Category: Uncategorized
Campaign Panel – Live blog (part 13)
Bloomberg running as an independent?
Kantor – What a noxious concept!! Only in New York would anybody consider Bloomberg a viable candidate. He agrees with Obama on 90% He has no running room.
Margolis – people are fed up with party labels. It drives a lot of what Obama is doing. We’ve brought a million new people into the process and we couldn’t have won without them. These are people who want to change the game.
Campaign Panel – Live blog (part 12)
question from audience:
Where do I get a refund for a contribution for the Guiliani campaign?
Sandlin – That’s called a “stupidity tax.”
Well, there’s a lot of stupid people in this room.
Campaign Panel – Live blog (part 11)
Question from the audience:
Who will be McCain’s VP?
Kondracke – won’t be Lieberman. He’s pro-choice, the right wing would go bananas. I think he should offer it to Colin Powell. If he takes it, he wins. But he even gets credit for asking. Could be former Rep. Rob Portman (R-OH).
Campaign Panel – Live blog (part 10)
Mahoney – I believe that Obama governs from the center he will establish a Democratic governing majority for a generation. But nothing in his past suggests he’ll do it. I’ve talked to Republicans who say you can deal with Obama, but he’s been constrained by his party. But he has a great opportunity.
Campaign Panel – Live blog (part 9)
What about our business? PR used to be the “canary in the mineshaft?” We feel the recession before it comes because PR budgets get cut early. Doesn’t seem to be happening this time. Are we in a recession?
Talent – I think so. But the public dissatisfaction is based, not on personal situations, but rather a fear of the future, the direction we’re going in and the unresponsiveness in Washington.
Back to the new media, I think it’s great, a new vibrant marketplace of ideas.
Country’s problems transcend politics, energy, entitlement programs, baby boom retirement, post cold war foreign policy. Lot’s of big things. They have to be solved on a bipartisan basis. Would a President Obama enlist Republicans, even if he didn’t have to?
Sandlin – This new bi-partisan from Republicans comes now after they’ve lost the House, lost the Senate and are about to lose the Presidency. That’s not how they governed when they were in charge. They didn’t want Democratic votes.
This is going to be a personal election. People want someone like Obama who says “I’m going listen to you and try to solve your problems.”
Campaign Panel – Live blog (part 8)
What is the impact of new media?
Kondracke – I grew up in the fifties and I don’t recognize campaigns today. As a journalist, I would file twice a day. Now, reporters have to file all the time, for the paper, for the web site. It is constant. When do they have time to do reporting? As a consumer, you can’t keep up with it.
My favorite site is Real Clear Politics. Can’t even keep up with that!
Readership of newpapers is collapsing. Kids don’t even watch TV, they get everything on the Internet.
Media creates a new consciousness and I don’t know what effect this is having. People are only going to places to find info they agree with. What impact is that going to have?
Obama claims he’s going to bring people together. He’s never done that in the U.S. Congress…ever. My guess is that he won’t have to. The Democratic wave is so great, he will work with the new enlarged Democratic majority to pass a liberal agenda and will lose his mandate.
Campaign Panel – Live blog
McCain VP?
Mahoney – Don’t be surprised if it’s a Democrat. Lieberman.
Kondracke – Rush Limbaugh will commit hari kari.
Campaign Panel – Live blog
Who would be McCain’s VP? To Kieran Mahoney:
I’d love Mel Martinez, could offset Obama demographically. But probably ineligible.
But Mahoney wants to talk broader. Amazing energy in the Democratic Party. Will pick up seats that would otherwise not be able to win.
It will come down to “who represents the center in the electorate?” The fact that Democrats have all these advantages and its a one point race at the presidential level says a lot.
If you nominate a liberal, it’s hard to run to the center and win. The last one who did was Harry Truman.
Sixty percent of the public wants small government and for everyone to get along. Change in government generally reflect the will of the American public.
The middle of the electorate is the dominant factor.
Campaign Panel – Live blog
Paul asks Jim what Obama is really like?
Jim says he is singularly the most impressive candidate I’ve ever worked with. I’m more passionate about him today that I was a year ago when I joined his campaign. He is brilliant. Prof. Larry Tribe said, “In my thirty years teaching at Harvard Law, this is the smartest guy I’ve ever taught.”
What do you want in a president? Someone who listens, someone who is brilliant and a steadiness. Obama has that and you get all this bonus stuff, he inspires.
Campaign Panel – Live blog
The split in the Democratic party is wildly exaggerated. It’s the Reagan Democrats that Obama has to concentrate on winning. Still the Democrats have huge advantates. But the presidential vote is the most personal any ever casts. Obama has to work to make voters comfortable with him. I believe he can do that.
