John McCain launches this general election TV ad today in
the battleground state of New Mexico.
** MCCAIN’S OPPORTUNITY, AND PROBLEM. John McCain, as you can tell from the above first broadcast ad of the general election, is moving into another phase of his candidacy. Last week, he toured the Middle East and Europe.
This week, he campaigned in the West, raising big money in California and elsewhere, taking a first stab at the Latino vote, and delivering a well-regarded major foreign policy address in Los Angeles.
Next week, he does a national tour, rolling out the biographical, historical, and patriotic themes of his candidacy.
All well and good for him, especially with the Clintons tearing into frontrunner Obama, and vice versa. But there is a problem. While the surge he championed has had success in Iraq following years of clearcut failure there, that still highly troubled historic approximation of a country is increasingly convulsed in political struggles, strikes, and street fighting between Shiite factions. Ironically, the US is mostly backing the major Shiite political faction most closely aligned with Iran.
Much of this is about maneuvering in advance of Iraqi elections. Can the Iraqi government, itself riven by factionalism, quell the fighting? Or will US forces be drawn into an ever front-and-center position taking sides in Iraqi factional fighting?
The renewed turmoil in Iraq comes at a bad time for John McCain. The political success of his tour next week, which has been shaping up very well, may well hinge in what happens in Iraq over this coming weekend.
** GALLUP NATIONAL POLL: OBAMA WITH SIGNIFICANT LEAD OVER CLINTON. In the brand-new Gallup tracking poll, it’s Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton, 50% to 42%. Reports of Obama’s imminent demise in the Rev. Wright firestorm were exaggerated.
John McCain has a slim two-point edge over Obama, and four points over Hillary.
** CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATS TO KICK OFF LOW-KEY CONVENTION. The California Democratic Party convention and its associated activities kick off this afternoon in San Jose. This annual convention is the biennial affair in which a state party platform, usually of interest mainly to party activists, is adopted.
It will be much more low-key than last year’s gathering in San Diego, which featured all the Democratic presidential candidates. This time around, neither of the final candidates — frontrunner Barack Obama and former frontrunner Hillary Clinton — will be present. Although former President Bill Clinton will be on hand to woo uncommitted superdelgates (see list below) and address the convention.
As a headline speaker, the former president somewhat outranks the California Republicans’ ranking speaker last month — South Dakota Senator John Thune.
Seemingly permanent state Dem chairman Art Torres has a kick-off reception tonight featuring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The San Franciscan, incidentally, has reacted angrily to the Clinton campaign’s attempt to use 20 big fundraisers to intimidate her into backing off her view that the superdelegates should not overturn the verdict of the majority of delegates won in the primaries and caucuses. As for Bill Clinton’s lobbying of the uncommitted California superdelegates, he’s called all of them before, to no apparent effect.
Tomorrow morning a variety of speakers will address the convention, including Congressmember Mike Honda, Congressmember Zoe Lofgren, Lieutenant Governor John Garamendi, Treasurer Bill Lockyer, Controller John Chiang, Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed, San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris, and former Governor-turned-Attorney General Jerry Brown.
The legislative leaders luncheon features Democratic Congressional Delegation Chair Zoe Lofgren, Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, and Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata. The afternoon session will feature former Assembly Speaker and San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, congressional candidate Jackie Speier, Congressmember Jerry McNerney, state Board of Equalization Chair Judy Chu, Assembly Speaker-elect Karen Bass, California Teachers Association president David Sanchez, and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. The Saturday night dinner will feature former talk show host-turned activist Phil Donahue and United Farm Workers president Arturo Rodriguez.
And finally on Sunday, it’s Bill Clinton. The lucky speakers who get to follow him include California Secretary of State Debra Bowen.
** MCCAIN MEDIA STRATEGIST AFFIRMS HE’LL LEAVE RATHER THAN FACE OBAMA. John McCain’s chief media consultant, Mark McKinnon, a Texan who previously performed the honors for President Bush, reiterated to the National Journal that he will step away from the McCain campaign if Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee. Why? Because it will inevitably get negative. And because McKinnon is an Obama admirer.
Well, this goes back to a memo that I wrote to the campaign when I came aboard more than a year and a half ago, and I simply let them know that I had spent time with Obama and read his book and I like the guy. I think he has strong character and a fascinating life story, and I disagree with him fundamentally on issues like Iraq and trade and a number of others. But I just flashed forward to the improbable scenario, at that time seemingly improbable, that John McCain and Barack Obama might face off against one other. And I just told them at the time that I thought that I would be uncomfortable being on the front lines — being as aggressive as you need to be in a presidential campaign — and not only that I would be uncomfortable, but that it would be bad for the campaign, and that if that circumstance were to come to be, that I would just take a step to the sidelines and continue to support John McCain 100 percent and be No. 1 fan and cheerleader. But just kind of take myself out of the front lines.
** PENNSYLVANIA SENATOR ENDORSES OBAMA. U.S. Senator Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat whose socially conservative father served as governor, endorses Barack Obama today. Casey, who had previously said he would remain neutral till after the April 22nd Pennsylvania primary, will introduce Obama this morning at a Pittsburgh event, at the Soldiers & Sailors Museum, kicking off Obama’s six-day bus tour of the Keystone State. Casey will also ride along for part of the bus tour.
Why the switch from neutrality to back Obama in a primary as perfectly set up for Hillary Clinton as any in America? Casey is said to have been impressed by Obama’s handling of the Rev. Wright controversy. His four daughters are all Obama enthusiasts. And Casey, as a superdelegate, wants to start winding down an increasingly damaging nomination contest.
Clinton is backed by most of the state’s Democratic establishment, headed by Governor Ed Rendell, who beat Casey in a 2002 primary. Casey, then the state’s auditor general, went on to crush Senator Rick Santorum, a far right fave, 59% to 41% in November 2006.
Casey is the 16th of Obama’s Senate colleagues to back him. Clinton has 12 of their Senate colleagues in her corner.
** NOTE ON INTERMITTENT TECH PROBLEMS. The site underlying NWN went through a tech transition that has caused intermittent problems here since Monday afternoon. The Forum section has a chronic problem with regard to the posting of comments. A reader developed a workaround, which is near the top of the Forum.
WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.
Barack Obama begins his bus tour of Pennsylvania, starting out in Pittsburgh and continuing to Greenburg.
Hillary Clinton campaigns across Indiana with stops in Mishawaka, Hammond, Fort Wayne, and Muncie.
Bill Clinton barnstorms across North Carolina, with events in Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury, Kannapolis, Gastonia, Hickory, and Asheville.
John McCain raises money in Las Vegas, Nevada.
** CALIFORNIA CUTS ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE REQUIREMENT. The California Air Resources Board has cut its zero emissions vehicles (ZEV) program, initiated in 1990. 25,000 ZEV cars were to be online in California from 2012 to 2014. But automakers haven’t come up with the vehicles, claiming problems with hydrogen fuel cells and electric batteries. So the air board dropped the 25,000 requirement to 7,500. And added the requirement of another 58,000 low emission vehicles, such as hybrids, into the mix.
I have a feeling that a new president will spur Detroit.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer, bringing you English-language, jargon-free, fast-paced coverage of global and Russian news from the new Russia Today channel.
You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti.
While it’s quite foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND U.S. ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Crude oil is trading in the $105 to $106 per barrel range.
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“Hap, I’d feel better if McCain’s stance on Iraq was a bit clearer as to a path toward dis-engagement. Stay the course and hope for the best falls a bit short…”
Dana – thanks for being the voice of reason…again.
“Hap, I’d feel better if McCain’s stance on Iraq was a bit clearer as to a path toward dis-engagement. Stay the course and hope for the best falls a bit short…”
Dana – thanks for being the voice of reason…again.
I just got an email from the Texas Democratic Party. Here’s an excerpt:
“…We have heard reports that misinformation is being spread about tomorrow’s County and Senate District Conventions, perhaps using the name of the Texas Democratic Party. Some delegates have reported receiving emails saying that conventions have been cancelled. We have also heard unconfirmed reports that someone is placing robo-calls, claiming to be from the Texas Democratic Party, suggesting that county or district conventions have been cancelled…”
What?! I’m shocked, just shocked (not).
James Baker endorsed McCain Feb. 28. That sent a signal to all the Reaganites that McCain is just as ‘conservative’ – or reactionary – as the Gipper.
It sent a signal to the rest of us that McCain has the chief strategist of Bush’s theft of the 2000 election on his side. Baker may not be out front in McCain’s campaign but I’m sure he’ll be working behind the scenes to help McCain stop those anti-American liberal traitors who threaten our very existence as a Democracy – where Republicans must win by any means necessary.
But the Bush-McCain surge is going so well in Iraq now that soon the Bush twins will be strolling through the open air markets there signing autographs.
James Baker endorsed McCain Feb. 28. That sent a signal to all the Reaganites that McCain is just as ‘conservative’ – or reactionary – as the Gipper.
It sent a signal to the rest of us that McCain has the chief strategist of Bush’s theft of the 2000 election on his side. Baker may not be out front in McCain’s campaign but I’m sure he’ll be working behind the scenes to help McCain stop those anti-American liberal traitors who threaten our very existence as a Democracy – where Republicans must win by any means necessary.
But the Bush-McCain surge is going so well in Iraq now that soon the Bush twins will be strolling through the open air markets there signing autographs.
Bush’s theft of the 2000 election . . . I think that if the left wants to ever win a national election they will have to lose this type of rhetoric. I think it will be especially important this year for Obama to explain his seeming identification with this sort of conspiracy theory politics for him to ever have a chance. I hope he does so, and I would like to see him get there, but this is a big hurdle.
Bush’s theft of the 2000 election . . . I think that if the left wants to ever win a national election they will have to lose this type of rhetoric. I think it will be especially important this year for Obama to explain his seeming identification with this sort of conspiracy theory politics for him to ever have a chance. I hope he does so, and I would like to see him get there, but this is a big hurdle.
Hap, I’d feel better if McCain’s stance on Iraq was a bit clearer as to a path toward dis-engagement. Stay the course and hope for the best falls a bit short – With all due respect, Dana, characterizing McCain’s policy as staying the course and hoping for the beset is quite a bit off the mark and seemingly distilled for use as opposition campaign sound bites.
It is true that Obama suggested that McCain would be “sitting back” but the fact is, McCain wants to build alliances (the League of Democracies or whatever he calls it), and wants to stay in Iraq long enough to protect our friend and ally there. Kind of a NATO or “METO” style arrangement.
What is Obama proposing that is so fracking visionary? Bring home the troops! Not even a point for originality.
Hap – the burden lands to those who want to stay in Iraq to make their case, as it should be with the use of military force.
Why are we there? What are our objectives? When will they be met? How many troops will need to be involved?
And honestly, I don’t see a lot of other countries pushing and shoving so they can into Iraq and help us out.
Hap, vague alliances and arrangements are no condolence when so many variables are in play.
I’ll repeat what I said before, McCain’s sentiments seem at war with his desire for “victory”.
And you argument isn’t with Obama about the desire to bring the troops home–it is the overwhelming desire among a public weary of a war that seems to have no good purpose, is consuming horrifying amounts of money and lives and if withdrawl is based on the definition of stability etc. McCain has stated heretofore we will indeed be there a hundred years.
NO! NO! NO! There is no honorable course. There is no option that avoids dreadful consequences. No more delusions. I am sick of illusionary “progress” and attempts to hint any withdrawl is unpatriotic. Bush has created a quagmire–why must we push forward deeper into it?
If this is what McCain offers in the debates either dem will slice him apart.
Hap, vague alliances and arrangements are no condolence when so many variables are in play.
I’ll repeat what I said before, McCain’s sentiments seem at war with his desire for “victory”.
And you argument isn’t with Obama about the desire to bring the troops home–it is the overwhelming desire among a public weary of a war that seems to have no good purpose, is consuming horrifying amounts of money and lives and if withdrawl is based on the definition of stability etc. McCain has stated heretofore we will indeed be there a hundred years.
NO! NO! NO! There is no honorable course. There is no option that avoids dreadful consequences. No more delusions. I am sick of illusionary “progress” and attempts to hint any withdrawl is unpatriotic. Bush has created a quagmire–why must we push forward deeper into it?
If this is what McCain offers in the debates either dem will slice him apart.
If this is what McCain offers in the debates either dem will slice him apart. – We’ll see
Hap: I didn’t want to go into Iraq because it was a fool’s errand. I was reluctant to pull-out because I felt responsible for what we did to the Iraqi people. Then after fracking things up for several more years, I wanted out.
The surge met with some success and I’m willing to hear why we can/should stay, but nothing McCain said has convinced me that leaving isn’t the “least-worst” option.
Hap: I didn’t want to go into Iraq because it was a fool’s errand. I was reluctant to pull-out because I felt responsible for what we did to the Iraqi people. Then after fracking things up for several more years, I wanted out.
The surge met with some success and I’m willing to hear why we can/should stay, but nothing McCain said has convinced me that leaving isn’t the “least-worst” option.
Dana, bravo big-time…until that last too-certain assertion regarding the political implications of all this.
——
Interesting remarks today on the subject of race in America from one Condoleeza Rice:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080328/FOREIGN/746301768/1001
It’s not often one hears a cabinet member speak of the nation as having a “birth defect.” There is more to this woman than most of us know.
No one wants to comment on the fact that the Clinton camp might be trying to steal the texas caucus? Where the hell is that firecracker Capitol Boy?
One advantage of primaries over caucuses is that primaries are protected by the Voting Rights Act and these kinds of shenanigans could land you in federal court/prison.
Let’s see, calling voters and telling them that Election Day has been moved – that’s from the OLD school playbook of supressing minority voters. Tsk, tsk.
No one wants to comment on the fact that the Clinton camp might be trying to steal the texas caucus? Where the hell is that firecracker Capitol Boy?
One advantage of primaries over caucuses is that primaries are protected by the Voting Rights Act and these kinds of shenanigans could land you in federal court/prison.
Let’s see, calling voters and telling them that Election Day has been moved – that’s from the OLD school playbook of supressing minority voters. Tsk, tsk.
Folks,
This post has nothing to do with politics, food or wine…sorry. Mr. Bradley, hope it doesn’t annoy you, but…
This year marks the 50th anniversary to major league baseball on the west coast. While the Giants play Los Angeles to open the season Monday, perhaps an even more interesting games occurs tomorrow evening when the Dodgers return to the LA Memorial Coliseum to face the Boston Red Sox in an exhibition game.
Los Angeles played their first three seasons playing in the revamped football stadium before moving to Dodger Stadium in 1962. The Coliseum had a short left field, 251 feet, that allowed many a pop-up to become a home run. It was also know for the large crowd capacity. In 1959 they drew over 93,000 for a tribute game for Roy Campanella, long time catcher who tragically became a paraplegic before the beginning of the 1958 season.
I mention all this only because Saturday’s game is expected to draw a crowd of 115.000! And that will be the largest crowd ever to witness a major league baseball game. For those interested, the larges for a minor-league was recorded in 1956…Miami Marlins hosted the Columbus Jets in an Triple-A International League game played in Miami’s Orange Bowl. On the mound for the Marlins that evening was a chap known as Leroy “Satchel” Paige! Yep, the ageless wonder who must have been 50 at the time hurled quite the game and also banged out a bases loaded double that cleared the paths.
Okay return you now to important stuff. And, once again, sorry Mr. Bradley for going so far off topic.
hey Bill, where are ya?
I hope he’s taking a well deserved period of rest…
>Alva Johnson :
hey Bill, where are ya?
I hope he’s taking a well deserved period of rest…
>Alva Johnson :
hey Bill, where are ya?
Why are we there?
If you refer to why in the first place that debate will go on forever. If you mean why on this very day it would seem to have a lot to do with an obligation to help fix what we broke.
What are our objectives?
There would certainly be several not the least of which would be to support the establishment of some form of democratic government that could stand on it’s own against the forces in the region wanting to take it down. Probably looking for a trading partner and ally as well.
When will they be met?
Sooner rather than later but stipulating a specific date does not appear to be in the cards currently. Probably know a lot more by the end of this year.
How many troops will need to be involved?
An ever diminishing number over time if progress continues.
think places I go back every by themselves work
think places I go back every by themselves work
New video today?
New video today?
Sorry, folks, on the road and really busy.
Hap, if you could do your workaround honors again this morning … the fracking tech problems continue.
Incidentally, NWN passed 54,000 comments sometime in the past week.
Incidentally, NWN passed 54,000 comments sometime in the past week.