…And How to Beat It

The low-road strategy beat Michael Dukakis, Al Gore and John Kerry. But not Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton. And maybe not Barack Obama. Here’s why. Dukakis, Gore and Kerry reinforced – with their own performances – the portrait that Republican slime-masters drew of them. Lee Atwater painted Dukakis as a wuss. And Dukakis wussed out…

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I Know Nuthink

When the national Democratic Party poured a whopping $6.5 million into her campaign, Kay Hagan was shocked. Just shocked. She knew nothing about it. The millions of dollars that fell from the sky like manna from heaven were a complete surprise. But, now, Beverly Perdue has done her one better. After raising hundreds of thousands…

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Edwards Vs. The Enquirer

John Edwards’ political career began after the death of his first child. Will it end after the birth of another child? A once-strong Edwards supporter posed that question the other day. She, like other supporters, is nervous about the “love child” story. Edwards said it’s “tabloid trash.” That’s not enough. If the story is not…

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George Bush Vs. Paris Hilton

Imagine this: A pollster-guru-political whiz sitting in McCain’s headquarters turning pages, staring at statistics, searching to find someone in America who is less popular than George Bush stops, looks up and says two words: “Paris Hilton.” The young Republican males sitting across the table — who have cut their teeth in the ‘voters are idiots’…

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Obama and Young Voters

An older Democrat asked me how to get younger votes who are excited about Barack Obama to vote a straight Democratic ticket. Thanks to past Democratic legislatures, the ballot makes this hard. You have to vote for Obama, then go to a separate place to vote a straight ticket. That was a good idea when…

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Blowing Yourself Up

Since Obama disposed of Hillary it’s become clear that in order to crush him McCain must resort to The Big Negative. Obama’s got too much momentum and money and charisma for McCain to waltz into office by way of a friendly popularity contest. Well, Wednesday the old admiral – or the old crowd that’s moved…

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Obama Gets the Willies?

I’m not sure what’s worse: ‘International Celebrity’ Barack Obama not visiting wounded soldiers in Germany – or watching John McCain jump up and down and howl about it. This saga in American politics started bad and went downhill. Obama tripped over his own feet, then tripped again getting up, then McCain leaped on his back…

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Turning Point?

When the histories of the 2008 presidential race are written, last week may be seen as the turning point. No, the polls won’t show it yet. They may look more like 1980, which was a dead heat between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter until everything broke Reagan’s way the final weekend. Then, as now, voters…

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Will the Real Politician Please Stand Up?

Gary, I’m going to agree. John McCain’s a flip-flopper. The old admiral is zigging and zagging. But a bit of the shine’s rubbing off Obama’s apple too. After a year of telling everyone who’d listen how he’s going to get us out of the war, His Nimbleness just said – in Baghdad, no less –…

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Enquirer Exclusive

Wednesday morning when I got to the office a newspaper headline was waiting on my desk: SEN. JOHN EDWARDS CAUGHT WITH MISTRESS AND LOVE CHILD. My first thought, since it was a National Enquirer Celebrity Exclusive, was to tell myself, You may not like Edwards but these folks believe in Martians. Or at least they…

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