Monday’s political round-up

October 1, 2007

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:

* In an interview with the AP, Barack Obama threw a relatively sharp elbow in the direction of the Democratic frontrunner. “They want to make the argument that Senator Clinton is just an extension of the Bill Clinton presidency,” Obama said. “They’ve been the dominant political family in the Democratic Party for the last 20 years now. So it’s not surprising that they want to focus on their longevity. [But] my belief is that the American people are looking for a fundamental break from the way we’ve been doing business.”

* Mitt Romney’s fundraising efforts have been less than stellar of late, but the former Massachusetts governor is reportedly supplementing his coffers by writing his own checks: “Top Romney advisers said last week that they expected his campaign to raise almost $40 million in the first nine of months this year. And though they have not released a firm figure, they expected that Romney will have supplemented those contributions with nearly $15 million of his own money.”

* New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) is the first Democratic presidential candidate to divulge third-quarter fundraising totals, telling reporters yesterday that he raised $5.2 million over the last three months, and $18 million over the course of the year so far. That’s expected to be more than the other second-tier Democrats, and should bring Richardson fairly close to John Edwards.

* Marc Ambinder spoke to a Fred Thompson aide who said the actor-lobbyist-politician raised about $8 million in the third quarter. Considering Thompson’s late entry, he’ll have to do far better — in contrast, Romney and Giuliani each raised more than double this amount during the first quarter.

* Sen. Mel Martinez’s (R-Fla.) uneventful term as head of the Republican National Committee will reportedly end in a few months. Once a GOP presidential nominee emerges, probably sometime in February, Martinez plans to step down.

* And Capitol Hill Republicans are bragging that MoveOn.org’s “Betray Us” ad has given the GOP a much-needed fundraising boost. “The [MoveOn ad] issue is very hot with our base right now,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee spokeswoman Rebecca Fisher. The RNC, NRSC, and NRCC have all used the controversial ad in recent fundraising appeals.

My belief is that the American people would go back to what we had under Bill Clinton in a heartbeat, if we could.

  • The wingnuts are finally blogging about limpaugh calling the troops phony. Only this time they are leaping not to defend the troops but the comment about them.

    One could easily think it’s not what is said but who said it.

    Apparently the “anti troop left” is only making a thing about it because they are desperate for their own move on moment.

  • Obama’s right in my book, and here comes the too-timid Richardson to pass up Edwards… another relic from 2004.

    Before we wax nostalgic too fondly, Bill Clinton lost us both houses of Congress. I’ll pass on THAT record.
    I see history repeating itself all too easily if the 2nd Clinton wins the prize.
    The wingnuts won’t just be fired up for this election if she wins, they’ll get a full 8 years of solid recruiting if she wins the general. If Hil gets the nomination, it’s a no lose situation.

    “Stop her! Vote for a veto-proof majority against her!
    Send your checks now! What do you mean you have no checks? Oh, right. Outsourcing all the blue color jobs. Right. Sorry. Nevermind. We’ve got the money angle, just show up on election day.”

  • What’s weird is that move on increased their donations by over a half million dollars, plus increased their membership as well as a direct result of the GOP’s reaction to their ad. The GOP is actually a corrupt organization operating outside the law but because of their influence on the DoJ and the infiltration of the Judiciary by the Republicans, they cannot be held accountable. If any organization should be condemned it should be the GOP.

  • It’s obvious williamjacobs has just ignored Kucinich and knows very little of his record and plans…just skipped right over the best candidate because of “electability”…doesn’t know anything about him but jumps at the big name candidate without opening his eyes to what is right before him. Dems will win the presidency by default this time and electability is not an issue yet here we go umping at name recognition only without really looking at the only candidate to bring real change, which is what you claim you want. Don’t answer me but just ask your self why you are just ignoring Kucinich, if you knew that all you had to do was nominate him and he would be president, why do you just automatically blow him off? None of the other candidates even compare when you look at their plans and stands on the issues…so why do you not even look?

  • “They’ve been the dominant political family in the Democratic Party for the last 20 years now. So it’s not surprising that they want to focus on their longevity. [But] my belief is that the American people are looking for a fundamental break from the way we’ve been doing business.”

    Those are bold words, coming from a man whose votes aren’t that daring.

  • Those are bold words, coming from a man whose votes aren’t that daring. -Swan

    How do you want him to vote? Should he ride a unicycle? Blindfolded? What the hell is a daring vote?

    Now, I’ll grant you he shouldn’t have skipped Kyl-Lie, but he did have the flu. What’s Hillaries excuse for voting for it? Lobotomy?

  • MoveOn also said that the day of their censure by the Republicans (and a few traitorous Dems) their take was the biggesat single day ever at $500,000.

  • I feel your pain bjobotts. Not specifically on Kuchinich but just for the whole hijacking of the process by the money collected by the “leaders”.

    I heard a very good interview today on The Newhour with Mike Gravel:

    http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec07/gravel_10-01.html

    The man speaks correctly and unambiguously about all issues. Ray Suarez asked him how many other times recently that he had been able to really lay out his views and plans and Gravel responded that the interview with Ray Suarez was the first time. And it was very sad to think that we just don’t have a real process for hearing and evaluating what’s out there. Money talks, hype walks and common sense is left watching the parade tootle off into the distance.

    He’s got a very interesting back story as well. I hope he gets other opportunities to get his message out.

  • burro –

    dont you think part of the refreshing candor of someone like Gravel takes place because deep down he knows he can’t win?

    candidates like Kucinich and Gravel (and many many before them) get to be adored in a cult-like way because they are liberated from (a) having to worry about the horserace and (b) having to worry about keeping the promises – or governing at all, with all of its requisite compromises – later.

  • zeitgeist,

    I don’t know if you’ll check back in here. I just got home and didn’t get this far down the line again until now.

    I just sensed a real sincerity and concern for an America that Gravel cares a lot about and which he sees as going off the rails. I guess his candor might come from not having much, (any), potential for actually winning so he doesn’t have to thread the needle by trying to be everything to everyone. But what he says makes so much sense, (to me), that I have to believe that he just sees the issues clearly and, especially at his age, doesn’t have any desire to catapult B.S. when the truth will do.

    He seemed so grateful for the opportunity to speak his piece on TNH that I really felt that he was desperately hopeful that people would listen to his message and be affected by the honesty and, (I think), wisdom of what he said.

    I’ve heard things said by all the Dem candidates, especially Edwards, that I connected with. But I was just surprised by how once I clicked into the interview, I was newly and unexpectedly respectful of Mike Gravel.

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