National Democrats
Echoes of 1998
This year’s presidential race reminds me of John Edwards’ Senate race 10 years ago. You have a fresh – but inexperienced – face (Edwards, Obama) running against an old – but experienced – face (McCain, Lauch Faircloth). As we did in Edwards’ campaign, Obama sees his chance in the public’s disgust for Washington and desire…
Read MoreSkip’s Gamble
House Republican Leader ‘Skip’ Stam is turning thumbs down on North Carolina casting its electoral votes for the candidate for President who wins the popular vote – but it may turn out to be a political gamble that backfires. Last year – when Democrats put electing the President by popular vote on the table –…
Read MorePresidential Campaign Winners and Losers
Winner: Campaign Symbols Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are holding their Unity Rally in – no kidding – Unity, New Hampshire. Apparently they could not find a place called Change. And Bill Clinton owns the deed to a place called Hope. Loser: Edwards for Veep Elizabeth Edwards publicly questioned whether Obama should have opted out…
Read More$4 Gas and Obama
A Republican consultant figures there is a direct relationship between the price of gas and Barack Obama’s vote in North Carolina. He told me he spent four days running numbers on turnout and election models. His conclusion: If gas stays under $4 a gallon, Obama’s maximum vote in the state is 46.5 percent. But if…
Read MoreBushed
2008 must look worse for the Republicans than I thought. At least, they think so. President Bush stole into and out of Raleigh Friday with nary a photo op or video with Pat McCrory, Liddy Dole or any other Republican politician. This is major. I cannot remember the last time a Republican president – or…
Read MoreMore Than a Head Fake?
The Obama campaign may be serious about targeting North Carolina. I heard last week they are sending 280 field organizers into the state. The Rasmussen poll on WRAL showed Obama behind McCain by only 45-43. Obama’s 43 percent is almost exactly what every Democratic presidential candidate going back to Dukakis in 1988 received here. Big…
Read MoreThe Dam Breaking
Albert the pollster’s just gotten back a national poll and he’s in a funk. Albert, as he says, has three levels of warnings when he’s advising a campaign. The first example is when the campaign wants to make a silly mistake, but one that won’t do a great deal of harm. When that happens Albert…
Read MoreObama’s Head Fake
Barack Obama is supposed to be quite the pickup basketball player, and he’s putting quite the head fake on John McCain in North Carolina. It’s good strategy. Obama has the money and the grassroots organization to make the Republicans worry – at least for now – about how much time and money to spend here.…
Read MoreGeorge McGovern in the Age of the Internet?
Every time a fellow opens his mouth he tells you something about himself – though politicians try harder than most folks to fool you. Senator John McCain spoke for a solid hour on Fox News Primary Night – and it was tough sledding. He read his speech from a teleprompter – and it was not…
Read MoreWhy Obama Will Win
Because the choice between Obama and McCain will come down to Change versus Race. And Team Obama is smart enough to make McCain pay for a race-based campaign. Obama owns Change. It’s one big reason he beat Clinton, Edwards, et al. That one-word Change message gets ridiculed. It would be worthy of ridicule if change…
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