........ of tomorrow night's GOP debate. We will be live blogging, with a special guest or two, during the Republican debate.
We will do post debate reviews, with speaker points allocated.
7 comments:
Anonymous
said...
May 14, 2007
Is It the Woman Thing, or Is It Katie Couric?
By BILL CARTER - New York Times
The numbers are stark. Eight months into Katie Couric’s job as the first woman to anchor a network newscast on her own, her “CBS Evening News” has not only settled back into its long-held position of last among the evening news broadcasts, but also regularly falls short of the newscast that Ms. Couric replaced.
In the latest week’s ratings, “CBS Evening News” had its worst performance since the Nielsen company installed its “people meter” ratings system 20 years ago.
It wasn't very long ago that I wrote in this space that, in the argument as to whether the Democratic contest for president is a two-person or a three-person race, I was a member of the "John Edwards is in the Democratic top tier" camp.
I argued his strength in Iowa, clear message and personal appeal make the former North Carolina Senator a serious contender for the Democratic nomination.
I see no reason to change that view, but I'll admit I'm scratching my head more often at Edwards' seemingly insatiable desire to run to the left -- far to the left -- of everyone in the Democratic race with the possible exception of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio).
Increasingly, political observers are whispering that Edwards seems to be running much as former Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) Did in 2004, wooing organized labor and recycling a class warfare message. Of course, I'm not suggesting that Edwards' message is entirely new -- in the previous cycle, his "two Americas" theme addressed issues of class and race as well -- only that, of the credible candidates, Edwards has filled the "Gephardt slot" in the current race.
Edwards' campaign strategy and message may well be due to the presence and influence of his campaign manager, former Rep. David Bonior (D-Mich.). Bonior, a national co-chairman of Gephardt's 2004 presidential campaign, always has been close to organized labor, and he was a leader in the fight against free-trade measures during his years in Congress.
More troubling for mainstream Democrats may be Edwards' association with the innocuous-sounding Democrats.com, a shrill, pro-impeachment group that appears to be at the far end of the ideological spectrum.
Democrats.com recently sent out an e-mail including a message from Edwards praising the group and urging its supporters to sign his petition demanding a "binding exit plan for the War in Iraq."
For the moment, Edwards' message of confrontation, confrontation, confrontation probably looks pretty good to grass-roots Democrats.
The question is whether, in the long haul, mainstream Democrats -- and I'm certainly including liberal Democrats in that category -- will find Edwards' recent rhetoric and style too Dean-like for their liking.
As we all saw four years ago, being angry and confrontational, and having the support of blue-collar union voters, isn't always enough.
John Edwards: I've been calling him the likely nominee for some time now, but it's probably time to back off that.
On the downside, I think the early spotlight is shooting some holes in his image. I ranted a bit last week about news coverage of his haircuts, and I don't think it should be an issue, but the fact remains that he's living big time while talking about how we need to do more for the poor, and he's heating and air conditioning a 28,000 square foot house while encouraging us to reduce our carbon footprints.
He's still the candidate I'm most likely to support, but it's more questionable now.
I'm an R, so don't have a problem in general with edwards spending $400 on a haircut. This is America and I'm thrilled to see a hairdresser get paid $400. Most hairdressers can't make a living at their profession with the usual price, so from an increased minimum wage perspective, bully for them.
My problem with it is that he used campaign funds for it. So, personal hygiene is a legitimate campaign expense? Do you buy his preparation H too? Paying for a $400 haircut off the backs of small donors rather than his own private millions reveals much about his character.
He is not acting in a fiduciary manner with campaign funds. How will he act with your tax dollars?
7 comments:
May 14, 2007
Is It the Woman Thing, or Is It Katie Couric?
By BILL CARTER - New York Times
The numbers are stark. Eight months into Katie Couric’s job as the first woman to anchor a network newscast on her own, her “CBS Evening News” has not only settled back into its long-held position of last among the evening news broadcasts, but also regularly falls short of the newscast that Ms. Couric replaced.
In the latest week’s ratings, “CBS Evening News” had its worst performance since the Nielsen company installed its “people meter” ratings system 20 years ago.
it's hard to believe that anyone could have lower ratings than Dan Rather.
I know I predicted disaster when they announced her. I bet all of you did too.
May 14, 2007
Edwards This Year's Gephardt?
By Stuart Rothenberg
It wasn't very long ago that I wrote in this space that, in the argument as to whether the Democratic contest for president is a two-person or a three-person race, I was a member of the "John Edwards is in the Democratic top tier" camp.
I argued his strength in Iowa, clear message and personal appeal make the former North Carolina Senator a serious contender for the Democratic nomination.
I see no reason to change that view, but I'll admit I'm scratching my head more often at Edwards' seemingly insatiable desire to run to the left -- far to the left -- of everyone in the Democratic race with the possible exception of Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio).
Increasingly, political observers are whispering that Edwards seems to be running much as former Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) Did in 2004, wooing organized labor and recycling a class warfare message. Of course, I'm not suggesting that Edwards' message is entirely new -- in the previous cycle, his "two Americas" theme addressed issues of class and race as well -- only that, of the credible candidates, Edwards has filled the "Gephardt slot" in the current race.
Edwards' campaign strategy and message may well be due to the presence and influence of his campaign manager, former Rep. David Bonior (D-Mich.). Bonior, a national co-chairman of Gephardt's 2004 presidential campaign, always has been close to organized labor, and he was a leader in the fight against free-trade measures during his years in Congress.
More troubling for mainstream Democrats may be Edwards' association with the innocuous-sounding Democrats.com, a shrill, pro-impeachment group that appears to be at the far end of the ideological spectrum.
Democrats.com recently sent out an e-mail including a message from Edwards praising the group and urging its supporters to sign his petition demanding a "binding exit plan for the War in Iraq."
For the moment, Edwards' message of confrontation, confrontation, confrontation probably looks pretty good to grass-roots Democrats.
The question is whether, in the long haul, mainstream Democrats -- and I'm certainly including liberal Democrats in that category -- will find Edwards' recent rhetoric and style too Dean-like for their liking.
As we all saw four years ago, being angry and confrontational, and having the support of blue-collar union voters, isn't always enough.
John Edwards: I've been calling him the likely nominee for some time now, but it's probably time to back off that.
On the downside, I think the early spotlight is shooting some holes in his image. I ranted a bit last week about news coverage of his haircuts, and I don't think it should be an issue, but the fact remains that he's living big time while talking about how we need to do more for the poor, and he's heating and air conditioning a 28,000 square foot house while encouraging us to reduce our carbon footprints.
He's still the candidate I'm most likely to support, but it's more questionable now.
I'm an R, so don't have a problem in general with edwards spending $400 on a haircut. This is America and I'm thrilled to see a hairdresser get paid $400. Most hairdressers can't make a living at their profession with the usual price, so from an increased minimum wage perspective, bully for them.
My problem with it is that he used campaign funds for it. So, personal hygiene is a legitimate campaign expense? Do you buy his preparation H too? Paying for a $400 haircut off the backs of small donors rather than his own private millions reveals much about his character.
He is not acting in a fiduciary manner with campaign funds. How will he act with your tax dollars?
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