PAWLENTY AND KAINE ON MTP. On FOX News Sunday this AM, host Chris Wallace spent a while speaking with two campaign surrogates: Governor Tims: Pawlenty of Minnesota for McCain and Kaine of Virginia for Obama. Both men could be veep choices, and Wallace joked that they could “consider this something of an American Idol audition” for the jobs.
Kaine argued that Obama won the “white, crossover vote” in the Dem nominating process and he could win Virginia, where the RCP average has him trailing McCain by only 1 percent. The RCP average has Barry up by 11 points in Minnesota, where no Republican has won since Nixon in 1972, and Pawlenty countered that his State is becoming more competitive. He cited some Survey USA poll which has McCain winning Minnesota.
On taxes, Kaine argued that Obama wants to cut taxes on the middle class while McCain would continue the Bush economic policy.
On fuel, Wallace pointed out that Obama wants new, domestic energy yet refuses to consider domestic exploration or production. Kaine countered that Obama wants to tax oil companies to pay for “a robust level of investment and research” into alternative fuels. Wallace pointed out that McCain won’t allow drilling in ANWR and would leave it up to the States regarding offshore drilling. Pawlenty countered that Obama is unwilling to reach across the aisle and work with Republicans.
Both men say they would be delighted to be asked to be veep but are concerned with their own States. Neither said they would absolutely reject the job. As Pawlenty put it, “It would be difficult to say ‘no.’”
FEINSTEIN ON TW. Host George Stephanopoulos of ABC’s This Week had as his first guest California Dem Senator Dianne Feinstein, hostess of last week’s historic, unprecedented, breakthrough, significant, dramatic, and earth-shaking tête-à-tête ‘twixt Obama and Hillary. The meeting was to be held at 8:30p; Hillary arrived early, at 8, while Barry showed up at 9, so Dianne and Hillary chatted for an hour prior to the private meeting. Hillary talked about the historic, unprecedented, breakthrough, significant, dramatic, and earth-shaking nature of her campaign and how kids sold their bicycles and old ladies demanded absentee ballots from their death beds in order to support her candidacy.
When Barry showed up, Dianne simply brought them an estimated three glasses of water each. (She evidently could not entrust the serving girl with such a sensitive task.) The talk was private and neither discussed it when it had ended.
Dianne is a big fan of Hillary for veep. (After their private talk, which no doubt centered on that, it seems obvious what Hillary wants.) Steph brought up the damper the Democrats’ elder statesman threw on that notion last week, when Jimmy Carter called an Obama-Clinton ticket, “the worst of both worlds.” (An African American and a woman?) Dianne countered that Hillary brings a “movement” to the party.
Feinstein complained that she had read “column after column, after column” trashing Hillary. Steph asked about Hillary’s baggage being a hindrance to her veep chances, and Feinstein countered: “Everyone has baggage.” (Not as deleterious as the former President, Dianne.) Feinstein said that Hillary is “so much the apparent choice” that she does not “think of other women” as potential Barry veeps.
GRAHAM AND KERRY ON TW. Next up on ABC were Senators Lindsey Graham for McCain and John Kerry “report-ayng for du-tay” for Obama. Graham argued that Obama was a big government guy while McCain favored cutting taxes and reducing regulation. Kerry countered: “That’s not true on every level.” To support his contention, Kerry said that McCain had voted against taxing big oil companies and in favor of sending jobs overseas.
Graham argued that this was a high tax guy (Obama) versus a tax cut guy (McCain). Kerry argued in response that Obama led the fight in the Senate on ethics reform, and that he takes no money from special interests or lobbyists. McCain’s campaign, Kerry continued, was “run by lobbyists.” Graham mentioned Obama’s friendship with convicted Chicago swindler Tony Rezko.
John Kerry argued that McCain would continue Bush’s policy in the Middle East, which has left Israel “more fragile than ever.” Kerry further argued that we have to talk to Iran and Syria. Graham argued that Obama just talks a lot and votes “present.” He further argued that the Surge was a success, while Mr. Kerry smiled and shook his head.
It’s times like these when you remember just how bad a candidate John Kerry actually was. He seems so certain as he proclaims the inanity within his soul reflecting the vacuity ‘ween ‘is ears.
JOURNALISTS ON MTP. On NBC’s Meet the Press, host Tim Russert had a bunch of NBC reporters who covered the campaign to one extent or the other. Russert called these journalists, “NBC’s political dream team,” bit they were really just a bunch of NBC reporters who covered the campaign to one extent or the other. Russert asked them questions, they answered. What opinions they offered, and there were many, were easily ignored.
David Gregory thinks Hillary did what she had to do. Andrea Mitchell said that it was Chuck Rangel who convinced Hillary to quit when Hillary “thought she could take a week or longer” to quit. Ron Allen said that it took “some time to get from Tuesday to yesterday [Saturday],” and there was a lot of emotion. He said that Hillary still believes she should be the nominee. She still wants to be President.
Kelly O’Donnell explained that John McCain had been preparing for Hillary’s departure for a long time, because they knew that her voters could be his voters.
Chuck Todd admitted that the biggest myth in this process was that “the Clintons somehow controlled the apparatus.” Bingo, bingo, bingo, Chuck-o, and you were one of them. The Clintons, he observed, thought that “with sheer will,” they would get the Superdelegates.
David Gregory said that really, this race was over a long time ago, as the Superdelegates proved unwilling to overturn the popular decision of the Dem voters. Bingo for Davey, hindsight was your wakeup call.
Russert wanted to know if the Clinton organization would admit that they blew it. Ron Allen said that the “floodgates opened” after Iowa, when the African American community realized that “this could happen.”
Andrea Mitchell said that while the Clintons were concentrating on the big States, Obama was devising a plan for Super Tuesday.
David Gregory said that the Clintons were a “force in the party” and “formidable.” He said that Barry had to “walk a difficult path” to appeal to Hillary’s voters.
Chuck Todd said that there was “another secret meeting,” which will be between Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Bill Clinton is upset because Obama called him a racist. Andrea Mitchell said that Bill Clinton had been crying yesterday.
Tim Russert posited that John McCain can compete with Obama the Anointed by portraying himself as “a comfortable shoe.” He proceeded to compare Obama to RFK, who predicted in 1968 that a “negro” could be President “in forty years.” 2008.
Lee Cowan, the NBC news guy from Barry’s Chicago, was not allowed to speak.
Russert’s boss, MSNBC sportscaster Keith Olbermann, opted not to appear on the show.
WOLFSON ON FTN. On CBS’ Face the Nation, host Bob Schieffer talked with former Hillary campaign mouthpiece Howard Wolfson. Wolfson opined that Hillary “closed extremely well.” He described Hillary’s endorsement of Obama as “full-throated.”
Hillary “will do whatever she has to do” in order to see that Obama is elected President, Wolfson said, adding that she has donated money to him. (When? From where?)
Wolfson said that Hillary is not seeking the veep slot but that “she will do whatever she can” to support Barry.
Wolfson is “optimistic” about “our chances in the fall.” He said that McCain “is running to be the next George Bush.” He said that Barry offers a “fundamental break.”
Yesterday’s news.
RANGEL ON FN. Congressman Chuck Rangel was next on FTN, a former Clinton supporter. Rangel was “more than pleased” with Hillary’s speech on Saturday. He said he thinks it will “go down in history as one of the best political speeches we’ve had.”
He thinks Obama-Clinton would be “an almost-unsinkable ticket” and “great for the country.” Schieffer asked if her negatives outweigh her positives. Rangel said that you have to weigh both. He said that brining Hillary and Barry together brings America together.
Rangel agreed with Schieffer that some won’t vote for Obama because of his skin. Rangel said that such differences were secondary if we want this country to survive. Just as “Hillary overcame the sexism,” Rangel argued, Barry has to overcome the racism.
Rangel said that America is “fed up” with Bush and his “record unemployment.” He said that McCain is a “nice guy,” but we can’t move forward with “an extension of Bush policies.”
Rangel said that if Hillary gets the veep nod, he “would hope” that Bill would be involved in everything so long as he “doesn’t get in the way of the new President.” (When asked about Bill interfering in everything, Rangel exclaimed: “I would hope so!”)
WEBB ON FTN. Jim Webb, the dumb guy from Virginia, told Schieffer that he would leave it up to Obama on whom to choose as veep. He said that Obama would need someone as veep who is comfortable with life inside an Administration, adding that he himself had served in the Reagan Administration. Webb compared himself with Daniel Patrick Moynihan as an intellect.
He said Obama will build a “new coalition” and Barry’s “message will transcend racial divides.” He said there are vast difference between Barry and McCain in intellect and composure. (Translated: McCain is a dumb guy who throws fits.) He argued that Obama has proven himself capable of staying on message while taking cheap shots (from Hillary).
Webb said that the town hall format would “level the rhetorical playing field,” as McCain is an inferior orator. Webb said that Obama would do well in a town hall format.
KYL AND CASEY ON LE. First for host Wolf Blitzer on CNN’s Late Edition were Senators Jon Kyl and Bob Casey, for McCain and Obama. Casey said that Hillary’s Saturday speech was a “very strong statement” and showed that she had “leadership skills.” His eyebrow is growing back over his nose. He looked bewildered when asked about those Dems who say they would not vote for Barry. He suggested that “it’s human” and that “we all have to work through this.”
Blitzer quoted Bob Kerrey as saying that Hillary faced a great orator in Obama and was doomed to failure. Jon Kyl countered that William Jennings Bryant never won a Presidential election and that Obama says grand words on things about which he knows very little. Casey countered that Obama brings a wealth of experience to the table and would, as commander in chief, leave all options on the table. He pointed out that the Bush Administration is meeting with Iran. Kyl laughed. He pointed out that there was a big difference between a President meeting with Iran without conditions and having the low-level people laying down the markers. He talked of Obama’s swings of positions.
Casey countered that Bush met with Khadafy. He argued that President Bush has made Iran stronger than ever, and he urged McCain to tell us how he plans to be different from President Bush.
Wolf played a clip of Obama announcing that he would meet with Iran only with his conditions. Kyl said that this was what Bush had been doing, what McCain would do, and it was opposite to what Obama had said he would do at the YouTube debate. Kyl recited what was said, then Wolf mentioned Team Barry’s charges that Kyl got it wrong: Obama has said he’d be “willing to meet” which does not mean that he would meet. Casey countered by comparing Barry to Ronald Reagan and the first President Bush as far as engaging in diplomacy.
After a set of commercials, Blitzer showed a clip of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Kyl suggested to that to the Dems, it’s wrong for Iran’s neighbor to meet with Ahmadinejad but it is okay for the U.S. President.
Blitzer began talking of the economy. Casey called the argument that the Democrats favor government as a universal solution is “old.” He said that McCain is out of step with the American people because he voted against government-run health care for children (and adults, etc.). Blitzer played a clip of McCain saying that the “fundamentals of our economy are very strong.” Kyl pointed out that Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson has said the same thing as McCain, and that we are not now, won’t be, and were never in the recession which the Democrats threatened. Kyl said that prices were rising because of fuel costs, which is a problem but is not the fundamentals of our economy.”
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Have at it.
