The Page
Politics up to the Minute
Headlines from April 2nd, 2008
MCCAIN TV AD RESPONDS TO CLINTON
Tag line: "It's 3 am, time for a president who is ready." Click above to watch. READ THE SCRIPT HERE Ad buy details to come. Permalink
CLINTON GOES AFTER MCCAIN ON ECONOMY -- WITH 3 AM RINGING PHONE
New ad: "John McCain just said the government shouldn't take any real action on the housing crisis. He'd let the phone keep ringing." Watch it above. Read script here. On media call, Clinton adviser Mark Penn says ad is airing in Pennsylvania, will "sharpen the debate" on who is best to reshape the economy. Clinton spokesman Wolfson calls it a "substantial buy." McCain team responds: "John McCain is ready to lead with a pro-growth economic plan to lower taxes, cut government spending, empower America's entrepreneurs and get our economy back on track...." McCain adviser Schmidt: “With ads like that, it’s more likely the call at 3 am is ‘Senator, you just lost another superdelegate.’” Permalink
The Democrats Head Back to the Gold Coast
Obama and Clinton returning for more California fundraising. Permalink
Indiana Another Clinton Must Win State
The Wall Street Journal overview. The Obama's campaign team plays the rock card by giving away free tickets to a Dave Matthews concert at the same time as Bill Clinton extols his wife's credentials. Permalink
Obama Nabs Montana Superdelegate
Former Sen. John Melcher says he's going to cast his vote for Obama. Says he chose Obama because he has been against the Iraq War since the start. Plus: Wyoming Gov. Dave Freudenthal also announces his support for Obama Wednesday. Permalink
Axelrod Sits Down with Charlie Rose
Obama's chief strategist appears on the PBS talk show Thursday night. Permalink
McCain Camp Calls Obama's Rhetoric "Nonsense Talk"
While in flight to Florida Wednesday, McCain aides dismiss Obama's criticism of their candidate's statements on the Iraq War. Steve Schmidt: "The lofty rhetoric...It's nonsense talk." Mark Salter: "His whole brand is, 'I'm not about that. I'm about something better.'" Permalink
Obama Compares Wright Statements He Heard to "Hardball" Comments
Asked by Chris Matthews on MSNBC's "Hardball" why he never walked out on the Rev. Wright, candidate says: "I've heard you make controversial statements, Chris." Read excerpt here. Obama still hasn't clarified what he heard his former preacher say. At Pennsylvania's West Chester University, Obama also tackles race, the Iraq War, his former smoking habit and more. On the Rev. Wright and his church: "We took a loop and compressed the most offensive things a pastor said over the course of 30 years, and just ran it over and over...." Read full transcript here, and read pool report here. Permalink
Clinton-Cramer Run the Gamut
Read transcript of Senator's interview on CNBC here. Covers NAFTA, financial crisis, jobs, and more. Permalink
Tale of Two Ladies
Teresa Heinz Kerry introduces Michelle Obama at a rally in Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Boston Globe contrasts the two -- saying Heinz Kerry spoke in a "miasmic whisper," while M. Obama "brought a politician's cadence to her fifty-minute speech." Permalink
Obama: "We Gotta Remember 'Rocky' Was a Movie"
Mocks Clinton and frames himself as the underdog while speaking to the Philadelphia AFL-CIO Wednesday. “We all love Rocky. And last time I checked, I was the underdog in this state. But we’ve got to remember that Rocky was a movie. And so is the idea that somebody can fight for working people and at the same time, embrace the broken system in Washington, where corporate lobbyists use their clout to shape laws to their liking.” Read his prepared remarks here. Also nabs backing of local Philly AFSCME union affiliate National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees. Plus: Says later in Wallingford event that he would consider Gore for a cabinet position. Permalink
McCain's Charlie Black: "Senator Obama Will Have to Revise His Stump Speech"
Top aide acknowledges to The Page in Annapolis that one factor in his decision to leave his lobbying firm is that "some people are alleging I have conflicts" -- after Democratic rival made him a campaign trail punching bag. "Whether I think that is fair or not is beside the point." Added he's not concerned about money because Mrs. Black has promised to give him an allowance. Watch the full interview above. Permalink
Obama to Shutterbug: "I Won't Be Smiling" in This Picture
Gets annoyed when man repeatedly hounds him for a photograph as he visits the Italian market in Philadelphia. Read pool report here. Obama: "Yeah well whatever. Just take it. I won't be smiling. Because you're wearing me out. ....No no, you've been really rude about it. Just take a shot." Secret Service intervenes. Campaign claims man sells photos on eBay. Watch clip above. Read transcript of exchange here. Permalink
The Keystone Lock
HALPERIN'S TAKE: What Hillary Clinton has to do to really "win" Pennsylvania. Permalink
Obama Camp Reignites Criticism of Clinton on NAFTA
On media conference call Obama communication director Robert Gibbs accuses Clinton of continuing to distort her record on NAFTA, citing Clinton's Tuesday claim to AFL-CIO audience in Philadelphia that she "raised a big yellow caution flag" on the issue. "Her opposition to NAFTA is just as much of a stretch as her story about landing in Bosnia under sniper fire." Rep. George Miller, who dealt with program in Congress when it was being passed, says her schedules show a number of instances where she advocated for it. Listen to audio of Miller here. Response: Clinton campaign asks why Austan Goolsbee, the economic adviser who was accused of telling Canadian officials that Obama's positions on NAFTA was just rhetoric, wasn't on the call. Read more here. Permalink
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