Read Ambinder's great tick-tock of today's RBC meeting.
Then read what The Page has collected on the Obama/Clinton/Dean clusterf*ck (refresh often).
And then ask yourself, are we going to Denver?
Or, to put it another way, is Team Clinton getting ready to rock this:
Could be.
It very well could be.
We don't believe for one second that Google should be valued anywhere near $184 billion dollars, but that's Wall Street's problem.
In any event, it's absolutely true that Google has some really smart boys and girls working for them.
Boys and girls who are getting into the phone market in a big way.
And all of which probably keeps former FCC Chair Reed Hundt up at night.
Hey, if Paul Oakenfold is good enough for Diet Coke, he's good enough for us.
Happy happy hour everyone. Or something like that.
The BBC has a fascinating story up on the effort to save one of South America's few remaining "uncontacted indigenous tribes" living in the jungle on Brazil's border with Peru.
Pictures of the tribe taken from a Brazilian airplane(!!!) may be found here.
One AP photo description reads:
The first flight had an obvious impact on the tribe. By the time the plane returned, most of the women and children had fled and those who remained had painted their bodies.Mind. Blowing. Global. Diversity.
"Make love to Mother Earth. Make a small hole in the ground, fill it with a little bit of water for lubrication and go to town."
Oh so crude. But oh so hilarious.
Happy Friday everyone.
Time's Karen Tumulty and Brian Bennett have one of the more "complete" MSM reacts to McCain's idea that McCain and Obama should visit Iraq together.
And while Ms. Tumulty is justifiably worried that the trip could turn into a media/State Department/military clusterf*ck, there are ways to sidestep the distractions (and maximize the positives) with proper planning.
Noted: Think McCain +2 staff, Obama +2 staff and three or four pool reporters jetting into Baghdad under the cover of darkness. Don't let the political/media industrial complex fool you, it ain't rocket science.
Besides, putting McCain and Obama together on a plane for a few hours (hopefully talking, with minimal staff and no press) could prove to be extremely beneficial.
The more these two men tolerate each other the easier it will be for our country to move forward after the election. And if that takes a military transport plane, a flight halfway around the world and a corkscrew landing well, our tax dollars are happy to bankroll it.
Senator McCain was right to offer to go to Iraq with Senator Obama and Senator Obama should take Senator McCain up on his offer.
We're just saying.
The AP moves a story on the dumbest public relations non-issue that we've just about ever heard of.
Michelle Malkin, taking credit for severing the (previously unknown before it was imagined) relationship between Muslim extremists and Dunkin' Donuts told GMP1, "Shout, shout, shout! Yell! Shout! Yell, yell, yell! Shout!"
Noted: We made the above quote up.
Noted 2: Dunkin' Donuts needs new New Media consultants. Ones with a bit more "sack" and knowhow.
Noted 3: "Sack" is gender UNspecific in this instance.
Forget Scottie M's "dismay" and "disillusion" (shoot, who ain't with Team Bush?).
Because our trip here is driving our day.
Beep-Beep!
We are absolutely speechless.
Seriously.
What was the thinking behind this? What's the message? And what fun will the DNC have with this jackass fundraising piece?
From today's Washington Post:
Former White House press secretary Scott McClellan writes in a new memoir that the Iraq war was sold to the American people with a sophisticated "political propaganda campaign" led by President Bush and aimed at "manipulating sources of public opinion" and "downplaying the major reason for going to war."Well no sh*t. GMP1 could have told you that.
If you read one story today, make sure that it's Jeffrey Toobin's excellent piece on political consultant Roger Stone.
It's absolutely hilarious (Stone's photograph at the beginning of the article really sets the tone).
Of course, any MSM political interview that takes place inside a Miami sex club is almost guaranteed to be a fun read.
Answer - Not in a very long while.
Which is an enormous problem for Team McCain heading into the summer months before a "change" election.
In the meantime, Team Obama (and their many independent satellite organizations) just love keeping the Senator talking about this:
Our unabashed intellectual crush on David Brooks remains unbroken.
His column today on potential Obama/McCain VP picks is well worth the read.
Crib Notes: Nunn or Daschle for Obama. Pawlenty or Portman for McCain.
The legal silly season has officially started with a Drudge link to this.
Noted: "Silly season" being those few weeks between Memorial Day and the Court's summer recess when the Justices typically release a hefty chunk of their opinions for the year.
Everyone - and we do mean everyone - will have an opinion on those opinions.
By the AP's count:
Major cases still undecided include the rights of detainees at Guantanamo Bay, the ban on handguns in Washington, D.C., and whether people convicted of raping children can be given the death penalty.
After a nice weekend.
Posting resumes tomorrow.
Until then, here's a little Guns N' Roses going out for the (stiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiil working) Clinton/Obama/McCain war rooms on this Memorial Day.
We're exhausted. And on our way to Vermont for the long weekend. So posting will be sporadic over the next five days.
Until then:
Everyone is just positively buzzing about this VP story.
That's not the purpose of this post.
The purpose of this post is to point out that John Harwood just told Chris Matthews that (we're paraphrasing here): McCain's reputation for straight talk would be imperiled by putting Mitt Romney on the ticket.
And then Harwood ticked off the times during the Republican Primary that McCain claimed Romney was full of sh*t.
Well, Romney is full of sh*t. And his selection as VP would imperil McCain's straight talk narrative.
Remember, the "Hey, I'm business savvy!" message that won Romney the Michigan Primary was Mitt 4.0 (at least).
There were 18 months of "other" Romney messages before that. And all of them, including business savvy Romney, had healthy doses of "panderer" and "flip-flopper" baked in the message.
And absolutely everyone knows it.
That's a little straight talk. About someone who has very little to do with straight talk.
Get it?
h/t Alhurra for giving us 30 minutes to talk about the state of the '08 race. Live. Using an earpiece and translators. We have done some TV before, but not like that.
h/t The Washington Note's Steve Clemons for making some points that we would have liked to have made.
h/t Nick, the tech who made us look as good on TV as he possibly could. And who pointed out some things that we need to work on (don't slouch left, remember your audience).
h/t Our stomach for keeping it all together. Sorta.
That was fun.
Now where's the bar?
Media Matters has the audio of Savage's attack yesterday on Ted Kennedy.
Yup, Savage is a dirtbag (and it ain't breaking news we know).
And as the Republican Party rebuilds after 2008 it must think very carefully about doing business/helping create people like Savage.
Because Mike Savage is a dinosaur. Shouting at the rain.
And it's the 21st century. Not the 20th.
We'll be doing TV today from 12:30 - 1pm on the state of the 2008 Presidential race.
Broadcasting live throughout the Middle East & Europe.
They're even sending a car. Which must mean that we're moving up in the world as we normally drive ourselves.
We can almost feel ourselves turning into a creature of Washington.
Snark.
The headline says it all.
And we don't even need to watch Obama in 10 minutes.
Goodnight everybody.
When should you start to believe that the society in which you live is teetering on the edge of a cliff?
It's not necessarily when people posses the means to pay for a $175 hamburger.
It's when people have the desire.
We're just saying.
Well, this is what happens when you elect an inexperienced good old boy from Texas to sit in the Oval Office.
Noted: "Inexperienced" being the key word.
Honestly, we don't have the first clue what our Iran policy should be. We leave that to the real global strategists.
But what we are sure of, without a doubt, is that we don't want the Cowboy Governor kicking in the door of a third country exactly 14 minutes before he exits the world stage forever. We mean honestly, for the love of everything holy.
On the other hand...
Does anyone else think that maybe, just maybe, this Jerusalem Post article (front paged on Drudge) is an attempt by the Bush White House to keep the Iran political debate between Obama and McCain here cooking? And nothing more?
In other words, is the American President (and his advisers) floating stories about forthcoming foreign policy decision that they know they have no intention of making in order to do nothing more than try to influence domestic political events?
No. They won't dare.
Would they?
Truth might very well be stranger than fiction. Especially with this White House.
We just took a Monday afternoon stroll through Washington's Palisades neighborhood.
Beautiful weather. Just beautiful.
Birds chirping, the sun shining, joggers jogging and seven Democratic National Committee activists going door to door with their clipboards, signing voters up for things that aren't going to be helpful to the Republicans in November.
No joke. Seven. With bright blue t-shirts. And big smiles on their faces.
If the DNC is doing this in Washington - a city that will play absolutely no political role in November - what are they doing in other cities and towns across America that will play a role in November?
And what's the Republican Party going to be able to do about it?
Uh.
Times they are a changing: The Republican activists at Red State have slammed the Establishment Republican Leadership in Washington and Alaska.
During a Republican Primary. In a fundraising email that almost makes GMP1 blush.
How very un-Republican.
But a breath of fresh air. Especially when the Establishment Republican Leadership somehow has let that idiot crook Don Young keep his job.
Red State's email on behalf of Young's opponent, Sean Parnell:
Today you are going to waste $10.00. Whether it is at Starbucks getting your carmel mocha skinny latte and bagel or at McDonalds or at the vending machine -- you are going to waste $10.00.
It's probably going to be on empty calories too.
Before the sun sets today, you are also going to cuss about the idiot leadership within the GOP that won't clean house to get its credibility back.
To save your language and your waist line, allow me to offer a constructive suggestion.
Give that $10.00 to Sean Parnell. He is the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska running against Don Young in the Republican Primary.
If can't spare $10.00 to defeat a corrupt, FBI raided, horse's behind like Don Young, you probably should just keep your mouth shut when it comes to complaining about the GOP.
But if you really want to solve the problem instead of just complaining, $10.00 to Sean Parnell will go several steps in the right direction. And that's $10.00 that will change the party instead of your waist line.
$10.00. It's a small price to pay to clean up the GOP and send a message loudly and clearly that we, as Republicans, intend to crush Don Young at the ballot box and reclaim our party.
Let's get Sean Parnell elected.
If you prefer not to give online, mail a check to Parnell for Congress, P.O. Box 100719, Anchorage, AK 99510. Be sure to include your employer and occupation (the law requires it).
All the best,
Erick Erickson
Editor, RedState.com
George Packer's piece in the new New Yorker is excellent (all snarking about how Manhattan considers itself the absolute center of the universe aside).
One of our favorite lines:
The fact that the least conservative, least divisive Republican in the 2008 race is the last one standing—despite being despised by significant voices on the right—shows how little life is left in the movement that Goldwater began, Nixon brought into power, Ronald Reagan gave mass appeal, Newt Gingrich radicalized, Tom DeLay criminalized, and Bush allowed to break into pieces.However, we would note that John McCain's record on national security and fiscal issues is sterling (and he is legitimately pro-life, he just doesn't want to talk about it).
75,000 for the Obama rally in Portland (according to the local fire department).
Noted: Alright, it's Oregon. But still.
(h/t Ben Smith for the picture).
---
(UPDATED) A reader writes to argue that the above photo is what "a 28% incumbent approval rating looks like in the flesh".
It sure is.
The Atlantic's Josh Green has the story of Obama's money machine. It's a must read for any GOP operator looking to '10 and beyond.
Because why should the Republicans let the Democrats have all the fun?
We have to believe that their are at least some Republicans in Silicon Valley (psst, we actually know one or two of them).
Of course, they're looking for the New New Thing.
Not the next Ronald Reagan.
But that's not a problem for us. Just the opposite.
Our friend Megan McCain gives us a very nice shout-out today on her blog:
Lucinda from Columbia, Missouri asked:Hey, the young lady has the style that we never had and can match us snark for snark with attitude. What's not to like?
What blogs do you read on a regular basis?
Some of my favorite political websites and blogs include Politico, Drudge Report, Swampland, Perez Hilton, and GreenMountainPolitics.
Tom Hamburger and Peter Wallsten have a piece up in this morning's LA Times: GOP struggles to reinvent without losing itself.
We thought it would be fun to grab our dictionary and sort out some of our favorite graphs.
Like this one:
The difficulty of a swift reinvention was on display last week as the central players in Washington's conservative community gathered for their weekly strategy session, the Wednesday Meeting, held in a conference room of Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform organization.In our dictionary under "out-of-touch & impotent" it says "see those old white guys".
While reaching out to Latinos, McCain showed last week that he is fully aware of the risks that his immigration stance poses in alienating a vocal portion of conservative Republicans.In our dictionary under "mouth breathing, shouting-at-the-rain xenophobes" it says "see those old white guys".
Republican strategists who once sought to annihilate McCain for his independence are now enthusiastically backing his candidacy, offering strategic advice and affirmation of his conservative credentials. They include Bush's former senior strategist, Karl Rove; and Norquist, the anti-tax activist.In our dictionary under "two guys who helped bury their client with an approval rating of 28%, didn't see the '06 Democrat romp coming, think that '08 is going to be fine so long as the Republicans are steady as she goes & wake-up each and every morning desperately wishing that it was 2002 again (and then acting like it was)" it says "see those two white guys".
Late last week, conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh castigated McCain for his "embrace of a radical environmental agenda," calling it a sign that the Republican Party "is abandoning conservatism, abandoning those things and those people that made it victorious."In our dictionary under "might be living in a pharmaceutical haze and is definitely forgetting that the GOP abandoned its 'conservatism' 7 (or more) years ago with his loud, obnoxious and extraordinarily over-paid and over-pampered help" it says "see that white guy".
Not breaking news. But a smart rundown of what is happening with the GOP (especially in and around Washington)
From Friday's NewsHour:
JUDY WOODRUFF: Meanwhile, the Republicans have some problems of their own. They lost, David, this week, what, the third special election in a congressional district this
DAVID BROOKS: Barack Obama has got problems, but the Republicans have a cataclysm. I mean, to lose there is just a disaster.
JUDY WOODRUFF: This is Mississippi.
DAVID BROOKS: In Mississippi. I was up on Capitol Hill with the Republican troops this week. And I told them, hey, when the Democrats get 100 senators and 435 members of the House, at least they'll extend unemployment benefits for you people, because you're going to need them.
And they are scared. They know there's a sense of real doom, the sense of the party is in real trouble. It's going to take years and years to recover. McCain might be OK, but the Republican Party as a brand is contaminated.
JUDY WOODRUFF: What do they think went wrong?
DAVID BROOKS: Well, they're blaming campaign strategy; they're blaming this and that. But fundamentally they know it's a long-term problem, that the Republican Party has been in slow decline for years. Iraq and the unpopularity of Bush have just dropped it off a cliff.
And I think they understand, or at least they should understand, that it's going to be a long, slow climb. And right now, a lot of people in the Republican Party are looking at the British Tory Party, the Conservative Party, which was out of favor for a decade-and-a-half before they slowly came back.
Snip
JUDY WOODRUFF: What can the Republicans do?
DAVID BROOKS: Well, I think what they should do is just totally re-brand themselves, but they haven't done that. I mean, they -- and I was struck. I've been meeting with Republicans for years. Five years ago, they knew the problem was coming. There's some immobility there that they're not adjusting to.
And they've tried to -- maybe the problem is we weren't conservative enough. But if they were more conservative, they'd be in worse shape. I mean, they really haven't adjusted to the post-Reagan era. It's still, who's the next Reagan? What would Reagan do? And I think it's just mental blindness.
JUDY WOODRUFF: That ended quite a few years ago.
DAVID BROOKS: And this...
MARK SHIELDS: Quite.
DAVID BROOKS: It took the British Conservative Party a while to realize, "We're not distinguishing ourselves only from Labour, but also from Margaret Thatcher. That was good for that era, but now it's new."
And I don't think they've done it. Frankly, I don't think the conservative think-tanks have done it. I just think it's a fundamental problem. It's not a short-term problem.
The Ting Tings. In Echo Park, Los Angeles.
The last time we were in Echo Park... Well, it's probably just better to not talk about it.
McCain's statement on Ted Kennedy's hospital visit.
"I was very sorry to hear that Senator Kennedy has taken ill, and like millions of Americans, Cindy and I anxiously await word of his condition. Senator Kennedy's role in the U.S. Senate cannot be overstated. He is a legendary lawmaker, and I have the highest respect for him. When we have worked together, he has been a skillful, fair and generous partner. I consider it a great privilege to call him my friend. Cindy and I are praying for our friend, his wife, Vicki and the Kennedy family."Noted: GMP1 also wishes Senator Kennedy a speedy and full recovery.
Jim Geraghty has got it.
Somewhere once or twice before we think we've mentioned that climate change - excuse us, we mean national/economic security - can be a great issue for the Republicans in a general.
Next step, lowering the toxicity of the climate change issue in Republican Primaries.
No sweat.
Here is McCain's ad again
Obama Responds to Bush, McCain
Hmmm, is Bush running with John McCain? Are they on the ticket together? It sure looks like it.
Shoot, the DNC has been trying to get Bush, McCain paired up in a newspaper headline for ages.
So sing along with us...
"Bush is taking the GOP right over the '08 cliff, right over the cliff, right over the cliiiiiifffffffff!"
Ok, we can't sing worth a damn, but Jimmy Cliff can:
Noted: Just so everyone is clear, The Page's headline is absolutely accurate and absolutely in bounds. The GOP blew it today. And will continue to do so until they get the Bushies to sit down and shut-up.
Mark Halperin has the MSM preview of Obama's upcoming response to Bush.
GMP1 believes that Obama's pushback is going to go something like this:
Dear President Bush, you and your deputy John McCain have yet to realize that it ain't 2002 anymore. So put your outdated world view into a pipe and smoke it. And please, oh please, speak up every available chance you get over the next five months (Senator Obama then smiles and waves to the swing voters in the swing states and exits stage left).Republicans lose every time that Bush opens his mouth over the next five months.
The New York Times has the Bush "Appeasement" flap from yesterday.
The most important line in their story, by far, is:
It [Bush's speech yesterday] also underscored what the White House has said will be an aggressive effort by Mr. Bush to use his presidential platform to influence the presidential election.Holy. Sh*t.
To be honest, we're not feeling all that ha-ha this morning.
So we're posting something that always bring a smile to our face.
Happy Friday everyone.
Wait, hold on...
Sorry, that's not tonight's topic.
Tonight's topic on 360 is "McCain: too old for the White House?":
Is it fair for John McCain’s age to be an issue in this presidential race? Is John McCain too old to be president? These are touchy issues and thorny questions, but we decided to tackle it in a story because it is indeed being prominently discussed.If McCain wins the general election, he will be the oldest man ever elected to a first term. We spent a day with Senator McCain in Washington State. He paid an environmental visit to a wildlife habitat and led a panel discussion on climate change and global warning.As part of his visit, he donned his sneakers and a baseball cap and took a short hike in the woods. He certainly dressed like someone a lot younger than 72. But I think even he would admit that for the most part he does looks his age. A poll this week by the Washington Post and ABC News indicates that almost four out of ten Americans say they would be uncomfortable with a 72 year old being president. So is McCain sensitive about this?
On the contrary. While hiking with him, I asked him if his age is a fair issue. He says it is. And he laughed about it too. You will have to tune in tonight to hear what else he had to say, but it’s fair to say John McCain is using humor as a defense against the accusation that he is too old.
Nicely done.
We would also note that Howard Dean responded to Johnny Mac's 2013 message by saying in a DNC email (this is a real quote): " McCain's vision of 2013? It's even worse than Bush's 2009."
Hmm.
It seems Dean is no longer comfortable saying McCain would be a "3rd Bush term". Now Dean is saying McCain would be worse than a 3rd Bush term.
But we know Dr. Dean. Sometimes he gets a little overexcited:
Politico's Big Boys VandeHei and Allen pen a nice piece about what the Republican Party needs to do moving forward.
Noted: Points 1, 2, 4 & 5 are the most important. At least from where we're sitting.
And our favorite graph:
Republicans need to focus on cutting taxes, slashing spending and rediscovering their edge on national security matters. More important, they need to jump ahead of Democrats in thinking anew about entitlement programs, health care, technological innovation, global trade and new energy plans.Can we get an Amen?!!??
Karl Rove has another piece up in the Wall Street Journal titled "Everyone Else Is Lying. The Last 7 Years Didn't Happen".
Wait, we're sorry, that's not what it's titled.
But it could be.
Our favorite Rove line:
The string of defeats should cure Republicans of the habit of simply shouting "liberal! liberal! liberal!" in hopes of winning an election. They need to press a reform agenda full of sharp contrasts with the Democrats.Oh! In other words, do the opposite of what Mr. Rove has advocated for almost the last decade.
Hillary Clinton's extended interview with NBC's Brian Williams today.
We continue to think (flogging a dead horse) that Hillary is in it until Obama publicly hits 2210 delegates (or she does). If that's before June 3rd, fine. If it's June 4th, fine. If it's after June 4th, fine.
Why would she drop out before that? She hasn't lost until then. She's not a quitter.
And for all those people who argue "Party/media pressure will force her out", 1. She has public opinion on her side and 2. "Party/media pressure" ain't NOTHING compared to watching your husband (the President) be impeached for having oral sex with an intern while you were First Lady.
Noted: We're guessing on point 2, but we think it's a good guess.
We really like John Edwards (even though it drives some of our more conservative friends nuts).
But we just don't see how his endorsement tonight of Barack Obama changes much about the Democratic race.
Noted: He's still got the math. She's still Hillary Clinton. This thing still goes to June 3rd (if not beyond).
Not a Macaca moment. But almost.
One can almost see the (wholly justified) steam shooting from the ears of female voters as this YouTube hits their email boxes over the next couple of days.
Cue the Team Hillary pounce.
---
(UPDATED) A reader wrote in to suggest that we consider the "sweetie" moment in light of what is going on with the NARAL endorsement of Barack Obama today.
Yes, we admit, the folks who pushed NARAL to endorse Barack Obama today can't be terribly pleased that the "Sweetie" comment is making the rounds.
Department of bad timing.
This Michigan GOP video is absolute sh*t.
We're actually embarrassed for them.
Ambinder has the details.
Our favorite line in the MICHIGAN video:
"In the face of a changing global marketplace, we remain prosperous."That's going to go over real well in MICHIGAN. What's their unemployment rate again?
We don't have anything personally against Representative Cole. And he wouldn't know us if he fell over us in the street.
That said, Mark Halperin reports that Cole, who is a top campaign organizer for the Republican Party, is telling other Republicans and the press the day after the GOP lost a special election in Mississippi that:
candidates can’t just run on the fact that their district is historically Republican, party is suffering from a “deficiency in our message and loss of confidence by the American people.” Says Republican ideals aren’t being rejected. Thinks the party will do better once the presidential general election heats up and the Democrats have to be “forthright with their positions.”"Republican ideals aren't being rejected."
Hillary Clinton wins BIG in West Virginia.
She is a hockey player. She will go on.
To at least June 3rd. If not further (and we bet further).
Democrat Travis Childers beat out Republican Greg Davis by 8 points in the Mississippi special election today.
The Republican Party had held the seat since 1994.
It's official - '08 is gone baby, gone for the Republicans in everything but the Presidential.
The GOP should start looking towards 2010. And what's left of the Republican Party should start by tossing 98% of the current GOP leadership (House & Senate) overboard.
Ah yes!
Now we get it!
NRO's position on global warming/alternative energy must be unfashionable, yet informed.
Why? Because John McCain's position is exactly the opposite of theirs.
Of course, writing it on your editorial page don't make it so.
To put in another way: What do people think the true cost is, in treasure and blood, to continue hauling a dirty, finite resource out of hellholes around the globe? To have a foreign policy driven by our addiction to oil? To have a unholy dependence on nation states who would slit our throats if they could only figure out a way to take money from a dead body?
It's. A. Lot.
And we figure that any critique of any progressive energy plan better have those numbers in the "cost of doing nothing" column.
John McCain's energy plan is far from perfect. But it's a start. Which puts him ahead of 99% of DC Republicans (and their publishing organs) and ahead of 50% of the Republican Governors.
And he came up with his plan not because it's "fashionable" or "politically expedient". He came up with his plan because he knows what our energy reality is. And that reality has as much or more to do with our national and economic security as it does with polar bears and melting ice caps.
So the boys and girls at NRO might spend a little less time on "Any talk of ending our dependence on oil is an Al Gore plot to turn the keys of our kingdom over to Red China", and a little more time using their large soapbox to start a dialogue on what a fossil free future looks like and how to get there.
We're just saying.
And when we say "The Media" we're not including GMP1 in this particular equation (not that many Gang of 500 members would anyway). We marched against the war before it started.
Noted: But since we now wholeheartedly support a continued and fairly indefinite American troop presence in Iraq, we have been banished to some weird demographic occupied by about 14 other people in the whole United States.
In any event, Media Matters has some interesting new information out to help "The Media" understand how they got snookered by the Bush Administration when it came to Iraq.
Or at least help those members of the 4th estate who weren't sleeping with their sources in the VP's office (they already know how they got snookered).
Worth a look.
Is the GOP in danger of going 0-3 in special elections?
Politico thinks it's certainly possible.
So does a good friend of ours on the ground in Mississippi who replied to our email ping this morning with:Greg Davis is probably going to lose and maybe he should lose. He has run a horrible campaign, he has run the most negative campaign I have ever seen. There are several folks around here who are disgusted with him and his tactics. Also, I am not sure how wise it was to bring Cheney down here. He is less popular than the President.
Questions to ponder this morning:
Will Clinton crack 70% in West Virginia tonight? And if she does, what will it mean?
Why didn't Team Obama "play" in West Virginia?
Will Obama publicly crack the required number of delegates he needs for the nomination before June 3rd? If not, will he crack it before the Convention?
If Obama doesn't publicly have the delegates he needs before the Convention, does Hillary stay in until the Convention? And if she stays in, does she stay in just for a long goodbye? Or is she in it to win it until the very end?
Is GMP1 the only publication that believes a prolonged Democrat fight that doesn't end with tear gas in Denver (but a good old fashioned floor fight is just fine) is bad for John McCain?
Does anyone really know what the hell is going on? Or are we all just riding the same hurricane with different sized expense accounts?
Finally, since somebody is voting somewhere today, are we allowed to start drinking moonshine at 9am (ish) "in celebration of West Virginia and democracy"?
Is THIS a big deal in an election cycle of whiskey shots, beers, bowling and pool?
Not in the slightest.
And it probably even wins him a point or two with McCain.
And shows up at a McCain campaign event this afternoon.
This isn't the first time Johnny Mac has pulled a prominent Democrat to a '08 campaign event. Governor John Lynch, also a Democrat, showed up at a McCain event last October in New Hampshire.
Noted: h/t Jill Zuckman for the story. GMP1 was at that October town hall but outside flirting with the Blogettes. So, no story for us.
For all the jawing Obama does about "working across the aisle" & "Obamacons" & that silly little joke he tells on the stump with the punchline that goes "Why are we whispering?", McCain actually has a record of elected official Democrats showing up to his events. And, to the best of our knowledge, Obama does not.
It must be an American hero thing?
1 opening statement: Unless there is tear gas in the streets of Denver during the Convention (and even then...), 98% of the Democratic Party is going to get behind the Democratic nominee in November. Believe it.
That said...
It seems some people are starting to really push the idea of a Obama/Clinton "Dream Ticket".
Put plainly, Team Obama would have to be out of its goddamn mind to put Hillary on the ticket with Obama.
You're going to take the guy whose only message is change/hope/anti-Washington (we admit, not a bad message in 2008) and pair him with Hillary Clinton?!!??
Hilarious!
The Dream Ticket idea should be a non-starter in Chicago, and probably is. Even if they can't say as much.
Well, maybe. At least according to last night's 60 Minutes:
However, that incident with his daughter is really, really, really tough. In any context. In any environment.
The person we watched the segment with had to physically turn away from the TV screen when the subject was brought up. And she loves Alec Baldwin the actor.
Negatives like that don't move very far, very fast.
Hillary Clinton is $20 million in debt. And we'll guesstimate that she (and other pro-Clinton organizations) have probably spent close to a quarter billion dollars on her behalf.
It's all fairly disgusting.
But where did the money go?
Well, we certainly know of one place where huge chunks of good money continued to chase after huge chunks of bad.
Happy Monday everyone.
Rep. Blunt on McCain's tax policies as a 3rd Bush term: "I think it would be. And I think that's a good thing."Uh, Beavis?!!?? Where have you been?
...this.
Moving America off of fossil fuels entirely is great for our national security, great for our economy at the macro level and great for job creation at the local level.
Now which one of those three "greats" is going to be a tough sell to the Republican base?
And we're not even going to raise the fact that huge chunks of America's religious communities are getting behind something called "Creation Care".
Or that this issues gives Republicans something to be passionate about other than war (thank God).
Noted: Did anyone hear us mention global warming/great with the independents once in the entire post?
Ok, but just once.
Alternative energy, communicated and packaged correctly, is an absolute winner for the Republican Party
In 2008. And beyond.
Why let the Democrats have all the fun?
This. Would. Be. Great.
Noted: Logistics? It ain't rocket science. So don't over think it.
Pick 5-10 venues in legitimate battleground states. Buy two stools. A couple of bottles of water. Set up a press riser. Pack the arena with real voters. Keep staff and press egos to a dull roar.
Let er ripppp.
Years. Almost a decade.
That's how long we have been on the hunt for GREAT Asian food in the Washington area (sushi is easy around here, we're talking about everything else).
It's our white whale.
And last night we harpooned it. At the Cholon Viet Royale Restaurant at 6767 Wilson Boulevard in Falls Church, Virginia.
Just tell the waitress if you want pork, beef, chicken or fish, and let them worry about the rest.
Finally a DC restaurant that can hold its own with what's going on in San Fransisco's Chinatown.
We weren't sure we were going to make it.
Noted: 4 beers, 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 deserts, tax and tip = $63
And all the free, convenient parking you could ever dream of.
Eat your heart out Georgetown/Adams Morgan/Downtown DC restaurant bullsh*t!
Noted: If you aren't watching the NewsHour's 15 minute Political Wrap every Friday well, you ain't living.
In any event, last night David Brooks said this about the Republican Party (and Team McCain):
There is a temptation to run against Obama -- Jeremiah Wright, liberal college professor, pointy-headed elitist -- Republicans know how to run that campaign blindfoldedWe absolutely agree.
....snip...
We know it does not work. We've seen it fail in these congressional elections we've just had. We saw it fail in 2006. It will fail, it will fail, it will fail.
For the pandas. Back together again. Unbelievable.
"Of course I love you. I love all ya. For real."
Today's column by David Brooks.
Well worth a read.
"Not Dead Yet"
Wait, sorry, our bad, that's not the ad she's up with.
This is:
Noted: We would point out, all snarking aside, that we think she will (and should) stay in this race until Team Obama PUBLICLY hits the required number of delegates. Because no matter what the Gang of 500 is yipping about, the race ain't over until then.
And we're not entirely sure that Obama hits that number before the convention.
Time will tell.
Our very good friend Matt Bartlett leaves tomorrow for Africa with the ONE Campaign. He will be gone until the end of the month.
The ONE team will visit Mozambique and Zambia to see first hand US efforts to fight AIDS, malaria, and extreme poverty. They are planning to visit health clinics, AIDS orphanages, schools, and a micro-finance project.
We look forward to posting photos and stories of their journey upon their safe return.
Is it time to start talking about a massive, state sponsored, global alternative energy project?
No.
That time has passed. It's now time to start doing it.
What doesn't Washington understand?
At the Time 100 Gala Dinner in Manhattan last night Senator McCain gave a toast that began:"I'm informed that it is the custom to toast someone who has influenced our lives. In that case, please raise your glass to the discernment and probity of the people of New Hampshire."
h/t Mike Allen's indepensable Playbook.
Set aside message issues and Bush hangover for a moment.
Anyone who believes Team Obama can't do this hasn't been paying attention.
Senator Obama already has over 1 million DONORS to his campaign.
6 months to build 1 million volunteers for election day is a walk in the park for them.
On a personal note, GMP1 got 3 different emails from Team Obama for this registration drive. One for New Hampshire, one for Vermont and one for DC.
And we have members of our own family who don't know that we now live in DC.
Think about it.
Noted: In our humble opinion, this is the best McCain TV ad we've seen in some time.
Rove has got another WSJ piece up.
Our favorite graph:
This will be a very difficult year for Republicans. The economy's shaky state, an unpopular war, and the natural desire for partisan change after eight years of one party in the White House have helped tilt the balance to the Democrats."Natural desire"? Like the current political environment is cyclical, to be expected and nobody's fault?
That's the rumor making its way around to some of the little birdies we talk to.
If that's true...
Uh...
Ouch?!!??
There were (still are) a lot of morons in this town who believe that '06 was the low water mark for the Republican Party.
It wasn't. 2008 might be. 2010 could be. 2012...
It all depends on when the Republicans decide to actually build a party for the 21st century. Not continue to live handcuffed to some convoluted, morally bankrupt and expired idea of how they think they should govern based on a time long past.
In any event, Ambinder has the latest two calls to the firehouse here and here.
Yeah, shit is on fire.
But, the silver lining is the more than burns away now, the easier it is to rebuild later.
The Guardian has the score.
How's that for "holding Bush accountable"?
Remember, the Democrats control the Congress. They control the purse strings.
And please don't feed us any happy bull about needing 60 votes in the Senate. We bet you never caught Lyndon Johnson crying in his coffee about those "scary, minority party Republicans".
In any event, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi & Senate Leader Harry Reid have so far managed to keep their anti-war activist base in line since f*cking them and chucking them at the conclusion of the '06 midterm.
But that can't last forever.
Can it?
