Tuesday’s political round-up

August 14, 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:

* Hillary Clinton’s campaign unveiled its first TV ad of the season, which will hit the Iowa airwaves today. The spot, which is called “Invisible,” is quite good. “If you’re a family that is struggling and you don’t have health care, you are invisible to this president,” Clinton is seen saying to a crowd. “If you’re a single mom trying to find affordable child care so you can go to work, you’re invisible too. Americans from all walks of life across our country may be invisible to this president but they’re not invisible to me and they won’t be invisible to the next president of the United States.”

* Mitt Romney, according to his latest FEC filings, is really, really wealthy. Bloomberg reported, “The former Massachusetts governor reported that most of his wealth is in a blind trust and a retirement account. When the assets of his wife, Ann, are included, the Romneys have holdings of between $190 million and $250 million, according to national campaign counsel Ben Ginsberg.” Romney’s financial holdings are apparently “greater than the other major Democratic and Republican contenders combined.”

* NYT: “New Hampshire is still pondering when to hold its presidential primary, but it looks as if one of the options is a Saturday, either Jan. 5 or Jan. 12. Saturday voting is presumed to be popular with voters, although that is not the reason New Hampshire is considering the change. Rather, the state is trying to keep its first-in-the-nation primary status in a year in which other states are leap-frogging ahead, and setting a Saturday seems to be one of the ways it can do that. But if New Hampshire does move its primary to Saturday, it would be one more sign in this country that the hallowed tradition of voting on a Tuesday is increasingly a relic of the past, at least when states have a say in the matter.” Good.

* Bill Richardson spoke with the New York Daily News editorial board yesterday, and responded to questions about whether he’d consider joining the Democratic ticket in the VP slot. Richardson insisted he’s “not interested” in the vice presidency, but added, “I never preclude anything.”

* And in Louisiana, State Treasurer John Kennedy (D) was rumored to be considering a plan to switch parties and take on Sen. Mary Landrieu (D) next year, and had reportedly met with top GOP officials about it. Kennedy put the rumors to rest the other day and announced that he would seek re-election to his current post. Yet another setback for Republicans’ ’08 recruiting efforts.

Some commenter at one of the blogs I read, maybe this one, suggested that Kennedy was really going to switch, but wait a few months to do so. He said it was accepted in Louisiana that this was true, despite his denials to the contrary. I’m not sure what to make of that.

  • “Americans from all walks of life across our country may be invisible to this president but they’re not invisible to me and they won’t be invisible to the next president of the United States.”

    Noooooooooooooooooo! Never give ANY suggestion that “me” and “the next president” might not be the same person!

    Suggested correction Hillary, if you’re reading-

    “Americans from all walks of life across our country may be invisible to this president but they’re not invisible to me and they won’t be invisible to the next when I’m president of the United States.”

  • Why is Willard Milton Romney so embarrassed about his name. If you google “Willard Milton Romney” you’ll see evidence that Wkipedia once had his name that way. You’ll also see dozens of other references to it. With all the fuss the reich-wing made about Barack Hussein Obama’s middle name, you’d think someone on the other side could needle “Mitt” about his name, but apparently we’re not like that.

  • Re Clinton’s video: nice choice of sappy/sentimental music. Goes perfectly with the theme.

  • I wonder if “Invisible” is meant as a “dog whistle” message to African-American voters. As you know, African-American families read Ralph Ellison every Kwanzaa, and no one else ever does.

  • Hannah said:
    Re Clinton’s video: nice choice of sappy/sentimental music. Goes perfectly with the theme.

    I just hope that her campaign didn’t miscalculate (remember – MSM and Fox says Hillary is much more calculating than any other politician ever) and that this audial offense will cost her the angst-ridden, cynical Iowa youth vote.

  • LOL. Colonpowwow, Iowa would be a lot more interesting if there were an angst-ridden cyncial Iowa youth vote.

  • Americans from all walks of life across our country may be invisible to this president but they’re not invisible to me and they won’t be invisible to the next president of the United States.” — Clinton

    Unless the next president is also a Repub. And, she’s not running against Bush. Not as clever as all that.

    […] the Romneys have holdings of between $190 million and $250 million, — Bloomberg

    If you know, exactly, how much you’re worth, you’re not worth much, is that it? A guesstimate with a 60 million in just difference??? Sheesh, how obscene can you get?

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