After reviewing some recent polls, and buzzing around the blogs, I have concluded the GOP has a hard road ahead. And right now, I’m not too sure it looks so good.
A recent CNN poll shows 63 percent of Democrats are either extremely or very enthusiastic about voting this year. Only 37 percent of Republicans feel the same way, and 36 percent of Republicans say they are not enthusiastic about voting.
CNN: “Republicans are far less enthusiastic about voting than Democrats are, and enthusiasm has plummeted among GOPers since the start of the year,” said Keating Holland, CNN polling director. “There was already an ‘enthusiasm gap’ in January, when Democrats were 11 points higher than GOPers on this measure. Now, that gap has grown to 26 points.”
Well that doesn’t sound too promising. In addition, it doesn’t help when a party leader basically admits loss, and gives up on two key seats in the Senate. This is via Talking Points Memo.
At yesterday’s Christian Science Monitor forum — the same venue where he upgraded the GOP’s goal to a potential three-seat loss — NRSC chairman John Ensign was asked point-blank if the party was giving up on the open seats they currently hold in Virginia and New Mexico, where the Democratic nominees are way ahead of the Republicans in current polling.
Ensign said bluntly: “You don’t waste money on races that don’t need it or you can’t win.”
Not very optimistic. Okay, so some people aren’t enthusiastic, and Ensign is throwing in the towel on two key Senate seats. What else? [Read more →]
Tim Russert died today. He was one of the best. As a student studying journalism, and as one of the senior editors of this political blog, I am saddened. I enjoyed watching Russert and learned a lot from doing so, but most importantly, his love of politics inspired me.
Ron Paul officially ended his campaign Thursday in Texas. However, the Ron Paul revolution will continue. In a statement on his website, Paul told supporters to watch out for “exciting plans and projects” that will “move the revolution forward”.
Paul has been delivering his message of peace, freedom and prosperity to millions of Americans for the last 17 months and it’s no secret that his supporters are very loyal. Paul is from Pennsylvania, and when I was there covering the primary with Liz Burlingame, we saw just how committed his supporters are. [Read more →]
12:21 am June 12th, 2008 by willmari · No Comments
I had a chance to chat briefly over the phone last week with Ralph Munro, Washington’s former secretary of state and a vocal local supporter of Sen. John McCain.
Calling himself “just a foot soldier in the campaign,” he highlighted McCain’s Northwest credentials, including McCain’s military vet background and familiarity with issues that affect Western states, such as free trade and the environment.
I could start the day off by writing about Barack Obama’s ongoing VP search or how the presumptive Democratic nominee continues to attack Sen. John McCain about the economy and President George W. Bush’s failed policies. However, I’ve written about both of those things before, and you can easily find those news stories all over the Web.
What will be harder for you to find, on the other hand, is what former presidential candidate Rep. Dennis Kucinich said Monday on the floor of Congress. He introduced 35 articles of impeachment against President George W. Bush. He spoke for four hours and 40 minutes. Hardly any major news outlets reported a single word about it.
Let’s review: a former presidential candidate accused the President and his administration of 35 high crimes and misdemeanors on the floor of the House of Representatives, and nobody said a word about it. Not CNN. Not MSNBC. Certainly not FOX News. If I hadn’t read Daily Kos, I probably still wouldn’t know about it.
Sen. Hillary Clinton officially suspended her hard-fought campaign and endorsed Sen. Barack Obama today. She made public her endorsement in a speech to thousands of her supporters at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.
“I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the race he has run,” Clinton said of Obama. “I endorse him and throw my full support behind him.”
…
“I understand that we all know this has been a tough fight but the Democratic party is a family and now it is time to restore the ties that bind us together,” Clinton urged. “We may have started on separate journeys but today our paths have merged.”
Both candidates need to put in a lot of work to restore unity in the Democratic party. My impression of many Obama and Clinton supporters is that both are fiercely loyal to their candidate; Clinton’s followers may need some real convincing to switch to Obama, who has been their opponent throughout the campaign. Case in point: CNN reports that Clinton’s announcement was met with “a scattering of boos and thumbs down” from her supporters today.
Barack Obama and John McCain are tossing the rule book out the window. Both candidates are planning fresh and non-traditional maps, focusing on states that are toss ups. This is what the candidates have said about the coveted prize of New Hampshire, a toss up state that went to John Kerry in 2004.
From Politico: “I intend to be back and back and back, because I love it here,” McCain said at the end of a town hall meeting held to thank the state that launched and then relaunched his presidential hopes. “But also, a little straight talk, because I need to win New Hampshire to win the presidency.”
From the Boston Globe: “I am probably the only candidate who, having won the nomination, can actually redraw the political map,” he [Obama] boasted as early as last summer in New Hampshire, highlighting his support among African-Americans and young voters.
Expect Obama and McCain to campaign heavily in these toss-up states. On Thursday Obama made an appearance at a rally in Virginia, while McCain visited news paper editors in Florida. There are 270 Electoral Votes needed to win the White House. [Read more →]
A look at both parties new political ads. Both are scary in their own way.
John McCain has released his first general election ad today, its titled “Safe.” It is a glimpse at how McCain will hit Barack Obama on experience. Maybe one more good reason Obama may choose Jim Webb for VP. Just a thought.
The Democratic National Committee also released an ad today. It is titled “McCain and Lobbyists.” Thursday the DNC announced it will no longer accept Washington Lobbyist donations, which is consistent with Barack Obama’s message. Watch both ads below.
Who is Barack Obama going to pick for VP? That’s the question of the week. Obama and Hillary Clinton had a meeting in DC late last night, so it doesn’t look like the VP speculation is going away anytime soon.
Will he choose Hillary Clinton as his running mate? Clinton has made it clear she is open to it. BUT of course, she is not seeking it. Obama, in an interview with CNN Thursday, said “Senator Clinton would be on anyone’s short list.” Well, that doesn’t really reveal too much.
So, what if he does not choose Clinton, then who? Well, how about Freshman Virginia Sen. Jim Webb. Obama held his first major public appearance since Tuesday at a rally in Virginia on Thursday, and he had some nice things to say about Webb. Referencing the upcoming battle against John McCain, Obama said:
From ABC: “Going forward I’m going to be proud to be fighting with him, alongside him,” Obama continued. “And let me tell you something, if you’re in a fight — and we’re going to be in a fight — you want Jim Webb to have your back.”
Maybe that’s a hint to an Obama-Webb ticket. Webb is a decorated Vietnam vet, who also served as Secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan. He is a VP frontrunner. [Read more →]
