National Democrats
Surging
Unless he trips coming around third base, Barack Obama has hit a grand slam with his grand tour. The pictures are the story. Obama conferring with foreign leaders. Getting off a presidential-looking jet. Carrying a flak jacket. Riding in military helicopters. Listening to military commanders. Greeting troops. Sinking three-pointers. Obama looked like a President. Meanwhile,…
Read MoreWho Flip-Flops?
The only card McCain and the GOP have to play against Obama is the flip-flop charge that Carter & Co. used so effectively against Jim Hunt in 1984. The irony is laughable. McCain could give lessons in flip-flopping. The Bush challenger of 2000 is the Bush lackey of 2008. The opponent of Bush’s tax cuts…
Read MoreObama-McCain Poll
WRAL’s poll last week showed that John McCain is irrelevant to this election – and Barack Obama still faces a challenge. The poll showed McCain leading only 45-42. The good news for Democrats: McCain is weak, weak, weak. His problems: He’s old, and he represents George Bush’s third term. The bad news: Obama is still…
Read MoreDrill We Must?
Dick Morris can be slimy and smarmy, but he’s smart. This week he put his finger on an issue that Democrats need to think hard about: offshore – or, as the Republicans call it – “deep-sea” drilling for oil. Clearly the Republicans have drilled down on this issue with some heavy-duty polling. Almost simultaneously, John…
Read MoreObama’s Helmet
There’s a big new CBS News/New York Times poll out and Obama’s popularity has dropped. Which sounds good. Until you look at McCain’s numbers. He dropped too. Now, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Let’s put this as bluntly as possible: McCain needs to defeat Obama roughly 56% to 44% among white voters to…
Read MoreGetting on the Same Sheet of Music
North Carolina Republicans have one bona fide, big league, blue chip campaign that has all the ingredients for success this year: Elizabeth Dole’s. Senator Dole has built the only major Republican campaign in North Carolina that is raising more money than her opponent. And she has polls. And effective ads. And her campaign team has…
Read MoreWe’re Officially In Play
For a month Obama’s been talking about North Carolina being in play. The rumor mills – at least over here on the Republican side of the aisle – are churning, saying everything from, ‘He’s crazy if he thinks he can win North Carolina’ to ‘He’s sent a legion of workers here to register 500,000 new…
Read MoreThe 24-State Strategy
Inside word is that the Obama campaign is targeting 24 states – for now. And North Carolina is one of them. If 24 states end up being competitive in November, this is going to be a landslide for Obama and the Democrats. If he stays active in North Carolina, it’s good news for Kay Hagan…
Read MoreGetting to Know Him
Presidential races can turn in the summer. John Kerry got swift-boated. Al Gore got beta-maled. Bob Dole got Dick Morrised. George Bush Sr. got Peroted. Michael Dukakis got Willy Hortoned. Summer is the dead time when voters – millions of them – who haven’t paid attention start getting to know the candidates. Here is what…
Read MoreOdds and Ends
Well, I hope Gary’s dead-on right (see below) when he says John Edwards running for Vice President with Barack Obama is a fantasy. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. But this morning didn’t help. My wife turned on Good Morning America and there Edwards was grinning like a Cheshire cat, gushing over Obama, sounding like a…
Read More