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Politics up to the Minute
Headlines from March 25th, 2008
Clinton Sees Fight Continuing for "the Next Three Months"
Suggests at Greensburg, Pennsylvania presser that she's not going anywhere until all the states have voted: “I think that what we have to wait and see is what happens in the next three months. There’s been a lot of talk about what if, what if, what if. Let’s wait until we get some facts...Over the next months millions of people are going to vote. And we should wait and see the outcome of those votes.” Is there a sunny side to a long race to the finish for the Dems? Permalink
Chelsea Clinton Startled by Lewinsky Question in Indianapolis
In last question from the audience while campaigning for her mother Tuesday, she is asked whether Sen. Clinton's credibility had been hurt during scandal. Responds saying: "Wow, you're the first person actually that's ever asked me that question in the, I don't know maybe, 70 college campuses I've now been to, and I do not think that is any of your business." Takes another question -- this one on global warming -- to not end on a bad note. Permalink
Obama Campaign: Clinton "Sinks Low"
Obama camp's Burton responds to Clinton weighing in on Wright: “...It’s disappointing to see Hillary Clinton’s campaign sink to this low in a transparent effort to distract attention away from the story she made up about dodging sniper fire in Bosnia." Full statement here. Clinton camp's Singer fires back: "Senator Clinton was asked a question and answered it based on her personal views. Considering that the Obama campaign peddled a photo of President Clinton with Reverend Wright less than 48 hours after Sen. Obama gave a speech calling for a high-minded discussion on race, this latest attack is disingenuous." At Greensburg, Pennsylvania press conference, she carefully repeats statements from interview with Pittsburgh Tribune-Review editorial board Tuesday, where she said she would have left her church if her pastor made those kind of inflammatory remarks. "I was asked a personal question and I responded as to what I would have done... and I feel very comfortable with that. I don't think that's negative." Watch video above. Also addresses Bosnia misstatement, conceding she made a "mistake," says dialogue should be about her and Obama's national security creds. Permalink
Obama, Clinton Attack McCain's Economic Proposals
Obama camp says in statement: It’s deeply troubling that John McCain is suggesting that the best way to address the housing crisis is to sit back and watch it happen..." Full statement here. Clinton responds to McCain’s economic proposals in PA presser: "It sounds remarkably like Herbert Hoover and I don’t think that’s a good economic policy." Read more here. McCain focuses on economic woes at big midday policy speech in Santa Ana, California, where he's meeting with Hispanic small business owners, says "I will not play election year politics with the housing crisis." Read full text of remarks here. Watch clip above. Permalink
B. Clinton Invokes McCarthy Remark at Kentucky Event
While discussing the rules of political rhetoric in Frankfort, brings up remarks by Obama aide Gen. McPeak comparing former president to Joe McCarthy. "The level of sanctimony in the rhetoric is inversely related to the public benefit of the policy," he said, chuckling before adding: "I need to quit this. Somebody will probably figure out how to ... accuse me of being Joe McCarthy again on that." Permalink
Nancy Reagan Endorses McCain
Presumptive GOP nominee traveled to Los Angeles Tuesday afternoon to officially accept endorsement. Reagan said: "John McCain has been a good friend for over thirty years.... John's record and experience have prepared him well to be our next president" McCain thanked her, said "I will never forget the kindness that she and her husband shared with me upon my return from Vietnam. I was grateful for her support then, and am humbled by it today." Read more here. Permalink
Influential New Hampshire TV Political Reporter to Leave Station
Scott Spradling of WMUR -- New Hampshire's dominant television station -- has decided not to renew his contract to set up a consulting firm. Spradling's last day is April 11. No replacement has been announced. Permalink
Pants on Fire
Obama and Clinton campaign memos seek to paint the other one as a serial exaggerator: Obama memo points to Tuesday Clinton radio interview where she says "for the first time in 12 or so years I misspoke," counters with list of her remarks on "sniper fire." Read it here. Clinton camp follows, with its own list of Obama "exaggerations and misstatements." Read it here. Permalink
Evening News Roundup
NBC: Led with "politics and the pastor" story of Clinton weighing in on Rev. Wright. Suggested she did so because she was behind in the math. Mentioned her further clarifying about Bosnia trip. Russert weighed in, said Clinton woke up awash in Bosnia stories, Obama releasing his tax returns and made “an attempt to change the subject” and get focus back on Obama. Noted conservative setting of Pittsburgh paper where she made the remarks, deep distress supers have about devisiveness. Broadcast also highlighted McCain’s Reagan endorsement, economy speech. Package looked at Obama, Clinton’s proposals on housing, mortgage crisis. Noted Chelsea Clinton on Lewinsky question. CBS: Led with almost sarcastic package on Clinton’s Bosnia comments saying her one “misstatement” wasn’t the only one. Showed video of her using Bosnia to boost her national security creds several times throughout campaign. Pointed to another discrepancy in her telling Philly’s Daily News that she greeted the girl and immediately left the tarmac, when video shows she lingered. Says voters may now question her trustworthiness. Covered CBS delegate count, back-and-forth between campaigns, Clinton’s Rev. Wright remarks, e-mail battles and McCain “watching with relish.” Noted Chelsea Clinton’s Lewinsky question, Reagan endorsement, McCain economic speech. ABC: Led with Clinton’s Bosnia “embellishment” and her brushing off pressure to drop out. Said “substantive policy proposals” are being “all but drowned out” by the damage control she’s being forced to do. Noted Clinton’s Wright comments, how she’s likely to face more foreign policy scrutiny. ... Permalink
Obama Releases '00-'06 Tax Returns, Calls on Clinton to Follow Suit
Campaign posts seven-years' worth of returns and schedules on their website. Take a look at them here. Obama Communications Director Robert Gibbs says on media call that "in a little over two weeks" when they're finished being filed they'll add 2007 returns. Also calls out Clinton in memo for "dragging her feet," criticizes campaign for only offering target date of three days before Pennsylvania's primary. Read more here. Gibbs on call: "The Clinton campaign has been exceedingly cagey about when they are going to release those tax returns" and have been "dead silent" about the information that will come along with the release. On state senate records, says "there's nothing to release," turns question around on Clintons when asked about tax returns before '00. Listen to audio of full call here. Update: Clinton says in Pennsylvania Tuesday afternoon that she hopes to release her tax returns "within the next week." Read more here. LA Times: "The Obama family's newfound wealth...led the couple to contribute substantially more to charitable causes than they had before." Permalink
Clinton Up With First Pennsylvania Primary TV Ad
Positive 30-second spot "Level," airing statewide, portrays Clinton as a fighter for the middle class. Watch it above. Read script here. Permalink
Where They Are Tuesday
Clinton: Greensburg, PA Obama: St. Thomas, Virgin Islands (no public events) McCain: Santa Ana, CA Bill Clinton: Frankfort, Paris, Maysville, Morehead, KY Permalink
Florida Revival Featuring Rev. Wright Canceled
Bible-Based Fellowship Church of Temple Terrace announced Tuesday afternoon that the three-day event wouldn't go on. Longtime Obama pastor and confidante was to give three sermons at Tampa, Florida church, starting Tuesday evening. Was to be his first public appearance since controversy over comments broke out. However: He's still on to be honored for his long career at a luncheon March 29 by Texas Christian University's Brite Divinity School. Plus: Chicago Tribune reports that Wright's sermons are now available on iTunes and I AM Music as podcasts. Permalink
Obama Takes Break from Vacationing to Talk to Press
Tells small group of journalists who followed him to the Virgin Islands that he has spent most of his downtime playing with his daughters in the pool. Says he'll put focus back on the economy, Iraq when he returns to the campaign trail in North Carolina Wednesday. Permalink
Clinton Camp Keeps Up Pressure on Obama on Florida, Michigan Re-Vote
Clinton advisers Phil Singer and Harold Ickes accuse rival of blocking a re-vote in both states for his own "partisan advantage." Singer, playing off Obama's book title: "He's turned the 'Audacity of Hope' into the audacity of nope." Ickes says there's still "plenty of time" for there to be a redo in either state, all they need to do is pass the legislation and leave the rest up to the campaigns. Listen to full audio of call here. Obama camp's Gibbs responds on media call: Reiterates position that their starting point for negotiations over states is a 50/50 delegate split, accuses Clinton campaign of being “far more interested in political gamesmanship than in finding a solution.” Permalink
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