Arguably the most politically significant aspect to today’s Senate testimony from Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker is the campaign angle — John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama will all get a chance to question Petraeus and Crocker directly. But McCain is drawing interest this morning for what appears to be yet another […]
Tuesday’s campaign round-up
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: * At least partial vindication: “Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has stopped telling a story of a pregnant woman’s medical tragedy after an Ohio hospital challenged its accuracy last weekend. But recent accounts […]
McCain and Hagee — talking about the lack of talk
In late February, after extensive outreach efforts from John McCain and his campaign, mega-church preacher John Hagee endorsed the Republican senator’s campaign, and made some appearances with McCain to express his support. Given Hagee’s history of provocative remarks — he’s been quoted making anti-Catholic, anti-gay, anti-Muslim, anti-woman, and anti-Semitic comments — McCain’s decision to embrace […]
In March, McCain maintained menacing money problems
At first blush, John McCain’s $15 million fundraising haul in March may sound like good news for his campaign. After all, it was his best month to date. The figure was confirmed by a McCain campaign official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the figure has not yet been officially released. The amount represents […]
The reports of Penn’s ouster may have been greatly exaggerated
Dems everywhere, most notably at Clinton campaign headquarters, breathed a sigh of relief late Sunday when the campaign announced that Mark Penn was no longer Clinton’s top campaign strategist. There was some talk that Penn would maintain some kind of role with the team, but no one took that seriously — when the campaign replaced […]
Hearings full of sound and fury, changing nothing
In September 2007, Gen. David Petraeus and Amb. Ryan Crocker offered very high-profile testimony in Congress on the state of the war in Iraq. At the time, it was characterized as some kind of watershed moment, with Petraeus and Crocker assuring officials and the nation that progress is right around the corner, and with some […]
Monday’s Mini-Report
Today’s edition of quick hits. * Mark Penn has been forced out of his role in the Clinton campaign, but he’s not really gone: “…Penn may no longer have the coveted title of chief strategist, but he remains a key member of the campaign’s senior staff. Mr. Penn took part on the campaign’s morning message […]
White House claims to give up its ‘rose-colored glasses’
White House spokesperson Tony Fratto received a series of questions about Iraq during today’s press briefing, and the deputy press secretary used an interesting phrase more than once. (Think Progress has the video) Q: Also, how does this latest violence in Iraq and the latest uncertainty about what’s going on color the Petraeus-Crocker testimony this […]
When Obama’s patriotism goes from implicit to explicit
In his most recent column for Time’s print edition, Joe Klein urged Barack Obama to address what he labeled the “patriotism problem” by relying more overtly patriotic appeals. “[T]o convince those who doubt him,” Klein said, “Obama has to make the implicit explicit. He will have to show that he can be as corny as […]
Condoleezza Rice, an unlikely McCain running mate
About two weeks ago, the Washington Note reported that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stopped by Grover Norquist’s weekly “Wednesday Meeting,” at which conservative leaders, thinkers, and operatives get together to plot and scheme. Apparently, Rice’s attendance was unusual. A “major” Republican operative told Steve Clemons, “Someone like Condi Rice doesn’t go to Grover Norquist’s […]