National Democrats

In his presidential campaign, John Edwards portrays himself as a mill town boy who pulled himself up by the bootstraps. He knows the poor. He feels their pain. His political speeches are filled with his compassion. But, now, the News and Observer (4-19-07) reports that while Edwards has been out crusading to eliminate poverty, he…

The history of presidential elections is filled with ‘flash in the pan’ candidates – charismatic, articulate young leaders who wanted to take the country in a new direction, enjoyed their fifteen minutes of fame and faded into oblivion. But none of them ever raised $25 million. Barack Obama has. In politics the golden rule is…

It’s one thing to be a political rock star. It’s another thing to turn stardom into real money. And Barack Obama did it. Obama proved he’s for real when he raised almost as much money as Hillary Clinton in the first quarter – $25 million. Obama’s showing jolted Hillary’s campaign – and John Edwards’. As…

Dubai is one of the seven princedoms of United Arab Emirates (UAE). It bars Israeli citizens from setting food in its country. It “bans all products made in Israel and even ones with parts made in Israel.” Half the 9/11 hijackers flew to the United States from Dubai. And $234,500 of the $300,000 wired to…

Conventional Wisdom says the 2008 Presidential nominations will be decided by money. Especially with a de facto nationwide primary looming in early February. CW (that’s “conventional wisdom,” not Carter Wrenn) says a campaign will have to raise $100 million this year to be viable next year. CW says this Saturday, March 31, is a critical…

Cancer is cruel. Politics is cruel. John and Elizabeth Edwards now must live at the intersection of both. Much of the reaction to her cancer falls along predictable political lines. Supporters see admirable courage and determination. Opponents see breathtaking ambition and denial. The most misguided criticism is that John Edwards is pressing ahead because of…

The 2004 Presidential campaign brought politics Internet fundraising, 529s and “swift-boating.” You ain’t seen nothing yet. For a taste of what’s to come this time, go to YouTube and see the “Hillary 1984” ad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWvHbOoG3tI. It’s clever, creative and cutting. It goes right to the heart of Hillary’s weakness with younger, Blog Democrats. To them,…

When Carter assessed Hillary and Obama last week, he identified a key factor in campaigns: the political skills of the candidates and the people around them. The first weeks have shown that Hillary – right now – has the best team when it comes to winning the weekly media wars. But it may not be…