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The attack of the rabid Dem surrogates

By Mark Kilmer Posted in Face the Nation | FOX News Sunday | Late Edition | Meet the Press | Special Features | This Week — Comments (10) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Sunday, February 17, 2008

First up on FNS, Wisconsin's Dem Governor Jim Doyle boasted Obama's large crowds and grassroots support. He urged the superdelegates to go with the momentum. Ohio's Dem Governor Ted Strickland said that people like Hillary on health care and the Dems' should seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida. Doyle predicted that the 2008 Democratic National Convention could be like the one in Chicago, 1968.

Next on FNS, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said that the FISA law was needed in order to have private companies cooperate with the government in the fight against terrorism. He said that al Qaeda was much less a threat than it was on 9/11 and that the NIE the media declared told us that Iran had joyfully stopped making nukes had said nothing of the sort.

On TW, John McCain promised no new taxes. He even nodded when Steph asked if we could read his lips. He said that he would have cut interest rates further than to Fed Chief Ben Bernanke, but that he would consider reappointing Bernanke in 2010.

On MTP, Senators Dick Durbin (Obama) and Chuck Schumer (Hillary) argued about Michigan and Florida, as well as superdelegates. Schumer specified that if the race was still that close on June 5, the two would have to sit down with Howard Dean and work something out. We learned that the two men are DC roommates, and they chided each other about who came home last night and who was the "neat one."

On FTN, we had some Obama and Clinton surrogates. First the ops: Howard Wolfson for Hillary and David Axelrod for Barry. They argued about superdelegates, public financing vows, debates, and the use of race as a campaign tool. Next, the mayors: Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles for Hillary and Doug Wilder of Richmond for Barry. Wilder challenged Bill Clinton for his racist remarks in South Carolina, while Villaraigosa assured host Schieffer that blacks have liked the Clintons since Little Rock. Wilder said that this Democrat convention could be worse than the Dem convention in Chicago, 1968.

On LE, Wolf talked to Mitch McConnell, who is excited that McCain will attract Indies from the Dems and certain that he can excite conservatives. Next, Wolf had on Obama surrogate Bill Bradley to play the apologist for his guy. Then, he had on Hillary apologist Lanny Davis to start spewing his wild charges on her behalf. The notes are there for you to read, but then I stood athwart this nonsense and sighed: "Enough, already."

Read More for the show-by-show review. …

DOYLE AND STRICKLAND ON FNS. On FOX News Sunday this morning, host Chris Wallace talked to two Dem governors-turned-candidate-surrogates: Wisconsin's, with his crush on Obama, and Ohio's Ted Strickland, with his little thaang for Hillary.

Doyle explained to Wallace that his State, Wisconsin was supposed to go big to Hillary next Tuesday, but that "something extraordinary has happened here with Barack Obama." This "something extraordinary" involves enthusiasm and large crowds, and, one would hope, lots of balloons.

Strickland countered that he thinks Hillary will do very well in Ohio on March 4. They like her on health care, jobs, and her "concern" for bringing our troops eventually home from Iraq.

Doyle said that Obama was attracting new voters with his message of "healing and hope." It is "increasingly grass roots," he boasted, adding that with this Obama-induced hysteria, we could see another Chicago, '68. Asked about the rock throwing and violence at that year's Democratic National Convention, Doyle backed away from that part of it.

Strickland toed the Hillary line on convention rules: seat the Michigan and Florida delegates and don’t change anything with superdelegates. Doyle countered that the Michigan and Florida votes were flawed by the party's ruling going in, and that the superdelegates should vote for the winner of their States' contests. (I had suggested the same, without any actual concern as to how they do their thing.)

MIKE MCCONNELL ON FNS. Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell was Wallace's next guest on FOX, discussing the recently-expired FISA law. The director, a Navy admiral, was not a flamboyant talking-machine articulating focus grouped political points. In fact, he admitted that he was a professional, not a politician. What we've heard the President saying about FISA of late is the information McConnell had given to the President. It was not an attempt to frighten people.

McConnell explained that the tech had changed since 1978, so that now, most international calls at least touch a wire in the United States. Under the old FISA law, that means the government would need a warrant to listen in even though no U.S. citizen was involved.

He said that without the Senate-passed bill, they cannot compel cooperation from the private sector, which companies actually own the wires carrying these communications. He said that this left us with an "increased danger [of terrorist attack], and it will increase more and more as time goes on." McConnell read from a Senate report which stipulated that we needed the cooperation of the private sector and thus needed to be able to grant them retroactive immunity from possible nuisance suits, etc.

Wallace asked McConnell about the recent assassination of Hezbollah terrorist Imad Mugniyah. McConnell said that they had been using the powers granted under FISA to stay on top of this situation, but he thinks the assassination might have been an act perpetrated by Hezbollah itself or an internal Syrian job.

McConnell knows of no al Qaeda cell in the United States but acknowledged that they are looking to come back. He said that we are not at a great risk now than we were on 9/11, what with two-thirds of the al Qaeda leadership gone. They're "nowhere near" where they were, but "they're still there."

On that famous NIE which the media told us had declared that Iran was no longer pursuing nukes, McConnell said that he would change that. It was correct, he said, but only in that Iran had temporarily stopped the design phase of their nuclear program, which they could have already restarted for aught we know. They had not stopped acquiring fissile material or building missiles. They are as much a threat now, he said, as they ever were.

JOHN MCCAIN ON TW. Republican Presidential just-about-nominee John McCain appeared on ABC's This Week, with George Stephanopoulos. McCain thinks he can convince the American people that the consequences of creating a "date of withdrawal" from Iraq would be "catastrophic." Both Obama and Clinton (Hillary), he reminded, have said that the surge would not work and that there would not be political progress in Iraq.

On the President and the use of the military, McCain promised "more consultation with Congress" but insisted that "there is still only one Commander in Chief."

McCain argued tax cuts and spending restraints, and talked of their effects under Reagan after "Carter's mismanagement of the economy." At Steph's prodding, McCain acknowledged that he was a "read my lips candidate" (Steph's words) as far as "no new taxes." McCain offered: "If the economy continues to deteriorate," we should cut more taxes.

McCain stipulated that he would have liked to have seen interest rates cut even further than Fed Chair Ben Bernanke cut them. Steph asked, and McCain said that he would consider reappointing Bernanke when his term is up in 2010.

McCain argued that the mandatory reductions in "greenhouse gas" emissions he favors would "encourage green technology" and thus would lead to further profit.

DICKIE AND CHUCKIE ON MTP. On NBC, Meet the Press host Tim Russert spoke with the senior Senators of the candidates: Dick Durbin of Illinois for Obama and Chuck Schumer of New York for Hillary. Russert started with the "latest polls": Obama leading in Wisconsin, Hillary up in Ohio and Texas. Durbin says that they have seen record turnout in the Dem primaries because Barry has captured America's imagination. His message "is resonating," because we want "change" and to "move forward."

Schumer refused to say that Texas and Ohio were "must win" for Hillary, but that she had knowledge of how government works and experience, and she never gives up. (Is she trying to sell herself as John McCain?) He said that there were setbacks and up and downs in this campaigns. We're not to count Hillary out.

Russert put up a chart: Obama now has 183 superdelegates where he had 174 last week, a gain of nine; likewise, Hillary has lost five, from 262 to 257. Obama's won23 contests and 50% of the overall vote, while Hillary's taken only 11 and 46%.

He asked Schumer if Obama should be the nominee if, at the end of this race, he leads Hillary in elected delegates, popular vote, and contests. Chuckie said that not everyone has voted yet, and this is a "dark close election." He continued to claim that the Dems had "two good candidates," despite the arguments made by Hillary's commercials.

Durbin said that would be a "serious problem" if the superdelegates usurped the elected delegates. (Both Durbin and Schumer are superdelegates, though they weren't wearing the shoulder pads and frilly capes.)

Russert quoted Pelosi as saying that the winner should be chosen by the people, the elected delegates. Schumer said that it was more important to win the general election than to prevent a Hillary nomination. On June 5, both candidates will have to sit down with Howard Dean to come up with a "strategy."

Chuckie wants to seat the Michigan and the Florida delegates. Dickie does not. If their votes matter, he said, the Howard Dean, Barry, and Hillary have to come up with something which everyone will like. He said that he thinks Hillary and Barry – "in their heart-of-hearts" – agree with him.

Durbin said that the results must not come from "the elite, the big shots in a back room." Chuckie nodded, and they might have communicated in their "elite big shot in a back room" code.

Russert brought up that Durbin and Schumer live together in Washington, and the two Senators chided each other about coming home on time and making the bed. No, I'm not kidding.

WOLFSON AND AXELROD ON FTN. Yeah, CBS's Bob Schieffer spoke with Howard Wolfson (Clinton) and David Axelrod (Obama) on his show, CBS' Face the Nation. (Axelrod was in Chicago.) Schieffer talked about the possible mass switch of African American Dem superdelegates switching from Hillary to Barry. Wolfson said it was no problem. He said that neither candidate will win the nomination without the superdelegates. They're going to do what they can to win in Wisconsin, he said, and they will go on to Texas and Ohio. ["YEAAARRRRGH!"]

Axelrod said he never underestimates the Clinton machine and her "shrewd operatives," but that Obama had won twice as many States and that "this is what the superdelegates will be looking for." He does not want the superdelegates to overturn the will of the voters.

Wolfson argued that the superdelegates "are supposed to vote their conscience."

Schieffer brought up that Bill Clinton had injected race in South Carolina. Wolfson disagreed with "that characterization" of what Bill Clinton had done, and he added that Bill Clinton also gets big crowds.

Schieffer told Axelrod that Hillary wants more debates. Axelrod said that they have plenty of debates, the most in history.

Schieffer pointed out that McCain will accept public financing but that Obama was backing away from his pledge. Axelrod said that he had never made that pledge; Obama had said only that he'd sit down and consider it. He added that "no one's been stronger on campaign finance reform" than Obama.

Wolfson pointed out that Obama had flat-out pledged that he would accept public financing if the Republican did.

Nine minutes of nothing.

VILLARAIGOSA AND WILDER ON FTN. Next, Schieffer had two mayors pimping their candidates: Richmond's Doug Wilder of Richmond for Obama and Los Angeles' Antonio Villaraigosa for Hillary. Wilder started by challenging Bill Clinton for dismissing African Americans, and he said that Clinton made a mistake, hurting Hillary, when he pretended that he could speak for and dismiss them. Villaraigosa countered to Wilder that Bill Clinton had a great relationship with blacks going back to Little Rock.

Wilder said that they have to stop pitting one group against the other: "that day should come to an end." He added that Obama was "calling for that." Villaraigosa agreed with Wilder and he credited Hillary with "uniting America."

Villaraigosa said that he would like for this race to be over before the convention, but this was a "battle of the titans," like Bobby Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, and Eugene McCarthy. Wilder predicted "chaos at the convention" and that 2008 could be "worse" than the Dem convention of 1968.

MITCH MCCONELL ON LE. He's not Mike, but host Wolf Blitzer opened CNN's Late Edition with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. After a story about the "embarrassment of riches" as far as the Dem choice, Wolf pointed out to Mitch that Republican conservatives hate John McCain. Mitch thinks they will vote for McCain, as he's superior to Barry. McConnell thinks McCain is with the President, now, on tax cuts, and he doesn't want to "dwell" on what McCain said years ago.

Wolf asked McConnell about McCain's stance on global warming, and Mitch said that he disagrees but there is a lot more about which he agrees with McCain. Mitch pointed out the great indie vote McCain would receive, and Wolf asked if it were worth it to lose the conservative vote. McConnell said that the conservative vote would unite behind McCain.

Wolf played a clip of Nancy saying that we can fight terror just fine without the FISA law. Mitch pointed out what Mike McConnell had said earlier, on FNS: that our capabilities were degrading. He called this "the Democratic allegiance to the plaintiffs' bar."

Wolf quoted Nancy of accusing the Republicans of wanting to protect the financial interests of Big Telecomm. Mitch explains that we need the cooperation of the private sector to carry out this program, and we cannot compel them to cooperate and be financially damaged. Wolf played a clip of Steny Hoyer demanding to know what the wrong doing was before any grant of immunity should be given. Wolf asked why not just extend what we have now. Mitch pointed out that the majority for the new bill exists in the House. "This really should be a no-brainer. It got 68 votes in the Senate."

BILL BRADLEY ON LE. Wolf next spoke to former New Jersey Dem Senator Bill Bradley, an advisor to Barack Obama. (He was in Austin.)

Wolf asked him about the superdelegates. Bradley said that Obama might not even need a majority of the superdelegates, but that the superdelegates who had not made a prior commitment should look at how their State voted in the nominating contest.

Wolf asked if the superdelegate system were fair, and Bradley replied: "Whether it's fair or not, those are the rules we have to go with."

Bradley played a clip of Hillary accusing Barry of talking a lot but having no substance. Bradley explained that words are "important to who we are as a people." He spoke of "we hold these truths to be self-evident" and "give me liberty or give me death" as being words which inspire people just like Barry inspires people. Barry is the candidate to give us "a fresh start from the Bush years." And, Bradley added, Obama will inspire us with words.

Wolf asked Bradley if he's frightened of an Obama matchup with McCain. Bradley's not, citing the Iraq war as the reason.

Bradley thinks this fight with Hillary "energizes people." There is a greater turnout for Dems, he pointed out.

LANNY DAVIS ON LE. Hillary supporter Lanny Davis was Wolf Blitzer's next guest. Wolf asked him about the superdelegates, playing a clip of Obama saying that they should follow the will of the voters. Lanny said that Obama wants to change the rules in the middle of the game or to "game the rules to achieve a desired outcome."

He said that the rules are that the superdelegates get to use their best judgment of who is best for the party. He argued that Obama guy David Axelrod agrees with him.

Wolf said that the Democrats are talking now of moving beyond the Clinton years. Lanny asked, "What about the 1990's do you not like?" He added that Hillary "stands for change and makes change happen."

Wolf played a clip of Barry complaining about Hillary's huge contribution from lobbyists. Lanny countered that Obama's words are contradicted by his deeds, since Obama voted for the "Dick Cheney bill" which gives money to oil companies and he lied about taking public financing.

Oh, fercryingoutloud, these kids had better behave or the voters ought to make them sit in separate corners with dunce caps until they promise to play nice. I'm standing athwart this nonsense and sighing: "Enough, already."

= = = = =

How's that for change, hope, and unity? Have at it.