Archive - July 12, 2008 - The Page by Mark Halperin

The Page

Politics up to the Minute

U.S. Considers Increasing Pace of Iraq Pullout

Sunday NYT: Administration and military officials say the Bush administration is considering the withdrawal of additional combat forces from Iraq beginning in September. One factor behind the decision is the need for additional troops in Afghanistan. Permalink

McCain Unplugged

Sunday NY Times conducts wide-ranging interview with the presumptive GOP nominee on his conservative values, parenting, his faith. Says McCain suggests he's basically in sync with his party's conservative core but not always willing to use the federal government's power to impose those values. Essential reading: The section of the interview in which McCain talks about Drudge and his own Internet use. Permalink

Florida Voter Registrations Show "Huge Swing" Toward Democrats

Sun-Sentinel: Through May Democratic voter registration in Broward County is up 6.7% compared to GOP registrations, which grew 3%. Democrats have posted even greater gains statewide, up 106,508 voters from January through May, compared with 16,686 for the Republicans. Permalink

Obama: Clinton on Veep List, Husband A Potential "Complication"

A former Clinton supporter tells the LA Times that in a phone conversation with Obama he said the New York Senator is being considered for the No. 2 slot but Bill Clinton's potential role is a "complication." Jill Iscol: "He said once you're a president, even if you're a former president, you're always a president." Adds he didn't say Bill Clinton would be a disqualifying factor, hung up thinking Clinton still had a shot. Obama reached out to the potential donor because he heard she was unhappy about how Clinton was treated in the nomination fight. Permalink

Huckabee: Being Veep "Would Really Mess Up A Lot of Things I Have Going"

The former presidential candidate tells Radio Iowa while promoting his book that he hasn't been asked for vetting materials and doesn't think the McCain camp would ask him to be No. 2. "It's pretty clearly obvious that what I'm doing -- I'm not sitting around waiting on the phone to ring and right now it would really mess up a lot of things I have going," he laughs. Permalink

TONY SNOW, 1955-2008

Former White House press secretary, conservative commentator passes away at 53 after a second battle with cancer. He was first diagnozed with colon cancer in February 2005. After six months of treatment doctors said the cancer was in remission. The cancer returned 11 months after he began the White House media job. Snow served as the first host of the weekend show "Fox News Sunday" from 1996 to 2003. BUSH STATEMENT: "America has lost a devoted public servant and a man of character." Read it here. McCain statement: "In the coming days, we will celebrate the life of a truly great and generous man." Read it here. Permalink

McCain Kicks Off Weekly Radio Addresses

The presumptive GOP nominee starts acting presidential with Saturday radio addresses summing up the week's message. Bush also does the same. This week's theme: The economy and why he's better suited to take it on than Obama. Listen to it here. Read the full address here. Permalink

Mac Attack

Obama rebukes his friend comedian Bernie Mac for out-there remarks at Friday night Chicago fundraiser introducing the Land of Lincolner. Campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki: "Senator Obama told Bernie Mac that he doesn't condone these statements and believes what was said was inappropriate." To read what Mac said, click here. Permalink

Obama Pressured to Keep Gates at Pentagon

Bloomberg: Some think the Illinois Senator should follow the footsteps of JFK, who offered the defense secretary post to Robert McNamara, if winning the White House by keeping Robert Gates on. Permalink

New National Numbers

From Newsweek poll: Obama 44, McCain 41 Read more here. Permalink

Clinton Saturday

She: Delivers remarks to the 80th Biennial American Federation of Teachers Convention in Chicago, Illinois. He: Gives the keynote address at the National Governors’ Association conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Plus: Bill Clinton chides Bush, says the next president has to set a global example and make climate change a major issue of his administration in ABC News interview. Watch it here. Permalink

Obama Slow Walks Vets Town Hall

A coalition of military groups is planning a nationally televised town-hall-style meeting with the candidates next month near Fort Hood, Texas -- but Obama has yet to say whether he'll attend. The candidates would face questions directly from an audience of 6,000 people, made up of veterans, service members and military families. Permalink

Chicago Trib: Obama Has Long Backed Faith Charities

The Chicagoan's hometown paper writes: As an Illinois state senator Obama arranged for a $200,000 state grant to jumpstart an urban venture capital fund for a nonprofit run by Rev. Jesse Jackson. "The grant was the very sort of faith-based initiative now at the center of an uncomfortable rift between Jackson and Obama." Permalink

Governors Conference Gets Underway

Govs. Rendell and Pawlenty host the four-day meeting of the National Governors Association in Philadelphia through the weekend One issue focus is on Pawlenty's yearlong initiative on energy. Among Veep prospects in attendance: Govs. Sebelius, Kaine, Jindal. Richardson, Crist and Strickland aren't attending. Permalink

Cindy McCain to Ride in Indycar Race Saturday

The potential first lady will ride in a pace car in the Firestone 200 Indycar Race on Saturday at the Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee. Plus: Obama passes on potential NASCAR sponsorship. Permalink