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Politics up to the Minute
Headlines from May 18th, 2008
McCain, Obama Battle Over Lobbyist Policy
Obama, asked about several McCain advisers leaving the campaign, calls his rival a "creature of Washington" in Milwaukee, Oregon press availability. On former advisers' lobbyist, foreign government ties: "That I don’t think represents the kind of change that the American people are looking for." Read transcript here. McCain camp responds, invoking Obama's relationship with former Weather Underground member Bill Ayers. "Barack Obama’s dragging the names of good people through the mud publicly is the worst type of character assassination, especially when he has not made the names of his policy advisors public." Read full response here. Permalink
Obama Slams McCain on Social Security, Lays Out His Plan
The Illinois Senator aligns his rival with Bush, says in Gresham, Oregon speech: "John McCain has already said that he supports private accounts for Social Security – in his words, 'along the lines that President Bush proposed.' Let me be clear: privatizing Social Security was a bad idea when George W. Bush proposed it." In his plan, Obama says he would adjust the cap on the payroll tax to ensure money is there for people when they retire. Read full remarks here. McCain camp responds: "With his lack of experience, it should be no surprise that Barack Obama’s response to the problems facing Social Security is to raise Social Security taxes, while making mis-informed partisan attacks." Full statement here. Permalink
Top McCain Official Resigns Due to Lobbying Shakeout
Politico: One of McCain's most important advisers and fundraisers former Rep. Thomas Loeffler steps down because of lobbyist ties to Saudi Arabia. Comes after McCain camp releases stringent employee policy telling staff no person working for the campaign can be a registered lobbyist or a foreign agent. Permalink
Clinton Goes to Church in Kentucky
Attended the service at State Street United Methodist Church in Bowling Green Sunday morning contained a lengthy sermon on the temptations to commit adultery. Permalink
Top Clinton, Obama Fundraisers, Surrogates Plan Inevitable Merger
WashPost: Despite the ongoing primary battle, Clinton and Obama supporters have been meeting, planning party unity sessions for coming weeks to make sure eventual nominee has enough resources for the general. Permalink
McCain Enters the Lorne Michaels Primary
The Arizona Senator swings by Rockefeller Center Saturday for a cameo on "Saturday Night Live." Jokes about his age, pork-barrel spending in political ad spoof. Watch video above. Also, in "Weekend Update" appearance he jokes about how he wants the Democratic primary to continue for the long haul. Read full transcript of his scenes and NBC press release here. Permalink
"There Can Only Be One"
SNL does their version of the NBA spot, splitting the candidates down the middle. Watch it above. Permalink
Bush Stands By "Appeasement" Remarks
In interview with NBC News the President doesn't back down from statements at the Knesset earlier this week, saying: "My policies haven't changed, but evidently the political calendar has." Permalink
GOP Struggles to Reinvent
LA Times: After three congressional special election losses, the party is trying to balance rebranding without losing itself. Cites McCain's approach of "tough on taxes, but receptive to immigrants and committed to easing global warming" as areas where the Republican Party might focus on. Permalink
RNC Seeks $120 Mil to Help Fight Obama
Boston Globe: While the Democratic candidates have far outraised their GOP rivals so far this election, the Republican National Committee is "quietly banking millions more than its Democratic counterpart" for the general. Permalink
California Dems Select Final Superdels
The final delegates to the party's national convention were selected Sunday, including five additional superdelegates. Three were pledged to Clinton and two for Obama. According to the AP, Obama's overall delegate total is now 1909, just 117 shy of the 2,026 delegates needed to clinch the nomination. Clinton has 1,721. But: Politico reports that Obama won't declare victory Tuesday even if he wins enough elected delegates to claim a majority. Permalink
McCain, Bloomberg Chat Over Eggs
Duo share a private Manhattan breakfast Saturday morning at Sarabeth's on Central Park South. Permalink
Sunday Surrogate Action
For Obama: In Kentucky: Former South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges, Singer Yolanda Adams Read full list of surrogates here. Permalink
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