Veepstakes update: Applause all around
Posted: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7:09 AM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC/NJ's Mike Memoli
THE SHORT LIST.
Hillary Clinton got enthusiastic applause from colleagues as she returned to the Hill. And she quickly shot down any lingering doubts that she's seeking the VP slot saying, "I am not seeking any other position." She added, "It is not something that I think about. This is totally Sen. Obama's decision and that's the way it should be."
Clinton and Barack Obama reportedly talked by phone about her debt on Sunday.
WHAT THEY’RE UP TO.
FL Gov. Charlie Crist (R), on crutches, announced the purchase of Everglades land, calling the deal "as monumental as the creation of our nation's first national park, Yellowstone."
And the St. Pete Times reports it was, in fact, Crist’s idea.
Sen. Chuck Hagel was the featured speaker at the launch of Impact ’08 in Ohio, which was formed to “raise awareness of the global challenges and opportunities facing Ohio and America, and to encourage the 2008 presidential candidates to incorporate 'smart power' -- the strategic use of development, diplomacy and defense -- into their foreign policy platforms.”
Hagel also speaks at Brookings on Thursday.
Joe Lieberman will join John McCain on a trip to Colombia and Mexico next week.
Michael Bloomberg spoke at the opening of the new exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York, called “Campaigning for President.”
Jim Webb spoke to a room full of celebs at an event for the Campaign for a New G.I. Bill, which the Virginia senator “was dragging, shoving, pushing and nudging” through.
On local radio, Gov. Tim Kaine (D-VA) said non-violent felons should get voting rights when they leave prison.
ON THE RECORD.
Mitt Romney told John Harwood on MSNBC today: “I’m not going to make any comments on the VP front.”
Asked if she’s on the short list, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) told Fox & Friends: “I hope not.”
Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Foreign Born) said the subject of running mates came up at McCain’s ranch last month. “He didn't say I would offer you the job, he just said it's a shame you're not eligible,” Martinez said.
BUZZ METER.
An AFP story refers to MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty as the “media front-runner to be McCain's vice presidential nominee” when referring to his comments on the Charlie Black flare up.
Nancy Pelosi wants to see some members of the House on Obama’s list, and offers Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX) -- who represents Bush’s Crawford home. “Anyone that Barack Obama wants is my choice for vice president,” Pelosi said. “But I do think in the list of considerations there should be somebody from the House of Representatives and Chet Edwards is a person that many of us think would be a good person to be in the mix.”
VEEP VETTING.
AP reminds us that Mike Huckabee once accused McCain of “playing political games” with the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, when McCain had said Huckabee didn’t have “the same experience and background on national security issues.”
E-VEEP.
Bill Richardson e-mails his supporters to say that his “number-one focus between now and November will be to keep New Mexico a blue state.” He hints that he still has some campaign debt, as well, but asks for contributions to his gubernatorial account so he can help local candidates.
