Election Central Morning Roundup
Poll: Obama Ahead By Nine Points, Above 50% Mark
The new ABC/Washington Post poll has some very good news for Barack Obama, with him leading John McCain among likely voters by a 52%-43% margin, in comparison to a two-point McCain lead from right after the Republican Convention. By comparison, neither Al Gore nor John Kerry ever registered above 50% in this poll.
Obama In Florida, Biden In Ohio And Indiana
Barack Obama is campaigning today in Florida, where he has a rally scheduled for 1 p.m. ET in Dunedin. Joe Biden is set to give a major speech on foreign policy at 9 a.m. in Cincinnati, Ohio, followed by a a 4:15 p.m. ET rally in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
McCain And Palin At The UN
Sarah Palin is doing her second day of meet-and-greets with foreign leaders at the United Nations, accompanied by John McCain. The question for the day is whether they'll have any more standoffs with the press over the McCain campaign's refusals to let reporters question Palin.
Good Government Group: McCain Must Fire Rick Davis Over Freddie Mac Payments
Campaign Money Watch, a non-partisan group advocating campaign finance and ethics reform, released this statement regarding the New York Times report that McCain campaign manager Rick Davis' firm remained on Freddie Mac's payroll all the way up to last month:
"John McCain's campaign manager and Freddie Mac had what amounts to a secret half a million dollar lay-a-way plan. For almost three years and as late as last month, Freddie Mac made secret, monthly payments of $15,000 to Rick Davis's firm for a no-show job, apparently in exchange for providing special access to a future McCain White House. If McCain knew about this, his presidential campaign should be in serious trouble. If he didn't know about it, he ought to fire Rick Davis immediately," said David Donnelly, Director of Campaign Money Watch. "Today's question is, what other deals are Rick Davis and the McCain campaign hiding?"
Poll: McCain Up In Virginia
A new Mason-Dixon poll for NBC News gives John McCain a 47%-44% lead in the pivotal swing state of Virginia, within the ±4% margin of error. About half the polls out there right now are putting Barack Obama ahead, and the other half John McCain, with nearly all of them within the margin of error.
Biden Garbles Depression History
In a somewhat humorous gaffe, Joe Biden said the following yesterday about the market crash: "When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened.'" Of course, FDR wasn't president when the market crashed -- Herbert Hoover was -- and they didn't have TV back in those days.
Local TV Anchor Gets Hate Mail Over Palin Resemblance
Cindy Michaels, a local TV news anchor in Maine who bears a striking physical resemblance to Sarah Palin, has been getting hate mail accusing her of copying Palin's fashion sense. "I'm not Sarah Palin," Michaels said, "and so to say cutting things to me just because I'm wearing my hair up and I wear a pair of glasses, there's just something a little strange about that."
D'oh! Joe!
September 24, 2008 9:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
I find Joe's buffoonish behavior endearing. I understand why many do not. Hopefully he clarifies his position on coal while speaking today in Indiana.
September 24, 2008 9:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
...it seems pretty clear..."no coal here!" Unless he was lying...
September 24, 2008 9:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, it was a bad gaffe, no question. But his position is different from Obama's, so hopefully Biden explains where he's coming from and what the policy toward coal would be in an Obama/Biden administration.
September 24, 2008 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, considering the McShame gets graded on a curve, maybe the same approach can apply to Biden. Hopefully, the reaction will be, "that's Joe being Joe," and folks will cut him some slack. But maybe, for the time being, he'd be better off sticking to the prepared text.
September 24, 2008 10:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
"In a somewhat humorous gaffe, Joe Biden said the following yesterday about the market crash: "When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened.'" Of course, FDR wasn't president when the market crashed -- Herbert Hoover was -- and they didn't have TV back in those days."
...and had Gov. Palin said it, y'all'd be braying about her incompetence, unpreparedness and lack of experience...then throw in a few about McCain's jugement...
September 24, 2008 9:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, we would. Because Palin doesn't have 30 years in the Senate under her belt, and isn't on a first-name basis with most of the world's leaders. Joe is sort of allowed a few gaffes like this because he is sort of grossly overqualified for the job of VP, and because he is known for being a loveable (or not so loveable) blowhard. Palin, on the other hand, is perceived as a small-minded idiot, and the onus is on her to prove to the country that she has a firm grasp of foreign and domestic policy.
It may not be *fair* but it is certainly understandable, no?
September 24, 2008 9:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
"...is perceived as a small-minded idiot..." Here, at the Kos and on half of TheVeiw...
September 24, 2008 9:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, by most of the country, according to recent polls. Her favorable ratings have plummeted. Even my Dad, hardcore Republican, thinks she's a dolt.
September 24, 2008 9:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Maybe that's because Biden has a long enough record/career in the public eye that people can sit back and put this sort of mistake into context. Since apparently Palin will wilt under the pressure of questioning by those big ol' meanie reporters, we don't know what she does or doesn't know.
September 24, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Maybe that's because Biden has a long enough record/career in the public eye that people can sit back and put this sort of mistake into context."
Unless he refers to the Czech Republic as Czechoslovakia, then you call him senile...I know, I'm wasting my breath, hypocrisy is a one way street here...I'll move along...
September 24, 2008 9:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Let's see Biden make this mistake 3-4 times and then that'll be an apt comparison...
September 24, 2008 9:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
No, I'm listening. You're saying that we're hypocrites. I'm not sure what that has to do with Sarah Palin being grossly unqualified to be Vice President. I don't see how Joe Biden's gaffe about FDR makes Sarah Palin *more ready* to be Vice President. What is your original point? You seem to have gotten side-tracked. This gaffe of Biden's - what precisely does it have to do with Palin's glaring lack of qualifications? Thanks.
September 24, 2008 9:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
See, that's the problem with the left. You view this subject like you view the economy, statically. Try to see the big picture. Palin is an inexperienced rube in your eyes, especially when compared to Biden the statesman. Never mind the fact that her resume is comparable to Obama's (who happens to be at the top of your ticket). Biden's allowed "comical gaffes" because "that's just Joe, God love him," where as the same gaffe made by McCain is an obvious sign of his senility. That, my friend, is the height of hypocrisy.
September 24, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Allow me to repeat myself: McCain made the Czechoslovakia "gaffe" several times. If or when Biden repeats the FDR gaffe, then come talk to us.
Until then, it’s a bullshit comparison.
September 24, 2008 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
...or if he tells another guy in a wheel chair to stand up...
September 24, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
And now you're changing the subject.
Have at it. I've made my point.
September 24, 2008 9:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Now you're twisting the argument. Your original point was Palin vs. Biden (with McCain as a small sidenote). That's what I'm responding to. Now that that argument has fallen apart, you throw Palin out the window and want to concentrate on McCain. So, okay...
Most of McCain's gaffes have involved foreign policy - his supposed area of expertise. Biden made a mistake....but Biden has never promoted himself as a "historian", has he? In addition, Biden doesn't walk around acting confused like McCain has these past several months like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuseewBhzj0
or this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1AjO-IxfMY
This is why people talk about McCain being senile.
I don't think we're being hypocritical at all because I don't think Biden's situation is comparable to either Palin's or McCain's.
September 24, 2008 9:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's simple...if Palin makes a mistatement of any kind, she's inexperienced, if McCain does he's senile...if it's Biden, well God love him, that's just Joe. That's hypocrisy, plain and simple.
September 24, 2008 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
And I think I've adequately explained why the situations are entirely different. I'll take hypervue's path: have at it.
September 24, 2008 10:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, I'm not sure I'm buying this argument. People of both political parties (many conservatives are starting to be more vocal on this front) see Palin as completely underqualified. She can counter that perception by talking to people, giving interviews, showcasing her talent and her knowledge. Obama, though not as experienced as McCain or Biden, has gone to great lengths to impress upon people that he has the knowledge, judgment, and experience to be President. The problem with Palin is that she's not even *trying*. I mean, you can continue to argue with a couple of random people on TPM about the left's "hypocrisy," but you should take a look at a few recent polls, instead. Palin is tanking, and she's taking McCain down with her. She's a joke, a confection. Biden may be a buffoon, but he's a buffoon who has the PM of Iraq on speed dial.
September 24, 2008 9:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
...maybe you should re-check your polls...the ABC one that gives Obama 51-42 lead...Palin get a 52% favoribility rating...even people voting for Obama have a favorible opinion of her...
September 24, 2008 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Look, if you believe that Sarah Palin is popular and that the big mean press is bullying her and are being hypocrites, that's fine. But I've doing phone banking for the Obama campaign, calling voters in PA who were undecided in the primary. And you know what I hear from women, by an almost 4-1 number? That they were on the fence all the way up to the Palin pick, and that's when they jumped to Obama. She is not going over well. Even worse, her numbers are sliding down every day. Now, I'd love to hear why you think Palin is an asset to the campaign. Hell, I'd love to hear why you think Palin is qualified to be VP. The fact is, you can rail against our "hypocrisy" all day, but that note can only played so often until it becomes farce. I can tell you, from personal experience and from data mined from recent polls, that the selection of Sarah Palin is really hurting McCain's campaign. It has nothing to do with Joe Biden.
September 24, 2008 10:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2008/09/politics_101_criticizing_your_opponent_makes_her_less_popular.php
September 24, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
"comparable resume" LOL. You are so full of shit, your eyeballs are brown.
September 24, 2008 10:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Resume comparable to Obama? OMFG!!!! BWAAAA-HA-HA-HA. Keep trying. Maybe one of these days it will stick.
September 24, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
You're right...she hasn't written 2 books about herself yet...the rest is right up there with him.
September 24, 2008 3:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think everyone here has been waiting for you to do this for quite some time...
September 24, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, I meant "I'll move along to another subject." Didn't intend to get your hopes up.
September 24, 2008 10:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's a humorous gaffe because it's a trivial matter of no import (FDR went on the radio, not TV, so the general sentiment was right, and it does not display a lack of knowledge about (1) what the great depression was or (2) how FDR responded to it). If Palin had said it, I'd chuckle, but not think it a big deal. (This is why, although I think Bush's gaffes are often funny, I don't think that most of them call into question whether he knows what's going on, because you know that he means to say something else.)
Saying that F&F were getting too expensive for taxpayers so we had to privatize them shows an utter lack of understanding of the situation.
This is not apples to apples. Sorry Sarge.
September 24, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Part 2 of the gaffe...FDR wasn't the President when the market crashed in 29...it was Hoover so FDR wasn't on the radio for a few more years either...but hey...who's counting? It's just Joe...God love him!
September 24, 2008 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
The ABC/Washington Post poll is a major headline everywhere but TPM Election Central. I wonder why.
September 24, 2008 9:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Obviously it's because TPM is a hard core GOP dittohead site.
September 24, 2008 9:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
In all seriousness TPM is a left leaning site but it's headlines always seem to cater to the GOP. Double whammy maybe? Reverse psychology?
September 24, 2008 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
That poll does seem like an outlier. Plouffe thinks so. Still, you would think that such a significant lead would warrant more coverage on TPM Election Central than right-wing smear running on TV in Michigan.
September 24, 2008 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Plouffe says its an outlier? Where?
September 24, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
In the Washington Post story. He says it looks "too rosy" but still believes OBama's got the lead.
September 24, 2008 10:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
I read that entire article and NOWHERE is Plouffe even quoted let alone saying it is too rosy. Outlier or not it will control the media narrative along with Davis for today. I like that.
September 24, 2008 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Where's the negative ad hitting McCain over Rick Davis? The story broke at like 10 o'clock last night. They had plenty of time.
If this was Obama, the McCain campaign would've had the ad ready for the morning talk shows to feast on. That's millions of people who'd see it for free.
September 24, 2008 9:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
Since Obama personally got more money than Davis from Freddie and Fannie, he probably doesn't want to go there...That would be like Obama running an ad questioning Palin's experience...too easy to counter with a "Really?" ad.
September 24, 2008 9:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
oh, the crap you make up
September 24, 2008 9:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sarah Palin "really" doesn't know what the Bush Doctrine is?
September 24, 2008 9:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
On Sunday, McCain specifically said that Davis hadn't had any relationship with the firm since 2006. So, either Davis lied to McCain or McCain is lying to all of us. Which do you think it is?
September 24, 2008 9:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Another great point. Forgot all about his denial. That makes it 100 times worse.
So where's Obama? I'm sure he'll mention it at his afternoon rally but he could've been pounding this home all morning.
September 24, 2008 9:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
You know better than Barack Obama how Barack Obama should be spending Barack Obama's time? From what office do you make this claim? People who have never been elected to any office higher than Junior Class Treasurer have come down with a serious case of the second-guessies around here and I can't help but find it incredibly grating. Maybe some of you Junior Class Treasurers should be helping Congress plot a course on the financial situation. I'm sure your expertise would be well appreciated. After all, y'all did such a great job managing the budget for the lock-in...
September 24, 2008 9:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I make the claim from the highest office in the country: that of the tax paying American citizen.
I'm America, not some lawyer who kissed enough local ass to enter the world of politics.
Hear me roar.
September 24, 2008 10:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
You call that a roar?
September 24, 2008 10:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know-you've just described the majority of politicians in both parties.
September 24, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Really, got proof? Nope, didn't think so. Be gone.
September 24, 2008 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
He didn't "personally" get money from them, but Davis did. I hope you understand the difference between individual employees making contributions to a campaign on their own behalf and a lobbyist taking money from the company on the company's behalf.
September 24, 2008 9:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
McCain already hit him over that in negative ads. It wouldn't be a very effective response.
This is a fresh news story and you know good and well that it trumps an old controversy.
If you're saying Obama doesn't have the balls to go there then maybe that's something I can agree with but it would help a lot more than it hurt. It's not like McCain surrogates won't be bringing that up anyway.
September 24, 2008 9:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Better trolls please. At least Gotalife was entertaining.
September 24, 2008 10:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
You know, one comparison that hasn't yet been made about the Davis/Freddie Mac deal (or at least I haven't seen it) is that this is just like the mob giving someone a no-show job.
After all, as the Times reported:
So they were paying $15k a month for Davis' firm to do little or nothing. Even on K-Street, that's not chump change. So what were they getting? The answer seems obvious. To get (or stay) in the good graces of the Godfather: Johnny Pinocchio-Nose McShame.
September 24, 2008 10:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
After a two day crash course at the U.N., Sarah Palin will emerge magically conversant in diplomacy and and world events.
THEN . . .
The McCain campaign will wisk Palin off to a dairy farm and bury her in manure for two days and magically she will be a salt of the earth farmer.
NOTE: If Palin does does not declare that McCain does not know shit about diplomacy and world events upon exiting the U.N. osmosis school for polictical idiots, the training did not take.
September 24, 2008 9:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
Reeling..
September 24, 2008 9:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
If this isn't a f&*^ing ad that writes itself and devastates McCain, I'm really missing it:
Rick Davis Busted
If you work for a regular employer and just do a regular job, finding out about the work and finances of big-time Washington lobbyists can be eye-opening. I see them through the windows at the Palm, well-fed, chubby necks muffin-topping their crisp white collars, sharp knives slicing through the steaks, and wonder for a minute how they can endure the sheer boredom of their existence and where all that money really comes from. In Rick Davis's case, it comes from Freddie Mac:
The two sources, who requested anonymity discussing sensitive information, told Newsweek that Davis himself approached Freddie Mac in 2006 and asked for a new consulting arrangement that would allow his firm to continue to be paid. The arrangement was approved by Hollis McLoughlin, Freddie Mac's vice president for external relations, because "he [Davis] was John McCain's campaign manager and it was felt you couldn't say no," said one of the sources. [McLoughlin did not return phone calls].
Davis did next to nothing for the money.
This was classic corporate insurance, shaken down by someone in their pocket. And this person is running the McCain campaign and telling the public not to talk about issues. Meanwhile, McCain has no clue on this, as he seems to have no clue about Palin:
On Sunday, in an interview with CNBC and The New York Times, Mr. McCain responded to a question about Mr. Davis's role in the advocacy group through 2005 by saying that his campaign manager "has had nothing to do with it since, and I'll be glad to have his record examined by anybody who wants to look at it."
Do we really want an out-of-it president surrounded by corporate lobbying sleazeballs?
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/09/rick-davis-bust.html
September 24, 2008 9:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh for god's sake. It is ridiculous after the last 8 years of crap like, "...they hate us for our freedoms", and "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful... They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.". I mean PLEASE, if there were entire websites dedicated to nothing but the gaffes of Joe Biden then maybe someone could make something of this. Nobody gives a shit about misstatements like this, on the part of someone like Biden. Bidides, I can absolutely guarantee that Biden know the damn difference between a Sunni and a Shia.
September 24, 2008 9:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh for god's sake. It is ridiculous after the last 8 years of crap like, "...they hate us for our freedoms", and "Our enemies are innovative and resourceful... They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.". I mean PLEASE, if there were entire websites dedicated to nothing but the gaffes of Joe Biden then maybe someone could make something of this. Nobody gives a shit about misstatements like this, on the part of someone like Biden. I can absolutely guarantee that Biden knows the damn difference between a Sunni and a Shia.
September 24, 2008 9:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
hmmm... I thought I stopped that first one... oh well...sorry for the double post
September 24, 2008 9:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
Give Davis a break. The money was in a separate compartment in his wallet, and at least an eighth of an inch from his ass at all times.
At this point, JohnieMac doesn't have the credibility to successfully give away cookies at a hashish party. Even conservative patrons at a barbershop in rural Arizona know he is done.
September 24, 2008 9:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Where the hell is Obama's ad on Rick Davis taking money from Freddie until last month? Man Obama's campaign sucks
September 24, 2008 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm so glad that Obama picked a loveable ol' coot Washington insider like Biden (or pre-2004 McCain) rather than the one person who could have solidified the win, had Pennsylvania, Ohio wins rather than Alabama et al, and who wouldn't be having President Roosevelt on TV addressing the nation about the depression.
Speaking of depression - oh, well. I guess we're stuck with Credit Card Joe so we may as well smile and inhale.
September 24, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Doesn't matter if Rick Davis is currently drawing a salary from his company or not.
Who pays for his health insurance? Workers Comp coverage? Disability insurance? Retirement plan contributions? And if these payments stopped, and Rick is currently under the campaign's umbrella, when did that separation occur?
If one dime was paid on behalf of Rick after the initial 2005 $15,000 payment, he's part of it!
As Deep Throat said, "follow the money"
BTW, as I asked elsewhere last night, is it only me or does Rick Davis look eerily like Jeffrey Dahmer?
PEACE
September 24, 2008 10:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOL! Totally....that's the first thing I thought when I saw his picture.
September 24, 2008 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
Bummer about VA.
If Warner can get Obama over the hump I would put him on any Senate committee he wants...
September 24, 2008 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Stop succumbing to the whims of polls. It is a fact that VA is more than likely the closest state of the election and O is working HARD to take it. We probably won't know where it will go until election night.
September 24, 2008 11:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
Warner is miles ahead of Gilmore, so he should be able to do good things for Obama between now and election day. And Jim Webb is quite popular in the southwest part of the state, which is McCain's biggest stronghold, so he may be able to pull enough votes for Obama there to make the difference in the overall totals. That's the thing that won the Senate race for Webb over Allen, that Webb did well enough in southwest Virginia to keep Allen from hitting his targets in that part of the state.
September 24, 2008 11:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think McCain just got television and radio confused. he's never been good with all these newfangled technogadgets.
September 24, 2008 10:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
oops.
September 24, 2008 10:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think he should just say that's his view, but that Obama has been clear on his view and Obama will set the policy for the administration.
Palin supports drilling in ANWR, McCain does not. It's not reasonable to expect a VP candidate to agree with the Presidential candidate on EVERYTHING.
I don't think it's that big of a deal so long as he's clear on what OBAMA thinks.
September 24, 2008 11:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
I forgive ya Joe since you weren't actually there
McCain probably heard it on the radio.
Enough chatter about Palin give her a media blackout and send her home in Nov.She has some questions to answer.
September 24, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink