Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 3:50 pm
And Lower...
Here we have the McCain campaign's execrable Michael Goldfarb slinging around accusations of anti-semitism--a favorite pastime, as we've seen this year, among Jewish neoconservatives. I've never met Rashid Khalidi, but he is (a) Palestinian and therefore (b) a semite, so the charge of anti-semitism is fatuous. Khalidi is also a respected academic, the sort of person who is involved in foundation work that John McCain, for one, was willing to support financially. I'd say that if we have a bigot here, it's Mr. Goldfarb who, if he's intent on calling people antisemitic--or any other epithet--should be required to provide chapter and verse, which he does not do on CNN. (I'd also like to know on what basis CNN's Rick Sanchez can stipulate that Khalidi is antisemitic.)
Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 3:30 pm
It's the Turnout, Stupid.
Yes, it is perhaps the oldest cliche in politics to say that everything is riding on turnout. But take a look at the data for Georgia and Missouri in the latest TIME/CNN poll. In both states, McCain holds a narrow lead among "likely" voters (those who traditionally vote), but Obama leads among registered (the kind of result you get if turnout is huge).
UPDATE: (And h/t Jim Poniewozik, for calling this to my attention.) Might the above-mentioned poll explain why McCain doubled his ad units in Georgia yesterday?
Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 12:08 pm
McCain in the Gutter
There is so much desperate, crapulous spew from the McCain campaign right now that it's hard to keep track of it all--but this ad, via Andrew Sullivan, marks some sort of low. Yet again--in a last, desperate attempt to scare the elderly Jews of Florida--McCain posits Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as the "leader" of Iran, even though he has no control over Iranian foreign or military policy. (Ayatullah Ali Khamenei is the guy in charge in Iran, which is why they call him--you guessed it--the Supreme Leader.) Yet again, McCain brings up the notion of "preconditions," only now the preconditions are Ahmadinejad's: namely, that the U.S. would have to leave the Middle East before he'd be willing to talk.
It's all inflammatory nonsense, of course. Obama has said that he would meet with the Iranian leadership without "preconditions"--namely, the Bush Administration requirement that the Iranians stop processing uranium. Of course, the Bush Administration doesn't seem so set on that precondition anymore, either. Again, this is a purposeful effort to mislead on Obama's actual position: he would begin lower-level negotiations with the Iranians, and see how much progress could be made. That is a position supported by many of McCain's own diplomatic supporters.
But that's not really what this is all about: this ad--with its Middle Eastern music--is all about implying that Obama isn't one of us, that he's one of them. It is shameful, in the extreme. It's also really bad policy.
Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 11:53 am
Re: Palin-The Plumber in 2012! Maybe.
Ana,
In your below post you wrote:
Any VP candidate who isn't thinking about running for president one day is probably less trustworthy than one who is -- in part because they are probably thinking even darker thoughts. Two words, people: DICK CHENEY.
Am curious -- would you therefore call Joe Biden "less trustworthy"? Every indication from Obama camp when he was hired was that Biden (who is 65 and in eight-years time would be 73, even older than McCain is now) has no further presidential ambitions -- as David Wilhelm told me:
"For Joe, that was his last race, and if it worked out, great — if not, he still had this great future as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee," says David Wilhelm, a close adviser to Biden who ran the Delaware Senator's Iowa campaign in 1988 and who endorsed Obama early in the campaign. "He was really at peace throughout the whole process."
Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 10:01 am
Obama's Florida Bet
Politico reports this morning that Al and Tipper Gore will campaign for Obama tomorrow in Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach – the first time the former vice president has stumped for a presidential candidate in the Sunshine State since his narrow loss there cost him the presidency in 2000.
The Goracle's trip comes after Obama held a midnight rally with Bill Clinton last night and broadcast live before 20,000 Sunrise, Floridians and millions of Americans for his 30-minute commercial. This morning we've just landed in Sarasota where Obama is scheduled to hold an early voting rally.
All of this points to an Obama bet that Florida could be an early clincher for him. Polls here close 7pm EST and if he takes Florida and simply holds the rest of Kerry's 2004 states it's game over for McCain. A DCCC source says to keep an eye on the vulnerable GOP Miami House races for an early indicator on how Dems are playing there on Election Night.
Early voting looks promising for Obama where registered Dems are outpacing GOP voters 45.4% to 39.0%, though there's no way of telling which way those ballots were cast. Obama holds a 3.5% lead in the RCP average and a 4% lead in our latest poll. And, taking no chances, Obama deployed his ground game guru Steve Hildebrand to Miami three weeks ago. Also lurking around the Sunshine State: Paul Tewes, the guy who won Iowa for him and had been Obama's liaison to the DNC, who's been hanging out at Obama's Tampa HQ. (Both men are mailing in their day jobs from Florida).
Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 8:53 am
Latest Column
The speculation in Washington about an Obama presidency.
Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 12:14 am
Bill Clinton: "You Haven't Shut My Demographic Out Yet"
Bill Clinton and Barack Obama just wrapped up their Kissimmee love fest where the two spent much of the event praising one another. Though, 42 did have one really awkward moment. Noting the diverse crowd – both in terms of age and race – Clinton said:
You've even got a few grey-headed, white guys like me. You haven't shut my demographic out yet.
Um, hopefully he wasn't really highlighting that Obama is losing the older male white vote in most states… or mean to imply that the Democratic Party is being taken over by minorities?
- Is There Hope for the American Marriage?
- At Least 140 Dead in Clashes in China's Xinjiang Province
- The Challenge That Awaits Obama in Moscow
- The Palin I-Quit-arod: A Defining Trait?
- Why Obama's Afghan War Is Different
- At Least 140 Dead in Clashes in China's Xinjiang Province
- Avigdor Lieberman: Politically Incorrect
- When Pope Benedict Meets Barack Obama
- How Bad Are Auto Sales? 10 Questions and Answers
- How California's Fiscal Woes Began: A Crisis 30 Years in the Making
- Violence Erupts During Honduras Protests
- Inside Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch
- Photos: U.S. Marines Open a New Offensive in Afghanistan
- The History of the Bikini
- Photos: India's Contraband Wildlife
- Photos: A Madoff Family Album
- Michael Jackson: The Last Photos
- Public Enemy: The Extremely Brief and Violent Life of John Dillinger
- Photos: Sacha Baron Cohen's Outrageous BrÜno Promotions
- The World's Ugliest Dog Show
- ABC News’ The Note
- Andrew Sullivan
- CBN’s Brody File
- Ezra Klein
- Foreign Policy’s The Cable
- Juan Cole
- Lynn Sweet
- Marc Ambinder
- Matthew Yglesias
- MSNBC’S First Read
- Nate Silver
- NRO’s The Corner
- NYT’s The Caucus
- Politico’s Ben Smith
- Powerline
- Ross Douthat
- Talking Points Memo
- The American Prospect’s Tapped
- TNR’s The Plank
- Tom Ricks
- Washington Monthly’s Political Animal
- WashPost’s 44
- WashPost’s The Fix
- WSJ’s Washington Wire
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007