have an easier time. The groundwork for the impression already exists. (Although... Obama's team does accuse McCain of not being able to "remember" how many houses he has...hmm.) New State Polls In Nevada, MinnesotaIn Nevada, Obama and McCain are tied (44 for O, 43 for M). Jon Ralston writes that the poll: Shows Obama up 7 in Clark and dead heat in Washoe. Neither Kerry nor Gore won Clark by that much, although Gore (6.5) came close. Obama probably needs to do slightly better than 7 here to win. Washoe could be key to race.And in Minnesota, Obama leads by 10, although choosing Gov. Tim Pawlenty as his running mate would help McCain in the state. Obama v. McCain On In-Touch-Y-NessAccording to CBS News's Maria Gavrilovic, here's what Barack Obama had to say this a.m. about John McCain's too-many-homes-to-count-so-check-with-my-staff comments:"Now think about that - I guess if you think that being rich means you gotta make five million dollars, and if you don't' know how many houses you have, then it's not surprising that you might think the economy is fundamentally strong!" By the way, the answer is John McCain has seven homes. So there's just a fundamental gap of understanding between John McCain's world and what people are going thru every single day here in America." Brian Rogers, a McCain spokesman, immediately e-mailed reporters with a response that evokes some oldies but goodies:
Obama Ad Blasts McCain's "Seven Houses"Don't know where this is airing yet... but talk about a lightning fast turnaround for the Obama ad team.The tag line: "Here's one house that America can't afford to let John McCain move in to." |
