First thoughts: GOP expectations game

Posted: Thursday, January 17, 2008 9:28 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: First Thoughts

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** The GOP expectations game: McCain and Huckabee appear to be playing up -- not down -- their chances in South Carolina, raising the expectations for both. Is it a single elimination tournament between the two of them in this state? We'd normally say yes, but given the chaotic nature of things so far in this GOP race, is there an incentive for any candidate to get out? Meanwhile, Romney's playing down the Palmetto State (though we wonder if his folks will begin to try and stop McCain there now) and hoping for a three-way in Florida vs. the South Carolina winner and Rudy. And speaking of Rudy, the New York Times is saying supporters believe Giuliani only has to finish a close second in Florida to win some states on Feb. 5. This expectations spin is making our neck ache.

Video: NBC Political Director Chuck Todd offers his first read on the down and dirty political tactics being used as the South Carolina GOP primary nears.

*** Hands on, hands off: It looks like the Clinton campaign is continuing to seize on Obama¹s comment earlier this week that he wasn’t running to be a president that knows how to run a bureaucracy. The New York Times notes “an Obama spokesman was saying that Mrs. Clinton was running to be White House chief of staff, while she and her team were saying that Mr. Obama would be so hands-off that he could not demand Truman-like accountability. All of these remarks by Mrs. Clinton add up to her challenging, once again, Mr. Obama over experience, with her arguing that she is better equipped.”

*** We’re going to party like it’s 1999…: Just asking: Does Clinton have a built-in advantage on the economy because of her last name? Obama's trying to ratchet up his economic rhetoric but the Clinton brand is gold on this issue without much downside -- compared with other issues Clinton has struggled with when using the Clinton brand. While it does appear the campaign is hesitant to overly use Bill as a surrogate these days, having him stump on the economy may now be the best way to use him.

*** Courthouse watch: Also, we could have a decision on the controversial lawsuit that some Clinton supporters have filed in Nevada. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that “U.S. District Judge James Mahan is scheduled to determine this morning whether it is unconstitutional for the Democratic Party to accommodate shift workers on the Strip and not afford the same convenience to non-Strip voters who must work during the caucus.” The Las Vegas Sun adds that the plaintiffs “filed the lawsuit Friday, two days after the Culinary [Workers Union] endorsed Sen. Barack Obama. The union represents many Strip workers… The state party said it expects 6 percent of the total delegates in the state the numbers of which will determine winners and losers in the caucus to come from the Strip sites.”

*** A final note: And stay tuned for the latest MSNBC/McClatchy/Mason-Dixon poll in South Carolina for both the GOP and Dem fields, which due out at 4:00 pm ET today.

*** On the trail: Clinton is in California, where she meets with faith leaders at Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Compton and then holds town halls in Northridge and Santa Barbara; Edwards campaigns in Henderson, NV then heads to Los Angeles before returning to Nevada; Giuliani remains in Florida; Huckabee stumps in South Carolina, including a rally with Chuck Norris and Ric Flair (Wooooo) at Clemson University; McCain also spends his day in the Palmetto State; Obama does a roundtable with voters in San Francisco and then heads back to Las Vegas; Paul is in South Carolina; Romney starts his day in that state and then flies out to Nevada; and Thompson campaigns all day long in South Carolina. Also, Bill Clinton stumps for his wife in Nevada.

Countdown to Nevada and SC GOP primary: 2 days
Countdown to SC Dem primary: 9 days
Countdown to Florida: 12 days
Countdown to Tsunami Tuesday: 19 days
Countdown to Election Day 2008: 292 days
Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 369 days

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Comments

I can see it now...... Hillary and Bill home late at night......... Bill: "Hillary, you got to be first lady, I think I ought to be first man.".....
Oh Bill.. what do you think about that intern we saw today......... I wonder if he smokes cigars??"

BJ, PAZ (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:31 PM)

Greenspan and the Cronism of the supply-side economic theories of the last 20-25 years coupled with Manipulated Trade Policies Framed by Lawmakers bought off by big business , is why we new a New Leadership in the Presidents Office , and that be a Guy that won't be Manipulated , and Influenced by the smell of money , we need a leader who has a Untarnished history of not taking the Gifts and Benefits , like China did investing in the Clinton Library , something thats not illegal but considered ethically challenged . How can a Fair and Balanced economic policy foreign or domestic be drafted by a Repuplican or Democrat that will contain methods that are benefitcial to the general public when a Big Lobbyist working for a Big Corporate Influence thats importing tariff free , and we trust a candidate that has the record of influence , that even still is willing to take the funds , only to give them back , once the sopt light has been cast upon them and their corruptiuon of generating the finds like this example ;Clinton to Return Funds from Fundraiser Hsu
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14316806 .

I mean these people have to have a constant policing going on around them 24 / 7 , or we the people get manipulated to death , and so how can you trust em , and why should we start right out worring about this kind of stuff ????

Tony Newbill Wickenburg, AZ (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:38 PM)

MK,MO - who's paying the lawyers in the lawsuit? I would love to talk about that. Problem is that you don't know. You are making baseless assumptions.

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:45 PM)

Greenspan and the Cronyism of the supply-side economic theories of the last 20-25 years coupled with Manipulated Trade Policies Framed by Lawmakers bought off by big business , is why we new a New Leadership in the Presidents Office , and that be a Guy that won't be Manipulated , and Influenced by the smell of money , we need a leader who has a Untarnished history of not taking the Gifts and Benefits , like China did investing in the Clinton Library , something that's not illegal but considered ethically challenged . How can a Fair and Balanced economic policy foreign or domestic be drafted by a Republican or Democrat that will contain methods that are beneficial to the general public when a Big Lobbyist working for a Big Corporate Influence that's importing tariff free , with no provisions to sustain the loss caused by these trade policies to our SS and Medicare funds , and we trust a candidate that has the record of influence , that even still is willing to take the funds , only to give them back , once the spot light has been cast upon them and their corruption of generating the finds like this example ;Clinton to Return Funds from Fundraiser Hsu
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14316806 .

I mean these people have to have a constant policing going on around them 24 / 7 , or we the people get manipulated to death , and so how can you trust em , and why should we start right out worrying about this kind of stuff ????

Tony Newbill Wickenburg, AZ (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:45 PM)

"I have become very frustrated with my party and their continued fantasies regarding the Clintons. "

Isn't that convenient...Bill Clinton presides over the most prosperous American times in history, and it is nothing more than a lucky accident. Bush drags us into the sewer, and it's not his fault. What a bunch of revisionist drivel.

C'mon Republicans, sing with me: "Deutschland, Deutscheland uber alles!" -Don't forget to goosetep, c'mon now, just the Nazis in the back "Deutscheland..."

Don, Minneapolis MN (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:54 PM)

MK,MO - who's paying the lawyers in the lawsuit? I would love to talk about that. Problem is that you don't know. You are making baseless assumptions.

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 1:45 PM)

We are waiting for the next campaign finance reports to find that out......

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 2:18 PM)

clinton's major corporate backers are the same corporations that have sent the good paying jobs we once had to slave labor nations and pocketed billions tax free, the same war machine that gets no bid contracts on parts and equipment costing the taxpayer many times what they should, the same insurance and pharmaceutical companies that have made healthcare a luxury that only the wealthy can obtain in america, why would anyone think she intends to help anyone but her wealthy elitist buddies, she has already pledged her elegance to the powers that be, she turned her back on the american citizen because of her greed and lust for power, we for sure don’t need bush-lite, john edwards is the only candidate that has america as a whole at heart, vote for him

MK,MO (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 2:43 PM)

If Hillary has the Experience to lead , then why didn't this get stopped by her expertise ??????

how can we trust a candidate that has the record of influence , and what does this say about the experience to lead , if these kinds of influences are not caught right up front , how can Hillary claim she has the right experience to stop these kinds of Illegal affairs , that even still is willing to take the funds , only to give them back , once the spot light has been cast upon them and their corruption of generating the finds like this example ;Clinton to Return Funds from Fundraiser Hsu
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14316806 .

I mean these people have to have a constant policing going on around them 24 / 7 , or we the people get manipulated to death , and so how can you trust em , and why should we start right out worrying about this kind of stuff ????

I like the Idea Barack Obama has about a Leader needing to be able to pick the right people to run the boby of Government .

Barack Obama , the candidate for Peace and Prosperity can get the job done with Dignity and class , to restore the hope for the future of all .
Thanks for your time and have a Great day in the USA . Tony in Wickenburg, AZ

Tony Newbill (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 3:49 PM)

HP: No thanks. I like my Nazis in defendant docks awaiting extradition for war crimes. Not writing speeches[Lew Rockwell] and throwing money[STORMFRONT] to Pauls campaign.

Lee Holmes (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 3:51 PM)

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/ContrarianChronicles/HowGreenspansPoliciesHurtYou.aspx

Here the experience the Clinton claim to have , Greenspan was their fed chairman , so what this article has to say does not say much for the Experience card that Hillary and Bill are touting all the time . The last 20 years of Bush ,Clinton , Bush , needs to be ended with Barack Obama .

Tony Newbill (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 4:17 PM)

The Republican Party is in a free-for-all right now. The party needs to be galvanized by a single candidate in order to win the general election. The sad thing is when the Republican National convention occurs there still wont be a defined front-runner.

Casey, Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 4:34 PM)

Clinton to Return Funds from Fundraiser Hsu
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=14316806
Check out what this Clinton Experience is going to get us , by what this staffer said about the screening process . If the Money can't be screened properly , then when will the next attack be ????

"This is a risk of campaigning for president — that sometimes you're gonna be surprised by the supporters that you have in your campaign, and if you're a candidate or campaign manager, you just hope you discover it before you accept their endorsement," said Baran.

Tony Newbill (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 4:39 PM)

Before you vote, make an INFORMED decision.
Read the candidates' wikipedia profiles.
I beg of you.

Start with this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_paul

Dan, Savannah, GA (Sent Thursday, January 17, 2008 5:44 PM)

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