Challenger will go anywhere, do anything
MSNBC Feb 26, 08 4:30 PM CST
(Newser)
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Mike Huckabee wants to debate John McCain, he told a sparsely attended press conference today. Campaign finance laws may make the presumptive nominee “go completely dark between virtually now and the nomination convention,” said Huckabee, who described himself as “disappointed” at the lack of GOP debates, MSNBC reports.
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Radio host attempts to smear likely opponent; candidate quickly disassociates himself
CNN Feb 26, 08 3:20 PM CST
(Newser)
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John McCain is distancing himself from a conservative commentator who introduced him at a rally today and launched into a tirade against Barack Obama, CNN reports. Talk-radio host Bill Cunningham called Obama a “hack” and used his middle name, Hussein, three times. McCain called the speech “disparaging” and vowed, “It will never happen again. It will never happen again.”
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OPINION
Guys jumping between the two are picking machismo over politics
Salon Feb 26, 08 12:50 PM CST
(Newser)
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For too many men, the 2008 election is a McCain-Obama buddy flick, writes Edward McClelland for Salon. The candidates may be ideological opponents, but the grizzled veteran and hip black guy share qualities men admire in other men, like independence, charisma, and toughness. Many guys are backing both, ideology be damned—and revealing a subconscious male preference.
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He opens 16-point lead, seen as having best shot against McCain
CBS Feb 26, 08 8:17 AM CST
(Newser)
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Barack Obama has opened up a lead of 16 points over Hillary Clinton among voters nationwide and is seen as the candidate with the best chance to beat John McCain, according to a new poll from CBS and the New York Times . Obama had a lead of 54% to 38% in the poll, which had the candidates tied at 41% three weeks ago, CBS reports.
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Says he'll lose if surge fails—then back pedals
New York Times Feb 26, 08 5:40 AM CST
(Newser)
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John McCain flatly told reporters yesterday that if US policy in Iraq doesn't work, "I'll lose." But then he quickly asked to "retract" his "stark" pronouncement, adding that he hoped voters would also back him for his ability to run the economy as well as his positions on national security, reports the New York Times .
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OPINION
Some didn't run McCain bombshell; Times' own ombudsman bashed it
Cleveland Plain Dealer Feb 25, 08 7:31 PM CST
(Newser)
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The New York Times ’ bombshell story about John McCain’s ethics problems—and his allegedly inappropriate relationship with a lobbyist—is nearly a week old, but the media world is still reacting: The Cleveland Plain Deale r’s ombudsman explains that his paper’s editor was too uncomfortable with the romantic angle to run the Times piece—which he accuses of “unsubstantiated innuendo”—and decided to run the unsexed Washington Post story instead. But they drew criticism from readers anyway.
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Dems prefer him by 12 points in national survey
USA Today Feb 25, 08 6:03 PM CST
(Newser)
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A whopping three in four US voters say the Democrats will pick Barack Obama as presidential nominee, according to a USA Today /Gallup poll released today. Expectations for the Illinois senator beat the poll's error margin for the first time and even bested John McCain's numbers over Mike Huckabee: Only 61% of those polled said McCain would nab the GOP nomination.
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Republican backers
cite bipartisanship, personality, putting policy on back burner
Los Angeles Times Feb 25, 08 5:13 PM CST
(Newser)
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They may not agree with him on Iraq, health care, or tax cuts, but they’re going to fight for Barack Obama anyway. They’re "Obamacans," Republicans so turned off by the current GOP crop and so turned on by inspirational talk of changing the tone of politics that they’re willing to pull a blue lever—many for the first time in their lives. The LA Times investigates.
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Ex-candidate may seize opportunity if McCain scandal broadens
Deseret News (Salt Lake) Feb 25, 08 4:10 PM CST
(Newser)
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Mitt Romney has been curiously mum since John McCain’s lobbyist scandals broke last week, perhaps because he’s thinking of jumping back into the presidential race. Josh Romney said it was "unlikely, but possible” that his father would throw his hat back in if McCain’s ethics problems broaden and imperil his candidacy, the Deseret Morning News reports.
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DNC says McCain broke campaign finance rules
Washington Post Feb 25, 08 7:07 AM CST
(Newser)
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The Democratic National Committee will file an FEC complaint today against John McCain, accusing the likely GOP nominee of violating policy when he obtained campaign loans by promising to repay them with federal funds, the Washington Post reports. The FEC so far hasn't granted McCain's request to now opt out of the public matching funds system.
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Meghan, 23, prefers candid snapshots of the grind over policy statements
Los Angeles Times Feb 23, 08 5:25 PM CST
(Newser)
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Potential first daughter Meghan McCain has been blogging about life on the campaign trail, focusing on Henry Kissinger’s shoes and iTunes playlists rather then the finer points of policy, the Los Angeles Times reports. Candidates’ children are often deployed to humanize their parents—in carefully choreographed ways—but McCain’s blog is independent of the campaign, and her posts are not vetted.
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Recalls meeting before FCC letters; McCain did, too, in 2002 deposition
Washington Post Feb 23, 08 10:05 AM CST
(Newser)
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John McCain's campaign has flatly denied that the senator met with a broadcaster or his lobbyist before writing to the FCC on his behalf in 1999. But Bud Paxson remembers the meeting; he says VIcki Iseman set it up, and may have attended, too. "Was Vicki there? Probably," Paxson tells the Washington Post . And he specificially remembers asking McCain to write the letter.
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