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August 31, 2008
Sunday Open Thread
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August 30, 2008
Saturday Open Thread
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August 29, 2008
Senator Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech
Watch Senator Barack Obama's eloquent acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention last night:
Morning Open Thread
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August 28, 2008
Final Day
We are here at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium for the final day of the Democratic National Convention where Senator Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination for president.
It will be a star-studded event. Among those set to speak before thousands:
Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, members of the family of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, DNC Chairman Howard Dean, former Vice President Al Gore and Senator Dick Durbin will introduce his colleague, Senator Barack Obama.
Catch live streaming high-definition video here.
Morning Open Thread
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August 27, 2008
Senator Joe Biden Accepts Democratic Vice Presidential Nomination
Senator Joe Biden accepted the vice presidential nomination of the Democratic Party tonight and conventioneers were surprised with a special appearance by Senator Barack Obama to top off the third night
at the Democratic National Convention.
President Bill Clinton received an extended, thunderous applause from the crowd and gave the assembled delegates plenty to cheer about. Senators John Kerry, Evan Bayh and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle also delivered speeches tonight.
Find those speeches and more here.
Tomorrow, we head to Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium for Senator Barack Obama's acceptance speech of the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination.
Senator Barack Obama Officially Nominated
In what was an incredible scene on the convention floor at the Democratic National Convention as Senator Hillary Clinton entered the convention hall and motioned to suspend the roll call vote in favor of nominating Senator Barack Obama by acclamation. The crowd gave a boisterous roar to second the motion and vote "aye" in favor thus nominating Senator Barack Obama as the 2008 Democratic presidential nominee.
Minutes Away
We are minutes away from the gavel opening the third day of the Democratic National Convention.
Tonight, former President Bill Clinton will speak to the convention and Senator Joe Biden (D-Delaware) will accept the Democratic nomination for vice president.
Other speakers include Governor Bill Richardson (D-New Mexico), Senators Evan Bayh (D-Indiana) and John Kerry (D-Massachusetts). Check the full schedule here.
Another Day in the Books
The second day of the Democratic National Convention will be one to remember.
Senator Hillary Clinton (D-New York) energized the Pepsi Center with an incredible speech and was introduced by daughter, Chelsea. Senator Clinton declared: "No way. No how. No McCain."
Democratic Senatorial candidate and former Governor Mark Warner (D-Virginia) delivered a great keynote address.
Governor Brian Schweitzer (D-Montana) fired up the room and rattled off an unforgettable line about drilling in all of John McCain's many, many backyards, including the ones he cannot remember.
Watch more videos from the Democratic National Convention here and at 3pm Mountain, catch live streaming video in the most crystal-clear HD that this blogger has ever seen on the tubes.
Morning Open Thread
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August 26, 2008
Day Two
There are a number of great speakers lined up for tonight. Ted Sorensen, former speechwriter and adviser to President John F. Kennedy, and Congressman Mike Honda addressed the assembled delegates.
Slated to speak tonight: Senator Hillary Clinton and the keynote address by former Virginia Governor Mark Warner.
Afternoon Open Thread
We are about 2 1/2 hours away from resuming day two at the Democratic National Convention. In the mean time, chat away...
August 25, 2008
Backstage at the Democratic National Convention
Check out what goes on backstage at the convention in this video:
These Will Go Fast
Call to Order
Chairman Howard Dean addressed the delegates of the Democratic National Convention as we get things started here in Denver, Colorado. Watch the live video here.
Meet Joe Biden
This weekend, Senator Barack Obama announced in Springfield, Illinois that he selected colleague Senator Joe Biden (D-Delaware) to be his running mate.
Check out this latest video from the campaign that introduces Joe to supporters:
Former GOP Congressman Jim Leach to Speak in Denver
Jim Leach, former Republican congressman from Iowa, will speak at the Democratic National Convention in Denver tonight. He represented eastern Iowa for three decades, reports the Chicago Tribune and endorsed Senator Barack Obama earlier this month.
Brad Anderson, a spokesman for Obama's Iowa campaign, said Leach's endorsement shows that Obama's message of change "appeals to Democrats, Republicans and independents alike.""Our campaign is proud to have former Republican Congressman Jim Leach, who is widely respected for his intellect and independent streak, speak directly to millions of Americans on Monday night about how Sen. Obama can bring people together to change Washington," Anderson said.
Morning Open Thread
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August 24, 2008
Sunday Open Thread
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August 23, 2008
From the Archives
Barack Obama's 2004 Democratic National Convention keynote address in Boston, Massachusetts:
Saturday Open Thread
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August 22, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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'Out of Touch'
John McCain is out of touch, and out of step with the American people. He may not know how many houses he owns but there is one House the American people cannot afford for him to move into. Check out this latest ad from the Obama campaign:
Afternoon Open Thread
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Democratic National Convention Podium Photos
Our friends at the DNCC unveiled the first official photos of the podium at the Democratic National Convention. Check them out:
Morning Open Thread
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August 21, 2008
Late Evening Open Thread
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'Seven'
Following John McCain's revealing gaffe that he is completely out of touch with hard working Americans, the Obama campaign released the following ad;
Afternoon Open Thread
Here's a topic for discussion: how many houses do you own?
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Out of Touch
Politico reports that John McCain was asked how many houses do the McCain family own and his answer was, well, very telling.
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said in an interview Wednesday that he was uncertain how many houses he and his wife, Cindy, own."I think — I'll have my staff get to you," McCain told Politico in Las Cruces, N.M. "It's condominiums where — I'll have them get to you."
Peter Viles at the Los Angeles Times ribs John McCain's failure to come up with a number.
File this under "Problems most of us will never have" -- You are running for president. Someone asks you how many houses you own. You can't remember. Is it four? Six? Seven?
The answer is seven.
This from McCain who believes that we are better off today than we were eight years ago. Just yesterday, he repeated his belief that "the fundamentals of the economy are strong" as millions of Americans are hurting from the housing crisis.
John McCain: out of touch with the American people.
Morning Open Thread
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McCain Attacks Leader He Hailed as ''One of the Great Men in History''
Politico reports that, yesterday in New Mexico, John McCain harshly criticized the former leader of Georgia, Eduard Shevardnadze, a man he once hailed as "one of the great men in the history of the world."
John McCain's views on former Georgia president Eduard Shevardnadze, a reform-minded architect of the Soviet Union's glasnost policy in the 80s, have done a startling 180.Speaking about Georgia, McCain told a town hall in Las Cruces, New Mexico on Wednesday: "They had a corrupt government headed by a guy named Shevardnadze, who you may remember from the days of the Cold War. And they had a peaceful revolution and they took over, and they were putting democracy and freedom and human rights, and they were prospering."
In November 1999, the same John McCain described Shevardnadze as "one the great men in the history of the world" during a GOP debate at Arizona State University.
But "Startling 180s" are nothing new for John McCain. He'll say anything, even if it is completely opposite of what he has said before:
McCain Said He Might Include Musharraf If He Wrote A Sequel To His Book About Great Decisions By Extraordinary Leaders. According to the New Yorker: McCain was in New York to promote his new book, Hard Call: Great Decisions and the Extraordinary People Who Made Them, which he saw as a nice change from the usual campaign stuff… The hard calls discussed in McCain's book are an eclectic and decidedly historical bunch: Solzhenitsyn's decision to publish The Gulag Archipelago, Gertrude Ederle's determination to swim the English Channel, Reinhold Niebuhr's conversion from pacifism. Still, an obvious contemporary issue came to mind. Is Iraq a hard call? he said. I think it's not that hard, because I have had no doubt. It hasn't been a struggle within me. He identified Pervez Musharraf (My distinct impression of him is he's basically a humble, modest man who lives a fairly Spartan life) and Nicolas Sarkozy (whose name he pronounced Secorsi) as leaders who could, in time, merit inclusion in a sequel. [New Yorker, 9/3/07]McCain on Musharraf Resignation: Good Riddance! "The resignation of President Musharraf is a step toward moving Pakistan onto a more stable political footing. Pakistan is a critical theatre in countering the threat of al Qaeda and violent Islamic extremism, and I look forward to the government increasing its future cooperation (with the US)," McCain said.
Sounds like that chapter isn't going to be in the second edition. Scrolling through the index, Pervez will be disappointed.
August 20, 2008
How Many Lobbyists Work on John McCain's Campaign?
We released this video entitled "No Kidding." Enjoy.
Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones Passes Away
We were deeply shocked here at the DNC. Please see Governor Dean's statement on Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones' passing:
"We are greatly saddened about the passing of Congresswoman Tubbs Jones. Stephanie was a true American hero and inspiring leader, having spent a lifetime breaking barriers and standing up for her values. Just last week I was honored to have Stephanie join me on the campaign trail in Ohio where, as always, her infectious energy, enthusiasm and passion uplifted the crowd. Her voice will be greatly missed."This is a great loss for our Party and our nation. On behalf of the Democratic Party, we extend our thoughts and prayers to Congresswoman Tubbs Jones' friends and family during this difficult time."
Evening Open Thread
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Afternoon Open Thread
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'Three Times'
Senator Barack Obama released the following ad on the real tax relief he would provide to hard working, middle-class Americans.
And what do the same middle-class Americans get from John McCain? Bupkis. Meanwhile, 101 million American families get nothing in John McCain's tax plan.
Watch the ad:
Morning Open Thread
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August 19, 2008
Afternoon Open Thread
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Exxon John Campaigns at ExxonMcCain '08 HQ?
This is priceless.
John McCain is campaigning aboard an oil rig, Genesis, jointly owned by Exxon Mobil and Chevron in the Gulf of Mexico. It is laughable that McCain would campaign on the Genesis to push his phony "drill here, drill now" nonsense because it took Genesis ten years to produce any oil at all.
Not exactly the imagery the McCain campaign wants to create.
Throw this one on the heap of McCain gimmicks -- like the gas tax holiday -- that will not provide any real relief for Americans.
John McCain will say and do anything to win this election, including selling out to Big Oil on gimmicks that won't provide any real relief to Americans, but boost their profit margins.
Morning Open Thread
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August 18, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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Afternoon Open Thread
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McCain OK with Adviser's Lobbyist Past
John McCain told USA Today that he is OK with top foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann's lobbying on behalf of the former Soviet republic of Georgia.
The fighting between Russia and Georgia has brought renewed attention to Scheunemann and the lobbying firm he founded, Orion Strategies, which received more than $730,000 from Georgia since 2001, records show.Scheunemann's role as lobbyist and campaign adviser came to light in May, when USA TODAY reported he had contacted McCain's Senate office on Georgia's behalf last year while he was working for the campaign.
Apparently this doesn't strike the McCain campaign as a conflict-of-interest.
"The fact that John McCain is proud of the lobbyists running his campaign and doesn't understand the conflict of interest his lobbyist-advisers represent shows that he simply cannot be trusted to bring change to Washington," Damien LaVera, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, said Sunday.
In fact, McCain is proud of Scheunemann's lobbying work:
"I'm proud to have supported them," McCain said of Georgia in an interview on the campaign plane. "And I'm so proud that so many of my friends have done so, who also believe in freedom and democracy."
Scheunemann was just such an ardent supporter of Georgian democracy, you see, and reluctantly accepted nearly three-quarters of a million dollars over the course of seven years.
Toledo Blade editorial:
Over the years, Mr. Scheunemann has lobbied Mr. McCain for and received support on four bills concerning the former Soviet republic. Mr. Scheunemann's firms also have lobbied for various military contractor and oil interests.It would not be unreasonable to expect that at some point Mr. Scheunemann will return to Orion, which raises ethical questions about the wisdom of following the advice of someone who was and may again be an agent of a foreign nation. We believe it is unwise of Mr. McCain to do so [...]
The fact that Scheunemann lobbied and worked for McCain at the same time, well, that's just how Washington works and John McCain isn't going to change it.
Morning Open Thread
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August 17, 2008
Sunday Open Thread
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August 16, 2008
From the Archives
John F. Kennedy accepts the Democratic nomination at the 1960 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.
We are not here to curse the darkness; we are here to light a candle. As Winston Churchill said on taking office some twenty years ago: If we open a quarrel between the present and the past, we shall be in danger of losing the future.Today our concern must be with that future. For the world is changing. The old era is ending. The old ways will not do.
Read the full speech here.
Saturday Open Thread
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August 15, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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John McCain's Tainted Money
That is a picture of a bunch of criminals and a
John McCain fundraiser on a boondoggle golfing trip to Scotland.
On the left is infamous con-man Jack Abramoff who plead guilty to a variety of charges including conspiracy to bribe public officials. He is now serving a five-year sentence related to those charges.
Who are the public officials Abramoff was bribing? Well, one willing bribe-taker is pictured on the right, former Rep. Bob Ney (R-OH). Ney is lucky enough to walk out of jail this morning after serving 17 months of his 30 month sentence.
To the left of Ney is David Safavian, who has similar charges pending in an appeal.
And besides the unlucky "golf organizer" standing in the back, Jason Murdoch, the last person surrounded by these nefarious golfers is Ralph Reed, who is raising money for John McCain. Reed escaped the law but his name is more than tainted. He lost the Republican primary for Georgia Lt. Governor in 2006 and has been exposed as a hypocrite for taking money from casinos after previously referring to gambling as "a cancer."
Representative Henry Waxman, Chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, had this to say this morning:
John McCain's decision to raise money from one of the key figures in the Jack Abramoff scandal - one of Abramoff's conspirators in a money laundering scheme -- is a very disappointing example of John McCain abandoning his principles on the campaign trail. He claimed to be a reformer? Well, reformer no more.
With Bob Ney being released from prison, how long before Senator McCain asks him to host a fundraiser also?
Another McCain Distortion Ad Debunked
Once again, Deputy Director of Economic Policy Brian Deese breaks down the lies and distortions in the latest McCain attack ad on taxes.
Afternoon Open Thread
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More from the Road
We had amazing weather in Cleveland yesterday afternoon for our event (photos here). Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones was able to make it, and if you've ever seen her speak, you know how fun she can be.
(Our bus driver Glen feeds the meter)
We stopped in Pittsburgh last night for a grassroots fundraiser at The Church Brew Works, a brewpub built into an old Catholic church. If you're a fan of architecture and good beer (and I am of both), it's worth a trip to Pittsburgh to see it. Around 400 people came out to see Kal Penn and the Governor speak. Sean Casey, the owner, figured we hadn't eaten after being on the bus all day and gave us a couple of pizzas (which proved to be just as good this morning as they were last night).
We left Pittsburgh at 8am and we're 50 miles outside Harrisburg as I write this, watching an Olympic soccer game. We've seen a lot of randomness on the road -- a burning car (everyone was fine), a military convoy complete with tanks, and this giant fiberglass cow, which our advance guy Chad was proud to pose in front of.
More after Harrisburg, then it's back to DC before Virginia tomorrow.
DNC Web Video: 'Tainted'
Check out our latest web video on John McCain cozying up to Ralph Reed, a business associate of Jack Abramoff.
Morning Open Thread
August 14, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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Senator Barack Obama Surpasses 2 Million Donors
Senator Barack Obama is running a campaign people-powered campaign:
"It's a positive sign that more people are getting involved in something that for so long has been the province of the very wealthy elite few," said Massie Ritsch, spokesman for the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign money.Indeed, Obama's campaign highlights the thousands of small-dollar donors. "Today we achieved something amazing -- 2,000,000 donors owning a piece of this campaign," the message says on Obama's contributor website. "In the face of John McCain's low road tactics, it's more important than ever to keep our movement growing and show the power of millions of grassroots supporters coming together to work for change."
Afternoon Open Thread
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''Three Bedroom Ranch''
Senator Barack Obama released the following campaign advertisement set to run during the continued coverage of the Summer Olympics.
Day Two
We rolled out this morning for stops in Columbus, Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Cincinnati was a good event with a group of excited people, and after an obligatory side-stop for some of us at a Skyline Chili, we made our way to Columbus last night.
We met Glen, the world's best bus driver, at our hotel this morning, and then rode to the rally with Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota and Ohio House Minority Leader Joyce Beatty. Turnout was surprisingly high given that we were kicking things off at 8:45am -- it was also surprisingly enthusiastic.
Photos from the Columbus event here, but my favorite is below. This couple met while volunteering for Governor Dean's campaign in 2004, and then they had a baby. It's not a common thing, but I know of at least one baby at the DNC that came about the same way (and after Governor Dean helped pull off a surprise proposal in his office).
Morning Open Thread
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August 13, 2008
On the Road with Governor Dean
Governor Dean's Register for Change bus tour kicked off again this morning in Indianapolis, IN. Right now we're on our way to a union hall in Cincinnati, OH for another rally, then we head to Columbus tonight for an (early) rally tomorrow morning.
Indianapolis was great -- the rally was in a great location. As we were getting ready to roll out, a couple who had just been married came up to the bus and asked for a picture. Governor Dean and actor Kal Penn, who's also traveling with us, were happy to help out.
More from the road as I have time, but photos from Indianapolis are here. After Columbus, we're of to Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, then back to DC before a couple of Virginia events on Saturday -- the full schedule is right here.
Afternoon Open Thread
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McCain's Lobbyists Raked in Nearly $1 Billion in Fees
John McCain's army of lobbyists made nearly $1 billion in fees in the past decade, and they are now running his campaign for the White House so he can -- wait for it -- fight the very same special interests they represent.
The non-partisan group Campaign Money Watch has come up with another startling figure for those who follow the presidential money chase.According to an analysis performed by the group, McCain's top fundraisers and aides have collected nearly $1 billion in fees from U.S. companies in the past decade -- specifically, $930,949,819. Using numbers provided by the Center for Responsive Politics, the group also found that officials of those very same companies have given nearly $12 million to McCain's presidential campaign, so far.
"The McCain campaign relies on big money lobbyists, and they'll rely on him," said David Donnelly, director of Campaign Money Watch. "In the 'you-scratch-my-back, I'll-scratch-yours' world of Washington, $931 million gets the special interests the best government money can buy. But just think of the payday these lobbyists might expect in a McCain Administration."
Morning Open Thread
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August 12, 2008
Late Evening Open Thread
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McCain: Tax Breaks for Big Oil But Not Wind Power
So much for "all of the above." John McCain backs big tax breaks for Big Oil, but forget wind.
McCain recently opposed the big $300 billion farm bill, which itself is extremely popular throughout the upper Midwest, describing the bill as "a $300 billion, bloated, pork-barrel-laden bill" because of subsidies for industries like ethanol.
But in a little-noticed development, the bill also contained a measure extending a tax break for developing wind power, which McCain specifically opposed. Obama backed it. According to Senator Tom Harkin, an Obama ally, the wind energy industry is employing close to 2,000 people, some concentrated in those key swing states. It's little local issues like these that can move votes in states where the voting is expected to be extremely close.
Afternoon Open Thread
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GOP on RNC: ''Nobody Likes A Funeral,'' ''Waste of Time''
Feel the excitement!
Of the 12 Republicans running in competitive Senate races — five of whom are incumbents — only three have said they will be attending the convention. Six are definite no-shows, and three are on the fence.“Nobody likes a funeral,” said a Senate Republican press secretary who spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing “the overall climate of general malaise about the party” as the reason for hesitance on the part of Republicans.
On the House side, according to a report in The Hill, during a July 31 conference call National Republican Campaign Committee Chairman Tom Cole of Oklahoma discouraged congressional hopefuls from attending, saying that doing so would potentially be a “waste of time.”
DNC Web Video: 'Exxon John'
ExxonMcCain '08 released the following video entitled "Exxon John" about the $4 billion in tax breaks John McCain wants to give Big Oil.
August 11, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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Democrats Surge in Iowa
Iowans are ready for change:
The dramatic resurgence of registered Democrats in Iowa means the Midwestern battleground that Republican George W. Bush carried by a whisker four years ago may be far less competitive in November, national experts in voter registration say.None of the states viewed early this year as competitive in the presidential campaign has swung more decisively than Iowa since Bush's re-election, based on a comparison of voter registration statistics. [...]
"I think you're looking at the possibility of a fairly seismic shift," said Gans, director of the Center for the Study of the American Electorate and a leading scholar on voter registration and behavior.
"When you have that kind of shift in registration, you tend to have that kind of shift in voting," he said. "And based on the trend, that would be true in Iowa this year."
Barns for Obama
Check out this video of supporters who painted their barn to show their support for Senator Barack Obama in Ohio:
Joe Logan, whose family barn is featured in the video above:
"We wanted to show our support for the candidate that supports Ohio’s rural communities. Senator Obama has a long history of championing the issues that are most important to Ohio’s family farmers."
Doug O'Brien, Ohio Campaign for Change Rural Vote Director:
"Sen. Obama has a strong track record of standing up for rural values, and we are reaching out to every corner of the state to make sure that message is heard. We’ve opened offices in towns across rural Ohio— from Findlay to New Lexington to Marietta— to let Ohioans know which presidential candidate supports America’s rural communities and family farms."
Afternoon Open Thread
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McCain Falls Flat in Speech to Disabled Veterans
John McCain's plan to improve veterans healthcare is not getting any standing ovations.
To help veterans who live far from VA hospitals or need specialized care the VA can’t provide, McCain proposed giving low-income veterans and those who incurred injury during their service a card they could use at private hospitals. [...]Joe Violanti, legislative director of the Disabled American Veterans, a nonpartisan organization, said the proposal would increase costs because private hospitals are more expensive. The increased cost could lead to further rationing of care, he said.
In the meantime, McCain's appearance may have done more for Senator Barack Obama's bid for the presidency than his own. McCain took the opportunity to continue his false, dishonest attacks on Senator Obama instead of, you know, talking about veterans issues.
Other veterans, such as James Jewett and Jay Johnson of Texas, expressed misgivings about McCain using the occasion to attack his opponent so fiercely.Duke Hendershot, a double amputee retired Marine who served in Vietnam, supported McCain’s run for president in 2000 but is undecided this year.
“John just isn’t the same as he used to be. He’s not his own man,” said Hendershot, who lives in San Antonio, Texas. “A lot of that has to do with how he’s wanted this job so bad for so long that he’s tied himself to President Bush.” [...]
Hendershot also criticized McCain for taking swipes at Obama in his speech. “He should have been talking about veterans issues, not his opponent,” he said.
By contrast, he praised Obama for keeping his remarks tightly focused on veterans. The Democrat gave taped remarks via video.
Add It to the List
Another McCain-authored bill that McCain 2.0 wouldn’t vote for:
The campaign of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) is declining to embrace McCain’s own 1998 tobacco bill, legislation that would have raised taxes to the tune of $516 billion over 25 years.The bill, among the decade’s major pieces of legislation, would have amounted to one of the largest tax increases in history. It died on the Senate floor after backers fell just three votes short of the 60 needed to overcome procedural hurdles.
McCain, whose credentials as a tax cutter are suspect among many on the right, was the author and driver of the bill. Even so, leading conservatives today are generally willing to forgive the Arizona Senator for what they view as his transgression on the tobacco measure.
The bill would have forced tobacco companies to pay for a host of anti-smoking initiatives and fork over huge sums to the states in return for settling a lawsuit by the states. Cigarette makers would have been required to raise prices by about $1.10 per pack to come up with the money, according to a Congressional Research Service report from the time.
Asked repeatedly last week whether McCain still backs the bill and if he thought it was a good idea, senior adviser Douglas Holtz-Eakin declined to answer directly. But he noted that some of the aims of the legislation did not pan out as hoped for after the tobacco industry and the states settled on their own. To the disappointment of anti-smoking activists, the states have frequently used their take on a variety of priorities unrelated to health and preventing teen smoking, as supporters of the suit intended.
McCain Attack Ad Debunked
Brian Deese, an economic adviser to Senator Barack Obama, debunks one of John McCain's numerous negative attack ads filled with distortions. Deese takes viewers through a typical McCain attack ad on taxes and lays out all the facts on the Obama tax plan.
Morning Open Thread
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August 8, 2008
More Dishonest McCain Attacks
Throw John McCain's latest dishonest attack ad on the heap of other dishonest attack ads released by their campaign.
John McCain is running an entirely negative campaign. That's what happens when you run on the politics of the past and the failed policies of George W. Bush. He has absolutely nothing to run on. At all.
So all the McCain campaign has left are flat out, bald-faced lies.
ANALYSIS: The McCain campaign's oft-repeated assessment of Obama's tax proposals is based, in several instances, on outdated material that has been widely debunked. Obama has said his plan would raise taxes on single people making more than $200,000 and couples making more than $250,000, which by all measures doesn't add up to middle class.
See the Obama campaign response below:
“This ad is a lie, and it’s part of the old, tired politics of a party in Washington that has run out of ideas and run out of steam. Even though a host of independent, nonpartisan organizations have said this attack isn’t true, Senator McCain continues to lie about Senator Obama’s plan to give 95% of all families a tax cut of $1,000, and not raise taxes for those making under $250,000 a single dime. The reason so many families are hurting today is because we’ve had eight years of failed Bush policies that Senator McCain wants to continue for another four, and that’s what Barack Obama will change as President,” said Obama campaign spokesman Hari Sevugan.
'Hands'
Check out Senator Barack Obama's spot that will during the Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Awkward
Jake Tapper, as he puts it, "the trouble with lobbyists running your campaign."
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., finished an Ohio tour somewhat sullied by news -- as reported in the Cincinnati Enquirer -- that "at a morning town hall meeting in Lima, McCain was dogged by Democratic complaints that his campaign manager, Rick Davis, was a highly-paid lobbyist for German-owned DHL who lobbied Congress to accept a DHL proposal to buy Airborne Express. Airborne ran its operations out of the Wilmington Air Park in Clinton County, and now, DHL now proposes to leave Wilmington."Now, comes news that the Russian military has crossed a border into Georgia. [...]
You may already know that McCain foreign policy director Randy Scheunemann represented the former Soviet republic of Georgia as a lobbyist between 2004 and 2006.
As of March 2008, Scheunemann no longer works as a lobbyist for foreign entities, but he remains a principal at his lobbying firm, which still has Georgia as a client.
Awkward!
Morning Open Thread
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August 7, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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DNC Web Video: 'Maverick No More'
We released this video on how the John McCain of today isn't anything like the John McCain of eight years ago.
Winning the Online War?
McCain online flack Michael Goldfarb claimed victory on the web earlier this week:
Our latest ad, Celeb, has more than 1.2 million views as of now, making it the most popular video on YouTube. Obama's response, Low Road, has less than 250,000.
Something Goldfarb didn't point out was just how poorly the McCain ad was received, and in comparison, how well Senator Barack Obama's response ad was received.
If a lot of people see your video and hate it, that is not really "winning" the online war.
John McCain's 'Online Outreach'
John McCain seeks to be the next commander-in-chief, but he's already got the spammer-in-chief contest all locked up:
Sen. John McCain's campaign is urging supporters to spam blogs and forums with official talking points, according to the Washington Post. If you do a good job, you can even win prizes."That, in essence, is the McCain campaign's pitch to supporters to join its new online effort, one that combines the features of 'AstroTurf' campaigning with the sort of customer-loyalty programs offered by airlines, hotel chains, restaurants and the occasional daily newspaper."
"People who sign up for McCain's program receive reward points each time they place a favorable comment on one of the listed Web sites (subject to verification by McCain's webmasters). The points can be traded for prizes, such as books autographed by McCain, preferred seating at campaign events, even a ride with the candidate on his bus, known as the Straight Talk Express."
Commanding an army of spammers on the internet: now that's leadership you can believe in.
More signs of the massive enthusiasm gap between Senator Barack Obama and "Exxon John." I guess oil money pays for a lot of over-the-top television ads but not much "grassroots" support. The McCain camp's "online outreach" is reduced to bribing web surfers with prizes to AstroTurf blogs with pro-McCain comments.
Ohio Dems Web Video: 'Stand Up'
Our friends at the Ohio Democratic Party released this web video hitting John McCain and campaign manager Rick Davis on their aggressive role in helping a foreign entity acquire the Wilmington operations of DHL five years ago, and McCain's unwillingness to step in on behalf of the 8,600 Ohoians whose jobs hang in the balance.
Morning Open Thread
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August 6, 2008
Ted Stevens Gets Creative with Legal Defense
Sen. Ted Stevens on the indictment of Sen. Ted Stevens:
"This is an indictment for failure to disclose gifts that are controversial in terms of whether they were or were not gifts. It's not bribery; it's not some corruption; it's not some extreme felony."
To quote Mitt Romney, "I'm not a lawyer" but I'm pretty certain that's not right at all...
McCain's 26-years in Congress Yield Zero Achievements on Energy Independence
A legislative record spanning 26 years and no one can come up with a single accomplishment "Exxon John" McCain has in ushering the U.S. towards energy independence. Yesterday, it was historian Mitt Romney. This time, it was ousted Hewlett Packard chief, Carly Fiorina:
Afternoon Open Thread
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ExxonMcCain
John McCain decided on a running mate for November, and it wasn't among the usual suspects. No, with the recent flood of oil money into John McCain's campaign, and his plan to give Big Oil $4 billion in tax breaks, the presumptive Republican nominee chose to run on the GOP ticket with Big Oil.
Find out what "Exxon John" supports -- money, oil, tax breaks and a "gas tax holiday" gimmick to give more money to Big Oil -- and, see what he really means when he says his energy plan is "all of the above."
Morning Open Thread
The glorious return of the Open Thread. There are a lot of headlines to discuss today.
- John McCain accepts more money from more bundlers, including from an oilman who gets them in "unlikely" places.
- Speaking of donations from unlikely places, the story of the questionable high-dollar donations to the McCain campaign continues to fester.
- The Spring Hope Enterprise (NC) says the McCain ads are "petty and false." The Hartford Courant (VT) says "McCain veering onto low road."
August 5, 2008
Shorter Mitt Romney: ''Don't Ask Me, I Just Work Here''
WOLF BLITZER: Can you cite one legislative accomplishment that Senator McCain produced during those 26 years in Washington in order to achieve energy independence?GOVERNOR ROMNEY: Well, I’m not a historian that goes through all of the pieces of legislation John McCain has worked on.
Mitt Romney doesn't know what legislation John McCain pushed, unless of course, he was railing against it in the primaries. From the site launched today, The Next Cheney:
Romney-McCain: Not the Kind of Leadership We’d Want, Either
Romney: McCain's Record "Is Not Of The Kind Of Leadership You'd Want To Have." Romney said, "And frankly, being a committee chairman is not leading a great organization or making great things happen. And for that matter, you know, what's happened in Washington in the last 25 years? Have you seen the kinds of results that America wanted? Did they get the job done? Unfortunately not. So if he has been a leader, where has it led us? Look at his legislation. McCain-Feingold, that hurt our First Amendment rights? McCain-Kennedy, that was granting amnesty to 10 million illegal aliens? And then now, McCain-Lieberman, that wants to put a huge tax, effectively, on American gasoline buyers and rate-payers? His record is not of the kind of leadership you'd want to have." [CNN, Late Edition w/ Wolf Blitzer, 1/27/08]
And speaking of not being a historian, don't ask him for his opinion on anything because Mitt Romney ain't a lot of things.
Keep reading "Shorter Mitt Romney: ''Don't Ask Me, I Just Work Here''"
John McCain Doesn't Make Any Sense
From the "John McCain Will Say Anything" Department, ABC News reports on the nonsensical television ad released by the McCain campaign:
McCain Thinks We're Better Off Than We Were 8 Years Ago - But Worse Off Than We Were 4 Years Ago (Huh?)Sen. John McCain's new TV ad asserts that "Washington's broken. John McCain knows it. We're worse off than we were four years ago."
But the Obama camp notes that this is a somewhat different note than the one Sen. McCain sang during the primaries. The CNN debate January 30 featured the following exchange:
"Are Americans better off than they were eight years ago?" asked CNN's Anderson Cooper.
"I think you could argue that Americans overall are better off, because we have had a pretty good prosperous time, with low unemployment and low inflation and a lot of good things have happened," McCain said. "A lot of jobs have been created."
Jake Tapper concludes:
Can one think that we're currently better off than we were eight years ago, during the Bill Clinton presidency, but worse off than we were four years ago, during the Bush presidency?Does that make any sense?
McCain is basically arguing that things were best in 2004, are worse than that now in 2008, but were the absolute worst in 2000.
Are you better off now than in 2000? Housing crisis, credit crunch, the dropping value of the dollar, two wars overseas extending the military to a breaking point -- all better than where we were before Bush came into office. Right.
The Next Cheney
Soon, John McCain will pick his very own Dick Cheney, but until he does, we wanted to make sure the American people know more about some of the potential running mates before they stroll onto the stage together in Minnesota.
Check out The Next Cheney for the facts on the those seeking to be John McCain's Dick Cheney.
Afternoon Headlines
Some headlines this afternoon:
- John McCain, the most absent member of the U.S. Senate, criticizes Congress on their summer recess.
- Cleveland Plain-Dealer editorial:
In the last week, he has unleashed a rash of attacks on Obama that look now like they might have backfired as the print press has had a field day proving them wrong, half-wrong, unfair or just plain juvenile.
Worse yet, he has abandoned the jolly, irreverent, slightly mischievous, anti-politics personal style that eight years ago -- and even as recently as the New Hampshire primary last January -- won him admirers in the press and among independent voters. He's the angry man in the campaign now, and it doesn't become him. [...]
It's all part of the makeover of John McCain as (who'd have believed it?) a Bush-style Republican.
- TPM Election Central continues to examine "interesting contributions" made by employees of the oil giant, Hess, to the McCain campaign. The latest? A "driver" for Hess maxed out to McCain.
Dems Up, GOP Down in Voter Registration
Democrats are increasing their registration numbers while voters are fleeing from the Republican Party in droves. New York Times:
In several states, including the traditional battlegrounds of Nevada and Iowa, Democrats have surprised their own party officials with significant gains in registration. In both of those states, there are now more registered Democrats than Republicans, a flip from 2004. No states have switched to the Republicans over the same period, according to data from 26 of the 29 states in which voters register by party. (Three of the states did not have complete data.)In six states, including Iowa, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania, the Democratic piece of the registration pie grew more than three percentage points, while the Republican share declined.
Given the way Republicans governed over the last seven years, these kind of stories make perfect sense, but to put it into historical context, this is a major shift in the political landscape.
But for a shift away from one party to sustain itself — the current registration trend is now in its fourth year — is remarkable, researchers who study voting patterns say. And though comparable data are not available for the 21 states where voters do not register by party, there is evidence that an increasing number of voters in those states are also moving away from the Republican Party based on the results of recent state and Congressional elections, the researchers said.“This is very suggestive that there is a fundamental change going on in the electorate,” said Michael P. McDonald, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and an associate professor of political science at George Mason University who has studied voting patterns.
August 4, 2008
Follow the Money
Last week, House Republicans threw a temper tantrum at the Capitol when they were unable to force a vote on offshore drilling to help their oil industry contributors. This week, they are at it again.
The Democrats are basically saying "follow the money" on the energy debate, pointing out that lawmakers leading the Republican theatrics include Mike Pence (R-Ind.), who received $150,000 in oil company contributions, and Mike Conaway (R-Texas) who received $487,000 in contributions. The list of oil money recipients includes about 20 Republican lawmakers, all of whom have been involved in the faux floor sessions."Whether the House is in session or not, the Republicans on the floor today have always gone out of their way to protect the oil companies that fund their campaigns," the Democratic memo says. "All told, the House Republicans leading this week’s efforts have taken more than $3 million in campaign contributions from Big Oil companies."
Republicans in the House claim they want a vote to help American families, but their 20 votes against Democratic energy proposals prominently display whose interests they are really looking out for.
Democrats also point out that Republicans have voted against at least 10 Democratic energy proposals, including a measure that would force oil companies to drill within existing Gulf of Mexico leases. The Democrats have refused, however, to allow votes on drilling in new areas currently under a moratorium.
Meanwhile, John McCain has accepted roughly $2 million in contributions from the oil industry -- most of which came after his flip on offshore drilling that he announced before a room full of cheering Houston oil executives.
Oil Executives for McCain
Ten senior Hess Corporation executives and/or members of the Hess family each gave $28,500 to the joint RNC-McCain fundraising committee, just days after McCain reversed himself to favor offshore drilling, according to Federal Election Commission reports.Nine of these contributions, seven from Hess executives and two from members of the Hess family, came on the same day, June 24th, the records show. The total collected in the wake of McCain's reversal for the fund, called McCain Victory 2008, from Hess execs and family is $285,000.
John McCain's dishonest attacks are powered by oil interests, and then he proceeds to rail against a windfall profits tax on the oil companies. Go figure.
Working Class Voters Back Obama 2 to 1
Differences:
John McCain receives boisterous, sustained standing ovations from Houston oil executives who then proceed to pump nearly $2 million in cash to his campaign.
Working class voters are supporting Senator Barack Obama by a two-to-one margin over John McCain.
Obama’s advantage is attributable largely to overwhelming support from two traditional Democratic constituencies: African Americans and Hispanics. But even among white workers — a group of voters that has been targeted by both parties as a key to victory in November — Obama leads McCain by 10 percentage points, 47 percent to 37 percent, and has the advantage as the more empathetic candidate.
McCain = Bush
Surprise! John McCain abandoned his carefully crafted "maverick" image to win the GOP nomination and is now running for George W. Bush's third term. Star Tribune:
The presumptive Republican presidential nominee, John McCain, is set to be nominated a month from now in Minneapolis-St. Paul. He is following in the footsteps of the man who defeated him for the nomination in 2000 -- George W. Bush. While claiming he is different, McCain has morphed with the Bush legacy in order to squeeze into those footsteps. The McCain of 2008 is not the "maverick" or "independent" brand of 2000.
These days, in addition to campaigning on the failed Bush agenda of massive tax cuts for the rich and corporate tax breaks, John McCain has reduced himself to the "low road" of "childish" attacks on Senator Barack Obama. So much for running a civil campaign...
August 1, 2008
McCain Doesn't Want to Muddy the Election Debate with Policy Details
At a time of great uncertainty in the economy, millions of Americans of all ages, working and retired, are worried about their economic future -- before and after they retire. That's why voters want to know more about John McCain's plans for Social Security.
It turns out, they won't get them.
John McCain, whose support for privatization of Social Security is well known, refuses to provide the details of his plan because it would, according to one senior adviser, "politicize the debate."
Consider McCain campaign senior adviser Taylor Griffin’s description of his candidate's plan for fixing Social Security:"The history of the Social Security debate has taught that too many specifics, especially during a presidential campaign, has polarized the debate," he said of the program that McCain called "an absolute disgrace [that's] got to be fixed."
Will he contrast his plan to that of his opponent? "Sen. McCain believes this is so important that we do not politicize this debate during an election season."
This explains why John McCain's "Jobs for America" economic plan is only thirteen pages and economists widely criticized as thin on the details. It is not that John McCain wants to hide his massive tax cuts for the rich, and massive corporate tax breaks, he just does not want to politicize the debate.
And really, who needs to discuss policy details in a presidential campaign? John McCain doesn't want to cause a distraction from talking about Britney Spears and Paris Hilton -- you know, the things that matter.
McCain Slammed for 'Nonstop' Attacks, 'Swinging Wildly'
John McCain's "Low Road Express" garnered quite a few headlines across the country for the campaign's dishonest and dishonorable attacks rife with factual inaccuracies:
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: "'Straight Talk Express' takes the low road"
Of late, sadly, McCain is saying goodbye to all that. The once bullish optimist is starting to come across as a churlish naysayer.McCain's presidential campaign is evolving into nonstop attacks on Sen. Barack Obama, salted with distortion and innuendo. After years as a media darling, the candidate has taken to complaining about his opponent's press coverage.
What's happened?
Dallas Morning News: "Editorial: McCain off the mark in over-the-top ads"
Mr. McCain's tactics certainly aren't new to politics. But such negativity is disconcerting at this early date. The summer months usually afford presidential candidates the opportunity to delve into issues and ideology.The bewildering debut of the politics-meets-Paris Hilton ad suggested that the clock suddenly had struck October.
Mr. McCain does voters a disservice by creating a caricature of his opponent instead of explaining their many differences on issues. Even some Republican strategists are troubled, saying that Mr. McCain appears to be swinging wildly.
Find the facts the McCain campaign continues to distort at LowRoadExpress.com.
DNC Web Ad: 'Proud of the Commercial'
We released the following web ad highlighting John McCain's pride in his widely-panned advertisement that features Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.
In that same Q&A, John McCain claimed his campaign is talking about the issues:
"What we're talking about here is substance, not style."
-- John McCain
According to John McCain, Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are "substantive" issues in this campaign.
While he takes his campaign down the low road of "childish" television ads with dishonest and dishonorable attacks, Senator Barack Obama is talking about the issues that matter, like energy prices, and turning around the sluggish Bush/McCain economy after eight years of failed policies.
Jobless Rate Rises
John McCain says the "fundamentals" of the economy are strong. But, in the real world, 51,000 Americans lost their jobs last month as the jobless rate hit a four-year high. Associated Press:
The nation's unemployment rate climbed to a four-year high of 5.7 percent in July as employers cut 51,000 jobs, dashing the hopes of an influx of young people looking for summer work.
The numbers for July continued the troubling effects of Bush/McCain style economic policies.
July's reductions marked the seventh straight month where employers eliminated jobs. So far, this year, the economy has lost a total of 463,00 jobs.
Young people are heading back to the classroom in a few weeks, but many of them will be doing so a little lighter in the wallet than in the last sixteen years, as the economic downturn kept many of them out of work this summer.
This year, however, fewer of them were able to find work, the government said. The unemployment rate for teenagers jumped to 20.3 percent, the highest since late 1992.
Like George Bush's economy? Hire John McCain. He's too busy talking about Britney Spears and Paris Hilton.
Meanwhile, Senator Barack Obama is talking about what's on the minds of Americans: how we can turn our economy around.
