National Republicans
Silent Running
The convention gave President Obama a surge (possibly short-lived) in polls and fundraising. But he’s got another edge that won’t be short-lived: a “fired up and ready to go” ground game and the technology to make it go. The Obama campaign has spent years and millions upon millions of dollars building it. They have…
Read MoreMitt’s Anchors
Mitt Romney must think his campaign is in serious trouble. Why else would he promise to keep some of Obamacare and not cut taxes for the wealthy? Two 180s in one 30-minute talk show! How long will it take before the Tea Party forces him to re-retreat? There is a great irony at…
Read MoreThe Third World
Bill Clinton teed the ball up and drew a laser-beam-line from the ball to the target for President Obama but then Obama walked right past tee, ball and target to make a speech with the same old same old litany of promises ending with promises of hope. This election there’re three different ‘worlds’ in…
Read MoreBounce
Bill Clinton won the Olympic Gold for oratory, Democrats won the conventions and President Obama enters the final two months with a stronger posse and better positioning than Mitt Romney. Obama’s speech left some supporters feeling like Lynyrd Skynyrd fans who didn’t get to hear “Freebird.” The lift and lilt of 2004 and 2008…
Read MoreBubba Speaks
This blog is also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. Gary, I’m guessing you slept very well last night and woke up this morning with a smile on your face. If I had a lick of sense I’d hang out a sign today that says “Gone Fishing” instead of writing about Bill…
Read MoreGetting Out of the Ditch
This blog is also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. It’s not about the conventions – it’s about the stories the conventions are telling. The Republicans’ story goes like this, Obama hasn’t done the job, let ‘em go. The Democrats’ story goes this way, We are more like you than Mitt…
Read MoreA Tale of Two Conventions
This blog is also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. There may not be, as John Edwards famously said, “two Americas.” But there sure are two parties with diametrically different views of America. That’s the value of conventions. Cynics may dismiss them, and TV viewers may ignore them. But the conventions…
Read MoreThe Swing Voter
This blog is also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. In case you missed it there’re two new polls this week but nothing’s changed. Republicans are still voting rocklike for Romney, Democrats are still rocklike for Obama, and if you want a portrait of a swing voter she’s a mother with young…
Read MorePicking – and Picking On – Charlotte
This blog is also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. Over the past few weeks, a stream of state and national reporters asked essentially the same question: “Was it a mistake for Democrats to come to Charlotte?” Let’s set aside the existential question of whether it’s ever a mistake to come…
Read MoreAre You Better Off?
The Romney campaign won a 24-hour news cycle on the “Are you better off?” question, but they may lose the election over it. Team Obama and the Democrats should relish this fight. And not worry about having been caught off guard – although that was inexcusable. Who won or lost the news cycle matters…
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