THE NOTE: PART TWO
KERRY
Senator John Kerry called into Imus this morning, showing more evidence of the dreaded spring cold/allergy combination, and good humor when Imus asked such questions as: "Do you think Teresa is too crazy to be first lady?" (which caused us to spit out our green tea and strain our ears for Kerry's answer).
Kerry said the "single most important thing is to restore confidence" on Wall Street, which the White House is not doing--[they] have "changed their economic players; they haven't changed their economic plan," and brushed aside a standard Imus Whitewater joke.
On Bush: "I know that landing on an aircraft carrier and not having a economic plan seems to work right now," but also evoked the old "are you better off today than you were four years ago" threat at the start of the interview.
Kerry and Imus discussed Adam Nagourney's Sunday story, and Kerry agreed that 2004 may not necessarily be a replay of 1992. "I would be crazy if I didn't acknowledge that the dynamics in the Middle East offer opportunities for the administration, of course they do."
On Dean: Following Imus' assertion that he himself has a "strong dislike" (close to hatred) for Howard Dean ( a "draft-dodging weasel," accordng to Imus), Kerry laughed and said "I'm not going there ? I don't hate anybody ? its fair to have differences."
He expressed his own differences wth Gephardt's health care plan, and with Lieberman's war policy (Vietnam reference!), and denied acrimony among the Democratic candidates.
On Teresa: Laughter, "thank you," "and how's your relationship with Deirdre," in response to the "too crazy" question. "She is a wonderful, extraordinary woman ? She has been so terrific in the course of this campaign" (Imus Notes Kerry has not answered the question, requests a "yes or no answer") ? "I think my wife would make a spectacular First Lady."
On Kerry's regime change remark, which Imus called both "idiotic" and his "Dixie Chicks moment": Kerry softened the words but not the sentiment that the administration is heading in the wrong direction, referred to the "orchestrated" White House attack (ganged up on by the likes of Hastert and DeLay), said he refused to be pushed around, promised to continue criticizing bad Administration policy, and said he wears the Republican attack as a "badge of honor" and as evidence the White House considers him the Democratic frontrunner.
On America: Kerry is enjoying his campaign travels around the US, meeting the wonderful, warm, generous people and seeing the historic sites, benefits working in the Senate does not allow.
On the debate: bizarre to find that many people on a stage that early, and his scratchy allergy voice affected his performance.
On Gore: In response to Imus's fantasy of a Lieberman win, whch would "kill him" and prompt Gore to gain 500 pounds, Kerry laughed and said: "You are looking for the greatest capacity to have hate burst out all across the land today."
They ended with profusions of mutual admiration and (newfound?) respect.
The campaign says it went door-to-door across New Hampshire for the first time this weekend.
GRAHAM
In Sunday's Washington Post Maragzine, Michael Grunwald profiles Florida's "sober, conscientious, unfailingly courteous grandfather" and senior Senator, and finds, "Suddenly, Bob Graham has become a freakout guy. In fact, assuming he continues to recover from January surgery to replace a valve in his heart, he plans to run for president as a kind of freakout candidate, a red-alert politician for a freakout nation. He rails about 'hardened assassins' living among us, plotting attacks on American soil." LINK
"Florida U.S. Senator Bob Graham picked up the support of ex-Democratic Party Executive Director Ramsay McLauchlan. The choice is a natural since he and his wife will soon be moving to Florida," reports Kevin Landrigan, LINK
LIEBERMAN
David Lightman looks beyond the "I'd like to come over there and strangle you, George" moment and writes up his home state candidate's overall debate performance.LINK
"America saw the new, aggressive Joe Lieberman on Saturday night, a presidential candidate badly in need of momentum suddenly challenging his rivals and talking tough."
"His opponents credited him with a solid, perhaps even campaign-saving strategy in the 2004 race's first presidential debate."
"Lieberman therefore came into the University of South Carolina debate with three goals: 'To highlight a more aggressive Joe Lieberman,' said spokesman Jano Cabrera ? as well as to show how Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt's health care plan was an ode to big government, and to illustrate how squabbles over defense policy made the party look weak."
"Lieberman had as many particularly bright moments."
The Charleston Post and Courier's Ron Menchaca reports, "In comments Sunday to one of the state's largest black church congregations, Democratic presidential candidate Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut called on state leaders to remove the Confederate flag from the Statehouse grounds." LINK
"U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., who last week called on the nine candidates to avoid bringing up the flag or answering questions about it, said Sunday that his wishes extended only to the debate."
DEAN
Joe Edelheit Ross, a former aid to the late Senator Paul Tsongas, exlpains in the Los Angeles Times why Howard Dean "appears poised to benefit from three dynamics that assisted Carter in 1976 but that crucially eluded Hart in 1984 and Tsongas in 1992." LINK
Is there any member of the McMahon family who is NOT a Dean volunteer?
Looking at the first quarter fundraising reports, Tom Edsall is impressed with Howard Dean's ability to tap into "elites" as well as his domination of several occupational categories. LINK
But who helped Edsall with his pop culture lead?
US News says Howard Dean's campaign is testing messages via phone in Iowa. LINK
Campaign manager Joe Trippi wouldn't confirm or deny to us the existence of any phone calls to us, except to say that if the Dean campaign were to utilize that tactic, they wouldn't limit questions to their candidate.
So draw your own conclusions.
EDWARDS
The Charlotte Observer's Tim Funk writes up Senator Edwards' Sunday visit to Boston. LINK
After attacking Congressman Gephardt's health care plan in Saturday's debate, Senator Edwards hinted at his forthcoming plan and did so by taking a step to the political center.
"In response to other questions, Edwards indicated he was a few weeks away from unveiling a health insurance plan that he said would, among other things, provide health care coverage for the 9 million children not covered right now and give small businesses a tax credit to provide coverage for their employees."
"It appeared, though, that Edwards' plan would fall short of the scope and expense of U.S. Rep. Richard Gephardt's plan, which would cover all 41 million Americans now without health insurance."
The very busy John Wagner followed Senator Edwards from South Carolina to the Kennedy Library. LINK
The Boston Herald's Elisabeth J. Beardsley reports on Senator Edwards' Sunday speech at the library, leading with his call "on national Democrats to join the presidential rainmaking race yesterday, pointing to a federal court ruling striking down parts of a ban on unregulated 'soft money.'" LINK
Beardsley quotes the Senator: "'I'm not for unilateral disarmament,' Edwards said. 'The future of the country is at stake and we have to be able to compete with the Republicans'", and writes:
"The North Carolina Democrat ? who's filling his war chest faster than any other candidate ? was key in shepherding last year's sweeping 'McCain-Finegold' campaign finance reforms into law."
"He also runs a political action committee that raised more than three-quarters of its $6 million kitty from soft money, and which had been hobbled by the ban."
Beardsley observes that Edwards covered a wide range of issues during his speech, and, "In the wake of the Democratic free-for-all, Edwards kept his remarks and criticism tightly focused on President Bush and the national Republican Party." (Topics: the "'Bush recession;'" "'right wing'" judicial nominees; diplomacy efforts; civil liberties; repealing the tax cut plan).
The "markedly friendly audience" was nonetheless an anti-war one, which reprimanded him over his vote in support of the war in Iraq, and pressed him to admit: "'I don't know the (casualty) count as of today."'
Beardsley Notes that rather than take questions from the media following his speech, Edwards retreated to a private reception for New Hampshire guests, where he still has work to do.
Is Senator Edwards aware that John Ashcroft won't be on the ballot in 2004? (And will he continue to get heat for voting in favor of the Patriot Act?)
The Charlotte Observer reports the American Tort Reform Association has a natural enemy in John Edwards and the organization is taking its anti-Edwards campaign to the internet. LINK
NEW HAMPSHIRE
The New Hampshire Business Review says that the presidential campaigns pumped in $78,000 worth of salaries to the New Hampshire economy.
Somewhat overlooked, Education Secretary Rod Paige spent the weekend in New Hampshire defending the administration's No Child Left Behind implementation. LINK
James Pindell looks at Derry, New Hampshire's influence in state politics. LINK
BCRA Redux:
Marc Ambinder's Monday assignment: LINK
On Sunday, the AP's David Espo summarized the judges' 1,700 page decision in 724 words. LINK
We'll let America's newspaper have the floor now:
"A complex federal court decision throwing out major parts of the nation's new campaign-finance law would place strict curbs on political advertising by special-interest groups, from organized labor to the National Rifle Association." LINK
"The three-judge panel that released its ruling Friday left the law, named for Senate sponsors John McCain and Russ Feingold, in tatters and lawyers scrambling to figure out what it means. Ultimately, the case will be heard by the Supreme Court, but that's not likely until late this year."
"Among the biggest immediate impacts: a ban on the use of corporate and union treasury money to broadcast any ad, at any time, that attacks or supports a federal candidate. 'It's a very significant development that people haven't come to grips with in understanding how sweeping it is,' says Don Simon of Common Cause, which backed the law. 'We got more from the court than we ever could have gotten from Congress.'"
"Lawyers on both sides expect the Supreme Court to be asked within days to stay the effect of Friday's ruling and avoid throwing the 2004 presidential and congressional campaigns into uncertainty."
"Also left in the dust by the court's ruling was the law's centerpiece: a ban on unlimited, unregulated contributions to political parties from wealthy individuals, unions and corporations, which is known as 'soft money.' But the judges upheld a provision barring the president and members of Congress from soliciting those contributions and barring use of the money in federal elections. It can be used for generic political activities, such as voter registration."
"That is likely to reopen the floodgates of soft money, says Kenneth Gross, an election lawyer who advises donors and political groups. 'On Monday morning, if a corporation wants to donate money to the national parties, I'm going to let them do it,' Gross says. 'Right now, the coast is clear.'"
Big Casino budget politics:
The Washington Post 's Weisman and Milbank do a very lovely job looking at the White House's attempts to round up two Democratic votes to pass a tax cut in the Senate. LINK
The two code-breaking paragraphs from a pair of men whose propensity to get on the phone with reporters these days are not identical:
"If the tax cut fails to pass, Bush can blame Democrats for the limping economy. 'The Democrats have taken the wrong lesson from their defeat at the polls last time and concluded that they should be more obstructionist,' said GOP lobbyist Ed Gillespie, an informal White House adviser. 'If the economy doesn't get better, they're in the position of it being their fault.'"
"Bush allies also say that even if Democrats and Republican holdouts succeed in limiting the tax cut to $350 billion, Bush can still claim victory. 'What this administration is doing, and most people haven't figured it out yet, is an annual tax cut,' said Grover Norquist, a GOP activist close to the White House. 'Democrats have consented, in the middle of a war, in the middle of a massive deficit, to tax cuts.'"
The Wall Street Journal 's Bob Davis looks at Treasury Secretary Snow, and his failure (so far) to get enough converts on the Hill for the Bush tax plan.
The mini-bio also includes these nuggetty graphs:
"The administration has been reluctant to release a study prepared by the Treasury and the White House that examines the economic effect of the Bush tax plan, and comes up with a much lower price tag for the package. A senior Treasury official says the study isn't yet complete, but others familiar with the report say it's been ready to go for weeks. A faster-growing economy and more buoyant stock market would boost tax receipts sufficiently to reduce the cost of the Bush tax plan by about one-third, according to officials who have seen the report. Using those numbers, the Bush administration could argue, the full Bush tax plan fits under the $550 billion budget level."
"Those keeping the study under wraps might be concerned that it would undercut support for parts of the tax plan ? especially the popular child credit ? that don't boost growth much. The report also could open the administration to charges that it's cooking the books. 'Without a doubt, that's how it would be seen,' says Senator Grassley, the Finance Committee chairman."
The Wall Street Journal 's Murray and McKinnon have Senator Grassley beginning to re-write the Bush plan.
The Wall Street Journal ed board attacks Hill Republicans for not getting the president's tax cut passed, what with an election coming up and voters bound to judge the party's stewardship of the economy.
The Washington Post 's inexplicably still underrated Amy Goldstein sounds positively like Robert Pear with this lead: "Nearly half the states have reduced child-care subsidies for poor families during the past two years, according to a federal study to be released today, which shows that states' fiscal problems have prompted state agencies to restrict eligibility, stop accepting new families or charge them more for the care." LINK
The New York Times ' love affair with moderate Republicans who buck presidents of their own party (They are called "squishes" elsewhere in town ? .) continues today, with a Robin Toner tone poem to Olympia Snowe. LINK
Economy:
The Wall Street Journal has separate stories on the mystery of the sluggish manufacturing sector, and last Friday's wowing unemployment number.
Judicial nominations:
In the parallel universe inhabited by the New York Times ed board, the Bush judicial confirmation fights are as gripping to the nation as a really entertaining reality TV show. LINK
In the parallel universe inhabited by the Wall Street Journal 's Robert Bartley, now that his team controls the White House and the Hill, he seems to have forgotten all those anti-Clinton editorials he oversaw that would seem to have played at least some role in keeping the politics of personal destruction going forward (and we mean the unfair editorials, not the fair ones).
Legislative agenda:
The Washington Post 's almost-too-talented-for-his-own-good Jim "I'm Not James" VandeHei front pages a look at the apparently resurgent clout of the pro-Second Amendment side, leading thusly: LINK
"The gun industry, demonstrating its resurgent influence over Washington politics, is on the cusp of convincing President Bush and Congress to protect it from pending and future lawsuits."
"Under pressure from the National Rifle Association and a lesser-known organization funded with $100 million from gun manufacturers, Bush and a majority of lawmakers are on record supporting significant new legal protections for companies that make and sell guns. The legislation would prevent victims of gun crimes from making civil claims against companies that manufactured, imported or sold the weapons."
Some Democrats and anti-gun groups (yes, yes, "gun safety" groups) claim the NRA clout is overstated, but facts are stubborn things.
Politics:
Hail victory, braves on the warpath, fight for all D.C.!!
Or, perhaps, fight for all Landover!!
The Note was tempted to make some joke about the difference between handling the media for Bill Clinton and handling the media for the Washington Redskins, but we won't.
Instead, we'll just say: congratulations to Julia Payne (one of the few people we have ever known who can read Bruce Lindsey's body language), the new vice president for communications for the Washington Redskins.
Ms. Payne instantly joins the top tier of former Clinton and Gore aides with post C-G glam jobs (Wendy Smith at CAA, Jake Siewart in the aluminum business, etc).
One of the greatest confirmation sherpas in American history (Tom Korologos), one of the greatest woman soccer players in American history (Mia Hamm), one of the greatest men's basketball players in American history (Mike), the Ritz Carlton in the West End, and mold all come together in a classic Annie Groer must-read that is very, very Washington. LINK
Michael Kinsley on Bill Bennett. LINK
Bush Administration strategy/personality:
The Boston Globe s' Anne Kornblut gives President Bush the full Sunday magazine cover story treatment. LINK
Ms. Kornblut uses the president's swaggering style as a lens through which she sees his long list of successes.
"Combativeness from Bush has become increasingly routine, especially in dealing with reporters or anyone else who dares challenge his authority. Indeed, for a president who is closely stage-managed and prides himself on discipline, George W. Bush has let his temper flare publicly an unusual number of times. He has glared at the cameras, threatened his adversaries, even joked about running a dictatorship. The outbursts, although occasional, have fed the cowboy caricature that sums up why a large number of people around the world are so furious with his administration and, by extension, the United States."
"Yet Bush's ire is more than an interesting impulse. It reflects a driving force behind his presidency. Bush detests being challenged, whether by reporters or political leaders. He is unyielding in his convictions, to the exclusion of all else. He is principled. But he is also stubborn, a trait that has become a guiding force of his governing style, a management tool, and perhaps even a new chapter in American history."
Kornblut's analysis turns Oedipal:
"In 1987, Newsweek magazine ran a cover story about then vice president George H. W. Bush under the headline "Bush Battles the Wimp Factor." The criticism deeply stung the elder Bush, who has been known to mention it to Newsweek staffers in the years since, but it also taught his son a lesson. Current advisers to President Bush have carefully studied his father's political playbook, on everything from taxes to foreign policy, and more or less done the opposite. No one would accuse this President Bush of being a wimp ? or of lacking the "vision thing," the other charge that dogged the 41st president."
"To explain George W. Bush as the antithesis of his father is tempting, but it overlooks an even likelier model for his behavior ? his mother. Three years before the elder Bush's backbone was questioned, Barbara Bush stunned the political world with a daring insult to her husband's Democratic rival for the vice presidency, Geraldine Ferraro. "I can't say it, but it rhymes with rich," Barbara Bush said of Ferraro. She later apologized and insisted she had meant Ferraro was a witch, not the profanity everyone had assumed."
"That sort of biting invective and sarcasm show up in the current president time and again ? as do the former first lady's impatience, contempt for the media, and ferocity. Before friendly audiences, Bush mentions his mother far more than his father, often joking that he is still obeying her orders."
abcnews.go.com |
