April 2008

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Out of Touch

April 17, 2008 in Campaign 2008, Democrats by Tony Steidler-Dennison | No comments

(Via Matthew Yglesias.)

I’d forgotten that for months now Charlie Gibson has been asserting that $200,000 is a solid middle-class income, blissfully unaware that just 3.4 percent of U.S. households have an income of $200,000 or more. You could be richer than 96 percent of your fellow citizens, but still just folks to Gibson. Obviously that’s not on a par with being bad at bowling or anything on the “out of touch” scale, but it’s still disappointing to learn that even our salt of the earth working class multimillionaire television news personalities aren’t utterly infallible.

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score one for stupid

April 17, 2008 in Campaign 2008, Democrats by Tony Steidler-Dennison | No comments

(Via MOMocrats.)

As others have noted the debate was an enormous letdown on the part of the media. Gibson and Stephanopoulos were shameful, asking questions about Bittergate and Bosnia and Wright instead of healthcare and housing and foreign policy. And the flag pin question nearly gave me a stroke.

It’s clear that the giants of media have succumbed to the dumbing down of America, of making this election about speculation and snark instead of issues and ethics. To see them goading the candidates with stupid questions and to have to watch the candidates, Obama in particular, practically begging for something substantial to talk about. Thankfully the latter portion of the debate turned around, largely at the prodding of the candidates themselves. It’s like having the smart kids tell the teacher they really, really want to learn.

George and Charlie, don’t quit your day jobs. And keep wearing those flag pins.

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Clinton changes course on Obama’s electability

April 17, 2008 in Campaign 2008, Democrats by Tony Steidler-Dennison | No comments

(Via Yahoo! News.)

Hillary Rodham Clinton said emphatically Wednesday night that Barack Obama can win the White House this fall, undercutting her efforts to deny him the Democratic presidential nomination by suggesting he would lead the party to defeat.

“Yes, yes, yes,” she said when pressed about Obama’s electability during a campaign debate six days before the Pennsylvania primary.

Asked a similar question about Clinton, Obama said “Absolutely and I’ve said so before” — a not-so-subtle dig at his rival who had previously declined to make a similar statement about him.

In a 90-minute debate, both rivals pledged not to raise taxes on individuals making less than $200,000, and said they would respond forcefully if Iran obtains nuclear weapons and uses them against Israel.

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Murtha says McCain too old to be president

April 17, 2008 in Campaign 2008, Democrats, Republicans by Tony Steidler-Dennison | No comments

(Via Yahoo! News.)

Democratic Rep. John Murtha said Wednesday that Republican Sen. John McCain is too old to be president. Murtha is 75, four years older than McCain. He says they are nearly the same age, and the rigors and stress of running the country is too much for guys their age.

“I’ve served with seven presidents,” Murtha told a union audience. “When they come in, they all make mistakes. They all get older.”

“This one guy running is about as old as me,” he said, drawing laughter and applause. “Let me tell you something, it’s no old man’s job.”

If elected, McCain would be the oldest man to become president at age 72. Ronald Reagan became president at age 69, but he served as president for eight years and was just a few weeks shy of his 78th birthday when he left office.

McCain, in an interview with CNN on Wednesday, said, “All I can tell you is that I admire and respect Jack Murtha. Speak for yourself, Jack. I’m doing fine. Thanks.”

Full story here.

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Obama Releases 2007 Tax Returns

April 17, 2008 in Campaign 2008, Democrats by Tony Steidler-Dennison | No comments

(Via washingtonpost.com.)

Sen. Barack Obama released his 2007 tax returns this evening, hours before his debate with Sen. Hillary Clinton.

The tax returns show he made $4,238,165 last year, most of it ($3.9 million) a result of profits from his best selling books. He reported paying $1,396,772 in federal taxes and making charitable contributions totaling $240,370. Those donations included $26,270 to the Trinity United Church of Christ, which was the Chicago parish of his controversial longtime pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

The release, one day after the tax filing deadline, appeared to be the latest move in a game of transparency one-upmanship between Obama and Clinton. Earlier today, Clinton’s campaign knocked Obama for failing to release returns from 1997 through 1999, something the Clintons had done as part of their time in the White House.

Obama had previously released returns from 2000 to 2006 and pressed Clinton to release her tax returns from the years after she lived in the White House, which she did earlier this month. The Clintons’ returns showed that they had made $109 million in income since leaving the White House. They filed for an extension for their 2007 taxes.

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Obama and Clinton on defensive in tense debate

April 17, 2008 in Campaign 2008, Democrats by Tony Steidler-Dennison | No comments

(Via Reuters.)

Democratic presidential rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton tried to explain recent controversial remarks during a tense debate on Wednesday, with Obama accusing Clinton of taking political advantage of his characterization of small-town residents.

In their first debate in seven weeks, Obama said he mangled his description of the mood in economically struggling small towns and Clinton apologized for the first time for inaccurately saying she came under sniper fire in Bosnia in 1996.

The debate, which featured few heated confrontations but plenty of probing and positioning, seemed unlikely to dramatically alter the race six days before the next Democratic showdown in Pennsylvania.

Obama has been under heavy criticism from Clinton and Republican John McCain, who have called him elitist and out of touch for saying small-town residents were clinging to religion and guns in bitterness over their economic troubles.

Full story here.

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In Pa. Debate, The Clear Loser Is ABC

April 17, 2008 in Campaign 2008, Democrats by Tony Steidler-Dennison | No comments

(Via washingtonpost.com.)

When Barack Obama met Hillary Clinton for another televised Democratic candidates’ debate last night, it was more than a step forward in the 2008 presidential election. It was another step downward for network news — in particular ABC News, which hosted the debate from Philadelphia and whose usually dependable anchors, Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos, turned in shoddy, despicable performances.

For the first 52 minutes of the two-hour, commercial-crammed show, Gibson and Stephanopoulos dwelled entirely on specious and gossipy trivia that already has been hashed and rehashed, in the hope of getting the candidates to claw at one another over disputes that are no longer news. Some were barely news to begin with.

The fact is, cable networks CNN and MSNBC both did better jobs with earlier candidate debates. Also, neither of those cable networks, if memory serves, rushed to a commercial break just five minutes into the proceedings, after giving each candidate a tiny, token moment to make an opening statement. Cable news is indeed taking over from network news, and merely by being competent.

Gibson sat there peering down at the candidates over glasses perched on the end of his nose, looking prosecutorial and at times portraying himself as a spokesman for the working class. Blunderingly he addressed an early question, about whether each would be willing to serve as the other’s running mate, “to both of you,” which is simple ineptitude or bad manners. It was his job to indicate which candidate should answer first. When, understandably, both waited politely for the other to talk, Gibson said snidely, “Don’t all speak at once.”

Full story here.

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Bruce for Barack: Ohhhh Hes the One

April 16, 2008 in Campaign 2008, Democrats by Tony Steidler-Dennison | No comments

(Via New York Times Blog.)

Does this mean Hillary Rodham Clinton has to stop playing “The Rising” at her campaign rallies?

Bruce Springsteen threw his support to Barack Obama in a letter to fans on his Web site this morning, calling Mr. Obama “head and shoulders above the rest.”

“He speaks to the America I’ve envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that’s interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit,” Mr. Springsteen wrote.

He also defended Mr. Obama in the flap over his remarks on small-town attitudes. “At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships,” he said. “While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man’s life and vision, so well described in his excellent book, ‘Dreams of My Father,’ often in order to distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our Constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment.”

Mr. Springsteen supported John Kerry in 2004 and performed in a series of concerts sponsored by Moveon.org with R.E.M., Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp and Bonnie Raitt. The tour reached 11 states and 33 cities.

Before dropping out of the race in January, the John Edwards campaign made the Springsteen song “The Rising” a de facto campaign theme song. Then the Clinton campaign picked it up, and now frequently plays it at the end of her rallies.

Update | 12:20 p.m. Senator Obama issued a statement on the endorsement: “The America that Bruce Springsteen has spoken about through song is one of big dreams, unyielding hope, and a resilient, hardworking people who struggle and sacrifice for a country as good as its promise. It’s a story I know and a vision I share for our future, and that’s why I’m so honored to have his support in this journey.”

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Obama’s Magic Numbers

April 16, 2008 in Campaign 2008, Democrats by Tony Steidler-Dennison | No comments

(Via Forbes.com.)

In recent weeks, Trailwatch has repeatedly discussed Hillary Clinton’s poor prospects for catching Barrack Obama in the delegate race for the Democratic nomination. It is starting to look like Obama can now win enough delegates, 2,024, to secure the nomination before the Democrats meet in late August.

As of today, our affiliate Real Clear Politics tells us that Barack Obama has 1,641 total delegates and Hillary Clinton 1,505. So let’s turn to the Forbes Delegate Counter and plug in poll projections for the remaining contests.

The biggest prize ahead is the April 22 contest in Pennsylvania, with 188 delegates at stake. RCP’s latest average of polls has Clinton ahead by nearly 8 percentage points in the Keystone State. Assuming this spread holds once the undecided voters make up their minds, Clinton would win 54% of the vote and 85 delegates to Obama’s 46% and 73 delegates.

A similar exercise in North Carolina, where the polls currently have Obama with a 16-percentage point lead would deliver 67 delegates to Obama and 48 to Clinton. Real Clear Politics shows only three polls for Indiana, of which Clinton has a 9 point lead in two of them. For argument’s sake, we will give her a 10 point lead and 40 delegates versus 32 for Obama.

Real Clear Politics does not have poll numbers for the remaining states, but Obama has a 5.8 percentage point lead over Clinton in RCP’s average of national polls. Even if we were to give Clinton the benefit of the doubt and split those remaining contests 50/50, Obama comes out with 1,922 and 1,787 for Clinton.

These calculations still leave Barack Obama more than 100 delegates short of the total needed for the nomination. So let’s go to the superdelegates.

At present, 315 superdelegates are still up for grabs. Using our Delegate Calculator, it becomes clear that Obama would need to win just 33%, or 104, of the remaining 315 superdelegates to get over the top.

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Clinton picks up union endorsement

April 16, 2008 in Democrats by Tony Steidler-Dennison | No comments

(Via Yahoo! News.)

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has won the endorsement of a union representing plasterers and cement masons in the construction industry.

The 45,000-member Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association timed its announcement for Clinton’s speech Wednesday before the AFL-CIO’s Building Trades National Legislative Conference.

Union President Pat Finley said in a statement that Clinton has the ability to turn around the economy and rebuild the middle class.

Finley said, “She has a clear record fighting for working families, and is the strongest candidate to go toe-to-toe with John McCain in November.”

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