URL:http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/TheNote/TheNote.html
Internet Man
Gorefordean.com
By Mark Halperin, Lisa Todorovich, Gayle Tzemach, David Chalian, Brooke Brower, Karen Travers, Teddy Davis, Nick Schifrin, and Anne Chiappetta
with Hadley Gamble
W A S H I N G T O N, Dec. 9—
Today's Schedule (all times Eastern):
—7:05 am: Sen. Joe Lieberman appears on NBC's "Today"
—8:00 am: Gov. Howard Dean attends a breakfast fundraiser with former Vice President Al Gore at the Institute of Action Art, New York City
—8:15 am: Gen. Wesley Clark speaks about the environment at the Sanders & McDermott law firm, Portsmouth, N.H.
—9:20 am: Off-camera White House press gaggle with Press Secretary Scott McClellan
—9:50 am: President Bush and Mrs. Bush greet the Premier of China, White House
—10:00 am: Senate convenes for legislative business
—10:00 am: Supreme Court convenes
—10:25 am: President Bush meets with the Premier of China, White House
—12:00 pm: Sen. John Edwards discusses the Patients' Bill of Rights at the Full Circle Senior Adult Day Center, Norman, Okla.
—12:00 pm: Rep. Dennis Kucinich holds a press conference at Nashua High School, Nashua, N.H.
—12:05 pm: Gen. Clark greets his RV convoy outside of WTSN Radio, Dover, N.H.
—12:30 pm: Gov. Dean is endorsed by fmr. Vice President Gore at the Five Seasons Hotel, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
—12:45 pm: On-camera White House press briefing with Press Secretary McClellan
—1:00 pm: Gen. Clark discusses the environment at New Castle Public Library, New Castle, N.H.
—1:00 pm: Bush-Cheney '04 Delaware State Chair, Rep. Mike Castle, announces campaign's state leadership team, Wilmington, Del.
—1:30 pm: Gov. Dean holds a press availability at the Five Seasons Hotel Bar, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
—4:45 pm: Rep. Richard Gephardt and Jane Gephardt shop for a Families-in-Transition adopted family, Portsmouth, N.H.
—5:00 pm: Gov. Howard Dean attends pre-debate rally at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H.
—5:00 pm: Sen. John Kerry attends pre-debate rally at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H.
—5:45 pm: Rep. Gephardt greets supporters at pre-debate rally, University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H.
—6:00 pm: President and Mrs. Bush attend a performance by the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra, Kennedy Center, D.C.
—7:00 pm: ABC News and WMUR host a Democratic presidential debate at the University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H.
—7:00 pm: Fmr. President Jimmy Carter holds a book signing at Politics and Prose Bookstore, D.C.
—8:50 pm: Rep. Kucinich stops by a debate-watching party to greet supporters, Durham, N.H.
—9:00 pm: Sen. Edwards greets supporters at a debate watching party at The Tin Palace, Durham, N.H.
—9:10 pm: Rep. Gephardt greets supporters at post-debate rally, Durham, N.H.
—9:15 pm: Sen. Kerry visits debate watch party at Muddy River Smokehouse, Portsmouth, N.H.
—9:15 pm: Gen. Clark attends debate-watching party at Scorpio's, Durham, N.H.
—9:30 pm: Sen. Lieberman attends debate watching party at Benjamin's Restaurant, Durham, N.H.
—11:35 pm: A special one-hour edition of ABC NEWS' "Nightline" focusing on the debate
NEWS SUMMARY
Durham, N.H. — Before the biggest national and New Hampshire audiences to which they have ever been exposed to as a group, Howard Dean and eight other people will debate tonight at 7:00 pm ET in Durham, New Hampshire, for 90 minutes.
Literally in the room with them will be Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe (who is in charge of winning back the White House) and Ralph Nader (who is expected as a guest of Dennis Kucinich, and who some believe just might have cost the Democrats the White House in 2000).
And hovering over the whole thing will be the spectral presence of a man quite popular in eastern Iowa, with African Americans, with Democratic women, and with Peter Knight — Albert Gore.
The incredibly gracious people of the University of New Hampshire have helped make the lovely, snow-dappled Durham campus into the Center of the Political Universe today, where Ted Koppel and Scott Spradling will do the journalistic honors.
Tonight's Dust-up will air on a special, one-hour edition of Nightline, reaching a vast North American viewing audience on free TV.
In addition, the debate will air live on monster powerhouse WMUR and on C-SPAN, which will have special coverage of the Dust-up before and after the event.
Additional coverage can be found on ABC News Live and ABC News Radio, with a special 2-hour broadcast beginning at 9:00 pm ET.
The Hartford Courant's perceptive David Lightman calls tonight's debate the candidates' "most crucial encounter yet since it comes just weeks before that state's primary."
This morning, at their endorsement event in New York, Gore emphasized Dean's revolutionary grass-roots support and opposition to the war in Iraq in issuing his polished, full-throated endorsement. Just wait until you hear the whooping in Cedar Rapids.
Once again, just like after AFSCME and SEIU, it appears that at least a part of Howard Dean's wooing success was due to simply calling Gore more than his rivals.
Politics 101, perhaps, but, hey, this stuff matters.
As for 2008 postulating or Clinton psychobabble, well, The Note really can't be bothered with that — we have Rove-style snowball fights to have.
We could fill The Note today with all the e-mails we got about this (including some that went to Gore on which we were bcc'ed!), but we'll limit ourselves to just one, which comes from a Democrat whose views of Gore are typical among many we know:
"Did it for 3 reasons:"
"1) dean will probably be the nominee"
"2) … his campaign is as much about a movement as it is about a candidate. Its a clear break for him to reinvent himself with the future rather than being dragged down by the past."
"3) it's a [EXPLETIVE DELETED; THINK JOHN KERRY'S FAVORITE WORD] you to all concerned. This is a man who never never forgets, never forgives and has catalogued every wrong that he has ever been subjected to."
"And that is what he will be thinking about standing next to Dean today."
One Note question: Donna Brazile — what the heck WERE you planning to do yesterday before you decided to answer all those press calls?
As for Dean, for a "normal" candidate, on a normal day, getting word of the endorsement of the NEA of New Hampshire or raising over a million dollars would be news to shout from the rooftops.
David Brooks' must-read New York Times column says Howard Dean is "incoherent and contradictory," and those are some of the nicer things he says about him, in calling him "Internet Man." LINK
On the other hand, the Washington Post continues to lead the "why does Dean have a following?" sweepstakes, with Hanna Rosin following Von Drehle/Balz/Blumenfeld in talking to actual humans about where all this energy comes from.
A way-too-self-conscious Karen Hicks is quoted as saying: "We use the campaign as a vehicle to show people they have the power. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true."
Gov. Dean receives the endorsement of former vice president Al Gore in New York and Iowa today before heading to the New Hampshire debate.
Rep. Gephardt campaigns in New Hampshire before participating in the debate.
Gen. Clark speaks about the environment in New Hampshire today before the debate.
Senator Kerry attends rallies before and after the debate.
Senator Edwards discusses the Patients' Bill of Rights in Oklahoma before heading to New Hampshire.
Senator Lieberman attends a rally following the debate.
Rep. Kucinich campaigns in New Hampshire before the debate.
Rev. Sharpton and Amb. Moseley Braun participate in the New Hampshire debate.
President Bush meets with the Chinese Premier and attends a performance by the Iraqi National Symphony Orchestra tonight.
The Dust-up in Durham:
You know the one about the political reporter who maimed the kind volunteer runner for putting too many press releases on his desk during a debate?
Well, fear not! All of you reporters who have traveled to Rio or frequent the Brazilian restaurants on Manhattan's west side (LINK) will be quite comfortable with tonight's press file format.
If you do not wish to receive campaign releases throughout the debate, ABC News will be providing each reporter with a red sheet of paper. You will display this paper on your desk in the filing center and all runners will bypass you and not drop any unwanted paper at your workspace during the debate. The red piece of paper is easy and user friendly and nothing to fear.
And the lovely parting gift.
Some of you reporters may recall the buzz that blazed through Washington back in September when ABC News hosted the big dessert bake-off. If you voted in the dessert competition, you are already quite familiar with the joys of the Notebook. If you have yet to obtain such a Notebook and are planning on covering tonight's Dust-up Durham, you are in for a treat like no other.
And, no Roger, you can only have one.
"The art of the dodge is so time-honored among candidates of both parties that candidates, moderators, reporters and the public have long stopped expecting a direct answer," write James Rainey and Susannah Rosenblatt of the Los Angeles Times. LINK
Rainey and Rosenblatt report that primary debates have rarely been the place for candidates to score big points, but the duo uses the 1980 Reagan example which of course took place right here in the Granite State, so stay tuned. And please do read ABC News' Koppel's kicker quote about Sharpton's role this evening.
[Note to Ms. Rosenblatt: We're working on that e-mail thing. We promise!]
A fella named "Halperin" hopes for some "newsmaking answers" according to the Manchester Union Leader's Dust-up curtain-raiser. LINK
The Manchester Union Leader's John DiStaso writes up Howard Dean's big New Hampshire lead in the polls coming into tonight's debate. LINK
DiStaso has more good news for Howard Dean. The former Vermont governor scored another big endorsement yesterday. The 14,000 member strong New Hampshire NEA made history by endorsing a presidential primary candidate for the first time in its history. LINK
Gore endorses Dean:
Ron Brownstein and Matea Gold of the Los Angeles Times play up the Democratic Establishment angle of the endorsement and then get Donna Brazile to nudge a few candidates over to the sidelines. LINK
"Looking at the advantages Dean is accumulating, Brazile, Gore's former campaign manager, said today's endorsement could signal 'quitting time' for some of the other contenders."
"'They have no place to go; they have no gasoline,' she said."
The Daily News' Michael Blood writes the endorsement "ratifies Dean's front-runner status … " LINK
The New York Times ' Nagourney and Wilgoren team up to wrap up the Day That Rocked the Field, complete with quotes from Donna Brazile and Gerry McEntee and, yes, Bill Clinton, who seems to have been caught unawares by his Veep's decision. LINK
Todd Purdum analyzes Gore's "move of striking — and discretionary — boldness that would have been all but unheard of for the cautious, calculating candidate Mr. Gore once was." LINK
USA Today 's Jill Lawrence calls the endorsement "a stamp of approval and a strong signal to party elders." LINK
Lawrence and Jim Drinkard report that Dean leads with 25% in the new USA TODAY /CNN/ Gallup Poll released Monday, and "Gore's backing fuels a growing perception that Dean will be hard to stop, and it may mute grumbling by party regulars about Dean's electability." LINK
Knight Ridder's Steve Thomma calls it "a dramatic pre-primary boost that could help cement Dean's status as the front-runner for the nomination." LINK
Stefan Friedman and Deborah Orin of the New York Post describe the endorsement as a "slap at … Joe Lieberman" and go on to write that Gore's big nod " … will boost Dean with black voters and help in the pivotal Iowa caucuses — and could make him all but unstoppable." LINK
Helen Kennedy of the Daily News spoke to some Democrats who think Al Gore's endorsement has something to do with the former Vice President's plans for 2008. Ms. Kennedy then reminds her readers that Mr. Gore still has $7 million that can be used for a future run. LINK
Tom Beaumont of the Des Moines Register has Donna Brazile calling it the $100 million endorsement. LINK
The Hartford Courant's David Lightman puts the endorsement in its timely context. LINK
Dick Morris thinks Al Gore's decision is simply about taking control of the Democratic party away from the Clintons. LINK
We wonder if it will be strange for Time Magazine's Callie Shell to be covering Al Gore from way back in the press plane today instead of with the all access pass to which she grew accustomed.
ABC News Vote 2004: Bush-Cheney re-elect:
Greg Hitt's must-read in today's Wall Street Journal profiles the most powerful of the low-key power brokers, Vice President Cheney.
"Never in modern times has there been a vice president who has taken on such extensive responsibilities, and never has there been a vice president who so assiduously sought to escape the public eye."
Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman was in South Carolina yesterday to announce the state's leadership team. House Speaker David Wilkins will serve as chairman of the president's re-election effort and will be joined by Gov. Mark Sanford and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, who will serve as co-chairmen. LINK
Oh --the president did indeed sign legislation to overhaul Medicare yesterday and provide prescription drug coverage for 40 million Americans. LINK
ABC News Vote 2004: The Invisible Primary:
Talk about X-rated comedians! Check out Donna Brazile's recent stand-up routine as captured by Lloyd Grove. LINK
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Roll Call 's Morton Kondracke says "history is repeating itself" in the 2004 election with Democratic candidates that all remind him of "their party's past losers."
Get this: the Tallahassee Democrat's Political Editor Bill Cotterell Notes Gov. Jeb Bush's reaction to last weekend's Florida Democratic convention: "the 'mock anger' … reminded him of Pat Buchanan's famous 'war for the soul' speech that hurt his father's re-election chances in 1992." LINK
The land of 5-plus-2-equals-7:
USA Today 's Drinkard reports on the Jones/Raftis anti-Dean ads in Iowa, and Notes that "Raftis declined to say who had given to the group, or even to talk about the number of contributors, until the deadline for disclosure at the end of January, after Iowa's caucuses." LINK
C'mon, folks, there is more work to be done on this.
Dean:
Bill Kristol says Dean can beat Bush. LINK
The Los Angeles Times' Mark Z. Barabak and John Glionna write up Gov. Dean's comments about pre-9/11 intelligence stating his " … penchant for off-the-cuff comments has proved both a strength and political liability." LINK
Hey David Wade! The New York Post 's Deborah Orin attended an "X-rated fund-raiser" at a comedy club last night — and so did Howard Dean! LINK
"When Dean came out after the comics, he made a vague reference to 'some language that was used — I think it's wrong.'"
From ABC News' Dean campaign reporter Reena Singh:
Campaign manager Joe Trippi and adviser Gina Glantz pulled reporters aside following the 2:00 pm New York City Council endorsement (small "e" compared to what happens tomorrow) where Gifford Miller was added to the Dean NY campaign. The reporters were told not to dig around and show up for the Tuesday morning breakfast. And we were politely warned on the chilling consequences of breaking the story ahead of time. Obviously, the AP didn't get that memo. Trippi headed to a labor meeting and then left with the Governor to pick up checks from donors at their homes. The campaign said they raised well over one million dollars.
Read more from the trail with Dean on abcnews.com: LINK
Kerry:
Kerry will be hosting an Iowa town hall meeting on Sunday to be televised statewide. 50 undecided Iowans will make up the audience. LINK
Ouch! Check out that New York Post cartoon on Page Six.
Read more from the trail with Kerry on abcnews.com: LINK
Gephardt:
From ABC News' Gephardt campaign reporter Sally Hawkins:
The Gephardt campaign was taken completely by surprise when the news hit that Gore would endorse Dean.
"With all the hype I'm hearing, this better be good," one staffer quipped earlier in the day.
After the Gore endorsement was reported in the media, Gephardt chose not to comment. However, his spokesman Erik Smith quickly released a statement: "Dick Gephardt fought side-by-side with Al Gore to pass the Clinton economic plan, pass the assault weapons ban and defend against Republican attacks on Medicare and affirmative action. On each of these issues, Howard Dean was on the wrong side."
Later, campaign manager Steve Murphy said they never expected a Gore endorsement. Murphy also responded to a report that the news is a stronger setback for Gephardt than other candidates because of his quest to beat Dean in Iowa. He responded, "We're beyond the stage that this would hurt us in Iowa. This kind of thing is good for fundraising, but it has little significance in this race for Dick Gephardt. It's the grass roots support and local political endorsements that help the most now."
Read more from the trail with Gephardt on abcnews.com: LINK
Clark:
From ABC News' Clark campaign reporter Deborah Apton:
General Clark was in a van on the way to Cambridge when the AP wire story hit that Vice President Gore was indeed endorsing Howard Dean. Once he arrived in Boston, The General seemed to have already put a twist on the news: if disappointed, hide it; if sad, act happy.
"I don't pay attention to endorsements," Clark told Chris Matthews during the taping of "Hardball," "unless they're for me." The answer sparked a few giggles from the audience. Then, during a commercial break, MSNBC had a quick news update. Clark looked up at the monitor shaking his head, smiling, as the matte on screen read: "GORE ENDORSES DEAN."
But before he was all smiles, perhaps some of Clark's true feelings shown for a brief moment. Before "Hardball" Clark addressed some Harvard students, warning them about the election: "It shouldn't be politics as usual. It shouldn't be an election won by a candidate who raises the most money; it shouldn't be about anger … (lowers voice) … it shouldn't be about endorsements."
Read more from the trail with Clark on abcnews.com: LINK
Edwards:
From ABC News' Edwards campaign reporter Gloria Riviera:
The campaign did not comment on the Gore-Dean news. However, when word leaked that Clark's campaign claimed to have won the "Gore Staffing Primary" it was pointed out that several former Gore staffers now work for Senator Edwards. Among them in alphabetical order: Nick Baldick, Sky Gallegos, David Ginsberg, Hunter Pruette and Roger Salazar.
In what might be described as a slightly less powerful slam dunk than Gore tapping Dean as his first draft pick, basketball superstar Charles Barkley said on Jesse Ventura's MSNBC program, "there's nobody in the Democratic party that really floats my boat except John Edwards."
Read more from the trail with Edwards on abcnews.com: LINK
Lieberman:
Joe Lieberman says he was "surprised" by the Gore choice but "determined" to press ahead with his candidacy. LINK
The Los Angeles Times' Elizabeth Mehren provides a much delayed look at the Lieberman clan's plan to set up camp in New Hampshire after the first of the year. LINK
From ABC News' Lieberman campaign reporter Talesha Reynolds:
Gore has never made an appearance with Lieberman on the trail, and Lieberman only mentions the VP when he evokes the recount or the Clinton/Gore record. Lieberman has said that waiting for Gore to decide whether to run hurt his fundraising efforts, but he did it because it was the right thing to do. Lieberman recalled that sacrifice in his statement: "I have a lot of respect for Al Gore — that is why I kept my promise not to run if he did."
Vice President Gore apparently did not place much value on such deference. One source close to Lieberman and Gore described the situation as "unbelievable" and "a little odd" and said it would be fair to describe it as a huge slap in the face.
Another Lieberman source feels the endorsement, though clearly a big boon for Dean, doesn't affect Lieberman's strategy one bit. The source said, "I think this has the biggest affect on the guys who have to win Iowa and New Hampshire, namely Gephardt and Kerry." The theory is that Dean's two biggest opponents in the early match-ups will now have a harder fight, but just as before, Lieberman has to make a third place showing in New Hampshire and win some February 3 primaries to remain competitive.
Read more from the trail with Lieberman on abcnews.com: LINK
Kucinich:
From ABC News' Kucinich campaign reporter Melinda Arons:
Kucinich chose not to respond personally to Gore's endorsement of Dean, but his campaign manager Dot Maver not surprisingly tried to give it a positive spin, saying she is "delighted that Al Gore is returning to the political arena and will be a strong voice for change. I look forward to working closely with both Al and Howard after we win the nomination."
The Kucinich campaign may well be one of the few for whom the Gore endorsement really isn't a major blow, since Kucinich could have never expected to get it in the first place and therefore it's not a disappointment. To Kucinich supporters, who feel the two parties have merged into one big receptacle for special interest money, an endorsement from Gore is nothing to brag about.
Kucinich had hoped for five hours of debate prep time but it's now been scaled back to about three or four, and Kucinich has turned down media interviews to maximize it.
Read more from the trail with Kucinich on abcnews.com: LINK
Sharpton:
Reverend Sharpton will be collecting $200,000 from the City of New York after settling his lawsuit accusing the city of failing to protect him from a 1991 stabbing incident. LINK
From ABC News' Sharpton campaign reporter Beth Loyd:
Sharpton was live on CNN's "Crossfire" when the Gore-Dean news broke. He turned to Tucker Carlson and said, "I don't want to shock you, but I was not expecting Al Gore's endorsement."
Sharpton said that Gore's endorsement has virtually no affect on his campaign, but he thinks the others can't say as much. "I think it consolidates the opposition in the primary. I think it will probably take one or two people out of the race."
Sharpton told ABC News that Dean cast himself as an outsider who is "fighting the establishment and now he has the establishment endorsement."
It's also timely to Note that Sharpton's hosting of Saturday Night Live, which grabbed a respectable 6.4 rating, didn't come close to the 7.6 Gore scored when he hosted a year ago.
Read more from the trail with Sharpton on abcnews.com: LINK
Moseley Braun:
From ABC News' Moseley Braun campaign reporter Monica Ackerman:
Campaign manager Patricia Ireland called the Gore-Dean news "an interesting development." Ambassador Moseley Braun declined to issue a statement.
Bronchitis (it's not the flu) will not stop Moseley Braun from participating in today's debate. She'll focus on the latest spending bill and its impact in New Hampshire. She will also push the issue of disability acts because of what the campaign regards as a large number of people with disabilities in the state.
Read more from the trail with Moseley Braun on abcnews.com: LINK
South Carolina:
A new Pew poll shows Edwards leading and Dean still in single digits. LINK
Big Casino budget politics:
The Wall Street Journal 's David Rogers outlines the key issues and pet projects of the huge spending bill passed in the House yesterday by a 242-176 vote, including the fracas between House members who are pushing the Senate to come back and vote on the bill, and Senate leaders Frist and Daschle, who "feel more duty-bound to shield fellow senators from any more votes this year, even if it means most of the government must operate below full funding for the first third of the fiscal year that began Oct. 1."
Big Casino budget politics: Medicare:
USA Today 's Benedetto and Welch report on the Medicare signing. LINK
USA Today 's Susan Page writes that "calculating the political impact of the Medicare bill is as complicated as explaining the details of the 680-page plan." LINK
Robert Pear on Medicare. LINK
The politics of national security:
More than three dozen soldiers are injured in a suicide bombing attack on an American military base in northern Iraq. LINK
Where is Yogi Berra when we need him? This Los Angeles Times' must-read says the intelligence backing the White House's pre-war "claims about Iraqi unconventional weapons" seems "robust" compared to the intel now being used in North Korea. LINK
Indonesia, an ally, says "American policy in Iraq might have made the world more dangerous, rather than making it safer as the Bush administration contends." LINK
USA Today reports "stepped-up attacks on contractors in recent weeks" has slowed down Iraqi reconstruction efforts. LINK
The Washington Post says such attacks have led to unfathomably long lines for gasoline in Iraq, fueling "anger" and "frustration" with the U.S. occupation. LINK
Aiming to address the issue and "jump-start" reconstruction projects in Iraq, the Pentagon has doubled the amount of "walking around money" it's sending to senior military commanders in Iraq to $300 million, report the Wall Street Journal 's Greg Jaffe and Neil King.
The economy:
The Wall Street Journal 's Kris Maher reports that despite the hiring slump, businesses are pushing those productivity numbers with more overtime.
Labor Secretary Elaine Chao spins last week's unemployment numbers as rosy, saying they're proof positive that the U.S. is not in a "jobless recovery" in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
In case you didn't hear, Matthew Newman reports in the Wall Street Journal that foreign ministers in the European Union voted yesterday to begin imposing trade sanctions in March in response to U.S. export-tax breaks.
Politics:
Governor Schwarzenegger has decided to call off his investigation into sexual harassment allegations made by several women in the days leading up to the October 7 recall election. LINK
"The announcement came hours after a former movie stuntwoman sued Schwarzenegger for libel, claiming that one of his campaign operatives had smeared her after she accused the actor of sexually abusing her on two movie sets. She said the operative, Sean Walsh, had led reporters to believe that she was a convicted felon."
"Stutzman said Schwarzenegger's decision to drop the investigation was not related to the suit but was intended to allow him to focus on his new duties as governor. But the two developments made clear that allegations about his behavior toward women will be an issue that will not go away any time soon."
ABC Vote 2003: The city by the bay:
Polls are open from 7:00 AM — 8:00 PM PST (10:00 AM — 11:00 PM EST) for San Franciscans to elect their new mayor. Bill Clinton made a last minute campaign stop on behalf of Gavin Newsom and Matt Gonzalez took some time to relax and reflect about the mayoral election. LINK |
