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It was politics as usual this week — staffing gaffes and shrill insinuations — with a few surprises — a beleaguered Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton making a comeback.
On Tuesday, Barack Obama won Vermont, then broke his twelve-state winning streak. Afterwards, Obama aide Samantha Power slipped up and told The Scotsman her real opinion of Hillary Clinton: “She is a monster, too — that is off the record — she is stooping to anything.” She apologized to Clinton and resigned Friday morning.
Susan Rice, Obama senior foreign policy adviser, handed John McCain another great soundbite, saying neither Clinton nor Obama is ready for that famous 3:00 AM phone call. When Obama tried to get tough on Clinton’s tax returns, Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson compared him to Ken Starr.
Can Obama survive? He’s stuck because if plays muddy politics as usual, he undermines the entire basis for his campaign. (See David Brooks and The Weekly Standard.)
Clinton had something to crow about this Tuesday when she won Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island. How did Clinton stage a comeback? Some say it’s demographics: Her core groups (women, Latinos) came through. Other entertain the hypothesis that Rush Limbaugh Republicans handed her a Texas victory. (Tom Bevan with Real Clear Politics calls it a “close call.”) Or maybe she’s just tougher. Bob Herbert says, “If there is one thing the Clinton crowd knows how to do, it’s provoke.” Gail Collins echoes this: “While Barack may understand the audacity of hope, only Hillary really gets the audacity of audacity.”
John McCain clinched the GOP nomination and showed up late for his photo-op with former opponent and now-unpopular President Bush. The endorsement of anti-Catholic John Hagee still haunts McCain, although God-o-Meter says Hagee has less clout than the media gives him. According to Crosswalk.com’s exit poll analysis, McCain is still not attracting evangelicals, but Crunchy Con’s Rod Dreher notes that more Texas evangelicals chose McCain over Huckabee.
Now that McCain has muscled Mike Huckabee out of the race, what’s next for Huckabee? He hasn’t ruled out a vice-presidential slot. God’s Politics’ Jim Wallis says Huckabee’s candidacy is a sign that “the monologue of the Religious Right has ended and the evangelical agenda has broadened.” Others say he’s the new, “kinder, gentler” face of the Religious Right.
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Topic: Campaign 2008, Front Page, The Nation |  |
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Keywords: barack-obama, evangelical vote, Hillary-Clinton, John-McCain, religious-right, Samantha Power, Susan Rice |  |
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Don?t blame racism
One staffer has the audacity to call Hill a monster. Another Obama staff gal (foreign policy advisor) says that neither he nor Hillary are qualified to be the person answering the phone at 3am in the White House.
Excess truthfulness cannot be tolerated in politics.
They must notta got that memo!
how is Obama beleaguered? He’s 140 delegates ahead of Clinton and she’s running of primaries to catch up. Due to recounts and the delayed results from Texas’ caucuses he now has the same lead he had before Ohio and Texas. At least Romney had the decency to quit when he fell behind.
HRW, you know the Clinton machine will sputter on until it runs on fumes alone. These are quite power-hungry people. I hope HRC stays in. All the bad stuff she is saying about Obama will be quoted ad nauseum by the McCain folks.
As Limbaugh et al have said repeatedly, the GOP is loathe to voice any criticisms of Obama for fear of being labeled racist for pointing out his past votes. HRC is doing the dirty work for the Rs.
More power to her.
Hoodlehead Hillary keeps lagging behind..”oh that primary does’t really count”..when will she admit that her broomstick is flaming out…??
Oy.
What is a “hoodlehead?” (I like this word, but don’t want to use it without knowing its meaning.)
I heard Obama say he will not accept the VP position. I personally think he would be a fool to offer it to Hillary if it goes the other way because I think she would undermine his presidency. She will have to say pretty awful things about him in order to succeed, which will help the Republicans, but it should also show Obama just how low and power hungry these people (the Clintons) are. Besides it would make it look as if a black man can’t do it on his own. He won’t run with her.
I was rather amused to hear the Clintons offering a joint Clinton-Obama ticket — perhaps their math needs some improvement.
#3 — the line which HRC is repeating ad nauseum about McCain and her having experience and Obama has a speech could run unedited for a Republican ad in October.