February 26, 2007

2/26: The Movement Candidate?

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em ... especially if you don't really have anything against 'em in the first place. That seems to be the M.O. playing out in the awkward-but-warming mating dance between the netroots and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). Slowly, Obama seems to be winning liberal bloggers' praise, but he's doing so more by proving his electability and the aura of inevitability (i.e. huge crowd numbers in TX over the weekend) than by spouting rhetoric more pleasing to their ears (he talks about unity and there's now mention of poverty on his issues page, while John Edwards is all about poverty). Meanwhile, Al Gore had fun at the Oscars last p.m., but so far this a.m., the only ones having any Gore-related fun in the 'sphere are those on the right.

OBAMA: Biggest ... Rally ... Ever

It's not so much what he said on his 2/23 stop in Austin, TX, (although hitting Dick Cheney can never hurt either). It was the size of his crowds that seemed to most impress the 'roots bigwigs. Texans for Obama reports their clicker counter armed volunteers counted 22K in attendance in what they called: "the biggest rally ever in American history for a presidential candidate this early in the campaign cycle."

TFO has the best collection of Austin video and pictures including more, here, here, here, and here. Burnt Orange Report's Katie Naranjo liveblogged the proceedings writing: "The band is playing "One more step to the promise land," sending the message that Obama will "not be denied" on his quest for the promised land."

DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas doubted the 22K report but added "even the 15,000 mark is pretty darn impressive. No one else in the field, not even Hillary [Clinton], is competing with those numbers." Kos then provides perspective: "At this point four years ago, us [Howard] Dean people were ecstatic over Dean drawing 3,000 in Austin, and that was considered huge at the time, much bigger than what anyone else could manage. 15,000 is mind-boggling."

MyDD's Chris Bowers also sees Kos' Dean's reference and raises him a Kennedy: "This is getting bigger than Dean. The last Democrat to draw these sorts of crowds in a primary season was probably RFK. Even then, he didn't draw them eleven months from the start of the primaries."

CLINTON: He Just Said What Everyone Else Was Thinking ...

Not yet done with the David Geffen/Barack Obama/Hillary Clinton spat The Huffington Post's political editor Melinda Henneberger says Geffen's HRC concerns are nothing she hasn't "heard over and over in 18 months worth of interviews with women voters across the political spectrum, in 20 states from Massachusetts to Arizona and Oregon to Louisiana."

Henneberger quotes FL Dem Mary Jane Arrington: ""I think Bill Clinton could get reelected, but I don't think Hillary can, and I hope she's smart enough to know that. She's smart, but she comes across as a pushy woman. She's not the right one, and to break the glass ceiling, you have to be the right one."

And for a peak at what a general election will look like for HRC on YouTube, check out this Hot Airproduction courtesy of Air Congress.

EDWARDS: He's All Growed Up

Providing a overview on the prospects of all WH '08 Dems in NH Blue Hampshire's Dean Barker writes of John Edwards: "At the beginning of the year, it felt like Edwards was poised to be Howard Dean 2.0. (whether perception or reality -- of no consequence to me). I don't see that now, and it's not just the bloggerdrama. I don't know why he's been polling with a guy who keeps saying he's not running (Gore). Why no traction? Will this weekend's visits will change that?"

An Edwards convert before this weekend's NH trip, Blue Hampshire's NHTimes reports on the attendees of two Edwards house parties and includes this recap of Edwards pitch: "John Edwards spoke succinctly about his health care proposal to cover all Americans, about the need for big steps not baby steps or incremental change. He spoke to the crucial importance of the next President's re-establishment of America's position as moral leader of the free world, about the need to rebuild the reputation of our great country through actions that the rest of the world can look up to. I am very proud to see that the man I supported in '04 has grown to become a true social progressive, one who could be a great President."

Just when you thought the Amanda Marcotte saga had subsided, Majikthise's Lindsay Beyerstein writes at Salon that she was offered the Edwards' campaign blog job and turned it down. RedState's Nelson writes that Beyerstein's article reveals a few things about the whole Marcotte episode: "First, it's clear that the Edwards campaign was looking for someone who would be as abrasive as Marcotte on issues such as abortion, birth control, and social conservatives. They went for Beyerstein first, and when they couldn't have her they went for Marcotte - and "Bob" was well aware of the things that both Beyerstein and Marcotte had written in the past. It was no accident that the Edwards campaign ended up with somebody like Marcotte. That's who they were looking for all along. The second thing this reveals is the completely disingenuous nature of John Edwards' announcement that he would not fire Marcotte. He said: "The tone and the sentiment of some of Amanda Marcotte's and Melissa McEwan's posts personally offended me." If that's the case, then why did he hire them in the first place? Before, we might have assumed that he didn't know about their moonbat posts. We now know that wasn't the case, which makes his assertion that he found their posts offensive awfully suspicious. If he did find them offensive, he must not have minded hiring them despite the offense their posts caused."

DODD: Lamonsters For Dodd

Campaign MattersAri Melber recaps Chris Dodd's recent blog outreach focussing on the support of "popular figure among the netroots" Ned Lamont and including favorable posts at Booman Tribune, Firedoglake, and My Left Nutmeg.

GIULIANI: How The Social Conservatives Were Won

Rudy Giuliani phoned into Townhall's Hugh Hewitt's radio show 2/24. Highlights include:

• Hewitt: Richard Land, I'm sure you saw, he was on record this week saying I don't think Evangelicals will vote for Rudy. I disagree with that, but how do you get past that kind of a block?
• Giuliani: Well, I have spent a great deal of time over the last three, four years in various places, talking to many, many people including clergy, who are, who would describe themselves, I think, as Evangelicals ... And I find that when we spend time together ... that they come away feeling that on most issues, there's agreement. There are some disagreements, but that there's a basic core of looking at the world in very much the same way.
• Giuliani [on imposing a litmus test on judges]: No. No, not a litmus test on a single issue, a philosophical test, meaning what I wanted to know was what's their view of how you interpret the Constitution and laws? Are they...do the Constitution and laws exist as the thing from which you have to discern the meaning and the intent? Or are you going to superimpose your own social views? And I want, I like the first kind of judge, who is a judge who looks to the meaning of the Constitution, doesn't try to create it.

Power Line's Paul Mirengoff links to the interview and comments: "You have to admire the way Rudy Giuliani handles himself. ... It's all there -- the willingness to laugh at himself, the eagerness to share credit and throw in the kind word, the recognition of human imperfection, the respect for the views of others, and the ability (enhanced by all of the above) to talk up his accomplishments and leadership skills without appearing unduly immodest. He's good."

Fellow Power Line contributor John Hinderaker updates: "I heard part of Hugh's interview while driving home tonight. Rudy is indeed very, very good. I was listening while he described how he helped crush the Mafia in the 1980s. I wonder how many voters know that story; not many, I'd guess. People who wonder how Giuliani can appeal to conservatives haven't seen him in action."

Over at Captain's Quarters, Ed Morrissey is happy about Giuliani's decision to address CPAC this week. "This is a smart move for Giuliani. He needs to make his debut with conservative groups soon, before a meme of avoidance starts to gain traction. If my earlier experience with Giuliani gives any indication, he'll shine there as he does anywhere he speaks live. Conservatives there will ask tough questions, and I'm interested to see if he decides to engage in a dialogue at CPAC rather than just a speech."

Not ready to jump on the Rudy train quite yet, IA's Caucus Cooler links to New York Timesstory on the absence of social issue discussions during recent campaign stops in NH, CA, and SC and blogs: "We at the Cooler are starting to wonder when the "softball phase" with Giuliani will be over."

And finally, National Review's York has this nugget at The Corner: Longtime Rudy friend Bill Simon Jr., a darling of social conservatives who unsuccessfully challenged then-CA Gov. Gray Davis (D) in '02, will join Rudy's Rudy campaign today as policy dir.

ROMNEY: At Least No One's Talking About Anyone Else's Mama

The right and left are unhappy with the AP's 2/24 story on the marital histories of Mitt Romney's great- and great-great grandfathers. Power Line's John Hinderaker explains the MSM's motives: "It gives the press an opportunity to take a pot shot at Romney's religion. He is a Mormon, and Mormons are Weird; the best evidence of this proposition is their former practice of polygamy."

The story did let Hinderaker add: "Several readers have pointed out that Barack Obama's father was a bigamist. Somehow, though, there doesn't seem to be any interest in this story, even though it's several generations closer in time." Back talking about Romney and the AP, Captain's Quarters quips: "... And Brigham Young's Great-Great-Great-Grandson Won A Super Bowl

Over at The Brody File, David Brody has received a confidential email circulating within the network of Romney's supporters. "I thought I'd share it with you. I don't put this up as fact just simply to give you an idea of what's being talked about among his supporters." Here goes: "Rumor has it that it's McCain's 'opposition research' team that is pushing all this stuff to a more than willing MSM. They love their guy McCain, and they hate anyone with conservative values. The good news is, with each passing week they become more marginalized as people turn more to the blogosphere for more accurate reporting. I think McCain views Mitt as the bigger threat at this point, so he'll keep his Giuliani powder dry for another day." Brody: "Let the record reflect that The Brody File is not saying this about McCain but Romney's supporters truly believe this. As to what evidence they have, that hasn't been shared ... yet."

BLOGGERS VS. BELTWAY: Viva La Revolution!

NV Dem Chair Tom Collins did not put out any blog fires with his 2/23 defense of FOX News' sponsorship of 8/14's WH '08 forum in Reno, NV. At Daily Kos Collins invoked DNC chair Howard Dean's 50 state strategy and assured readers that "before agreeing to have FOX sponsor this debate, we looked at the debate in Baltimore in 2004 and got, in writing, a number of concessions to fix many of the issues that came up around that, including joint approval of moderators, sets, questioners, signage, etc."

Noting that "during the eight presidential elections from 1976-2004 Democrats received an extremely stable percentage of the self-identified Republican vote" MyDD's Chris Bowers responds to Collins: "the point in bringing this all up is to show that the main talking point the Nevada Democratic Party is using to justify holding a debate on Fox News is hogwash."

Trying to be constructive Bowers suggests that NV Dems attempt to add either/both NPR or/and Air America as co-hosts for the debates writing: "Fox isn't the only place where you can reach new voters, nor the best place to reach new voters. Partnering with Fox on a project does endorse them and provide them with credibility, no matter what someone may claim otherwise." In a less diplomatic vein Bowers adds: "You may think we act like a bunch of snotty know-it-alls, but believe me when I write that during an episode like this, that feeling is absolutely mutual."

Taylor Marsh wants to use the controversy as a rallying cry to change the state party: "Nevada is very unique. At the core of the population is a long, strong, very independent, conservative base that has been fully infiltrated by Republican Lite types and traitor D.I.N.O.'s (Democrats in name only) masquerading as true blue Democrats. ... It's past time for the progressives and moderates in the Nevada State Democratic Party to rise up, organize and vote these traitors out of every leadership position and chairmanship. It's time the registered Democrats of Nevada say enough is enough and we want change now in Nevada. I say, Viva la Revolution! and viva Las Vegas, baby."

RedState's California Yankee shared Min. Leader Mitch McConnell's thoughts on recent Dem legislative action on Iraq: "Senator McConnell said the Democrats are looking for a Goldilocks resolution that's hot enough for their antiwar base, but cool enough so they can continue to claim that they support the troops. Their problem is that none of the Democrats' resolutions is "just right." Senator McConnell stated several times that the only way for the Democrats to end the war is to cut off funds for the war."

Definitely in the "not hot enough" camp, The Left Coaster's Steve Soto writes: "The next time one feels like rationalizing, making an excuse, or denying Democratic party failure with the glib "it's early days yet" they should instantly stop: it's February 25th, precisely 56 days into the new year and 49 days into the new Congress. ... There's still a chance to prove to the American public Democrats are different, Democrats see the vast dangers and did everything they could to stop it. Americans don't expect them to accomplish everything, but they have to see a real effort. There isn't an American alive who thought a non-binding resolution on escalation was a real effort, Jesus save us."

Soto goes onto outline what he wants to see from congressional Dems: "There's still a chance to pass a Congressional resolution (here is where non-binding is appropriate, it's supposed to be a threat only) stating if Bush attacks Iran he and Cheney will be impeached the next week. No ifs, ands or buts, simple instant impeachment, along with total cessation of all funding for any American war effort, anywhere. That's the only kind of leadership that earns respect and elections, and until the Democrats actually do it they'll continue to fail in their duty."

Also with suggestions, The Reality Based Community's Mark Kleiman asks: "Note to Democrats In the debate over the "surge," why isn't the need for troops in Afghanistan among the best arguments against?"

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Politico As Outsourcing Villain?

Townhall's Hugh Hewitt pressed Politico's John Harris on the future of media in DC, including:

• Hewitt: Obviously, there is internet advertising, but this looks very much to me like you're going to make all of the Washington, D.C. bureau of mid-major papers obsolete if you succeed in syndicating this content out. It's written by more experienced reporters, it goes much, much deeper, and you're much better staffed than they are. Shouldn't everyone be polishing up their resumes in that particular part of the business? ... it just seems to me clear that what you're doing is very innovative, and it will replace the bureaus that these out of town newspapers run at great expense inside of Washington. Do you intend at some point to sell your product to them as a sort of wire service?
• Harris: We have no intention of doing that before 2008 in this cycle. I think you're right. I do think the traditional regional newspaper bureaus are soon going to be a thing of the past. Most of those papers are retreating. It wouldn't surprise me if long term, that was a model that we looked at, but I can tell you it's not something we're looking at in the near term, or you know, really even in the medium term. 2007, 2008, we are all about getting our brand established, and sort of making the relationships and the connections with the audience.

LEST WE FORGET: Deep Thoughts By A .249 Hitter

Seamless Baseball's Derek Nelson points us to Tampa Bay Devil Ray Jorge Cantu's perspective on rebounding from his poor 2006 campaign:

"He told me something really wise," Cantu said. "Human beings, we're dumb sometimes, and animals are not. Animals can go down a road and if they see a hole, they go around it. Human beings go and get in that hole. So what he's trying to tell me, if I want to make the same mistakes, I'm going to go into that hole again, but if I'm smart, I'm going to go around that."

Posted by Conn Carroll at February 26, 2007 02:52 PM