October 2007 - Posts
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
The Edwards campaign has put together a
graphic - (Click for a larger .pdf version of the photo) highlighting the differences between Edwards and Clinton on the issues. And staying with that boxing analogy, the Edwards campaign writes, “Edwards proved again last night, beyond a doubt, that he is a true heavyweight when it comes to challenging the other candidates to tell the truth on the issues that matter most to the American people. The rest of the contenders? Well, let’s just say that even the best hype machines can’t disguise a real featherweight.”
For its part, the Clinton campaign has put together a video it is very proud of -- a compilation from last night’s debate of what they call “The Politics of Pile-On.”
From NBC/NJ’s Aswini Anburajan
If Rodney Woodill hadn’t received a call from his wife Tuesday night, asking him to come home because his two-week old baby was sick,
Edwards might have never won the endorsement of New Hampshire Service Employees Association, part of the Service Employees International Union.
Woodill, who represents 900 county and municipal employees within the state, was on his way to Concord, N.H., to participate in the second Executive Board Meeting within a week to choose a candidate for the state’s union to endorse, but turned back home after his wife called. The board voted without him, split 8-8 between
Obama and Edwards. Local 1984’s president Gary Smith cast the tie-breaking vote, handing the endorsement of 10,000-member union to Edwards.
“If I had gone straight to the meeting, there wouldn’t have been an endorsement for John Edwards last night,” Woodill said in an interview today.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Andy Merten and Domenico Montanaro
Keeping with the boxing analogies surrounding last night’s Democratic debate, AFSCME members presented Clinton with a pair of boxing gloves -- as well as their official endorsement -- today in Washington.
Later, asked by NBC News if she felt she was ganged up on in Philadelphia last night, she laughed and said, “Well, I got my boxing gloves. I’m ready; I’ll go 10 rounds.”
The Obama campaign called AFSCME's endorsement of Clinton "no surprise" because of Bill Clinton's relationship with AFSCME President Gerald McEntee, who endorsed Bill in 1992.
See Howard Fineman's piece on the Clinton connection from Oct. 23.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
McCain is up with a new 30-second TV ad in New Hampshire touting his record on stopping "wasteful spending" in Congress.
McCain is also trying in this ad to show "He's Baack" as he likes to say in New Hampshire. The ad flashes the faces of Clinton, Edwards, Giuliani and Romney when an announcer says, "All the candidates for president say they'll stop wasteful spending. One man has actually done it." This seems an attempt to wedge himself back in among the top tier.
Here's the full transcript for "Guts":
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ’s Erin McPikeRomney has been upping the ante recently against his top rivals on immigration policy this morning, outlining on Laura Ingraham's show his differences with
Giuliani and
Thompson on the issue.
After his recent focus on fiscal issues, having spent the majority of October touting his record on taxes and spending, Romney's recent criticisms of his rivals -- including Giuliani, Thompson,
McCain and
Huckabee -- have centered on their records on illegal immigration.
Speaking to Ingraham this morning, Romney reiterated his accusation that Giuliani turned the Big Apple into a “sanctuary city” while serving as mayor. He also was asked to draw out his distinctions with Thompson, who has been using much the same language about the issue on the trail recently.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum and Elissa Davis
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- At the Families USA and Federation of American Hospitals Forum on Healthcare, McCain called for competition in the private sector to bring the cost of healthcare down. The Arizona Senator also said employers would still write off health insurance costs as a tax write-up and the same amount would be applied to the employees as a tax. However, individual employees would receive a $2,500 tax credit and families would receive a $5,000 tax credit.
The reason for this, McCain said, is akin to one of
Ronald Reagan's statements, "Nobody ever washed a rental car." According to McCain, when people simply get health insurance from their employers for free, their sense of responsibility is low. With the tax credit system, McCain said people would view the credit as their own money and make more responsible choices in picking their own plans.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/National Journal’s Matthew E. Berger
BLAUVELT, N.Y. --
Giuliani said
Clinton “did something extraordinary in American politics” by taking both sides of the issue of New York drivers licenses for illegal immigrants at Tuesday’s debate.
“She did the worst attack on herself,” he said outside a diner at a hastily called press conference. “She did the one thing in a debate you never want to do.”
Giuliani also defended his own record after being criticized by
Biden. Giuliani questioned who had written Biden’s comments that Giuliani was not qualified to be president and that every sentence he utters has “a noun and a verb and 9/11.”
“Did he read that?” Giuliani said when asked by a diner. “I think somebody wrote that for him. Remember Joe doesn’t write his own material.”
He went on to reiterate his qualification, including his executive experience.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder reports that the New Hampshire SEIU voted 9-8 to endorse Edwards over Obama, “meaning the vote was very contentious and there [are] many angry folks.”
*** UPDATE *** From NBC/NJ's Mike MemoliAn Obama supporter and SEIU member, who learned of the Obama vote, claims Obama won a vote to endorse him on Oct 22. Board members claim that vote was not an endorsement vote and a later vote of the board of directors went to Edwards.
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro<
BR>The memo wars go on. The Obama campaign is circulating the following memo, with the title “Turning the Page on Secrecy, Calculation, and Caution.” It tags Clinton as a Washington insider who won’t answer questions and adds another round to “the politics of hope” tug of war.
“On issues from Social Security to Iran to being open with the America people about her record, Senator Clinton offered more of the same Washington political calculation and evasion that won’t bring the change America needs,” the memo reads. “The ‘politics of hope’ doesn’t mean hoping you don’t have to answer tough questions.”
Here’s the full memo:
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
Less than 10 hours after last night's MSNBC debate, Clinton joined First Lady Laura Bush and other leaders to discuss bipartisan legislation to ensure the continuation of historic preservation.
As First Lady, Clinton served as the founding chair of Save America Treasures. When the administration changed, First Lady Laura Bush continued the program while also creating Preserve America. Now, both the House and the Senate are working to turn the executive orders into permanent legislation. Clinton said the effort "represents the very best Washington can achieve."
Sen. Pete Domenici was optimistic, saying the bill will go through congress "rather quickly" and challenged the House to a race.
Rep. Turner agreed to the race and said if the Senate beat the House, "That would be historic."
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Libby Leist
Secretary Condoleezza Rice said goodbye to Karen Hughes this morning at the State Department, ending Hughes' two-and-a-half years in charge of America's public diplomacy. Hughes will officially be off the job in mid-December.
While Hughes' record as head of public diplomacy is very mixed -- her aides insist this decision is not about any disagreement with Rice or the White House -- rather Hughes wants to return to her husband and her family, who she has been regularly commuting to see in Texas. Rice and Hughes are very close, and Hughes still advises Bush, aides say.
Rice told the assembled State Department staff that Hughes carried out her public diplomacy work in "spectacular fashion." She listed her efforts toward Muslim outreach and other public diplomacy programs like a rapid response unit to counter negative stories about America and setting up regional media hubs around the world that deployed Foreign Service officers into local communities, as successes.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell
Speaking at the Grocery Manufacturers Association meeting in Washington, the first president to do so since Eisenhower, President Bush joked about Cheney and Halloween.
The president told the audience that he spoke to the vice president today and "asked him what costume he was planning? He said, "I am already wearing it. He mumbled something about the dark side of the force."
Cheney used the Darth Vader line on himself in a speech on Oct. 21. at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy in Lansdowne, Va.
"In fact, most of you knew me long before anyone called me, Darth Vader,” he said to laughter. “I've been asked if that nickname bothers me, and the answer is, no. After all, Darth Vader is one of the nicer things I've been called recently.”
From NBC's Dave Forman
An AFSCME spokesperson told the NBC News Washington Desk that its board is meeting this morning in Washington, and it will hold a 1:30pm news conference at the Capital Hilton to announce its endorsement. The person receiving the endorsement will be there.
Could it be Clinton?
From NBC's Kelly O'DonnellNBC News has learned former Gov.
Ed Schafer of North Dakota will be the president's nominee for Secretary of Agriculture.
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Julia Steers
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PHILADELPHIA, PA -- In the first question of the night, with all eyes on him especially after his recent New York Times interview, Obama had the, well, audacity to compare himself to Philly’s own Rocky Balboa. But then in Round 1, he didn’t seem to throw a punch, giving us the impression that he didn’t want to fight. We were wrong. Minutes later, Obama, Edwards, and even Dodd duked it out with the front-runner Clinton, producing the liveliest and most contentious Democratic debate so far of the cycle. How did Clinton hold up? She was strong early on, particularly over the issue that many thought would be THE issue last night -- Iran -- but she got weaker as the night went on. The exchange over driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants allowed her opponents to drive home a narrative that has begun to develop for Clinton at these debates: that she never actually answers the tough questions. Indeed, after last night, you might find a media more consistently fact-checking her on some specifics, which in turn will lead to a chorus of challengers accusing her of not taking a stand. This will be a critical test for her, and perhaps her final hurdle before the Chattering Class truly scores this primary as a unanimous decision for the front-runner.
*** Hillary gets cut: To stick with the boxing analogy, Clinton was still standing after all the punches were thrown. But she got cut, and everyone watching saw it. As one strategist for a non-frontrunner told First Read last night, this debate could end -- at least for now -- the inevitability storyline the press has been writing, which the strategist believes has fueled her rise in the polls. The best news for Clinton: Due to the debate’s late start, many might not have seen the driver’s licenses exchange. So far, in fact, that exchange hasn’t been replayed that much the day after. But look for that to change, thanks as much to Clinton's primary foes as well as the GOP candidates (minus McCain) who love an opportunity to talk about immigration.
***
Obama and Edwards: As we mentioned above, Obama didn’t seem at all interested in mixing it up early on. But then when NBC’s Tim Russert asked Clinton about why her First Lady papers in Little Rock aren’t available to the public, Obama found his opening and delivered what might have been his best line of the debates. The sky-high expectations put Obama in a difficult situation heading into last night, but despite his slow start, he seemed to meet them (although some pundits today disagree). As for Edwards, he might have provided a more consistent contrast with Clinton than Obama did, which his campaign was gunning for. To our eyes, it was Edwards’ best debate to date, making us remember why he was such a successful trial lawyer. If there was a downside to his performance, it might have been that he was too aggressive -- and therefore too negative for the Iowa nice crowd, something the Obama folks are pinning their caucus hopes on.
*** The rest: Once again, Biden had the one-liner of the night (re: Giuliani). If Biden wasn't known as a gaffe machine -- and if he had more money -- he'd be a bigger player in this race. Dodd had perhaps his best debate of the cycle. His back-and-forth with Clinton over the driver’s licenses (who knew Dodd would break with Democratic orthodoxy on the issue?)
was probably one of his best moments to date. He also got to talk issues he's made key to his campaign, like global warming. That said, he still talks WAY too much about legislation he sponsored, rather than about solutions he's proposing. Richardson did well on a few questions, but it was interesting that Biden singled him out -- as his campaign has done in recent press releases -- which tells us someone is truly playing for that close 4th place in Iowa.
*** Close encounters with Dennis: Speaking of having better nights, how about 'ol Dennis Kucinich? He did a great job answering the UFO question (in which he confirmed he spotted an unidentified flying object), and the guy is a machine when it comes to staying on message. The bad news for Dennis: The UFO question is turning into the punchline highlight of the night, which may, at least, up his Q rating and get him a booking on Art Bell's out of this world late-night radio show.
*** One final debate thought: Consider that Clinton's primary rivals were much tougher on her viability arguments than Giuliani's primary foes have been at their debates. Will that change?
*** Trick or treat: On this Halloween Day, the Edwards family goes door-to-door in New Hampshire -- not campaigning, but trick-or-treating. The buzz is that the Obama family, in Chicago, also will be trick-or treating. What will their costumes will be? (Obama said at last night’s debate that he’d be wearing a Romney mask, with two sides to it.) The Dodd campaign, in a press release yesterday, issued suggestion: white hair, a Constitution, and "a passion for service."
*** On the trail: Elsewhere today, Edwards -- unmasked -- holds two town halls in New Hampshire; Giuliani also stumps in the Granite State; Huckabee is all over FOX, appearing on five shows, including O’Reilly and Hannity; McCain speaks at the Kaiser Family Foundation’s health-care forum in DC, then raises money in Virginia and New York City; and Thompson fundraises in California.
Countdown to Election Day 2007: 6 days
Countdown to Iowa: 64 days
Countdown to New Hampshire: 69 days
Countdown to Michigan: 76 days
Countdown to SC GOP primary: 80 days
Countdown to Florida: 90 days
Countdown to Tsunami Tuesday: 97 days
Countdown to Election Day 2008: 370 days
Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 447 days
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The
Philadelphia Inquirer: “Early and often, on Iraq, Iran and electability, Hillary Rodham Clinton was sharply criticized by her rivals during a Democratic presidential debate Tuesday night at Drexel University. This encounter was much the candidates' most contentious of the year, with the front-runner taking repeated verbal shots, particularly from Barack Obama and John Edwards.”
The
AP puts it this way: “In the City of Brotherly Love, there wasn't much for a sister. Hillary Rodham Clinton's rivals ganged up on her during a two-hour Democratic presidential debate Tuesday night, putting the front-runner on defense on issues ranging from Iraq and Iran to Social Security and whether she would be electable in the general election.”
The New York Times adds that “for all the attention Mr. Obama drew to himself coming into the debate, he was frequently overshadowed by former Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, who - speaking more intensely - repeatedly challenged Mrs. Clinton’s credentials and credibility, and frequently seemed to make the case against Mrs. Clinton that Mr. Obama had promised to make.”
CONTINUED >>
If language tells the story of the debate, then it's clear the Clinton campaign doesn't believe it won, since it is only trying to spin that "she survived." You don't say that if you think you actually won. Meanwhile, the Edwards and Dodd camps seemed the most fired up post-debate while the Obama folks feel good (though not great, since they know they did meet their own overhyped early expectations).
The
Des Moines Register's Yepsen scored the debate for Edwards. "Edwards came ready for the scrap and he helped his candidacy. His effort has sagged in recent polls and his tough, pointed challenges of Clinton will give his campaign a needed psychological boost at a crucial juncture. By contrast, Barack Obama seemed disjointed, unable to give good sound bites and so didn’t help himself."
Early this morning, the Obama campaign issued an email -- and
YouTube video -- to reporters with pollster Frank Luntz (R) proclaiming Obama as the winner of his focus group last night. Luntz later told First Read that “Obama's attacks are considered legitimate. Not Edwards. There is a huge difference in style. Huge. Hillary has disappointed. Her only really positive lines have been in attacking bush overtly. They did not like her illegal immigration answer." (One thing to keep in mind about focus groups, they don't like negative ads either, but that doesn't mean negative ads don't work so Edwards tougher stances may work, the question is will the attacks work for Edwards or for Obama?)
CONTINUED >>
Per NBC/National Journal’s Aswini Anburajan, here’s Obama strategist David Axelrod responding to questions that Obama was too soft: "Let me make something clear. He didn’t come here to attack anybody. He came here to talk about leadership, for the future of leadership, for change is and what that would be. And, yes, there are contrasts to be drawn and he drew them. But, yes, I know it’s the fascination of the news media to see a steel cage match. That was not his goal.”
And he even acknowledged that Edwards had a good night, an opinion shared with many in the Chattering Class. "Well, I think people are going to have to make a decision on who represents, uh what the most authentic change. I think Senator Edwards did a good job tonight, but I think people ugh have to look at what is the history over a period of time. When Barack Obama talks about lobbyists he talks about it as someone who has passed significant legislation. I’m not aware of what Senator Edwards did on this issue.”
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Clinton strategist Ann Lewis said, per NBC/NJ’s Athena Jones: "I think anyone watching this debate would have seen six candidates spend a lot of their time attacking Hillary Clinton.“ More: “She, in turn, was using her time to talk about what she was for, to talk about her differences with George Bush, to talk about how we had to go in a different direction, so I think she was talking to people about what was on their minds. I would have to say as a matter of strategy when you have so many candidates out there swinging at her, some of whom had advertised for several days that they were really going to go after her. Well, they took their best hits and missed. Nobody connected."
CONTINUED >>
The Boston Globe’s Scott Lehigh writes about the importance of New Hampshire in the GOP race: “From today's vantage point, you can divide the top four Republican contenders into two categories: Those who have to win New Hampshire and those who can survive without a victory here. Put Romney and McCain in the first group, Giuliani and Fred Thompson in the second.”
GIULIANI: Is he considering Huckabee
for veep if he wins the nomination? "I don't know about running mates, but I sure like having him at the debates, because he makes me laugh. And he has got a nice approach to life. You know, he is a man that is -- he has got a happy approach and he has got an optimistic approach to life. And then I -- you know, I have great respect for him."
On Mukasey, Giuliani
reiterated, "No one, not a single person, can find a single reason why Michael Mukasey shouldn't be attorney general -- other than pure, blatant politics."
HUCKABEE: The candidate said he'd be "surprised and disappointed" if Sam Brownback endorsed Giuliani. "Huckabee said he would be surprised because on the issues Brownback was so ‘adamant’ about during his failed presidential run, namely abortion rights, Brownback and Giuliani are ‘at opposite ends of the political spectrum.’”
CONTINUED >>
CLINTON: Any doubt that the Democratic primary campaign is taking a toll on Clinton's free trade tendencies? She's apparently not decided yet on whether to vote for a free trade agreement with Peru. Obama is for the agreement; Edwards is against.
Clinton’s big labor get? AFSCME just sent out a release saying that it will make a “major political announcement” in DC at 1:30 pm ET. Looks like Clinton will pick up the union’s endorsement…
Clinton is up in a new
New Hampshire poll over Obama and Edwards, 40%-22%-13%.
EDWARDS: The
Raleigh News & Observer looks at the Edwards ground game and how he's having to rely more on volunteers than paid staffers.
And we’re not talking college football…The Wall Street Journal has a great chart and story tracking presidential campaign spending. "In races past, candidates typically spent most heavily in the early going on the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, then had time to shift resources to larger, later states if the nomination hadn't been sewed up yet. This
campaign season is shaping up differently, especially for Republicans, where two major candidates -- Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson -- are spending their budgets most heavily on Florida. That state's Jan. 29 primary has made it for the first time a potential kingmaker along with Iowa and New Hampshire. Among Republicans, Mitt Romney is also a big spender in Florida.’
“For Democrats, the growing dominance of Hillary Rodham Clinton, challenged by a struggling but well-financed Barack Obama, has led unprecedented millions to be poured into Iowa -- twice as much as into New Hampshire. Iowa's Jan. 3 caucus has taken on greater importance for Democrats than four or eight years ago because it is the single best chance for Mr. Obama and John Edwards to stop Mrs. Clinton."
Just how serious is the condition of the Mukasey nomination? The Los Angeles Times notes, "Mukasey, adopting a middle ground on an issue that has become central to his nomination, said coercive interrogation methods, including a form of simulated drowning, were ‘over the line’ and ‘repugnant.’ But he declined to say whether he thought so-called water-boarding was a form of torture that would be illegal in all cases.”
“His position, detailed in a letter late Tuesday to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where his nomination to succeed Alberto R. Gonzales has stalled, fell short of assurances sought by some leading Democrats and cast doubt over whether Mukasey would be confirmed."
The
New York Times: "Mukasey noted that Congress has not explicitly banned waterboarding by the C.I.A., though it was outlawed for use by the military in the Detainee Treatment Act of 2005. That left room for interpretation as to whether waterboarding or any other technique is prohibited as ‘cruel, inhuman or degrading’ treatment, he wrote.”
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Chuck ToddFor those looking for a contentious debate, they got their wish. This was easily the fight of the year when it comes to the Democrats. Now, who will win the post-debate spin war?
The Clinton camp has an interesting challenge in the spin room tonight. Both the Edwards and Obama camps are convinced that Clinton was off her game tonight. Was she? Eye of the beholder on this; At times, she seemed on her game but she did "let 'em see her sweat" at other times. Obviously, Edwards and Obama have the same goal tonight, make it seem as if Clinton "lost" this debate. Well, it's not clear who won it if she somehow lost it. I'm not convinced anyone has won, but it does appear that both Obama and Edwards have accomplished what THEY wanted to do tonight and Clinton's camp probably is glad that neither Obama nor Edwards outshined the other. Her best asset right now is the fact this is still a 3-way race.
As for the rest of the field, Biden, once again, had the one-liner of the night re: Giuliani. If Biden wasn't known as a gaffe machine, he'd be a bigger player in this race, I'm convinced of it. I know that sounds like a back-handed compliment but it's the burden of being Biden.
Dodd had, perhaps, his best debate of the cycle. The ending back-n-forth with Clinton on drivers' licenses for illegal immigrants was probably one of his best moments to date. He also got to talk issues he's made key to his campaign, like global warming. He still talks WAY too much about legislation he sponsored rather than talking about solutions he's proposing. The public has such a low approval rating for Congress than I'm guessing they tune out. Richardson did well on a few questions but it's interesting that Biden singled him out tonight which tells us someone is truly playing for that close4th place in Iowa.
Speaking of having better nights, how 'bout 'ol Dennis Kucinich. He did a great job answering the UFO question and the guy is a machine when it comes to staying on message.
More in the morning and later tonight on cable.
From NBC's Lauren AppelbaumTotal questions during the debate, including follow up questions:
Clinton - 21
Obama - 17
Edwards - 14
Dodd - 9
Kucinich - 8
Biden - 7
Richardson - 6
These
counts include three "down the line" questions that all of the candidates
answered and questions not directed at a that specific candidate but he
or she jumped in to respond as well.
From NBC/NJ's Erin McPikeRomney spokesman Kevin Madden responds on the debate, "If this debate was being judged on obviously scripted, weak one-liners that fizzled upon delivery, then Senator Obama had a great debate.
"Governor Romney misspoke when he mixed up the senator's name with a
similar sounding one. We made that clear and we moved on."
From NBC's Lauren AppelbaumWe
knew Hillary Clinton would be a hot topic tonight, so we counted how
many times each candidate used her name. With a total of 16 mentions of
Hillary or Clinton, there were less mentions at this debate than at
last week's Republican debate. Obama, who promised to step up his
attacks, invoked the New York Senator's name seven times while Edwards
used her name five times. Biden and Dodd each attacked her once while
Richardson stood up for her once.
Clinton, for her turn,
attacked the current administration, attacking Bush 11 times and Cheney
twice. The other Democratic candidates also used Bush as a punching
bag, invoking his name or administration a total of 16 times and
Cheney's three times. Clinton also led the pack in criticizing the GOP,
but Obama and Biden also joined in for that attack. Biden and Obama
specifically attacked Rudy Giuliani, possibly turning him into the
Republican front runner like the Republicans have done to Clinton.
From NBC/NJ's Carrie DannOuch! The Rudy camp just sent out a snarky release attacking Biden for
his slams at Giuliani. They're reaching back to Biden's failed 1987
campaign, which was derailed after allegations of plagiarism. It's
something that is very rarely brought up, at least here in Iowa.
From
Giuliani's press shop: "The good Senator is quite correct that there
are many differences between Rudy and him. For starters, Rudy rarely
reads prepared speeches and when he does he isn’t prone to ripping off
the text from others. And, Senator Biden certainly falls in to the
bucket of those on the stage tonight who have never had executive
experience and have never run anything. Wait, I take that back,
Senator Biden has never run anything but his mouth."
That smarts!
Team
Biden, for its part, issued a list of instances during the debate when
rivals complimented the Delaware senator. “The phrase most often heard
on the stage tonight was, “Joe is right,” followed closely by the
phrase, “I agree with Joe," says Biden campaign manager Luis Navarro.
*** UPDATE *** No one can accuse Team Biden of being sluggish. It only took
Biden's camp 27 minutes to react to the Giuliani release that brought
up his less-than-proud moment 20 years ago.
From Communications Director Larry Rasky:
“We
are well aware that former Mayor Giuliani will attempt to drag this
race into the mud where the Republicans like to wage their campaigns. It’s pretty obvious that they can’t defend themselves on the real
charge that Mr. Giuliani walked away from the cops and firefighters who
were waiting for the 9/11 Commission to be enacted and the Biden crime
bill to be restored.”
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroSeriously, Richardson, the governor of New Mexico, called on the government to declassify all Roswell documents. He brought it up himself when Chris Matthews was joking about Kucinich's UFO answer. He said the government hasn't "come clean" on the issue. His campaign will surely say he was joking, he has a sense of humor. But even though he was laughing in some parts of that answer, he wasn't joking about THAT.
Matthews looked on in disbelief and joked that this is shaping up to be a contest between the de-evolution party and the pro-UFO party.
From NBC/NJ's Athena JonesClinton's answer was so confusing. That exchange between Clinton and
Dodd on Spitzer's proposal to give licenses to illegal immigrants was
so confusing. She says she doesn't support it, but then defends it and
still doesn't answer it? I understand it but don't agree with it. Is
that an answer? Edwards just noted that, bringing back his double talk line.
From NBC/NJ's Aswini AnburajanDodd might not want illegal immigrants to have driver's licenses, but
he's obviously not looking very closely at his own state. New Haven, CT
introduced a bill this past year that allowed illegal immigrants to get
identification cards that would allow them to apply for things like
driver's licenses and government services. From the coverage then, Dodd never said anything against New Haven's policies.
From NBC/NJ's Carrie DannBiden's got to love the doctor ed question. He
just rolled out his health care policy last week in Des Moines, and his
speech dealt with medical education at length.
And note his
dedication to staying within the time limit. For a guy who's rarely
written about without a phrase like "notoriously long-winded," he's
really making an effort not to seem verbose and, well, too senatorial.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroOh, boy. Kucinich is now on the record as having seen a UFO. And tried to defend it! Seriously, doesn't this UFO answer and his bankruptcy answer at the last debate disqualify him as a serious candidate and one solely for the fringes.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroIs Clinton blurring the lines AGAIN, now on illegal immigrant driver's licenses. She said the plan makes sense, but can't commit apparently. She said she didn't say she supports the plan, when Dodd said she did. Russert tried to pin her on it, and she obfuscated again.
Edwards called her on it, evoking Bush-Cheney, saying Americans were tired of "double talk." Obama nodded and got called on and he got to chime in as well.
Does this become a problem for her? Can she directly answer a question?
From NBC/NJ's Aswini AnburajanEducation may be one of the most important issues in our country, but
it rarely comes up on the stump. Obama's choice lines on education are
enhancing pre-K education, sending out an army of teachers, and his
ofen-used stump speech line: "You can't have No Child Left Behind,
without leaving the money behind."
In terms of questions by
voters, it's also not one of top questions asked, though when it is
asked its usually by a college student asking what Obama would do to
lower tuition payments.
From NBC/NJ's Athena JonesBut he called it a
national teaching university to attract bright young teachers and
encourage them to teach in tough areas. Doesn't that already exist? It's called
Teach for America.
***UPDATE***From NBC/NJ's Tricia MillerThere are distinctions, however. As I understand it, Teach for America is for
overachieving college graduates who studied something other than
education to spend two years serving the country by teaching kids in
rural and urban schools. They then go on to work in their original
field. Edwards' National Teaching University would target young people
who want to teach as a career.
From NBC/NJ's Tricia Miller"[Hedge funds
are] an example of the extraordinary corruption that still exists in
the government," said Edwards on hedge funds. Contrary to what you'd
think, Edwards does not duck and cover at the mention of hedge funds.
In fact, he regularly talks about holding hedge funds accountable (but
he doesn't bring up his experience at Fortress on his own). Notice how
he uses the question to segue to a monologue on corruption in
government and the capability of the "strong, heroic, passionate"
American people.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroNow that's fast. Obama's campaign already has a
YouTube video up of... this debate highlighting Obama's "Turn the Page" answer. Kind of freaky. You can watch the debate, while watching the debate.
From NBC/NJ's Athena JonesObama just said almost
verbatim what has become a key part of Clinton's stump speech. Talking
about families working hard and costs of all things, like college,
going up. It's not surprising that Obama would say such a thing;
it's just surprising how similar it was to whole paragraphs you hear
from Clinton. Just one more similarity between the candidates.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroOn Chuck's point that Clinton needs to keep her cool, this is something her campaign has worked on. She has been very tight, on message and she has tried to appear warmier, fuzzier. But she had managed to do that at prior debates and on the stump with deflections -- whether it was Bush-Cheney rants, that laugh or her isn't-it-so-nice-to-have-all-these-men- so-obsessed with me line. Tonight, there haven't been any clever deflection lines.
From NBC's Chuck ToddCheck out Clinton's demeanor right now compared to 15 minutes ago when she was constantly under fire. She seems more relaxed than before and she handled the tax question without getting too irritated like she did in that second segment. If this campaign ever gets down to 2 or 3 candidates, these are going to be MUCH different debates and she's going to have to learn to keep her cool quicker since she won't have 15 minute breaks like she has right now.
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
It's something to watch. Clinton can somehow show support for Rangel, but not necessarily be for his AMT plan. She really parses the language. It can come across as playing both sides.
From NBC/NJ's Athena JonesAnd on the matter of Edwards caring about children (per Tricia below), this sounds a lot like a Clinton line. In
stump speeches in recent weeks, Clinton has been talking about how we
can't be the first generation to leave the country in a worse place.
Plus she always talks about children and all the work she's done to
help children.
From NBC/NJ's Carrie DannObama notes his support "in states where there aren't a lot of African-Americans." As of the last census, blacks made up of 2.3% of Iowa's population, and 1% of New Hampshire's. South Carolina's black population is almost 30% ... That's the fifth highest in the country.
From NBC/NJ's Aswini AnburajanOne of Obama's favorite lines
about energy conservation is the "personal responsibility" of the
American people, and he talks about how much energy could be saved if
everyone buys energy efficient lightbulbs. Considering how much he
mentions it on the stump in response to questions on global warming,
I'm surprised he didn't take the chance to bring it up here. That's an
answer that could help the American people save money right now.
From NBC's Chuck ToddRichardson gave one of his best answers to any question he's had in a debate in some time. His energy policy specifics that he rattled off showed him to be the expert he claims to be on this specific issue. He was the Energy Secretary in Pres. Clinton's administration, after all, so this was in his wheel house.
From NBC/NJ's Athena JonesAs of 9:40 pm (around the time of the first commercial break), Clinton had answered eight questions; Obama four; Edwards four; Kucinich and Richardson had each been asked two; Neither Richardson nor Kucinich got a word in until 20 minutes into the debate.
From NBC/NJ's Aswini AnburajanObama already had a chance to answer the "swiftboating" question in New Hampshire last week. His answer tonight largely reflects that answer. Last week at a town hall in Dover, NH he said:
“We’ve
already seen this. When Romney started saying this stuff… sometimes
they may be honest mistakes, sometimes not,” Obama said. “There will
be some of that, I’m foreign, clearly I’m a black person.”
“When
people start to swiftboat you, you have to respond forcefully,
immediately, and truthfully. Don’t answer a lie with a lie, you have to
answer a lie with a truth but it has to come fast and it has to come
strong.”
He also pointed to his rise as a politician in Illinois to prove that he was a tougher candidate than he looked like.
Obama
added that he rose to become the “most popular politician in Illinois”
not through working with the Chicago political machine, but by standing
on his own. “I rose to the top of the political heap without once
compromising my integrity,” he said, “I’m tough.”
From NBC's Chuck ToddPretty smart answer from Biden on the $100/barrel oil, figuring out how to tie it to foreign policy, specifically.
From NBC/NJ's Aswini AnburajanObama has repeatedly pushed on the
stump the idea that the best possible solution for social security is
raising the cap on taxing income up to $97,000. He never says that
"all the options are on the table."
But one of the points that
have been brought up critiquing "raising the cap" on social security is
that there is no guarantee put forward by Obama that he would put those
taxes into lockbox for social security.
From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli
Rudy's folks had to love when Brian Williams referred to what he called
the "Giuliani question" on experience. Other candidates answered the
question by defending their credentials, but Biden was the only one
effectively turning it back against Giuliani.
From NBC/NJ's Tricia MillerRecently Edwards has taken a
special interest in our children. "The question is, are you willing to
look your children in the eye tonight and say I'm willing to turn this
mess over to you?" he asked. His revamped stump speech includes a line
about 20 generations of Americans who have left the country better for
their children than what they had and a fear he claims many have that
they would be the first generation to leave their children worse off
than they were.
From NBC's Chuck ToddWell, that was a hot segment with all of the candidates taking turns trying to attack Clinton. How did she handle the heat? She fought back on every charge and seemed to get a tad irritated at times. Obama got his sea legs and Edwards continued to show no mercy; Richardson, as predicted, played the role of Clinton protector and Biden had the best one-liner.
From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum and Domenico MontanaroHere's what he actually said from earlier in what appeared to be an appeal to be veep: "I'm hearing this holier than thou attitude toward
Senator Clinton. It is pretty close to personal attacks we don't need
... we need to be positive in this campaign." He then listed some
differences he has with Clinton: Iraq War, NCLB, Iran. "But it is
important to save our ammunition for Republicans."
From NBC/NJ's Aswini AnburajanObama has said that he's tough enough to be president because he can
withstand attacks. That he's a basketball player who's "not afraid of
getting down low and throwing my elbows around." Are we finally seeing
the basketball player rather than the cautious and long-winded
professor take the stage?
From NBC/NJ's Mike MemoliRichardson picked up where he left this morning in speaking out against a negative campaign. This
morning he told reporters in the Secretary of State's office in NH: "I
think that Senators Obama and Edwards should concentrate on the issues
and not on attacking Senator Clinton."
More: "I do believe that
it's important that the Democratic candidates stay positive. There's
gonna be plenty of time to get negative with the Republicans. But now's
not the time to start food fights."
From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
It allows him to talk about
his legislative accomplishments, which takes up a big part of his stump
speech, and it allows him to bash Washington, also a big part of his
stump speech.
Obama presents himself as 'the uniter not the
divider' on the stump, talking about how he brought people together
over racial profiling and the death penalty in Illinois. He routinely
says that no other candidate in the race has a body of legislation as
substantive as him when it comes to taking money out of politics.
And
he likes to point out that the "experience" question is usually about
how long you've been in Washington. He turns the question into an
anti-Washington establishment pitch that is focused on how politicians
who have been in Washington too long are part of a corrupt system that
should be changed.
From NBC/NJ's Tricia MillerWe've heard from anti-Clinton Democratic
voters that they'd embrace the Obama-Edwards ticket. Tonight they seem
to have forged an effective partnership, but Edwards has said he's not
interested in the VP spot after his 2004 experience.
From NBC's Chuck ToddI'm going to be fascinated to see how Clinton's doing in some of the dial tests that the better-funded campaigns are conducting tonight. She's showing a feistiness that some may reward but she's showing some irritation as well and one thing many of Clinton's foes believe is that over time, a negative-sounding Clinton won't wear well. She wears better when she gets to stay positive and above it all; when she engages? That's what the dial tests could be telling folks tonight.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroClinton seems on the defensive here and blurring the lines when it comes to social security as Russert tried to pin her down on what she WOULD do specifically. She backtracked from her conversation with Tom Bowman, saying she'd consider raising the cap. Very Clintonian.
From NBC's Chuck Todd"I'm not running against Hillary Clinton"? So says Joe Biden. Campaigns are about contrast. That said, Biden, once again, has one of the more memorable lines of the night and seemed to hit Giuliani better than any of the other Democrats on stage tonight.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroBiden struck fire there. He's been quiet, but may have delivered the best line in talking about how Giuliani is not qualified. He said Giuliani only uses three things in a sentence, "A noun, a verb and 9/11."
Then he laid out his record sharply about his role in plenty of foreign affairs issues.
From NBC/NJ's Aswini AnburajanMaybe this is why Obama has a hard time attacking Clinton. The two of them have the EXACT same position on leaving Iraq. Obama
says he would leave troops in Iraq or in the region as counter
terrorism forces, to guard the embassies and to aid in a humanitarian
mission. He also says that the withdrawal should be "careful."
From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
How often does Pakistan ever come out on
the campaign trail with Senator Obama? Almost never. After his August
speech, in which Obama said he would act unilaterally to bomb Pakistan
if there was an "actionable" terrorist threat, he has largely been
silent on the issue. He rarely brings up the Musharraf government or
the position he took in August.
From NBC/NJ's Tricia MillerEdwards missed a chance to add some powerful
talking points from his stump speech when he answered Russert's
question about Iran getting the bomb. Audiences love that he says he
wants to be the president who wants to rid the world (not just Iran) of
nuclear weapons and quit building new nuclear plants in the U.S.
From NBC's Chuck ToddVery interesting (and surprising to those of us involved in the gaming out of this debate), Clinton's opponents are taking to the electability attacks on Clinton a lot easier than the Iran attacks.
From NBC/NJ's Tricia Miller
From earlier, Edwards is right at home next
to Clinton - his response to Clinton's Iran argument came straight out
of his stump speech. The only new idea is assigning blame to "neocons."
(Others in the workspace are crediting senior adviser Joe Trippi for
that line.) If I had a quarter for every time I've heard "If you give
this president an inch, he'll take a mile" over the last two weeks, I
could do all of our laundry tonight.
From NBC's Chuck ToddAs some of us predicted, Bill Richardson is deciding to be the guy that stands up for Clinton.
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Richardson backed Clinton -- he's the first to have her back. Is this a naked ploy to appeal to Clinton to be her VP?
From NBC/NJ's Carrie DannClinton proposes that people like "Bill
and Joe and Chris" should contribute to a diplomatic effort in the
Middle East. A subtle way to throw the second tier a bone and undermine
the foreign policy cred of her top rivals.
From NBC's Chuck ToddAnd now the double-team of Obama/Edwards v. Clinton is on. How will this play in Iowa? It's now in Clinton's interest to keep both Edwards and Obama hitting her, right?
From NBC's Chuck ToddMaybe Obama is just like Rocky, as my colleague Mark Murray just said, it just takes him a couple of rounds get warmed up. Obama seemed to be ready to hit her harder after the commercial break.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroWhere did that come from? Obama just laid the whole thing out, and opened it up with saying that Clinton stole his line.
This was the most direct he's been... He tied Clinton to Bush with regard to secrecy because of the national archives not releasing documents that could show her experience.
One of the reasons they're comfortable talking about you is because it's a fight they're used to fighting, Obama said, paraphrasing.
Then Edwards chimed in and piled on and said that one of the reasons Republicans are so "obsessed with you" is "maybe they WANT to run against you."
"If you believe in the status quo, Senator Clinton's your candidate."
From NBC's Chuck ToddHow about the fact that Clinton is now regularly adopting Obama's "turn the page" phrase. We've said this before, successful nominees learn to co-opt the best of their opponents. It appears the "turn the page" phrase tests well in Mark Penn focus groups.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroThe right kind of experience, turn the page... wow... I guess a good candidate steals the best lines. Aren't those Obama's?
From NBC/NJ's Tricia Miller"I'm against a rush to war. ... I'm not in favor
of a rush to war, but I'm also not in favor of rushing to nothing. ...
I prefer vigorous diplomacy." Really? Traveling the campaign trail with
Edwards over the past weeks would leave you convinced that Clinton made
the vote to declare the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist
organization in an effort to appease general election voters. If that
were true, has it done her any good? Has her vote to declare the
Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization won her favor with
Republicans and independents?
From NBC/NJ's Aswini AnburajanWill anyone bring up the fact that Senator Durbin has introduced
legislation to "clarify" the Kyl-Lieberman ammendment on Iran by
requiring Bush to get congressional authorization before using force
against Iran?
In an interview last week with NBC/NJ, Senator Durbin said he introduced the bill because he wanted “real clarity on the issue.”
“I
voted against the invasion of Iraq and I continue to hear the President
and the Vice President speak in terms of war when it comes to Iran. The
president goes as far to say World WAR III and Vice President Cheney
makes similar comments,” Durbin said.
“The problematic
language in the resolution says that it is a "critical national
interest of the United States" to counter Iran's influence among the
Shia population of Iraq,” Obama foreign policy advisor, Greg Craig,
wrote in an email to reporters yesterday. He went on to say that the
language could be used to “maintain and use US troops in Iraq for the
purpose of containing Iran, [sic] cirtailing Iran's influence in Iraq,
and, if need be, to expand our troops' activities beyond Iraq's borders
to pursue and attack Iranian forces," Durbin said.
From NBC/NJ's Aswini AnburajanNote Edwards reference to Tom Bowman, the voter
who asked Clinton, if she would raise the cap on payroll taxes
beyond $97,000 social security at a town hall in Iowa. Clinton hedged
on the issue there, but when Bowman approached her on the rope line,
she said that she would be willing to raise the tax cap to $200,000.
Nedra Pickler, an AP reporter, overheard the conversation and reported on
it. And later the Obama campaign reached out to Bowman and had him tell
that story at a town hall this past Saturday, when Obama went after
Clinton on social security.
From NBC's Chuck ToddEdwards seems to be the one looking the opportunities to hit Clinton hard. Obama's hitting her, but not like Edwards. If the NYT interview hadn't happened this weekend with Obama, the spin on this first 40 minutes would be: Edwards stepping up his attempts to create a contrast with Clinton while Obama sits back hoping he benefits from the negative fallout. But because of the hype of the NYT interview, the spin tonight may be, Obama backed down a tad, while Edwards decided to fill the vacuum.
From NBC/NJ's Tricia MillerAs Edwards indicated by his first answer, trust
is a characteristic he values. In every town hall over the past two
weeks, Edwards has taken questions and then closed by telling the
audience that if he wasn't running for president, he would look to
support a candidate he could trust. He tells the New Hampshire or Iowa
audience that they have a unique opportunity to judge the character of
candidates up close, and they should seek out a candidate they can
trust, whether it's him or someone else.
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Maybe it's not in his personality. Maybe it's about 2012 or 2016. Maybe it's Iowa Nice. But Obama just doesn't seem like he either can or wants to be direct on Clinton instead of continuing to talk about himself.
Edwards is more sharper, clearer on these differences. It's interesting, but Edwards' campaign points out all of the things he has been first on, but others have gotten the attention for. Seems to me tonight, that Obama -- by virtue of answering the question first perhaps -- has brought something up first, but Edwards has been the one to capitalize on it.
From NBC's Chuck ToddClinton says she opposes the war. She left no wiggle room on that.
From NBC's Chuck ToddInteresting that both Biden and Dodd took the Iran question regarding nukes and used it as a way to make the case that Pakistan is a bigger threat to the U.S. safety than a nuclear Iran.
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Maybe it's a bit of a stunt, putting a man in the audience who he brought back from Iraq. How can you argue with Richardson, who has been sent to negotiate successfully in what politicians and Americans would call the worst parts of the world? No one on stage contended the point and certainly gave credence to why he's on stage. It was a bit of showmanship but he recognized an opportunity and capitalized on it.
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
For the first time, Obama stopped a debate and went outside the lines on Russert's pledge question. It was the first time he made you look up.
From NBC's Chuck ToddEdwards just connected the dots that some thought Obama would connect re: the Iran issue. Early on, he's doing a better job of drawing distinctions with Clinton than Obama. Dropping "neo-con" a few times in his response on Iran was a smart way to alert Democrats of his opposition. For the true activists, "neo con" is a four-letter, um, phrase.
From NBC's Chuck ToddClinton does a better job of creating the Bush straw man than any other candidate. While all of her Democratic foes try to draw contrast with her, she's busy drawing contrast with Bush. Her job, in a Democratic primary, is a lot easier.
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Clinton: Economic sanctions are part of diplomacy. By the way, yet another, "Joe is absolutely right" at a debate from Clinton. Make friends with those who sound strongest on stage? She looks most presidential again, and is doing it strategically -- say everyone agrees and then criticize the opposition -- Republicans and Bush.
But Edwards came back stronger, taking the liberal mantle. He said does any of this sound familiar. This was "literally in the language of the neo-cons." How is this Democrats standing up and saying no. That was impassioned and a strong response. Tries to show himself as the clear, sharp alternative. This is wedging going on. He might be elbowing Obama out of the way on this issue. His, albeit reasonable, but tepid answer on this, just wasn't grabbing the spotlight.
From NBC's Chuck ToddJoe Biden continues to sound as the authentic voice on national security issues; he speaks with an authority that makes him believable even if you disagree with his policy proposals.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroMaybe it's his speaking style, and directness, but Biden is the only one on the stage to stylistically match Clinton's clarity. He laid out the reasons against the Iran vote, the consequences, better than Dodd and sounded stronger than either Obama or Edwards in their openings.
From NBC's Chuck ToddClinton appears to have brought her game face tonight. She has yet to be thrown off message by either her opponents or the moderators. That was a VERY passionate defense of her Iran vote.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroClinton seemed to be against the ropes for a second there. First Obama from her left. Then Edwards from her right. But their attacks didn't keep her against the ropes because a minute later, she was out swinging. Her speech got quicker and she took control, again -- even on Iran. Are they not just scared of attacking a woman, but nervous about attacking the potential Democratic nominee/president. Even Dodd was not as sharp in his critique.
From NBC's Chuck ToddJohn Edwards seemed to also tone down the rhetoric just a bit too. Could it be both Edwards and Obama are worried about a backlash of attacking the lone woman in the race? Many a male politician has struggled going negative on female opponents.
From NBC's Chuck Todd"Some of this stuff gets over-hyped"... That's what Obama said in response to the first question where NBC's Brian Williams asked Obama which issues Sen. Clinton was voting like a Republican. Clearly, he decided to back off the threat of aggression that his interview with the New York Times seemed to indicate. Many reporters will take the "some of this stuff gets over-hyped" line and use it as evidence Obama decided NOT to engage Clinton as aggressively as was promised.
From NBC's Domenico MontanaroSo who won it? Obama spoke more and at first seemed like he wasn't going to engage. He called it the most overhyped fight since Rocky and Apollo Creed, "but ironically, I'm Rocky in this situation."
He laid a few items, like NAFTA and Iraq as differences. He wasn't as direct or sharp as he could have been. That TV thing again.
Clinton said, smirking like she's enjoying it, "I don't think the Republicans got the message that I am voting like them." She cited the GOP debate where she was an entire segment.
She specifically said, among other things, "They want to continue the war, I want to end it."
Who won it? Too early.
From NBC's Mark Murray
PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Just 30 minutes before the debate here... Joining the hundreds of
Clinton,
Obama,
Edwards, and
Biden supporters outside the debate hall are about a couple dozen
Paul supporters holding a "Ron Paul Revolution" banner. Talk about some crossover appeal here....
From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
After weeks of intense lobbying by the top three Democratic presidential candidates, Edwards has come away with the endorsement of the New Hampshire SEIU.
The endorsement will help Edwards considerably, providing him with financial resources and volunteers in the Granite state. It will also prevent other state chapters from sending volunteers to New Hampshire to campaign for either Obama or Clinton.
This is the 12th state SEIU endorsement Edwards has won; the others include Iowa and California.
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
An Edwards campaign memo from Campaign Manager David Bonior makes clear who the primary target is: Hillary Clinton. And the primary issue: lobbying.
"Unfortunately, the Clinton campaign has made it clear -- through its choices, its words and its silence -- that it intends to defend the broken system in Washington," Bonior writes, "where the interests of the American people are bought and sold every day by an army of lobbyists...."
More: "The real question as we enter tonight’s presidential debate on MSNBC is why, in the face of the great challenges we face as a nation, Senator Clinton chooses to so passionately defend this broken system and the damage that Washington lobbyists are doing to our nation every single day."
The memo also rolls off nine issues, the campaign says it has led on.
Here's the full memo:
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Abby Livingston
McCain’s speech to the leaders of major Jewish organizations in New York City today hopped the globe in addressing his view of American foreign policy.
“I believe that all of the situation in the Middle East is connected,” McCain said as he discussed Iraq and how he would not divorce the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the issue of Islamic extremism. His off-the-cuff comments, however, branched out far beyond the Middle East. McCain sees Russia and China as obstructing the U.S. agenda as well.
“I think the larger problem is that we're facing a United Nations,” McCain said, “and I'm not for getting out of the United Nations and all that, but we're facing a Security Council where we're going to have great difficulty until the Chinese start showing the maturity the world power shows and Putin somehow begins to recognize that he's going to make himself basically an outlaw country. And by the way, I would dis-invite Putin from the next G8 meeting.”
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
Dodd and Edwards are two candidates who could benefit if Obama loses traction during tonight's debate. Getting ready for the debate in Philadelphia, they each sounded off on why they will be able to punch through to the top.
"I have had for some time drawing clear distinctions between Clinton and myself and the differences in our approach, the differences in our approach to Iraq and ending the war in Iraq," Edwards told NBC's Andrea Mitchell inside the debate hall. "For me, ending combat missions, for her, not. And the difference in approach to Iran. I'll continue what I've been doing."
Unlike Edwards and Obama, Dodd said he would rather not attack a fellow Democratic candidate. "I think the notion somehow that you are only going to win this by taking someone else down runs against my grain," he said outside on the Drexel campus to NBC's Mitchell.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ’s Matthew E. Berger
On its face, the numbers are startling. According to the latest Giuliani campaign radio ad, the survival rate for prostate cancer is almost twice as high in the United States as it is in Great Britain. But cancer experts suggest the numbers used by the Giuliani campaign are out of date and misleading.
“My chance of surviving prostate cancer, and thank God I was cured of it, in the United States, 82 percent,” Giuliani says in the ad, now running in New Hampshire. “My chances of surviving prostate cancer in England, only 44 percent under socialized medicine.”
The Giuliani campaign cites City Journal, a conservative quarterly magazine, as its source. The journal’s Web site describes it as “the nation’s premier urban-policy magazine” and says it served as an “idea factory” during Giuliani’s tenure as New York City mayor. It’s an arm of the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank.
*** UPDATE*** A Johns Hopkins prostate cancer expert weighs in.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/National Journal’s Matthew E. BergerGiuliani picked up the endorsement of Joe Allbaugh, the national campaign manager for
Bush-Cheney 2000. Allbaugh went on to serve as director of the FEMA, but left before Hurricane Katrina.
Allbaugh was considered part of Bush’s inner circle in the campaign, and his new association with Giuliani will likely be seen as a boost for Giuliani’s efforts to establish mainstream Republican credentials. It also doesn’t hurt that Allbaugh is on the board of the National Rifle Association. He is being billed as senior advisor and homeland security advisor to Giuliani
“Rudy Giuliani is the only candidate who will keep America on offense in the Terrorists’ War on Us,” Allbaugh said in a statement. “The leadership he showed after 9/11 was an inspiration not only to New Yorkers but to the country. He knows what it takes to keep America safe, and as President, he will ensure that our country never goes back on defense in this war.”
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
There is clearly a split among how Democrats and Republicans view the role of religion in public service, according to a new poll made available to First Read that was sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance and conducted by the Democratic polling group, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner.
Three-quarters of Democrats believe a candidate should not use their religion or faith to influence voters to support them, but those numbers are much lower when it comes to Republicans. Only 58% of Republicans believe so. And nearly three in 10 Republicans “strongly disagree” with the statement. Religious conservatives have been the most reliable voters on the GOP side and their turnout is largely credited with helping elect President Bush.
The poll also found that more Republicans than Democrats attend religious services regularly. About 63% of Republicans said so as opposed to about half of Democrats and Independents.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
Yet ANOTHER memo… this one from Mark Penn, Clinton’s chief strategist. We noted this morning that the Clinton campaign posted video of Obama talking about the politics of hope and Edwards talking about not attacking Democrats back in his 2004 run. And now the Clinton campaign is trying to grab the “politics of hope” mantle, saying in the memo, “One candidate is defining the ‘politics of hope’ while the others are abandoning them.”
One thought though, does this hold water? Are Obama and Edwards really not allowed to point out differences with Clinton? That would certainly be a plus for Clinton if everything is off-limits. Is it going to be off-limits for her to criticize another campaign or “point out differences”?
Here’s the full memo:
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Chuck ToddFor those looking for a contentious debate, they got their wish. This was easily the fight of the year when it comes to the Democrats. Now, who will win the post-debate spin war?
The Clinton camp has an interesting challenge in the spin room tonight. Both the Edwards and Obama camps are convinced that Clinton was off her game tonight. Was she? Eye of the beholder on this; At times, she seemed on her game but she did "let 'em see her sweat" at other times. Obviously, Edwards and Obama have the same goal tonight, make it seem as if Clinton "lost" this debate. Well, it's not clear who won it if she somehow lost it. I'm not convinced anyone has won, but it does appear that both Obama and Edwards have accomplished what THEY wanted to do tonight and Clinton's camp probably is glad that neither Obama nor Edwards outshined the other. Her best asset right now is the fact this is still a 3-way race.
As for the rest of the field, Biden, once again, had the one-liner of the night re: Giuliani. If Biden wasn't known as a gaffe machine, he'd be a bigger player in this race, I'm convinced of it. I know that sounds like a back-handed compliment but it's the burden of being Biden.
Dodd had, perhaps, his best debate of the cycle. The ending back-n-forth with Clinton on drivers' licenses for illegal immigrants was probably one of his best moments to date. He also got to talk issues he's made key to his campaign, like global warming. He still talks WAY too much about legislation he sponsored rather than talking about solutions he's proposing. The public has such a low approval rating for Congress than I'm guessing they tune out. Richardson did well on a few questions but it's interesting that Biden singled him out tonight which tells us someone is truly playing for that close4th place in Iowa.
Speaking of having better nights, how 'bout 'ol Dennis Kucinich. He did a great job answering the UFO question and the guy is a machine when it comes to staying on message.
More in the morning and later tonight on cable.
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
Ahead of the NBC debate from Philadelphia, the Biden campaign sent out a memo showing what Biden at least would like the focus to be on. And no surprise, he wants the focus on Iraq/Iran.
He'll tout his Iraq amendment that passed in the Senate and will likely criticize Democrats for voting against troop funding, particularly since the presumed frontrunners have said they can’t guarantee troops out of Iraq by 2013. He may also go after Clinton for her Iran vote, as he highlights that he voted against the amendment deeming the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization.
Here’s his statement:
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Mark Murray
PHILADELPHIA -- With the strong possibility that
Edwards and
Obama will challenge the front-runner
Clinton at tonight's debate, the Clinton campaign is now displaying old video on its
Web site of Edwards and Obama voicing their opposition to political attacks. Is this how Clinton will defend herself if her rivals come out swinging?
*** UPDATE *** Edwards and Clinton also release statements opposing Mukasey. Read more to read their statements as well.
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Yesterday, Dodd held a conference call with reporters to declare his opposition to Attorney General nominee Michael Mukasey. He said he was opposed to Mukasaey, not because of his stance on torture, but above all because of his stance on the power of the executive branch.
Today, Obama's Senate office released a statement with Obama's opposition to Mukasey. Obama's opposition, he writes is rooted in both Mukasey's ambiguous stance on torture and the issue of presidential power.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Mark Murray and Chuck Todd
PHILADELPHIA -- Just hours before tonight's debate, Richardson is up with a new TV ad in Iowa, which seems to us like a closing advertisement a candidate would air right before the voting. It's also worth noting that the ad is much more serious than his earlier "job interview" ads.
“I’m Bill Richardson," he says in it, "and when I began this campaign for president, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew I wouldn’t have every answer. But I’ll always tell you what I really believe. And I’ll never mislead you. I knew there’d be differences between the candidates. Especially on Iraq. I’ll get every soldier out. You can’t say you’ll end the war if you plan to leave thousands of troops behind. The Iraqis sure won’t think the war is over."
He continues, "If you’re wondering if anyone can really do all this, just look at what I’ve done in my life and how I’ve done it. Not by dividing people. But by earning their trust. And that’s really where we need to begin in Iraq... I approved this message because I’m sure not the best looking or the flashiest … but I know who I am. And I know how hard I’ll work for you.”
By the way, NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli -- who's covering Richardson filing his paperwork today for the New Hampshire primary -- reports that Richardson said he would not accept matching funds "because it's unilateral disarmament." It's worth noting that not accepting matching funds makes it MUCH easier to transfer one's presidential money into a Senate account. Just some food for thought...
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Julia Steers
PHILADELPHIA, PA -- *** The Debate At Drexel: Tonight at 9:00 pm ET, the Democratic presidential candidates -- minus Gravel -- will gather here at Drexel University in the City of Brotherly Love for their seventh debate of this campaign season (or eighth, if you count the boisterous AFL-CIO forum at Chicago’s Soldier Field). Moderated by NBC’s Brian Williams, with additional questions from NBC’s Tim Russert, the debate airs on MSNBC and will be livestreamed on MSNBC.com. To see where the Dem race now stands, it’s worth recalling the first debate of the cycle, which was held almost exactly six months ago in Orangeburg, SC. Before that debate, Clinton held a narrow five-point lead over Obama (36%-31%) in the NBC/WSJ poll. Since then, however, she has expanded it. The latest NBC/WSJ poll has her leading Obama by 21 points (44%-23%), and Edwards by 28 points (44%-16%). Other surveys have her with even wider leads over her rivals. There is no doubt about it: These debates have had an impact on the race.
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VIDEO: NBC News/National Journal campaign reporters, Athena Jones, Aswini Anburajan and Tricia Miller discuss the debate preparation of the Democratic candidates.
*** Channeling John Elway? With this kind of lead, tonight's debate is as much about Clinton's challengers as it is about her. Like a football team down by two touchdowns heading into the fourth quarter, it's mostly up to that team to erase the deficit (although miscues by the team that’s ahead certainly can help the comeback). As we noted yesterday, Obama’s interview with the
New York Times -- in which he promised to step up his criticism of Clinton -- has raised expectations for the Illinois senator. In fact, the pressure on Obama has never been greater than it is tonight. This might sound far-fetched, but there is a real chance that this race begins or ends tonight. Many in the Beltway chattering class will issue a verdict of "game on" or "game over" after tonight. It's probably premature -- and not fair -- but it's something Obama's folks probably are now realizing. And it may be why just in the last 12 hours, we've sensed a downshifting a tad of just how aggressive Obama's going to be. See Axlerod in Howard Fineman’s piece.
***
If You’re Name Isn’t Clinton Or Obama: It’s also worth keeping an eye on Edwards, who yesterday delivered a tough speech aimed directly Clinton, charging her for taking more money from Washington lobbyists than any other presidential candidate. Ironically, perhaps the most lethal attack Edwards has leveled to date on Clinton is getting overshadowed by the MSM’s obsession of Obama versus Clinton. The good news for Edwards is he may actually have the chance of standing back and watching Obama swing at Clinton. And if Obama misses, he can pounce and try to fill the void. With everyone expecting Obama to be the aggressor, does Edwards -- or Biden, Dodd, or someone else -- steal the spotlight?
*** Iran And Social Security: The issue that will likely produce much of tonight’s back-and-forth is Clinton’s vote last month on the measure designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, which pits her versus all of her Dem rivals. Social Security might also provide some sparks: In recent days, Obama has given speeches, and even released a TV ad, jabbing at Clinton’s refusal in the past debate to propose specific solutions to fix Social Security. In response, the Clinton camp went up with its own TV ad in New Hampshire that changes the subject to -- whom else? -- George Bush. “When George Bush threatened to privatize Social Security,” the announcer says in the ad, “Hillary was there fighting every step of the way to stop him.”
***
Rudy’s Foils: Giuliani is proving to be very adept at using his tenuous front-runner status -- most recently by taking shots at the Democratic front-runners. Per NBC/NJ’s Matthew Berger, Rudy yesterday went after Clinton, Edwards, and Obama on Iraq and Iran. “Suppose Hillary Clinton and John Edwards’ new position were there positions back then, that it was a mistake to take him out,” Giuliani said. “Would we be dealing with Saddam Hussein becoming nuclear right now? If Iran was becoming nuclear, what would he be doing?” While Hillary Clinton uses George Bush as her foil, Giuliani uses Clinton and the other Dems.
***
Is Huckabee For Real? It depends who you ask. The media love him, and more Republicans are warming to him. But that’s not true for fiscal conservatives like the Club for the Growth, which yesterday released yet another negative press release on the ex-governor. This a classic good news/bad news issue for Huckabee. The good news: He’s making enough progress to get attacked. The bad news: He doesn’t have the resources to fight these charges, making it possible that his surge ends before it begins.
*** On The Trail: Elsewhere today, Edwards holds a town hall in New Hampshire before traveling to Philly; Giuliani raises money in New York; McCain also fundraises in New York and meets with leaders of Jewish-American organizations; Paul appears on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; Richardson files to be on the New Hampshire ballot; Romney raises money in New York City, Chicago, and Boston; and Thompson holds a rally in Newport Beach, CA.
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Countdown to Iowa: 65 days
Countdown to New Hampshire: 70 days
Countdown to Michigan: 77 days
Countdown to SC GOP primary: 81 days
Countdown to Florida: 91 days
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Countdown to Election Day 2008: 371days
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Boston Globe's Helman curtain-raises the debate and notes the difficulty Obama has had in drawing distinctions with Clinton. "The Iraq war. Healthcare. Diplomacy. Iran. In the nine months since launching his insurgent campaign for president, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois has seized on a slew of issues in trying to set himself apart from Senator Hillary Clinton of New York. But with Clinton's dominance unabated, there is little evidence Obama has made headway on any of them… Part of Obama's problem, analysts say, is that despite how hard his campaign is working to highlight its differences - he is vowing again this week to take her on more directly - he and Clinton are simply not far apart on major issues."
So which Obama are we going to see tonight? David Axelrod offers a hint to Howard Fineman. “There are many Obama supporters who think he has been entirely too subtle and that he needs to go straight for the jugular Tuesday night. Axelrod isn’t one of them, and he presumably has some influence. ‘The Washington people want a steel-cage death match,’ he said. ‘It’s blood lust. But we have our own theory and our own pace. And, by the way, it’s a dead heat in Iowa.’”
CONTINUED >>
BIDEN: The
AP reports on Biden’s speech at the Delaware Jefferson-Jackson Dinner last evening. “Biden said the next president's term will determine whether America ‘regains its footing and reinvigorates the middle class or continues on this spiral that this administration has put us into.’ ‘The American people know that this president has dug us into a very, very deep hole,’ Biden said.”
CLINTON: The
Washington Post's Kornblut looks at Bill Clinton's role in the campaign and, potentially, as the first spouse. "Exactly how Clinton would conduct himself during this unprecedented process has been a subject of much speculation from the outset. Advisers worried that his charisma might eclipse his wife, that his past marital misconduct might become an issue again, or that after years of dominating public attention it would be hard for him to cede the spotlight. But so far, he has maneuvered the uncharted territory of running what amounts to a third presidential campaign largely as a free agent -- attending occasional strategy meetings with senior advisers at the couple's home in Chappaqua, N.Y., and serving as a surrogate in places his wife cannot be, but rarely making his presence felt at the campaign's headquarters in Arlington, several campaign officials said. He is at times out of the loop on campaign strategy and developments, they said."
CONTINUED >>
GIULIANI: The
Washington Post reports that Rudy Giuliani still works part time at Giuliani Partners. "Giuliani's continuing involvement with a firm catering to corporate clients makes him unique among Republican contenders. It also complicates the task of separating his firm's assets from his campaign spending. Several of the firm's employees do volunteer work for his campaign. And Giuliani did not decide until mid-June, six months after he entered the race, to bill his campaign for the cost of the security detail traveling with him on campaign trips; before then, the firm paid the expense."
More: "Federal election laws prohibit Giuliani's firm from absorbing costs or providing services that legally should be covered by political donations, campaign experts said… One concern among ethics experts is that Giuliani's continuing affiliation with the firm might create a public perception that clients with business that could be affected by a Giuliani presidency might hire the firm to curry favor.”
The Washington Times looks at Giuliani's latest New Hampshire radio ad on health care, and uses it as a peg to prove he's as focused on the general election as he is on the primary. "Giuliani continues to look past his Republican presidential foes to target front-running Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton, talking candidly about his bout with prostate cancer and deriding the New York senator's plan for ‘socialized medicine.'"
In New Hampshire yesterday, Giuliani came out in support of the Patriot Act, something that may actually not play well in the "Live Free or Die" state. “‘I don't know of any areas in which it isn't operating well," he said... ‘I can't think of anything I would add to it, but sometimes you think of things as you go along."
CONTINUED >>
The New York Times: “State Department investigators offered Blackwater USA security guards immunity during an inquiry into last month’s deadly shooting of 17 Iraqis in Baghdad -- a potentially serious investigative misstep that could complicate efforts to prosecute the company’s employees involved in the episode, government officials said Monday.”
The Washington Post adds, “FBI agents called in to take over the State Department's investigation two weeks after the Sept. 16 shootings cannot use any information gleaned during questioning of the guards by the department's Bureau of Diplomatic Security, which is charged with supervising security contractors. Some of the Blackwater guards have subsequently refused to be interviewed by the FBI, citing promises of immunity from State, one law enforcement official said. The restrictions on the FBI's use of their initial statements do not preclude prosecution by the Justice Department using other evidence, the official said, but ‘they make things a lot more complicated and difficult.’”
CONTINUED >>
The entire GOP House congressional delegation is heading to the White House this morning for a meeting with President Bush, NBC’s Mike Viquiera reports. Afterwards, the president -- flanked by Republican leaders -- is expected to speak to the press. Bush’s remarks are expected to last 5-7 minutes, according to House GOP aides. And on the agenda are Mukasey’s confirmation, spending bills, FISA, and national security issues.
Will they also discuss House GOP retirements? The New York Times examines all of these retirements thus far - the latest of which is Tom Tancredo’s -- and notes that one of the reasons for them is the GOP’s new minority status. “‘Obviously, I would rather be in the majority,’ said [Ralph] Regula, who has spent almost 50 years in public service, considering his state and federal offices. ‘But it is just time.’ While the time might be right for Mr. Regula to leave Congress, it is not particularly opportune for his party, which already has an uphill fight to regain control of the House next year.”
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
Dodd said on MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews that Clinton’s flaws are electability and “whether or not she can get the job done.”
“I bring a quarter century of experience. I always brought Republicans and Democrats together,” Dodd said. “After six years of on-the-job training, the country is looking for someone with unique ideas. I say respectfully, I don’t think that’s out there with other candidates.”
Dodd also drew distinctions between himself and other Democratic candidates, particularly on the Iraq war. Dodd said that it was remarkable that neither Clinton nor Obama nor Edwards could commit to having troops out of Iraq by the end of their first term -- six to seven years down the road -- when asked about it by NBC’s Washington Bureau Chief and Meet the Press host Tim Russert at the last MSNBC debate. Dodd said he would “absolutely” have troops out by the end of his first term.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Elissa Davis
Dodd became the first senator to officially speak out against Bush's nominee for Attorney General in a conference call earlier today with reporters. Unlike others, who have complained about Mukasey's ambiguous stance on waterboarding, Dodd said his opposition is over presidential power. The president and the executive branch should not be able to trump statutes as a matter of national security, Dodd said.
"This statement is far more troubling than those on torture,” Dodd said. “As important as those are, this is far more troubling. The suggestion that the President as some penumbra to be above the law is a very troubling statement.” He expressed strong opposition to Mukasey, outlining that if he were to be confirmed, his statement would set the precedent that "any President would be able claim at any time that something was a national security issue; it would open Pandora’s Box,” Dodd said. “This ought to bother everyone. No one is above the law, a first-year law student would know how fundamental this is."
Dodd said presidential power was part of the problem with Alberto Gonzales. Dodd said he hopes both Democrats and Republicans would be as concerned as he is and block Mukasey. Dodd added though that he would not go so far as to filibuster the nomination, which is why he’s raising the issue now, because as far as he knows it is "99 to1."
From NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-TreworgyCONCORD, NH -- On the same day he holds a grand opening for his campaign’s New Hampshire headquarters this evening,
Thompson sat at the historic filing desk here and added his name to the nation’s first primary ballot. Yet because his name is legally Freddie Dalton Thompson, his first name will appear in quotations as is the procedure with nicknames.
Along with the official filing form, all of the candidates who file in New Hampshire are traditionally asked to add their autograph to a sheet that commemorates the particular election cycle. Thompson’s signature took up the bottom left corner of the page, and next to it he wrote, “New Hampshire 1st in the nation, forever!”
After leaving the filing desk Thompson took questions from members of the New Hampshire media, who immediately began grilling him on why he’d waited so long to come back to their state. One reporter asked how Thompson expected to do well in the nation’s first primary without “face to face contact with voters.”
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
It looked like a presidential rally with a presidential candidate, so it must have been one, right? Yesterday, the Mayor of Columbia, SC proclaimed Oct. 28 "Stephen Colbert Day" in a rally with 1,000 students and community members. At the University of South Carolina, Mayor Bob Coble also called Colbert "South Carolina's favorite son," edging Colbert past Edwards in the "South Carolina favorite son" race.
Colbert thanked the mayor and proclaimed his love for his home state. "I love South Carolina," Colbert said, "let me finish, almost as much as South Carolina loves me." He said his tour through the state is to prove his campaign his real. "To put an end to the vicious rumors that this is not a serious candidacy. Sorry Huffington Post, you are going to have to write about something else."
With rallies and support in his home state, the next step is the outreach. Like many of the other candidates, Colbert has a Facebook group, and could he be beating Barack Obama in one way as well? According to the Facebook group "1,000,000 Strong for Stephen T Colbert", the answer is yes. The group boasts 1,196,757 members as of 1:45pmET today, about 10,000 more than two hours earlier. As a comparison, one of the larger Obama Facebook groups, "Barack Obama (One Million Strong for Barack)," had 386,490 members at the same time.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
The Clinton campaign is taking no chances in Iowa. The candidate is up with a new ad there in an apparent follow-up to Obama's thinly veiled attacks on the former First Lady on social security.
In the 30-second TV spot, an announcer highlights Clinton's efforts to fight President Bush "every step of the way to stop him" from privatizing social security.
"These days, it seems like every candidate on earth is coming here for you," the announcer says. "But which candidate has been there for you all along?
Here's the full transcript of "There for You":
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli"Every time you're somewhere, that means you're not somewhere else,"
Fred Thompson said to reporters after he filed here in New Hampshire.
From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
An official at the Department of Homeland Security says "letters of reprimand" were drafted this weekend and placed in the personnel files of FEMA staffers involved in that controversial press conference.
Officials cited human resources regulations and would not say how many employees received these letters and what the nature of the reprimand is. Officials do not rule out additional measures. All those involved are said to be present at work today and aware of the reprimands.
According to officials, Admiral Harvey Johnson, FEMA's second in command, who was at the podium "had no knowledge" that there were no reporters present at the briefing Oct 23. Officials say Johnson did know that some FEMA staffers would be asking questions (he called on one by name).
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ's Tricia Miller
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- In a speech expected to set the tone for the rest of his primary campaign,
Edwards left no doubt who he was gunning for:
Hillary Clinton.
"When I asked Hillary Clinton to join me in not taking money from Washington lobbyists, she refused," Edwards said. "Not only did she say that she would continue to take their money, she actually defended them. Today Hillary Clinton has taken more money from Washington lobbyists than any candidate from either party -- more money than any Republican candidate. She has taken more money from the defense industry than any candidate from either party. She took more money from Wall Street last quarter than
Rudy Giuliani,
Mitt Romney and
Barack Obama combined."
Edwards railed against the corruption of Washington and corporate America and called listeners to rise up to "guard the promise of America" in the tradition of democracy. He spoke about not specific policies but broad guiding principles and continued to paint himself as an outsider, free of the influence of Washington insiders. Talking to reporters afterward, he promised to continue drawing distinctions between his candidacy and those of his opponents.
From NBC’s Libby Leist
John P. "Pat" Philbin, the now former FEMA director of external affairs who participated in FEMA's fake press conference last week by posing as a reporter and asking a question, has reported to work today at the Director of National Intelligence headquarters in Washington, according to a DNI official.
Philbin was tapped to take over as the head of public affairs for Director of National Intelligence Admiral Mike McConnell before the controversy erupted. But now his new job could be in jeopardy. "He is in meetings" and those who hired Philbin "are looking into the situation," the DNI official said.
*** UPDATED *** Philbin will NOT be director of public affairs for Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell.
Philbin was hired to be Director of Public Affairs for the Director of National Intelligence before the fake FEMA news conference ever happened. His first day was always scheduled to be today.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
We mentioned the Democratic side’s University of Iowa poll results this morning. Here’s the Republican side with Romney having maintained and expanded his lead to a commanding 36.2% to 13.1% over Giuliani. Huckabee is on Giuliani’s heels at 12.8% and Thompson is fourth with 11.4.%. Romney was at 27.8% in August; Huckabee was at just 1.8%. McCain stands at just 6%. Nearly 15% of Republican voters say they are undecided.
The Des Moines Register notes, “Male voters preferred Giuliani and Thompson, the poll authors said, while Romney is the only Republican candidate who did better among women than men. Romney also does very well among the oldest caucusgoers, while Huckabee is succeeding with baby boomers….”
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro and NBC/NJ’s Matthew E. Berger
On the heels of Sen. Judd Gregg’s endorsement of Romney, Giuliani is set to roll out the endorsement of ex-Connecticut U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson, the Hartford Courant is reporting.
Giuliani will be in “Hartford at 5 p.m. to talk about health care and accept the endorsement of former U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson, one of the authors of the Medicare drug prescription plan,” the Courant’s Capitol Watch blog reports.
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
Some new ads to talk about from over the weekend and up today. We noted earlier Obama’s a new ad on social security, taking an implicit swipe at Clinton. But Giuliani and Paul also have new ads. Giuliani is up today with a radio ad in New Hampshire, touting the American health-care system and his proposed health-care deductions. Paul went up with his first television ads.
In Giuliani’s ad, he talks about his bout with prostate cancer and that, in the United States there is an 82 percent survival rate as opposed to England, where the survival rate is only 44 percent with "socialized medicine." He then touts his proposed $15,000 family health-care deduction and $7,500 individual health-care deduction. "We have the best health insurance coverage in the world," Giuliani concludes. "We just have to make it better."
Paul’s ads are part of a $1.1 million TV push and $430,000 radio campaign. The first ad shows voters offering words of support, but the ad’s music and the way it’s shot and produced seems like a flashback to an earlier time, say the 1970s. Some blogs have noted complaints from those who say they are Paul supporters over the ad. The second ad is better, with Paul speaking directly into the camera with the Constitution as a backdrop.
*** UPDATE *** NBC/NJ's Matthew E. Berger adds from Manchester, N.H....
Ironically, the ad debuts on the same day as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced he has prostate cancer. Olmert and Giuliani have met numerous times, dating back to when Giuliani was New York City mayor and Olmert was the mayor of Jerusalem.
Giuliani is expected to continue the healthcare message at a roundtable discussion in Manchester Monday, before continuing on to a town hall in Londonderry.
From NBC/NJ’s Tricia Miller
When he filed for the New Hampshire primary this morning,
Edwards signed “One America” on the poster signed by all the candidates in the Secretary of State’s office. A crowd of supporters chanted his name in the hallway leading into the media-packed office. He first signed the placard on the legendary desk, then moved to a table in the back office to take reporters' questions.
"What I have to say to New Hampshire primary voters is, if they want to ensure that, in fact, we do what 20 generations have done before us and that we meet the great moral test of our generation, we're going to have to take on a system that's rigged and corrupt and doesn't work," he said in response to a question about the impression that the Democratic nomination is a two-way race.
He said Americans voted not necessarily for Democrats but for change in 2006.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/National Journal’s Erin McPike
On the morning of his filing in New Hampshire,
Romney got a nice boost to his Granite State campaign. Senior Sen.
Judd Gregg (R) endorsed Romney and will join him in Concord for his presidential filing.
GOP strategist Mike Murphy, who had a business relationship with Romney until early last year and worked in 2000 for
McCain -- who won the state -- was once unimpressed with Gregg’s backing. Gregg had supported
Bush eight years ago, but Murphy told the New York Times that the help of Gregg’s team was less of a boon and more hype, saying, “They can't even deliver a pizza.”
Still, Romney’s announcement of the endorsement today noted that “in 2004, he received the highest number of votes in any election in the state’s history.”
From NBC's Chuck ToddIs there a new GOP Senate seat now on the Democratic target list? A new
Research 2000 poll matches up Senate GOP leader
Mitch McConnell against a number of potential Democratic challengers. And in every matchup, McConnell is under 50%, with Democratic Rep.
Ben Chandler giving McConnell the closest race, losing 46%-41%. Could McConnell get Daschle-d? His approval rating is a net negative overall, thanks not just to angry Democrats, but also independents.
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
***
Obama steps it up -- again? How much was the Obama
New York Times interview -- in which he told the paper he would begin to step up his criticism of Clinton -- was simply about keeping donors on the reservation? Strategists will tell you that there's no faster way to speak to your donor base than thru the Times. By the way, it wasn’t the first time Obama said he would begin contrasting himself with the Democratic front-runner. From the August 15 Washington Post: "Consistently trailing Clinton (N.Y.) in national polls, Obama (Ill.) has sought recently to draw more explicit contrasts between his views and what he has portrayed as the conventional thinking and behavior that have caused problems for the country, especially in the rest of the world. He did that again in the interview Monday afternoon, defending himself against criticism from Clinton and other Democratic rivals for a series of statements on foreign policy and arguing that Clinton's foreign policy views risk continued international perceptions of U.S. arrogance." Is that Post interview from August evidence that, deep down, Obama doesn’t want to go after Clinton the way his supporters and the media want him to? We’ll find out for sure tomorrow night.
*** Great expectations: Obama has clearly raised the stakes for his performance at Tuesday's MSNBC debate at Drexel. The downside to those raised expectations: What if he fails to land a solid blow at Clinton? That could be how the media covers the debate, from the perspective of whether Obama puts her on the defensive or whether she swats him back. Just in time for tomorrow’s debate, a new University of Iowa poll shows that Iowa is a dead heat for the top Democrats. Clinton is at 28.9%; Obama is at 26.6%; and Edwards is at 20%.
***
Two or three presidents? Here’s an interesting preview of what could end up being the longest general election in this nation's history. Giuliani yesterday took Clinton to task over a promise she made about sending envoys around the world to fix the country's international reputation -- the day after she wins the election. Said Giuliani, "The danger is that you have two presidents conducting foreign policy, one with all the power and no moral authority, and one with no power." What Giuliani is touching on is a problem we've identified numerous times about the frontloaded calendar: the possibility of not two presidents -- but really three (the current one and the two nominees). It's a governing nightmare for the current president, but it also could become a political nightmare for the eventual GOP nominee, unless he is able to paint the Dem nominee as undermining the government (as Giuliani attempted with his critique yesterday). Because if this doesn't work, it'll mean the GOP nominee will be constantly stuck between defending President Bush or criticizing him. That’s not a great choice.
*** Mistakes were made…: However, Giuliani’s critique of Clinton was yet another clever way for him to passively admit "mistakes" -- without owning up to any specific ones. Giuliani said he wasn't "criticizing Senator Clinton" for promising to send envoys as president-elect or "charging her with anything." Instead, he wanted to offer her a chance to correct her statement. "I know I make my own set of mistakes, and I wish I could correct things I've said... Let's give her a chance to explain what she meant and withdraw it," Giuliani added in a conciliatory tone, per NBC/National Journal’s Aswini Anburajan. Giuliani has dealt with his supposed personal problems very deftly to date by constantly owning up to making "mistakes," making any future revelations all part of the "mistake" umbrella.
***
McCain’s disadvantage in Iowa: It’s too bad for McCain that the Iowa GOP's caucus rules are so different from the Iowa Democrats’. McCain probably scores well in the second-choice category with Iowa Republicans. The problem is that there's no "threshold" system for the Republicans, meaning every caucus is a simple straw vote. Without the opportunity to coalesce second-choice supporters -- a la John Kerry and John Edwards in 2004, when Dean and Gephardt didn't make the 15% threshold in some caucuses -- it makes Iowa that much tougher. Still, second place in Iowa appears to be completely up for grabs, and McCain may have little choice.
*** Sports metaphor time: After last night, we have to ask: What if the Democratic primary fight turns out to be as interesting as the World Series? So many of us are convinced that the Clinton- vs.-somebody-else dynamic will happen because it always does. Then again, sometimes a veteran team waltzes into the World Series and simply sweeps the hot newcomer. (Of course, the Sox found themselves down 3-1 to Cleveland in the ACLS; Clinton has yet to face that kind of adversity.) Also, can Mitt Romney take heart in the juggernaut that is the Boston sports scene? Sure, he likes to disavow his Massachusetts credentials, but let's face it: Boston apparently is for winners right now -- with the Red Sox, and even the Boston College Eagles. Will Massachusetts add Romney to their list of winners come February 2008? Finally, with the Red Sox season at a close, look for renewed speculation of Curt Schilling entering Republican politics. There are still some Republicans holding out hope he'll retire and run against John Kerry.
*** On the trail: It’s a busy day in New Hampshire, where three presidential candidates -- Edwards (at 8:30 am ET), Romney (at 12:30 pm), and Thompson (at 2:45 pm) -- officially file to be on the ballot in the state. Edwards, who’s in the second day of a four-day swing through the Granite State, also gives a speech today in Manchester, in which he will rail against corruption in Washington and a political system that doesn’t work for the people. And in what appears to be the longest concerted effort he has made in ANY state to date, Giuliani spends virtually his entire week in New Hampshire (sans one short stint in Connecticut to pick up an endorsement). Elsewhere today, Obama begins his day campaigning in Cedar Rapids, IA before holding an event in Charlottesville, VA.
Countdown to Election Day 2007: 8 days
Countdown to Iowa: 66 days
Countdown to New Hampshire: 71 days
Countdown to Michigan: 78 days
Countdown to SC GOP primary: 82 days
Countdown to Florida: 92 days
Countdown to Tsunami Tuesday: 99 days
Countdown to Election Day 2008: 372 days
Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 449 days
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The Philadelphia Inquirer previews Tuesday’s debate in the city, which will be broadcast on MSNBC. “Tomorrow, the political circus comes to town. Seven Democratic presidential candidates, accompanied by their entourages and the national press corps, will descend on Drexel University for a two-hour debate… The focus will be on Hillary Rodham Clinton - and the pressure, on everyone else. The central question is whether any of them can dent the aura of inevitability that has come to surround her candidacy, or whether she will do anything to damage herself.”
The Sunday New York Times front-paged that Obama would begin “confronting Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton more directly and forcefully, saying Friday that she had not been candid in describing her views on critical policy issues, as he tries to address mounting alarm among supporters that his lack of assertiveness so far has allowed her to dominate the presidential race… In a 53-minute interview … Mr. Obama said Mrs. Clinton had been untruthful or misleading in describing her positions on problems facing the nation. He accused her of ‘straddling between the Giuliani, Romney side of the foreign policy equation and the Barack Obama side of the equation.’ He said that she was trying to ‘sound or vote’ like a Republican on national security issues and that that was ‘bad for the country and ultimately bad for Democrats.’”
The campaign went up with a new TV ad in Iowa yesterday -- which is a subtle dig at Clinton’s insistence that she won’t put any Social Security fixes on the table. In it, Obama says: “We’ve got 78 million baby boomers who are going to be retiring. There’s going to be more money going out than money coming in. If we have failed to have a real, honest conversation about Social Security, it will not get fixed. This is a program that millions of people depend on… I don’t want to just put my finger out to the wind and see what the polls say. I want to bring the country together to solve a problem.”
CONTINUED >>
“In a reversal from past election cycles, Democratic candidates for president are outpacing Republicans in donations from the health care industry, even as the leading Democrats in the field offer proposals that have caused deep anxiety in some of its sectors,” the New York Times front-pages.
CLINTON: Something that may sound good to Democrats in a focus group may have gotten Clinton some unneeded bad press. The
Des Moines Register gets scholars and experts to critique Clinton on her promise to begin sending distinguished Americans around the world, even before she's inaugurated -- which some argue could undermine the sitting US president. (After all, Clinton -- more than any other potential president -- knows better than most of the potential for one president to handoff an international crisis to another. Did someone say Somalia?)
By the way, check out this quote Clinton gave to the Des Moines Register: "Obviously, these are somewhat unusual times," Clinton said in a Des Moines Register interview. "The country is ready to turn the page on the failed policies of the Bush administration. The world is anxious for that to occur."
"Turn the page"? Wonder what Camp Obama thinks about that!
CONTINUED >>
Veteran political observer Walter Shapiro takes a look at the GOP field and wonders which candidate is the most macho. "They have each faced down cancer, hired divorce lawyers, endured thinning hair as they reached the qualifying age for Social Security and compiled unorthodox résumés for big-time candidates. Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Fred Thompson are the "macho men" (yes, the quote marks are ironic) of the Republican presidential race, and their contrasting brands of political masculinity were on display in Iowa late last week… Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee may transcend this Mr. Universe competition through sheer determination as the two major candidates who have invested the most time in Iowa. But both former governors lack the star power to compete in the macho-man bake-off, unless you count as charisma a full head of dark hair and a disciplined MBA-style campaign (Romney) or a puckish sense of humor and a background as a Baptist minister (Huckabee).
McClatchy’s Steven Thomma looks at how GOP candidates are running “hard to the right” in the primaries.
GIULIANI: In case you were wondering, Giuliani Partners
has been in a holding pattern of sorts when it comes to client acquisition, since the principle has been on the campaign trail. "He has stepped back from the firm's activities, sources said, in no small part because he is constantly on the road nowadays. Since spring, the firm has been guided by his friend Peter Powers, a former mayoral campaign manager and deputy mayor, sources said."
CONTINUED >>
It's official: Iowa Democrats have joined the Iowa Republican Party and picked Thursday January 3, as the date they will hold their caucuses, NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann reports. Iowa Democratic Party chairman Scott Brennan says that the state party's decision to move its caucuses to January 3rd, 2008, will give an "appropriate bounce" to the winners in the First-in-the-Nation caucus. "By moving to the third, we've left New Hampshire the ability to go to the eighth, if they so choose," Brennan said in an interview with NBC late Sunday. "That's an appropriate bounce for whoever wins Iowa."
That momentum bump will also apply to "the other folks coming out of Iowa," he added, meaning those who generate media buzz with a strong finish in the state. Brennan noted that by holding both parties' caucuses on the same night, Democrats and Republicans in the state will show a united front to those who challenge Iowa's influence in the nominating process. He said of his GOP counterparts: "We can argue about certain things, but keeping Iowa first is not one of the things we wanted to argue about."
NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan deals with the question many on the Democratic side have wondered: While this will help Obama with students who can caucus in their hometowns, what about the out-of-state students, many of whom from neighboring Illinois, who might have turned out for Obama if the caucuses were held when school was in session? There's a school of thought that the person most helped by January 3 is Edwards, since his supporters are assumed to be the most committed caucus-goers. Obama and Clinton are both hoping to expand the caucus universe -- Obama via independents and young voters and Clinton via regular Democrats who never caucus.
CONTINUED >>
NBC's Kevin Corke confirms that Dan Bartlett, former counselor to President Bush, is moving to Texas to join Public Strategies Inc., one of the nation's best-connected public affairs firms. The move reunites Bartlett with Mark McKinnon, the firm's vice chairman, who directed the advertising efforts for Bush's 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns.
Public Strategies specializes in crisis communications, public opinion, legislative strategy, and complicated corporate scenarios like mergers. When Bartlett left the White House in July, he had worked for Bush for 14 years without a break -- beginning in 1993, when at age 22 he joined the future president's first campaign for Texas governor.
Some trouble for AG nominee Michael Mukasey’s confirmation? McCain and Sen. Lindsay Graham (R) “voiced concerns about Mukasey but neither said whether they may vote against him.” Graham on Face the Nation: “I am convinced as an individual senator, as a military lawyer for 25 years, that waterboarding ... does violate the Geneva Convention, does violate our war crimes statute, and is clearly illegal.” McCain on ABC’s This Week: Anyone who says they don't know if waterboarding is torture or not has no experience in the conduct of warfare and national security."
From NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-TreworgyDES MOINES, IA -- Iowa’s GOP faithful filed into the Hyvee Hall here last night for the state’s Reagan Day Dinner, which featured speeches from most of the party’s presidential candidates. Notably absent were
McCain and
Giuliani, the two candidates often thought to have the hardest road to success in the Iowa caucuses.
The mostly decided crowd came wearing stickers in support of their favorite candidate, and many left after the candidates finished speaking -- skipping the anti-climactic keynote address from GOPAC Chairman Michael Steele.
The speaker thought by many to have given the best speech of the night was Huckabee, who went second to last and touted his ability to beat the Clinton political machine as evidenced by four successful gubernatorial elections in Arkansas. “I’m often asked, ‘Do you think you can win, particularly against Hillary?,’” he said. “Folks, may I suggest to you I’ve been battling against the headwinds of Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton’s political machine in Arkansas more than anybody else running for president. I didn’t just win once, not twice, not three times, but four times in a statewide election against the Clinton political machine. Bill Clinton and Hillary campaigned against me every time I ever ran, and I won and they didn’t.”
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ's Aswini AnburajanPeterborough, NH -- At a town hall here today,
Giuliani offered
Hillary Clinton "a chance to correct her mistake" in saying that she would send emissaries abroad as president-elect of the United States.
Giuliani opened with a quote Clinton had given to the Des Moines Register, in which she said -- as she has done in the past -- that she would send envoys abroad the day after she was elected president." The day after I'm elected, I'm going to be asking distinguished Americans of both political parties to travel around the world on my behalf with a very simple message to the governments and the people alike: The era of cowboy diplomacy is over."
But quoting an expert from that Des Moines Register article, Giuliani said that Clinton's action would seriously undermine the authority of the sitting president of the United States and possibly set a dangerous precedent. "The danger is that you have two presidents conducting foreign policy, one with all the power and no moral authority, and one with no power," he said, quoting James Lindsay, director of the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law at the University of Texas at Austin. "Presidents-elect should not exercise their authority before they have it."
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/National Journal's Tricia MillerDES MOINES, IOWA -- With a community meeting in tiny Coulter in Franklin County yesterday morning,
Edwards has now visited all 99 Iowa counties. The campaign celebrated the milestone last night with about 850 supporters at Drake University in Des Moines.
In Coulter, Edwards staffers gave reporters a memo with data and graphs from pollster Harrison Hickman and Iowa director Jen O'Malley Dillon showing the senator's support in Iowa. They observed that while Edwards has visited all 99 counties in 53 days in Iowa,
Obama has appeared in 59 counties in 52 days and
Clinton 39 counties in 38 days. "With Iowa's proportionally representative system, a campaign that can turn out five additional caucusgoers in 100 rural precincts will almost certainly make greater gains than a rival campaign that can turn out an additional 500 caucusgoers in one precinct," the report said.
The memo continued play up Edwards' chances in the general election. It showed that he would defeat the Republican front-runners in "big blue states" -- specifically California, Massachusetts, and New York -- with smaller margins than his Democratic opponents. But it also found that he was more likely to win in battleground states (Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Virginia were listed) compared with his Dem rivals.
From NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann
CLEAR LAKE, IA --
Mike Huckabee thinks that it’s more than just buzz. More than just speculation. More than just fifteen minutes of fame.
In the words of the legendary classic rock band Boston, it’s more than a feeling.
The Arkansas governor’s band, accompanied by Boston lead guitarist Barry Goudreau, appeared Friday night at Clear Lake’s famous Surf Ballroom -- the rock-and-roll pilgrimage site where Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and JP “The Big Bopper” Richardson played their last show before their plane crashed in a frozen Iowa field in 1959.
The appearance by Huckabee’s band, Capitol Offense, came at the end of a week filled with chatter about his potential as a breakout candidate in the Republican race for the White House. And he sure wasn’t going to miss a chance to use his bass guitar’s booming rhythm to turn that buzz’s volume up.
CONTINUED >>
CORRECTION: Kucinich will NOT be in Florida Saturday. He will be in Dearborn, Mich.
From NBC’s Andy Merten
While in Concord earlier today to file for the New Hampshire primary, Kucinich used his moment with the press to come out harshly against his party’s top-tier presidential contenders’ policies towards Iraq, and also leveled some heavy criticism towards what he perceives to be pending military action toward Iran.
After filling out his primary registration paperwork, the Ohio congressman switched gears to campaign mode, listing off the flaws of Clinton, Edwards and Obama’s voting records on the Iraq War. On Obama: “I’m glad that he gave a speech where he said that he opposed the war. He got elected to the Senate -- what did he do? He voted over and over again to fund the war. He cannot square that, and he’ll never be able to square it.”
He then went on to address Clinton and Edwards. Regarding the New York senator, he said, “She voted a 100 percent of the time to fund the war, except for the last vote we had -- as the clock ran out, both she and Senator Obama, for the first time, decided to vote against funding.” And he dismissed Edwards’ repeated apologies for voting for the 2002 war authorization, saying, “Apologies are a little bit late when you’ve got dead bodies all over the field.”
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ's Tricia MillerThe Wisconsin SEIU today endorsed
Obama, citing his "commitment to expanding access to affordable health care and to protecting workers' rights," according to State Council President Dian Palmer in the release. The union has a little more than 15,000 members.
Spokesman Nathan Hoffmann said the union reached out to members through a phone poll asking which presidential candidate they supported and got input from local leaders and those who attended the members political conference in Washington, DC this summer. Then the nine members of the executive board, representing different parts of the state, voted by electronic ballot yesterday.
From NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-TreworgyDespite the departure this week of a key member of his New Hampshire campaign and rumors that he was going to ditch the Granite State by sending a surrogate to file for him,
Thompson will file in person for the New Hampshire primary this Monday at 2:30 pm ET. Thompson, who was supposed to be traveling to Southern California on Monday for fundraising and public events, “postponed” the first day of his trip to the West Coast due to the California wildfires.
The campaign issued a statement early this afternoon saying that the candidate’s trip to California would begin as planned on Tuesday -- with visits to Northern California. Then just a few hours later, the campaign confirmed that Thompson would instead travel to New Hampshire on Monday to file for the state’s primary.
After being absent from the state for eight weeks, one of the Thompson campaign’s New Hampshire advisers -- Dan Hughes -- defected to McCain’s campaign, telling reporters that he didn’t want to be a “token” official for a “token” campaign. Although soon after Hughes’ departure, the campaign announced the addition of Charlie Arlinghaus -- a former executive director of the New Hampshire GOP -- as a senior adviser, there was still speculation that Thompson would opt not to campaign in New Hampshire as part of his southern strategy.
Well, Thompson has found time to visit New Hampshire for the second time on Monday, but there’s no telling what kind of response he will get from a state where voters like candidates who work for their support.
From NBC's Mark Murray
Today,
Biden released a statement criticizing
Clinton's yes vote on the Kyl-Lieberman measure -- and also
Obama for not voting on it. "I voted against the amendment to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization because I don’t trust this administration not to twist its words into a justification for war. Do you think this president abided by the spirit of the 1998 Iraqi Liberation Act?... Unlike Sen. Clinton, I don’t trust this administration to follow the plain meaning of the law. And unlike Sen. Obama, I believe this was a vitally important vote – not one to miss and then complain about later."
Biden adds, "Ratcheting up tension with Iran plays right into President Ahmadinejad’s hands. It allows him to distract the Iranian people from the terrible failures of his leadership. And it keeps oil prices high, which just lines the pockets of Iran’s government. It’s hard to think of a more self-defeating policy."
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Two days after
McCain went up with an ad, highlighting his "Tied Up" line from Sunday's debate and criticizing
Clinton for wanting to allocate $1 million for a Woodstock museum, he's back at it.
His campaign released a similar TV ad with another tie-dyed opening also to run in New Hampshire. Wednesday's ad began with a tie-dyed and spinning psychadelic image with The Doors' Light My Fire playing in the background.
Today's ad, titled "Woodstock" opens with scenes of Woodstock and cuts to that same tie-dyed image and Doors music.
The ad directly attacks Clinton and puts her face on screen, as an announcer asks if Woodstock "is worthy of a million of your tax dollars to build a museum? Hillary Clinton think so. John McCain disagrees."
Here is the full transcript of "Woodstock":
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell
On Tuesday, FEMA held what was called a "news briefing" on the California fires, but the questions asked did not come from reporters. They were asked instead by FEMA staffers.
VIDEO:
FEMA apologizes for having staff workers pretend to be reporters at a news briefing on the Southern California wildfires. NBC's Jeannie Ohm has the story.
“It is not a practice that we would employ here at the White House or that we -- we certainly don't condone it,” Press Secretary Dana Perino said. “We didn't know about it beforehand. FEMA has issued an apology, saying that they had an error judgment when they were attempting to get out a lot of information to reporters, who were asking for answers to a variety of questions in regard to the wildfires in California. It's not something I would have condoned. And they, I'm sure, will not do it again.”
One reporter asked Perino who is responsible?
“Well, FEMA is responsible,” she said. “And they have accepted that responsibility, and they issued an apology today. They have admitted that they had an error in judgment. I would agree with that. They've issued an apology. And, you know, you'll have to ask them about why they decided to do that."
Why fake it? Apparently, the FEMA briefing was called with little lead-time and reporters didn't get there fast enough. Instead of acknowledging that reporters were not there they apparently pretended and even used the typical practice of calling a "last question."
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ's Erin McPikePOLK COUNTY, Iowa –
Romney this morning suggested that he believes the GOP primary is going to come down to
Giuliani and a more conservative candidate.
“I think it's going to come down to two folks in my view if you look at what's happening with the nomination on our side,” he said of the Republican primary race this morning in an answer to a woman, who said she had left the GOP and asked what the Republicans can do to appeal to a broader range of voters. “And one of the two is going to be somebody who has adopted social issues that are far more like Sen. Clinton's. And someone who is in favor of or who has fought the line-item veto all the way to the Supreme Court." He added, "I don't think that's the right course for our party. It might help us do better in states where we might lose by a smaller margin. But we would still lose.”
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Later with reporters, he backed off a little on insinuating that he sees the race as a two-man contest between him and Giuliani. He said he hopes he becomes the choice of the Reagan coalition -- the alternative to Giuliani. He pointed out that he has raised $5 million more than Giuliani, but his campaign later said it was closer to $3 million in primary dollars.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ’s Carrie Dann
MOVILLE, IA --
Huckabee's running late to a campaign event at a high school here, because he was taping a TV ad somewhere East of Sioux City, according to campaign sources. It will air in Iowa -- late in the game, likely the week before the caucuses or so.
From NBC's Mark Murray
Every Democratic presidential campaign now seems to be releasing a memo. Just a few minutes ago, Dodd communications director Hari Sevugan sent a missive to the press -- but it has nothing to do with Iran or Kyl-Lieberman. Instead, it's about Dodd's work to deny amnesty to telecom companies who might be engaged in the Administration's domestic surveillance program, and how Clinton and Obama are now following Dodd's lead on the issue.
"[T]his wasn't the first time that Senator Dodd's leadership has caused others to follow and do the right thing. Earlier this spring, convinced that the only way for Congress to end the war in Iraq was to use its power of the purse, Chris Dodd was the first candidate in the Senate to call for a firm deadline for redeployment tied to funding of combat operations. Following Dodd's leadership on the issue, Senators Clinton and Obama, again with varying degrees of clarity, publicly stated that they too would support such a measure."
Sevugan continues, "There is no doubt that leadership is going to be a key issue in this election. But, when voters ask themselves which candidate offers the leadership America needs - leadership that can get results - they are going to draw the distinction between who has actually been leading and who has just been talking about it."
See below for the whole memo...
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro
On the heels of a St. Anselm College poll showing Ron Paul in fourth place with 7 percent in New Hampshire, the candidate is starting to spend some of those millions he’s raised with radio ads and an upcoming TV ad. But Paul is also stepping up efforts in direct mail. The campaign put together a 12-page biographical pamphlet being mailed out in New Hampshire.
The
New Hampshire Presidential Watch blog reports, “The mailing comes at the same time that Ron Paul will spend $1 million on five New Hampshire television commercials.”
Paul has also spent $430,000 on a new radio ad, which will run in New Hampshire, Iowa, South Carolina and Nevada. The 60-second ad, an appeal to New Hampshire independents, mentions Paul’s name 11 times and focuses on conservative principles of spending, foreign policy and taxes and mentions “flip-flopping” Republicans and Bill Clinton.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/National Journal’s Tricia MillerEdwards introduced his policy on corporate responsibility in a speech called “Renewing the Social Contract” in Des Moines this morning.
“Over the course of our history, every generation of Americans has helped to expand the reach of that compact, moving us ever closer to the America of our ideals, where opportunity is truly shared by all,” he said in prepared remarks. “But now, instead of expanding further, our social compact is falling apart.”
Edwards called for a “new universal retirement account requiring every business to automatically enroll its workers in at least one plan: a traditional pension, a 401(k), or an IRA.” He also reiterated his support for universal health care, blaming lobbyists and insurance companies for blocking it thus far, and called again for the strengthening of organized labor. He said his administration would enact laws encouraging transparency in corporate reporting and more rights for shareholders, including “a say on executive pay.”
Edwards used the speech to continue his theme of rooting out corruption in Washington, as well as in corporate boardrooms. He brought the speech to a close with a quote from John F. Kennedy: "John F. Kennedy once said, 'The heart of the question is whether all Americans are to be afforded equal rights and equal opportunities, whether we are going to treat our fellow Americans as we want to be treated.'"
From NBC's Mark Murray
We referred to it in First Thoughts, but we didn't post it last night (since we had left the office when it came out), but here is the entire Clinton memo responding to the earlier Obama missive.
CONTINUED >>
From Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro
*** Dueling memos: After the Bush Administration’s announcement yesterday of sanctions against Iran, which sparked another round of infighting among the Democrats, close observers of the Dem race just knew they were coming: the campaign memos. The Obama camp fired off theirs first yesterday afternoon, blasting Clinton for voting for the Lieberman-Kyl measure (which Obama argues contains language offering a new rationale for keeping US troops in Iraq). Then Team Hillary responded with its own memo: “Stagnant in the polls and struggling to revive his once-buoyant campaign, Sen. Obama has abandoned the politics of hope and embarked on a journey in search of a campaign issue to use against Senator Clinton. Nevermind that he made the very argument he is now criticizing back in November 2006. Nevermind that he co-sponsored a bill designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a global terrorist group back in April… [I]f Senator Obama really believed this measure gave the President a blank check for war, shouldn’t he have been in the Senate on the day of the vote, speaking out, and fighting against it?”
*** The last word? Later last night, Obama spokesman Bill Burton tried to get in the last word, when he emailed reporters: “All of the political explanations and contortions in the world aren't going to change the fact that, once again, Senator Clinton supported giving President Bush both the benefit of the doubt and a blank check on a critical foreign policy issue. Barack Obama just has a fundamentally different view.” If you wanted any more proof that Iran has become THE issue in the Dem field, this is it.
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***
Dodd and Edwards pile on: While much of the focus on Iran was between the Clinton and Obama camps, Dodd and Edwards got into the act, too. Edwards, in particular, said in a statement: "I learned a clear lesson from the lead up to the Iraq War in 2002: if you give this president an inch, he will take a mile -- and launch a war. Senator Clinton apparently learned a different lesson. Instead of blocking George Bush's new march to war, Senator Clinton and others are enabling him once again.” Edwards, meanwhile, gives a speech today in Des Moines, where he will propose granting shareholders new rights, capping unfair levels of executive pensions, and modernizing labor laws.
***
Can’t anyone pick one team? In addition to that back-and-forth over Iran yesterday, Clinton took a rare shot at Giuliani -- who mentions the New York senator constantly in his remarks -- by bringing up Rudy’s stated support for the Red Sox in the World Series. “I have been a fan, and I remain a fan of the New York Yankees. No changes, no looking to curry favor with anyone else,” she said. Of course, Clinton might not be the messenger for this kind of swipe, especially since Clinton has said she roots for both the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees. When NBC’s Tim Russert at least month’s debate asked Clinton whom she’d root for if the Cubs and Yanks played in the World Series, Clinton replied: “Well, I would probably have to alternate sides.”
***
The Brownback primary: By meeting yesterday with Giuliani, Brownback seemed close to possibly endorsing Giuliani. Still, Brownback didn’t officially confirm whether he would endorse any candidate in the GOP field, NBC/National Journal’s Adam Aigner-Treworgy reports, but he did say that he was open to meeting with any presidential candidate who was interested in meeting with him. “Don’t assume that we’re not [setting up a meeting with Brownback],” said a spokesman for Thompson’s campaign. But the campaign would not confirm if it has tried or will try to arrange a sit down. Yet as our friends at Hotline suggested yesterday: Just how valuable is Brownback’s endorsement, given that he was registering in the low single digits in the polls?
*** Oh, Obama where art thou: The Obama Gospel Tour, which has drawn criticism for including a controversial singer, kicks off at 7:00 pm ET in South Carolina -- with performers Mary Mary, Fred Hammond, Hezekiah Walker and Beverly Crawford. The controversial singer, Donnie McClurkin, will perform on Sunday. On that same day, the openly gay pastor that the Obama camp added to the tour -- Andy Sidden -- will speak.
***
On the trail: Biden is in New Hampshire, where he attends an AARP forum in Manchester before heading to Derry; Clinton -- after her big party last night -- is down in Chappaqua; Giuliani raises money in Texas; Huckabee stumps in Iowa and plays bass guitar with his band Capitol Offense at the at "Rockin' in the Caucuses: 2007-2008 Road to the White House"; McCain is in Iowa and California; Obama holds campaign events in Columbus, OH and St. Louis; Paul attends the Arab-American Institute National Leadership Conference in Dearborn, MI; and Romney campaigns in Iowa. Also, Elizabeth Edwards is in New Hampshire, and Michelle Obama is in Iowa.
Countdown to Election Day 2007: 11 days
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Countdown to New Hampshire: 74 days
Countdown to Michigan: 81 days
Countdown to SC GOP primary: 85 days
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Countdown to Election Day 2008: 375 days
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The New York Times on the Bush Administration’s announcement yesterday of sanctions against Iran: “[A]fter 18 months in which the administration has touted the virtues of collective action against Iran by the United States and its allies, the sanctions are a major turn toward unilateralism. The shift represents a tacit acknowledgment that the diplomatic strategy pressed most vigorously by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been ineffective, and it prompted fresh criticism on Thursday from Russia: “Why make the situation worse, bring it to a dead end, threaten sanctions or even military action?” President Vladimir V. Putin asked, in a report by Agence France-Presse.”
VIDEO: Is the U.S. headed to war with Iran? Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talks with TODAY's Matt Lauer. The
Washington Post: “In approving far-reaching, new unilateral sanctions against Iran, President Bush signaled yesterday that he intends to pursue a strategy of gradually escalating financial, diplomatic and political pressure on Tehran, aimed not at starting a new war in the Middle East, his advisers said, but at preventing one… Even so, the administration's actions yesterday immediately rekindled fears among Democrats and other countries that the administration is on a path toward war. Bush's charged rhetoric in recent months, including a warning that Iran could trigger a "nuclear holocaust," and his close consultations with hard-liners … have led many outside the White House to conclude that the president will order airstrikes to eliminate any Iranian nuclear capability.”
CONTINUED >>
CLINTON: The AP’s Nedra Pickler writes in her analysis that the Dem race is pretty much Hillary’s to lose. “Democratic insiders, including some working on various 2008 campaigns who spoke on condition of anonymity, agree that barring a major stumble, Clinton is all but sure to win the nomination if she wins the opening contest in Iowa. She is polling well in the states that follow, and no one else would be able to challenge her unless an Iowa loss made her look vulnerable. ‘If Hillary wins Iowa, she can practically start shopping for a running mate,’ said California-based Democratic strategist Dan Newman. But that's a big if.”
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Looking at the national polls, NBC political analyst Charlie Cook observes in his latest National Journal column that Clinton has a high floor -- but also a low ceiling. “Unless Clinton becomes dramatically less polarizing, which seems improbable, she is likely to maintain her slim but consistent advantage. But will it ever widen to the point where a misstep or a bit of misfortune wouldn’t give her Republican opponent the lead? That’s the key question. She seems to be putting the Democratic nomination away, but can she ever put the general election away? Or will she always have no better than a narrow lead in the polls, never quite beyond striking distance from her GOP rival?”
CONTINUED >>
Last night's AARP forum in Iowa -- which featured McCain and Huckabee -- was downright chummy, notes NBC/NJ’s Carrie Dann. Despite a sharp difference on one issue (fair tax), and some joshing jabs about the merits of senatorial vs. gubernatorial experience, it was clear that the two candidates like each other. After the forum, Dann talked to a number of attendees who raved about both candidates for their candor and civility. "They weren't at each others' throats," said Wade Sembach, an auto dealer from Sioux City. A friend echoed that the small venue was "intimate" and that the two candidates -- especially Huckabee -- are rightfully gaining momentum.
GIULIANI: The
Washington Post profiles Bill Simon, the Giuliani campaign’s policy director, who earlier ran for governor of California. “Starting last fall, when Giuliani first called Simon and said he was running for president, Simon, 56, has been more responsible than anyone for Giuliani's policy education, and he has been the agent charged with managing the sometimes eager, sometimes awkward relationship between the former mayor of a liberal city and the conservative establishment.”
CONTINUED >>
The New York Times: “The chairman of the Iowa Democratic Party is recommending holding the state’s presidential caucuses on Jan. 3, joining Iowa Republicans in opening the race for the White House at the earliest date in the history of the nominating contest. The state central committee of the Iowa Democratic Party will convene Sunday evening by telephone to set the official date of the party’s caucuses, Carrie Giddins, a party spokeswoman, said Thursday. Party officials are expected to endorse the recommendation of the chairman, Scott Brennan.”
More: “If the Iowa date is ratified for Jan. 3, attention will turn to New Hampshire, where Secretary of State William Gardner is soon expected to set the state’s primary date.”
Indeed, Gardner hinted that New Hampshire’s primary might be held Jan. 8 -- now that Iowa appears it will go to Jan. 3 and Michigan appears to have backed off having its primary on the same day as New Hampshire.
"Under the circumstances, Iowa is certainly being helpful," Gardner told the Des Moines Register. "I respect the tradition our two states have observed and have been holding out hope that it could be continued. And we're getting closer."
The
Los Angeles Times: “The House on Thursday approved a revised children's health insurance bill that Democrats said addressed Republican concerns, but President Bush again threatened to veto it. The 265-142 tally fell short of the two-thirds needed to override a veto, but it raised the stakes in the political confrontation over children's healthcare.”
From NBC's Mark Murray
Close watchers of the Democratic presidential contest probably knew this was coming in the wake of the Bush Administration's action today regarding Iran (and the new round of back-and-forth over the issue among the Dem contenders).
A campaign memo.
This one is from Obama foreign policy adviser Greg Craig, who compares Obama's position on Iran and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard with Clinton's. The gist: "The current debate about the wisdom of Senator Clinton's support for the Kyl-Lieberman amendment points up significant differences in Senator Obama's approach to the use of force in Iraq as compared with Senator Clinton's approach... Having seen what this Administration -- with its expansive view of its executive power -- has done in the past with congressional resolutions, it is naïve to support the Kyl-Lieberman amendment without simultaneously seeking explicit assurances that the president will never cite the amendment as a legal basis for deploying US troops to counter Iranian influence whether in Iraq or Iran."
What to expect next, if the past is precedent: a Clinton memo, probably pointing out that Obama didn't actually vote against the Kyl-Lieberman measure; that Obama -- like Clinton -- supports designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization; and that Obama even co-sponsored a measure doing that earlier this year.
Read below for the entire Obama campaign memo...
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ's Tricia MillerCORNING, IA -- At his first event today
Edwards told an audience here that Democrats need to stand up to efforts to go to war with Iran. He again ran down the Senate vote a few weeks ago in which
Biden and
Dodd voted against declaring the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization, but
Clinton voted in favor. Today, the
Bush Administration designated the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction and of the elite Quds Force as a supporter of terrorism
"You cannot give Bush and Cheney this kind of authority," Edwards said. "And here are the consequences. The consequences are, today the administration declared the Iranian Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization. And they said they’re also proliferating weapons of mass destruction. So here we go again. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?”
Edwards also took aim at
Romney, who told a New Hampshire voter that he would consider military action in Iran.
“And then I listened to Romney yesterday," Edwards said, "a Republican who’s running for president, talking about Iran, and he said, among other things, he’d be willing to bombard Iran. You know, you expect that from Republicans, but the Democrats don’t need to be helping."
From NBC/NJ's Adam Aigner-Treworgy
While spending a few days in Alabama with his family celebrating his son Sammy’s first birthday,
Thompson took time to call in to the conservative Laura Ingraham Show -- to talk about the GOP presidential race,
Giuliani's lead in the national polls, and Rudy's record on illegal immigration.
“You’ve got various categories of people out there, so-called big shots, but you’ve got an awful lot of people out there, much greater numbers, who are just average folks,” Thompson said. “It seems to me, like in terms of the traditional GOP fundraisers, still quite a few of them are on the sidelines. I haven’t noticed a real rush to anybody, including Rudy. And as far as the national polls are concerned, I haven’t seen that he’s picking up much.”
A few days after rolling out his own anti-illegal immigration proposal, Thompson also kept up his criticisms of Giuliani on his support of illegal immigration while mayor of New York. “He said if you come here and work hard, and you happen in undocumented status, you’re one of the people that we want in this city, you’re somebody that we want to protect,” Thompson said. “So that pretty much gives you his thoughts on it. I don’t think he’s moved away from it to tell you the truth. He teamed up, apparently with MoveOn.org, under George Soros to oppose the anti-immigration forces, so-called, so I’m not sure what he would say about the future."
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ's Mike MemoliHOOKSETT, NH -- Former Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright today said that
Hillary Clinton has been "very clear" in stating that she believes President Bush cannot go to war without congressional authorization.
Albright, who was campaigning for Clinton here in New Hampshire, also defended the senator's vote on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment, which her rivals have said warned will be used by Bush as justification for military action. "[The vote] was one in order to make very clear that the [Iranian] Revolutionary Guard was one of the most extremist groups within Iran and that it was important to sanction them in order to be able to move toward robust diplomacy," Albright said in an interview.
Albright also noted that Clinton spoke on the Senate floor in February to say she believed Bush couldn't go to war without Senate authorization. And she pointed to Clinton's co-sponsoring an amendment by Sen.
Jim Webb (D-VA) stipulating that no federal funds could be used for military action in Iran. "So I think she's made her position very clear," Albright said. "She is against the President using force in Iran without using any kind of congressional authorization. And she has made very clear that she believes that robust diplomacy needs to be used in order to make difficult and impossible really for Iran to have a nuclear program."
From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum and Liberty Matias
Biden
was the fourth candidate to speak at the Families USA Health Care Forum, following
Kucinich this morning and
Clinton and
Edwards earlier this month. While Kucinich discussed the "is health insurance a right all Americans have or a privilege" argument, Biden countered, saying, "We are well beyond that argument." He stressed national health insurance is needed for America to be competitive in the global economy.
Biden's plan is not a universal health-care plan, but emphasizes a way for employers to more easily provide health care. The plan has three parts: savings with modernization; health insurance for every child in America; and catastrophic health-care coverage. Health insurance companies would not be required to pay for anything above $55,000 for catastrophic injuries or illnesses; the government would pay the rest. Biden also proposed opening federal health-care insurance options to the general public and allowing people to buy in to Medicare at age 55.
*** UPDATE *** The Biden campaign clarifies that there are actually four parts to Biden's plan as detailed on the campaign's
Web site: (1) Cover all Children; (2) Access for Adults; (3) Reinsurance For Catastrophic Cases; (4) Encouraging Prevention and Modernization.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Chuck Todd and NBC/NJ's Carrie DannNBC News has confirmed that the Iowa Democratic Party's state central committee will meet -- by conference call -- on Sunday at 9:00 pm ET to vote on the date to hold the Democratic caucuses.
The buzz is that the Democrats there will pick January 3, the same date Iowa Republicans have selected. But we won't know until the state central committee votes.
*** Update *** Per Iowa Democratic Party spokeswoman Carrie Giddins, on Sunday's call, the party chairman will recommend that the committee members vote to move the caucus date to January 3rd, NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann reports.
The Iowa Democratic Party will send out the official release announcing the meeting at 3:00 pm ET today.
There are approximately 50 people on the state central committee. Also, it is safe to say that the date will be decided definitively by the end of that call on Sunday.
From NBC's Mark Murray
Dodd just released a statement on the Bush Administration's announcement that it's designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization -- and also on, it seems, Hillary Clinton's vote last month for Lieberman-Kyl.
"I recognize the obvious threat a nuclear Iran poses to the region and beyond, and that we must stop Iran's continued support for international terrorism," Dodd said. "Unfortunately, the action taken by the Administration today comes in the context of escalating rhetoric and drumbeat to military action against Iran. I am deeply concerned that once again the President is opting for military action as a first resort."
Dodd adds in the statement, "The aggressive actions taken today by the Administration absent any corresponding diplomatic action is exactly what we all should have known was coming when we considered our vote on the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment, and smacks, frankly, of a dangerous step toward armed confrontation with Iran."
***UPDATE*** Read more for Edwards' and Obama's statements:
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/NJ's Matthew E. Berger For the past few days, I have been defending
Rudy Giuliani on the whole Yankees-Red Sox thing. I am a die-hard Yankees fan myself and have been known to travel to New York in October if I can find a ticket. I never root for the Red Sox, but my father does. He's an American League fan, he says, and roots for the American League team in the World Series. I distinctly remember watching the Mets-Red Sox series in 1986. I was rooting for the Mets because my friends were Mets fans (I was 8, after all); he was rooting for the Red Sox, but neither of us were happy about it.
He even rooted for them in 2004, while I backed the Cardinals, because my college roommate is from St. Louis, and I spent a lot of time around Cardinals paraphernalia.
So while the New York tabloids berated Rudy this week, I gave him a pass. If it's good enough for my dad, it's good enough for a presidential candidate. So what if he is campaigning in Boston when he says it, or is talking to Red Sox fans in New Hampshire all day? Maybe he and my dad are cut from the same cloth.
But today...
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) today officially said he will not run for Sen. John Warner's (R) soon-to-be open seat in 2008. That leaves former Gov. Jim Gilmore, who dropped out of the presidential race earlier this year, the leading Republican contender for the seat. In early polling, Gilmore is 30 points behind presumptive frontrunner former Gov. Mark Warner (D).
"The politial climate is not right," Davis' Communications director Brian McNicoll told First Read. "He was upset they chose a convention and not a primary, made it too much of an uphill battle."
Davis represents the more moderate Northern Virginia Washington, D.C. suburbs. A primary would have helped his cause; a convention would have stacked the deck against him. Davis was also more than 30 points behind Mark Warner in early polling.
Another factor, McNicoll said, is that Davis' wife is also running for re-election in a tough race. "He's campaigning for his wife now," McNicoll said, "and that would make three long years in a row of doing nothing but campaigning."
From NBC's Mike Viqueira and Mark Murray
A leading House Democrat has unveiled a long-awaited tax reform package, including a "fix" for the Alternative Minimum Tax that would cost $800 billion over the next 10 years.
To pay for it, Ways and Means Chairman
Charlie Rangel (D) proposes that married couples earning more than $200,000 pay a "replacement tax" of 4%, and 4.6% on income in excess of $500,000. Rangel says that the AMT is now affecting 23 million taxpayers.
Rangel would also increase the standard deduction and expand the number of lower-income people who are eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. He says that all total, 90 million Americans will get a tax cut if this legislation were to become law.
Rangel says that he will also pay for it by closing loopholes in existing laws. He would limit itemized deductions and personal exemptions for high income individuals, prevent hedge fund managers from using offshore tax havens to defer taxes on compensation, and several other measures.
Republicans are already blasting the proposal, accusing Rangel of "selling snake oil," and calling the 90 million figure "pure hokum." They see the 4% replacement tax as "a crushingly high" tax rate that will affect 10 million people. In fact, Romney just put out a statement criticizing the proposal -- and linking it to Hillary Clinton. "Today, Democrats in Washington, D.C. are unveiling a massive tax increase bill for the American people. Our nation cannot afford the Democrats and a Democrat President like Hillary Clinton who will sign tax increases into law."
From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum and Liberty Matias
At the Kaiser Family Foundation's Healthcare Forum,
Kucinich laid out his single-payer health-care plan while attacking
Clinton and
Edwards for paying too much attention to insurance companies and not American people. "There is no difference between Senator Clinton, Senator Edwards, and Mitt
Romney," he said, accusing the media of not exposing how similar each of their plans is.
Under Kucinich's plan, a person can choose a physician of his or her choice to get the care they need by simply presenting a card after signing an application. Kucinich said this would work because the doctor does not have to go through an insurance company. He plans to finance the program through payroll taxes. The federal government would buy out for-profit companies with treasury bonds.
Kucinich accused Clinton and Edwards of having a debate on insurance care and not health insurance for the people. "When I run for President of the United States," Kucinich said, "I cannot be bought or bossed by any interest group. The government's inability to function is because it is influenced by interest groups. I've been doing this for 40 years. Government works. The question is who is working for -- insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies. When I'm President of the United States, it will work for the people."
CONTINUED >>
From NBC/National Journal's Erin McPike and NBC's Mark Murray
MANCHESTER, NH -- Right off the bat at a health-care forum here,
Romney took a clear swipe at
Giuliani's recent comment that he would be rooting for the Red Sox because he always supports the American League. Romney asked, "Anyone here a Red Sox fan?" And after the cheers he asked if they were also Yankees fans. To laughter he said, "You're one or the other, but probably not both, right?"
But is Romney the best messenger to make this dig? Earlier this year while stopping by the Iowa-Iowa State college football game, Romney told reporters that he was rooting for both teams.
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** “Bush Lite” revisited? Back in the summer, during the scrum over
 |
|
negotiating with unsavory world leaders, Obama began referring to Clinton as “Bush Lite” -- after she called Obama “naïve” for saying that he’d be willing to meet with those leaders in his first year in office. With the Bush Administration today designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, does that give Obama another opportunity to play that card? Yes, Clinton voted with 75 other senators last month (including Obama friend Dick Durbin) on the non-binding Lieberman-Kyl measure calling for much of the same thing the Bush Administration does today. But she was the only Democratic presidential candidate to do so. Clinton’s campaign last weekend sent out a mailer to Iowa voters, arguing that her vote actually was a call for diplomacy. Condoleezza Rice, in fact, will say the same thing today, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell notes. But that’s not an argument that will be accepted by the anti-war left, Mitchell adds, especially in Iowa and New Hampshire. In short, today's action by the Administration will place her in the uncomfortable position of being on the same side as the Bush hardliners. But do Clinton’s rivals -- Barack "I didn't vote on Lieberman-Kyl" Obama -- have the credibility to hit her on the issue?
*** Is Rudy the true Bush heir? A lot has been made of the fact that there's no one officially running for Bush's third term -- i.e. no sitting veep who’s making a White House bid. Well, as far as foreign policy philosophy, there does appear to be a Bush-Cheney soul mate in the race: Giuliani. The New York Times today takes a look at Rudy’s advisers and notes, "Giuliani is consulting with, among others, a particularly hawkish group of advisers and neoconservative thinkers.” This association with neoconservatives certainly is a boon for
 |
|
Giuliani in the primaries, since it helps blur his views on social issues. But does it help him in a general? A quick glance at the polls suggests that the country is happy to turn the page on the Bush Administration and its foreign policy. There’s plenty of other Rudy news today, including reports that there was a mob plot to kill him back in 1986 (which could bolster his tough-guy image) and a Village Voice article that has Giuliani claiming to the 9/11 Commission that he didn’t have much knowledge of Al Qaeda before 9/11 (which doesn’t help his security credentials).
*** Sam and Rudy, sitting in a tree…? A senior Giuliani campaign official has confirmed
to NBC/National Journal’s Matthew Berger that Giuliani will meet today with Brownback, who dropped out of the presidential race last week. After addressing the Values Voter Summit on Friday, Brownback said that the GOP will nominate a pro-life nominee -- and seemed to rule out endorsing the former New York mayor. Was that a head fake? ? Before that statement, rumors were swirling that Brownback, who apparently is no fan of Romney and is worried his good friend John McCain can’t win the GOP nod, was flirting with the idea of supporting Giuliani.
***
Six…TEE Candles: The big political event today is Clinton’s 60th birthday party tonight in New York City, which features Billy Crystal (who is emceeing), Elvis Costello and the Wallflowers (who are performing), husband Bill Clinton (who is headlining), and Chuck Schumer, Eliot Spitzer, Jon Corzine, and Charlie Rangel (who are honorary co-chairs). Interestingly, per NBC/National Journal’s Athena Jones, the entire party is closed to the press -- except for Hillary’s remarks, Bill’s own speech, and an appearance by a “surprise guest.” By the way, how much does the 60th birthday celebration serve as a reminder of the age gap between her and Obama -- which could help the Clinton camp make its experience argument, or could help the Obama camp suggest it’s time for a new generation to take over?
*** But do voters prefer Lee Greenwood? Hillary’s star-studded birthday bash raises this question: Do all the famous, cool, hip stars that Democratic candidates tend to attract actually help them at the ballot box? In 2004, John Kerry had everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Death Cab for Cutie helping his campaign effort (versus Bush’s lineup of country singers and Christian rockers). But where did that get Kerry? And don’t forget that 2004 Kerry-Edwards fundraiser, where Whoopi Goldberg delivered X-rated insults at Bush -- which turned into a distraction for the campaign. Is that why much of Hillary’s b-day party is closed to the press? Because she doesn’t want to be filmed with Hollywood types? If so, is that one reason why she and her handlers would run a better campaign than Kerry did?
*** Oops, Joe Biden did it again: Just when it seemed like Joe Biden was making steady progress in Iowa, he showed why so many smart Democrats worry about Biden on a national ticket. In a sit-down interview with the Washington Post, Biden gave a "lengthy critique of Bush administration education policies" and then attempted to explain why some schools perform better than others -- in Iowa, for instance, compared with the District.
"There's less than 1 percent of the population of Iowa that is African American. There is probably less than 4 or 5 percent that are minorities. What is in Washington? So look, it goes back to what you start off with, what you're dealing with," Biden said. He went on to discuss the importance of parental involvement in reading to children and how "half this education gap exists before the kid steps foot in the classroom." Right after the interview, the campaign sent out a clarification.
*** On the trail: Elsewhere, Biden participates in the Families USA forum at the Kaiser Family Foundation in DC; Edwards stumps in Iowa; Giuliani fundraises in Ohio; McCain campaigns in Iowa before attending the AARP forum along with Huckabee; and Romney is in New Hampshire, where he speaks on health care in Manchester and then holds an “Ask Mitt Anything” town hall in Exeter.
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The Washington Post broke the news. “The Bush administration plans to roll out an unprecedented package of unilateral sanctions against Iran today, including the long-awaited designations of its Revolutionary Guard Corps as a proliferator of weapons of mass destruction and of the elite Quds Force as a supporter of terrorism, according to senior administration officials… The new sanctions will empower the United States to financially isolate a large part of Iran's military and anyone inside or outside Iran who does business with it, U.S. officials said. The measures could affect hundreds of foreign companies by squeezing them to drop Iranian business or risk U.S. sanctions.”
The
New York Times adds that this “is the first time that the United States has taken such steps against the armed forces of any sovereign government.” Per NBC’s Libby Leist, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson will appear jointly today at 9:00 am ET to announce the sanctions.
CONTINUED >>
BIDEN: The Washington Post: "After a lengthy critique of Bush administration education policies, Biden attempted to explain why some schools perform better than others -- in Iowa, for instance, compared with the District. ‘There's less than 1 percent of the population of Iowa that is African American. There is probably less than 4 or 5 percent that are minorities. What is in Washington? So look, it goes back to what you start off with, what you're dealing with,’ Biden said. He went on to discuss the importance of parental involvement in reading to children and how "half this education gap exists before the kid steps foot in the classroom."
The Biden campaign moved quickly to clarify the senator's remarks in a statement: "This was not a race-based distinction, but a discussion of the problems kids face who don't have the same socio-economic support system (and all that implies -- nutrition, pre K, etc.) entering grade school and the impact of those disadvantages on outcomes."
CLINTON: Here's something the Clinton campaign may not have expected: a 527 attacking Clinton from the left in the early states. Politico's Smith reports on the group, Democratic Courage, and their leaders who have no official ties to any campaign -- but have given to Edwards in the past.
CONTINUED >>
Today, Huckabee and McCain will be the sole participants at a scaled-down AARP forum in Sioux City, IA, NBC/NJ’s Carrie Dann reports. The event, which will focus on health care, Social Security, and senior issues, was to be broadcast nationally on PBS and on Iowa Public TV. But those plans were scrapped after the other major candidates decided to skip the event. Dann notes that the prominent no-shows say something important about the GOP race. At best, it demonstrates that Republicans don't view Iowa as the same sacred cow that Democratic candidates do. Iowa opinion-setter David Yepsen called the GOP candidates out in his column this weekend for that very reason, and the Sioux City Journal's scathing
editorial last week called their decision "a slap in the face" to Iowa Republicans.”
GIULIANI: The
New York Post looks at the mob plot to kill Giuliani back in 1986, when he was a federal prosecutor. The mob plot was revealed yesterday in the FBI papers made public during the trial of a former FBI supervisor. The five New York crime families met to discuss whether or not to put a hit out on Giuliani, but they voted 3-2 against it. The ones pushing the idea were eventual
capo di tutti capi John Gotti and Colombo crime family chief Carmine "The Snake" Persico.
CONTINUED >>
A new Quinnipiac Univ. poll in FL gives a nice boost Giuliani's electability argument, as he's back on top of Clinton in a head-to-head. Both Clinton and Rudy have large primary leads.
Meanwhile, St. Anselm will release a poll showing Clinton and Romney with “solid leads” in
NH.
Tired of those calls from politicians looking for your vote… or your money. Well, one tired voter deluged with such calls started a national
political do-no-call registry at
www.stoppoliticalcalls.orgThe
Politico’s Wilner writes that “it’s worth revisiting the long-standing tradition that U.S. presidential nominees do not travel overseas during a general election campaign. There’s a strange dichotomy between running to be the leader of the free world … and being unable to leave the United States while doing it. Especially now that the candidates on both sides, not just Democrats, are taking potshots at George W. Bush’s foreign policy. Republican John McCain recently mocked Bush’s gaze into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s eyes. So why not walk the walk outside the U.S.?”
From NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann
In 1972, presidential candidate
George McGovern and then-campaign manager
Gary Hart hatched a plan to use a quirky nomination contest in an oft-ignored Midwestern state as the platform to the Democratic nomination. In 1984, Hart –- as a candidate himself -– catapulted from single-digit poll numbers to a near-defeat of 'inevitable' candidate
Walter Mondale after a surprise showing in his old stomping grounds.
So who better to put the 2008 race in the Hawkeye state under the microscope than Hart himself? "It's wide open," he says of the Democratic contest, which many have compared to his own run for the nomination in 1984. Then, as now, voters were courted on one hand by an insurgent candidate accused of lacking substance, and by an established one popularly considered to be the "inevitable" nominee on the other.
Hart, the one-time contender whose boyish good looks and idealistic message of 1984 have been compared to those of a certain Illinois senator, stops short of drawing too many parallels between his '84 campaign and Obama's. "I had no money," he said in an interview Tuesday evening. "Senator Obama has 75 million dollars. I had a tiny, tiny fraction of that in my startup days. So he has a huge advantage in that respect."
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Andy Merten
Dodd became the first presidential candidate to politicize the Southern California wildfires today while speaking in Chicago at an International Association of Fire Fighters conference. Saying that he is proud the federal government “has gotten funding down to those cities and jurisdictions” affected by the fires, he added, “For a fire this size, we still need more; I think we can do more, and I will.”
Asked by reporters to elaborate after his speech, the Connecticut senator cited the
Bush Administration’s failure to provide sufficient funding to first responders. “The administration, of course, didn’t fully fund the Fire Act and Safer Bill,” he said, “so we’re still short. The new system, which we’ve written, is a risked-based system, which California would obviously qualify for.”
He also cited over-exertion of the National Guard due to the war in Iraq as causing a shortage in area first responders -- a criticism of the Bush Administration that was
also raised by Democrats in May, after a deadly tornado struck Kansas.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
At the GOP debate on Sunday, McCain got a standing ovation for his line criticizing Clinton for wanting to allocate $1 million for a Woodstock museum.
"Now my friends, I wasn't there," McCain said of the rock-and-roll festival. "I'm sure it was a cultural and pharmaceutical event. I was, I was tied up at the time."
His campaign has now created a
30-second ad, called "Tied Up," from what the campaign calls his "classic line." The ad, which will run in New Hampshire, begins with a spinning tie-dyed image and The Doors playing in the background. It cuts back to a serious-looking McCain at the debate delivering his line. When he says "tied up at the time," the image cuts away again, this time to video of McCain as a prisoner of war.
"No one can be President of the United States that supports projects such as these," McCain concludes.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Mike Viqueira
House Democrats are poised to give it another go and put the SCHIP health-care bill -- with some tweaks -- back on the House floor tomorrow.
At of this writing, plans are being finalized. But if all goes as Democrats hope, the measure will remain largely intact, with enough relatively minor changes to get more Republicans to go along and work towards a veto-proof majority. A group of moderate Republicans have huddled this week with the Democratic leadership in an effort to seek common ground.
To allay their concerns -- and give some of them who were suffering politically for voting against it enough cover to switch their votes -- the bill will:
-- require that any adults who are enrolled in the program be off the rolls within one year;
-- cap income eligibility at 300% of the poverty level, with New Jersey (now at 350%) grandfathered in;
-- amplify language forbidding illegal immigrants from enrolling.
Democrats have felt all along that they are in a winning position on this issue. Entreaties from the Administration for compromise are interpreted as a sign of weakness and provide a disincentive for negotiation.
This is essentially starting over in the process, albeit in an expedited way. The Senate would still have to act, and the president would then have to decide all over again whether or not to veto the measure, should it pass. The total increase is still expected to be in the $35 billion range, with 10 million children covered.
From NBC's Kristin Wilson
Got an extra $8,000 sitting around?
If so, good -- because, according to the Congressional Budget Office's report on the costs of the Iraq War, the $2.4 trillion price tag over the next decade comes out to some $8,000 for every man, woman, and child in the United States.
CBO Director Peter Orszag met with some of the members of the House Budget Committee today -- 13 of the 21 Democrats, and 3 of the 15 Republicans -- with the ominous news that "it's clear under analysis that the nation is on an unstable fiscal path ... with the higher debt and interest costs, is going to cause severe economic dislocation, which are exacerbated by war costs."
Orszag said a big factor in the large price tag is the reset costs. Reset costs originally meant that the money would be spent to return military brigades to the same standing as before they were deployed -- i.e. fixing tanks and vehicles, or if irreparable, replacing them with similar equipment.
However, an additional CBO study found that, rather than repairing or replacing equipment, the military is upgrading or getting something new. Orszag used the example of the 120 M-182 tanks that are being requested with new funding. At the cost of "$5 million per tank, this cost is more than returning the damaged tank to its original state."
"If you fully fund these requests, the military will be in a better position in terms of equipment than before the war," Orszag told them.
From NBC/NJ’s Tricia MillerGLENWOOD, IA --
Edwards again drew distinctions at the American Legion Hall here between his position on Iraq and Iran and
Clinton’s. Over the last couple weeks, it has become part of Edwards' stump speech to criticize Clinton for her vote recognizing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. Starting in New Hampshire a week ago, he reacted to her advisers telling the New York Times Clinton was switching from "primary mode" to "general-election mode" in the vote, calling on his opponents to operate in "tell-the-truth mode."
Today, Edwards continued his attacks by reacting to a mailer the New York senator sent to Iowans. "I understand she’s now sent a letter out to Iowa caucusgoers giving a different reason for why she voted ‘yes’ on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard,” he said. “So now we got one explanation for the New York Times, which is her hometown newspaper, and a different explanation being sent out to Iowa caucusgoers.”
Edwards is on a four-day swing through western Iowa. His next stop is in Sidney, Iowa.
From NBC's Mark Murray
A few days ago, Newsweek's Michael Isikoff reported on the lack of access to Hillary Clinton's papers at the Clinton Presidential Library, which he said runs counter to her complaints about the Bush Administration's secrecy and her vow to bring a "return to transparency" to government. That article followed an earlier Los Angeles Times article, which noted that nearly 2 million pages of her documents as First Lady were locked up in the library -- and wouldn't be released until after the presidential election.
So perhaps it wasn't surprising when a group opposed to Clinton's election handed First Read a copy of a letter it received from the University of Arkansas Libraries' Special Collections, which said that the group's request -- made back in May 2007 -- for access to the library's Diane Blair papers wouldn't be made unavailable until 2009. In other words, not until after the presidential election.
"The Diane Blair Papers (MC 1004) in Special Collections at the University of Arkansas Libraries, Fayetteville, will be available in 2009," the letter reads. "We are unable to photocopy pages for you from the Draft Finding Aid of this unprocessed collection."
Who is Diane Blair?
CONTINUED >>
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro and Chuck Todd
Sources tell First Read the Clinton campaign is making a push to significantly step up their efforts in Iowa. They are aiming to add more 100 paid staff in the Hawkeye State by Nov. 1.
Hillary Clinton Iowa Hiring flyer Click here to see a larger view of the flyer (.pdf format) The campaign has also created a flier advertising an Oct. 28 and 29th Clinton “job fair” in Arlington, Va., where to send resumes and how to set up phone interviews.
According to an analysis by the
Des Moines Register, Obama has 145 paid staffers in Iowa, Edwards has 130 and Clinton has 117.
From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro and Mark Murray
The Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call is reporting that former Nebraska Sen. Bob Kerrey (D) will not run for Chuck Hagel’s (R) open seat next year.
Kerrey would have put the seat in play, and DSCC chairman Sen.
Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was actively recruiting Kerrey, who is the president of the New School in New York.
Kerrey’s decision certainly gives Republicans the edge to hold onto the seat with either former Secretary of Agriculture and Gov.
Mike Johanns (R) or Nebraska Attorney General
Jon Bruning the favorites.
Other Democratic possibilities are Mike Fahey, mayor of Omaha, or Scott Kleeb, a rancher who lost in his bid for NE-03 in 2006. But neither will have the name recognition or immediate appeal of Kerrey.
“Kerrey’s decision amounts to the second bit of good news for the National Republican Senatorial Committee in as many days.” Roll Call writes, “On Tuesday wealthy San Antonio attorney Mikal Watts (D) pulled out of the Texas Senate race. Watts was another prized DSCC recruit.”
From NBC/NJ’s Adam Aigner-TreworgyMT. PLEASANT, SC -- This morning
Thompson invoked the name of
Ronald Reagan at a retail stop here at Alex’s Diner, saying that many of his opponents are late comers to Reagan’s party and the former president must be sitting up in his grave, “looking down and shaking his head saying who are these fellows that are using my name so often in these debates.”
A day after rolling out a new proposal for how to handle illegal immigration, the former senator continued to criticize “sanctuary cities” and emphasize his plan to strip cities of federal funding if they refuse to comply with federal immigration laws.
Thompson also sharpened his criticisms of his fellow GOP candidates and his Democratic rivals. First, he pleaded with the mostly friendly audience at the diner to help him convince voters to vote Republican.
“Don’t turn the keys to this country over to a political party who wants to do nothing more than create a gigantic welfare state from the United States of America,” Thompson said. “Don’t turn this … country over to a party who insults our generals and plays politics with national security. Don’t do that.”
& CONTINUED >>
From NBC/National Journal's Aswini Anburajan
BOSTON -- With an eloquence that could have rivaled
Obama’s address at the 2004 Democratic convention, Massachusetts Governor
Deval Patrick (D) endorsed the Illinois senator for the Democratic Party’s nomination for the presidency here on a warm, gusty autumn night Tuesday.
Several thousand people gathered on Boston Common to hear Obama speak, but it was Patrick who seemingly stole the show. He zealously delivered Obama’s message of national reconciliation, while slamming
Senator Clinton without once mentioning her by name. “A lot of the Democrats are feeling heady these days -- we’re sensing victory. We feel like we can reach out and grab at the White House again,” Patrick told the crowd, before warning, “but I’m asking you to beware my friends. Beware because this discontent with Republicans is not enough to ensure a Democratic victory, nor should it be. I believe the challenges before us transcend party partisan politics. We don’t just need a Democrat -- we need a leader.”
Patrick took Obama’s message of the need for political change in this election and turned it into a referendum on character and values. “For once, I want a campaign that’s not about the candidate, but about us. Not about a resume, but about character. Not about connections and convenience, but about conviction. Not about smearing the competition, but about lifting us all up,” he said.
“I don’t care whether the next president is the first black president or the first woman president or the first whatever. To tell you the total truth, what I care about is whether the next president has moral courage and a political backbone and the humility to admit what he doesn’t know and the wisdom to learn from others,” he added.
