OPINION
Obama, McCain both aim to redirect parties
CNN Aug 23, 08 12:16 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
The presidential nominees are already decided—so why have conventions? “Money and publicity," Bill Schneider writes on CNN. Gala events are prime opportunities to milk donors, and high visibility has led “both parties try to control every minute of the convention as if it were a television show—because it is a television show.” But this year, writes Schneider, the convention hoopla hides two major shifts.
More »
Ridge, Lieberman seen as too moderate for core Republicans
Wall Street Journal Aug 22, 08 2:35 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
John McCain’s been making the Republican base mighty uneasy with hints of a pro-choice running mate, the Wall Street Journal reports. Though McCain touts his “proud pro-life record,” pro-choice potentials Tom Ridge and Joe Lieberman have been on the receiving end of McCain's praise recently, a move that had conservative Laura Ingraham "literally imploring" McCain to uphold his "great pro-life record."
More »
OPINION
He's fuzzy on number
of houses, unreliable as his own spokeman
Washington Post Aug 22, 08 12:10 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
A mystery called John McCain lurks at the heart of the presidential race, Eugene Robinson writes in the Washington Post . The candidate remains "undefined" and "full of contradictions," Robinson writes. In fact, with McCain's bizarre admission that he isn't sure how many houses he has, "there are some basic things about McCain that apparently even McCain doesn't know."
More »
Flap over number
of houses touches a nerve in both camps
Washington Post Aug 22, 08 9:22 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
John McCain's inability to recall how many homes he owns could throw a wrench in his attempt to paint Obama as an elitist, the Washington Post reports. The furious back and forth between camps—the Obama team pounced and mocked, while McCain's charged hypocrisy and pulled out the Rezko card—ratcheted up the recent nasty tone and demonstrated how important the "regular guy" image is to both candidates.
More »
OPINION
Wall Street Journal Aug 22, 08 8:21 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
The race for the White House has just become a “real” one, with John McCain climbing in the polls and Barack Obama sinking. Why? Because people are finally “paying attention,” writes Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal . In McCain, Americans are seeing a familiar face: the “POW senator” with a “prickly” attitude, while Obama remains a charming unknown who can’t be categorized.
More »
OPINION
He's got the experience to draw votes and
make his party relevant
Reason Magazine Aug 21, 08 9:28 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
Though still far on the periphery of the American political scene, the Libertarian Party stands to reach unprecedented visibility with its nomination of former Republican congressman Bob Barr, writes David Weigel in Reason . By picking its "most well-known and politically astute" candidate—and one who doesn’t compromise its radical mission—the party might actually force people to pay attention come November, he argues.
More »
updated
Sites in Denver and
NH evacuated; police investigating powder
Associated Press Aug 21, 08 6:40 PM CDT
(AP)
-
Two campaign offices of John McCain—one in a Denver suburb, the other in New Hampshire—were shut down today after they received threatening letters with an unidentified white powder, authorities say. No injuries have been reported, and staffers underwent medical checkups as a precaution. A government official said investigators suspect the Denver letter was sent by an inmate as a hoax.
More »
ANALYSIS
McCain says tax cuts for wealthy will fuel economy; Obama sees taxing as means to an end
Los Angeles Times Aug 21, 08 3:58 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
John McCain and Barack Obama both target the very wealthy in plans to overhaul the tax code, to the opposite effect: Obama would raise their taxes and McCain would cut them. It's the most profound difference in their dueling proposals to stimulate the economy, the Los Angeles Times notes in a piece spelling out the ideas, and despite their "maverick" and "postpartisan" labels, they fall along traditional Republican and Democratic lines.
More »
OPINION
Klein, Carville to Obama: Show some feeling, already
Time Aug 21, 08 1:15 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
It doesn’t do Barack Obama any good just to say he feels strongly—voters need to be able to see it from the Democratic candidate, Joe Klein writes in Time. His message on the economy, this year’s key issue, won’t work until he can show some “real passion” to voters. “Obama will have a hard time winning unless he finds some of it.”
More »
Also nixes one-term idea in interview
Politico Aug 21, 08 12:40 PM CDT
(Newser)
-
John McCain isn’t quite sure how many houses he owns, Politico reports. The presumptive Republican nominee responded to the question in yesterday’s interview with “I think—I’ll have my staff get to you.” He and wife Cindy are estimated to own between four and seven properties. Barack Obama’s campaign was swift to capitalize, producing an ad today capped by a shot of the White House and the narration “Here's ONE house America can't afford to let John McCain move into.”
More »
Activists target undecided 15% with LGBTforObama.com
The Advocate Aug 21, 08 11:27 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
Activists are launching a website to line up support for Barack Obama among the 15% of still-undecided lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered voters, the Advocate reports. LGBTforObama.com emphasized the Democrat’s gay-friendly record, and spotlights “a star-studded lineup of bloggers.” The founder conceived the project to stop John McCain capturing a fraction of the gay vote similar to the 24% the GOP garnered in 2004.
More »
Ruling class thinks former POW would increase trade
Bloomberg Aug 21, 08 10:30 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
John McCain has won admiration from an unlikely place: Vietnam, the nation he bombed 23 times during the war there. Including politicians, newspaper editors, and even his former captor, Vietnamese are voicing support for the candidate. The Republican pushed to restore ties with the country a decade ago, and many Vietnamese hope he will now push to increase trade.
More »
Staffer's comparison of liberal bloggers to basement-dwelling gamers triggers backlash
Boing Boing Aug 21, 08 9:57 AM CDT
(Newser)
-
Dungeons & Dragons players don’t just like gaming and their mothers—they like Barack Obama, too. After a John McCain staffer described liberal blogging community Daily Kos as “the pro-Obama Dungeons & Dragons crowd” swiping at his candidate “from the comfort of mom's basement,” one designer crafted a T-shirt that uses Goldfarb’s words against him, Boing Boing reports. “Pro-Obama Dungeons & Dragons Crowd” sells for $23.94.
More »