Archive - March 5, 2008 - The Page by Mark Halperin

The Page

Politics up to the Minute

Leo DiCaprio Movie Role in Peril

Clinton aide Jay Carson makes good on war room pledge to shave head if his candidate won 3 of 4 Tuesday contests. Part of Carson in upcoming movie now in question. . . . DEVELOPING... Permalink

Campaigns digest Tuesday's results, strategize their next moves: Clinton travels to Mississippi Thursday, Wyoming Friday while B. Clinton expected to be in Wyoming on Thursday, Mississippi on Friday. Obama spends Thursday with no public events in his hometown of Chicago, returns to campaign trail in Wyoming Friday. Permalink

New National Head-to-Head Matchups

ABC/Washington Post poll: Obama 52, McCain 40 Clinton 50, McCain 44 Feb. 28-March 2. Error margin: 3 points. Read more here. Permalink

Fire With Fire

Obama team lashes out at Clinton for not disclosing her tax returns: Releases memo accusing her of "hiding the information," holds media conference call. Strategist Axelrod calls Clinton "a habitual non-discloser" and says "the vetting of Hillary Clinton has yet to start." Listen to call audio here. Clinton camp hits back: Spokesman Wolfson pens his own memo defending Clinton on openness and calling for more disclosure on Tony Rezko. Plus: On Clinton media call, strategist Penn insists Obama broke under pressure. "After only a few days of questioning, Sen. Obama's vote significantly went down." Permalink

Old Friends, Bookends

McCain joins George W. Bush at the White House for the presidential stamp of approval. Bush tells reporters: "I have gotten to know John well in the last eight years. I've campaigned against him and I've campaigned with him...he's is a president and he's gonna be the president..." Also says he'd be happy to campaign with McCain if he's wanted, downplays Democrats' "change" message. Watch video above. Read transcript here. Plus: McCain met with RNC chair following Bush event. Permalink

Jury Seated in Rezko Trial

No information released on the 12 jurors and six alternates. Opening arguments set to begin Thursday at 10 a.m. ET. Permalink

Pelosi to Party Leaders: Let the Nomination Play Out

House Speaker says nomination process should continue without officials urging a quick end to the battle. “I think the electoral process has to work its way." Note: corrects previous report. Permalink

Compelling Keystone Contest Commences

Pro-Clinton 527 prepares for battle on Pennsylvania airwaves. American Leadership Project has $300,000 for ads leading up to April 22 primary. Plus: State Democratic chairman says it will be "like Iowa on steroids." And: Chelsea Clinton campaigns at the University of Pennsylvania Wednesday. Permalink

Obama Camp Attacks Clinton for Months-Old Mississippi Comment

Former governor and Obama Mississippi Vice Chair Ray Mabus calls on Clinton to explain her "derogatory" statement questioning the state for never electing a woman governor, Senator or member of Congress. She told the Des Moines Register in October 2007: "There has got to be something at work here…when you look at the numbers, how can Iowa be ranked with Mississippi?" Read more here. Clinton's Phil Singer responds: "Senator Obama's attacks on Senator Clinton won't mask the fact that voters are expressing serious doubts about whether he's ready to be commander in chief and serve as a steward of the economy." Mississippi holds its primary Tuesday. Permalink

Evening News Roundup

All three programs led with lengthy political blocks. ABC: After recap of Tuesday, news that Clinton finally took a well-deserved nap as advocates touted her new momentum. Then a look at Obama's sharper edge against her. Package on superdelegates and the Florida/Michigan dilemma. Stephanopoulos said Clinton team now acknowledges Florida and Michigan may need a new vote, as party worries about a 2000-style deadlock. Report on Bush's endorsement of McCain, along with their past disagreements. CBS: Tuesday recap stressed Clinton regaining her base of women and white men, mentioned her apparent openness to a potential ticket with Obama. Report on Obama's more aggressive tone after his "blown" chance on Tuesday. Jeff Greenfield offered useful summary of upcoming primary/caucus calendar, mentioned chance of re-votes in Florida and Michigan. McCain package included uncertainty about Bush attending McCain rallies, showed ad saying McCain is "McSame" as the unpopular president. NBC: Led with Clinton's wins, appearances on morning shows. Said her goal is to keep superdelegates from Obama, keep showing her humor. Then moved onto Obama, called him "more subdued," said he blamed Clinton's "kitchen sink strategy," the press for losses. Lee Cowan characterized next seven weeks as "an all-out appliance war" with Obama fighting back. Then, onto McCain, called Bush endorsement his "eye of the beholder moment," recapped his ups and downs in race and noted new RNC help. Russert weighed in, said Michigan, Florida would be important do-overs but we're not there yet, expressed skepticism of a Clinton-Obama ticket. "Where ... Permalink

Chicago Tribune: Independent Group Does $1 Mil Anti-McCain Ad Buy

TV spot from Campaign to Defend America likens McCain to Bush on health care, oil industry and more. Running in Ohio and Pennsylvania. Watch it above. Features the two hugging, repeatedly crops Bush’s head onto McCain’s body. Permalink

TV Potpourri

Clinton supporter, PA Gov. Rendell told MSNBC Clinton will win PA, and if she wins there (along with all the other big states) then she has every right to be the nominee. Called caucuses "undemocratic." Clinton spokesman Wolfson told MSNBC that Tuesday was a "clear momentum shift" and the race is now "reset." Credited "3 a.m." ad for raising doubts about Obama's preparedness. Permalink

Obama to Challenge Clinton on Foreign Policy in Pushback

On board his plan, tells the press corps: "Over the coming weeks we will join her in that arguement. Was she negotiating treaties? Was she handling crisis? The answer is 'no.'" Plus: Obama's Axelrod: "If Sen. Clinton wants to take the debate to various places, we'll join that debate. We'll do it on our terms and in our own way but if she wants to make issues like ethics and disclosure and law firms and real estate deals and all that stuff issues, as I've said before I don't know why they'd want to go there, but I guess that's where they'll take the race.'' A "senior Obama adviser": "Obama's team will respond to Tuesday's results by going negative on Clinton — raising questions about her tax records and the source of donations to the Clinton presidential library, among skeletons in the Clintons' past." Permalink

Obama Calls Split Ticket Idea "Premature"

"We are just focused on winning the nomination," Obama says of a possible split ticket with Clinton. "It is premature to talk about a joint ticket." Read more from Wednesday's press availability. Clinton seemed surprisingly open to the idea during her appearance Wednesday on CBS' "Early Show." Though, she said, "of course we have to decide who’s on the top of the ticket." Click above to watch, and read more here. Permalink

Change Versus More of the Same

Obama's top strategist Axelrod is "receiving varied advice from Democrats, including changing Obama's stump speech to emphasize his American roots and pushing for a second round of changes in the nation's welfare laws, this time aimed at stray fathers." Also: "Now, the campaign hopes to keep the rallies separate from the roundtables in each media market. 'We all are uncomfortable with a campaign whose signature is a rally.'" Permalink