Archive for November, 2008

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Obama As FDR:

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

Time’s latest issue points out how Obama could forge a new democratic majority just as Franklin D. Roosevelt did.

[Video]

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Palin’s Busy Week and Odd Press Conference

Thursday, November 13th, 2008

I’ve never heard of the losing Vice Presidential candidate doing anything like what Palin has been doing for the past week. Giving “exclusive” interviews with Today, CNN, and FOX. (When you’re giving interviews to anyone who will listen, is it still “exclusive”?)

Obviously, it’s bid for the 2012 nomination but as Republican Strategist Mike Murphy suggested on “Morning Joe”, Palin should go back to Alaska and try to be a good governor first.

Sarah Palin Press Conference:

Mike Murphy on Morning Joe:

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Mike Huckabe: “Barack Obama Wasn’t My Choice But Come January 20, He Will Be My President”

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

In the current struggle for the future of the Republican party, the GOP would be wise to give Mike Huckabe a prominent seat at the table even though he’s not favorite among fiscal conservatives. Here is Huckabe commenting on his president Barack Obama.

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Obama’s Stance on Lobbyists

Tuesday, November 11th, 2008

A summary of Obama’s transition policy regarding Lobbyists:

  • Federal Lobbyists cannot contribute financially to the transition.
  • Federal lobbyists are prohibited from any lobbying during their work with the transition.
  • If someone has lobbied in the last 12 months, they are prohibited from working in the fields of policy on which they lobbied.
  • If someone becomes a lobbyist after working on the transition, they are prohibited from lobbying the Administration for 12 months on matters on which they worked.
  • A gift ban that is aggressive in reducing the influence of special interests.

The Huffington Post

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How Obama Won

Sunday, November 9th, 2008

Ryan Lizza with The New Yorker gives insight into the Obama winning strategy.

Last June, Joel Benenson, who was Barack Obama’s top pollster during his Presidential run, reported on the state of the campaign. His conclusions, summed up in a sixty-slide PowerPoint presentation, were revealed to a small group, including David Axelrod, Obama’s chief strategist, and several media consultants, and, as it turned out, some of this research helped guide the campaign through the general election. The primaries were over, Hillary Clinton had conceded, and Obama had begun planning for a race against Senator John McCain.

There was good news and bad in Benenson’s presentation. Obama led John McCain, forty-nine per cent to forty-four per cent, among the voters most likely to go to the polls in November, but there was also a large group of what Benenson called “up-for-grabs” voters, or U.F.G.s, who favored McCain, forty-eight per cent to thirty-six per cent. The U.F.G.s were the key to the outcome; if the election had been held then, Obama would have probably lost.

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The Foibles of Sarah Palin

Thursday, November 6th, 2008

Fox News reporter Carl Cameron exposes some behind the scenes squabbles between Sarah Palin and the McCain campaign advisors.

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GOP Reaction Is Split On Emanuel Selection

Thursday, November 6th, 2008

Given the current state of the GOP, it shouldn’t be surprising that republican leadership is mixed on the news of Rahm Emanuel’s appointment as White House Chief of Staff. I’ll give the GOP the benefit of the doubt and suggest that it may just be a case of good cop/bad cop.

However, bad cop (Boehner) must have missed McCain’s speech on moving forward in a bi-partisan fashion to solve America’s big problems. Derogatory remarks about the Presiden-elect’s White House Chief of Staff selection, when other republicans praise the Emanuel pick, appears to be petty and unwarranted criticism.

Lindsey Grahm welcomes the selection:

“This is a wise choice by President-elect Obama.

“Rahm knows Capitol Hill and has great political skills. He can be a tough partisan but also understands the need to work together. He is well-suited for the position of White House Chief of Staff.

“I worked closely with him during the presidential debate negotiations which were completed in record time. When we hit a rough spot, he always looked for a path forward. I consider Rahm to be a friend and colleague. He’s tough but fair. Honest, direct, and candid. These qualities will serve President-elect Obama well.

“Rahm understands the challenges facing our nation and will, consistent with the agenda set by President-elect Obama, work to find common ground where it exists. I look forward to working with him in his new position and will continue to do everything I can to help find a pathway forward on the difficult problems facing our nation.”

House Minority Whip John Boehner (R-Ohio) criticizes Obama’s choice:

“This is an ironic choice for a President-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil, and govern from the center.”

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Obama’s First Major Appointment

Thursday, November 6th, 2008

President-elect Obama has chosen Rahm Emanuel as White House Chief of Staff.

CHICAGO — Representative Rahm Emanuel, a fierce and consummate navigator of the capital’s political terrain, on Thursday accepted President-elect Barack Obama’s offer to become his White House chief of staff.

A veteran of the Clinton administration and a fellow member of Congress from Illinois, Mr. Emanuel has been a close adviser to Mr. Obama. He offers innate instincts for how a White House operates, as well as strong connections with Democratic leaders in Congress.

Mr. Emanuel informed Mr. Obama of his decision, saying he would step down from his post as the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives to help guide the Obama administration.

More Here

[Video]

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