March 15, 2007

3/15: Rudy's Turn?

So far WH '08 has not been kind to conservative blogger faves. Just ask George Allen and Mitt Romney. Now that Rudy Giuliani has been on the top for a few months now, are we starting to see chinks in his armour? So far Rudy is not having much trouble in areas most people thought he would (on abortion and gay marriage). Instead, Giuliani's weaknesses are emrging from his own marriage (see Ryan Sager's post) and from hints his comptence/managment skills may soon be called into question (see Bull Dog Pundit's post). Just as Romney has not been sunk by his Mormonism (yet), Rudy might not be done in by the issues we originally thought would derail him.

DEM FIELD: One Down, One To Go

The netroots are keeping up the pressure on probable WH '08 Dem debate hosts not to partner with Fox News. The CBC is the current target, following news that while the CBC has partnered with CNN for one debate, they still have not chosen a network for the second.

Jack and Jill Politics posts a video called "Fox Attacks Black America:" "Note the vicious, distorted attacks on CBC Member Barack Obama." JJP's Jill Tubman urges readers to sign Color of Change's petition "to persuade the CBC Institute to hold their debate somewhere other than race-baiting, black-hating Fox News."

DEM FIELD II: Not The Comparison To Clinton He Was Hoping For

TAPPED's Dana Goldstein points readers to MSNBC's Bill Dedman's reading of Hillary Clinton's senior thesis on University of Chicago sociologist Saul Alinsky. Goldstein quotes HRC from the paper, ""A cycle of dependency has been created which ensnares its victims into resignation and apathy," and comments: "21-year old Hillary was a welfare reformer waiting to happen."

Goldstein then compares Alinsky's Rules for Radicals to Barack Obama's approach to politics following his "organizing days" in Chicago, IL. Goldstein concludes: "These experiences obviously account for Obama's reliance (I would say over-reliance) today on the soaring rhetoric of bipartisanship. ... Radical community organizing aside, Obama just may not be that different from any other politician with some good ideas, and the calculating ambition necessary to see them realized."

CLINTON: Better Then Bush On Iraq

New York Timesreports that Hillary Clinton foresees a "remaining military as well as political mission" in Iraq drew mixed netroots reaction. MyDD's Matt Stoller volunteered the expected response: "It's a genuinely and deeply conservative foreign policy strategy, involving indefinitely keeping US troops in Iraq for unspecified national security interests while calling the war over. This is a very dangerous roadmap for the Democrats."

Matt Yglesias was more generous: "Hillary Clinton is, I think, to be congratulated for stating reasonably clearly that her vision of "bringing the troops home" from Iraq after she becomes president doesn't actually entail our troops not being in Iraq. ... I'd be interested in hearing what Edwards, Obama, and Richardson think about this. My impression is that most of what passes for the Democratic national security establishment agrees with Clinton."

The Left Coaster's Steve Soto also seemed willing to grade Clinton on a curve on the issue: "It's easy to get angry and dismiss her Iraq policy, as outlined in this story, as just another Clintonian attempt at triangulation in order to be moderate and seasoned enough to be electable. Yet her overall strategy is smarter than what we have now from the Bush Administration, and is realistic in acknowledging how difficult and counterproductive a total withdrawal would be to our national interests."

In more predictable netroots responses, HRC was roundly condemned for her "carefully orchestrated, focus-grouped, run it by Bill answer" on whether homosexual acts were immoral. DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas writes: "She can tell those gays and lesbians she knows and is proud of that she is too afraid to say, unambiguously, that she agrees with 80-year-old Republican Senator John Warner that no, they are not "immoral". ... It's not that hard to say the right thing.

DODD: Ahdooba Dahbah Swobo

Noting Chris Dodd's "likable personality" CT Local Politics describe's Dodd's The Daily Showpage as "a step in the right direction" towards allowing "Democrats across the nation to be able to get to know him." CTLP hopes "the coming weeks and months" will "see more content in that vein."

Team Dodd has continued updating the page with video from "The Daily Show," including clips of Dodd singing in the shower and a look at his MySpace page. Team Dodd clarifies below the clip: "That's not really our MySpace page."

Back MyDD, Matt Stoller explains "Why Chris Dodd Has No Traction" highlighting his assurances to John Stewart that he would debate on Fox News. Stoller blogs: "This is a bad answer, because it treats Fox News as a credible news source. ... And I guarantee that Dodd isn't getting traction among primary voters with his clueless nice guy schtick. Democratic activists and primary voters hate Fox News."

Dodd's Blog Outreach Coordinator Tim Tagaris quickly clarified: "Dodd told me today he was a bit nervous and misunderstood the first question--knew about the fox issue, but took the question to be about debates in general."

Also, as far as the Blogometer can tell, Dodd is the first WH '08 candidate up with video pledging to end "Don't Ask Don't Tell."

OBAMA: A Prophet For The Status Quo

The Washington Monthly's Kevin Drum promotes Michael Hirsh's new article arguing that US foreign policy doesn't need "wholesale reimagining" just "a change of personnel." Drum summarizes: "He's actually making one of the most difficult kinds of argument of all, an argument that the current system is fine and doesn't really need big changes. Muscular diplomacy produces results. Liberal internationalism as practiced by FDR, Eisenhower, Reagan, and Clinton is still workable, even (or maybe especially) in a post-9/11 world. And Barack Obama might be just the right messenger to spread this gospel."

In less counter-intuitive Obama posting, Kos notes that Obama's response to whether homosexuality is immoral "isn't much better" than Clinton's.

Finally MyDD's Jonathan Singer links to Media Industry Newsletterreports showing '06's best-selling mags featured Obama as cover boy.

BROWNBACK: Still Not Behind Pace On The Surge Though ...

First noting that Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) "stood firmly behind Gen. Peter Pace today, circulating a letter among his Senate colleagues" in support of Pace's "personal moral views," RedState's Robert Bluey says Brownback "is on a roll" citing a "glowing report Brownback received from the Club for Growth" and kind words from Grover Norquist.

The Brody File received the same Brownback campaign email, but wants more info before he buys Brownback as a credible alternative: "Brownback's future will look a whole lot brighter if he comes out at the end of March and shows some decent campaign fundraising numbers. It's all about the money. As Cuba Gooding Junior would say. 'Show me the money!'"

GIULIANI: Good Thing Unions Don't Vote In GOP Primaries

"Tentative Rudy supporter" Bull Dog Pundit explains that the reason "many conservatives (like me) ... are willing to give Rudy a chance despite his social positions on some issues" is due to Rudy's "tough-on-crime, no-nonsense, post 9/11 America's Mayor" image. BDP worries that the "salacious details" coming out of Bernard Kerik's impending trial "is going to give some people even more pause in considering pulling the lever for Rudy."

In other Giuliani potential weaknesses, The Brody File dismisses the International Association of Fire Fighters as a "pretty partisan organization who has it in for Rudy" and posts 3rd generation active firefighter Phil Ruvolo's defense of Giuliani: " "I've seen first hand that Mr. Giuliani is cool under fire. I've seen what he has done for my city.I don't think anybody in New York City can say he's not a leader." Townhall's Matt Lewis also plays defense for Rudy posting YouTube of a former fire commissioner defending Giuliani.

Offering new worries for Giuliani's campaign, New York Sun's Ryan Sager posts a bad review of Judy Nathan's introduction of Rudy at a recent NYC fundraiser. Sager posts video of Nathan speaking and writes: "Here, she starts off by saying, 'I wanted to tell you all a little bit about how Rudy and I came to be our team together.' The problem with this is that we all know their relationship began as an affair, while he was still married ... She then goes on to describe some of their early flirtations. I don't think I was the only one at this point thinking: Ick."

MCCAIN: Vietnam Is Not Enough

Describing new John McCain campaign video entitled 'Service with Honor' as "pretty powerful," Outside the Beltway's James Joyner wonders " if McCain isn't falling into the same trap as John Kerry in 2004: Campaigning as if it's 1973." Joyner explains: "There's not a Republican voter who doesn't honor McCain's sacrifices for his country in Vietnam; not too many Americans, period, probably. On the other hand, he's got a lot of explaining to do about his record as a United States Senator. Ultimately that, not his time in Vietnam, is what voters will judge him on in 2008."

ROMNEY: Straight Out Pro-Choice In '02

Mitt Romney did not have best day in the blogosphere 3/14. Townhall's Matt Lewis tracks possible endorsement retractions in MI (including Jack Waldvogel and Joel Westrom); The Brody File posts YouTube of Romney saying "straight out that he's pro-choice" [ed. note. In '02 video Romney says: "When asked 'Will I preserve and protect a womans right to choose,' I make an unequivical answer 'yes.']; and The Right Angle's Matt Naugle posts video of Independent Women's Forum VP Carrie Lukas saying Romney, ""doesn't seem to have a real compass on several important issues."

IRAQ: You Either Have Teeth, Or You Don't

TPM Cafe's Greg Sargent reports "MoveOn is privately demanding that House Dem leaders make key changes to their legislation on Iraq" including stronger provisions "to compel withdrawal after the deadlines set forth in the legislation." MoveOn's Washington dir. Tom Matzzie tells Sargent: "We've communicated to the Speaker's office that we want tougher enforceability in the bill. ... We want something that's got teeth." When asked if the current bill doesn't have teeth, Matzzie replied: "We want sharper teeth."

Fully in the 'the current bill has no teeth' camp, Talk Left's Big Tent Democrat says "the political options on Iraq are binary. You are for Bush's Iraq Debacle or you are against it." BTD continues: "The Blue Dogs and the fools who enable them - to wit, the Dem leaders in the House - live in a political fantasyland. They have to pick a side now. There is no other way, whether they like it or not. ... The truth is the Dems need leadership in the House and they are not getting it. ... It is quite disheartening, on all levels. We need new leaders - everywhere."

Still tracking which Dems are responsible for the current state of affairs in the House, MyDD's Matt Stoller adds Reps. Lincoln Davis (TN-04), Joe Donnelly (IN-02), and Bob Ethridge (NC-02) to his list of "saboteurs" and explains why he's keeping Kirsten Gillibrand (NY-20) on: "Apparently activists aren't getting a straight answer from her, and her office is referring people to this post and the one on the Albany Project.

Also at MyDDChris Bowers is particularly disheartened by Sestak's role in the legislation and urges readers "to call Joe Sestak's offices to ask him if he will support the upcoming Democratic bill on the Iraq supplemental. Considering the work the MyDD community has done for Sestak, I think we have a right to know."

Finally, firedoglake's Jane Hamsher "sadly" notes that members she supported through Blue America are on Stoller's list and adds: "If any of these are your representatives, feel free to contact them and express your feelings about their support for endless war."

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: He Loves Pajamas, After All

The Blog Herald's Tony Hung picks up on Dan Rather softening towards bloggers, quoting from an interview:

Anybody who blogs, who does real reporting, which is to say, make telephone calls, go interview people, go talk to people, in a spirit of independence ... and (tries) to do journalism with integrity, I would consider a journalist. ... Of course there are an increasing number of bloggers now who by any definition are reporters, or journalists. There are some others who in my opinion would fit into a gray area. They may do good reporting, but they mix in their own opinion, their own point of view, without clearly signifying the difference. Now that's not a kind of journalism that I practice. It's not one that I'm going to damn either.

LEST WE FORGET: Baseball Fans Are Gay

Boing Boing highlights Jakob Nielsen research showing that "men fixate on any visible genital areas in photos" by posting an image demonstrating how long men and women fixated on portions of a photo of George Brett at the plate. The Online Journalism Review writes: "Coyne adds that this difference doesn't just occur with images of people. Men tend to fixate more on areas of private anatomy on animals as well, as evidenced when users were directed to browse the American Kennel Club site."

Posted by Conn Carroll at March 15, 2007 12:27 PM