For the dozens of you who have emailed about Joe Biden being elected to the Senate at age 29, I already know: You have to be 30-years-old to serve in the U.S. Senate. However, Biden was elected at age 29. He turned 30 shortly before being sworn into office.
[ 07/29/2005 06:29 PM ]
And Then There Was One?
Sam Brownback just appeared on CNN’s “Inside Politics” where he asked for his reaction to Bill Frist’s decision to support expanded embryonic stem cell research. Brownback said, “I’m disappointed, but this is consistent with the position Bill Frist articulated four years ago.” Brownback declined to speculate on whether the move would hurt Frist’s 2008 prospects.
With Rick Santorum not running and Frist moving back to the center, does this leave Brownback as the only legitimate conservative candidate in the 2008 Republican field?
[ 07/29/2005 03:49 PM ]
What a Story
The Washington Post reports Joe Biden (or, his ghost writer, to be more specific) is putting together a book detailing “the story of his remarkable 30-year career in the United States Senate -- from journeyman days as a 29-year-old Senator, to his rise to become one of the most powerful” Democrat elected officials.
This type of book is pretty typical for presidential candidates and is scheduled for release early in 2007. Coincidence? C’mon, the guy has already announced he’s running!
[ 07/29/2005 01:42 PM ]
Cell Out
Buzz reader David writes in with a harsh, but perhaps fitting analysis of Bill Frist and stem cells:
While reasonable people can surely disagree on the substance of the stem-cell issue, Frist's flip-flop wasn't just a raw political move, it was a bad raw political move. First, Frist works his way up the ranks of the Senate as a social moderate from a border state who never made much noise about any of the big social issues. Then, seeing an opening for a socially conservative candidate for 2008, Frist flip-flopped on his formerly socially moderate positions, became very vocal on gay marriage, stem cells, judges, and Schiavo, and attempted to run to the right of GOP frontrunners like Rudy, Romney, and McCain. But the move to court the social right by each of the other 2008 prospectives has already begun. Romney's moving right on abortion, Condi on guns, Rudy and McCain on judges. And with the prospect of Sam Brownback jumping into the race, and continuing dismal poll numbers from the Frist camp, the good senator from Tennessee did what any other professional politician would do: he flip-flopped again back over to the social middle. …
One of the most interesting aspects of all of this is how Frist has spent the past year or so basically shopping around for a constituency. This was due entirely to the fact that the man has no natural constituency.
[ 07/29/2005 01:35 PM ]
Finger Flippin' Good
A funny and wholly ridiculous Washington Poststory about which finger exactly President Bush was “flipping” to the White House press yesterday.
[ 07/29/2005 01:31 PM ]
Know Your Allies
From Arlen Specter’s Senate floor comments on Bill Frist’s move to support expanded stem-cell research funding:
Frist's comments will reverberate far and wide around the world ... including the White House. ... I know that the president will listen to what Senator Frist had to say ... and I think it will help bring us together on this issue.
[ 07/29/2005 01:07 PM ]
Brownback Says "Probably" On Roberts
Kansas Senator Sam Brownback stopped by MSNBC’s “Hardball” last night. Chris Matthews spent a good deal of time asking Brownback about Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. When asked if he will vote to confirm Roberts, Brownback said:
Probably. But, as I say, I'm going to trust but verify. I want to see how he comments. I want to see how he testifies and what does he say about some of these key issues of the day. I don't think he's going to comment on the issues, but he should comment about what is the role of the courts in the culture and the society today. And the Constitution, is it a living document or is it a textual document?
[ 07/29/2005 12:48 PM ]
But Seriously Folks...
Joe Biden says President Bush should not make a recess appointment of John Bolton to serve as U.S. Amb. to the United Nations because he inaccurately filled out a questionnaire before testifying in front of Congress. Not to dilute the seriousness of national security matters, but it seems clear Biden and most Democrats will take anything they can find to stall Bolton. At point, they crossed the “Boy Who Cried Wolf” threshold:
It seems unusual that Mr. Bolton would not remember his involvement in such a serious matter. In my mind, this raises more questions that need to be answered. I hope President Bush will not make the mistake of recess appointing Mr. Bolton.
[ 07/29/2005 12:39 PM ]
Pyramid Scheme
The Democratic Party has sent out an email to supporters announcing they have placed new party activists in 25 states. They are now asking for $20 a month in contributions from one million supporters. Good luck with that:
The beauty is, it only takes a small commitment from any one of us. Republicans raise $10 million every month in huge checks from corporate interests. But if a million working people give just $20 a month, we can out-raise them and reshape the political landscape.
[ 07/29/2005 12:30 PM ]
New Model
The New York Post’s Ian BishopfindsHillary Clinton changing faces again:
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton seems to be hedging on her 2000 campaign vow to make support for legalized abortion a litmus test for Supreme Court nominees.
Asked yesterday if court pick John Roberts' position on Roe vs. Wade would make or break her vote, Clinton said, "I'm going to wait to hear his answers to the Judiciary Committee . . . I want to see the facts, the evidence. I want to see more documents.
[ 07/29/2005 11:39 AM ]
Lower the Bar and He'll Jump It
Former New York Republican Senator Alfonse M. D'Amatowrites in today’s Newsday that 2008 watchers should not discount George Pataki’s chances out of hand:
There was a time when the pundits said he couldn't win a freshman's run for mayor of Peekskill. They also said that about him when he ran for the Assembly and then the State Senate. In each instance this quiet, thoughtful man proved himself an astute politician who could read his constituents far better than the pollsters and the political analysts.
Not only did he run and win but he was able to position himself in such a way that an expanding circle of voters genuinely welcomed him as a new and thoughtful voice in government. …
Is a politician from the Northeast a long shot in the American presidential race? Of course. But Pataki has made a successful career of playing those long odds. He will have a strong financial campaign base from a New York City he brought back to its feet and he will find some measure of political assistance from a White House he helped return to office through hundreds of campaign speeches he made across the country.
[ 07/29/2005 11:34 AM ]
Legacy Watch
The New York Times takes a somewhat unflattering look at George Pataki’s legacy as a three-term governor of New York and finds he will likely be most remembered for what he was not:
"I think he will be defined primarily as the guy who beat the liberal Democrat, the intellectual, the hero of the '84 convention," said Doug Muzzio, a professor of political science at Baruch College. "He slew the liberal dragon."
[ 07/29/2005 11:27 AM ]
Moving Right Along
The Washington Post takes a brief look at John McCain rebooting his Straight Talk America PAC. Aside from the obvious presidential ramifications, the Post talks to McCain’s office about how he will use the PAC to bolster his standing with fellow Republicans:
“He's inundated with requests to campaign on behalf of candidates at all levels of the ballot and from state and local committees, and so we're setting up the proper process to do that," said John Weaver, one of McCain's senior advisers. "I anticipate that the senator will be on the road quite a bit in the fall and next year, and this is the right vehicle in which to do that."
But isn't this just a precursor to a presidential bid? "There's nothing I can tell you that would dissuade you of that, is there?" Weaver said. "I'm not even going to try."
[ 07/29/2005 11:18 AM ]
Good Sport
Buzz reader Kevin puts the Bill Frist “principled move” in good perspective:
Frist's claim of conviction and principle reminds me of elite athletes who claim they're retiring so they can spend more time with their families (ala Jordan more than once) or better yet, tell us when they're holding out that it's not about the $$$.
This is pure speculation on my part, but I would assume Frist does and always has personally favored extended stem-cell research. Friends and colleagues have hinted as much. But there is no doubt he led conservative activists to believe his views were more in line with President Bush. Therefore, his shift lacks the conviction of someone like Orrin Hatch. Even if you vehemently disagree with Hatch, he seems to have been consistent and reasoned, so far as I can tell. Don’t think you can say the same for our Senate Majority Leader.
I can be a squish on some topics. But issues of life (abortion, death penalty, stem-cells, etc.) demand a heightened level of seriousness regardless of where you fall on the ideological spectrum.
[ 07/29/2005 10:53 AM ]
Feel the Conviction
ABC’s “The Note” lets its bias out of the bag this morning. In a great example of arrogant, elitist DC journalism, they write of Bill Frist’s stem-cell shift:
Washington wags and cynics have already begun their search for 2008 presidential political angles, but those who know Frist best — and reporters who actually listen to him and watch closely — see this decision as one of thoughtful principle and science, not politics.
As primary evidence, ABC News cites a quote from Frist saying, “I'm doing this as somebody who has convictions. This is not about politics. It is about policy. It is about principle. It is about human life.”
Because when an ambitious politician says they are doing something out of “conviction” and not for political gain, you just know they are always telling the truth. It goes to show even the most self-righteous of so-called “real” journalists don’t hesitate to leave their skepticism at the door when it suits their personal political leanings. Did ABC or the rest of the mainstream media applaud Frist’s “conviction” when he opposed judicial filibusters or stood up for the life of Terri Schiavo?
And that’s not to say The Buzz has never been guilty of such lapses. But at least I confess my bias front and center.
[ 07/29/2005 10:29 AM ]
Start Me Up
Condoleezza Rice also appeared on PBS’s “News Hour With Jim Lehrer” last night. Rice told Lehrer current negotiations with North Korea are a “good start”:
[A]s I've said, that the talks seem to be professional in tone and people are working hard and that's good; and by all accounts, all of the parties are working hard. The real issue is going to be at the end of the day, and I don't mean just at the end of the session, are we going to succeed. I would not expect that out of this round of the six-party talks, we're going to have a solution to this problem. It took us some time to get there. People forget that the North Koreans have been trying to build the nuclear weapons since the late 1960s when they had cooperation with the Soviet Union. So it's going to take some time to change this circumstance.
[ 07/29/2005 10:13 AM ]
Rice Tops Forbes Mag's "Most Powerful" List - Again
For the second year in a row, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tops Forbes magazine's list of most powerful women in the world. Forbes cites Rice’s “steely nerves” where she serves as, “adviser to the leader of the world's largest superpower and has an unparalleled level of trust with and access to the president.”
Hillary Clinton placed number 26 on the list.
For more on Rice’s future prospects, check out my recent NRO piece on the Draft Condi effort.
[ 07/29/2005 10:08 AM ]
Plan B
As Bill Frist told ABC’s “Good Morning America” today regarding his stem-cell move, “Most people would say you should not do this if you're running for president.”
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Friday threw his support behind legislation to expand federal financing for embryonic stem cell research, breaking with President Bush and religious conservatives in a move that could impact his prospects for seeking the White House in 2008.
Frist announced during a Senate floor speech:
While human embryonic stem cell research is still at a very early stage, the limitation put into place in 2001 will, over time, slow our ability to bring potential new treatments for certain diseases. Therefore, I believe the president's policy should be modified. We should expand federal funding ... and current guidelines governing stem cell research, carefully and thoughtfully, staying within ethical bounds.
[ 07/29/2005 09:47 AM ]
July 28, 2005
Coin Toss
National Review’s Byron Yorkwrites in The Hill that Hillary Clinton’s efforts to unite the factions of the Democratic Party may be in vain:
It sounded nice, but if Mrs. Clinton actually believes she can make peace between the DLC and the VLWC — well, she’d better think again. As they say, that is, like, so not going to happen.
Just look at the reaction to Sen. Clinton’s speech from one of the most accomplished strategists of the VLWC, Markos Moulitsas of the Daily Kos website.
“The poor, poor DLC forced to ‘return fire?’” Moulitsas wrote this week. “Please. The DLC has always been at the forefront of intra-party mud-slinging. They’re just finally being called on it, and suddenly it’s time for peace?”
However, as York explains, those same nuances Moulitsas and other liberal activists rejects are exactly what kept Bill Clinton in office. The shock troops over at Daily Kos might not like it, but chances are most Democrats will. Clinton’s logic is smart. She knows any hope of solidifying a Democrat majority requires the opposite strategy employed by Republican candidates. If you are a national Democrat, you must shed the skin of the far left to be embraced by so-called independents. Al Gore and John Kerry secured higher percentages of base Democratic support than Bill Clinton ever did. And we see how well that worked out for Kerry and Gore.
Besides, I saw the home Moulitsas lives in while he did a taping with C-SPAN a few months ago. For someone who bemoans corporate interests, he seems to be living a pretty good life. He reminds me of the first hippie I met when attending school in Eugene, Oregon back in the late 90’s. This guy came up to me at a 7-Eleven asking for spare change. I, the perennially broke college student, handed the dreadlocked menace a few coins. He then climbed into a friend’s BMW and drove away.
[ 07/28/2005 12:56 PM ]
George of the Jungle
Free Enterprise Fund Vice President Peter Roff spoke with The Buzz today about George Pataki’s future political prospects. Roff was not critical of Pataki. In fact, he went out of his way to argue that even if Pataki’s ultimate chances of securing the 2008 Republican nomination are slim, he still will be a “candidate to be reckoned with.”
“As governor of the third largest state, he is definitely a candidate to be reckoned with. His primary problem is that non-New York voters don’t know about his accomplishments or his weaknesses. He needs to spend the next two years introducing himself to voters.”
While conservative voters dominate the Republican primary process, Roff thinks with time, Pataki could make inroads with skeptical voters, much as he did in New York. What’s more, Pataki has this opportunity in large part because of the wide-open 2008 field:
“For the first time since 1952, the GOP has no real idea of who their nominee is going to be … There is some degree of chaos. Most of the first tier of candidates have some problem with various alignments in the GOP. Pick your issue, whether it’s abortion or taxes, and you can find a way to pick apart just about anybody in the field. Now, if he were running against Hillary Clinton, you might see the party more open to someone like Pataki or another moderate candidate. For the right candidate against the right opponent, they might be willing to set aside some of their concerns.”
[ 07/28/2005 12:31 PM ]
Busy Body
Hillary Clinton’s day is packed with press conferences. In just a few minutes, she will appear with John McCain to announce a “major effort” to build a rehabilitation center for the National Armed Forces in San Antonio.
Then, at 2:15pm at the Washington Convention Center, Clinton will attend an event titled “The Black Male: Endangered Species or Hope for the Future?”
Referring to a significant percentage of the American population as an “endangered species” sounds both disturbing and insulting. Personally, I would have gone with “Black to the Future.” But I’m not African-American, just a geek.
[ 07/28/2005 11:04 AM ]
Turns Out the Door is Revolving
After several news outlets breathlessly claimed Rick Santorum had taken himself out of the 2008 circus, it turns out, to no surprise, that the window isn’t completely closed. Santorum told a group of reporters:
The reason I leave this little window open is because I have no idea what's going to happen between now and 31/2 years from now. It would be easier for me to say no, absolutely, positively under no circumstances, but in my mind that wouldn't be honest.
Still, don’t bet on Santorum running. He could make a strong candidate, but he has to get re-elected first. And that doesn't begin to address the issue of alienated conservatives unhappy with Santorum's endorsement of Arlen Specter last year.
[ 07/28/2005 10:51 AM ]
He's Just Not That Into You
Boston Globe columnist Adrian Walker takes the liberal shears to Mitt Romney. Walker argues that Romney used Massachusetts as a stepping-stone to his presidential ambitions and now “cant’ wait” to leave the state behind. Walker cites Romney’s veto of a bill expanding the so-called “morning after pill” as prime example:
Massachusetts, with its liberal Democrats and liberal-leaning independents, now occupies a completely different place in his political thinking. He could have vetoed the bill and left it at that; the decision to go much further was obviously a strategic one, one that says Massachusetts is no longer what he's about.
The governor can certainly change his mind about Roe v. Wade if he wants. But the charge that he has waffled on abortion in both of his campaigns rings truer than ever this week. Still, if it plays in South Carolina and Louisiana, who cares what they say in Boston?
[ 07/28/2005 10:42 AM ]
Priming Pataki
John PodhoretzwritesGeorge Pataki should take the White House off his radar and think/hope for a 2006 Senate run:
If Hillary Clinton decides not to run for re-election to concentrate on her 2008 bid, that will be Pataki's chance. The Democratic field to replace her is almost as pitiable as the Republican field to replace him. Could he beat Rep. Nita Lowey? Sure.
Indeed, because he would be running for a different office with different responsibilities, he could dodge some of the criticism he was going to face for his mishandling of the Ground Zero site.
[ 07/28/2005 10:33 AM ]
The Good News
As I like to do here on The Buzz from time to time, here are some new and positive economic numbers worth pointing out. As USA Today leads, “The economy flashed fresh signals of strength in the last two months, with factories buzzing and cash registers ringing despite high gas prices.”
New York Daily News columnist Bill Hammondwrites, “[George] Pataki and his inner circle might really believe he could be President one day. But observers outside of Pataki-land, on both the left and the right, aren't buying it.”
However, Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist echoes the point I’ve been making this week about Pataki’s time schedule:
Not everyone discounts his chances in a national election. Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform argued that Pataki's fund-raising prowess will allow him to stay in the race even if he loses early primaries. And leaving office gives him an opportunity to redefine himself in a way that appeals to conservatives, Norquist said.
[ 07/28/2005 10:05 AM ]
DeCAF
I mentioned earlier this morning how CAFTA squeaked through the House on a narrow margin today. Part of the reason for the close call was the break in support from Democrats who had previously supported free trade.
Specifically, the Democratic Leadership Council has advocated passage of CAFTA on a four-point platform of solid reasoning. However, 33 of the 43 Democrat House members aligned with the DLC voted against CAFTA.
Earlier this week Hillary Clinton was appointed by the DLC to find new ways of uniting the Democratic Party. However, Clinton and fellow 2008-aspirant Evan Bayh both voted against CAFTA. And they were not alone. 10 of the 18 Senators affiliated with the DLC voted against CAFTA, including John Kerry. Kerry supported in NAFTA in 1993.
[ 07/28/2005 09:47 AM ]
Heart Transplant
Buzz reader Greg has an excellent scoop on Tom Vilsack’s new Heartland PAC, which will be used to financially support Democrat gubernatorial candidates over the next two years. As coverage noted yesterday, it was no coincidence that Vilsack chose the name “Heartland” for his PAC, as some Democrats attempt to reconnect with mainstream voters. However, Greg discovers:
As an Iowan (and Cedar Rapids talk show host)...I'm not stupid, but the Heartland PAC in your item about Governor Tom Vilsack was a little curious to me, so I checked it out. Not exactly "the Heartland" is it? Nor is it very "centrist"...
A search of the WHOIS database revealed this:
Domain Name:HEARTLANDPAC.ORG
Created On:04-Apr-2005 16:17:32 UTC
Last Updated On:04-Jun-2005 04:00:43 UTC
Expiration Date:04-Apr-2008 16:17:32 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:Network Solutions LLC (R63-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:39309997-NSI
Registrant Name:Heartland PAC
Registrant Organization:Heartland PAC
Registrant Street1:9405 Thornhill Rd
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Silver Spring
Registrant State/Province:MD
Registrant Postal Code:20901
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.2023748020
Name Server:NS1.BLUESTATEDIGITAL.COM
Name Server:NS2.BLUESTATEDIGITAL.COM
Bluestate Digital is the same group funded by key members of Howard Dean's web team...including such "centrist" clients as MoveOn.org Student Action, Americans Coming Together, Al Franken's Shout Out, and Democracy For America.
[ 07/28/2005 09:38 AM ]
90 Percent of Life is Showing Up
Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee will be the keynote speaker at the Strafford County Republican Picnic, New Hampshire’s largest annual gathering of state GOPers. More than 800 people are expected to attend.
George Allen, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich were also invited to attend the event, but cited “scheduling conflicts.”
[ 07/28/2005 09:30 AM ]
Disarming the Opposition
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has pushed forward legislation that would protect gun manufacturers from lawsuits where ammunition of firearms are used in a crime. The bill could come up for a vote as early as tomorrow. Under the bill, gun manufacturers can still be held liable for product defects and other issues not directly related to a crime by the consumer. Frist said:
Without this legislation, it is probable the American manufacturers of legal firearms will be faced with a real prospect of going out of business. These frivolous suits threaten a domestic industry that is critical to our national defense, jeopardize hundreds of thousands of jobs and put at risk that law-abiding citizens have access to guns for recreational use.
[ 07/28/2005 09:15 AM ]
Just Barely
The House voted this morning to approve CAFTA by a 217-215 vote. 27 Republicans voted against the bill, as did all but 15 Democrats.
[ 07/28/2005 08:55 AM ]
Going but not Gone
The New York Timesrepeats the conventional wisdom about George Pataki’s uphill odds in pursuing a presidential campaign. Still, they find at least two associates willing to go on the record and discuss his prospects:
Representative Thomas M. Reynolds, an upstate Republican who is close to the governor, noted that Mr. Pataki had repeatedly defied political expectations in the past and said that he was encouraging Mr. Pataki to explore a run. "If George Pataki could be in every person's living room, he'd win them over," Mr. Reynolds said.
And Charles A. Gargano, the chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation and a close associate of the governor's, said he, too, hopes Mr. Pataki will run. "I think he certainly would make a great president, but that's his decision," Mr. Gargano said. "I think that he has a good record to bring with him, and I believe that his leadership style - he is a very intelligent man and a very compassionate man, and I think that's what the people of the United States want."
Pataki made another important announcement yesterday, that he will not end his term early. So, he’ll have to balance any 2008 ambitions with his duty to office until January 2007.
[ 07/28/2005 08:47 AM ]
July 27, 2005
Mover and Shaker
The Associated Press reports Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack has formed a political action committee, Heartland PAC, to help Democrat gubernatorial candidates in 38 states over the next two years. As the AP notes:
The naming of the PAC is far from a coincidence. Vilsack and other potential Democratic candidates for outside of Washington often argue that Democrats must offer messages that resonate in the nation’s heartland.
This has definitely been a busy 2008 news cycle for Vilsack. First, he was named head of the Democratic Leadership Council. Then, news broke of his PAC and associated website. Finally, Vilsack has also announced he will not seek a third term as governor. All signs he is seriously moving towards a 2008 campaign. And coming from Iowa, he can at least be guaranteed a leading role in the primary state.
[ 07/27/2005 01:25 PM ]
Turf War
The Hill’s Roxana Tironwrites the split between John McCain and the White House over detainee treatment, “is the first high-profile dispute between the administration and the popular senator since the November election.”
However, McCain’s office says the dispute is not a “major” one. Several analysts cited in the article note the issue is about McCain, due to his POW experience, but “larger than his agenda.” The proposal by McCain, Lindsey Graham and John Warner would make the Army’s field manual on interrogation as the standard throughout the Department of Defense.
[ 07/27/2005 01:15 PM ]
Decent Proposal?
Andrew Sullivanwrites on the White House resistance to congressional detainee legislation:
Decent conservatives in the Senate understand that this administration's shameful record must be corrected by legislation. The administration is so desperate to retain complete control over detention policies, so as to pick and choose when to torture and abuse prisoners, that they have delayed the military authorization bill to the fall to prevent the McCain and Graham amendments. Deep down, this is a debate about whether the president, in a war with no defined end, can simply place himself above the law whenever he so desires, in order to reverse America's long-standing policy of treating prisoners humanely.
Right or wrong, this seems too broad a statement. Taken literally, Sullivan’s argues those Republicans opposed to the John McCain and Lindsey Graham amendments lack decency. Obviously, that’s more than an unfair assertion to make. Especially when considering an issue of national security.
[ 07/27/2005 01:07 PM ]
McCain on Immigration
While appearing on Fox News Channel’s “O’Reilly Factor” last night, John McCain was asked about his immigration reform ideas by host Bill O’Reilly.
O’Reilly said:
In the Kyl-Cornyn bill, which is a competing bill to yours, ... they say they will fund 10,000 border patrol agents immediately, and an additional 10,000 to crack down on businesses which hire illegal aliens. You don't have anything specific in your bill to secure the border.
McCain responded:
We have provisions for dramatically increasing border enforcement. And by the way, you couldn't train 10,000 border patrol agents. And we also place a lot of emphasis on high tech, such as UAV's and lasers and others. Look, Bill, there's no argument whatsoever nor difference between me and Ted Kennedy, John Cornyn and Jon Kyl on the need to enforce our border. …
And the White House has agreed, the president agrees, we need a guest worker program to go along with it to relieve some of the pressures that are coming across with illegal immigration so that we can arrest and take care of possible terrorists and drug dealers.
[ 07/27/2005 12:45 PM ]
Not so Sweet
The political action committee StemPAC announced it will launch a TV ad entitled “hope” targeting Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist this week in New Hampshire.
StemPAC is the self-described “highest trafficked web site in support of stem cell research.” The group says it is targeting Frist for not holding a vote on the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. StemPAC founder John Hlinko said:
Senator Frist has been ignoring the will of the majority of Americans, and has refused to schedule a vote on this key legislation. Maybe the good people of New Hampshire will be able to exert special influence on the Senator. ... Frist has had his eye on New Hampshire a lot lately, and we're guessing it's not just for its delicious maple syrup.
[ 07/27/2005 12:37 PM ]
Check Mates
The New York Post’s Ian Bishopwrites, “It pays to be a senior staffer in Hillary Rodham Clinton's Senate office.” Six Clinton staffers are receiving money from Clinton’s re-election committee and her HillPAC in addition to their senate salaries. The payment loophole allows Clinton to pay her select staffers more lucrative salaries without breaking her office’s official $3.5 million budget:
Chief of Staff Tamera Luzzatto is currently receiving $870 a month from the Friends of Hillary re-election committee and another $870 monthly from HillPAC — on top of her $135,000 annual salary. …
[Clinton spokesman Philippe] Reines, with a $65,000 Senate salary, is receiving identical payments each month from both the Friends of Hillary and HillPAC at a combined $26,000 annual clip.
Deputy Communications Director Sarah Gegenheimer ($85,000) gets two $1,140 monthly add-ons, and adviser Benjamin Souede ($69,000) is taking in two $672 payments each month.
Clinton's state director Karen Persichilli-Keogh ($95,000) gets two $1,050 monthly payouts, while New York-based press secretary Jennifer Hanley ($60,000) gets $734 twice a month.
[ 07/27/2005 11:02 AM ]
The Right Man?
The Hill’s Geoff Earlelooks at what the 2008 Republican field will look like without Rick Santorum among their ranks. Chief among those hoping to benefit from Santorum’s apparent move may be Kansas Senator Sam Brownback:
“Rick would’ve been a good candidate,” said Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), who noted Santorum’s strength with social conservatives. “He’d have been a very strong candidate in the Republican field.”
But with Santorum out, Brownback said, there are “not as many people lining up the same bloc of votes in a primary. It does open up a bloc of votes that would naturally have tended toward him.”
[ 07/27/2005 10:32 AM ]
Pataki "kind of likes" Iowa
A source from within George Pataki’s meeting with friends/advisors last night, says Pataki “joked” about his future ambitions:
"He alluded to the fact that there will be journeys ahead," said a source who attended last night's gathering.
Looking around the room, the governor quipped, "I was in Iowa, and you know what? I kind of like Iowa," the source said.
[ 07/27/2005 10:20 AM ]
The White House as Clown Car
USA Today’sSusan Pagewrites, “President’s job gets harder when 10 senators want it.”
Page writes senators from both parties are allowing their own ambitions to trump the president’s agenda:
The combination of the early start and the big field of candidates makes it more difficult for Bush to maintain discipline among Republicans on renewing the USA Patriot Act. It has undermined efforts to forge alliances with Democrats on Social Security.
And it is one of several factors contributing to other predicaments Bush and his second-term agenda face on Capitol Hill: John Bolton's nomination as United Nations ambassador in limbo; the administration's Central American trade accord and immigration proposals in dispute; the military's treatment of detainees under fire. …
"It does complicate matters" for the president, says Nicholas Calio, who served as top White House liaison with Congress for both Bush and his father. "When senators are thinking they're going to run for president, there's always an agenda working within an agenda, and that agenda isn't usually his."
[ 07/27/2005 10:07 AM ]
Trying for a Fresh Start
The New York Times also writes that George Pataki’s decision to not seek re-election may just be the first stage of an effort to please influential conservatives:
One Republican strategist, who formerly worked for Mr. Pataki, read another tea leaf: The move by a potential rival of Mr. Pataki's in 2008, Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, to veto a bill that would have widened access to the morning-after pill. Mr. Romney issued the veto on Monday, pleasing some influential conservative Republican groups; similar legislation is heading toward Mr. Pataki's desk, and he is said to be leaning toward a veto as well. To the extent that Mr. Romney is receiving national media coverage this week for his veto, Mr. Pataki may be seeking to make his own splash.
[ 07/27/2005 09:55 AM ]
PAC In Business
In another sign of the slow crawl to 2008, Political Money Line reports John McCain’s Straight Talk America PAC is back in business.
[ 07/27/2005 09:35 AM ]
Pataki Clears His Schedule
The New York TimesreportsGeorge Pataki gathered a group of close friends and advisors last night to inform them he will not seek a fourth term as governor. A formal announcement is expected today.
Pataki’s move can mean only one thing, as the Times notes, “it sets the stage for Mr. Pataki to explore a possible run for president in 2008.” While Pataki will face the daunting task of competing for moderate GOP support with the more popular Rudy Giuliani, he’ll at least now have the advantage of hitting the road before Giuliani makes his 2008 intentions clear.
[ 07/27/2005 09:22 AM ]
Party Crashers
The Washington PostreportsHillary Clinton’s new post as a party unifier with the Democratic Leadership Council is already having just the opposite effect – widening a new rift within the Democratic Party:
Long a revered figure by many in the party's liberal wing, Clinton (D-N.Y.) unexpectedly found herself under attack after calling Monday for a cease-fire among the party's quarreling factions and for agreeing to assume the leadership of a DLC-sponsored initiative aimed at developing a more positive policy agenda for the party.
Liberal blogs like Daily Kos took Clinton to task yesterday for siding with the DLC as opposed to more liberal groups like the New Democrat Network. Of course, Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas has a professional association with the NDN.
And the leftist Campaign for America’s Future took Clinton to task as well:
There has been an activist resurgence in the Democratic Party in recent years, and Hillary risks ensuring that there's a candidate to her left appealing to those activists who don't much like the DLC.
You know, the “resurgence” that has elected the last two presidents, a decade of congressional control and a majority of the nation’s governorships – for Republicans.
[ 07/27/2005 09:03 AM ]
July 26, 2005
The Problem With Polls
Buzz reader Kenneth writes in to explain more problems with the Mason-Dixon poll of Mark Warner and George Allen:
In addition to the tendency of self-described "independents" to skew left, there is another problem, peculiar to Virginia. Virginia has open primaries, so there is no need to register as a member of one party or the other. People of either the right or left can be very consistent in voting for one party or the other their whole lives and, when asked, honestly report that they are "independents."
[ 07/26/2005 01:29 PM ]
Washington Post Issues Correction After The Buzz Reports Milbank Error
After my reporting on the Washington Post’sDana Milbank last week, the Post issued a correction. For two days in a row, Milbank ran misleading and false statements connected to Texas Senator John Cornyn.
The Post correction reads:
The July 20 Washington Sketch column said that Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) issued the text of a speech praising President Bush for nominating Judge Edith Brown Clement to the Supreme Court. A spokesman for Cornyn said the text was intended only as a written statement.
Of course, this correction tries to dilute Milbank’s responsibility by shifting some of the blame to Cornyn spokesman Don Stewart. However, Stewart made it clear in his email (Milbank was not included in the recipient list but go a hold of the email from someone else, likely a friendly reporter) that the information was embargoed until after President Bush’s Supreme Court announcement and that it was only intended as talking points, not a speech.
[ 07/26/2005 01:22 PM ]
Double Trouble
Also from the Mason-Dixon poll, respondents were asked about Mark Warner and George Allen running for president in 2008.
When asked if Warner should run for president in 2008, 42 percent say “yes,” 39 percent say “no.” Allen also gets 42 percent support, with 38 percent saying “no.”
Those numbers are actually quite good for both candidates. Statewide polls typically show resistance to local candidates running for president.
[ 07/26/2005 12:56 PM ]
Could Warner Top Allen?
A new Mason-Dixon poll shows that Virginia Governor Mark Warner leads Senator George Allen in a possible 2006 Senate match-up 47 to 42 percent. 11 percent remain undecided. Of course, Warner is not running for Senate – he’s running for president. There is also the name recognition factor. How many respondents were thinking of Republican John Warner when they responded to the poll? Flashes of the Distinguished Gentleman, anyone?
What’s more, there are serious problems with the sampling used in this poll. 49 percent of respondents were men, and 51 percent were women. Nothing wrong there. However, a plurality of respondents hail from Northern Virginia, where Warner receives his strongest bases of support. The party breakdown is listed as 38 percent Republican, 31 percent Democrat and 31 percent Independent. The problem with so-called independent respondents is that there is no way of knowing just how “independent” they really are. Too many times we’ve seen these heavily weighted independent polls come out heavily shifted to liberal causes or candidates.
[ 07/26/2005 12:54 PM ]
"Just Speaking Their Mind..."
Evan Bayh appeared on CNN’s “Inside Politics” yesterday. During his appearance, Bayh was asked about Karl Rove:
We shouldn't have someone working in the Oval Office trying to discredit and smear a private individual, who's just speaking their mind about an important issue facing the country. That is not going to move our nation forward. …
And so to have one of the president's right-hand people engaged in that kind of behavior just is not -- it's not up to the standards that we ought to have in the White House.
Though Bayh apparently sees no problem with shifting one's voting record to establish liberal credabililty before a presidential campaign. Does Bayh really think moves like voting against the confirmation of Condoleezza Rice and defending Joe Wilson will make him appear a more serious figure? If anything, Bayh is quickly eroding what was once considered a strong face of moderate Democrat politics.
[ 07/26/2005 12:38 PM ]
All the Right Moves
The Hotline says Sam Brownback sounded more open to the nomination of John Roberts during an appearance on C-SPAN this morning. During the appearance, Brownback said of Roberts:
He's a brilliant man. ... He has a midwestern calm and modest demeanor. I was very impressed. I have been with him on paper and in person. We shared some family stories. ... I'm impressed with him as an individual. ... He will have a quite a tough road moving forward. Although I believe his coming out party, if you will, to the country was done was pretty effectively.
And on Roberts/abortion, Brownback said:
I don't think you're going to know the answer to that question. That would cause him to prejudge a case that would be up in front of him. But I do think you can ask for his view of the role of the Constitution.
[ 07/26/2005 12:29 PM ]
Different Rules for Different Needs
Roll Call reports that Joe Biden is asking for $2,000 minimum contributions to his “Unite our States” PAC. The PAC officially launches tonight at a private fundraiser hosted by 20 lobbyists and Democratic fundraisers.
Biden has personally declined to accept PAC contributions to his Senate re-election campaigns since the mid-1980’s, the paper says.
[ 07/26/2005 12:06 PM ]
Maybe Edwards Just Loves Cornbread
The Des Moines Register takes a look at the upcoming visits to Iowa by Indiana Senator Evan Bayh and former North Carolina Senator John Edwards. Edwards is making his third trip to Iowa since the 2004 election, while it’s the first post-election visit for Bayh. Nonetheless, both are marching into territory that could be used by Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack to launch his own 2008 campaign.
[ 07/26/2005 12:02 PM ]
Choose Your Own Adventure
The Associated Press saysRick Santorum has “ruled out” a 2008 presidential bid. During an online chat with the Washington Post yesterday, Santorum said:
I have six children ages 4-14. And the idea of coming off a race of the intensity that I am engaged in at this point and turning around and running another two-year campaign for president is not something that I believe is in the best interest of my family. I can't speak for other politicians but I can speak for me, and my intention is not to run in 2008.
I personally don’t think Santorum is running in ’08 for essentially the same reason. Family considerations aside, coming off what is certain to be a nasty, drawn-out campaign is not the best stepping stone to a national effort. Then again, that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t make a strong vice presidential candidate for someone like John McCain, in need of bolstering their conservative credentials.
Either way, 2006 will be a pivotal year for Santorum. If his re-election is a success, he will remain one of the more powerful GOP lawmakers and will certainly be discussed as 2008 potential. Then again, if he loses to Bob Casey Jr., he could the very opposite direction and simply be out of a job.
[ 07/26/2005 11:55 AM ]
Value Pack
In the new issue of the Atlantic Monthly, Mitt Romneysays his Mormon faith is not out of the American mainstream:
You know, the principles and values taught to me by faith are values I aspire to live by and are as American as motherhood and apple pie. My faith believes in family, believes in Jesus Christ. It believes in serving one's neighbor and one's community. It believes in military service. It believes in patriotism; it actually believes this nation had an inspired founding.
Ted Kennedy adds that Romney’s faith would not be a negative factor if he decided to run for president. Kennedy was being asked by the AM reporter about Romney’s faith in general, and responded:
The question you didn't ask about Mormonism, whether it would hurt him in a national campaign. The answer is no. We've moved on. That died with my brother Jack.
[ 07/26/2005 11:45 AM ]
Life Support
The Hill’sAlexander Boltonreports that “with the support of” Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate and House Dems are urging the DNC to establish an “official relationship” with Democrats for Life, a pro-life group that has previously been “shunned” by the DNC.
Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson is leading the effort for Democrats, along with a handful of House members:
Representatives of Democrats for Life, including Nelson’s staff, and 16 House Democrats met with Dean on Thursday morning to urge him to establish an official relationship that would be signified by, among other things, posting the group’s Internet address on the DNC website. So far, the DNC has refused to allow even that modest show of affiliation with Democrats for Life.
[ 07/26/2005 11:37 AM ]
Please Appease Me
The New York Timeslooks at the various attacks from 2008-minded Democrats at yesterday’s DLC meeting.
Virginia Governor Mark Warner attacked Republicans on fiscal issues, saying, “Today's Washington fiscal conservative is someone who thinks that deficits can go on forever and that you can make the cost of the war go away simply by moving them off the balance sheet."
Evan Bayh was more partisan, attacking the White House for “false bravado” and “incompetence” concerning Iraq. Bayh added, "It's obvious that they had no plan for winning the peace.”
Tom Vilsack continued the Iraq theme, complaining that the administration was "not sharing with us the true reasons for going to war or the true price we would have to pay to continue the war." However, Vilsack also warned Democrats, "We can't afford to be anti-, against everything. America is waiting for us. They are desperate to know what we are for."
Of course, Vilsack is wrong. If the foreign policy analysis provided by Bayh and Vilsack represent the moderate wing of the Democratic Party, the American public already has a pretty good idea of what Democrats represent on national security: appeasement. And that’s why they re-elected George W. Bush.
[ 07/26/2005 11:22 AM ]
Leader of the Pack
Dan Balzwrites in the Washington Post that yesterday’s DLC meeting was an accurate reflection of how most expect the 2008 Democratic primaries to play out, with Hillary Clinton in front and a pack vying for attention:
Although the next presidential campaign is three years away, Monday's session had clear overtones of that coming race. Three other Democrats actively considering running in 2008 -- Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, the newly named DLC chairman; Sen. Evan Bayh (Ind.), the outgoing DLC chairman; and Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner, who just concluded a year as chairman of the National Governors Association -- competed with Clinton for attention.
[ 07/26/2005 11:13 AM ]
Meet the New Captain
The Los Angeles Times’ Ron Brownsteinwrites of yesterday’s Democratic Leadership Council meeting, where party moderates designated Hillary Clinton to “direct a new initiative to define a party agenda for the 2006 and 2008 elections.”
Brownstein notes:
The appointment solidified the identification of Clinton — once considered a champion of the party's left — with the centrist movement that helped propel her husband to the White House in 1992. It also continued her effort, which has accelerated in recent months, to present herself as a moderate on issues such as national security, immigration and abortion.
[ 07/26/2005 11:01 AM ]
Filibusted
Buzz reader Mike makes a great point about how the Associated Press covered today’s news that the White House is preparing a recess appointment of John Bolton:
Notice how, now that the buzz over the Group of 14 has died down, the press does not hesitate to use the word "filibuster." Recall that when they first blocked Bolton, it was done by "failure to end the debate" or some other euphemism. But now they feel free to use the dreaded “F” word again.
[ 07/26/2005 10:18 AM ]
Heralding Rice
Today’s Miami Herald has an editorial highlighting Condoleezza Rice’s trip to the Sudan last week. The Herald writes:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to Sudan last week brought much needed attention to the genocide in Darfur. Her visit shows the resolve of the Bush administration to work for a solution to the humanitarian crisis there, even as it wages an anti-terror war and pushes for Middle East peace. Ms. Rice saw first-hand the Sudan government's thuggish nature. Sudanese security agents blocked U.S. diplomats and media from attending her meeting with Lt. Gen. Omar Hassan Bashir. The incidents underscored the overarching problem – this government doesn't play by the rules. Thus, the U.S. and international response must include tough sanctions and realistic security measures."
[ 07/26/2005 10:13 AM ]
A Lesson in Civility
Appearing on MSNBC’s “Hardball” last night, Democrat Senator Diane Feinstein told host Chris Matthews she does not believe John Roberts will be an activist judge.
Matthews: "Does he believe in precedent?"
Feinstein: "Yes, he does believe in precedent. And, he is very cautious and very studious, and in no way, shape or form do I believe he puts any ideology before the law. Nor do I believe he would be an activist in the law. I see none of those signs in anything he has done or said."
It's times like this when it is hard to believe the respectable Feinstein shares the title of Senator with fellow Californian Barbara Boxer.
[ 07/26/2005 10:07 AM ]
Much Ado About Nothing?
The Boston Globereports that in 2002 Mitt Romney all but declared himself pro-choice in a Planned Parenthood questionnaire:
In a written response to a questionnaire for candidates in 2002, Romney told Planned Parenthood that he supported ''the substance of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade," according to the group.
Honestly, both sides have it somewhat wrong in my opinion. To the critical eye, there can be almost no doubt Romney has shifted his views on abortion to make himself more palatable as a presidential candidate. Pro-life voters have to ask themselves, is it more important to have a candidate and a possible president who shares your views at heart, or one who perhaps talks the right talk, but does not share the belief in their core?
On the other hand, pro-abortion supporters are making quite a fuss out of Romney’s veto, as is the Boston Globe. This is both foolish and pointless. First, calculated political move or not, Romney is not violating his 2002 election year promise – he’s keeping it. Besides, the state House and Senate have already approved the bill with veto-proof majorities. Even with Romney’s veto, it’s all but certain to become law.
[ 07/26/2005 09:57 AM ]
Prescription for a Candidate
Mitt Romneywrites in the Boston Globe on why he decided to veto a bill that would greatly increase access to the so-called morning after pill. Along with other measures, the bill would allow sale of the drug over-the-counter without a prescription. Romney writes:
Signing such a measure into law would violate the promise I made to the citizens of Massachusetts when I ran for governor. I pledged that I would not change our abortion laws either to restrict abortion or to facilitate it. What's more, this particular bill does not require parental consent even for young teenagers. It disregards not only the seriousness of abortion but the importance of parental involvement and so would weaken a protection I am committed to uphold. …
I understand that my views on laws governing abortion set me in the minority in our Commonwealth. I am prolife. I believe that abortion is the wrong choice except in cases of incest, rape, and to save the life of the mother. I wish the people of America agreed, and that the laws of our nation could reflect that view.
[ 07/26/2005 09:33 AM ]
At Long Last
The Associated Press says President Bush may make a recess appointment of John Bolton to serve as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations when Congress officially leaves town this Friday.
[ 07/26/2005 09:25 AM ]
July 25, 2005
Now They're Offended?
Buzz reader Nick writes in on Hillary Clinton’s battle against video games:
Way prior to the "Hot Coffee" fiasco, I would have agreed that San Andreas is worthy of an AO [adults only] rating. Is a surprisingly less than visually explicit hidden mini-game worse than the very adult content that has already been in the game without extraordinary attention - like drug courier missions, pimping missions, and the heavy violence (sometimes against police and soldiers) and language? However, that points out a flaw similar to that found in the movie rating system, where an appropriate label of ADULTS ONLY leads to abandonment by the marketplace. This creates an incentive to stretch the boundaries and definitions of the M rating, and not to address a meaningful solution.
There doesn’t seem to be much debate about keeping games like this out of the hands of children. Consumers can demand retailer responsibility on sales of games, music and videos, just like they do with cigarettes and alcohol. A self-regulated social norm of cashiers checking the ID’s of younger customers would go a great distance toward this effort.
However, when retailers like Target pull the game from their shelves, they are ignoring a legitimate consumer demand while still not addressing the rating issue. After all, other versions of the Grand Theft Auto series are still on their shelves.
[ 07/25/2005 02:21 PM ]
Chasing the Spotlight?
The Associated Press has a good look at how much is at stake during the Supreme Court nomination of John Roberts for 2008 aspiring Senators on both the left and right:
For those harboring the slightest interest in a presidential bid, the debate over the first high-court nominee in more than a decade leaves a tricky calculation: what to say and not to say about a jurist expected to steer the court to the right but whose enigmatic record makes him difficult to predict.
The AP says Joe Biden and Sam Brownback stand out in particular. Both serve on the Judiciary Committee and, “Both men may feel the need to steal some of the national political attention being lavished on Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., considered the early 2008 front-runners in the absence of any official word.”
[ 07/25/2005 01:13 PM ]
Ready for Their Close-Up
Joe Biden appeared on CBS’s “Face the Nation” yesterday and was asked if the presidential ambitions of Senators, including himself, would play into the nomination of John Roberts to the Supreme Court:
I don't think so, but I think every single thing that anyone is thinking our president does or says will be viewed through that prism. So whether or not that is the motivation of anyone voting on Roberts or asking questions about Roberts, I'm sure it'll be phrased in that context.
[ 07/25/2005 01:00 PM ]
Deposit/Withdrawal, It's All Semantics, Right?
Bob Novakwrites in his column that Virginia Senator George Allen, the “hottest early prospect for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination” may have “blundered” during a May visit to New Hampshire:
GOP insiders in the nation's earliest primary state did not want to criticize him publicly, but called Allen's New Hampshire performance "odd." That's because presidential candidates are supposed to spend funds in the state, not take money out. Allen was raising money for his 2006 Senate re-election campaign.
[ 07/25/2005 11:58 AM ]
Ssshhh, We're Raising Money Over Here...
In her gossip column that leads with items on rapper 50 Cent and actor Ben Affleck, the New York Post’sCindy Adams also dishes some dirt on John McCain:
Meanwhile, Saturday night, the Hampton home of Howard Gittis was loaded with low-key big-money types. The cocktails-and-dinner thing was very-very-very hush-hush. A non-fundraiser fundraiser for McCain. A sort of meet 'n' greet. A sort of handshaking check-shaking cultivating of support. A getting-to-know-you so you can come back later and shake-the-trees type thing.
Translation: Getting your ducks in a row for when McCain sprints for the White House.
No word on if Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn crashed the party.
[ 07/25/2005 11:50 AM ]
In House Visit
The Boston GlobereportsMitt Romney “indicated” yesterday he “may interrupt” his New Hampshire vacation to return “act” on the controversial bill increasing funding and accessibility for the so-called “morning after” pill. Romney has not stated whether or not he intends to veto the bill, which would make the abortion pill available without a prescription. However, Romney’s lieutenant governor Kerry Healey has already stated her support for the bill. If Romney does not return to deal with the bill himself, Healey would be able to sign it into law.
This could be Romney's biggest 2008 related decision yet. If he signs the bill, pro-life activists will likely write-off Romney as another moderate Republican not suited for the nomination. But if he blocks the bill, it will show his committment to conservative principles. His political fallout would also be minimal. Romney needs to worry more about garnering broad conservative support than alienating Boston liberals if he wants to be president. And blocking the view could be consistent with his previous statement of not changing the state's current abortion laws.
[ 07/25/2005 11:43 AM ]
It Takes Two - Million
Roll Call reports Bill Frist raised “nearly” $2 million for his political action committee during the first half of 2005. It’s his largest six-month fundraising total ever and twice the amount raised by any other member’s leadership PAC, according to Roll Call.
[ 07/25/2005 11:27 AM ]
The Zero Effect
One of the central themes of John Kerry’s foreign policy agenda during the 2004 presidential campaign was to make nations not pulling their weight in the war on terror like us again. It’s a theme that has been echoed by nearly every corner of the Democratic Party. So, how many Democrat Senators showed up for the confirmation hearing of Karen Hughes to serve as an ambassador to the Muslim world as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs? Zero.
Democrats have accused Bush of harming the country's international image with his handling of the prelude to the Iraq war and the bloody aftermath of deposing Saddam Hussein. To the surprise of administration officials, none of the eight committee Democrats attended the hearing. The chairman, Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.), and Sen. George V. Voinovich (R-Ohio) were the only lawmakers who attended and asked questions.
[ 07/25/2005 11:23 AM ]
Us and Them
As Tom Vilsack segues into his new role as head of the DLC, he is speaking to plans for the Democratic Party’s revival. And he’s sounding a lot like Howard Dean. And no, I don’t mean the crazy, extremist Dean. I mean the one who admits that despite his own loathing for conservatives, his own ideas for reinvigorating the Democratic Party are taken directly from Republicans. Vilsack told the Des Moines Register this weekend:
Everybody's got to understand that the goal here is to come up with a much more competitive message and approach.
This is not something that's going to get resolved in a day or a week or a year or, for that matter, an administration. This is something that requires long-term vigilance and commitment, very similar to what Republicans have done over the last 40 years.
[ 07/25/2005 11:17 AM ]
Sliced Bread
Buzz reader Steve writes on the Hillary Clinton vs. Grand Theft Auto controversy over at his blog Evil Sandwich:
After further thought, this really has more in common with naughty frames in Disney films than anything else. Of course content like that is available to any veiwer whereas GTA needs to be modified to view the offending content.
And you don’t see too many politicians trying to ban DVD sales of the Little Mermaid.
[ 07/25/2005 11:04 AM ]
All or Nothing
ABC News says of today’s DLC meeting featuring speeches from Hillary Clinton, Evan Bayh, Mark Warner and Tom Vilsack:
Almost all of today's marquee speakers have worked harder on their speech texts than they normally do, suggesting they know the/a moment has arrived. Today might end up being a total dud, but it also might end up being an important moment in the history of the Democratic Party and the 2008 presidential race.
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is cementing her ties to moderate voters, reaching out to centrists that some of her backers argue Clinton never really abandoned.
And Clinton’s competition for the 2008 Democratic nomination seem in awe of her as well:
Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack says, "I think she helps to reinforce the message, and she helps shine the focus on the Democratic Party.”
Virginia Governor Mark Warner adds, "She's always a huge presence.”
And Evan Bayh cuts to the chase, "It's a fact, she is a very strong front-runner.”
All were on hand for a meeting of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council.
[ 07/25/2005 10:42 AM ]
The Best Defense
Tom Tancredo has an op-ed in today’s Denver Post defending his controversial comments on combating terror:
[I]n this battle against fundamentalist Islam, I am hardly preoccupied with political correctness, or who may or may not be offended. Indeed, al-Qaeda cares little if the Western world is "offended" by televised images of hostages beheaded in Iraq, subway bombings in London, train attacks in Madrid, or Americans jumping to their death from the Twin Towers as they collapsed.
[ 07/25/2005 09:53 AM ]
Let's Talk About Me
The Indianapolis Starsits down with Democrat Senator Evan Bayh and lets him explain all the reasons he’d make a great presidential candidate. First Bayh points to his experience as a governor before joining the Senate:
Well, I think having been a governor is a good thing. Having been responsible for producing results, not just casting votes and giving speeches. We balanced budgets. We worked with the business community to create jobs. We expanded health care, improved education. I think that that kind of executive experience is important to potentially serving as an executive.
But he also says his experience in the Senate gives him an edge over other possible Democrat candidates:
I spend more than half my time now -- because I'm on both the Armed Services Committee and the Intelligence Committee -- on things like North Korea, Iran, weapons of mass destruction, al-Qaida, all those sorts of things that I think are important, particularly for a Democrat, where the threshold of credibility may be somewhat higher on those kinds of issues.
[ 07/25/2005 09:40 AM ]
The Games People Play
I have a new article up on the main site today. It’s a look at Hillary Clinton’s motivations in attacking the video gaming industry and what effects her efforts are likely to have. Hint: not much. She might even be making the problem worse.
[ 07/25/2005 09:34 AM ]
The End of An ACT
The Washington Postreports the liberal 527 group Americans Coming Together, “that spent lavishly during the 2004 campaign, is sharply scaling back its operations and laying off employees in the face of lackluster fundraising.”
The group blames Howard Dean and increased fundraising success by the Democratic Party for their own financial setbacks.
