Archive - June 3, 2008 - The Page by Mark Halperin

The Page

Politics up to the Minute

Obama: "America, This is Our Moment. This is Our Time"

The Illinois Senator claims victory in the Democratic race while kicking off his general election campaign on the GOP convention's turf. Puts focus on November's contest: "The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people." Spends majority of speech focusing on criticizing McCain: "While John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past, such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign. It’s not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush ninety-five percent of the time, as he did in the Senate last year." Also speaks highly of Clinton, assuring voters the party will be unified: "Senator Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign...Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honor to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton." ONE OF THE BEST WRITTEN/DELIVERED OBAMA SPEECHES OF THE CAMPAIGN. Watch video above. Read the full text here. Plus: Read Mark Halperin's reporting from on board Obama's campaign plane on the flight to Minnesota here... ...And his story about Obama's win on Time.com here. Permalink

McCain: "The Choice is Between the Right Change and the Wrong Change"

The presumptive GOP nominee kicks off his general election campaign in Kenner, Louisiana speech, recognizing Obama as the nominee and praising Clinton's "tenacity." Uses harsh words to discredit Obama's characterization of him as representing a third Bush term. "He tries to drum it into your minds by constantly repeating it rather than debate honestly the very different directions he and I would take the country. But the American people didn’t get to know me yesterday, as they are just getting to know Senator Obama." Watch video above. Read full transcript here. Read Jay Carney's take on Time.com. McCain later repeated his remarks to an overflow crowd. Permalink

McCain Says He'll Court Clinton Supporters

In a late night interview with Fox News, the presumptive GOP nominee tells Chris Wallace that he thinks he can get Democrats to jump party lines in November. "Well, I hope I can attract democrat voters, including Senator Clinton's supporters, because I think I have vision and a plan of action to address issues that confront Americans at home and abroad - and I think I could attract them, yes." Read more interview highlights here. Permalink

"I WILL BE MAKING NO DECISIONS TONIGHT"

Clinton tells supporters in New York she has not chosen the next step in her campaign. Says she will consult with party leaders and family to determine what's best "for our party and our country." Click above to watch, and read it here. TIME's Jay Newton-Small was there. Read about it on Time.com. "I understand that a lot of people are asking, What does Hillary want? What does she want? Well, I want what I have always fought for in this campaign." "I want to end this war in Iraq, I want to turn this economy around, I want health care for every American... and I want the nearly 18 million Americans who voted for me to be respected, to be heard and to no longer be invisible." Begins speech at Baruch College by congratulating Sen. Obama: "It has been an honor to contest these primaries with him, just as it is an honor to call him my friend." Interrupted with shouts of "Den-ver!" Campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe introduces Clinton as "the next President of the United States." Clinton surrogate talking points stress party unity: "Hillary and Senator Obama’s shared views are much greater than their differences." Read them here. Permalink

OBAMA CAMP DECLARES ITSELF THE VICTOR

26.5 supers announce their endorsements as the polls close in Montana. ***According to campaign count, he has mathematically secured enough elected delegates and superdelegates to claim the nomination.*** See detailed list of who endorsed after the last primary contests here. Plus: More supers who endorsed earlier Tuesday here. Permalink

OBAMA WINS MONTANA

The Illinois Senator takes the Treasure State. With 99% of precincts reporting: Obama 57%, Clinton 41%. Get latest totals here. Permalink

CLINTON WINS SOUTH DAKOTA

The Mount Rushmore State goes to the New York Senator. With 100% of precincts reporting: Clinton 55%, Obama 45%. Get latest totals here. Permalink

THE FINAL EXITS

Fox: 59% of Clinton supporters in Montana and 61% in South Dakota say they plan to vote for Obama over McCain in the general. Watch video above. Read more. Associated Press: About half of voters in both Montana and South Dakota said the length of the primary season energized the Democratic Party. Read more. CNN: Most South Dakota Democrats want Obama to choose Clinton as VP; but most Obama supporters say no. Read more. MSNBC: A majority of Montana Democrats said a candidate's ability to "bring change" mattered most to them. Read more. ABC: About half of South Dakota voters, slightly more in Montana, say change is the main attribute they're looking for in a candidate. Read more. Permalink

“On the Doorstep of Doing Something Really Important”

Obama uber-strategist David Axelrod talks exclusively to The Page just after learning that the Associated Press has declared that Obama has secured the majority of delegates to the Democratic convention and will win the nomination. Click above to watch Axelrod discuss how he will celebrate the moment. (Hint: it involves a potato pancake and, just maybe, a cookie.) Permalink

Clinton Statement Downplays Veep Matter

Campaign statement says her comment to New York legislators Tuesday is nothing new. Read it here. Clinton "repeated what she has said before: she would do whatever she could to ensure that Democrats take the White House back and defeat John McCain." Earlier: Reports from afternoon conference call suggest Clinton is possibly interested in being Obama's No. 2. Politico: At least four House Democrats urged her to run as Obama's Vice President, and she responded, roughly, "I'll do whatever I can to help us win." AP: Clinton responded to encouragement from Rep. Velazquez. Buffalo News: Clinton raised the issue herself. Rep. Higgins: "She brought it up, and it it was reaffirmed by others." Previously, Clinton had sidestepped talk of being Obama's running mate. Permalink

TV Interview Potpourri

--Gov. Rendell on MSNBC: Predicts Clinton will move swiftly to unite the party. "I think she's going to be an avid Sen. Obama supporter." --Gov. Pawlenty on Fox: Explained why McCain is speaking in Louisiana tonight, distanced his candidate from Bush. Also pointed out Obama's "liberal" record. --Vilsack on MSNBC: Says it's time to start uniting the party, he thinks after tonight party can start rallying behind one candidate. --Daschle on MSNBC: Very gracious towards the Clintons, including the former President's Vanity Fair comments. Permalink

Father Pfleger Asked to Take Leave from Church

Cardinal Francis George asked the Chicago priest to take a couple of weeks off to "reflect on his recent statements" regarding Clinton while guest speaking at Obama's former church. Permalink

Jimmy Carter Goes Obama

As he had hinted, the former President and superdelegate says he will endorse the Illinois Senator after Tuesday's polls close. "The fact is the Obama people already know they have my vote when the polls close tonight." Notes his children, grandchildren and their spouses are all supporters as well. Permalink

"Senator Clinton Will Not Concede the Nomination This Evening"

Campaign statement says the candidate will NOT call it quits Tuesday in New York. Top advisers also tamp down the idea. Afternoon AP story prompts confusion: the wire service says Clinton will concede that Obama "has the delegates to secure the Democratic nomination," but does NOT say Clinton will concede the nomination to Obama. Read the story here. NY Times' Nagourney also reports that, if Obama hits the magic number, Clinton will "acknowledge his accomplishment, without going so far as to drop out." Permalink

The Next Battle

As McCain prepares to ceremonially kick off his general election campaign, adviser Steve Schmidt unloads on Obama on morning television. On MSNBC, hits the Senator on judgment, experience and all around "toughness." Watch video clip here. On the farm bill: Obama "wasn't tough enough to stand up and put the American people ahead of the special interests." On Mideast peace: "Senator Obama pursues a path that would make the region more dangerous, and makes the world more dangerous." On meeting with Iran's leaders: "Is Sen. Obama so arrogant that he believes that he will charm his way into getting the Iranians to change their policies?" On CNN, dismisses Obama's claim that McCain would offer "a third Bush term," citing Iraq, Katrina response and the energy bill: "Sen. McCain has disagreed on issue after issue with President Bush over the last eight years. He is his own man." Permalink