In a nifty bit of editing by her campaign, Hillary Clinton sounds
very independent of her husband in this snippet from last night’s
debate. (When she was surprised to learn that, unlike her, he had
supported torture in a terrorism hypoethetical.) Actually, she wouldn’t
say if contributors to the Clinton Presidential Library should be
disclosed, an obvious question, saying she’ll have to talk with him.
** MORRIS QUESTIONS FOR HILLARY. Dick Morris, the Clintons’ chief political strategist in the former president’s 1996 re-election campaign, was once one of Senator Hillary Clinton’s greatest political friends. Now the two quite obviously detest one another. That said, here are some questions that Morris has for the former first lady/New York senator/Democratic presidential frontrunner: Bill Clinton refused to accept political action committee (PAC) contributions in his campaigns of 1992 and 1996. Obama and Edwards are following his example. Why aren’t you?
After all the bad experiences you had with Johnnie Chung and Charlie Trie and their campaign donations in the 1996 election cycle, why were you not more careful in vetting the donations generated by Norman Hsu? Didn’t you learn your lesson in 1996?
(As a follow-up to No. 2) After you found that you had to return almost a million dollars to the donors bundled by Hsu, you said you would be more vigilant in examining the backgrounds of donors. Why didn’t you come to that conclusion before the Hsu scandal, based on your 1996 experiences?
Norman Hsu was no ordinary donor. He was the biggest bundler in your campaign; he gave funds to the Clinton Global Initiative and the Clinton School of Government in Arkansas and took Patti Solis Doyle, your campaign manager, and other aides on an all-expense-paid trip to Las Vegas. He also donated to Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa, whose campaign debt you agreed to help repay. In view of his high profile in your campaign, why didn’t you check him out more thoroughly, and what does this say about your ability to make quality appointments?
** EDWARDS REVERSES COURSE, TAKES PUBLIC MATCHING FUNDS. With his fundraising lagging far behind that of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, former Senator and 2004 Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee John Edwards will take federal matching funds for his presidential campaign. It’s a good way to inject funds into a campaign. But it does impose spending limits in each state. Which he may be close to in Iowa, the first-in-the-nation contest which he must win. Yet, having done Iowa in the past, I know there are ways around this. You can buy TV time on stations which are just out of state but have many Iowa viewers. You can rent cars in bordering states. And so on.
** A NEW RADIO SHOW. Incidentally, you might want to check out a national radio show I’m doing. It’s on XM Satellite Radio, on the POTUS08 (POTUS = President Of The United States) channel, which is Channel 130, and it’s called “PJM Political.”
In addition to being an on-air political analyst about presidential politics, which was the original idea, it turns out that I’m also the show’s co-host. It’s a weekly, hour-long show that airs this afternoon at 3 PM Pacific time, 6 PM Eastern time, with several subsequent airings during the following week.
** MOVEON.ORG, THE CLINTONS, AND A SENSE OF HISTORY. OR NOT. One of the intriguing facets of the dust-up over MoveOn.org and its condemned-by-Congress New York Times ad attacking General David Petraeus is the concerted Republican effort to use the controversy to go after Hillary Clinton. They are clearly trying to energize a base, that has many reasons to be dispirited, by stirring it up around their long-time bete noires the Clintons.
But I’ve been amused by what they haven’t said as they labor to create the Clinton-MoveOn linkage. Namely, that the linkage is an historic one. While the focus has changed over the years, MoveOn.org was literally founded as a support group for the Clintons.
In fact, the very title “Move On” comes from the insistence that critics of the Clintons should “move on” from their fixation with the scandals of the Clintons in the 1990s. Most notably, the impeachment controversy around the then president’s dalliance with intern Monica Lewinsky.
I’m surprised that the Giuliani campaign and other critics haven’t mentioned that. I haven’t seen it reported elsewhere.
** HILLARY CONTRADICTED HERSELF, AS WELL AS BILL, ON THE “TICKING TIME BOMB” SCENARIO. In the clip above, edited from debate footage by the Clinton campaign, Hillary Clinton distinguishes her position on torturing a terrorist with detailed knowledge of an imminent attack from that of her husband, former President Bill Clinton. The former president, a big fan of the hit TV thriller, 24, in which agent Jack Bauer has frequently tortured a terrorist to foil an attack, allowed last year as how he would be open to doing that. Last night, Hillary Clinton said she was not. But the New York Daily News reveals that she, too, expressed the same view as her husband last year. And that her campaign would not comment on the contradiction.
** HILLARY PUMMELED IN DEMOCRATIC DEBATE. With a polished performance, Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton emerged unbowed from last night’s debate in New Hampshire. Nevertheless, her opponents, most notably John Edwards, who won the debate, scored against her. And the New York senator and former first lady demonstrated a penchant for avoiding answering questions. If she’s not careful, she will develop a problem with the press — which in my view has been largely for her candidacy — that could signicantly affect the dynamic of the race.
Edwards drew clear distinctions with Clinton on Iraq and Iran. On Iraq, he said that her continuation of combat missions there would be a continuation of the war. (She says the combat missions would be limited to dealing with terrorists such as Al Qaeda.) On Iran, he said that her backing for a Senate resolution designating the Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization is helping President George W. Bush build the case for war with Iran.
While Edwards sparkled in this Democratic primary debate, while perhaps causing problems for a potential general election campaign, Barack Obama, who wasn’t bad, did not. After a spirited beginning, it was a relatively quiet night for him. He suffered from a bad cold. Also having their moments were Joe Biden, whose proposal to partition Iraq won overwhelming support yesterday in a non-binding Senate measure, and Bill Richardson, who promises to get US troops out of Iraq faster than any other serious candidate.
** GIULIANI CATCHES ROMNEY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE POLL. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s lead in the neighboring New Hampshire Republican presidential primary has disappeared in the near CNN/WMUR poll by the University of New Hampshire. It’s now Romney 25%, Rudy Giuliani 24%, John McCain 18%, and Fred Thompson. Romney, whose TV advertising in the early states has gone essentially unanswered, had led for months — and by a whopping 14 points two months ago — but the former New York mayor has caught him. And McCain is on the rise again, having been at 12% in the previous poll in July. Romney continues to lead in Iowa.
** SCHWARZENEGGER IN MEXICO. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Mexico today and tomorrow, for the annual Border Governors Conference, which he will chair next year in California. Schwarzenegger joins the governors of and top officials from Arizona, Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, New Mexico, Sonora, Tamaulipas and Texas. Over the next two days, they’ll address a variety of issues including agriculture, security, economic development, education, energy, environment, health and tourism.
“There are pressing issues, like global warming, improving trade and enhancing border security and goods movement that demand our continued cooperation and innovative approaches, as we search for solutions that go beyond our borders. I look forward to hosting next year’s conference in California and continuing the spirited debate on these important issues,” said Schwarzenegger in a statement last night before leaving for Mexico.
** AL QAEDA’S AMERICAN PRISONERS STILL NOT LOCATED. American troops are now in the midst of a 134th day of searching for the remaining two US soldiers captured by Al Qaeda in an ambush south of Baghdad. They have had no luck so far. A video put out by Al Qaeda forces in Iraq claims that all three men were executed after being captured. But, with the exception of the Californian found floating in the Euphrates River, that claim can’t be confirmed. The US high command in Baghdad has revealed that ID cards for the other two American prisoners were found in an Al Qaeda safehouse on June 9th.
** Track global and national energy prices in near real time via Bloomberg. Crude oil prices are moving back up, around $82 per barrel.
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Paul, that might actually be called a balance of power, rather than treason.
You might, as someone who is a non-vet, try to avoid hysteria.
>Paul Burton :
Here’s more re: Patreaus betrayus:
Well-worth a read as this traitor is responsible for fomenting civil war in Iraq by arming several factions.
I don’t know either, Paul, yet there it is, eating up more of time. Yet tomorrow, as Scarlet O’Hara once said, is another day.
>Paul Burton :
I have no idea why part of my post was bolded. It didn’t appear that way when previewed; and why would every other post afterward be affected? Perhaps Michael Ledeen is in the shadows again, doing his dirty tricks, since no one reads his blog.
The nutroots are going to replace Feinstein. lol
>>Bill Bradley : BTW, the show I am told will be available in a few days online.
Great news. That takes alleviates my sense of urgency. ;-}
Great news on Radio that is what I have already to hear Oprah …I hate supporting PJM …but if that is the only way to hear and read you …so be it.
On Hillary last night…I was appalled. My primary vote became for whoever after her (assuming she keeps her lead) has the highest poll numbers …I assume it will be Obama but if not, I will vote for Edwards…anyone but her.
It would seem Mrs. Clinton’s troubles have begun.
It would seem Mrs. Clinton’s troubles have begun.
Fortunately, in my other new project, you only have to support John David Booty.
Incidentally, as you must know, I own NWN.
>Barbara :
Great news on Radio that is what I have already to hear Oprah …I hate supporting PJM …but if that is the only way to hear and read you …so be it.
Fortunately, in my other new project, you only have to support John David Booty.
Incidentally, as you must know, I own NWN.
>Barbara :
Great news on Radio that is what I have already to hear Oprah …I hate supporting PJM …but if that is the only way to hear and read you …so be it.
“Incidentally, as you must know, I own NWN.”
Good, It was clear that you have no interference via content…but no, I was not aware of your business arrangement with them…in any event …I will be listening…whether I am here or elsewhere
“Incidentally, as you must know, I own NWN.”
Good, It was clear that you have no interference via content…but no, I was not aware of your business arrangement with them…in any event …I will be listening…whether I am here or elsewhere
Good for Morris to ask what would be basic, preliminary questions concerning the credibility and character of a simple job applicant, let alone a candidate for the POTUS. But Tim Russert last night and the entire Sunday talk show crowd couldn’t find a way to even allude to these basic issues. Pathetic.
Mr. Bradley,
What causes you to bring up the name of the quarterback for the number one ranked college football team in this country?
Because of my relationship with the school for which he plays.
Elsewhere?
>Barbara :
“Incidentally, as you must know, I own NWN.”
Good, It was clear that you have no interference via content…but no, I was not aware of your business arrangement with them…in any event …I will be listening…whether I am here or elsewhere
Sep 27, 2007 06:19 PM
Those are actually very good and logical questions for left of center journalists.
The truth is that the beat reporters around Hillary have virtually no access to her. It’s like Arnold at his worst. But you’re not reading that, are you?
Of course, with Arnold, you did.
I’ve asked Hillary three questions this year. She’s slipped two of them. But I’m not following her around.
>Hap Hazard :
Good for Morris to ask what would be basic, preliminary questions concerning the credibility and character of a simple job applicant, let alone a candidate for the POTUS. But Tim Russert last night and the entire Sunday talk show crowd couldn’t find a way to even allude to these basic issues. Pathetic.
Sep 27, 2007 06:44 PM
Incidentally, I find Hillary Clinton to be a highly credible figure. I think she could turn out to be a very good president of thte United States.
And I like her a lot more than I like Dick Morris.
You simply don’t do the kind of stuff he’s done.
That said, his questions are both obvious and very legitimate.
Let’s see the journos for the corporate newspapers and TV stations/networks following her around get it together.
Mr. Bradley,
Thank you for that clarification. I just wanted to make sure that everyone out there who might not be a fan of college football knew that you were speaking of the chap who plays quarterback for the number one ranked University of Southern California Trojans.
I shall now turn to Mr. Halberstam’s final work as it arrived earlier this day.
Once again, thanks for the response. Have a nice evening.
I am afraid HILLARY Clinton is not likable enough to be the President.
That’s something to get into later.
That book of yours is about 700 pages long. Have fun!
>Sacramento Solon :
Mr. Bradley,
Thank you for that clarification. I just wanted to make sure that everyone out there who might not be a fan of college football knew that you were speaking of the chap who plays quarterback for the number one ranked University of Southern California Trojans.
I shall now turn to Mr. Halberstam’s final work as it arrived earlier this day.
Once again, thanks for the response. Have a nice evening.
Sep 27, 2007 07:20 PM
Thank you, I will.
I thought you graduated from Berkeley.
I thought you graduated from Berkeley.
Why does Morris dislike Hillary? I do not think she is getting a fair shake on this last debate. Russert was on the attack and she was simply swatting back at him. Why is that so wrong?
Incidentally, NWN passed 40,000 comments sometime in the last week.