Thursday’s campaign round-up

February 14, 2008

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:

* AP: “Democrat Barack Obama said Wednesday that as president he would spend $210 billion to create jobs in construction and environmental industries, as he tried to win over economically struggling voters. Obama’s investment would be over 10 years as part of two programs. The larger is $150 billion to create 5 million so-called ‘green collar’ jobs to develop more environmentally friendly energy sources. Sixty-billion dollars would go to a National Infrastructure Reinvestment Bank to rebuild highways, bridges, airports and other public projects. Obama estimated that could generate nearly 2 million jobs, many of them in the construction industry that’s been hit by the housing crisis.”

* On a related note, the Clinton campaign responded by arguing that Obama’s plan was similar to theirs, and in an odd twist, distributed talking points from a prominent John McCain supporter criticizing Obama’s speech.

* Former Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee, who left the Republican Party last year, will endorse Obama today.

* The Clinton campaign is putting enormous emphasis on winning states like Ohio (in March) and Pennsylvania (in April), and she apparently starts off in a very good position in both. A new poll from Quinnipiac shows Clinton leading Obama in Ohio by 21 points (55% to 34%) and in Pennsylvania by 16 points (52% to 36%).

* Though there was talk of Clinton boycotting MSNBC last week, her campaign announced yesterday that she will, in fact, participate in an NBC-sponsored debate in Ohio on Saturday, Feb. 26. (This will apparently have no effect on the campaign’s decision to air an ad in Wisconsin accusing Obama of avoiding another debate with Clinton.)

* More fodder for the electability argument — a new Rasmussen poll in Colorado shows McCain leading Clinton in the state by 14 points, 49% to 35%, but the same poll shows McCain trailing Obama in Colorado by seven points, 46% to 39%. Bush won the state twice, though John Kerry only lost by five.

* Apparently, the McCain campaign is feeling a little sensitive about their candidate’s age: “McCain campaign manager Rick Davis today sent an unmistakable message to Barack Obama over the Illinois Democrat’s effort to stoke the obvious age contrast between himself and the 71-year-old McCain: Bring it on. ‘It’s nice of him to constantly point out how nice he thinks of John McCain and his half-century of service to our country,’ Davis said sardonically. ‘I don’t think he can get that [“half-century” line] out enough.'”

* James Carville said yesterday that if Clinton “loses either Texas or Ohio, this thing is done.” Is this really the message a high-profile Clinton surrogate wants to send? Doesn’t that put a little too much pressure on the candidate?

* Far be it from me to give Mike Huckabee strategic advice, but giving a paid speech this weekend at the Young Caymanian Leadership Awards — in the Cayman Islands — probably isn’t his best bet for catching McCain.

A new poll from Quinnipiac show Clinton leading Obama in Ohio by 21 points (55% to 34%) and in Ohio by 16 points

A 37 point lead in Ohio! OBAMA IS DOOMED

  • (This will apparently have no effect on the campaign’s decision to air an ad in Wisconsin accusing Obama of avoiding another debate with Clinton.)

    I hope that commercial runs during the debate.

  • “…over the Illinois Democrat’s effort to stoke the obvious age contrast between himself and the 71-year-old McCain.”

    …despite displaying such admiration for America’s oldest president to date.

    “I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not.”

  • A 37 point lead in Ohio! OBAMA IS DOOMED

    Oops. That second “Ohio” should have said “Pennsylvania.” It’s fixed now.

  • “in an odd twist, distributed talking points from a prominent John McCain supporter criticizing Obama’s speech.”

    Obama better be ready to be double-teamed these next few weeks.

  • The Republicans will hit back hard at Obama on his economic plan, criticizing his “reckless approach to spending.” But if he proposed spending that same money rebuilding the economy of Iraq instead of the United States, they would stand up and cheer.

    Tamalak, let’s keep an eye on Ohio and Pennsylvania polls and watch for movement. I think we can expect that gap to close dramatically before election day. And the enthusiasm gap suggests a better turnout among Obama supporters. Even if Hillary wins Ohio, Obama is likely to come away with almost half the delegates.

    (CB, I think you have a typo in the paragraph about the Rasmussen polls. You mention Ohio twice, and Pennsylvania not at all.)

  • * Far be it for me to give Mike Huckabee strategic advice, but giving a paid speech this weekend at the Young Caymanian Leadership Awards — in the Cayman Islands — probably isn’t his best bet for catching McCain.

    Yeah, let’s ship all campaigning overseas. Go Global!

  • It’s not at all surprising that Hillary would wind up with McCain’s talking points re: Obama. McCain would prefer her as his opponent. And isn’t it interesting that McCain was asking for “specifics” from Obama just yesterday? And now he’s piling on them. Hillary too.

    Note that Obama’s team has responded to the allegations:
    UPDATE: Obama spokesman Bill Burton responds:
    “If the Clinton campaign ever bothered to check their facts before attacking, they’d know that Barack Obama’s comprehensive energy plan to create millions of new jobs was introduced a month before Senator Clinton’s…

    Zing!!!

  • For what it’s worth, I live in Colorado (Colorado Springs, in fact, which is extremely right-wing conservative), and there is an extreme hatred of Clinton here. I’ve asked a few people why they hate her so much, and here some very strange, spluttering answers.

    At the same time, I’ve spoken to a number of extremely religious, right-leaning people (who voted for Bush) who say that they intend to vote for Obama.

  • It’s not surprising that both Obama’s and Clinton’s economic plans are similar; they both cribbed plenty from Kerry’s 2004 plan, which was, after all, just plain good sense, so I don’t hold that against either of them.

    http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005623
    http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/convention2004/johnkerry2004dnc.htm

    That said, Clinton has no claim to higher ground here, as far as I can see, and her complaint sounds a lot like petty bickering to me.

  • Yeah, let’s ship all campaigning overseas. Go Global!

    Watch it, that’s just what PNAC wants.

    And I am so sick of dems eating their own (which, sad to say, is mostly HRC). I think it’s a brilliant idea to SHOOT THE DEMS IN THE FOOT because you want to be president. Sorry, rise above it. I am sick of negative campaigns and if they are coming from within, I am that much sicker. Why give goopers more ideas for the generals?

    This is wrong, just wrong.

  • I personally believe that Hillarys support will continue to be strong in TX, OH and PA for the simple reason that she is more conservative than Obama. Even if he could draw 100,000 to Buckeye stadium wouldn’t mean anything. Once you leave the east east coast democrats are more conservative. Such as WV, PA and OH because they work hard and still have issues with liberal democrats. Indiana will be interesting aslo. I don’t take much that surrogates preach about their candidates.

  • #10

    Thats why they call it campaigning.

    Maybe if everyone listened to the news and heard the bias toward Barack and just stopped hating Hillary because she happens to be Bill’s wife things would go just peachy.

    I listen daily and most of what you hear is Mrs Clinton vrs Sen Obama or Hillary vrs Sen Obama in case the media doesn’t know it they are both respected Senators from their respective states. I believe if the media was just the opposite such as Mr Obam vrs Sen Clinton or Barack vrs Sen Clinton most people throughout this nation would be saying who the hell is this Barack guy anyway. Wheres he from what has he done and so on. Even when John Edwards was in it was Hillary vrs Fmr Sen Edwards and Sen Obama. Wording makes a difference.

  • Jim @12-
    I disagree that Clinton will be strong in Texas based on conservatism. Obama has been able to reach across the aisle to moderates and conservatives in more states, while she has appealed more largely to the Dem base. There is a lot of animousity in Texas for the Clintons, simply due to the hype the Republicans were able to produce in the ’90s. People don’t know why they don’t like them, if you ask, they just spout of at the mere mention of the name – I know, I’m related to some of them. 🙂

  • February 14th, 2008 at 12:47 pm, Jim said:
    I personally believe that Hillarys support will continue to be strong in TX, OH and PA for the simple reason that she is more conservative than Obama. Even if he could draw 100,000 to Buckeye stadium wouldn’t mean anything. Once you leave the east east coast democrats are more conservative.

    A look at the map shows that Obama has won eight states in the conservative Midwest, three states in the Northwest,six Southern states, and two Southwestern states and four Eastern states. Apparently his appeal is more than regional.

  • 1 comment and 1 question about the polls in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

    First, the article states -at the very bottom- that the polls were conducted February 6-12. Obama’s recent victories and regained momentum would therefore not be reflected, making these polls less relevant for the headline buzz they generate.

    Secondly, the polls were among likely Democratic voters. Does anyone know what the election rules are for these primaries? Are independents allowed to vote and can voters register on election day? I would think these would be important considerations.

  • PA is closed, OH is open and TX is just a cluster F**k all in all with a primary and a caucus on the same day. Go figure.

  • all democratic primaries and caucuses should be closed period. in the general you can vote for who you want. people under estimate the republican machine in these caucus states. its easy to send rethugs to the caucuses and throw one to the one most beatable in the general. there was an article on the AP that stated the exit polling an increased number of rethugs voted for Barack in Virginia as a protest to McCain but would either stay home in Nov or hold their nose and vote for McCain

  • “Green collar jobs” — I like it. Obama’s campaign should also emphasize the fact that additional investment in renewable and domestic energy sources is also a boon to our national security as well as the economy. Environmental benefits are just one component.

    McCain leading Hillary in Colorado is a really odd circumstance. Mitt Romney just killed McCain in Colorado, and our friend James Dobson, who just hates McCain, is based in Colorado Springs. Obama also crushed Hillary in the state too. That polling data reflects a true “lesser of the two evils” scenario in a formerly red state that now has a Democratic governor and legislature.

    Huckabee in the Caymans? Well he does do better the further south he goes. Plus just think how much Republican cash has been off-shored to those islands; he may be crazy like a fox.

  • all democratic primaries and caucuses should be closed period. -Jim

    I completely disagree. We want to build the Democratic party and one of the best ways to do that is to get people to vote for Democrats. I honestly have seen no evidence (despite repeatedly specifically asking you to provide it) that supports your spoiler claims. I just don’t think it’s happening.

    What I do think is happening is GOP fatigue. We have a genuine opportunity to expand the Democratic base, and it’s a shame that just because your favored candidate has lost some primaries you’re so ready to slam the door in the face of people looking for a new and better way.

  • Doubtful, @ 22

    During my stint at the polls on Tuesday (I’m in VA), I saw quite a few Repubs (I know them; it’s a small town) choosing to vote in the Dem primary rather than their own. Whether they did it to try and manipulate the results or whether it represented a genuine cross-over, I have no idea.

  • * More fodder for the electability argument — a new Rasmussen poll in Colorado shows McCain leading Clinton in the state by 14 points, 49% to 35%, but the same poll shows McCain trailing Obama in Colorado by seven points, 46% to 39%. Bush won the state twice, though John Kerry only lost by five.

    Does anyone know what Rasmussen polls predicted for the Bush v. Kerry contest? Given Rasmussen’s known flaws in their polling methodology, I’m wondering how well they did in Colorado in 2004. Thanks in advance.

  • On related news, NPR All things considered interviewed the teacher that works at Dunkin Donuts to make ends meat. Compelling story.

  • Democratic primaries should be closed–assuming your goal is to close the party off to new people. If you want to win the general election, you need to encourage support from independents and Republicans who are dissatisfied with the current Republican policies.

  • I just received a press release from the Michigan Democratic Party as I was posting the comment above. In case anyone is interested in the “official” breakdown of the illegal Michigan delegates, here’s the press release:

    The Michigan Democratic Party today released the official allocation of pledged delegates, alternates, and committee members for Hillary Clinton and for Uncommitted based on the official January 15, 2008 Presidential Primary results certified by the Board of State Canvassers on February 4, 2008.

    Overall, Clinton will have 73 pledged delegates, 16 pledged alternates, and 10 committee members, and there will be 55 uncommitted delegates, 5 uncommitted alternates, and 8 uncommitted committee members.

    Eighty-three (83) pledged delegates and 15 pledged alternates will be elected at Congressional District Conventions on March 29, 2008. The remaining 45 pledged delegates and 6 pledged alternates will be elected at a State Central Committee meeting on May 17, 2008 in Grand Rapids. Committee members will be elected that day by the entire delegation.

    These 128 pledged delegates, 21 pledged alternates and 18 committee members together with 28 unpledged delegates (also known as “super delegates”) will constitute Michigan’s delegation to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado on August 25-28.

  • giving a paid speech this weekend at the Young Caymanian Leadership Awards — in the Cayman Islands —

    Uhm, where did you expect him to give a speech to the Young Caymanian Leadership Awards? The Leadership Islands? Duh, they’re still under economic embargo.

  • Obama’s efforts to connect to the Republican Party, specifically Bush, and Dick Chaney, of the Halliburton Company, dates back to the Presidents Grandfather, Prescott Bush, and indeed Chaney was once an executive officer of Halliburton.

    The American military pounds Iraq with Artillary, bombs, and the like, destroying large sections of cities, and infra-structures, then Halliburton comes in to rebuild. Halliburton and Halliburton associated companies have raked in ten’s of billions.

    Obama is just like the BIG HALIBURTAN. Haliburton has contracted to build detention centers in the U.S. similiar to the one in Quantanammo Bay, Cuba. Halliburton does nothing to earn the Two Dollars for each meal an American Serviceman in Iraq eats.

    http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/

    Halliburton was scheduled to take control of the Dubai Ports in The United Arab Emiirate. The deal was canceled when Bush was unable to affect the transfer of the American Ports.

    Now we see what some might suspect as similiar financial escapading from the Democrats.

    Two years ago, Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity gave a $50 million contract to a start-up security company – Companion- owned by now-indicted businessman (TONY REZKO) Tony Rezko and a onetime Chicago cop, Daniel T. Frawley, to train Iraqi power-plant guards in the United States. An Iraqi leadership change left the deal in limbo. Now the company, Companion Security, is working to revive its contract.
    Involved along with Antoin “Tony” Rezco, long time friend and neighbor of Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama, and former cop Daniel T. Frawley, is Aiham Alsammarae. Alsammarae was accused of financial corruption by Iraqi authorities and jailed in Iraq last year before escaping and returning here.

    LIKE FATHER LIKE SON —
    Recently, Obama’s campaign staff have been vetted by the IRS to disclose his connection to the criminal money generating underworld. Besides, his connections to the REZCO MAFIA types, his up-coming tax fraud charges — Obama needs to disclose why he is a MUSLIM “PATWANG-FWEEE” and disclose Obama’s MUSLIM Farrakhan mob connection to Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, and Obama’s spiritual adviser, is the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. In 1982, the church launched Trumpet Newsmagazine; Wright’s daughters serve as publisher and executive editor. Every year, the magazine makes awards in various categories. Last year, it gave the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award to a man it said “truly epitomized greatness.” That man is Louis Farrakhan. Farrakhan and Chicago’s Trinity United Church are trumpeting Barack Obama AKA Barack Hussein Obama as the second coming of the messiah. Obama should stop suppoting our intervention in IRAQ. It’s time to introduce this false, fake Xerox – X box Obama and invite the self-indicting thief plagiarizing pipsqueke “GLORK” Xerox – X box to meet the Buffalo “GAZOWNT-GAZIKKA” Police Department Buffalo Creek. He is MAD!!! —

    OBAM YOU’RE NO JFK —

    “GLORK” Obama looks like Alfred E. Newman: “Tales Calculated To Drive You.” He is a MUSLIM “Glork” He’s MAD!!! Alfred E. Neuman is the fictional mascot of Mad. The face had drifted through American pictography for decades before being claimed by Mad editor Harvey Kurtzman after he spotted it on the bulletin board in the office of Ballantine Books editor Bernard Shir-Cliff, later a contributor to various magazines created by Kurtzman.
    Obama needs to disclose why he is a MUSLIM “PATWANG-FWEEE” and stop suppoting our intervention in IRAQ. It’s time to introduce this false, fake “GLORK” Xerox – X box Obama and invite the self-indicting thief plagiarizing pipsqueke Xerox – X box to meet the Buffalo “GAZOWNT-GAZIKKA” Police Department Buffalo Creek.

    Michelle Obama should be ashamed.

    “GLORK” Michelle Obama should be ashamed of her separatist-racist connection to Farrakhan and Chicago’s Trinity United Church trumpeting Barack Obama AKA Barack Hussein Obama as the second coming of the messiah. If Michelle Obama new what her husband — the Hope-A-Dope, Fonster Monster — Barack Obama AKA Barack Hussein Obama did in Harlem, she would wash her wide-open, Hus-suey loving MUSILM mouth out, with twenty-four (24) mule-team double-cross X-boX-BorraX. He is a MUSLIM “Glork” It’s time to introduce this false, fake “GLORK” Xerox – X box Obama and invite the self-indicting thief plagiarizing pipsqueke Xerox – X box to meet the Buffalo “GAZOWNT-GAZIKKA” Police Department Buffalo Creek. He’s MAD!!!

    http://www.halliburtonwatch.org/

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