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Politics up to the Minute
Headlines from March 26th, 2008
Gov. Rendell's Convention Remarks
The Honorable Ed Rendell Democratic National Convention Tuesday, August 26, 2008 Remarks as Prepared for Delivery It was eight years ago that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney came to Philadelphia to accept their party's nomination. Onstage at that convention, we heard lots of talk about energy. The Republican platform itself called for expanding the renewable energy tax credit. But once elected, they broke their energy promises to the American people and let big oil determine our national energy policy. The results of the Republican energy policy are plain. Back then, the price of gas at the pump was about $1.50 a gallon. Today, it's $4 a gallon. Back then, it cost about $900 to heat your home through the winter. This winter, it's more likely to be $2,500. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil just announced the largest quarterly profit in history. That's not just an outrage. It's obscene. This happened because for the last eight years, the Bush-Cheney team stonewalled the taxing of oil company profits and prevented efforts to promote alternative energy production. And guess who voted with President Bush 90 percent of the time? Senator John McCain. Now, as another Republican convention approaches, we are hearing more of the same: John McCain talking about alternative energy, energy independence and wind power. But if you look past the speeches, here's what you see. Many of John McCain's top advisors have worked as lobbyists for oil and gas companies. I guess that explains why he wants to give $4 billion in tax breaks to oil companies. And if you look ... , 7:43 PM
Speaking Fees Are Pretty
Raconteur James Carville, speaking to the Credit Suisse Global Leveraged Finance Conference at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa in Phoenix Wednesday (along with Mary Matalin) told a funny, topical joke: "Governor Richardson was going to introduce me..." For the punchline, click here. Permalink
Illinois Superdelgate Picks Obama
Congressman Dan Lipinski -- one of the two remaining holdouts among supers in Illinois' congressional delegation -- gets behind Land of Lincolner. Permalink
National Numbers
From NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll: Clinton 45, Obama 45. Head-to-head matchups: McCain 46, Clinton 44; Obama 44, Mccain 42 Dates conducted: March 24-25. Error margin: 3.7 points. Read more from this poll here. Permalink
Federal Judge: Michigan Vote Flawed
Rules Wednesday that the state's presidential primary law is unconstitutional, further damaging chances that the Democratic Party will honor the Jan. 15 results. Clinton Campaign Manager Maggie Williams responds, keeps pushing for re-vote: "We urge Senator Obama to join our call for a party-run primary and demonstrate his commitment to counting Michigan's votes." Full statement here. Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe says: “The Clinton campaign has stubbornly said they see no need to negotiate, but we believe that their Washington, my-way-or-the-highway approach is something voters are tired of." Full statement here. Permalink
Obama Downplays Rev. Wright Remarks in North Carolina
Brings up former pastor on his own after asked a question about his faith, says critics “find five or six of his most offensive statements” and boil them down into a 30-second recording and replay them on TV. Also warns against being "distracted" every time someone "says something stupid." Portrays church as ordinary. “If you were there on any given Sunday, folks would be doing the same thing at Trinity as everywhere else.” Plus: New York's Newsday points to Wright comments against Italians from December 2007. Permalink
Obama Camp Says Letter to Pelosi "Inappropriate," Calls on Clinton to Reject It
Read Obama camp statement here. Clinton camp hits back, saying: "Few have done more to build the Democratic Party than Bill and Hillary Clinton. The last thing they need is a lecture from the Obama campaign." Full statement here. In private letter to the Speaker of the House, 20 Clinton-backing donors, including some of the most influential fundraisers in the party, criticize her statements on superdelegates’ role in the Democratic race. They write: “This is an untenable position that runs counter to the party’s intent in establishing super-delegates in 1984...” Permalink
Cindy McCain in Kosovo Wednesday
Spends day in Eastern Europe discussing the removal of landmines laid by Serb forces with country's president and prime minister as a representative of HALO Trust, a mine-clearing charity. Has traveled to Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Angola for mine-clearing, has helped do so in Cambodia. Permalink
B. Clinton on Democratic Heat: "Saddle Up"
Says at Parkersburg, West Virginia event that he doesn't see an end to Clinton-Obama fighting anytime soon, doesn't think aides, surrogates who make attacks should be forced to resign. "If a politician doesn't wanna get beat up, he shouldn't run for office. If a football player doesn't want to get tackled or want the risk of an a occasional clip he shouldn't put the pads on." Watch clip above. Permalink
Clinton: Obama Wants "To Shut This Race Down"
In a spirited exclusive interview with TIME, the New York Senator dismisses talk that she should get out of the race and makes her case: On Obama’s relationship with Rev. Wright: “People are kind of thinking about it and are trying to determine what they believe about it.” On how the superdelegates will decide and the freedom of the elected delegates to switch sides: “Every delegate with very few exceptions is free to make up his or her mind however they choose. We talk a lot about so-called pledged delegates but every delegate is expected to exercise independent judgment.” Read the full transcript and listen to the interview here. Plus: Clinton also does interview with Fox's "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren" Wednesday night. Permalink
McCain vs. Obama: Economy
Criticizes presumptive GOP nominee's plans in Greensboro, North Carolina speech -- his first event back from vacation: “John McCain has said that he doesn’t understand the economy as well as he should, and yesterday he proved it in the speech he gave about the housing crisis…" Watch clip above. Read remarks here. McCain campaign responds: “Senator Obama’s blatant mischaracterizations aren’t the new politics he’s promised America, they’re the old attack and smear tactics that Americans are tired of." Full statement here. Plus: Bush, speaking in Virginia, warns everyone to be patient, says stimulus hasn't kicked in yet. Watch video here. Coming Thursday: Obama gives a major economic address in New York City, while Clinton does the same in Raleigh, North Carolina. Permalink
McCain vs. Obama: Foreign Policy
Uses stories of his father, grandfather and himself in various U.S. conflicts saying "I detest war," highlighting lives lost in Iraq, his foreign policy agenda in speech to the Los Angeles World Affairs Council. Watch clip above. Read full remarks here. Obama camp responds, says in statement: "John McCain is determined to carry out four more years of George Bush’s failed policies..." Full statement here. Clinton chimes in, says in statement: "While there is much to praise in Senator McCain’s speech, he and I continue to have a fundamental disagreement on Iraq." Full statement here. More: McCain tells USA Today how his past experiences have influenced his view on warfare, while McCain's foreign policy director tells the WSJ Obama's foreign policy ideas are "naive." Permalink
Evening News Roundup
NBC: Led with ‘08 race overview, highlighting Clinton trying to “stay alive,” Obama running against McCain, McCain’s war speech. Lengthy section on Clinton’s damage control over Bosnia flap, airing portion of radio interview with pilot saying it didn’t happen that way, Andrea Mitchell agreeing. Noted some questioning her role in Ireland peace deal, Obama attacking her on domestic issues — including SCHIP, where Ted Kennedy has come to her defense. Russert delivered poll numbers. Package on McCain speech said event was more about taking on “perceptions about him” and targets beyond GOP base. Pointed out how he got unusually personal when talking about war, argued for the current strategy but “clearly set out to distance himself from Bush in key areas." ABC: Led with revelations that lung cancer study was funded by tobacco money. Then, turned to Democrats, saying many concerned about recent tone. Started with Obama speech where he reflected on length of campaign, said wants to make sure tone of the campaign doesn’t get too rough it hurts their White House chances. Noted Gallup percentage of their supporters who would switch to McCain if one or the other isn’t the nominee. Tennessee Gov. Bredesen said the “nastiness is only going to get worse.” CBS: Led with economic woes, citing government report on slowing economy, rising prices. Covered housing crisis, did package on candidates’ stances on economy, said recent answers have “been drowned out by other topics,” including Obama’s pastor, McCain’s terrorism gaffe, Clinton’s Bosnia claims. Permalink
(#) ONE ISSUE
HALPERIN’S TAKE: What is missing when Obama, McCain, and Clinton talk about the economy. Permalink
Democrat-on-Democrat Action
Two campaigns start day off with dueling memos: --Obama camp memo: Takes Bosnia flap a step further, lists alleged "exaggerations" of her domestic record as well. Says: "Badly trailing in delegates, votes, and states won, she’s going to need more than a new script to win the nomination...." Read it here. Clinton camp replies to memo saying his "assault" on Clinton is an "assault on the truth." Read more here. --Clinton camp memo: Defends her comments on Wright, criticizes Obama camp for accusing her of trying to divert attention from Bosnia flap. Read it here. Permalink
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