Robert D. Novak: McCain TV performance dings candidacy

Union Leader ^ | January 26, 2007 | ROBERT D. NOVAK

[freedomdefender]

Democratic strategists who had feared Sen. John McCain as the potentially unbeatable Republican candidate for President in 2008 were surprised and delighted by his dour appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” last Sunday.

One Democratic leader referred to McCain’s performance, in suggesting President Bush’s additional 21,000 troops may be inadequate, as “comatose.” A Republican adviser to McCain said it was one of the worst performances ever on “Meet the Press.” The senator’s defender said he could not be expected to be cheerful about a plan to send additional U.S. troops in harm’s way.

A footnote: Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is picking up support for President among House Republicans, headed by former Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Whither Rahm?

Sources close to Sen. Barack Obama are sure that Rep. Rahm Emanuel will not support his fellow Illinois Democrat for the Presidential nomination but will back Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

If so, Emanuel would be the only prominent Democratic officeholder in Illinois not for Obama. As a senior White House aide, Emanuel was one of President Bill Clinton’s favorites. Emanuel has been close to both of the Clintons.

Emanuel refuses to talk about his 2008 Presidential choice. He says he was deeply engaged in politics for two years as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and in his new role, as House Democratic Caucus chairman, he is committed to legislation.

Undermining Hillary

Jerome Corsi, co-author of the 2004 campaign book “Unfit for Command” attacking Sen. John Kerry’s war record, joined up Tuesday with the organization intended to similarly undermine Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the 2008 campaign.

TheVanguard.org is intended to be a right-wing version of the leftist MoveOn.Org. It was founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, including Gil Amelio, former CEO of Apple and National Semiconductor.

Coming on board Feb. 16 as TheVanguard’s full-time editorial and creative director will be Richard Poe, who has served as editor-in-chief of FrontPage Magazine. He has been described as the conservative movement’s leading expert on MoveOn.Org’s strategy in bringing together disparate elements with a common viewpoint.

Bush on Abortion

President Bush extended his stay at Camp David last weekend to arrive back at the White House Monday afternoon, missing the annual anti-abortion March for Life that morning in Washington to mark the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.

Bush was at the White House on Jan. 22, 2001, for the first March of his Presidency but sent a written statement rather than attend in person. For the next five years, he was out of town for the event: Charleston, W.Va. (2002), St. Louis (2003), Roswell, N.M. (2004), Camp David (2005) and Manhattan, Kan. (2006). His routine is to address the event by phone.

A footnote: Only two of the many Republican Presidential hopefuls attended this year’s March for Life: Rep. Duncan Hunter of California and Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas. On Sunday, Brownback visited the Holiday Inn on Capitol Hill, mingling with marchers from Iowa (the first state in the Presidential nomination process).

Dollars for Rudy

Texas Republican contributors are being solicited to spend $30,000 for dinner with former New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani at the Houstonian Hotel in Houston Feb. 1 to finance his “presidential exploratory committee.” The “private” dinner will follow a 6:30 to 8 p.m. cocktail reception, costing $2,100 a person and $4,200 for couples.

The best-known host of Giuliani’s Houston event is billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens Jr., chairman of the private equity firm BP Capital Management. Also on Giuliani’s Texas fund-raising team are Tom Hicks, whose company owns the Texas Rangers baseball team; oil industry executive Jim Lee; and lawyer Patrick C. Oxford.

A footnote: A Giuliani fund-raiser will be held Jan. 29 in Pacific Palisades, Calif., at the home of Bill Simon, the 2002 Republican candidate for governor of California, costing $2,300 a person and $4,600 per couple.

Robert D. Novak is a syndicated columnist and a commentator for the FOX network.

[2nd Bn, 11th Mar]

"As a senior White House aide, Emanuel was one of President Bill Clinton’s favorites. Emanuel has been close to both of the Clintons."

Ol' Rahm better keep a close watch on his six. There are dozens who didn't and are now looking at the grass from the wrong side.

Semper Fi,

[Robert Lomax]

McCain's performance? Seems to suggest that there is no core belief, only performance. Most politicians perform anyway.

[edcoil]

McCain dings candidacy

Fixed it

[snarkpup]

The McCain performance that sticks in my mind was his debate with Bush and Alan Keyes during a primary race several years ago. He was hurling childish insults like a four-year-old. This convinced me that, independent of whatever his politics are, he has some sort of mental or emotional disorder.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

It doesn't matter who you vote for, you're still going to wind up with a Politician.
- Will Rogers

An honest politician is one who stays bought.
Distinguishing between political parties on a basis of their respect for rights is rather like distinguishing between motorcycle gangs on a basis of their taste in beer. - Doug Caprette

"Hello," lied the politician.

[E]lections amount to no more than choosing between the scum that floats to the top of the barrel and the dregs that settle to the bottom. - L. Neil Smith

Giving power and money to Congress is like giving liquor and car keys to teenage boys. - P.J. O'Rourke

Compromise is: getting rid of your principles a little bit at a time. - Patrick Lear

[KantianBurke]

"His routine is to address the event by phone."

coward.

[OldFriend]

Will Novak please retire and get out of our face already.

[Calpernia]

>>>McCain's performance? Seems to suggest that there is no core belief, only performance. Most politicians perform anyway.

From Boston.com On Friday, an e-mail from Mitt Romney’s sons suggested that whoever the Republican presidential nominee is will have to raise $100 million. Duncan Hunter said he wouldn’t need to raise that kind of money because “most of that money goes to pay for consultants that help them look like they are conservative and I am conservative already."

[Richard Poe]

Undermining Hillary

"Jerome Corsi, co-author of the 2004 campaign book `Unfit for Command' attacking Sen. John Kerry’s war record, joined up Tuesday with the organization intended to similarly undermine Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in the 2008 campaign.

"TheVanguard.org is intended to be a right-wing version of the leftist MoveOn.Org. It was founded by Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, including Gil Amelio, former CEO of Apple and National Semiconductor.

"Coming on board Feb. 16 as TheVanguard’s full-time editorial and creative director will be Richard Poe, who has served as editor-in-chief of FrontPage Magazine. He has been described as the conservative movement’s leading expert on MoveOn.Org’s strategy in bringing together disparate elements with a common viewpoint."

__________________________________________________

For shamelessly self-serving reasons, the above passage happens to be my favorite part of this article. ;-D

See also:
"Undermining Hillary"

and

"The Next MoveOn.org?"

[Howlin]

I looked at your site a little while ago; it looks pretty nice.

[bmwcyle]

Why? McCain is worthless.

[Richard Poe]

"I looked at your site a little while ago; it looks pretty nice..."

Thank you!

[Txsleuth]

LOL...I knew you were a freeper...thank you so much for the great writing..

"Shadow Government" is a must read...

[tiredoflaundry]

Thanks for the ping!

BTTT

[hosepipe]

LoL... good

[ALOHA RONNIE]

.

Congratulations, HILLARY-Fighter Freeper Richard Poe.

In the finest of HILALRY-Fighter Freeper BKO Tradition,

who entered the Pentagon's 1st floor going over 500 mph on the morning of September 11, 2001.

Instead of arriving in Los Angeles to battle against a future HILLARY Presidency on ABC-TV's 'Politically Incorrect with BILL MAHER.'

Stay strong, stay safe ..ya hear..?



Signed:..Freeper ALOHA RONNIE Guyer
Veteran-1st Major Battle for Freedom of the Vietnam War 1965-66

http://www.WeWereSoldiers.com

http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_set1.htm

http://www.lzxray.com/guyer_collection.htm

http://www.RickRescorla.com/The%20Statue.htm


NEVER FORGET

.

[SeaBiscuit]

Wishing the TheVanguard.org total success.. three cheers for our brave American Patriots.

[montag813]

Romney is picking up support for President among House Republicans, headed by former Speaker Dennis Hastert.

This is a prized endoresement in the wake of L'Affair Foley?

[hinckley buzzard]

Nah. Rahm is a clintonoid through and through. I'm interested in the observation that Bush has managed to be out of town for five straight pro-life marches. What is with this guy and abortion? I guess it's too late to care about what he thinks now, but really, after his firm stand on embryonic stem cells, consistency would argue a strong prolife gesture, at least, sometime along the way.