Archive - December 10, 2007 - The Page by Mark Halperin

The Page

Politics up to the Minute

Live! At Universal City! The Barack Obama Show

Obama camp rakes in more e-mails, phone numbers at California fundraiser-concert Monday night. New and improved post-Iowa J-J stump speech wows a crowd that also heard from James Whitmore, will.i.am. Permalink

Obama Snags Key New Hampsire Nod

Frosh Congresswoman Shea-Porter endorses after considering staying neutral in primary. Permalink

Two New National Polls Confirm Huckabee Rise

New CBS-NYT Poll: GOP: Giuliani 22, Huckabee 21, Romney 16, McCain 7, Thompson 7. Dems: Clinton 44, Obama 27, Edwards 11. Read more here. New CNN-Opinion Research Poll: GOP: Giuliani 24, Huckabee 22, Romney 16, McCain 13, Thompson 10. Error margin: 5. Dems: Clinton 40, Obama 30, Edwards 14. Error margin: 4.5. Read more here. Permalink

Dodd Releases New Iowa Ad

First of at least two spots in statewide media buy beginning Tues. airing on broadcast and cable TV, spot focuses on his congressional record. Watch it above. Emphasizes that he was never First Lady. Permalink

New Ad Touts Paul's Plan for Health Reform

Spot airing in IA, NH promote his medical experience. "He's a doctor. Seen it all." Permalink

Company on the Campaign Trail

After Oprahmania, Dems try to one-up each other this week with "special guest" tagalongs, high-profile events: First: "Generation Obama" concert fundraiser Monday in California's Universal City features Goo-Goo Dolls, Ne-Yo. Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel, Kate Walsh and the Black Eyed Peas' will.i.am also expected. Also: Clinton holds $250/person fundraiser in Hollywood, then stops in San Francisco Tuesday for a lunchtime “conversation” with Warren Buffett. Then: Edwards' Mom and Dad travel around NH Tuesday and Wednesday, while actor Tim Robbins joins candidate in Iowa Wednesday, with Kevin Bacon following Saturday, Sunday. Permalink

TV Interview Potpourri

Edwards on "Hardball": Made no news, but wore a huge smile, laughed throughout the interview as he talked about Oprah-Obama weekend, how he can defeat the GOP candidates in a general election, and his support on the ground in Iowa. Permalink

Clinton Answers Oprah With Angelou

Clinton camp launches 60-second SC radio ad Monday featuring the famed African American poet. Listen to ad here. Permalink

¡Ataque!

Thompson hits Huckabee in Fla. for past support of lifting Cuban embargo. Read Thompson research. Backpedaling Huckabee: “Really not that aware” of issue at the time, concerned about Ark. rice growers. Update: Fla. House Speaker Rubio, endorsing Huckabee, sticks up for his man. "Since then however he has learned more about the Cuba issue...." Read his email message. HALPERIN'S TAKE: 7 reasons why it is difficult for Huckabee’s Republican rivals to stop him. Permalink

B. Clinton: My Wife's a Change Agent

Says in Ames, Iowa Monday: "It’s one thing to have good intentions, another thing altogether to change the reality of people’s lives." Permalink

Gore, Nobel Laureate, Not Ruling Out Another Run

Reiterates to CNN that he doesn't expect to get back into politics, but adds: "If I did get back, it would be as a candidate for president." Also: in interview after receiving Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, says he thinks a policy change on global warming is coming, no matter who wins the White House. Watch clip above. Plus: Even in Norway, Ron Paul disciples spread the word. Permalink

A Thrilling Double Feature Now Playing

THE BIG EIGHT WONDER WHO IS UP AND WHO IS DOWN Republican CW believes Romney is still in decline, Huckabee is still a rising puzzle, and McCain still looms. Democratic CW believes "Somebody will come out of Iowa with a lot of momentum. And somebody won't." And, the CW believes, those two New York frontrunners ain't what they used to be, but they ain't out of it -- because nobody knows how these two final reels end. Permalink

Evening News Roundup

ABC-- David Wright in Manchester looks at the weekend "Oprah Effect." History suggests endorsements often don't matter, but "sometimes you make new history" says historian Richard Norton Smith. Gibson leads high-minded roundtable on health care. CBS-- Discusses new NYT/CBS poll, looks at Oprah-mania. Report makes unflattering comparison to smaller Clinton weekend events; references report that Bill Clinton is unhappy with wife's campaign. Campaign Notebook looks at Edwards' "Main Street Express" bus tour. Schieffer tells Couric that Huckabee "is for real" but needs money. In meaty CBS interview with Couric, Romney offers Cliffs Notes version of last week's speech on faith. Says Huckabee's promotion of his own faith in ad is "unusual." Tough Romney line: "And I'm convinced as people take a good hard look at Mike Huckabee's record, they'll see this is a guy who is soft on criminals, soft on illegal aliens, but hard on taxpayers. And that's not what's going to lead the Republican party to take the White House.” Read more on interview here. ABC also released the text of an interview with Romney recorded for future broadcast. NBC-- Lee Cowan package on Obama's Oprah weekend, saying her "marketing" came "just at the right time." Williams talks to Tim Russert about weekend MSNBC polls, says Democratic race is "a jump ball," "volatile," and "too close to call" while Huckabee dominates Republican numbers. Shows all report Gore's Nobel Prize acceptance, where he left door slightly open to future White House run. Permalink

Tension Rising

Bloomberg's Al Hunt: Finger-pointing, sniping in Clinton camp as funk continues. Hunt: Aides furious at Bill Clinton, who’s “bouncing off the walls” at missteps. Will John Podesta swoop in after a shakeup? Permalink

The Oprah Impact, Spun

Obama campaign memo lays out the weekend. Read it here. Will Oprah be gracing future Obama TV spots? Axelrod played director in IA. Plus: TIME's Ana Marie Cox has her own wrap-up version here. Permalink