Year: 2008
‘Lest We Forget’ Quote du Jour
Am I the only one who has noticed the same people who complained that we didn’t ‘connect the dots’ prior to 9/11, are now complaining that we connected the dots in Iraq?
— Rush Limbaugh, comedian
Poll: D.C. Insiders Mixed on Reaction to Palin Pick
National Journal’s PollTrack queried 76 Washington Beltway insiders about what they think of John McCain’s choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for his vice presidential running mate. Most thought the pick was just McCain expressing his usual mavericktude, his maverickosity, as it were.
Q. How does John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin affect your assessment of his judgment?
Much more respect for his judgment 22 percent
A little more respect for his judgment 24 percent
A little less respect for his judgment 13 percent
Much less respect for his judgment 12 percent
No change in my assessment 29 percent
Much more respect
“The choice showed guts, energized a still-suspect base, and shows once again his independent streak.”
“Guts for choosing a woman who’s not part of the establishment; guts for choosing someone who will attract more attention than he.”
“He is putting his issue agenda of shaking up Washington ahead of conventional politics.”
A little more respect
“Shows he’s not politically tone-deaf by acknowledging Republicans need diversity on the ticket.”
“McCain knows he’s behind and is willing to take a calculated risk.”
“It seems to be a remarkable political move, but I cannot make a final call on this until all revelations are finished: The vetting question is problematic regarding judgment.”
Video: Gina Gershon Spoofs Palin
See more Gina Gershon videos at Funny or Die
Quote du Jour
Make no mistake about it, Hillary Clinton is as qualified as or more qualified than I am. And quite frankly, she may have been a better pick than me.
— Sen. Joe Biden, quoted by Politico
Late Night Lines du Jour
“I like her because she looks like the lady at the bakery who yells out, ’44! 44…45!’ I like her because she looks like a real estate agent whose picture you see on the bus stop bench. She looks like the lady who has a chain of cup cake stores. She looks like the mayor of a small town that’s banned dancing. Yeah.”
— David Letterman commenting on Sarah Palin
Vote in MSNBC “Lipstick” Poll
Jon pointed out that McCain used the “lipstick on a pig” saying first, in reference to Hillary Clinton. Now MSNBC has a poll up to see if you think Obama has “crossed the line” in also using the well-known phrase. Puh-leeze. Does Sarah Palin own all the lipstick in the world now?
Quote du Jour
“They seem to be intimidated by the Palin pick. They seem to be intimidated by how the Republicans are coming at them on change. And you cannot win if you are constantly on defense.”
— Former Clinton White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, quoted in the New York Observer, on the Obama campaign
Obama Flips, Calls In the 527s
Looks like Barack Obama is taking the gloves off in the presidential race — flip-flopping a little as he does it — and is signaling his willingness to accept the support and tactics of the notorious 527 groups.
According to The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder, the campaign is lifting the lid on the potentially volatile 527s:
An Obama adviser privy to the campaign’s internal thinking on the matter says that,with less than two months before the election and with the realization that Republicans have achieved financial parity with Democrats, they hope that Democratic allies — what another campaign aide termed “the cavalry” — will come to Obama’s aid.
The Obama campaign can’t ask donors to form outside groups; it can only communicate, through the public and the media, with body language, tells and hints.
The upshot: Obama’s campaign will no longer object to independent efforts that hammer John McCain, just as, in their mind, the McCain campaign has not objected to those efforts targeted at Obama. “I assume with their 527s stirring, some [Democratic] ones will as well,” another senior campaign official said.
It’s about time, but it might also be too late. The Republicans already have the machinery in place to crank up the nastiness:
- The New York Sun reported Monday that a Sacramento Republican linked to a McCain bundler is raising money for a new group called Leadership for America’s Future.
- The American Issues Project is spending $3 million on a battleground state ad campaign that ties Obama to ex-Weatherman William Ayres.
- Freedom’s Watch, which plays mostly in House elections, has spent nearly $500,000 worth of hard money on ads against Obama.
- Vets for Freedom plans a $10 million campaign on ads touting the Bush Administration’s policies in Iraq and Afghanistan.
- The Republican Majority Campaign has tallied more than $1.3 million in independent expenditures against Obama.
Crist Won’t Campaign for Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment
Florida Gov. Charlie Crist is refusing to actively campaign for the one remaining state constitutional amendment still on the ballot in November. It would define marriage in Florida as between a man and a woman, period. No domestic partners, nothing. In a move that’s certain to get Florida conservatives’ panties all in a twist, Crist exhibits a blasé attitude toward the proposed amendment:
“I’ll support it, I’ll vote for it, move on,” the governor said of the Amendment 2 gay-marriage ban in an interview during a trip to tour flood-damaged areas in Central Florida. “It’s not top-tier for me, put it that way.”
When asked if he’ll spend time plugging Amendment 2, Crist said, “I don’t think so. I think I will campaign for candidates much more extensively — Sen. McCain.” The governor also reiterated his position of precluding the Republican Party of Florida from spending money to support the gay-marriage ban.
Of course, Charlie is affianced to a woman, Carole Rome, so if the amendment passes, it wouldn’t affect him. Of course, if that marriage only lasts six months and the whispers about Crist’s being gay turn out to be true, he’d want to keep his options open if the right fellow came along.
Maybe that’s why he’s not pushing Amendment 2 ….
