Wednesday’s campaign round-up

March 12, 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:

* A relative consensus was beginning to emerge in Florida, with state Dems embracing the idea of a do-over primary — which would count — held by mail. Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida’s top ranking Democrat, was behind the idea, and officials just needed to work out the details. The plan hit a snag yesterday, however, when Florida’s House Democrats issued a statement: “Our House delegation is opposed to a mail-in campaign or any redo of any kind.” Oh my.

* Mitt Romney, currently unemployed, indicated last night that he’d love to be John McCain’s running mate. “I think any Republican leader in this country would be honored to be asked to serve as the vice presidential nominee, myself included,” Romney said on Fox News Channel. If only McCain didn’t seem to hate Romney so much…

* The primary is still six weeks away, but Hillary Clinton goes into Pennsylvania with a sizable lead over Barack Obama. A SurveyUSA poll released yesterday showed Clinton with a whopping 19-point lead, 55% to 36%.

* I’m not sure what to make of this: “Sen. John McCain’s election planners are preparing to unveil a radically decentralized campaign structure over the next few months. Instead of funneling authority through a few central figures at campaign headquarters in Arlington, VA, plans call for it to be dispersed to up to ten ‘regional campaign managers’ — spread at satellite campaign offices throughout the country.”

* Oddly enough, they’re still counting votes from Texas’ caucuses, but it appears that Obama has won easily, and will claim more Texas delegates that Clinton, despite her having won the state’s primary.

* House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been consistently neutral between Clinton and Obama, but yesterday she appeared to tip her hand, just a little, when commenting on the likelihood (or lack thereof) of the two Dems running on the same ticket: ‘I think that the Clinton [campaign] has fairly ruled that out by proclaiming that Senator McCain would be a better commander-in-Chief than Obama,’ she said. She spoke bluntly about her view that a joint ticket was not in the cards, she said, because ‘I wanted to be sure I didn’t leave any ambiguity.'”

* Clinton adviser Harold Ickes said Obama is doing well in states that Dems are likely to contest in November, including North Carolina. Obama campaign manager David Plouffe used the Ickes quote to emphasize the electability argument. “Amazingly, they said that the Democratic nominee could not carry the Carolinas,” Plouffe said. “We think that speaks to their weakness in the general election. We think we can win the state of North Carolina. Clinton has already waved the white flag [there]. North Carolina will be a central battleground if Obama is our nominee.”

* And speaking of North Carolina, SUSA has Obama leading Clinton by eight, 49% to 41%.

* Andre Carson won a special election in Indiana’s 7th congressional district yesterday, and will replace his grandmother, Julia Carson, who died of cancer in December. Carson, 33, was a member of Indianapolis City Council. Carson becomes the second Muslim to ever get elected to Congress, though he describes himself as an “Orthodox, universal, secular Muslim.”

Carson becomes the second Muslim to ever get elected to Congress, though he describes himself as an “Orthodox, universal, secular Muslim.”

Contradiction in terms?

  • Did Republicans Give Hillary Her Victory in Ohio?

    Interesting thoughts in the article – not based purely on Rush Lintball’s groaning and moaning, but on actual electoral evidence…

  • Anybody who watched Romney’s withdrawal speech knew he was auditioning for the role of the attack-dog running mate.

  • Clinton adviser Harold Ickes said Obama is doing well in states that Dems are likely to contest in November, including North Carolina.

    Is that correct? It seems more likely he said Dems would not contest in NC.

  • McCain’s regional strategy might be brilliant or might be an incoherent disaster. The devil is in the details.

  • Republicans are definitely gaming the primary, and it’s only getting worse.

    25% of Hillary’s voters in Mississippi were Republicans.

    It’s time to pull her plug. NOW.

  • Hillary just issued a press release asking “Do you [Obama] agree with General McPeak that you are more qualified to be commander in chief because you don’t “go on television and have crying fits?” Are you prepared to remove General McPeak from your campaign for what is viewed by many as a sexist comment?”

    Fuck me.

    Why or why are the supers standing on the sidelines allowing this race to continue? Obama’s lead is insurmountable. Can we please put Hillary out of our misery?

  • And while we’re in a plug pulling mood, can we do the same to Florida? This is just another Republican stunt, and Senator Nelson should be ashamed for pandering to it.

  • If only McCain didn’t seem to hate Romney so much…

    Once upon a time McCain also hated the Robertson/Falwell/Bob Jones U crowd, too. Times change. And in McCain’s case, they can change awfully fast if its convenient.

  • […] Florida’s House Democrats issued a statement: “Our House delegation is opposed to a mail-in campaign or any redo of any kind.

    Well, then… they can stay punished and unseated. It pretty much demolishes the argument which some Floridians have propounded, that it was the nasty Repub majority in legislature which imposed the date screw up on them. They seem to be quite enamoured of it; not only did they vote for it in the first place, they’re now defending it with Bush’s vigor and “logic” — my way or no way.

    Hopefully, Floridians will let them know how they feel about being disenfranchised by their own “representatives” and will throw the bums out come November.

  • Interesting press release, Deb @7. Obama and Clinton are going to have to have prisoner transfers. I’ll fire so and so and such and such, when you fire whozzit and whatchamacallit.

    I’m with Deb, this is just going downhill too fast with nothing to gain by continuing.

  • Speaking of Rush Limbaugh, there are abundant stories on the blogs about Bill Clinton on Limbaugh’s radio show the day of the Texas primaries. The suspicious thing is that no one seems to have reported it until March 10. Anyone know anything?

  • I read the link ROTFLMAO… posted and it seems it is true that Bill went on Limbaugh’s show the day of the Texas primary, but there was a guest host.

  • I often wonder whether Obama supporters know what the electoral college is that selects the president. If they knew anything about it they would know that a Democrat cannot win in a national election without a combination of the normally blue states and either FL or OH so if you think Obama can win without either you are dreaming.

  • Hey Comeback Bill,
    Do you have any recent polling data for FL or OH which pit McCain v. Obaman and McCain v. Clinton?

  • Comeback Bill, @14,

    Florida hasn’t gone blue in general elections for yonks; it has a longer red tradition than Texas. What makes you think that it would suddenly vote for a repub-lite, when it could have the real article? If Dems’ victory depends on winning Florida, then you can say hello to president McSame now. Better the Dems should try to swing the possibly competitive states than get all hung up on on a pie in the sky.

  • Still counting Texas caucus votes–another reason to implement a straight-up one man one vote primary. Enough with the arm-westling and arm-twisting.

  • Impartial,

    Comeback Bill was concern trolling about Obama’s ability to win vs. McCain. I just pointed out that early signs say yes, we can beat him.

  • This shows hat either beats McCain. What’s that prove for you, Tamalak -Partial

    In comment 14, Comeback Bill said that people who didn’t think a Democrat could win without carrying FL or OH ‘were dreaming.’

    Then Tamalak provided evidence in comment 16 showing that both Democratic candidates could do so.

    Really, you’ve got to work on your reading comprehension. Explaining every little thing to you is getting tiring.

  • Those SurveyUSA polls show that Obama beats McCain 50-40 in Ohio for a comfortable win, and is in a statistical tie with him in Florida at 45-47.

    The very premise of Comeback Bill’s latest episode in fact-free thinking is deeply flawed. Obama could very well win both states in the general.

  • Much more republicans have given their support to Obama during this primary season, Obama has won 390 delegates from closed primaries & caucuses, and Clinton has won 384 not including Florida.

    Please continue to get LOUD about the issue of republican interference in this campaign, the truth is that Obama has had way more support overall from Republicans than HRC, the proof is in the exit polls.

  • Do you know what March’s polls will mean in November? Not much, so stop quoting them, it seems desperate.

  • Hey Greg: I’ve seen you do math before, so could you give us the raw data from the exit polls which back up your claim? A few links would be nice…

  • Greg,

    You’re right, Republicans have been voting more for Obama overall this election.. until Rush Limbaugh urged his listeners to vote for Hillary TO IMPROVE REPUBLICAN CHANCES IN NOVEMBER. Since then Hillary’s share of the Republican vote has exploded.

    How much clearer does it need to be?

  • Dan @ 25

    I’ve been keeping reading these on CNN’s election center for a while now, you can go there and read them. If you think I’m wrong, then I challenge you or anybody else to prove it.

  • Great Tamalak, then we should both agree then that the Closed primaries are more of a true indication of how the people in the democratic party have voted!!

  • Greg,

    Well, of course primaries that only have Democrats are a better indication of how the Democrats have voted… I’m glad you figured that out 🙂

  • Greg, that’s a Bill O’Reilly tactic: state that it’s true, tell us to look it up on the internet, and dare us to prove you wrong. He’s not very convincing either.

    Presumably, you post because you care. You can at least take the time to back up what you have to say. Isn’t your candidate worth a few minutes of analysis?

  • given that bush has stated support for mittens and mccain has been put on notice that he has to pick the 2012 republican candidate for president as his running mate, anyone want to bet money AGAINST mccain picking romney?

    let me know, i’ll set up a paypal account to collect my winnings.

  • …Obama has won 390 delegates from closed primaries & caucuses, and Clinton has won 384 not including Florida. -Greg

    So clearly, Obama is the most favored candidate among Democrats? I seriously don’t see how this supports your point that Republicans favor Obama.

  • “Sen. John McCain’s election planners are preparing to unveil a radically decentralized campaign structure” …

    it’s called “plausible deniability”* — “what? those guys said what? oh, no, they shouldn’t have said that …”

    right. living in this place and time is like living in the middle of a train wreck, cringing by the side of the track waiting to be struck by some large, painful piece of hot, flying metal.

    *another oxymoron to go with “jumbo shrimp” and “military intelligence.”

  • Greg @31: Thanks, that would be a necessary component needed in the calculation.

    the proof is in the exit polls.

    What about the exit poll numbers? You state that Obama has had “way more support” from Republicans. Where are those numbers?

  • A relative consensus was beginning to emerge in Florida, with state Dems embracing the idea of a do-over primary — which would count — held by mail. Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida’s top ranking Democrat, was behind the idea, and officials just needed to work out the details. The plan hit a snag yesterday, however, when Florida’s House Democrats issued a statement: “Our House delegation is opposed to a mail-in campaign or any redo of any kind.” Oh my.

    Not only this, but Governor Crist, an obviously-disinterested party, chimed in today that the “original voters” should have their votes honored. (i.e., a Hillary victory)

    The Republicans will do anything and everything they can to get Hillary for an opponent. They are voting for her in record numbers in the open primaries, even where they have to “swear fealty” to the party they are voting in, they write in “For today only” and things like that. Rush Limbaugh has more influence with the far right than anyone cares to admit. They want Hillary, she’s their only hope of keeping the “long con” going.

    And everybody’s favorite Goldwater Girl is giving them lots of reason to hope for victory in November as she turns off Democrats.

  • Very discouraging to see the name calling by Democrats on each side of the Hillary/Obama divide. Seems that the Rovian “divide and conquer” strategy is working.

    If we truly believe in the principles of our party, the Democratic Party,
    then we should want everyone to vote and everyone’s vote to be counted.
    Regardless of what this or that group of politicians in Florida or Michigan say
    every Democratic voter in those states should have the right to cast a vote that will
    be counted. If that means do overs then all Democrats should work to make those
    revotes possible. To be asking for the contest to be over before all the votes are even cast much less counted well that’s a Republican position not a Democratic one.

  • Doubtful
    I read at least as well as you do because I can read impartially; something you are incapable of. And thank you but my question was answered by the person I asked it of–without nasty comment, I might add. So”we”, ie, you do not need to get involved.

  • I read at least as well as you do… -Partial

    Haha, well, I was only reading between the lines for your accusation that Tamalak had some hidden agenda in his response to Comeback Bill. You tried to be clever and failed.

    So”we”, ie, you do not need to get involved. -Partial

    This is rich coming from the commenter who spent all day yesterday telling me I was violating someone’s First Amendment rights by telling them to be quiet or look the fool.

    I guess you finally figured it out. Good for you!

    (And, by the way, as long as Steve allows it, I will answer any commenter I choose to answer; your permission is not required, natch.)

  • …anyone want to bet money AGAINST mccain picking romney?…let me know, i’ll set up a paypal account to collect my winnings.

    What kind of odds are you giving?

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