I predicted earlier in the week that you would no doubt start hearing reports from within the Democratic Party questioning the Obama leadership, strategy and organization. It has begun. I originally aid we would probably see them in a few weeks, but the last few days of missteps “you can put lipstick on a pig” from the Obama team seems to have brought them out sooner.
First is this piece entitled McCain Poll Surge, Fundraising Give Democrats Election Jitters which includes the statement that the Obama camp’s “novelty has worn off,” from Representative Bill Pascrell of New Jersey. Also the statement that this has been the Republicans “best week” Representative Artur Davis. The positives and reassurances come from Democratic “strategists” in the piece. Why is this important? Let me explain.
According to Open Secrets since the 1990 election cycle Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac employees and PAC’s doled out $19.5 Million to members of Congress. While 53% of that money was given to Republicans Senator Barack Obama, who has made an end to lobbyists reign in Washington a central theme of his campaign, received $122,850 from both companies an amount second only to fellow Democrat Chris Dodd. Additionally Obama received the most from individuals associated with Fannie Mae at $101,150. (John McCain, has received only $21,300 from both since 1989)
The nationalization of both companies is expected to cost taxpayers billions and Senator Obama announced today that economic problems in association with the bailout could “delay” his plans to rescind the Bush tax cuts. Obama had planned on using the money generated from the removal of those tax cuts to fund large portions of his domestic programs.
Reacting to Senator Obama’s declaration that the surge had succeeded but had done so beyond anyone’s “wildest expectations” Sarah Palin had this to say today:
He said it was doomed to fail. But just last night, Sen. Obama finally broke and brought himself to admit what all of us have known for quite some time, and that’s that thanks to the skill and valor of our troops, the surge in Iraq has succeeded,” Palin said.
“I guess when you turn out to be profoundly wrong on a vital national security issue, maybe it’s comforting to pretend that everyone else was wrong, too.”
I noted just the other day my belief that the Republicans and the media should halt their attacks on Palin ASAP and that Obama is best not getting himself into an “experience” argument with the Alaskan governor and that is apparently the road he plans to take. From Politico:
As Sarah Palin transforms herself from obscure Alaska governor to
the Republican Party’s newest rising star and most effective attack dog, Barack Obama’s campaign will largely sit back, watch her rise and hope she falls.
The Obama campaign has no silver bullet to use against the Palin. Instead, Obama has decided to largely avoid directly engaging her and will instead keep his focus largely on John McCain and on linking the Republican ticket to President George W. Bush. The Obama campaign will leave Palin to navigate the same cycle of celebrity that Obama has weathered, and the same peril that her nascent image will be defined by questions and contradictions from her Alaska past.
The problem Obama faces is that every attack on experience only reminds people of his. My guess is that Palin will truly be an attack dog and a rising star doing everything possible to keep the Obama clan on the defensive. The problem is, attacking her only distracts the Obama team from the main target, McCain.
The “post racial, post partisan” politics of Senator Barack Obama never had a great shot of achieving tangibility; even as a large portion of the nation turned against the War and the president well over a year ago. George Washington’s much discussed final speech as president in which he derided party politics fell upon the ears of a nation that was ready to explode with partisan divide. Ours was a new nation that was formed upon the celebration of multiple and often conflicting thoughts and Washington undoubtedly knew a world without division would not last. So, just as Obama decried the politics of old, just as George W. Bush had in 2000 and Bill Clinton had in 1992, it was only a matter of time before he too would get swept by the divide.
Today marks the first time a poll has shown his rival, Senator John McCain, leading the race. Polls will undoubtedly change from this day until November with some showing Obama ahead, some behind. What is important to remember is Democrats entered this political season believing there was no way they could lose. Just weeks ago Democrat and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi avoided talk of domestic drilling by espousing the logic that a Dem Congress and president would soon be in power, negating the need for a vote today. Hubris is more often than not the downfall of most politicians and as a simple matter of physics the higher things rise, the further they must fall.
Media Bistro is reporting that the Obama campaign will use txt messaging and e-mail to announce the candidates VP selection, a move that should help build the already impressive Obama contact list. Of course, as Media Bistro notes, more than likely the news will finds its way to the MSM long before the message is sent out.
As Barack Obama attacks John McCain over his support of what the Senator calls legislation straight out of “the Cheney Playbook” the Associated Press notes that in 2005 it was Obama who supported a pork laden energy bill Dems have called the Cheney energy bill while McCain voted against it.
Obama voted for a 2005 energy bill backed by President Bush that included billions in subsidies for oil and natural gas production, a measure for which Vice President Dick Cheney played a major role. McCain opposed the bill, saying at the time that it included billions in unnecessary tax breaks for the oil industry.
The Obama campaign has said the Illinois senator supported the legislation because it included huge investments in renewable energy. Yet Democrats long have characterized the 2005 energy bill as being written by Cheney. One of them, Democratic primary rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, criticized Obama earlier this year for backing the “Dick Cheney lobbyist energy bill.”
During a press conference today Senator Barack Obama said he does not support reparations for slavery.
“I have said in the past - and I’ll repeat again - that the best reparations we can provide are good schools in the inner city and jobs for people who are unemployed,” the Illinois Democrat said recently.
In addition Obama characterized the Houses vote this week to apologize for slavery as “appropriate” but “not particularly helpful” in improving the lives of African Americans.
After weeks of attacking Senator John McCain and Republicans for their push to allow oil companies to explore offshore drilling, Senator Obama now says he is willing to support limited drilling for a compromise on energy policy.
“My interest is in making sure we’ve got the kind of comprehensive energy policy that can bring down gas prices,” Obama said in an interview with The Palm Beach Post.
“If, in order to get that passed, we have to compromise in terms of a careful, well thought-out drilling strategy that was carefully circumscribed to avoid significant environmental damage - I don’t want to be so rigid that we can’t get something done.”
Despite his suggestion of support Obama said he still remains skeptical:
“I remain skeptical that new offshore drilling will bring down gas prices in the short-term or significantly reduce our oil dependence in the long-term, though I do welcome the establishment of a process that will allow us to make future drilling decisions based on science and fact,” he said.
“The senator decided out of respect for these servicemen and women that it would be inappropriate to make a stop to visit troops at a U.S. military facility as part of a trip funded by the campaign,” Gibbs said.
Senator Obama skipped a meeting with wounded troops in Germany saying it would be “inappropriate” to do so during the campaign portion of the trip “out of respect” for the troops. In response:
John McCain spokesman Brian Rogers said, “Barack Obama is wrong. It is never inappropriate to visit our men and women in the military.”
McCain’s Senate colleague Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., also took a shot at Obama.
“I noticed that Obama had plenty of time to shoot hoops … but he didn’t have the time to stop by (the Ramstein base),” he told FOX News.
How would it be any more inappropriate than meeting with government leaders while openly bashing the current administrations foreign policy and hinting that they would be better off working with him than the sitting President of the United States?
