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Mudslinging to Victory
Taegan Goddard's Political Wire —
A few days ago, Democratic strategist James Carville said he can see a path to victory for Sen. John McCain this fall, but not one that Americans will be happy about. An excellent piece by John Heileman suggests McCain's campaign team has decided Carville may be right. ...
Driving Up Obama's Negatives
The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan —
By Patrick Appel John Heilemann thinks McCain is taking the low road: The motor behind his operation now is Steve Schmidt, the shaven-headed strategist who earned his bones running Karl Rove's war room in 2004, Frenchifying and de-war-heroizing John Kerry. What Schmidt and his associates have apparently concluded is that McCain's weaknesses -- on the election's most salient issues and as a candidate -- are so pronounced and Obama's vulnerabilities so glaring that the low road is their guy's best, and maybe only, route to the White ...
McCain doesn’t think his campaign is ‘negative in the slightest’
Political Animal —
... It’s awfully early for John McCain to be running such a desperate, ugly campaign against Barack Obama. But I guess it’s useful for Democrats to get a reminder that the Republican Party plays presidential politics by the same moral code that guided the bad-boy Oakland Raiders in their heyday: “Just win, baby.” […]
Negative campaigning is not a pretty thing, and it should be beneath John McCain to stoop so low.
John Heileman:
Until last week, it was an open question which of these visions ...
Must-Read
Talking Points Memo —
Stop what you're doing and read this article. Very acute take on the latest turn of the campaign.
Saturday Reading: Cynical
Ben Smith's Blog —
McCain's cynical, not racist, says Obama.
Though he says McCain's amplified race issues in a "troublesome" way.
The DNC says it's "shameful."
Bob Herbert says it's racist.
Heilemann, and everyone else in the media, write on how McCain has chosen the low road — with its risks.
And David Mark looks at electoral college dynamics.
ALSO: Mel Martinez disagrees with Rick Davis.
‘This is not a cost-free exercise’
Political Animal —
... and read John Heilemann’s take on the state of the campaign in New York magazine. I’ll second Josh’s endorsement — this is one of the sharpest analyses I’ve read this week. ...
Saturday reading: Daddy Yankee in the house!
Jonathan Martin's Blog —
... (seriously)
In Ames, Tim Pawlenty mocks the Obama tire inflation line with a prop (hopefully the gov got in a stop at Hickory Park)
Dems note that McCain's crowd last night in Panama City of less than a thousand was far less than the 20,000+ plus President Bush drew in August of 2004 at a Panhandle stop with special guest...John McCain
Jim VandeHei, taking his second turn at the Playbook wheel in as many days, weighs the week
John Heilemann thinks the low road could lead to victory
Jonathan Alter wonders ...
Hello To All That Again
The Daily Dish | By Andrew Sullivan —
Here you have the current message of the McCain campaign from no less an authority than Rick Davis: "Only celebrities like Barack Obama go to the gym three times a day, demand ‘MET-RX chocolate roasted-peanut protein bars and bottles of a hard-to-find organic brew—Black Forest Berry Honest Tea’ and worry about the price of arugula." They really played the arugula card? For all McCain's personal qualities, we're learning that the machine behind the GOP simply re-makes the campaign in its own Coulterite ...
The Arugula Card
Political Animal —
... As part of the instantly mind-numbing “celebrity” attack, John McCain’s ostensible campaign manager Rick Davis said, “Only celebrities like Barack Obama go to the gym three times a day, demand ‘MET-RX chocolate roasted-peanut protein bars and bottles of a hard-to-find organic brew — Black Forest Berry Honest Tea’ and worry about the price of arugula.” ...
Likely Event Of An Emergency
BAGnewsNotes —
... I keep thinking about the piece by John Heilemann that Josh Marshall has been touting. Heilemann's point is that, to the extent McCain can make the election about Obama, he has a chance. Looking back at the blog this past week, I count 10 posts, 7 deconstructing attacks on Obama. Not good. ...
Barbara's Daily BuzzFlash Minute for August 4, 2008
BuzzFlash.org - Progressive News and Commentary with an Attitude | Fight Ignorance: Read BuzzFlash —
... “making a buck” remains supreme!!! * * * “McCain is a tough guy. He’ll do whatever he needs to do.” Hmm, a glance at past history should tell us exactly what kind of a guy McCain really is and exactly what he’ll do when he thinks “he needs to do” it!!! Another opinion of John McCain by David Hackworth: ...
Today on Doing Time - Monday August 4th 2008
The Latest on Air America —
... and say it is on the table. Now, will this take away a McCain argument against Obama? Or will it paint Obama as unsteady, pandering or some other slur that was effectively hurled at John Kerry four years ago? But this time around the Republican is a flip-flopper of epic proportion so maybe Obama is free to flop away all he pleases. Hooray for democracy … or something. We’ll also talk about why McCain is so nasty . Does he have to be ? And should Obama go negative? Or is that like Dylan going electric? Does that make sense? What do you think? Plus, sorting your recycling, ...
Today on Doing Time - Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Latest on Air America —
