Barack Obama, yesterday in Las Vegas, talks about Nevada’s key role in a new energy economy.
** BOND, JAMES, UH … Okay, gang, I will run the new McCain Bond-style web ad tomorrow morning. It can wait.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, having toured fires around Northern California and having conducted briefings in Big Sur and Chico, is, as of mid to late afternoon Wednesday, now winging his way to Miami. In advance of his appearance there tomorrow at noon with Florida Governor Charlie Crist — the other governor most responsible for John McCain’s Republican presidential win — to promote the cause of fighting the greenhouse effect before a conference of some 800 opinion leaders.
** BIG ANTONIO FUNDER IN SAN FRAN. LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa had a big fundraiser last night in San Francisco. Which the San Francisco Chronicle plays as something of a slap in the face to San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. On the theory that the two mayors will be in the field for Governor of California in 2010.
Well, here is an NWN prediction. Villaraigosa will not run for governor in 2010. He is going to have his hands full getting re-elected mayor in 2009.
** BROWN GOES AFTER COUNTRYWIDE. Former Governor-turned-Attorney General Jerry Brown, who last week received the award from the Coalition for Clean Air and this week cracked down on a Latino street gang victimizing its own community in the Central Valley, today launched a multifaceted legal assault against California-based Countrywide, the lender at the center of the subprime mortgage crisis, along with its top execs Angelo Mozilo and David Sambol. Said Brown at an event in LA this morning: “Countrywide exploited the American dream of homeownership and then sold its mortgages for huge profits on the secondary market. The company sold ever-increasing numbers of complex and risky home loans, as quickly as possible. Countrywide was, in essence, a mass-production loan factory, producing ever-increasing streams of debt without regard for borrowers. Today’s lawsuit seeks relief for Californians who were ripped off by Countrywide’s deceptive scheme.”
Top Republican and Democratic lobbyists have helped out Countrywide. Their names will be brought up throughout the trial.
** CALIFORNIA: OBAMA UP 2 TO 1 OVER MCCAIN. The latest Rasmussen tracking poll of California — bear in mind that pollster Scott Rasmussen is an avowed Republican — shows Barack Obama opening up a massive lead over John McCain in the Golden State, which Team McCain once saw as a possibility. It’s Obama 58%, McCain 30%. Frankly, this is the biggest lead I can recall in any such presidential poll of California voters. McCain’s shift in position for offshore oil drilling is a major backfire. The McCain connection, as I noted yesterday, has become not a badge of honor in California, but a serious negative. Unfortunately for the Republicans, all of their most credible 2010 gubernatorial candidates are officials in the McCain campaign. Hasta la bye bye.
** NEW MEXICO: SIGNIFICANT OBAMA LEAD. The Mountain West is part of the new swing state phenomenon. And in New Mexico, Barack Obama holds a significant lead over John McCain in the latest Rasmussen tracking poll, 47% to 39%.
John McCain’s town hall on Monday at California State University, Fresno.
** WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.
Barack Obama is in Chicago, where he has private meetings with business leaders from around the country on the US economy, and holds a press conference.
John McCain is in Las Vegas. He speaks at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and has a fundraiser.
** SCHWARZENEGGER LIVE WEBCAST THIS MORNING. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger tours the fire situation in Monterey County and conducts a briefing on the statewide fire situation from Big Sur. The event will be webcast live at 10:20 AM on www.gov.ca.gov.
** MY LATEST PODCAST. The road ahead.
** OBAMA V. MCCAIN: THE AD WARS ARE ON. What Obama and McCain are doing in their first rounds of general election TV advertising. Along with the where and the why. From my other blog.
** 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, which I know as a former DemRussia advisor, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. With U.S. cable news chattering away as it does, this sort of respite can be informative. 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 $133 to $136 per barrel range.
Your posts are welcome in the Forum.
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| Comments (93) |
I like him but McCain looks like he needs a long vacation.
John McCain lost his mojo.
Maybe Austin Powers can find it for him. lol
No more “Straight Talk” from John McCain.
He’s a “pander bear” now.
McCain voted against wind power and solar power and more fuel efficient cars. He created the problem. The problem he proposes to solve with his bullshit solution.
Oh my God! Fantastic!!!!
** CALIFORNIA: OBAMA UP 2 TO 1 OVER MCCAIN.
Picking up from yesterday’s discussion, remember Churchill about how Americans will do the right thing after they try all the alternatives? When I was a teenager we were talking about needing to develope alternative energy sources. I am now 46. Once the crisis eased, we essentially dropped the search. It has to be crystal clear that the status quo alone isn’t sustainable, change is coming (and it won’t be pleasant). There may be a role for coal etc. but we must understand they are at best stop gaps.
>Hap Hazard:
Meanwhile you want us to chase diminished status quo options to stave off the inevitable. – Thanks for your response Dana. No doubt it does seem as if I am proposing that, but in reality I think that pursuit of alternative transit solutions, alternative energy and adult supervised development of some of our natural resources do not have to be, and should not be, mutually exclusive avenues. Thanks again for writing back.
Whoa!
Capitol Boy:
Oh my God! Fantastic!!!!
** CALIFORNIA: OBAMA UP 2 TO 1 OVER MCCAIN.
Jun 25, 2008 – 10:10 am
Whoa, yeah.
I can live with Governor Jerry Brown. Again. I was a kid the first time around. He’s always been for Latinos. Like, when we were Chicanos.
I sure wish McCain would waste some resources and try to win California.
John McCain Voted to Filibuster Minimum Wage Hike
Well, don’t rely on the past as your guide. See if Brown’s ideas are up to the future.
… I was replying to Marcos Leon.
To remain credible, and retain credibility for 2010 — with Meg Whitman, who I’ve scouted, or whomever — they kinda have to.
>Hilltopper:
I sure wish McCain would waste some resources and try to win California.
John McCain Voted to Filibuster Minimum Wage Hike
Jun 25, 2008 – 10:47 am
Indeed.
>Jack Aubrey:
Whoa!
Capitol Boy:
Oh my God! Fantastic!!!!
** CALIFORNIA: OBAMA UP 2 TO 1 OVER MCCAIN.
Jun 25, 2008 – 10:10 am
Jun 25, 2008 – 10:20 am
Ah, yep.
>Jack Aubrey:
Whoa!
Capitol Boy:
Oh my God! Fantastic!!!!
** CALIFORNIA: OBAMA UP 2 TO 1 OVER MCCAIN.
Jun 25, 2008 – 10:10 am
Jun 25, 2008 – 10:20 am
There is nothing like impending disaster to concentrate the mind.
>Dana:
Picking up from yesterday’s discussion, remember Churchill about how Americans will do the right thing after they try all the alternatives?
It’s a major breakout.
I thought Obama was only up 16 or 17 in California.
>Capitol Boy:
Oh my God! Fantastic!!!!
** CALIFORNIA: OBAMA UP 2 TO 1 OVER MCCAIN.
Jun 25, 2008 – 10:10 am
Not entirely fair. He’s voted for some things, against other things.
>Len:
McCain voted against wind power and solar power and more fuel efficient cars. He created the problem. The problem he proposes to solve with his bullshit solution.
Jun 25, 2008 – 9:40 am
His energy stuff is kind of gimmicky.
>Jack Aubrey:
No more “Straight Talk” from John McCain.
He’s a “pander bear” now.
Jun 25, 2008 – 9:32 am
So you like the Austin Powers movies and give me shit about the Eagles …
>Ann:
Maybe Austin Powers can find it for him. lol
Jun 25, 2008 – 9:16 am
Perhaps.
>Capitol Boy:
John McCain lost his mojo.
Jun 25, 2008 – 9:07 am
This is a very draining process. I need a vacation, and I’m not out there all the time running around at 71.
>Jonas Blane:
I like him but McCain looks like he needs a long vacation.
Jun 25, 2008 – 9:00 am
Who are the McCain campaign officials who want to be Governor of California besides Meg Whitman? Who doesn’t look like a Governor to me.
Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina, and Steve Poizner.
The polling is certainly taking an ominous turn. I didn’t expect to see numbers like this until after the convention.
On the electoral front, it’s equally grim. If you make an assumption that Obama wins all the states that Kerry won (and, let’s face it, Kerry isn’t close to being the candidate Obama is–and he had to run against a sitting president), it isn’t hard to see an approaching avalanche.
Bush racked up an impressive 24% approval rating yesterday. Golly, seems like only yesterday that anyone who opposed this president and his policies was unpatriotic. Of course, back then it only cost twenty-four bucks to fill up your car. Yesterday, I hit the big eight-0. You read that right: it’s now about three times as expensive to be a driving American than it was when the oilmen took over.
Looking at the Bush states, polls show Obama either tied or ahead in seven states: Nevada, Virginia, New Mexico, Colorado, Ohio, Iowa and Indiana. That’s seventy electoral votes in play. Playing with the maps, it’s easy to create several scenarios by which Obama can win, even with leaving Michigan and New Hampshire out of the equation. Both states were won by Kerry, and both show a slight Obama lead, polling-wise.
On a lighter note, it’ll be ten years before we would see any effect on oil prices if we start drilling off Florida and California, assuming we start tomorrow.
What about the Flush Report candidate, Tom McClintock?
marcus waldron:
Who are the McCain campaign officials who want to be Governor of California besides Meg Whitman? Who doesn’t look like a Governor to me.
Jun 25, 2008 – 11:18 am
Bill Bradley:
Meg Whitman, Carly Fiorina, and Steve Poizner.
Jun 25, 2008 – 11:32 am
It’s interesting that this year third party candidates may impact the Republicans more than the democrats. You noted yesterday that Barr and Nader poll at about 7 percent (more in some states). But Nader is running as an independent, not Green Party, which will probably nominate Cynthia McKinney. A five way debate would be much more entertaining and enlightening than just McCain vs Obama. Nader would destroy McCain and help Obama. He should debate him and offer Nader a cabinet position like Secretary of Labor or Interior. That would be post-partisan at its best, rather than kowtow to the republicans who have shredded the Constitution, ruined the economy, and shifted more wealth to the corporate elite.
Am I wrong, or do I have the right impression the McCain camp didn’t take advantage of the long dustup between Obama and Team Clinton to strategize, build a presence in the battleground states, roleplay to prepare responses to possible attacks, etc.
It isn’t too late to pull together the wise men/women of the Republican establishment and have a long weekend or some such to brainstorm and settle on a strategy. I know if I was McCain I’d hate to look back and lament about I should have…
If he wins that Congressional seat it will be pried out of his stone cold hands 50 years or so from now…
Ann:
What about the Flush Report candidate, Tom McClintock?
Notice how all the activity in re energy is coming from Congress, with hearings on the speculators driving up the cost of gas, CEOs on the hot seat, etc. And the Bush meltdown is starting to result in vetoproof majorities on legislation. Republican officeholders are starting to blanch at taking a bullet for W.
The spectacle of an unfolding failed Presidency is strangely uninvolving. We just ignore him.
I’ll be curious what Schmidt’s larger role in the McCain campaign means. Maybe he’ll champion the very obvious shakeup they need.
Better to impeach than ignore. The failed presidency of GW Bush has been a disaster for more than just his fellow Republicans.
>>>Dana:
…The spectacle of an unfolding failed Presidency is strangely uninvolving. We just ignore him.
You go, Governor Brown!
BB: ** BROWN GOES AFTER COUNTRYWIDE. Former Governor-turned-Attorney General Jerry Brown, who last week received the award from the Coalition for Clean Air and this week cracked down on a Latino street gang victimizing its own community in the Central Valley, today launched a multifaceted legal assault against California-based Countrywide, the lender at the center of the subprime mortgage crisis, along with its top execs Angelo Mozilo and David Sambol. Said Brown at an event in LA this morning:
Addendum. A new poll today, albeit a dem one, shows Obama pulling ahead in Michigan by 9 points.
If I were Obama, I’d beg Bill Clinton to hit the barbecue circuit. West Va, Louisiana, new mexico, Nevada, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas and especially Missouri. All states he won. All McCain states now. Spread the map using all resources.
Brasky, if I’m Obama I’m looking at Evan Bayh suddenly. Those 11 ev’s from Indiana are certainly tempting.
Barack rocks the house in this talk.
Jerry, Jerry, Jerry!
“Brasky, if I’m Obama I’m looking at Evan Bayh suddenly. Those 11 ev’s from Indiana are certainly tempting.”
I think he picks the person that helps on the international front AND people can be comfortable with as the next president. Maybe that’s Webb, maybe it isn’t.
The short of it is, if you think you’re going to spread the field on the Republicans, I wouldn’t pick a VP candidate that might only win you ONE state. Pick the one that gets you an extra 1%-2% in a whole bunch of states.
Oh, and Pat, I think you start looking for people with low negatives versus high positives – Hillary is OUT.
I’m for McCain, however it seems to me Wes Clark is Obama’s best pick. I could live with President Obama and Vice President Clark.
“OBAMA UP 2 TO 1 OVER MCCAIN.”
This is a concern for California races. If it’s a foregone conclusion that McCain is losing California, a significant portion of Democrats might not turn out (Dems are kind of like LA sports fans that way).
In the 2000 race, Gore won the popular vote and GWB manufactured a mandate of “political capital” out of a 3 million vote edge on Kerry.
The CDP should put together a Mandate Campaign for Obama (and work in concert with parties in NY, NJ, MA, etc.) to deliver as much of the popular vote to Obama as possible in Democratic strongholds, thereby “running-up” the score on the popular vote and ensuring Obama a political mandate on Day 1.
This would really help on some ballot measures (gay marriage) and some possible gains for Dems in Republican districts (Tommy McClintock – I’m looking in your direction).
marucs – Clark is a solid VP pick for Obama. No one has morepartical national defense experience and he’s very much cut from very traditional candidate cloth, which would ameliaorate some of (as BB puts it) Obama’s “exotic” background.
I’d be very happy with Clark and it would give me an excuse to order some more Clark bars – which I haven’t had in about eight years…
Waiting in one of my many email accounts was a message from Wes Clark (thru Act Blue) asking me to support Obama. Maybe it’s a sign?
You are saying, Mr. Bradley, that the smart investment is in President Obama and Governor Brown?
Bill should set the odds.
Brasky, I don’t anyone for VEEP gets you 1-2% across the country. If Gore had picked Bob Graham in 2000, history would be vastly different. If Edwards had helped Kerry in NC, same story. Like Graham, Bayh has never lost an election in his state. He’s a serious guy: former Governor, armed services committee, intelligence committee. He’s also from HRC’s camp. Remember, it’s a state-to-state election. Our CA votes don’t count for much after we deliver our pile of electors.
“Our CA votes don’t count for much after we deliver our pile of electors.”
But besides President there are several ballot measures and local races where turnout will matter. Plus Bill has noted McCain will be pressured by his party to campaign here to help turnout down ticket even if his prospects here are meager. That may excite the Dem voters to come out and give the party a top to bottom blowout…
Dana – top of the card detemines the number of tickets sold to the fight. We saw that during our presidential primary.
If it’s a blow-out at the top of the ticket, it’s could shave several points off of voter turnout — maybe enough to detemine some downticket races.
Pat Skipper — if you think this election will be determined by past electoral math, then you can try and pick someone that delivers a swing state.
BUT, what you were originally advocating was that Obama was going to spread the field thru his support in traditional Red states and his war chest.
If that is the case, then you go with the person who delivers an extra couple of points across the board, because in that scenario, it will deliver more electoral votes. Plus, it furthers your “spread the field” strategy.
But if this is going to be a replay of 2000 or 2004, then jury-rigging the VP nominee to deliver a historic swing state is a strategy to consider. Personally, I never liked that play, but I concede that it might work.