Wednesday’s political round-up

July 25, 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:

* The latest Clinton/Obama spat is still going strong, with Clinton insisting Obama was “irresponsible and frankly naïve” for his debate comment on international diplomacy, and Obama insisting about Clinton, “If you want to talk about irresponsibility and naivety, look at her vote to authorize George Bush to send our troops into Iraq without an exit plan.”

* Fred Thompson may be having staff trouble, but he’s nevertheless having success picking up support from top religious right leaders. “Some of the nation’s most influential social conservatives say their movement is quickly coalescing around Fred Thompson … a decision that would bolster his expected campaign with money and grass-roots support.” Gary Bauer and Tony Perkins are looking the other way on Thompson’s pro-choice lobbying work, and Richard Land concluded, “It’s almost as if the man and the moment met.”

* In response to new Mitt Romney ads that feature the former governor’s wife, children, and grandchildren, Rudy Giuliani said, “He has a right to emphasize the things he wants to emphasize…. I never emphasize those things.” Care to elaborate why, Mr. Mayor?

* For months, everyone has considered Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) one of the most vulnerable incumbents in next year’s campaign cycle, but Dems were struggling to recruit a top challenger. It looks like State House Speaker Jeff Merkley (D) is ready to take the plunge, and will file notice with the Federal Election Commission by Aug. 1.

* On a related note, there’s been some interest in DC about finding a top-tier opponent for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), too. Yesterday, State Attorney General Greg Stumbo (D) floated his name in the Louisville Courier-Journal and formed an exploratory committee. Chris Cillizza analyses the potential match-up and concludes, “This race has potential despite McConnell’s significant political chops and fundraising capacity.”

The Religious Wrong looked at Fred Thompson’s lobbying activities and said to themselves, “Hey! This guy can be bought. Let’s buy him ourselves.”

Cheap at half the price, that’s our Freddie Boy.

  • Obama insisting about Clinton, “If you want to talk about irresponsibility and naivety, look at her vote to authorize George Bush to send our troops into Iraq without an exit plan.”

    Obama is right 100 percent. Hillary’s never going to live that one down. The Clintons and their constant triangulating for the “right angle” and their constant bullshit. are why I won’t be voting for her in the California primary, and if she wins the nomination I will put my work into getting a veto-proof Congress, since she won’t be President. That otherwise-inteligent people can plan to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with her is beyond belief.

    “Some of the nation’s most influential social conservatives say their movement is quickly coalescing around Fred Thompson … a decision that would bolster his expected campaign with money and grass-roots support.” Gary Bauer and Tony Perkins are looking the other way on Thompson’s pro-choice lobbying work, and Richard Land concluded, “It’s almost as if the man and the moment met.”

    Watching the wingnut roots get all ecstatic about him – which I have had to stop doing over at another discussion group else I leave my favorite hobby over mortification that I share the slightest anything with those halfwitted morons – is truly proof that there are two forms of hairless biped on the planet: homo sapiens (us) and “,i>homo sap (them).

  • Clinton-Obama: yesterday we spent much a thread debating who got the better of this exchange in the debate and after (my conslusion: HRC at the debate, but she over-reached after), but it occured to me as I watched coverage last night that they likely both win. I doubt they are doing it on purpose and in a coordinated way, but the reality is that this two-person fight is taking all of the oxygen out of the room and freezing the other 6 out of the news. All I could think last night as I watched media coverage and analysis of the Clinton-Obama tiff is that the result was the appearance of a two-person race. So Clinton and Obama throw punches and Edwards and Richardson get knocked out.

    Freddy and the Fundies: The fundies will overlook his lobbying adverse to their signature issue. They’ll overlook his cavalier comments about monogamy and fidelity. They’ll overlook his being part of the evils of hollywood. Everyone should ask “why?” And everyone should conclude that the Right believes it has found Dumbya Jr. – a weak, but ambitious, blank slate who will be beholden to them and willing to be steered by one of their puppetmasters in a Cheney role, and too intellectually lazy to push back once he has his title. And if the Right has concluded that, who am I to question? Clearly Fred is unacceptable.

  • Right Said Fred: You know those dirty perverts just want a chance to look at his wife.

    Bet: The Fredvangical Movement grinds to a halt after Ms. Kehn decks Perkins for copping a feel.

  • gee, thanks tAiO. . . now I have stuck in my head this horrible notion of Thompson singing “I’m too sexy for G. Bauer, too sexy for G. Bauer. . .”
    (I leave the rest to Former Dan. It can only go downhill fast. although the “I’m too sexy for Ted Haggard” verse has potential.)

  • This is a terrible mistake on the part of Obama. It highlights his nascent view of the role of the Presidency in a complex world, as well as his tendency to dismiss important details while indulging his preference for the broad and ambiguous.

    The question, while complex, was clear: As President, would you be willing to meet, individually, with the leaders of Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and Venezuela within a year of taking office and without preconditions.

    Obama: “Sure!”. Clinton: “Not so fast!”.

    This would be a second time where Obama didn’t pay attention to the details of a question.

    In the first debate, when asked about how, as President, he would respond to a double-attack by Al Quaeda, Obama rambled on about first responders and determining who was behind the attack.

    It’s not Clinton’s fault that Obama failed to grasp the pertinent details of thoughtful questions. And, she has every right to point out his lack of understanding and attention to detail in his answers.

    You have to get up pretty early to beat Clintons. Obama, it seems, is still sleeping in.

  • Point: Obama. Nobody wants to hear GOP talking points (see also: manufactured furor at Pelosi over Syria) recycled through Senator Clinton.

  • “I never emphasize those things.” Care to elaborate on why, Mr. Mayor?

    He’s working up to it. Ask again once he can claim 9 wives and 11 children.

  • I wish we could find people who didn’t have names like “Stumbo” and “Noriega”.

    But we’ll even cream the GOP using people with unfortunate names.

  • Having lived in KY for 16 years, I can tell you that McConnell has done absolutely nothng to better the lives of ordinary Kentuckians. KY still ranks at the bottom in almost all dubious categories; healthcare, obesity, drug use, education.
    He’s simply a corporate stooge, a Bu$h lackey, and a cog in the “old boys” network.

    Stumbo is a man of character from what I can tell, he held Fletcher’s feet to the fire when it was discovered that Fletcher was purging democrats out of almost every facet of state government, undoubtedly part of Rove’s master plan to install a thousand year reich of republicanism.

    Yes, KY could be seen as a red state; I concede there are PLENTY of ignorant fools here that drive beat up pick up trucks down to the local welfare branch to pick up their disability checks, with fat kids and wife in tow, so they can turn around and by oxycontin. The problem is that these ignorant fools all have Bu$h/Cheney bumper stickers.

    This state is full of people that republicans prey on with their emotional wedge issues like gays and abortion.

    I do think though, that Stumbo could beat McConnell, based on McConnell’s blind support of Bu$h and the Iraq occupation. There are a lot of citizens from KY that have shed their blood and died in the sands of Iraq and the streets of Baghdad, and the mood here is slowly but surely turning sour.

  • Zeitgeist @3 – well said – I was thinking the exact same thing – this really makes it just about them. Excellent conclusion – Chuck Norris roundhouse to the head of Edwards and Richardson.

  • …as well as his tendency to dismiss important details while indulging his preference for the broad and ambiguous.

    Didn’t we just discuss on this blog a day or two ago the need for the Dem presidential candidate to stay away from details and focus on principles?

    Or is that only for the general election?

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