Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean hosted a press briefing yesterday to go over some new polling data from 17 swing states, and mentioned that the party would probably not go after John McCain’s age as a campaign issue. Noting that it’s the kind of personal tactic Republicans would be far more comfortable with, Dean […]
About two weeks ago, John McCain, in a high-profile speech, unveiled his response to the mortgage crisis. Despite the seriousness of the issue, the GOP presidential nominee unveiled a classic YOYO policy: “You’re on your own.” As the New York Times noted shortly after the speech, “The real core of his speech was his argument […]
Today’s edition of quick hits. * Pelosi vs. Bush: “House Democrats handed the White House a stinging defeat Thursday over a free-trade agreement with Colombia, rejecting President Bush’s bid to force a vote on the deal before the end of the year. But even as they did this, the Democrats held out an olive branch […]
You’ve got to be kidding me. On ABC’s The View this morning, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was asked about the great strain placed on U.S. troops due to the Iraq war. McCain recognized the strain and said that in order to motivate Americans to join the military, the government should provide stronger “educational benefits”: “[O]ne […]
With increasing frequency, I’ve noticed that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton make a point of emphasizing the extraordinary financial costs associated with the war in Iraq. The message must be resonating with voters because this morning, the president offered a detailed response to the charge. Indeed, I’ve been listening to Bush’s speeches on Iraq since […]
This morning, speaking from the White House, the president boasted, “American and Iraqi forces have made significant progress” in Iraq. It got me thinking, haven’t we heard that phrase before in relation to Iraq? * White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan on October 27, 2003: “In the north and south [of Iraq], we have made […]
Just a couple of months ago, John McCain acknowledged, “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should.” For some reason, he’s been trying to prove this point ever since. Yesterday, for example, McCain made a campaign stop at an investment firm in Westport, Conn., where a voter asked how […]
The LA Times ran a solid report about a month ago, noting that when it comes to foreign policy, John McCain’s record is littered with “mixed signals” and contradictory positions. That’s true — foreign policy “realists” who are looking for signs of hope can point to McCain’s opposition to extending Reagan’s troop deployment in Lebanon […]
Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers: * Hillary Clinton’s campaign coffers got a $2.5 million boost last night, thanks to an event with Elton John at Radio City Music Hall last night. Tickets for the sold-out event ranged from […]
In 1988, TV preacher Pat Robertson launched a Republican presidential campaign predicated on a vaguely theocratic, right-wing platform. He actually fared well in a couple of contests — he even came in second in the Iowa caucuses, ahead of George H.W. Bush — before a poor showing on Super Tuesday forced him from the race. […]