My parents watched Meet the Press as far as I can remember. This was the show that everyone watched on Sunday's to catch up on Washington, DC, but politics period.
I have not always agreed with Russert and MTP, but I respected the man. His political style of interviewing known as the "gotcha interview" was bar none the best in the business. He knew how to get information out of you. He did not beat any punches, he was always well sourced, and if any politician wanted to move forward, especially in the primaries, you had to be drilled by Russert.
His show is what ABCs This Week is not, or Wolf Blitzen's jarring taboidesq performance on CNN. It was all about sitting down and answering the questions. And if the politician could not answer it, you saw it.
I also loved The Tim Russert Show on MSNBC shown on Saturdays and re-run on Sundays. He talked to everyone who wrote a book, but his guest was just unabashed, real and natural. Watching this show, I always walked away with something new.
Barack and Michelle visiting Oakleaf Village retirement community in Columbus, Ohio
columbus, ohio
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Town hall talks break down. So, in other words McCain won't have it his way, as in, one town hall a week. Obama offered 2 and then the debates in the fall by the Presidential Debate Commission.
Barack Obama’s move to merge key elements of the Democratic National Committee into his own campaign’s Chicago headquarters appears aimed at the goal of a centralized and united Democratic Party.
The shift of the DNC’s political and field organizing operations to Chicago will consolidate the Democratic presidential campaign apparatus more than in either of the last two cycles, when staffers at DNC headquarters overlapped – and occasionally competed – with aides to Al Gore and John Kerry.
Obama’s move also seemed aimed at producing minimum conflict: The DNC didn’t immediately fire any of its staff, and Obama’s aides have publicly embraced DNC Chairman Howard Dean’s vision of a party competitive in all 50 states. But it also left no doubt about where the new center of power lies: On the 11th floor of an undistinguished office tower on Michigan Avenue.
The Vice Presidential Quest It has not even been one week since Barack Obama clinched the Democratic Nominee title, that we now must listen to blather about Hillary Clinton being his VP nod.
I wrote earlier on Wednesday, that it is Obama's choice and his choice only. In fact, it was Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, a Clinton supporter, who stated with his eloquent charm that, "You can't leverage the President of the United States to make you Vice President. It's like an arranged marriage it doesn't work," said Rendell Thursday afternoon. "I don't think you're entitled. I think the presidential nominee has the right to pick someone he or she is comfortable with, compatible with." I hope the Clinton surrogates get and UNDERSTAND what Rendell said.
Obama has indicated strongly that the next time he talks of VP it will be when he announces the VP candidate. This had to be stated since the Clinton surrogates were hot and heavy handed in trying to force Obama's hand for VP selection by going to the media and hocking Clinton's name. This backfired as Obama announced his three team VP selection committee of Jim Johnson, Eric Holder and Caroline Kennedy. Thus, we saw a Clinton press release stating she is not interested or seeking the VP slot.
So, we all need to take Obama's lead and chill. If Clinton can pass the vetting process, along with her husband and if Barack feels she would be an asset to the ticket, then fine. What we don't want is a pressured candidate to accept a nominee as John Kerry was pressured to do with John Edwards. They were two different individuals who were not playing the same game during that campaign and it showed.
Barack Obama will pick the best and most qualified person to be his running mate, not the other way around. This will also include being in synch, the same vision, and no drama added going forward; an Obama MANDATE for what has made his campaign a success within, as well as outward.
Barack Obama was campaigning last October in South Carolina when he got an urgent call from Penny Pritzker, the hotel heiress who leads his campaign's finance committee. About 200 of his biggest fund raisers were meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, and among them, near panic was setting in. Pritzker's team had raised money faster than any other campaign ever had. Its candidate was drawing mega-crowds wherever he went. Yet he was still running at least 20 points behind Hillary Clinton in polls. His above-the-fray brand of politics just wasn't getting the job done, and some of his top moneymen were urging him to rethink his strategy, shake up his staff, go negative. You'd better get here, Pritzker told Obama. And fast.
Obama made an unscheduled appearance that Sunday night and called for a show of hands from his finance committee. "Can I see how many people in this room I told that this was going to be easy?" he asked. "If anybody signed up thinking it was going to be easy, then I didn't make myself clear." A win in Iowa, Obama promised, would give him the momentum he needed to win across the map — but his backers wouldn't see much evidence of progress before then. "We're up against the most formidable team in 25 years," he said. "But we've got a plan, and we've got to have faith in it."
More than seven months later, that faith has been rewarded. The 2008 presidential campaign has produced its share of surprises, but one of the most important is that a newcomer from Chicago put together by far the best political operation of either party. Obama's campaign has been that rare, frictionless machine that runs with the energy of an insurgency and the efficiency of a corporation. His team has lacked what his rivals' have specialized in: there have been no staff shake-ups, no financial crises, no change in game plan and no visible strife. Even its campaign slogan — "Change we can believe in" — has remained the same. Time Magazine, continue
Portugal Builds Biggest Solar & Alt Energy Systems by FishOutofWater; What's Going On in the Oil Market? by bonddad; Hillary Clinton: A Personal View by DemFromCT; America should have listened to Jimmy Carter on Energy in 1977. by TomP; The six second video clip that mystified a nation by JedReport; Leaked memo: McCain is playing you, Clinton supporters by upstate girl; MUST READ: Whitey Hoax blown wide open by The Termite; If Clinton Really Wanted to Be VP... by MissLaura; Waxman Closing in on Cheney's Role in Outing Plame by emptywheel; Tonight, Congressman Robert Wexler spoke to his mostly pro-Clinton constituents by jdodsonvls; Friends of Bill Warn Obama: Do Not Trust Clintons by wisconsin girl; New Abramoff Plea is Trouble for McCain & the GOP by dengre
WHEN Barack Obama achieved his historic victory on Tuesday night, the battle was joined between two Americas. Not John Edwards’s two Americas, divided between rich and poor. Not the Americas split by race, gender, party or ideology. What looms instead is an epic showdown between two wildly different visions of the country, from the ground up.
On one side stands Mr. Obama’s resolutely cheerful embrace of the future. His vision is inseparable from his identity, both as a rookie with a slim Washington résumé and as a black American whose triumph was regarded as improbable by voters of all races only months ago. On the other is John McCain’s promise of a wise warrior’s vigilant conservation of the past. His vision, too, is inseparable from his identity — as a government lifer who has spent his entire career in service, whether in the Navy or Washington.
Given the dividing line separating the two Americas of 2008, a ticket uniting Mr. McCain and Hillary Clinton might actually be a better fit than the Obama-Clinton “dream ticket,” despite their differences on the issues. Never was this more evident than Tuesday night, when Mrs. Clinton and Mr. McCain both completely misread a one-of-a-kind historical moment as they tried to cling to the prerogatives of the 20th century’s old guard. Frank Rich, NYT
It is over. Though not as it should have been, but it is over. Hillary Clinton conceded, Saturday, June 7, 2008.
Many have not liked the way that the Clintons have conducted themselves during this primary season. Point noted.
Many did not like how the dog whistle tactics were used against Barack Obama. Point noted.
Many did not like how the Clinton surrogates had behaved, and there were many. Point noted.
Many are very angered at Hillary Clinton for not recognizing the historical moment of Barack Obama’s win. Point noted.
Many are still livid that she did not concede until four days later and was still plotting to hang around. Point noted.
But in the end, she did the right thing, even though she was pressured to do so. The only thing that matters is unity, Democrats with our Independent and Republican friends, standing side-by-side to defeat the Republicans in the fall. Our leader is Barack Obama, we are his army, his coalition, along with the Clintons.
So, let’s move on. It is time to write about defeating John McCain and the Republicans. The issues are too grave to let this squabbling continue. It is over. Barack Obama is the Democratic Presumptive Nominee and we need to get it together to win in November.
Why Hillary Lost? By some of the best political front pagers in the blogosphere......
Why Clinton Lost (And Why Obama Just May Win Big In November) by georgia10
Why Clinton Lost: She Fought the Last War, With the Wrong Generals, and Not Enough of an Army by DHinMI
ok, i am not gonna lie. i have become the al rodgers, jr. of the slides. can't help it. with so many pictures to pick, it is only right. hail to the master al, though. it has been a HELL OF A WEEK. barack securing the nomination, hillary don't want to leave yet, hillary being pushed off the stage, hillary meeting with barack and hillary finally endorsing obama fully. man, is it that hard to lose? this is a primary race that many books will be written about, and it will all focus on the skinny, 2 year u.s. senator from illinois beating the clinton brand. that is the story for years to come. ok, we are onto mcsame, and it is time to go after him in earnest. we know by november it will not be all sugar and spice. whatever you are doing, remember to continue to stay engaged and focus on obama and not the drama....
Well, last night was historic and if you go through the blog below you will see (including yesterday). But now the mashup of the speeches, the reviews are in and John McCain is dryer than the Sahara Desert. Who will get inspired by his speech? If you listened to Obama's speech vs. McCain's, McCain was PATHETIC.
Chris Cillizza, The Fix Washington Post, Obama Claims Nomination Speaker Pelosi, Leader Reid, DNC Chairman Dean to Go Public, Bringing the Party Together, here. For Obama, The Right Way to Win, Washington Post Strategy Was Based On Winning Delegates, Not Battlegrounds, Washington Post Calm in the Swirl of History, NYT Obama Clinches Nomination; First Black Candidate to Lead a Major Party Ticket, NYT The Early Word: Obama’s Record-Breaking Journey, NYT America lives up to its promise, Chicago Sun-Times Obama: 'A new course for America', Chicago Tribune 5 reasons Obama won, 5 reasons Clinton lost ... and 5 differences between Obama, McCain, Chicago Tribune A Dream Team?, Daily Kos
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Videos of the morning:
robert gibbs, obama campaign communications director on today show
what went wrong with clinton?, today show
what does hillary want?, today show
tim russert, nbc, general election preview
tim russert on morning joe, talking about the obama upset
There have been rumors running amuck about Obama and his superdelegates.
Many have stated, "Why won't they come out and endorse and end this?"
Question is valid, but we must remember many of these superdelegates are elected officials and as MSNBC/NBC always says, "are weasels." They don't want to be part of this process, but they have no choice at this point. Video below:
As Al G, from The Field reported, there are about 40 California delegates in the wing, now Marc Ambinder from The Atlantic is reporting something similar too:
In June of 1984, the day after California handed Gary Hart a last-minute victory and New Jersey, thanks to Hart's having insulted the state, voted for Walter Mondale by 15 points, Tad Devine, Mondale's chief superdelegate counter, was ready. Worried that Mondale would not meet his pledge to end the primary season with a majority of delegates, Devine and his team made a "frantic" series of phone calls to undeclared party leaders; by noon, a few dozen superdelegates endorsed Mondale en masse, taking the wind of out Hart's campaign forever.
Walter Mondale's superdelegate counter made sure that he had the pledges to end Gary Hart's aspirations, so look to see Obama ripping this play from the Mondale playbook.
To prepare for that eventuality, the Obama campaign has, for the first time, really, begun to bank delegates. Sources close to the campaign estimate that as many as three dozen Democratic superdelegates have privately pledged to announce their support for Obama on June 4 or 5. The campaign is determined that Obama not end the first week in June without securing the support of delegates numbering 2026 -- or 2210, as the case may be.
The DNC Rules & By Laws Committee Meeting (scheduled for Saturday, being monitored LIVE on MSNBC) is Clinton's last stand for her faux support of seating Michigan and Florida delegates. If this meeting is a catastrophe, expect the supers to end this after the last primaries on June 3, 2008. This feels right to me. And can I write, about 'effin' time.
Lastly, Tim Russert, moderator for MEET THE PRESS says it all here, and available on youtube here:
barack and michelle in raleigh, nc after winning the north carolina primary
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we now know who the democratic nominee is going to be....
What Metric is Left? Reality Time. A valid, on point, honest question is one that the Clinton Campaign cannot answer.
Sure, she is dragging this out and looks like a fighter, but in the end the math does not work. Even if she wins the rest of what? Six primaries? It won’t happen. Especially, since Barack won North Carolina by 15 points and lost Indiana by 0.8 points, this was not the game changer Hillary Clinton needed. The popular vote Barack won in North Carolina wiped out her gains in Pennsylvania. Indiana did nothing for Clinton, since the race was tight and the delegate count will be split down the middle. In other words, she gained nothing and ending up losing the delegate and popular vote battle Tuesday night. Lastly on this delegate and popular vote count, there are not enough states left for Clinton to catch up. She needs to beat Barack over 70% for the remaining six contests and it won't happen. Now the superdelegates are favoring Obama. What Tim Russert said, and if you don’t know, look at the video above, was like a shot heard around the world. Everyone knows that Barack Obama is the Democratic Nominee and there is nothing else that the Clinton Campaign can do, it is a fact.
I have stated this many times, this primary is one that many pundits will write about. Primarily, how the formidable Clinton Campaign was shattered by a new kid on the block, named Barack Obama.
We know that Barack will not win West Virginia or Kentucky, but he will win Oregon on May 20, 2008. In winning Oregon, he will have secured the most pledged delegates, period. And it is technically, totally and finally over, at least for Barack.
What is the most important now is bringing the party together. The most important mission that we have is to win not only the White House, but more congressional and senate seats for a working majority to assist the next president.
Now it is time for Hillary Clinton to leave the stage, gracefully, she knows it as well as the rest of the country. We are now waiting for her to do so.
Campaign Appearances
May 12, 2008 - Campaign Event with Barack Obama, Charleston, WV May 12, 2008 - Rally with Barack, Louisville, KY
John Edwards, a former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, cautioned Sunday that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton “has to be really careful that she’s not damaging our prospects” by staying in the contest against Senator Barack Obama.
While Mr. Edwards, a onetime senator from North Carolina, has not endorsed either candidate, he made it clear on the CBS News program “Face the Nation” that he saw little chance that Mrs. Clinton could manage a come-from-behind victory.
“You can no longer make a compelling case for the math,” Mr. Edwards said, referring to delegate totals that increasingly favor Mr. Obama. “The math is very, very hard for her.” continue
obama and abel valladares at luis's taqueira, woodburn, or
Photo Diaries
VOTE for CHANGE -- 1,400 New Yorkers take to the streets! UPDATED with video by casperr; Photoblog: Obama Voter Registration in Austin! by kath25; Barack in Indy on Election Eve w/ photos! by Debby; Yes We Can: A Photoblog of Young Obama Supporters in Indianapolis by BillyZoom; Making it happen in NC (w/photos) by merrinc; From Obama Blog: Barack visits University of Evansville, IN; From Obama Blog: Barack and Michelle visit Kempton, IN; Obama Rocks Assembly Hall Bloomington Indiana Photo Diary by HeartlandLiberal; From Obama Blog: Barack and Michelle in Noblesville, IN
After failing to win the decisive sweep in North Carolina and Indiana that could have reshaped the Democratic race, disappointed aides to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton conceded it would be difficult for her to catch Sen. Barack Obama in either delegates or overall votes in the six remaining contests. The outcome caused the candidate and her campaign to intensify their efforts to persuade party leaders to include the results of disqualified contests in Michigan and Florida, both of which she won. The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws committee is scheduled to meet on May 31 to consider two challenges pending on whether, and how, to seat delegates from those states.
"Absent some sort of miracle on May 31st, it's going to be tough for us," said a senior Clinton official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to be frank. "We lost this thing in February. We're doing everything we can now . . . but it's just an uphill battle."continue
victory speech in raleigh, north carolina
shoutouts: Yes to Unity. But Let's Not Go Overboard. by wmtriallawyer; Cheers to Hillary is 44, Taylor Marsh and MyDD by Morgan Sandlin; Mark Penn Denies Being an Idiot by BarbinMD; Mothers Day Message from Teresa Heinz by Teresa Heinz; Feminisms: McCain and Women by Elise; Countdown to $200 oil (4) - It's scheduled for 1/20/09 by Jerome a Paris; Breaking: FBI Raids Office of Special Counsel by aravir; Why can't Clinton win independents? by kos; Clinton's Race-Baiting Continues by dnA; Jeralyn Merritt "Obama For Hill's A-G..." by Mithrandir Istari
Tom Hanks Endorses Obama; Martin Sheen Endorses Obama; Nine Superdelegates Endorse Obama; 4 More Superdelegates Backs Obama; Kaylan Free, Superdelegate Supports Obama; Portland Mayor Tom Potter Backs Obama; Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) Backs Obama; Kristi Cummings Superdelegate (UT) Endorses Obama; David Bonior, Former Congressman (MI) and John Edwards Campaign Manager Backs Obama; Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA) Endorses Obama; Congressman Brad Miller (D-NC) Backs Obama,; Florida House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber Backs Obama; Congressman Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) Endorses Obama; Myrlie Evers-Williams, wife of slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers, Endorses Obama; Two Virgin Island Superdelegates flip to Obama; Congresswoman Mazie Hirono (D-HI) Endorses Obama; California Superdelegate Crystal Strait Backs Obama; Kentucky Lt. Governor Dan Mongiardo Endorses Obama
A key component in the Democratic presidential race is all but decided: In fund raising, victory belongs to Sen. Barack Obama.
As recently as a few months ago, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton had a seemingly invincible money machine -- a political ATM of well-connected followers who could raise tens of thousands of dollars with a few phone calls. But just as Sen. Obama has topped her at the polls, the Illinois senator's Internet-driven fund-raising model has eclipsed the one favored by the Clinton campaign.
Sen. Obama overtook Sen. Clinton in total fund raising in February and has raised more since. The New York senator, meanwhile, has loaned herself $6.4 million in the past few weeks, her campaign acknowledged Wednesday. continue
icebergslim’s last word: prepping for the general election
Yes, it is that time. Yes, it is here, finally. Getting ready and pointing our guns to the Republicans failed policies and John McCain.
For all intention purposes, the primary is over. Now it is just about going through the semantics until Clinton exits. So, while we are waiting, Obama is already in the general election mode with a new stump speech focused on McCain. As we wait for the six remaining contests to end, Barack is planning on visiting the swing states with town hall meetings. His first stop is Missouri on Tuesday, with more states in between the finale of the primary. Barack has also expressed interest in participating in focus groups around this country with John McCain to talk about the issues that the American public want to hear from these two candidates.
Also, the Vote for Change Movement was a huge success, this past Saturday, May 10th. This effort was to register voters in all 50 states for the upcoming general election. This will be an ongoing process throughout the summer and early fall to get people registered to vote. Remember, 60% of the new voters participated thus far in the primaries. This is critical for us to win in November that we know our voters and get them to the polls.
The Obama Organizing Fellows is a program designed to train folk on the grassroots level in organizing, messaging and other activities vital to make a campaign successful and winnable. Applications for this program end on May 15, 2008.
There is much coming up that will be unfolded for massive participation. So, there is no excuse not to get engage.
Lastly, this is an exciting time in American politics. This is a first on many levels. First, for the social networking of political activity. First, for the explosion of youtube in the campaigns, to reach millions of voters. The phenomenal participation of voters on the ground and through the internet by donating to Barack’s campaign has been astounding. And hopefully an end to divisive, old fashioned, top down politics.
The people have spoken and they are taking the Democratic Party back, their country back with the 'presumptive nominee', Barack Obama.
It is exciting indeed.
p.s. remember to continue to donate and remember to continue to remain engaged in this campaign. thanks.
looking at this picture, it reminds me of that ll cool j song, 'mama gonna knock you out'. well, mccain, 'obama gonna knock you out'. this was a fantastic week for barack. he showed his strength in two fold. he prepared and had has troops in north carolina and indiana wayyy ahead of clinton and got folks to vote EARLY. it mattered. especially for north carolina where he ran the numbers up. now since wisconsin, we all have said 'this is over' the pundits and networks are now stating, 'it is over'. they are ready to move onto the real story, 'obama vs. mccain'. as always, stay focused on obama and not the drama.....peace...
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