tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-63307092011-09-14T18:57:38.549-04:00Try the Kool Aid Pledging to Stick Out the Entire Second TermErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.comBlogger731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1145362635999120792006-04-18T08:17:00.000-04:002006-04-18T08:17:16.050-04:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1127582382524867882005-09-24T13:19:00.000-04:002005-09-24T13:19:42.576-04:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1127580866829743592005-09-24T12:54:00.000-04:002005-09-24T12:54:26.886-04:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1127579809854628272005-09-24T12:36:00.000-04:002005-09-24T12:36:50.116-04:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1114443835501238662005-04-25T11:43:00.000-04:002005-04-25T11:43:55.500-04:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1114355105430830292005-04-24T11:05:00.000-04:002005-04-24T11:05:05.430-04:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1114300869728243812005-04-23T20:01:00.000-04:002005-04-23T20:01:09.726-04:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1114174246705749632005-04-22T08:50:00.000-04:002005-04-22T08:50:46.706-04:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1109885911317851922005-03-03T16:38:00.000-05:002005-03-03T16:38:31.316-05:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1109800508801268192005-03-02T16:55:00.000-05:002005-03-02T16:55:08.800-05:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1109721387524989692005-03-01T18:56:00.000-05:002005-03-01T18:56:27.523-05:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1109626017560379452005-02-28T16:26:00.000-05:002005-02-28T16:26:57.560-05:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1109539837108946872005-02-27T16:30:00.000-05:002005-02-27T16:30:37.106-05:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1109444390522481242005-02-26T13:59:00.000-05:002005-02-26T13:59:50.523-05:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1109442488400972832005-02-26T13:28:00.000-05:002005-02-26T13:28:08.400-05:00Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1100542523377427062004-11-15T13:44:00.000-05:002004-11-15T13:21:22.680-05:00Departures, Departures - Who's Left to Take the Blame (or Rely On)?
So the Cabinet continues to empty - today's announcements are said to include Colin Powell, Ann Veneman, Spencer Abraham and the previously leaked Rod Paige. So when they're added to the already announced Ashcroft and Evans departures, we're left with 9 of the current 15 slots filled with last month's members. More will jump Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1099701994385480952004-11-05T17:39:00.000-05:002004-11-15T12:44:19.840-05:00Reflections in a Pool of Our Own Blood and Bile
If ever Bush showed his true arrogance, it was yesterday during his "political capital/I intend to spend it" answer during a shamefully rare news conference. The Bushies have wasted absolutely no time at all after Election Day - they're prepping an assault on Falluja, they're trashing Arlen Specter for having the audacity to be a pro-choice Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1099500310949357732004-11-03T11:32:00.000-05:002004-11-03T11:45:10.950-05:00Our Long National Nightmare Continues...
Kerry has conceded. Bush has I'm quite sure smugly accepted. All the rhetoric we'll hear through the evening will be about "trying to heal the Nation" and "extending a hand to the Democrats." Bullshit. The Bushies will use this mandate to run roughshod over all of us for another 4 years. Iraq will get worse as the Bushies act on their plans to get Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1096658090015156112004-10-01T14:10:00.000-04:002004-10-01T15:14:50.016-04:00Spinnin' Away
The post-Debate debate is in fully-frenzied form at this point on the day after. Like so many of the info-obsessed, I've been spending a good portion of the morning thus far digesting the spin with C-SPAN's "Washington Journal" playing in the background. I TiVo'd so much spin that I worried my receiver might melt. The blogs I read are full of interesting tidbits. One that Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1095725136134418662004-09-20T19:39:00.000-04:002004-09-20T20:57:50.366-04:00Back to the newz... (excuse my lack o' posting over the past month)
email comments to me - Hey, KoolAid!
Today's shocker - the debate schedule may actually be in the home stretch of final agreement. Scott McClellan's equivacation thereafter notwithstanding, the next month could get vewy intewesting (apologies to Mr. Fudd).
The always-current Howard Kurtz has yet another posting today on the CBSErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1092851138980620832004-08-18T13:25:00.000-04:002004-08-18T19:49:40.630-04:00The Force Ain't Exactly Backing Off These Days
Star Wars. While the original movie may be timelessly entertaining, the concept for a Reaganesque impenetrable shield against America's enemies is a complete joke in the post-9/11 world. I remember one of my first thoughts almost 3 years ago after that fateful day being that this charade of military no-lookie-inside-we-makie-big-secrets contracts Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1092765999059417272004-08-17T13:52:00.000-04:002004-08-17T14:43:21.840-04:00Many Things Old is New Again (sic)
Of all the old faces I didn't want to see return to the public spotlight, Karen Hughes most assuredly tops the list (with the possible exceptions of MC Hammer and Deion Sanders). But she's back. How ironic that her return to the Bush Campaign coincides with Dana Milbank's re-introduction of Bush's daily malapropisms on the Trail. Connection or coincidence? Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1092184454853789182004-08-10T20:22:00.000-04:002004-08-10T20:34:14.853-04:00After a few months of dead air, I am inspired to get back to posting thanks to my wife's comment earlier this afternoon that I "haven't posted anything on my blog in a while." Big understatement, sweetie, and thanks for noticing. But I've fallen back on the facts that we've been moving to another coast (the Left one), settling into a new apartment over the last month after a successful sale of Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1085748859644730832004-05-28T08:45:00.000-04:002004-05-28T08:54:19.643-04:00Inauspicious news for a Memorial Day weekend
So let me get this straight: we give Najaf and Kufa back to al-Sadr, rescind the arrest warrant, let his Mahdi Army continue to organize, and we still try to spin it as a victory? That story from the shouted front-page of the NYTimes is already trumped by another story of attacks on the military in Kufa. Wow. This war is getting out of control.
Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1085684929974527382004-05-27T14:58:00.000-04:002004-05-28T08:33:34.576-04:00A news overload lament...
So much ink used everyday, so few stories that capture the public's imagination. Every day brings ugliness from Iraq, accompanied by analysis that should cause even more ill-stirrings. But what do people get from the major TV networks? Kobe and American Idol. The real story is that over 800 Americans have died in Iraq. Instead, we get the AG and FBI, looking to Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1085134191543232442004-05-21T06:03:00.000-04:002004-05-21T08:13:09.576-04:00Chalabi Chooses a New Country to Dupe
The WashPost continues to have the best pipeline to leaks from the Iraqi prison abuse scandal. Today's offering is major, detailing abuse that includes sodomy, forcefeeding pork and liquor to admitted Muslims and a stomach-turning litany of brutal acts that makes what we've seen thus far look like a John Hughes film. Featured are six new photos and video Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1084880716545136612004-05-18T06:26:00.000-04:002004-05-18T11:23:49.536-04:00The Oregon Trail Ends...Today
Kerry brought Dean with him to Oregon yesterday. Pretty standard coverage resulted, with the veiled hints that these two fellers don't think too much of each other. But buried in the coverage was news that Nader didn't even gather the 1000 signatures he needed to make the Presidential ballot. For someone who got 5% there in 2000, that's a telling stat. Which Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1084811836940134082004-05-17T12:12:00.000-04:002004-05-17T12:56:03.990-04:00Back on the Trail
After reading in this morning's NYTimes about how Dennis Kucinich is still battling for delegates in tomorrow's Oregon Primary, I was inspired to come back to this blog in hopes of restarting some entries on this year's Election Battle. Two months of lost election comments amount to 60 lifetimes of shifts and twists worthy of shtick. But no one's reading me in this forum (Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1080159986448725422004-03-24T15:26:00.000-05:002004-03-24T15:29:54.233-05:00This one will resonate...but how loudly?
I'm currently enthralled by Richard Clarke's testimony before the 9/11 Commission. Not long ago, he dropped what will have to be the biggest headline of this proceeding if things continue on the road they're on. After being unnecessarily criticized for promoting his book and an alleged difference between his past testimony and the current tenor of his Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1079534605397532302004-03-17T09:43:00.000-05:002004-03-17T09:47:08.716-05:00The Pre-Season is Over
All of the silliness up to this point in the Dems Primary Battle ends as of yesterday. Kerry got enough pledged delegates last night in Illinois to go with his Super delegates to lay verifiable claim to the nomination. End of story. Everything else harkening back to the horse race that just ended is nostalgia. More than anyone, the Bushies have known this day was Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1079299780734199952004-03-14T17:14:00.000-05:002004-03-14T17:18:21.530-05:00Major Sunday Shifts
Spain is not only in shock over the tragedies of 3/11. They're also about to be floored by the massive turnaround thanks to today's election that has replaced the majority conservative Popular Party with the Socialist Party. I won't insult anyone by acting as though I know more than the last few days' headlines about Spain's internal political struggles. But it certainly Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1079184962378193762004-03-13T08:36:00.000-05:002004-03-14T16:37:01.263-05:00The Tragic Trains in Spain
Major internet access problems over the last few days have scuttled much of what I intended to say about the most recent world news. So before my connection craps out, I'll try to mouth off rather quickly.
Don't underestimate just how ugly and damaging the bombing in Madrid were on Thursday. With an election upcoming on Sunday, the Aznar government seems to be Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1079041246121738902004-03-11T16:40:00.000-05:002004-03-11T16:43:56.123-05:00Today's Time Capsule Snapshot
So here's the update for all those in Rip Van Winkle mode: Dean and Kerry are now buddy-buddy. The Bushies are crying foul while snickering about Kerry's "crooked" comment. Top-ranked St. Joe's basketball team lost their first game to lowly Xavier. Spain got hit by their ugliest terrorist attack in a history marred by many such episodes which may have been an Al Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1078943945838729982004-03-10T13:39:00.000-05:002004-03-10T13:42:14.153-05:00Mid-day Postings
I'm not one to normally agree with William Safire. I seldom get past a few graphs in his NYTimes columns and I never read his NYTimes Mag column on lexicon because I hate how often he infuses his supposedly astute perspective with obvious political bias. That's my take, so sue me. But I entirely agree with today's column trashing the Ashcroft Justice Department's attack on Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1078928443842135772004-03-10T09:20:00.000-05:002004-03-10T09:23:52.153-05:00Four More Down, Who Cares How Many to Go
Kerry swept the South yesterday. Yawn. The only news was that he will need to go through a number of other primaries - at least well into April - to reach the 2162 delegates he needs to secure the nomination. Oh, and Bush wrapped up his Party's nod. Double yawn. Turnout is dropping, media coverage of these contests has disappeared from the front Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1078752629788338642004-03-08T15:33:00.000-05:002004-03-09T06:41:22.543-05:00Truly Unbelievable
For anyone who watched the Dean documentary on CNN last night, I have only one comment to add to the ether. The Campaign was impressive from the point of view of the young and previously uninvolved. But it wasn't history with a capital "H" nor was it of similarly grandiose import. It was hype - the first American dotcom Campaign. Or at least it was all about the hype Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1078693366427371692004-03-07T16:02:00.000-05:002004-03-07T16:05:51.263-05:00A week gone by...
Maybe it's the fact that Kerry's expected Super Tuesday romp offered little in the way of surprises. Maybe it's that Spring seems to have come a bit early to Vermont. Maybe I just got tired of the forum for a few days and needed a break to charge up the analytical juices. Whatever the reason, I'm back to reorient my postings for the months and months of political/cultural Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1077885466276291412004-02-27T07:37:00.000-05:002004-02-27T07:49:49.390-05:00Other things...
The web is full of junk. Innumerable blogs written by politico-freaks and news junkies. Discredited crap like Drudge. Everything from soup to nuts. After reading a wide array of the mainstream's redundant punditry on last night's Not-at-all Fierce Foursome debate, I need to step back and look at some other things. After all, most of this Primary Race hooey is not worth the Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1077797009144438512004-02-26T07:03:00.000-05:002004-02-26T07:22:19.996-05:00Ben Arnolds and the LCRs
The Post goes harsh on Kerry this morning, reporting that he takes cash from the same CEO "Benedict Arnolds" he derides on the stump. I give it no time on the scale of stories with legs. But it does feature one insightful exchange, which pretty much sums up the take on Kerry by many:
On Monday, Kerry was asked why two of his biggest fundraisers were involved with "Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1077711100206148682004-02-25T07:11:00.000-05:002004-02-25T07:14:29.293-05:00Bush Goes Anti-Gay
One of the few truly analytical paragraphs in a typically well-written Dana Milbank piece in today's Post about Bush's anti-gay marriage announcement:
"(A)t a fundraiser Monday night, Bush vowed to "extend the frontiers of liberty." But 15 hours later, he threw his support behind an amendment that would be only the second in U.S. history other than Prohibition to curtail Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1077621100699192462004-02-24T06:11:00.000-05:002004-02-24T06:14:28.360-05:00The Escalation Begins
Bush kicked off his campaign last night with a speech at a fundraiser. How do we know it was the kick off? Because the White House leaked that premise over and over again throughout the weekend. In the end, no one was surprised by the nature of the speech. Personally, I'm more intrigued by the parallel drawn by E. J. Dionne's column in today's Post that postulates how Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1077277501762579812004-02-20T06:45:00.000-05:002004-02-20T06:47:43.496-05:00Mornings Change, Slowly
For months and months now, I've read a bundle of newspapers every morning - usually with a deadline of 6am. I'd pick stories for the Campaign's morning press brief, and with a few other guys put together a 50-pageish bundle that followed the Gov and all others round the country. Getting through that much electronic deadtree makes you feel like you've seen and read all Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1077237761381203772004-02-19T19:42:00.000-05:002004-02-19T19:45:22.530-05:00Post Pullout Assessments
The world for a Campaign the day after their candidate pulls out is one of goofing and hugging and generally looking forward. That's surely the case for everyone at Dean for America today. A lunch with Ho-Ho turns into a snowball fight. People packing up and getting ready to move out, largely over the weekend. And the amorphous nature of claiming that a new PAC will Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1077123787484208142004-02-18T12:03:00.000-05:002004-02-18T12:05:47.373-05:00A Day Dean Dreaded Dearly
In little more than an hour, Dean's going to officially announce his departure from the race for the Dem nomination at a press conference/rally in Burlington, just a mere mile from my condo. There's little suspense in that rally's purpose, yet I expect that all the major media functionaries will be there. Expect much more in the way of analysis from yours truly once IErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1077018999804905192004-02-17T06:56:00.000-05:002004-02-17T07:02:14.890-05:00Thoughts On Wisconsin
It's been a long time since the Wisconsin Primary really mattered. Every news story filed in the last few weeks follows this line of thinking and usually harkens back to 1960, when JFK beat HHH in a surprise loss for "Wisconsin's Third Senator." I remember hearing stories in high school about how JFK passed through a tiny town (Westboro) that was a part of the district. Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1076961116823935432004-02-16T14:51:00.000-05:002004-02-16T15:05:19.263-05:00Today's Political Leads Updated
It didn't take long, although the details haven't been released. Grossman's out. The pool reporters are having a field day with the gallows humor on this latest distraction.
And Kerry's alleged mystery woman has come forward. Extensive follow-up reporting on this smear should be initiated, I would hope. Drudge now backtracks by claiming that she dated Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1076931045008457042004-02-16T06:30:00.000-05:002004-02-16T06:33:21.450-05:00Grossing Out?
The biggest gripe for the Deaniacs this morning comes in the form of ominous comments from the Campaign's Chairman, Steve Grossman. He spoke openly to Jodi Wilgoren, the NYTimes embedded reporter, and without much in the way of nuance indicated that he'll support Kerry if Dean loses in Wisconsin on Tuesday (LINK). It's no secret that many people are leaving the Campaign and Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1076792963607757122004-02-14T16:09:00.000-05:002004-02-14T16:11:58.123-05:00Burnin' the Trash
Although they seem to stretch the facts regularly, they get the "gets" that all the world's sleaziest publications want. They being the Brits (LINK). I'm possibly only making this worse by linking to it, but smears are best derailed with full disclosure earlier rather than later. Kerry's "alleged" affair is already feeling like a dead story. Especially when the NYTimes is Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1076708482831018512004-02-13T16:41:00.000-05:002004-02-13T16:43:55.716-05:00Leave It To Murdoch
The Kerry allegation of infidelity took on a decidedly British odor this afternoon when "The Sun" published the "intern's" name (Alex Colier) and reports on an interview with her parents (LINK). Lookout folks - this mud bog has no bottom. Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1076681736861030572004-02-13T09:15:00.000-05:002004-02-13T09:18:09.513-05:00A MUST Read
Anyone who thinks that Bush's Nat'l Guard service is a dead story or one that should be ignored NEEDS to read the following story from "The Memphis Flyer" (LINK). If this doesn't scare the White House, they're in complete denial.
Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1076607608046628592004-02-12T12:40:00.000-05:002004-02-12T12:42:39.170-05:00Something Smelly This Way Blows...
The standard Wisconsin stories are all around this morning for Dean and Edwards, while Kerry's back in Beantown. While I hate to feed the flames of what might be a ridiculous hack job, Matt Drudge just put up what he's deemed a campaign shocker in the form of a story about alleged infidelity by Kerry (LINK). This is either a huge story or a huge smear. Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1076427461722320912004-02-11T17:10:00.000-05:002004-02-12T06:25:08.293-05:00Catchin' Up
Even with multiple swirling political stories worthy of much attention, I'm still floored by a bout of the flu that had me worshipping at the porcelin altar yesterday and all through the night. Too much information, I realize. But I'm starting to feel a bit better, and so I want to comment on a few events from the last few days.
1) The Bush White House defensive on his Nat'l Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1076284793224027032004-02-08T20:31:00.000-05:002004-02-08T20:31:00.186-05:00More Questions Than Answers...
After huge Kerry wins in MI and WA yesterday, the nation's most assuredly not focused on what happens in Maine today. But there's still some there there (to ruin Dorothy Parker's famous cliche about Oakland). Kerry will win in Maine - it borders Massachusetts and he's gotten the big endorsements from George Mitchell and the current Gov - so most people will Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1076093698635442052004-02-06T13:54:00.000-05:002004-02-06T15:08:05.013-05:00An Email Gone Horribly Astray
Look, I've contributed countless hours to the Dean Campaign. Most of the people I met there were folks I would invite to a dinner party, even if I had to sit next to them without requiring a conversational barrier. Smart people, dedicated to the cause they almost invariably left regular lives to join. But I have to be unbridled in my criticism of what's going in Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1075977993724684392004-02-05T06:00:00.000-05:002004-02-05T09:09:47.640-05:00The "Last Stand in Cheeseland"
As much as I dismiss all the cheesy Wisconsin cliches used with alarming regularity, the use of this pun in today's WashPost to describe Dean's reliance on the Feb. 17th Primary there did make me chuckle (LINK). The article's description of Dean's dwindling staff morale, crowds, press corps and enthusiasm on the stump, however, is sadly true. Burlington's weekly Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1075945595240052742004-02-04T20:46:00.000-05:002004-02-04T20:48:55.856-05:00Super 7 Gives Dean Simply 7
Briefly, Dean's unwillingness to throw any effort in the direction of the Super 7 Primaries yesterday resulted in a dismal showing. 7 delegates. If you consider how much was spent in those states on ads prior to Iowa and NH (about $3M), that's more than $400K per delegate. One of the most wasteful expenditures in the history of Prez politicin'. Truly sad.
Kerry Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1075826876070897302004-02-03T11:47:00.000-05:002004-02-03T11:50:14.623-05:00Eyes Focused on the Actual Prize
Until just a bit earlier this morning, the Dean For America website didn't even mention that today's the Super 7 Primaries. Instead, the Campaign chose to promote tomorrow's "Meet Up" gatherings around the country. That, above and beyond anything else I've seen from the delusional Deaniacs in the last week, is an indication of just how their state of denial hasErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1075725510956689752004-02-02T07:38:00.000-05:002004-02-02T07:40:48.030-05:00The Patriots vs. The Boobie
Last night may well have been the best Super Bowl ever. A bit better than XXXVI (the other Patriots victory). Somewhat better than XXXIV (the Titans losing to the Rams by one yard as time ran out). An arm's length better than XXXII (the Packers getting humbled by the Broncos). And loads better than all the rest combined. New England should be assumed to be very Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1075651220493101562004-02-01T11:00:00.000-05:002004-02-01T11:02:36.903-05:00A Few Necessary Corrections
Dean's "Meet the Press" interview, the jist of the most recent email from one of the Campaign's loudest voices, and the Joe Trippi's interview on "Inside Politics" have inspired me to post a few thoughts.
1) All the overblown claims of "over half a million people committed to changing America" from the Deaniacs insults our collective political history. Forgive me Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1075640469490441132004-02-01T08:01:00.000-05:002004-02-01T08:03:25.716-05:00You Don't Always Get What You Paid For
Lots of fascinating reporting out there this morning. Most of the focus should be on the WashPost's story claiming that the Bush Administration will allow for an independent inquiry into the Iraq WMD intel (LINK). But a few political stories provide a startling contrast with regard to the use of cash.
The 4th Quarter of 2003 filings for the Prez campaignsErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1075558667984248252004-01-31T19:30:00.000-05:002004-01-31T20:35:38.716-05:00At Least the Spending Wasn't "Gi-normous"
The LA Times has yet another story this morning about the lost fortunes of the Dean campaign (LINK). In it, National Chairman Steve Grossman is quoted as reflecting on the spending in Iowa and New Hampshire in the following way - "enormous, and you can emphasize 'enormous.' " From a well-placed source on the finance side of the campaign, the article Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1075493699913251612004-01-30T16:01:00.000-05:002004-01-30T16:02:37.950-05:00The Inevitable Post-Mortems Continue
The dissection of the corpse that was the Dean Campaign has begun in earnest. Everywhere I look over the last few days, the news is terrible. The Campaign (reportedly) has $3M in cash on hand, about that much in debts. Trippi's an emotional mess (the just-published GQ profile is the best example of his Icarus-like flight - it's volumunious, but you should Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1075384501712419302004-01-29T08:55:00.000-05:002004-01-29T08:57:13.920-05:00An Epic Update (in my opinion)
It's now Thursday morning, I'm back in VT and the entire world has changed for the Dean campaign. I've been terribly remiss (to give myself WAY too much credit) for not posting my thoughts in the last few days. But things have been in such flux that I hope you'll understand it took a bit to digest what's happened both right before and since the NH Primary. I'm Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-107511446399609642004-01-26T05:54:00.000-05:002004-01-26T05:56:31.153-05:00Election Eve in NH
The weather is brutally cold. The early morning sky was flawlessly clear this morning when I headed into Lebanon - billions of stars on parade with not even a moon to obscure them. The countless legions of volunteers and staff and media here with all the campaigns (except for the sorely missed Rev. Sharpton) one should expect are rising early with yet undaunted hopes for theErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1074859897927172302004-01-24T09:42:00.000-05:002004-01-24T09:42:55.326-05:00The Rant Lives On (or does it?)
I've been dancing around which Campaign I work for since I started this blog. Partly because I know that the Deaniacs monitor current blog postings in the ether (consider them a sort of Not-So-Big Brother) and I didn't want to hit anyone's radar. But also because I wanted to sound somewhat impartial in my initial assessments of NH. I can't keep this up. Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1074768908435141542004-01-22T05:55:00.000-05:002004-01-22T05:57:10.060-05:00Little Moments, Writ Large
Huge day for many campaigns tonight - the last debate before the NH Primary. Kerry's definitely got the momentum now and I expect the dynamic to shift this evening in a big way. Dean on the attack. Clark on the attack. Edwards on the powerhug. Kerry on defense, both for himself and the nation. If Dean fairs poorly, his plummetting poll numbers will continue in Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1074684229574118862004-01-21T06:23:00.000-05:002004-01-21T06:25:50.280-05:00On The Ground
The entire traveling circus that is the Democratic field largely appears to be in NH, but from my vantage point they might as well be campaigning in the Belgium. That's because I'm working out of a small Campaign office with a dedicated group of true believers that doesn't even have a TV. To watch the State of the Union address last night, I had to head out to the friend's house Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1074613956714234082004-01-20T10:52:00.000-05:002004-01-20T10:54:35.936-05:00Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
It was official over 12 hours ago - I just gave the results some time to sink in. Kerry and Edwards pulled off the Iowa upset few could have imagined even a week ago. Gephardt pulled out and gave a classy concession speech after finishing in 4th place. Dean looked insane while trying to rally the troops surely stunned by his 20 point loss to Kerry. And then the whole showErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1074565647559054682004-01-19T21:27:00.000-05:002004-01-19T21:29:26.343-05:00Buh-bye, Dick
The numbers from Iowa are starting to roll in and with them, the tide for Dean and Gephardt is on its way out. When the history of this past week is written everyone will look for the rationales for such a crazed shift. From my perch here in Vermont, it seems somewhat obvious (albeit filtered through the likes of the C-SPAN and Hardball). Negativity pisses off Iowans. Howie andErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1074263784708812712004-01-16T09:39:00.000-05:002004-01-16T09:39:22.500-05:00Polarity Shift
In a matter of days, the whole race as broadcast from Iowa has flipped 180 degrees. Dean and Gephardt may be tumbling, Kerry and Edwards may be surging. Idiotic press filings still fill the ether, but you have to be tonedeaf to not sense a monstrous change in the whole deal. My only prediction for the weekend is complete upheaval. Cats and dogs sleeping together. Fistfights Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1074177511438158422004-01-15T09:38:00.000-05:002004-01-15T09:40:23.936-05:00Braun Exhibits Brains
As has been widely reported since last evening, Carol Mosley-Braun is planning to drop out of the race and endorse Dean. Yawn. I for one still have questions about her record as a one-term Senator who got embroiled in an ethics probe. But I respect her timing.
I've started to post some Links I look at regularly. I've had some failed efforts at blogging in the past Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1074172503525308462004-01-15T08:15:00.000-05:002004-01-15T08:16:56.250-05:00The tide in Iowa may have turned. The new WHO-TV poll has Kerry in the lead for the first time. Dean, Gephardt and Edwards are all in the statisical running (within the 4.5% margin of error). So what does this mean? We ain't seen nothin' yet.
ABC News did a hatchet job on Dean last night that practically has Matt Drudge doing gleeful backflips. I read the piece - one of Gov. Dean's securityErichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6330709.post-1074115443694684812004-01-14T16:24:00.000-05:002004-01-14T16:25:55.500-05:00If you care about American politics, you have my sympathy. You - we, for that matter - have a serious problem, akin to nasty sexual tastes or a healthy bout of long-term alcoholism. Luckily for us, our fix is at hand. Election 2004, featuring the New Hampshire Primary before the whole show goes primetime soon thereafter. Iowa comes first and may this year be even more important. But I live Erichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03149405456495715789noreply@blogger.com0