January 31, 2004
Add P Diddy to the Liberal Conspiracy
According to USNews, the rapper (also known as Sean Puuufy Combs), is joining with Democrats:
For a middle-aged white guy, Democratic Party grandmaster Terry McAuliffe's got a pretty good dance step. But it took more than boogie-woogie to score what could be a politically important late-night meeting with hip-hop king Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. Friends of both say they got together last month at P. Diddy's New York recording studio as he worked on his Super Bowl ditty. McAuliffe asked the sometime social activist to help out in the fall presidential elections. For the first time, the influential celebrity agreed. "He will be involved in some of what we're doing in the future," says a Dem. One likely job: the "Something New" campaign, which uses hip-hop concerts to goose youths to vote. "P. Diddy," said one participant, "was thoughtful and very impressive." The meeting occurred on the very day he was seen back with Jennifer Lopez, who later broke up with Ben Affleck. Some star-struck Dems hoped she'd be at the meeting, but hanging out with P. Diddy in the recording studio was enough for McAuliffe, who's been bragging ever since about "laying track with P. Diddy."
Posted by Eric at 09:44 PM | Comments (23)
Add P Diddy to the Liberal Conspiracy
According to USNews, the rapper (also known as Sean Puuufy Combs), is joining with Democrats:
For a middle-aged white guy, Democratic Party grandmaster Terry McAuliffe's got a pretty good dance step. But it took more than boogie-woogie to score what could be a politically important late-night meeting with hip-hop king Sean "P. Diddy" Combs. Friends of both say they got together last month at P. Diddy's New York recording studio as he worked on his Super Bowl ditty. McAuliffe asked the sometime social activist to help out in the fall presidential elections. For the first time, the influential celebrity agreed. "He will be involved in some of what we're doing in the future," says a Dem. One likely job: the "Something New" campaign, which uses hip-hop concerts to goose youths to vote. "P. Diddy," said one participant, "was thoughtful and very impressive." The meeting occurred on the very day he was seen back with Jennifer Lopez, who later broke up with Ben Affleck. Some star-struck Dems hoped she'd be at the meeting, but hanging out with P. Diddy in the recording studio was enough for McAuliffe, who's been bragging ever since about "laying track with P. Diddy."
Posted by Eric at 09:44 PM | Comments (7)
Saturday Brings At Least 18 Deaths in Iraq
According to Reuters:
The U.S. military said three U.S. soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb blew up next to a convoy traveling between Kirkuk and Tikrit, the hometown of ousted leader Saddam Hussein 175 km north of Baghdad.The deaths brought to 364 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in action since the start of the Iraq war last March. Including non-combat deaths, the toll is 522.
Soldiers and policemen in Baghdad gave conflicting accounts of the first blast in Baghdad's Baladiyyat district, some saying it was mortar fire and others rockets. A father and son who ran a kiosk nearby were killed, sources at a hospital said.
Guerrillas have often struck on significant dates -- a car bomb destroyed a Baghdad restaurant on New Year's Eve, killing eight, and on October 27, the first day of Ramadan, coordinated suicide attacks in Baghdad killed at least 35.
Posted by Eric at 08:39 PM | Comments (24)
Saturday Brings At Least 18 Deaths in Iraq
According to Reuters:
The U.S. military said three U.S. soldiers were killed when a roadside bomb blew up next to a convoy traveling between Kirkuk and Tikrit, the hometown of ousted leader Saddam Hussein 175 km north of Baghdad.The deaths brought to 364 the number of U.S. soldiers killed in action since the start of the Iraq war last March. Including non-combat deaths, the toll is 522.
Soldiers and policemen in Baghdad gave conflicting accounts of the first blast in Baghdad's Baladiyyat district, some saying it was mortar fire and others rockets. A father and son who ran a kiosk nearby were killed, sources at a hospital said.
Guerrillas have often struck on significant dates -- a car bomb destroyed a Baghdad restaurant on New Year's Eve, killing eight, and on October 27, the first day of Ramadan, coordinated suicide attacks in Baghdad killed at least 35.
Posted by Eric at 08:39 PM | Comments (4)
Sunday Show Lineups
ABC's "This Week"
Terry McAuliffe
James Woolsey, former CIA director
Richard Holbrooke, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
CBS' "Face the Nation"
John Edwards
NBC's "Meet the Press"
Howard Dean
CNN's "Late Edition"
Joe Lieberman
David Kay
Sens. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano
Pat Robertson
"Fox News Sunday"
Kay
Sens. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.
Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.
Posted by Eric at 08:38 PM | Comments (9)
Sunday Show Lineups
ABC's "This Week"
Terry McAuliffe
James Woolsey, former CIA director
Richard Holbrooke, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
CBS' "Face the Nation"
John Edwards
NBC's "Meet the Press"
Howard Dean
CNN's "Late Edition"
Joe Lieberman
David Kay
Sens. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb.
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano
Pat Robertson
"Fox News Sunday"
Kay
Sens. Pat Roberts, R-Kan.
Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va.
Posted by Eric at 08:38 PM | Comments (0)
Chandler Ads
The always fantastic Political Wire notes this about Ben Chandler and his recent ad buys on several blogs, including The Hamster:
Ben Chandler's congressional campaign has started advertising on Political Wire and several other blogs via BlogAds. In less than a day, online campaign donations covered the cost of the entire ad buy.Nice. Blogs, of course, have helped fundraising. Just look at the funds the DNC has raised through its blog. And don't forget about the presidential campaign sites.
Also, help support The Hamster and click on these other good folks:
OpenMinds: "Switch to openminds.us for reliable, accelerated dialup access with the latest "Open Source" technology and US-based support
for the maximum online security, safety, and privacy."
The Cheating Culture: "The collapse of Enron in late 2001 began a wave of corporate scandals unparalleled in U.S. history. Corporate cheating has cost many Americans their retirement savings, undermined investor confidence in the stock market, and highlighted the need for much stronger government regulation of big business. Today, it is far from clear whether real reform will occur or whether many of the executives responsible for the recent scandals will ever be brought to justice."
Or support this site through cheap ads here.
Posted by Eric at 04:25 PM | Comments (25)
Chandler Ads
The always fantastic Political Wire notes this about Ben Chandler and his recent ad buys on several blogs, including The Hamster:
Ben Chandler's congressional campaign has started advertising on Political Wire and several other blogs via BlogAds. In less than a day, online campaign donations covered the cost of the entire ad buy.Nice. Blogs, of course, have helped fundraising. Just look at the funds the DNC has raised through its blog. And don't forget about the presidential campaign sites.
Also, help support The Hamster and click on these other good folks:
OpenMinds: "Switch to openminds.us for reliable, accelerated dialup access with the latest "Open Source" technology and US-based support
for the maximum online security, safety, and privacy."
The Cheating Culture: "The collapse of Enron in late 2001 began a wave of corporate scandals unparalleled in U.S. history. Corporate cheating has cost many Americans their retirement savings, undermined investor confidence in the stock market, and highlighted the need for much stronger government regulation of big business. Today, it is far from clear whether real reform will occur or whether many of the executives responsible for the recent scandals will ever be brought to justice."
Or support this site through cheap ads here.
Posted by Eric at 04:25 PM | Comments (3)
NY Times Bestseller
For week of Feb 8, 2004.
1) Price of Loyalty.
2) American Dynasty.
3) Prison without Bars, Pete Rose.
4) Dude, Where's My Country.
5) Lies ... Franken.
7) Enemy Within, Michael Savage
12) Bill O'Reilly
14) Had Enough? Carville
16) Tour of Duty, John Kerry book, Douglas Brinkley
Also selling, Zell Miller (17), Robert E. Rubin and Jacob Weisberg (20), David Frum and Richard Perle (23), Albright (25), and Molly Ivins (34).
Posted by Eric at 01:13 PM | Comments (7)
NY Times Bestseller
For week of Feb 8, 2004.
1) Price of Loyalty.
2) American Dynasty.
3) Prison without Bars, Pete Rose.
4) Dude, Where's My Country.
5) Lies ... Franken.
7) Enemy Within, Michael Savage
12) Bill O'Reilly
14) Had Enough? Carville
16) Tour of Duty, John Kerry book, Douglas Brinkley
Also selling, Zell Miller (17), Robert E. Rubin and Jacob Weisberg (20), David Frum and Richard Perle (23), Albright (25), and Molly Ivins (34).
Posted by Eric at 01:13 PM | Comments (2)
Bush's Proposed Mercury Rules Show Industry Influence
Surprise! WPost:
A side-by-side comparison of one of the three proposed rules and the memorandums prepared by Latham & Watkins -- one of Washington's premier corporate environmental law firms -- shows that at least a dozen paragraphs were lifted, sometimes verbatim, from the industry suggestions ...Latham & Watkins was among the law firms and utility industry groups that lobbied the administration last year during deliberations over mercury rules in the Clean Air Act. The firm represents Cinergy Inc. and other major utilities and energy companies with a major interest in the outcome of the rule-making. Holmstead, an assistant EPA administrator, and his chief counsel, Bill Wehrum, worked for Latham & Watkins before joining the EPA.
There is nothing unusual about industry groups peppering government agencies with position papers and recommendations. Indeed, lawyers for Latham & Watkins served on an EPA mercury advisory group and submitted two detailed memos -- one dated March 8, 2002, that dealt with the challenges of regulating different grades of coal, and another, dated Sept. 4, that outlined a number of regulatory legal theories. However, some former EPA officials said it is rare for the agency to simply insert large chunks of an industry analysis into a proposed rule.
Posted by Eric at 05:26 AM | Comments (37)
Bush's Proposed Mercury Rules Show Industry Influence
Surprise! WPost:
A side-by-side comparison of one of the three proposed rules and the memorandums prepared by Latham & Watkins -- one of Washington's premier corporate environmental law firms -- shows that at least a dozen paragraphs were lifted, sometimes verbatim, from the industry suggestions ...Latham & Watkins was among the law firms and utility industry groups that lobbied the administration last year during deliberations over mercury rules in the Clean Air Act. The firm represents Cinergy Inc. and other major utilities and energy companies with a major interest in the outcome of the rule-making. Holmstead, an assistant EPA administrator, and his chief counsel, Bill Wehrum, worked for Latham & Watkins before joining the EPA.
There is nothing unusual about industry groups peppering government agencies with position papers and recommendations. Indeed, lawyers for Latham & Watkins served on an EPA mercury advisory group and submitted two detailed memos -- one dated March 8, 2002, that dealt with the challenges of regulating different grades of coal, and another, dated Sept. 4, that outlined a number of regulatory legal theories. However, some former EPA officials said it is rare for the agency to simply insert large chunks of an industry analysis into a proposed rule.
Posted by Eric at 05:26 AM | Comments (2)
Funny Comments
I was reading through the comments in the comment-popular Al Franken Attacks People! entry. Here was an exchange:
And Limbaugh isn't equal time. You name for me one person in the media who blatantly extolls the vitrues of the left and tells his audience to vote democratic the way that hannity, rush, miller, o'reilly, scarborough, kudlow, cramer, savage, ingraham, and the rest of the folks with their own editorially slanted shows do.Posted by: pop at January 30, 2004 02:43 PMLiberal media, my ass!
So then someone responds:
pop-Fear the liberal juggernaut that is Kate Kudson.Since you asked, the liberal media is known as CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, NPR, PBS (read the Bernard Goldberg book) along with a majority of the entertainment industry with the content they produce and publicity they generate. I am making the point that now there alternatives and liberals are crying foul because of the huge success these alternatives are enjoying.
You want names? Ok, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, Katie Couric, Matt Lauer, Bill Moyers, Ted Turner, Christine Amanpour, Andy Rooney, Aaron McGruder, Paul Begala, James Carville, Chris Matthews, Janeane Garofalo, Susan Sarandon, George Clooney, Michael Moore, Martin Sheen, Danny Glover, Sean Penn, Alec Baldwin, Tim Robbins, Julia Roberts, Mike Farrell, Jennifer Aniston, Ed harris, Woody Harrelson, Richard Gere, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jessica Lange, Woody Allen, Johnny Depp, Kate Hudson, Harrison Ford, Al Franken, Ed Asner, Dixie Chicks, Barbara Streisand, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Michael Stipe, Chris Martin, Chrissy Hynde, Sheryl Crowe, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Bono, John Cougar, Willie Nelson, Moby,Norman Mailer, Hans Blix.
All these outspoken fools have a huge impact on the people who formulate their judgement on sound-bites.
Liberal media is not just broadcast news or a talk radio show personality, it's a conspiracy!
Posted by: gjaz at January 30, 2004 04:44 PM
I mean, I know when I saw "Alex and Emma," I was like, "You know, tax cuts that disproportionately affect the wealthiest 1% of Americans will do nothing to stimulate the US economy, as conservatives have put forth in Reaganesque trickle-down economic theory." But maybe I was reading too much into Kate Hudson's acting.
Posted by Eric at 05:14 AM | Comments (96)
Funny Comments
I was reading through the comments in the comment-popular Al Franken Attacks People! entry. Here was an exchange:
And Limbaugh isn't equal time. You name for me one person in the media who blatantly extolls the vitrues of the left and tells his audience to vote democratic the way that hannity, rush, miller, o'reilly, scarborough, kudlow, cramer, savage, ingraham, and the rest of the folks with their own editorially slanted shows do.Posted by: pop at January 30, 2004 02:43 PMLiberal media, my ass!
So then someone responds:
pop-Fear the liberal juggernaut that is Kate Kudson.Since you asked, the liberal media is known as CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, NPR, PBS (read the Bernard Goldberg book) along with a majority of the entertainment industry with the content they produce and publicity they generate. I am making the point that now there alternatives and liberals are crying foul because of the huge success these alternatives are enjoying.
You want names? Ok, Dan Rather, Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, Katie Couric, Matt Lauer, Bill Moyers, Ted Turner, Christine Amanpour, Andy Rooney, Aaron McGruder, Paul Begala, James Carville, Chris Matthews, Janeane Garofalo, Susan Sarandon, George Clooney, Michael Moore, Martin Sheen, Danny Glover, Sean Penn, Alec Baldwin, Tim Robbins, Julia Roberts, Mike Farrell, Jennifer Aniston, Ed harris, Woody Harrelson, Richard Gere, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford, Jessica Lange, Woody Allen, Johnny Depp, Kate Hudson, Harrison Ford, Al Franken, Ed Asner, Dixie Chicks, Barbara Streisand, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Michael Stipe, Chris Martin, Chrissy Hynde, Sheryl Crowe, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, Bono, John Cougar, Willie Nelson, Moby,Norman Mailer, Hans Blix.
All these outspoken fools have a huge impact on the people who formulate their judgement on sound-bites.
Liberal media is not just broadcast news or a talk radio show personality, it's a conspiracy!
Posted by: gjaz at January 30, 2004 04:44 PM
I mean, I know when I saw "Alex and Emma," I was like, "You know, tax cuts that disproportionately affect the wealthiest 1% of Americans will do nothing to stimulate the US economy, as conservatives have put forth in Reaganesque trickle-down economic theory." But maybe I was reading too much into Kate Hudson's acting.
Posted by Eric at 05:14 AM | Comments (27)
Just Checking on O'Reilly
Remember this?
"And I said on my program, if -- if -- the Americans go in and overthrow Saddam Hussein and it's clean, he has nothing, I will apologize to the nation, and I will not trust the Bush administration again." Bill O'Reilly, Good Morning America, 3-18-03
Last time I checked, O'Reilly's been doing a lot of trusting the Bush administration. As of today, over 318 days since he said he would apologize to America.
Posted by Eric at 04:53 AM | Comments (69)
Just Checking on O'Reilly
Remember this?
"And I said on my program, if -- if -- the Americans go in and overthrow Saddam Hussein and it's clean, he has nothing, I will apologize to the nation, and I will not trust the Bush administration again." Bill O'Reilly, Good Morning America, 3-18-03
Last time I checked, O'Reilly's been doing a lot of trusting the Bush administration. As of today, over 318 days since he said he would apologize to America.
Posted by Eric at 04:53 AM | Comments (21)
Stupid Quote Saturday
"Why would he want to rape her? She doesn't look like a day at the beach." Judge Gene Stephenson on a rape victim.
"For over 30 years, Kerry's primary occupation has been stalking lonely heiresses. Not to get back to his combat experience, but Kerry sees a room full of wealthy widows as "a target-rich environment." This is a guy whose experience dealing with tax problems is based on spending his entire adult life being supported by rich women. What does a kept man know about taxes?" Ann Coulter
"[T]he illiteracy level of our children are appalling." George W. Bush, January 23.
“Liberals are afraid. They believe that they can make friends with people like Osama bin Laden. They think if they just show people like that that our military is not going to harm them, that we have no intention of going beyond our borders and we're not going to launch missiles at them, they'll leave us alone.” Rush Limbaugh
"Well, we’ve paid it, you know. We’ve paid it. We inherited this. I almost think that he set out to do this. I have the weird feeling sometimes that he set it up so that everything would collapse when Bush took over, because he knew he couldn’t run again." Michael Savage.
Posted by Eric at 04:38 AM | Comments (56)
Stupid Quote Saturday
"Why would he want to rape her? She doesn't look like a day at the beach." Judge Gene Stephenson on a rape victim.
"For over 30 years, Kerry's primary occupation has been stalking lonely heiresses. Not to get back to his combat experience, but Kerry sees a room full of wealthy widows as "a target-rich environment." This is a guy whose experience dealing with tax problems is based on spending his entire adult life being supported by rich women. What does a kept man know about taxes?" Ann Coulter
"[T]he illiteracy level of our children are appalling." George W. Bush, January 23.
“Liberals are afraid. They believe that they can make friends with people like Osama bin Laden. They think if they just show people like that that our military is not going to harm them, that we have no intention of going beyond our borders and we're not going to launch missiles at them, they'll leave us alone.” Rush Limbaugh
"Well, we’ve paid it, you know. We’ve paid it. We inherited this. I almost think that he set out to do this. I have the weird feeling sometimes that he set it up so that everything would collapse when Bush took over, because he knew he couldn’t run again." Michael Savage.
Posted by Eric at 04:38 AM | Comments (26)
MoveOn.org Ad
This Sunday, during the Superbowl, you won't see this MoveOn.org ad about budget deficits.
The NY Times editorial page writes of the decision:
"CBS is being accused of censoring an anti-Bush ad to curry favor with the White House and federal regulators. That seems unfair. All the networks (as opposed to local affiliates, which have their own policies) have consistently rejected such advocacy commercials from groups other than political candidates."According to them, the larger issues is
That does not mean that the network was right. The CBS argument that contentious policy matters are best left exclusively to its news division strikes us as wrongheaded and patronizing. The networks should be screening ads for accuracy and taste, then leaving it up to viewers to judge for themselves.I agree with that statement. It seems that, as a society, we've blocked out policy debates from the public discourse. What's wrong with introducing policy ads, whether it's conservative or liberal, during a highly-watched telecast? Are they afraid of football fans breaking into spontaneous discussions about Medicare reform, 2nd amendment rights, and whether a US budget deficit would create a disorderly exchange rate realignment that would cause macroeconomic problems and a generalized deflation, which would increase uncertainty and possibly decrease the buying power of the Euro (unlikely, I contend)?
OK, so MoveOn.org doesn't get its Superbowl ad. Still, don't chalk it up as a loss for MoveOn. As a result of the CBS block, Senator Dick Durbin made a statement about the org and CBS on the Senate floor. Senator Wyden wrote a letter. Members of the House wrote a letter. And the SF Chron and Boston Globe wrote editorials. The Boston Globe:
What better place for a contest of ideologies than in this annual extravaganza of excess that is as much about selling commercial images as it is about the guts and grit of football. CBS would provide a much needed public service at the start of this presidential year by selling some Super Bowl air time to opposing political advocates who, with spots as clever as any for a razor or a computer, might jolt blase voters into caring.And not to mention the fundraising MoveOn.org is getting as a result of the CBS block! Regardless, according to MoveOn.org, the organization will air the ad in key battleground states and on CNN during the Superbowl half-time.
The organization, which raised $1.6 million for the advertisement, said it would spend $200,000 to buy two commercials on CNN during the Super Bowl half-time. Starting Feb. 4, it will also spend $800,000 on commercials in Florida, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio and West Virginia.And don't expect MoveOn.org to go away. You just won't see them on CBS.
Posted by Eric at 03:39 AM | Comments (30)
MoveOn.org Ad
This Sunday, during the Superbowl, you won't see this MoveOn.org ad about budget deficits.
The NY Times editorial page writes of the decision:
"CBS is being accused of censoring an anti-Bush ad to curry favor with the White House and federal regulators. That seems unfair. All the networks (as opposed to local affiliates, which have their own policies) have consistently rejected such advocacy commercials from groups other than political candidates."According to them, the larger issues is
That does not mean that the network was right. The CBS argument that contentious policy matters are best left exclusively to its news division strikes us as wrongheaded and patronizing. The networks should be screening ads for accuracy and taste, then leaving it up to viewers to judge for themselves.I agree with that statement. It seems that, as a society, we've blocked out policy debates from the public discourse. What's wrong with introducing policy ads, whether it's conservative or liberal, during a highly-watched telecast? Are they afraid of football fans breaking into spontaneous discussions about Medicare reform, 2nd amendment rights, and whether a US budget deficit would create a disorderly exchange rate realignment that would cause macroeconomic problems and a generalized deflation, which would increase uncertainty and possibly decrease the buying power of the Euro (unlikely, I contend)?
OK, so MoveOn.org doesn't get its Superbowl ad. Still, don't chalk it up as a loss for MoveOn. As a result of the CBS block, Senator Dick Durbin made a statement about the org and CBS on the Senate floor. Senator Wyden wrote a letter. Members of the House wrote a letter. And the SF Chron and Boston Globe wrote editorials. The Boston Globe:
What better place for a contest of ideologies than in this annual extravaganza of excess that is as much about selling commercial images as it is about the guts and grit of football. CBS would provide a much needed public service at the start of this presidential year by selling some Super Bowl air time to opposing political advocates who, with spots as clever as any for a razor or a computer, might jolt blase voters into caring.And not to mention the fundraising MoveOn.org is getting as a result of the CBS block! Regardless, according to MoveOn.org, the organization will air the ad in key battleground states and on CNN during the Superbowl half-time.
The organization, which raised $1.6 million for the advertisement, said it would spend $200,000 to buy two commercials on CNN during the Super Bowl half-time. Starting Feb. 4, it will also spend $800,000 on commercials in Florida, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio and West Virginia.And don't expect MoveOn.org to go away. You just won't see them on CBS.
Posted by Eric at 03:39 AM | Comments (40)
January 30, 2004
Daily Stories
AP. Kerry Courts South Ahead of Primaries .
Arianna Huffington. Judy Dean and the politics of authenticity.
Robert Kuttner. Pocketbook Populists: Economic populism simply means a politics of advancing the well-being of working- and middle-class Americans..
Kevin Phillips. All Eyes on Dixie: The South isn't all Bob Jones University, and Democrats can make inroads there.
Cliff Schecter and Ruy Teixeira. All Eyes on Dixie: Perhaps. But Democrats on the hunt for new electoral votes should look to Ohio.
TomPaine.com. Ducking The Law: Justice Antonin Scalia isn't judging the law—or himself—fairly. .
Ellis Henican. CBS' Blackened Eye.
WP. 2 congressional panels echo Kay on Iraqi weaponry.
ChicTrib. Anti-Bush ad rejected by CBS thrown to CNN: Moveon.org seeks halftime audience.
KC Star. Great Lakes cleanup from Bush aid called drop in the bucket.
StarTrib. Kerry, Bush in statistical dead heat among Minnesota voters.
Reuters. Poll: Democrat Kerry Opens Big Leads in Missouri, Arizona .
Free Press. Dean sets sights on Michigan win; visits E. Lansing .
AP. Kerry finds himself target as front-runner .
Houston Chron. Democrats vow they can win South.
Guardian. Key black congressman backs Kerry campaign: Democrat presidential frontrunner wins vital support in South.
USA Today. Candidates feel cash crunch .
Krugman. Where's the Apology?.
Bob Herbert. The Halliburton Shuffle.
NYT. Senators to Request Extension for 9/11 Panel.
Bruce G. Bodaken. The 43 Million Uninsured Expanding health care to cover all .
Seattle PI. Review pre-war Iraq intelligence .
LAT. Candidates Cast Kerry as Insider.
LAT. Citizen Clinton Takes the Hill.
LAT. Iraq War Questions Gain Momentum.
Miami Herald. Saddling America with unhealthy debt.
csmonitor. David Kay's assessment that "the world is far safer" with Hussein out of power doesn't justify any faults in intelligence estimates..
Andrew Greeley. The case against the Iraq war .
Derrick Z. Jackson. Kerry grabs torch of Democrats' anger.
AJC. Homosexual marriage ban protects hate, not families.
EJ Dionne Jr. Kerry and the Party Establishment .
WP. White House Intensifies Efforts to Safeguard Patriot Act .
WP. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61587-2004Jan29.html?nav=hptoc_p.
WP. Dean Tackles Kerry's Record .
WP. Inquiry Leaves BBC in Crisis: 2nd Official Quits Over Iraq Findings; Journalists Walk Out .
Posted by Eric at 11:51 PM | Comments (82)
Daily Stories
AP. Kerry Courts South Ahead of Primaries .
Arianna Huffington. Judy Dean and the politics of authenticity.
Robert Kuttner. Pocketbook Populists: Economic populism simply means a politics of advancing the well-being of working- and middle-class Americans..
Kevin Phillips. All Eyes on Dixie: The South isn't all Bob Jones University, and Democrats can make inroads there.
Cliff Schecter and Ruy Teixeira. All Eyes on Dixie: Perhaps. But Democrats on the hunt for new electoral votes should look to Ohio.
TomPaine.com. Ducking The Law: Justice Antonin Scalia isn't judging the law—or himself—fairly. .
Ellis Henican. CBS' Blackened Eye.
WP. 2 congressional panels echo Kay on Iraqi weaponry.
ChicTrib. Anti-Bush ad rejected by CBS thrown to CNN: Moveon.org seeks halftime audience.
KC Star. Great Lakes cleanup from Bush aid called drop in the bucket.
StarTrib. Kerry, Bush in statistical dead heat among Minnesota voters.
Reuters. Poll: Democrat Kerry Opens Big Leads in Missouri, Arizona .
Free Press. Dean sets sights on Michigan win; visits E. Lansing .
AP. Kerry finds himself target as front-runner .
Houston Chron. Democrats vow they can win South.
Guardian. Key black congressman backs Kerry campaign: Democrat presidential frontrunner wins vital support in South.
USA Today. Candidates feel cash crunch .
Krugman. Where's the Apology?.
Bob Herbert. The Halliburton Shuffle.
NYT. Senators to Request Extension for 9/11 Panel.
Bruce G. Bodaken. The 43 Million Uninsured Expanding health care to cover all .
Seattle PI. Review pre-war Iraq intelligence .
LAT. Candidates Cast Kerry as Insider.
LAT. Citizen Clinton Takes the Hill.
LAT. Iraq War Questions Gain Momentum.
Miami Herald. Saddling America with unhealthy debt.
csmonitor. David Kay's assessment that "the world is far safer" with Hussein out of power doesn't justify any faults in intelligence estimates..
Andrew Greeley. The case against the Iraq war .
Derrick Z. Jackson. Kerry grabs torch of Democrats' anger.
AJC. Homosexual marriage ban protects hate, not families.
EJ Dionne Jr. Kerry and the Party Establishment .
WP. White House Intensifies Efforts to Safeguard Patriot Act .
WP. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A61587-2004Jan29.html?nav=hptoc_p.
WP. Dean Tackles Kerry's Record .
WP. Inquiry Leaves BBC in Crisis: 2nd Official Quits Over Iraq Findings; Journalists Walk Out .
Posted by Eric at 11:51 PM | Comments (7)
No Joementum at Home
Another sad news day for Joe. His own home state is shunning the longtime public servant for John Kerry, according to a Husky poll:
Forty-three percent of those who said they are likely to vote in the state's March 2 presidential primary said they would vote for Kerry. Lieberman had the support of 18 percent of those surveyed.If asked, Joe would probably say he's in a two-way tie for 1st.The two New England senators are followed by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, with 8 percent; North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, with 6 percent; and retired General Wesley Clark, with 4 percent.
Twenty-one percent of those surveyed say they are undecided.
Posted by Eric at 05:44 PM | Comments (76)
No Joementum at Home
Another sad news day for Joe. His own home state is shunning the longtime public servant for John Kerry, according to a Husky poll:
Forty-three percent of those who said they are likely to vote in the state's March 2 presidential primary said they would vote for Kerry. Lieberman had the support of 18 percent of those surveyed.If asked, Joe would probably say he's in a two-way tie for 1st.The two New England senators are followed by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, with 8 percent; North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, with 6 percent; and retired General Wesley Clark, with 4 percent.
Twenty-one percent of those surveyed say they are undecided.
Posted by Eric at 05:44 PM | Comments (15)
Dean Winning Delegates
If it is Howard Dean's long term strategy to win delegates, and not necessarily states, then he's doing fine for now. For now. Howard Dean has a 19-delegate lead over John Kerry in the CNN.com delegate count.
Dean 113
Kerry 94
Edwards 36
Clark 30
Lieberman 25
Sharpton 4
Kucinich 2
2,161 delegates are needed for the nomination.
Posted by Eric at 05:41 PM | Comments (20)
Dean Winning Delegates
If it is Howard Dean's long term strategy to win delegates, and not necessarily states, then he's doing fine for now. For now. Howard Dean has a 19-delegate lead over John Kerry in the CNN.com delegate count.
Dean 113
Kerry 94
Edwards 36
Clark 30
Lieberman 25
Sharpton 4
Kucinich 2
2,161 delegates are needed for the nomination.
Posted by Eric at 05:41 PM | Comments (12)
Nation Eds: Don't Run, Ralph
The editors of The Nation, one of the more liberal publications out there, and a place where Ralph Nader-penned pieces often appear, is telling Ralph to cut the silliness.
You have said your candidacy could actually help Democrats by raising issues against Bush that a Democratic candidate would avoid and by boosting turnout for good candidates for the House and Senate, where the slender bulwarks against Bushism must be reinforced. But these arguments do not compel a candidacy by you. As a public citizen fighting for open debates and rallying voters to support progressive Democrats for Congress, or good independents or Greens for that matter, you can have a far more productive impact than as a candidate dealing with recriminations about being a spoiler or, worse, an egotist. And the very progressives distressed by the prospect of your candidacy would contribute eagerly to have that voice amplified.Even if Ralph does run, I doubt he'll take votes away from the Democrat. The people who will vote for Ralph (instead of voting to kick out Bush), are likely the ones who wouldn't vote for a mainstream politician (aka a Democrat) regardless. Still, as I've mentioned before, that's only part of the issue. Another is the effect a Nader candidacy would have on the legitimate Nader-connected orgs, like Public Citizen, and the PIRGs, who have had a slight backlash as a result of their connections with Nader. Also, Nader's legitimacy as a public advocate would be hurt.And if you think that this year you can help the anti-Bush cause by running and peeling off disgruntled Republicans, McCainiacs, Perotistas and the like while not disrupting the Democratic charge, please be honest with yourself. Once upon a time, maybe as late as 1992, when you dallied with a "none of the above" campaign and got 2 percent of the vote in New Hampshire from write-ins in both the Democratic and Republican primaries, your appeal stretched across the political spectrum. No longer, alas. Your nephew, Tarek Milleron, wrote recently that if you run in 2004 it will be "the year of the Elks clubs, the garden clubs, meetings with former Enron employees, the veterans groups, Wal-Mart employees," not progressive super rallies. But how many Elks club presidents are inviting you to speak? How many veterans groups? Such relationships take time to build and can't be conjured out of thin air in the midst of a presidential campaign.
You once told us you play chess at many levels at once. For all we know, you're thinking of running hard and then, if the race is close, throwing your support to the Democrat in the final days. While such a tactic might make for a satisfying conclusion to an otherwise futile quest, we don't think it justifies the risks, antagonism, confusion and contortions that such a run would entail.
Posted by Eric at 11:23 AM | Comments (107)
Nation Eds: Don't Run, Ralph
The editors of The Nation, one of the more liberal publications out there, and a place where Ralph Nader-penned pieces often appear, is telling Ralph to cut the silliness.
You have said your candidacy could actually help Democrats by raising issues against Bush that a Democratic candidate would avoid and by boosting turnout for good candidates for the House and Senate, where the slender bulwarks against Bushism must be reinforced. But these arguments do not compel a candidacy by you. As a public citizen fighting for open debates and rallying voters to support progressive Democrats for Congress, or good independents or Greens for that matter, you can have a far more productive impact than as a candidate dealing with recriminations about being a spoiler or, worse, an egotist. And the very progressives distressed by the prospect of your candidacy would contribute eagerly to have that voice amplified.Even if Ralph does run, I doubt he'll take votes away from the Democrat. The people who will vote for Ralph (instead of voting to kick out Bush), are likely the ones who wouldn't vote for a mainstream politician (aka a Democrat) regardless. Still, as I've mentioned before, that's only part of the issue. Another is the effect a Nader candidacy would have on the legitimate Nader-connected orgs, like Public Citizen, and the PIRGs, who have had a slight backlash as a result of their connections with Nader. Also, Nader's legitimacy as a public advocate would be hurt.And if you think that this year you can help the anti-Bush cause by running and peeling off disgruntled Republicans, McCainiacs, Perotistas and the like while not disrupting the Democratic charge, please be honest with yourself. Once upon a time, maybe as late as 1992, when you dallied with a "none of the above" campaign and got 2 percent of the vote in New Hampshire from write-ins in both the Democratic and Republican primaries, your appeal stretched across the political spectrum. No longer, alas. Your nephew, Tarek Milleron, wrote recently that if you run in 2004 it will be "the year of the Elks clubs, the garden clubs, meetings with former Enron employees, the veterans groups, Wal-Mart employees," not progressive super rallies. But how many Elks club presidents are inviting you to speak? How many veterans groups? Such relationships take time to build and can't be conjured out of thin air in the midst of a presidential campaign.
You once told us you play chess at many levels at once. For all we know, you're thinking of running hard and then, if the race is close, throwing your support to the Democrat in the final days. While such a tactic might make for a satisfying conclusion to an otherwise futile quest, we don't think it justifies the risks, antagonism, confusion and contortions that such a run would entail.
Posted by Eric at 11:23 AM | Comments (77)
Pandagon on Dean
Interesting analysis from Jesse at Pandagon. Reason for loss of Dean momentum?
"Anybody But Bush" has become the crystalline message of the Democratic primaries. Kerry's getting support thrown to him now in large part because he's looking like the best non-Bush alternative available. If Edwards, Dean, Clark, or even Sharpton step up and start looking like they're going to be the candidate with the broadest and best support, they're going to be the frontrunner, very few questions asked ...This is on display in a great deal of Dean's rhetoric. "I'm the only candidate who did X at X point in time." "Everyone else up here did X, and I didn't." The issue isn't who was the bestest Democrat any more. Almost everyone's moved near the Dean locus, over the threshold of whether or not they're sufficiently opposed to the Bush platform, and the most successful of the candidates aren't arguing over who's going to be the purest alternative to Bush, and are instead arging over why they have the best chance of being the alternative to Bush.
Dean is trying to convince voters that he's the purest choice rather than the best one. And it's not working. You don't appeal to pragmatism through purity.
Posted by Eric at 10:59 AM | Comments (187)
Pandagon on Dean
Interesting analysis from Jesse at Pandagon. Reason for loss of Dean momentum?
"Anybody But Bush" has become the crystalline message of the Democratic primaries. Kerry's getting support thrown to him now in large part because he's looking like the best non-Bush alternative available. If Edwards, Dean, Clark, or even Sharpton step up and start looking like they're going to be the candidate with the broadest and best support, they're going to be the frontrunner, very few questions asked ...This is on display in a great deal of Dean's rhetoric. "I'm the only candidate who did X at X point in time." "Everyone else up here did X, and I didn't." The issue isn't who was the bestest Democrat any more. Almost everyone's moved near the Dean locus, over the threshold of whether or not they're sufficiently opposed to the Bush platform, and the most successful of the candidates aren't arguing over who's going to be the purest alternative to Bush, and are instead arging over why they have the best chance of being the alternative to Bush.
Dean is trying to convince voters that he's the purest choice rather than the best one. And it's not working. You don't appeal to pragmatism through purity.
Posted by Eric at 10:59 AM | Comments (16)
Gross
From the Reliable Source:
"Are you James Carville?" a Granite State voter asked the Democratic strategist-turned-CNN commentator.Ewww."Yes," Carville replied.
"Are you still married to Mary Matalin?"
"Last time I left home I was."
The man demanded to know: How can these two partisan firebrands coexist? "How do you do it?" he asked.
"She usually goes on the bottom," Carville said.
Matlin later said: ""He's obviously regressing. In the future when he does this -- " She paused. "He won't do it again. He's being punished."
Posted by Eric at 10:32 AM | Comments (14)
Gross
From the Reliable Source:
"Are you James Carville?" a Granite State voter asked the Democratic strategist-turned-CNN commentator.Ewww."Yes," Carville replied.
"Are you still married to Mary Matalin?"
"Last time I left home I was."
The man demanded to know: How can these two partisan firebrands coexist? "How do you do it?" he asked.
"She usually goes on the bottom," Carville said.
Matlin later said: ""He's obviously regressing. In the future when he does this -- " She paused. "He won't do it again. He's being punished."
Posted by Eric at 10:32 AM | Comments (10)
MSNBC/Reuters/Zogby Shows Kerry Leading Big
The latest polls in the battleground states shows Kerry with the advantage, and the others fighting for the second place spot. To note:
ARIZONA
Kerry - 38
Clark - 17
Dean - 12
Edwards - 6
MISSOURI
Kerry - 45
Edwards - 11
Dean - 9
Lieberman - 4
Clark - 3
OKLAHOMA
Clark - 27
Kerry - 19
Edwards - 17
Dean - 9
S. CAROLINA
Edwards - 25
Kerry - 24
Dean - 9
Clark - 8
Notes about the poll, according to MSNBC:
Only three weeks ago, pundits and strategists considered Dean the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. But since his lackluster third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 19 and his second-place finish in New Hampshire on Tuesday, Dean’s campaign has struggled to regain its footing.The most striking finding of Zogby’s survey of the four primary states, Arizona, Missouri, South Carolina, and Oklahoma, is that Dean holds the lead in none of them, and in fact the best he can place is 12 percent in Arizona.
Posted by Eric at 10:26 AM | Comments (12)
MSNBC/Reuters/Zogby Shows Kerry Leading Big
The latest polls in the battleground states shows Kerry with the advantage, and the others fighting for the second place spot. To note:
ARIZONA
Kerry - 38
Clark - 17
Dean - 12
Edwards - 6
MISSOURI
Kerry - 45
Edwards - 11
Dean - 9
Lieberman - 4
Clark - 3
OKLAHOMA
Clark - 27
Kerry - 19
Edwards - 17
Dean - 9
S. CAROLINA
Edwards - 25
Kerry - 24
Dean - 9
Clark - 8
Notes about the poll, according to MSNBC:
Only three weeks ago, pundits and strategists considered Dean the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. But since his lackluster third-place finish in the Iowa caucuses on Jan. 19 and his second-place finish in New Hampshire on Tuesday, Dean’s campaign has struggled to regain its footing.The most striking finding of Zogby’s survey of the four primary states, Arizona, Missouri, South Carolina, and Oklahoma, is that Dean holds the lead in none of them, and in fact the best he can place is 12 percent in Arizona.
Posted by Eric at 10:26 AM | Comments (2)
New Ad on The Hamster
Help elect a Democrat in Kentucky. Ben Chandler.
Democrats, of course, need to pick up seats in the south, and it looks like Chandler has a very good chance of winning. The latest Survey USA Poll has Chandler defeating Alice Kerr (R) 54-44.
Posted by Eric at 09:47 AM | Comments (169)
New Ad on The Hamster
Help elect a Democrat in Kentucky. Ben Chandler.
Democrats, of course, need to pick up seats in the south, and it looks like Chandler has a very good chance of winning. The latest Survey USA Poll has Chandler defeating Alice Kerr (R) 54-44.
Posted by Eric at 09:47 AM | Comments (10)
500 Billion!
President Bush's new budget projects the Medicare overhaul he just signed will be one-third more costly than estimated and this year's federal deficit will surge past a half trillion dollars (aka 500 billion!! --hamster) for the first time, administration and congressional officials said Thursday.500 billion!The White House will estimate the cost of creating prescription drug benefits and revamping the mammoth health-care program for the elderly and disabled at $534 billion (over 500 billion!! ---hamster) for the decade that ends in 2013, the officials said. The number will be in the 2005 budget Bush proposes Monday.
Posted by Eric at 01:40 AM | Comments (43)
500 Billion!
President Bush's new budget projects the Medicare overhaul he just signed will be one-third more costly than estimated and this year's federal deficit will surge past a half trillion dollars (aka 500 billion!! --hamster) for the first time, administration and congressional officials said Thursday.500 billion!The White House will estimate the cost of creating prescription drug benefits and revamping the mammoth health-care program for the elderly and disabled at $534 billion (over 500 billion!! ---hamster) for the decade that ends in 2013, the officials said. The number will be in the 2005 budget Bush proposes Monday.
Posted by Eric at 01:40 AM | Comments (17)
Michael Savage: "I have the weird feeling sometimes" Clinton Set Up Bush Disasters
He said it, I quote it, we laugh at it. From reliable Newsmax:
MS: It’s not much more complex than fighting for your survival at a certain point. We are not the French where we have to, you know, buy people off. Clinton bought people off for eight years. He was a master of deceit. But everyone knew the piper had to be paid at the end of the road.Also, Michael Savage says "Kerry can beat Bush."Well, we’ve paid it, you know. We’ve paid it. We inherited this. I almost think that he set out to do this. I have the weird feeling sometimes that he set it up so that everything would collapse when Bush took over, because he knew he couldn’t run again.
I think he’s the devil. I truly do. I actually think that the man is demonic. But I don’t want to spend my time talking about him. He’s not the issue right now. The issue is the election, and does it really make a difference? I think it does. Let’s take one issue.
Posted by Eric at 01:33 AM | Comments (43)
Michael Savage: "I have the weird feeling sometimes" Clinton Set Up Bush Disasters
He said it, I quote it, we laugh at it. From reliable Newsmax:
MS: It’s not much more complex than fighting for your survival at a certain point. We are not the French where we have to, you know, buy people off. Clinton bought people off for eight years. He was a master of deceit. But everyone knew the piper had to be paid at the end of the road.Also, Michael Savage says "Kerry can beat Bush."Well, we’ve paid it, you know. We’ve paid it. We inherited this. I almost think that he set out to do this. I have the weird feeling sometimes that he set it up so that everything would collapse when Bush took over, because he knew he couldn’t run again.
I think he’s the devil. I truly do. I actually think that the man is demonic. But I don’t want to spend my time talking about him. He’s not the issue right now. The issue is the election, and does it really make a difference? I think it does. Let’s take one issue.
Posted by Eric at 01:33 AM | Comments (13)
January 29, 2004
Thursday Stories
Jim Lobe. Will Dubya Dump Dick?
Marsha Rosenbaum. Random drug testing in schools does not deter drug use, it alienates students, deters them from participating in extracurricular programs, and erodes the trust between a parent and a child
motherjones. Dick's Back: Dick Cheney is suddenly running around like his job depended on it. Which it might.
CAP. Harnessing Medicare’s Buying Power
Ivo H. Daalder. Why Legitimacy in Iraq Matters
CAP. Neglecting Intelligence, Ignoring Warnings
NYT. Kerry Notches 2nd Victory but Next Round Is Far From Certain
NYT. Neel: New Man at Top Is Something of an Old Hand
USA Today. Voter turnouts show Dems 'energized and angry'
Biz Week. Running on Middle-Class Relief: Can a Democratic presidential contender who focuses on economic issues gain traction in an improving economy?
WP. Dean's Money Advantage Dwindles: Candidate Won't Buy More Feb. 3 Ads
AP. Kerry lines up endorsements; Dean shakes up staff
Raleigh News & Observer. Democrats court blacks in South Carolina
Newsday. Kerry Rides Wave of Momentum: Campaign goes national
Sidney Blumenthal. In full voice against Bush: The remaining Democratic hopefuls are all singing from the same hymn sheet to defeat the president
AP. Clyburn endorsement could help Kerry make up ground in SC
Posted by Eric at 11:54 PM | Comments (13)
Thursday Stories
Jim Lobe. Will Dubya Dump Dick?
Marsha Rosenbaum. Random drug testing in schools does not deter drug use, it alienates students, deters them from participating in extracurricular programs, and erodes the trust between a parent and a child
motherjones. Dick's Back: Dick Cheney is suddenly running around like his job depended on it. Which it might.
CAP. Harnessing Medicare’s Buying Power
Ivo H. Daalder. Why Legitimacy in Iraq Matters
CAP. Neglecting Intelligence, Ignoring Warnings
NYT. Kerry Notches 2nd Victory but Next Round Is Far From Certain
NYT. Neel: New Man at Top Is Something of an Old Hand
USA Today. Voter turnouts show Dems 'energized and angry'
Biz Week. Running on Middle-Class Relief: Can a Democratic presidential contender who focuses on economic issues gain traction in an improving economy?
WP. Dean's Money Advantage Dwindles: Candidate Won't Buy More Feb. 3 Ads
AP. Kerry lines up endorsements; Dean shakes up staff
Raleigh News & Observer. Democrats court blacks in South Carolina
Newsday. Kerry Rides Wave of Momentum: Campaign goes national
Sidney Blumenthal. In full voice against Bush: The remaining Democratic hopefuls are all singing from the same hymn sheet to defeat the president
AP. Clyburn endorsement could help Kerry make up ground in SC
Posted by Eric at 11:54 PM | Comments (3)
When Judges Attack
Yeah, that's not nice.
Circuit Judge Gene Stephenson on Thursday publicly apologized for insulting comments he made about a rape victim and removed himself from the case."The remarks were inappropriate. It's something I've never done before and won't do again," Stephenson said.
"I would just ask that she accept my apology. If she could find it in her heart to accept it, I'd appreciate it," the judge said
During proceedings in the rape case Monday before the prosecutor and defense attorney, Stephenson looked at a photograph of the battered victim and said, "Why would he want to rape her? She doesn't look like a day at the beach," according to a transcript reviewed by the Orlando Sentinel.
The victim was not in the courtroom at the time.
Posted by Eric at 11:07 PM | Comments (112)
When Judges Attack
Yeah, that's not nice.
Circuit Judge Gene Stephenson on Thursday publicly apologized for insulting comments he made about a rape victim and removed himself from the case."The remarks were inappropriate. It's something I've never done before and won't do again," Stephenson said.
"I would just ask that she accept my apology. If she could find it in her heart to accept it, I'd appreciate it," the judge said
During proceedings in the rape case Monday before the prosecutor and defense attorney, Stephenson looked at a photograph of the battered victim and said, "Why would he want to rape her? She doesn't look like a day at the beach," according to a transcript reviewed by the Orlando Sentinel.
The victim was not in the courtroom at the time.
Posted by Eric at 11:07 PM | Comments (11)
Did Dean Spend Too Much on Ads?
Possibly, since the campaign is suspending activity on airing ads in 7 primary states:
Coming on the heels of the campaign's decision not to buy TV ads in those states, Dean said he will focus on picking up as many delegates as he can, but that only requires him to place, not win, in the blitz of upcoming primaries and caucuses.Responding to the comission Joe Trippi received (15% of ad buys) from the Dean camp, Dan Conley asks if there's a conflict of interest? (link via politicalwire)"We're going to have to win eventually," he said. "But the question was do we have to win on February 3. Of course we want to, but we don't have to."
Dean's advertising plan puts him at a distinct disadvantage with high-spending rivals John Kerry, John Edwards and Wesley Clark, said officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
With his money and momentum depleted after losses in Iowa and New Hampshire, Dean has decided to save his ad money for the Feb. 7 elections in Michigan and Washington state and, 10 days later, those in Wisconsin.
Posted by Eric at 08:55 PM | Comments (22)
Did Dean Spend Too Much on Ads?
Possibly, since the campaign is suspending activity on airing ads in 7 primary states:
Coming on the heels of the campaign's decision not to buy TV ads in those states, Dean said he will focus on picking up as many delegates as he can, but that only requires him to place, not win, in the blitz of upcoming primaries and caucuses.Responding to the comission Joe Trippi received (15% of ad buys) from the Dean camp, Dan Conley asks if there's a conflict of interest? (link via politicalwire)"We're going to have to win eventually," he said. "But the question was do we have to win on February 3. Of course we want to, but we don't have to."
Dean's advertising plan puts him at a distinct disadvantage with high-spending rivals John Kerry, John Edwards and Wesley Clark, said officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
With his money and momentum depleted after losses in Iowa and New Hampshire, Dean has decided to save his ad money for the Feb. 7 elections in Michigan and Washington state and, 10 days later, those in Wisconsin.
Posted by Eric at 08:55 PM | Comments (4)
Kerry: Threshhold Credibility Candidate?
Ruy Teixeira, co-author of The Democratic Majority, says Kerry has three important ingredients that other candidates do not. What are they?
To radically simplify, a presidential candidate needs to impress voters in three ways: as commander-in-chief and defender of national security; as steward of the economy and custodian of the domestic agenda; and through his campaigning and ability to connect with voters. In each of these areas, Kerry, in DR's view, achieves threshhold credibility--that is, he's good enough to make most voters give him a closer look without saying: "no way can I vote for that guy".However, Ruy warns, that doesn't mean anything in the general election:Instead voters (at least our typical primary voter) might say: Kerry as commander-in-chief? He seems plausible. Kerry on domestic issues? Well, pretty good, he seems to know what he's talking about. Kerry as campaiger? Not exciting, sure, but at least he's disciplined and doesn't say a lot of goofy stuff.
There you have it. Threshhold credibility! Contrast that with Dean, who seems implausible to many as commander-in-chief and, as a campaigner, has shown an inability to keep a lid on it when he really needs to. Or compare with Clark, who seems very plausible indeed as commander-in-chief, but seems painfully thin in the domestic area and has shown himself not-quite-ready-for-prime-time on the campaign trail. Or with Edwards, who is a great campaigner, with a pretty good to excellent domestic agenda, but who falls short in the commander-in-chief department.
But will that be enough for him to win the general election? Almost certainly not. Credibility in these departments merely means voters will give him a close look. He'll still have to close the sale and there are reasons to worry that Kerry has not yet found the themes and signature programs that will enable him to do so.
Posted by Eric at 03:16 PM | Comments (17)
Kerry: Threshhold Credibility Candidate?
Ruy Teixeira, co-author of The Democratic Majority, says Kerry has three important ingredients that other candidates do not. What are they?
To radically simplify, a presidential candidate needs to impress voters in three ways: as commander-in-chief and defender of national security; as steward of the economy and custodian of the domestic agenda; and through his campaigning and ability to connect with voters. In each of these areas, Kerry, in DR's view, achieves threshhold credibility--that is, he's good enough to make most voters give him a closer look without saying: "no way can I vote for that guy".However, Ruy warns, that doesn't mean anything in the general election:Instead voters (at least our typical primary voter) might say: Kerry as commander-in-chief? He seems plausible. Kerry on domestic issues? Well, pretty good, he seems to know what he's talking about. Kerry as campaiger? Not exciting, sure, but at least he's disciplined and doesn't say a lot of goofy stuff.
There you have it. Threshhold credibility! Contrast that with Dean, who seems implausible to many as commander-in-chief and, as a campaigner, has shown an inability to keep a lid on it when he really needs to. Or compare with Clark, who seems very plausible indeed as commander-in-chief, but seems painfully thin in the domestic area and has shown himself not-quite-ready-for-prime-time on the campaign trail. Or with Edwards, who is a great campaigner, with a pretty good to excellent domestic agenda, but who falls short in the commander-in-chief department.
But will that be enough for him to win the general election? Almost certainly not. Credibility in these departments merely means voters will give him a close look. He'll still have to close the sale and there are reasons to worry that Kerry has not yet found the themes and signature programs that will enable him to do so.
Posted by Eric at 03:16 PM | Comments (3)
Hamster Numbers: Extreme Poverty
-- National Center for Children in Poverty
Posted by Eric at 03:07 PM | Comments (5)
Hamster Numbers: Extreme Poverty
-- National Center for Children in Poverty
Posted by Eric at 03:07 PM | Comments (3)
Moby Likes Sharpton
Singer Moby thinks Al Sharpton "would, in many ways, be the best nominee." Thank God Democrats don't think like Moby.
have you heard him speak?
he's bright and personable and aware and informed and all of the things that we want all of the other candidates to be.
when al sharpton speaks you feel as if you're listening to a human being and not a political robot.
the other candidates, dean, clark, & kerry are all good men who are principled and qualified.
but if any of them want to actually win they should hire al sharpton to teach them how to be quick and genuine and honest and personable.
if al sharpton actually had a chance i would support him in a heartbeat.
Posted by Eric at 09:35 AM | Comments (44)
Moby Likes Sharpton
Singer Moby thinks Al Sharpton "would, in many ways, be the best nominee." Thank God Democrats don't think like Moby.
have you heard him speak?
he's bright and personable and aware and informed and all of the things that we want all of the other candidates to be.
when al sharpton speaks you feel as if you're listening to a human being and not a political robot.
the other candidates, dean, clark, & kerry are all good men who are principled and qualified.
but if any of them want to actually win they should hire al sharpton to teach them how to be quick and genuine and honest and personable.
if al sharpton actually had a chance i would support him in a heartbeat.
Posted by Eric at 09:35 AM | Comments (20)
Kerry Touts Veteran / Life-Saving Skills
The new Kerry ad will run in South Carolina and Missouri. The ad features a soldier Kerry served with in Vietnam. The script:
David Alston: "When the bullets began to hit the side of the boat, the boom, the pow, pow, pow, we found out that John Kerry can lead."
Kerry: "There's this sense after Vietnam that every other day is extra. That you have to do what's right. You know it's right to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy to guarantee all Americans health care and invest in our kids. That's why I'm running for president."
Alston: "He wants better for America."
Kerry: "I'm John Kerry and I approved this message."
Alston: "This man would make a great president."
The ad can be viewed at JohnKerry.com.
The AP notes this:
In that state, the reason why Kerry's running this new spot is clear. Alston is black, a reverend and a resident of South Carolina. Religion influences South Carolina Democrats' views on social issues, and almost half the Democrats expected to vote in the primary are blacks.Kerry uses the spot to remind voters that he has a military background, which also could draw more veterans to his campaign. He already has many veterans on board and could court more in Missouri and South Carolina where the ad will run. Missouri has a heavy military presence and South Carolina is home to 400,000 veterans.
And Kerry attempts to make the case that strong leadership in Vietnam can translate into strong leadership in the White House.
More can be read in the Atlantic Monthly about Kerry and his 'nam experience.
Posted by Eric at 12:02 AM | Comments (11)
Kerry Touts Veteran / Life-Saving Skills
The new Kerry ad will run in South Carolina and Missouri. The ad features a soldier Kerry served with in Vietnam. The script:
David Alston: "When the bullets began to hit the side of the boat, the boom, the pow, pow, pow, we found out that John Kerry can lead."
Kerry: "There's this sense after Vietnam that every other day is extra. That you have to do what's right. You know it's right to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy to guarantee all Americans health care and invest in our kids. That's why I'm running for president."
Alston: "He wants better for America."
Kerry: "I'm John Kerry and I approved this message."
Alston: "This man would make a great president."
The ad can be viewed at JohnKerry.com.
The AP notes this:
In that state, the reason why Kerry's running this new spot is clear. Alston is black, a reverend and a resident of South Carolina. Religion influences South Carolina Democrats' views on social issues, and almost half the Democrats expected to vote in the primary are blacks.Kerry uses the spot to remind voters that he has a military background, which also could draw more veterans to his campaign. He already has many veterans on board and could court more in Missouri and South Carolina where the ad will run. Missouri has a heavy military presence and South Carolina is home to 400,000 veterans.
And Kerry attempts to make the case that strong leadership in Vietnam can translate into strong leadership in the White House.
More can be read in the Atlantic Monthly about Kerry and his 'nam experience.
Posted by Eric at 12:02 AM | Comments (1)
January 28, 2004
Wed Stories
Reuters. US Intelligence on Iraq: Political Battleground
Marie Cocco. This Time, Democrats Go for the Win
Newsday. Kerry Wins, But Race for Nomination Is Not Over
AP. Exit Poll: Kerry scores on beating Bush
AP. Blair cleared in weapons expert's suicide
Robert Scheer . David Kay's admission makes clear, the president misled Congress into approving his preemptive war. So why is there no talk of impeachment?
Salon. Kerry wins again: Meanwhile, Dean spins second as a moral victory -- but will he ever come in first? -- Edwards' backers say his fourth-place finish beats Clark's third, and Lieberman vows to fight on
Matt Bivens. 'The Deserter': George Bush's AWOL days in the 1970s meet the military's own definition for 'desertion'.
Dean Baker . In this week's review of economics reporting: Copyrights on the Web... Congress' New Budget Challenge... and more.
Daniel Ellsberg . The Next 'Pentagon Papers'
AP. Surveys suggest Dean halted slide before election, but voters' doubts lingered
BG. Despite a second defeat, Dean says he feels revitalized
BGlobe. SC seen largely up for grabs
USAT. Regardless of place, Dean's machine still sets pace
KRT. Dean says second-place finish will revive his campaign
BBC. Press cautious on Kerry success
Sydney Morning Herald. The view from New Hampshire
NYT. Democrats Back on the Stump After Kerry's Big Victory
AZ Daily Sun. Local AZ Kerry supporters happy with results
ChicTrib. 'Rev' ready to rev up
Posted by Eric at 11:56 PM | Comments (77)
Wed Stories
Reuters. US Intelligence on Iraq: Political Battleground
Marie Cocco. This Time, Democrats Go for the Win
Newsday. Kerry Wins, But Race for Nomination Is Not Over
AP. Exit Poll: Kerry scores on beating Bush
AP. Blair cleared in weapons expert's suicide
Robert Scheer . David Kay's admission makes clear, the president misled Congress into approving his preemptive war. So why is there no talk of impeachment?
Salon. Kerry wins again: Meanwhile, Dean spins second as a moral victory -- but will he ever come in first? -- Edwards' backers say his fourth-place finish beats Clark's third, and Lieberman vows to fight on
Matt Bivens. 'The Deserter': George Bush's AWOL days in the 1970s meet the military's own definition for 'desertion'.
Dean Baker . In this week's review of economics reporting: Copyrights on the Web... Congress' New Budget Challenge... and more.
Daniel Ellsberg . The Next 'Pentagon Papers'
AP. Surveys suggest Dean halted slide before election, but voters' doubts lingered
BG. Despite a second defeat, Dean says he feels revitalized
BGlobe. SC seen largely up for grabs
USAT. Regardless of place, Dean's machine still sets pace
KRT. Dean says second-place finish will revive his campaign
BBC. Press cautious on Kerry success
Sydney Morning Herald. The view from New Hampshire
NYT. Democrats Back on the Stump After Kerry's Big Victory
AZ Daily Sun. Local AZ Kerry supporters happy with results
ChicTrib. 'Rev' ready to rev up
Posted by Eric at 11:56 PM | Comments (14)
Go, Joe
Through Political Wire, we find this from Stuart Rothenberg about why Joe Lieberman should go. Then again, maybe he still thinks he's in a tough battle for 3rd place.
But Lieberman risks something much greater than defeat if he continues his Don Quixote-like Presidential bid. He risks looking increasingly pathetic, a politician who can't accept the obvious. Personally, that's not something I'm looking forward to ... The longer Lieberman stays in the Democratic race, the more likely he will become the butt of jokes. The longer he runs for President, the more clueless he will seem ... His suggestion that he finished in a virtual dead heat for third place - and that this gives him momentum - makes him look silly, even delusional.The problem, obviously, is if you're a Bush supporter and Joe wins the primaries right after Ms. Piggy joins the Air Force, you ain't gonna vote for Joe if it ends up being a Bush vs. Joe battle. Hence, Republican lite = Joe argument.New Hampshire exit polling shows just how unsuccessful Lieberman was in his efforts to attract the kind of voters he'd need to be successful on February 3rd - or any other time, for that matter.
According to the poll, the Connecticut senator performed best among primary voters who usually think of themselves as Republicans, consider themselves conservative on political matters, attend religious serves weekly, are satisfied with (but not enthusiastic about) the Bush administration, believe the Bush tax cuts should be left entirely in place, and strongly approve of the US decision to go to war in Iraq. In other words, Lieberman is doing best among Bush voters. Really, I'm not making this up. Check the exits yourself.
Posted by Eric at 09:57 PM | Comments (25)
Go, Joe
Through Political Wire, we find this from Stuart Rothenberg about why Joe Lieberman should go. Then again, maybe he still thinks he's in a tough battle for 3rd place.
But Lieberman risks something much greater than defeat if he continues his Don Quixote-like Presidential bid. He risks looking increasingly pathetic, a politician who can't accept the obvious. Personally, that's not something I'm looking forward to ... The longer Lieberman stays in the Democratic race, the more likely he will become the butt of jokes. The longer he runs for President, the more clueless he will seem ... His suggestion that he finished in a virtual dead heat for third place - and that this gives him momentum - makes him look silly, even delusional.The problem, obviously, is if you're a Bush supporter and Joe wins the primaries right after Ms. Piggy joins the Air Force, you ain't gonna vote for Joe if it ends up being a Bush vs. Joe battle. Hence, Republican lite = Joe argument.New Hampshire exit polling shows just how unsuccessful Lieberman was in his efforts to attract the kind of voters he'd need to be successful on February 3rd - or any other time, for that matter.
According to the poll, the Connecticut senator performed best among primary voters who usually think of themselves as Republicans, consider themselves conservative on political matters, attend religious serves weekly, are satisfied with (but not enthusiastic about) the Bush administration, believe the Bush tax cuts should be left entirely in place, and strongly approve of the US decision to go to war in Iraq. In other words, Lieberman is doing best among Bush voters. Really, I'm not making this up. Check the exits yourself.
Posted by Eric at 09:57 PM | Comments (14)
Trippi Out, Neel In
Wow. Trippi ran one of the best campaigns out there, turning an obscure Vermont gov into a legitimate contender through unprecedented and innovative methods. Now, he's out.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Dean told congressional supporters in a telephone conference call that he was installing Roy Neel as campaign CEO. Dean added that Trippi would remain on the payroll, the source said. But another source said that Trippi had decided to depart the campaign rather than accept the change ... Neel, Gore's former senatorial chief of staff, served as chief executive of the U.S. Telecom Association in Washington before working on Gore's 2000 presidential campaign. Neel was named to head Gore's transition team in anticipation of the former vice president winning the White House.Regardless of Trippi's success BEFORE the primaries, the campaign lacks momentum and Dean lost two states he was expected to win. Maybe this will give the campaign a kick in the butt. Still, given Trippi's success in making Dean a legitimate presidential contender and voice in the Democratic Party, one wonders if Dean is junking his most valuable asset.
Posted by Eric at 07:53 PM | Comments (164)
Trippi Out, Neel In
Wow. Trippi ran one of the best campaigns out there, turning an obscure Vermont gov into a legitimate contender through unprecedented and innovative methods. Now, he's out.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Dean told congressional supporters in a telephone conference call that he was installing Roy Neel as campaign CEO. Dean added that Trippi would remain on the payroll, the source said. But another source said that Trippi had decided to depart the campaign rather than accept the change ... Neel, Gore's former senatorial chief of staff, served as chief executive of the U.S. Telecom Association in Washington before working on Gore's 2000 presidential campaign. Neel was named to head Gore's transition team in anticipation of the former vice president winning the White House.Regardless of Trippi's success BEFORE the primaries, the campaign lacks momentum and Dean lost two states he was expected to win. Maybe this will give the campaign a kick in the butt. Still, given Trippi's success in making Dean a legitimate presidential contender and voice in the Democratic Party, one wonders if Dean is junking his most valuable asset.
Posted by Eric at 07:53 PM | Comments (12)
Voter Turnout
The other day someone mentioned to me that one big positive from New Hampshire was the voter turnout. Indeed, New Hampshire had its largest primary turnout. Now, if you're satisfied with the way the country is going, chances are you aren't turning out in record numbers to help elect the guy who wants to beat the sitting president. The AP puts some perspective on the turnout.
In Tuesday's primary, independent voters played a major role, making up almost half -- 45 percent -- of New Hampshire's record Democratic primary turnout of about 200,000. Seven in 10 independents who voted in the primary said the nation's economy is not in good shape, according to an exit poll conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International.Further, the Indys are angry at Bush.Almost nine in 10 said they were worried about the direction of the nation's economy in the next few years. Eight in 10 said the Bush tax cuts should be canceled altogether or only for the wealthy. The views about the economy of independents who voted in the Democratic primary were almost as sour as those of Democratic voters.
Four in 10 of the independents who voted in the Democratic primary said they were angry at Bush, and another four in 10 said they were dissatisfied. Eight in 10 said they were worried there will be another major terrorist attack in this country. Results of the survey of 1,848 voters were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, higher for subgroups.The larger point is the poor economy presents a chance for the Democrats to bring new people into the party. They will need to do this to win the battleground states.Almost four in 10 voters in New Hampshire are independents, political analysts say. Their support will be crucial in the general election in a state Bush won in 2000 by just over 7,000 votes. At stake are four electoral votes.
Polling as recently as December showed Bush drawing support from fewer than half -- 47 percent -- of independents in a matchup with a Democratic candidate. About a third said they would vote for the Democrat and another 21 percent were undecided. That's not a strong position for a Republican president in a state with a Republican governor, Republican congressional delegation and Republican-dominated state legislature.
Posted by Eric at 05:48 PM | Comments (30)
Voter Turnout
The other day someone mentioned to me that one big positive from New Hampshire was the voter turnout. Indeed, New Hampshire had its largest primary turnout. Now, if you're satisfied with the way the country is going, chances are you aren't turning out in record numbers to help elect the guy who wants to beat the sitting president. The AP puts some perspective on the turnout.
In Tuesday's primary, independent voters played a major role, making up almost half -- 45 percent -- of New Hampshire's record Democratic primary turnout of about 200,000. Seven in 10 independents who voted in the primary said the nation's economy is not in good shape, according to an exit poll conducted for The Associated Press and television networks by Edison Media Research and Mitofsky International.Further, the Indys are angry at Bush.Almost nine in 10 said they were worried about the direction of the nation's economy in the next few years. Eight in 10 said the Bush tax cuts should be canceled altogether or only for the wealthy. The views about the economy of independents who voted in the Democratic primary were almost as sour as those of Democratic voters.
Four in 10 of the independents who voted in the Democratic primary said they were angry at Bush, and another four in 10 said they were dissatisfied. Eight in 10 said they were worried there will be another major terrorist attack in this country. Results of the survey of 1,848 voters were subject to sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, higher for subgroups.The larger point is the poor economy presents a chance for the Democrats to bring new people into the party. They will need to do this to win the battleground states.Almost four in 10 voters in New Hampshire are independents, political analysts say. Their support will be crucial in the general election in a state Bush won in 2000 by just over 7,000 votes. At stake are four electoral votes.
Polling as recently as December showed Bush drawing support from fewer than half -- 47 percent -- of independents in a matchup with a Democratic candidate. About a third said they would vote for the Democrat and another 21 percent were undecided. That's not a strong position for a Republican president in a state with a Republican governor, Republican congressional delegation and Republican-dominated state legislature.
Posted by Eric at 05:48 PM | Comments (14)
Frist Aide on Leave
The first in what should be many more ... who else, and how far did the leaks go (authorized)?
An aide to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has been put on leave during an investigation into how Republicans gained access to Democratic memos concerning opposition to President Bush's judicial nominees.Manuel Miranda, who works for the Tennessee Republican on judicial nominations, is on leave pending the outcome of the inquiry by the Senate sergeant-at-arms, Frist spokesman Nick Smith said Tuesday. In the matter under investigation, Democratic memos stored on a computer server shared by Judiciary Committee members ended up in GOP hands.
Miranda told The Knoxville News-Sentinel that investigators were looking at work he performed for the Judiciary Committee before he joined Frist's office. "There was no stealing," he said. "No systematic surveillance. I never forwarded these memos – period."
Asked about the investigation Tuesday, Frist refused to talk about it.
Posted by Eric at 01:44 PM | Comments (59)
Frist Aide on Leave
The first in what should be many more ... who else, and how far did the leaks go (authorized)?
An aide to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has been put on leave during an investigation into how Republicans gained access to Democratic memos concerning opposition to President Bush's judicial nominees.Manuel Miranda, who works for the Tennessee Republican on judicial nominations, is on leave pending the outcome of the inquiry by the Senate sergeant-at-arms, Frist spokesman Nick Smith said Tuesday. In the matter under investigation, Democratic memos stored on a computer server shared by Judiciary Committee members ended up in GOP hands.
Miranda told The Knoxville News-Sentinel that investigators were looking at work he performed for the Judiciary Committee before he joined Frist's office. "There was no stealing," he said. "No systematic surveillance. I never forwarded these memos – period."
Asked about the investigation Tuesday, Frist refused to talk about it.
Posted by Eric at 01:44 PM | Comments (7)
DSCC Gets Loco
The DSCC, trying to shed its image as the organization of Washington insiders unconcerned about the grassroots, is pushing a new website: FromTheRoots.org. The DSCC describes it as:
FromTheRoots.org is a community weblog site with up-to-the-minute news, commentary and strategy on taking back the U.S. Senate and defeating President Bush. By electing more Senate Democrats, we will be able to set the agenda and stop the right-wing policies of the Bush Administration. The DSCC wants to keep committed Democrats like yourself informed about the issues, and wants you to participate in what's happening in your community. As the site grows there will also be actions and local events that you can join to get our country back on track.Indeed, they say you can communicate with DSCC staff, post your own diary entries, and get info from the DSCC crew (they also have a link section, but no Hamster! Oh no!). Regardless, it's a nice effort and further evidence of the Washington institutions giving in to the blogosphere.
Posted by Eric at 01:38 PM | Comments (20)
DSCC Gets Loco
The DSCC, trying to shed its image as the organization of Washington insiders unconcerned about the grassroots, is pushing a new website: FromTheRoots.org. The DSCC describes it as:
FromTheRoots.org is a community weblog site with up-to-the-minute news, commentary and strategy on taking back the U.S. Senate and defeating President Bush. By electing more Senate Democrats, we will be able to set the agenda and stop the right-wing policies of the Bush Administration. The DSCC wants to keep committed Democrats like yourself informed about the issues, and wants you to participate in what's happening in your community. As the site grows there will also be actions and local events that you can join to get our country back on track.Indeed, they say you can communicate with DSCC staff, post your own diary entries, and get info from the DSCC crew (they also have a link section, but no Hamster! Oh no!). Regardless, it's a nice effort and further evidence of the Washington institutions giving in to the blogosphere.
Posted by Eric at 01:38 PM | Comments (15)
What to Expect
Southern blogger wyethwire has some things to look for in the SC primary. Among them:
EDWARDS VERSUS CLARK: Terry McAulliffe is treating Feb 3rd like the Bowl Championship Series - candidates need a "quality win" in order to continue to Super Tuesday. Edwards and Clark will fight to the death. This ought to be an interesting competition between field versus media. Edwards inherited the Gephardt field campaign, but Clark's commercials are some of the best I've ever seen. There is a big debate in the South Carolina Democratic Party about what strategy works best - an air blitiz or a ground game. Edwards versus Clark may settle that debate.WILL KERRY COMPETE: Kerry got a 15 point bounce in South Carolina after Iowa. He might get another bounce out of his double-digit win in New Hampshire. It will be interesting to see if the bounce overpowers the "write off the South" remarks of the other day. Kerry is already sending surrogates to South Carolina, John Grisham will be stumping for Kerry in SC tomorrow. And Kerry's staff is already building events around the South Carolina debate in Greenville.
LOOK OUT FOR SHARPTON: I have been convinced for some ti