Archive - June 27, 2008 - The Page by Mark Halperin

The Page

Politics up to the Minute

Obama on His Wife: "She Doesn't Need to Be Retooled"

The Senator responds strongly to "very offensive" attacks on his wife in an interview with "Our World with Black Enterprise.” Tells Ed Gordon: "She's fabulous as she is," and will ensure "when she's attacked, she's defended." Also responds to criticism over his rejection of public campaign financing: "I never said that I was definitely going to be in the public financing system." Adds that his objective has been to ensure special interests "are not yanking my chain." Click above to watch interview. Permalink

McCain Calls Town Halls With Obama "Very, Very Unlikey"

On board the Straight Talk Express, the Senator tells reporters that Obama's counter-response to his proposal to hold 10 town hall meetings was far from encouraging. “We’ve basically gotten no response. We would like to have some serious conversation about it and we haven’t gotten it.” Permalink

McCain: Carter a "Lousy" President

The Senator swipes at the former POTUS in an interview with a Las Vegas newspaper. Asked why Carter abandoned nuclear reprocessing as president, says: "Yes, because Carter was a lousy president. This is the same guy who kissed Brezhnev." Read full interview here. Permalink

RALLYING FOR UNITY

Obama, Clinton hold their first joint campaign event in Unity, New Hampshire. Hillary and Bill Clinton each donate the maximum $2,300 to Obama's campaign. PHOTOS: See more of the event with a picture gallery here. Both effusively praise each other in their remarks. Watch video of Obama here and video of Clinton here. Earlier: The two flew together from Washington, D.C. to the Granite State. Click here for footage. Former Massachusetts Gov. Swift on McCain response media call. Listen to call here. Permalink

Obama Cover(age)

Check out this collage of the Illinois Senator’s numerous magazine cover appearances. Mags range from TIME to Ebony to Der Spiegel. Permalink

McCain Continues Buckeye State Swing

The presumptive GOP nominee talks to auto workers at a General Motors plant in Warren, Ohio. Says finding alternative energy sources is "a national security issue." Watch video above. Also attacks Obama for suggesting he would appoint Supreme Court Justices that would roll back women's rights. Comes after McCain tours the plant. Read pool report here. HALPERIN’S TAKE: What smart Republican strategists think should be on John McCain’s to-do list. Permalink

Obama Shapes Policy Team

Campaign announces it has hired former Clinton hand Neera Tanden and Center for American Progress Executive VP Melody Barnes as top domestic policy advisers. Read release here. Plus: He also takes on a new religious affairs director. Permalink

Obama Gets Carded

Washington Sports Club employee asks the Senator to identify himself as he enters the gym Friday morning. When she realizes who he is, she says: “Sorry, Mr. Future President!” Permalink

Plouffe Paints General Election Picture for Volunteers

In web video, Obama's campaign chief lays out strategy of challenging McCain in red states and warns of RNC fundraising power. Watch video above. Permalink

Battleground Blitz

--Obama camp appoints two experienced staffers as communications director and deputy state director in Virginia. --New Farleigh Dickinson University Public Mind poll has Obama up by 16 points in New Jersey. --Florida Gov. Crist says of his home state: "I think it’s going to be tight. These are two strong candidates and I don’t know which way it goes." Permalink

Bipartisan Blows

Campaigns send out dueling memos attacking each other. --McCain camp memo reiterates Thursday comments stating Obama lacks a bipartisan record. Read it here. --Obama camp responds saying their memo shows "a fundamental misunderstanding of why the American people are frustrated with Washington." Read it here. Permalink

McCain Highlights "The Lexington Project" in New TV Ad

The presumptive GOP nominee touts his plan for energy independence in 30-second spot. Ends with new tagline: "Putting country first." Watch it above. Read script here. Campaign says the ad will air on national cable and key battleground states. Amount of ad buy unknown. Permalink

VEEPSTAKES POTPOURRI

--Pennsylvania Gov. Rendell says he would “absolutely” be willing to serve as secretary of energy or transportation, but vows not to leave his state office early. --Senate passes GI Bill championed by Virginia Sen. Webb, providing college aid for veterans. --McCain visits Cincinnati with Rob Portman by his side -- and has some kind words. --TIME's Tim Padgett wonders whether Florida's Gov. Crist is backing off his pro-environment positions because he wants to be No. 2. Permalink

(Dis)unity

A top Clinton donor calls Thursday's Obama-Clinton fundraiser "a total dud," while another says if "they don't get to the debt shortly, we are not going to be happy campers." More here. Plus: Two prominent New Hampshire Democrats jump ship, launch "New Hampshire Democrats for McCain." Permalink

Revisiting Obama's Old Neighborhood

Boston Globe takes a look at Grove Parc Plaza, the dilapidated Chicago housing project with apartments subsidized by the federal government that Obama represented for 8 years as a state senator. Obama strongly backed giving public subsidies to private companies to build and manage affordable housing while in the Chicago legislature. Permalink