Monthly Archive for September, 2008
I’ve always thought that the post-debate spin-o-rama on who won or lost a debate is incredibly silly, but for better or worse, it’s become a part of the whole debate process. But no matter what the pundits say (and they seem to call this one a draw favoring Obama), what’s most important is what the American people thought and here there’s no doubt Obama won. For example:
According to CBS News / Knowledge Networks’ poll of undecided voters: 40% of uncommitted voters who watched the debate tonight thought Barack Obama was the winner. 22% thought John McCain won. 38% saw it as a draw. 68% of these voters think Obama would make the right decision about the economy. 41% think McCain would. [CBS News / Knowledge Network Undecideds Give Debate To Obama] [via Ambinder]
That’s pretty brutal, and CNN’s poll of people who watched the debate turns up the same results:
Who Did the Best Job In the Debate?
Obama 51%
McCain 38%Who Would Better Handle Economy?
Obama 58%
McCain 37%Who Would Better Handle Iraq?
Obama 52%
McCain 47%
Personally, I thought it was pretty uneventful, but that played right into Obama’s hands. He was able to portray himself as a competent and in control leader. McCain’s performance was very passable, but his messaging seemed somewhat inconsistent and his tone often came across as petty and bitter (which was in no way helped by his stubborn refusal to even glance in Obama’s direction). But, like I said, who cares what I or anyone else thinks; when it comes to election day it’s just you and a ballot alone together in a booth. (which is why the above numbers are such good news)
I’m not usually one to schlep for TV shows, but this sounds like it could be very interesting. Plus, Mary promises “three bombshells,” so how could you not watch!?
Tune in to Almanac tonight because we think we have some news to report. I’ve been working on the biographies of the Senate candidates in a show called “The Big Three” it’s the big three moments of the three candidates’ lives, the personal turning points for Dean Barkley, Norm Coleman and Al Franken. The whole program premieres Oct. 22 8:00 pm on TPT-2.
We got amazing access to all the candidates’ homes, wives, and children for emotional and candid interviews. One candidate revealed something that he told me he wanted to get out before his opponents got to it first. We will reveal that tonight on Almanac. Next week we’ll have more interesting news on another candidate. We’re talking about things that everyone has whispered about in Minnesota politics for years, but rarely if ever talked about on the record.
So, for all of those who wondered why my blog and I dropped off the radar screen recently, this is why. This project has been incredibly surprising, rewarding and draining. I see all the candidates in a different light and understand them on a deeply personal level and I think viewers will too. We’ve never seen them like this. I really have to thank the Barkleys, Colemans and Frankens for being so willing to open up about some of the most difficult times of their lives.
Steve Sarvi got a nice guest post on The Hill:
[Kline’s] excuse for short-changing veterans? According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, his spokesman says it is because he is fiscally conservative.
Really?
It is so-called fiscal conservatives like Kline who approved runaway spending in Iraq and the Bush tax cuts which have led to huge deficit spending and a $3 trillion growth in the federal debt. Meanwhile, Kline and this Administration have presided over the greatest growth of government in our history. That is not conservatism; it is profligacy pretending to be conservative.
Who pays? Veterans, seniors, the middle class and others who can least afford to. But people are figuring it out.
Read the whole piece here.
DFLers have long known that the 3rd district Congressional battle is one of the best chances for a pick-up in the House this year that Democrats have, but it looks as though the national media has caught on as well. Chris Cillizza has seen fit to once again move the race up in his weekly ranking of competitive house races:
17. Minnesota’s 3rd district (R): This suburban Twin Cities district is playing host to a great congressional race to replace retiring Rep. Jim Ramstad (R). The contest looks like a toss up but the DCCC is now up with a commercial casting state Sen. Erik Paulsen (R) as a career politician and Patriot Majority Midwest is also hammering Paulsen on TV. It could make the difference. (Previous ranking: 18)
Madia and his campaign have been running circles around Paulsen in the 3rd and the DCCC has noticed. The DCCC is now hitting Paulsen hard but there’s little doubt that the Republicans will do (and have been doing) anything and everything they can to hold the line in the western suburbs. So I certainly hope that the national operators continue to throw more resources and attention at this compelling pick-up opportunity. Fortunately, I have no doubt that Madia will continue to out-class, out-smart, and out-hustle the Bachmann wanna-be that is Erik Paulsen.
A writer at the nation’s most famous conservative publication is calling for Sarah Palin to withdraw from the race:
Palin’s recent interviews with Charles Gibson, Sean Hannity, and now Katie Couric have all revealed an attractive, earnest, confident candidate. Who Is Clearly Out Of Her League.
No one hates saying that more than I do. Like so many women, I’ve been pulling for Palin, wishing her the best, hoping she will perform brilliantly. I’ve also noticed that I watch her interviews with the held breath of an anxious parent, my finger poised over the mute button in case it gets too painful. Unfortunately, it often does. My cringe reflex is exhausted…
…Only Palin can save McCain, her party, and the country she loves. She can bow out for personal reasons, perhaps because she wants to spend more time with her newborn. No one would criticize a mother who puts her family first.
Do it for your country.
This would be like the Nation calling for Biden to drop out. Ouch!
This sums up Coleman’s biggest failure to our country in under two minutes. The url at the end of the video: alfranken.com/normsdodge
Walz is going to win in a landslide in CD1. More commentary on this ad from Ollie Ox.
Dean Barkley, the candidate that some in the media thought came out of nowhere when his name on Senate polls changed from “Other,” just flipped his position on the bailout. From the Star Tribune, less than 48 hours ago:
Independence Party candidate Dean Barkley, who practiced real estate law and once owned a mortgage brokerage firm, said that he would hold his nose and reluctantly vote for the bailout. “I just hope it doesn’t become a Christmas tree,” he said.
Wow. Before you could start singing O Tannenbaum or come up with a better analogy his decision to vote for something that might become a $700 Gazillion Balsam Fir changed:
Barkley Says ‘No’ to Immediate Action on Bail-Out Bill
…
PLYMOUTH, Minn.—Dean Barkley, the Independence Party candidate for U.S. Senate, said today that Congress should not vote on a bail-out package before adjourning at the end of the month.
So why the reversal? Figured he could work with Bachmann on this one? Or maybe he’s seeing he can cater to Ron Paul supporters? Or is this just part of his flailing-arms “look, I’m even more different than those two are different because I truly have no idea what’s going on here” strategy?
Addendum: So who do you want as a Senator in a time of tragedy? Someone who understands the situation inside and out and is clear where he stands, someone who can’t talk to anyone for two days until he gets his White House talking points or someone that still is figuring out where he stands?
Featuring Iraq War veteran Sam Scott:
This email just came out from Stu Rosenberg at the Madia campaign:
Did They Think We Wouldn’t Notice?
Dear Sean,
When I opened my email this morning, I had a message from Bill Newman of Brooklyn Center:“I just got push-polled by some Karl Rove wanna-be. It ticked me off enough to contribute $500. Good luck and God Speed. I am so sick of this kind of Nixon Now Campaigning by the Republican Machine.”
Bill Newman noticed. Then he wrote a check.
Join Bill in fighting the Republican Attack Machine. Give generously today.
Like all Republican smear tactics, push polls are used to scare voters. What the Republicans don’t realize is that we won’t be fooled. Voters are demanding more from this election, and they’re demanding better from candidates. They want solutions to the issues our nation now faces; they don’t want more of the same failed policies of the last eight years. The Republicans’ Karl Rove playbook won’t work in 2008.
Battle the Republican attacks on our campaign today. Give $25, $50 or more.
Nancy Cooley of Maple Grove wrote to say she received a “survey”:
“As the caller got into his question, I heard a very negative slant against Madia. I felt it was a con and very negative. It angered me, and I told the caller this as I hung up.”
We’re angry, too, Nancy. Help us combat these deceitful Republican lies. Give $50, $100 or $200 today.
Another email. This one from Warren Blechert of Excelsior:
“I received a call from someone representing himself as a pollster. After several harmless questions, he asked me a disgraceful question designed to make me think less of Ashwin Madia. His next question was even more disgusting … He was only interested in changing my opinion in a devious, dishonest way … It made me certain that someone is desperately trying to discredit an honorable Iraq War vet who happens to be my choice for the U.S Congress. Some people will stop at nothing to try to persuade citizens to vote against Ashwin Madia. How can you trust people like that?”
Warren noticed.Enough is enough. Let’s win the Third Congressional District together.
Sincerely,
Stuart Rosenberg
Campaign Manager
Madia for U. S. Congress
Michael Brodkorb’s crowing recently about Democrats push polling meant one thing: the Republicans were about to. They’ve got a mediocre, milquetoast candidate who can’t decided if he’s wants to privatize social security or not, and who refuses to allow the Government to save money by negotiating drug prices with Pharmaceutical companies. And all they can do to win is fight dirty.
The good new is, we’ve got a way better candidate! The NRCC has got a pile of dough, and Paulsen just announced that he’s raised over 2 million dollars — Madia can’t do it without you. He needs your help, volunteer for his campaign today. He needs your help, donate $5, $10, $25, $50 dollars today.
We’ve got 40 days till the election, and the lies, the smears and the attacks against Ash are just going to get louder and meaner from here on out. That’s why you can’t sit idly by, volunteer for his campaign right now or donate whatever you can. These aren’t easy times for anyone but every dollar you can spare can help make sure that things get better with Ash Madia’s leadership in Washington.
[Updated:] So what makes this different from what Brodkorb does and Paulsen does, what makes it I dunno… verifiable, is that the folks who got the push poll? They’re right there. Their names. People in the third congressional district felt so strongly about this they were willing to put their names behind it. It’s not some anonymous attack, it’s not some grandiose proclimation, it’s real folks talking about how they actually got these calls. Check out this article by MNIndy for more about the real people who responded to this, and the calls they recieved.
This basically blows Coleman’s latest ad out of the water. Without further commentary I am posting this release in full:
Statement from Senator Frank Lautenberg on Senator Coleman’s Record
SAINT PAUL [9/25/08] - United States Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) issued the following statement today regarding Senator Norm Coleman’s record as Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
“I served as a member of Norm Coleman’s subcommittee while he was chairman. I was eager to get to the bottom of the serious allegations against Halliburton and other contractors – potentially the biggest wartime rip-off in our country’s history.
“But Norm Coleman and the Republican leadership of the committee simply refused to to investigate. Even after multiple requests from me and my colleagues to get the committee to do its job and get to the bottom of it – they refused.
“As an Army veteran, the committee’s failures were infuriating, especially because it was undermining the well-being of our troops in Iraq.
“By turning a blind eye to Halliburton’s transgressions in Iraq, Norm Coleman refused to protect billions in taxpayer dollars. And the reason he refused is tragic: merely to protect Vice President Cheney from embarrassment.
“The people of Minnesota deserve a leader in the Senate who will stand up for what’s right – not just for what party leaders want you to do. I know Al Franken will stand up for everyday people in the U.S. Senate.
“Al Franken cares as deeply about this issue as I do. We both know that when taxpayers’ money is wasted – in this case billions of dollars – we need to take action.
“While Norm Coleman sat on the sidelines, Halliburton and the Bush Administration committed a series of outrageous transgressions:
- The Bush-Cheney Administration gave Halliburton a no-bid contract to run Iraq’s oil fields. Halliburton eventually charged taxpayers two-point-four (2.4) billion dollars under that sweetheart deal. No hearing or investigation.
- Halliburton bills the taxpayers one-point-four billion dollars in what the Defense Department’s auditors deemed to be questionable charges. No hearing or investigation.
- There were credible allegations that Halliburton charged taxpayers for meals it never served the troops. No hearing or investigation.
- Halliburton burned new trucks on the side of the road because they didn’t have the right wrench to change a tire. No hearing or investigation.
- The Army Corps of Engineer’s top contracting official is demoted after blowing the whistle on improper Halliburton contracts. No hearing or investigation.
“The list goes on and on.
“Even after I wrote nine letters to the committee leadership, no action was taken – not by Committee Chairman Susan Collins nor Subcommittee Chairman Norm Coleman.
“When it was time to choose between protecting taxpayer dollars and our troops or protecting Dick Cheney from embarrassment, Norm Coleman chose Dick Cheney.”
And I now have more foreign policy experience than Sarah Palin.
The transcript from last night’s interview with Katie Couric:
Katie Couric: You’ve cited Alaska’s proximity to Russia as part of your foreign policy experience. What did you mean by that?
Sarah Palin: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land-boundry that we have with Canada. It’s funny that a comment like that was kinda made to … I don’t know, you know … reporters.
Couric: Mocked?
Palin: Mocked, yeah I guess that’s the word, mocked.
Couric: Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign-policy credentials.
Palin: Well, it certainly does, because our, our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there…
Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?
Palin: We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It’s very important when you consider even national-security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right next to, they are right next to our state.
The transcript doesn’t do her bumbling, half rambling tirade justice, the video is at the bottom of the page here. I can do nothing other than shake my head, I’m just flabbergasted — really this is the best you’ve got John?
Picking her to be your running mate isn’t America first, it’s McCain’s campaign first.
We knew Coleman would be sweating bullets over being called out on his lack of oversight. Coleman even tried to get Joe Lieberman to help, even though Leiberman was critical of the oversight performance. What do they do? They scrambled to put together a defensive ad touting Coleman’s oversight. As Rachel E. Stassen-Berger writes:
At first, the Coleman campaign dismissed the complaint saying others were better equipped to handle such an investigation, Coleman has a strong record on oversight and he supported the idea of war funding oversight. His campaign also sent two notes to supporters rebutting Franken’s claims. On Wednesday, the campaign added a new line of defense — in the person of Sen. Joe Lieberman.
But Franken’s line of attack must have gotten under the campaign’s skin because now it has bought air time in order to defend Coleman’s record.
…
Nothing in the ad pops out as immediately false although it does make some opinionated claims that are tough to verify one way or the other.
Well, false or not, it certainly distracts from the big story on Coleman here.
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