Spin Control 2.0
A critical eye on the 2008 election season
Gregoire campaign fires ad back
Posted by Jim at 1:54 PM on Sep 5
Comments (0)Filed under: Presidential, Washington, News & Notes, Multimedia
In firing back at Dino Rossi, the Gregoire campaign notes in a new ad that he, like President Bush, skipped the Republican National Convention...and have more things in common.
It's the Gregoire campaigns answer to Rossi's ad during the Democratic convention that if folks supporting Barack Obama want change, change in Washington should equal Dino. Click to see the Rossi ad.
Sarah Palin's time at Idaho colleges
Vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin spent part of the 1980s in college in North Idaho, after starting her college career in Hawaii.
Here's the information on her academic stops, courtesy of the University of Idaho and The Associated Press.
Fall 1982: Hawaii Pacific University, Honolulu.
Spring & Fall 1983: North Idaho College, Coeur d'Alene.
Fall 1984-Spring 1985: University of Idaho, Moscow.
Fall 1985: Matanuska-Susitna College, Palmer, Alaska.
Spring 1986-Spring 1987: UI, graduating with a Bachelor Science in Journalism.
Thursday's convention schedule
John McCain is the big draw tonight, but he's not the only one on the podium,
Idaho casts...
Madame secretary, the great state of Idaho casts its 26 votes...
Huckleberries Online has posted the video clip here.
Thursday's quickie political briefing
Posted by Jim at 11:51 AM on Sep 4Comments (0)Filed under: Presidential, News & Notes, Multimedia, Obama, McCain
Today's video: The Daily Show demonstrated Wednesday night that Larry Craig can still be a punching bag, particularly when you have the confluence of Republicans, and the Twin Cities. (Warning: Some readers are likely to find the language and situations objectionable.)
Today's video2 : Special look at the Palin speech
Longtime Spokesman-Review readers may recall reporter Jim DeFede, who worked in Spokane in the late '80s and early '90s. He's down in Miami, doing commentary on the CBS affiliate there, and today weighed in on Sarah Palin's speech. We can't embed the video for those looking for a stroll down memory lane, but here's a link.
Convention Watch: Spokane area Republicans will be gathering at the Quality Inn on Argonne, just south of I-90, to watch John McCain's acceptance speech tonight. Gathering starts at 5:30 p.m., because they've got some precinct committee officer business to handle, county chairman Curt Fackler said. Speech will start sometime between 7 and 7:30 p.m.
Here are the headlines in the presidential campaign from The Associated Press:
McCain preps for big TV speech at convention as workers rebuild stage
Obama strategist: Palin looks a lot like Washington politics she seeks to change
Biden says he’ll vigorously challenge Palin but refrain from personal attacks
Environmentalists say Palin’s record on wildlife as harsh as Alaska itself
To read the stories behind the headlines, click here and scroll down.
DAILY TRACK
Democrat Barack Obama has a 7-percentage-point lead over Republican John McCain — he has 49 percent to McCain’s 42 percent — among registered voters in the presidential race, according to the latest Gallup Poll daily tracking update.
———
THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Prez/Veep: John McCain accepts his party’s presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn.
Sarah Palin attends a Republican governor’s meeting in the Twin Cities.
Barack Obama stops in the Pennsylvania cities of York and Lancaster. Joe Biden discusses national security in Virginia Beach, Va., and the economy in Manassas, Va.
———
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“My husband told me I’d never have to speak in public. So, I mean, please.” — Cindy McCain, on whether she is nervous about speaking at the Republican National Convention, in an interview aired on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
———
STAT OF THE DAY
Republican Mitt Romney said “liberal” or “liberals” 14 times in his speech on Wednesday night to delegates at the Republican National Convention.
PCO ties a-plenty in Spokane County
The state’s major political parties don’t like the new primary election law, but it could provide them with an unexpected bonus: extra precinct officers.
Many of the state’s elections officers do like the new “top two” system, but it will cause them extra work: more ties and recounts for those ground-level elective offices.
Except for precinct committee officers, races on the Spokane County ballot were settled Wednesday as elections officials certified results from the Aug. 19 primary. For state, county and legislative offices, there were no changes from the first count on election night. The one remaining close race, for second place in a central Spokane’s 3rd Legislative District House race, went to Chris Bowen who beat fellow Republican Laura Carder by 36 votes and will face incumbent Rep. Alex Wood in the Nov. 4 general election.
But elections for about 40 precinct committee officers in Spokane County are either tied or separated by one or two votes, which means they will need recounts required by state law.
Tonight's schedule for the GOP Convention
Here's what's on the schedule for the convention, according to times made available to The Associated Press:
4 p.m. to 5 p.m. PDT
Speakers: Anne Beiler; Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn.; Renee Amoore; State Sen. Abel Maldonado of California; Carolyn Dunn
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. PDT
Speakers: Dr. Elena Rios; Ruth Novodor; Christy Swanson; Michael Williams, Texas Railroad Commission chairman; Rep. Luis Fortuno of Puerto Rico; Meg Whitman, former president and CEO of eBay; Carly Fiorina, former chairman and CEO of Hewlett-Packard
6 p.m. to 7 p.m. PDT
Speakers: GOPAC Chairman Michael Steele; former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney; former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee;
7 p.m. to 8 p.m. PDT
Speakers: Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani; Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle; Sarah Palin, vice presidential candidate.
8 p.m. PDT to conclusion
—Procedural activities required for nominating the presidential candidate
—Roll call
—Benediction
—Adjournment
Today's lesson: Always check if the mike is hot
This video of two Republican strategists trashing McCain's pick of Sarah Palin raises two questions (other than the obvious ones about the veep selection):
When will political types learn to check whether their microphones are on?
What will journalists do when they do learn?
Wednesday's quickie political briefing
Today's video: Red meat from the GOP convention.
Wondering what might come up next for Sarah Palin? Politico.com obtained the opposition research document Alaska Democrats put together in the gubernatorial campaign, and posted it on-line here. Of course, there's a downside: Palin won that election.
Coming later today: Spokane County Canvassing Board meets at 1 p.m. to finalize the primary results. Only race hanging in the balance is the 3rd Distict state House race, for second place and the right to run against incumbent Alex Wood.
Here are today's headlines in the presidential campaign from The Associated Press.
Palin prepares to speak to delegates, other Americans amid political and personal revelations
Giuliani says Sarah Palin is ready to handle Sept. 11 crisis
Late-night TV hosts tread lightly with Palin pregnancy; use it to go after John Edwards
For the stories behind those headlines, click here and scroll down.———
THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Prez/Veep: John McCain travels to Minneapolis for the Republican National Convention. Sarah Palin accepts the vice presidential nomination at the convention in St. Paul, Minn.
Barack Obama discusses the economy in New Philadelphia, Ohio, and holds a barbecue in Dillonvale, Ohio. Joe Biden discusses the economy in Fort Myers, Fla., and holds a town hall meeting in Sarasota, Fla.
WA gov: Dino Rossi addresses national GOP delegates at a dinner via Web conference.
———
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Give her a chance to make her first speech, then give her a chance to do her first interview. And after about four or five then you can jump to the preordained conclusion you may have already, or maybe you’ll come to a different conclusion.” — Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, speaking about Sarah Palin on ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
———
STAT OF THE DAY
As part of the efforts to secure the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., $34 million will be used to pay law enforcement officers overtime.
Update on the Gregoire-Rossi ad wars
Gov. Chris Gregoire's campaign is holding back a day on its answer to the Dino Rossi commercial that aired during Thursday's Democratic Convention coverage.
The Rossi ad, mentioned in an earlier Spin Control 2.0 post, suggested to people settling down for Barack Obama's acceptance speech that if they wanted change in that other Washington, they should consider voting for him for change in this here Washington.
Gregoire Campaign Spokesman Aaron Toso said they've held back the response. "Given Hurricane Gustav, we don’t think it is appropriate to release the video today and we will be waiting until tomorrow. We sent an e-mail out to our supporters today asking for contributions to Mercy Corps, Salvation Army, and the Red Cross."
A new sign Amrageddon is around the corner
Finish this sentence.
The discussion of Sarah Palin's credentials has gone around the bend when...
How about this:
...when Lindsay Lohan weighs in on her blog that she should focus less on teen pregnancy and more on "delivering some words and policy with stronger impact like Joe Biden."
Read more of Ms. Lohan scintillating political insights by clicking here.
Or not.
GOP Convention schedule
Thanks to Hurricane Gustav, the schedule for the Republican convention has been a moving target.
But Tuesday night's announced schedule includes President Bush, Sen. Joe Lieberman and former Sen. Fred Thompson. For the latest schedule from the Associated Press, click here.
Tuesday's quickie political briefing
Today's video: In case you missed it, Dino Rossi aired an ad during the Democratic convention, on the night of Barack Obama's speech. It was his way of piggy backing on Obama's "change" theme, which he obviously hopes will play a bit differently, partisan-wise, in this Washington. Democrats were somewhat perturbed, and promised "web video mad on Rossi's behalf to be released next week as George Bush takes the podium."
Not surprisingly, it will attempt to tie Rossi to Bush on key issues.
We'll show it when it becomes available, but first, the Rossi ad:
Thompson, Lieberman to speak Tuesday night as GOP gets convention back on track
McCain’s veep vetter says Palin voluntarily disclosed teen’s pregnancy, husband’s past DUI
AP photographer, Democracy Now! TV and radio host arrested while covering anti-war protest
McCain has opposed spending on teen pregnancy prevention programs, sex education
———
THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Prez/Veep: John McCain stops in Philadelphia and Cleveland. Sarah Palin is in St. Paul.
Barack Obama is in Chicago with no public schedule. Joe Biden campaigns in the Florida cities of Deerfield Beach and West Palm Beach.
———
THE REPUBLICANS
John McCain stops in Philadelphia and Cleveland.
Sarah Palin is in St. Paul.
———
QUOTE OF THE DAY:“They only met for, as I have heard, one day. I met with summer law clerks longer than that when we were hiring them.” — Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., speaking about Republicans John McCain and Sarah Palin during an interview on MSNBC.
———
STAT OF THE DAY
The Twin Cities could receive an estimated $150 million to $160 million economic boost from the four-day Republican convention, organizers say.
Wasting no time on Palin
The McCain campaign -- make that the McCain/Palin campaign -- wasted no time in getting the veep pick onto video and onto YouTube.
Here's their Web ad:
From this we know
1. They've been working on it for at least a couple of days.
and even more important,
2. They were able to keep it quiet.
So much so that they took the national media by surprise...or maybe the correct word is "shock."
Go inside to see MSNBC's early report, and note the candor from their embedded McCain reporter that she didn't even have Palin on the radar.
Not to be parochial, but..
Posted by Jim at 1:39 PM on Aug 29Comments (0)Filed under: Presidential, Washington, Idaho, News & Notes, McCain
Sara Palin is the first native of Idaho, first resident of Alaska, and only the second Northwesterner to be named to a major party's ticket.
Washington and Idaho both had "contenders" who ran for the top spot and didn't win in the 1970s: Sen. Henry Scoop Jackson of Washington and Sen. Frank Church of Idaho. But neither lasted through the primaries to get the top spot, and neither was picked for veep.
Know who the only Northwesterner on a major party ticket was? Hint: he was from Oregon.
Click to find out, and to offer a comment on what you think about John McCain's pick.
Thursday's quickie political briefing
Posted by Jim at 10:29 AM on Aug 28Comments (0)Filed under: Presidential, Washington, Idaho, News & Notes, Obama
Today's video: Madame secretary, from the nosebleed section, Idaho casts its Democratic votes...
What about Washington? They didn't get a chance to talk about "the Evergreen State, the place that brought you triple vente soy lattes, the home of the Mariners and geoducks..." because the roll call was cut off at New York so Obama could get the nomination by acclamation.
Today's discussion: If you were doing the intro to Washington state's votes, what would you say? Write your intro here.
Spokane Democrats will gather at 5:30 p.m. to watch Obama's speech from Toad Hall, their quasi clubhouse at 1427 W. Dean.
North Idaho Democrats will gather at 6 p.m. to watch the speech at Cricket's Bar & Grill, 424 Sherman, in Coeur d'Alene.
AP's headlines in the presidential campaign are "all Democratic Convention, all the time", so if you're tired of the convention, we're sorry.
Barack Obama to woo nation 45 years after Martin Luther King’s ’I have a dream’ speech
Biden tells Democratic convention needs more than a good soldier, reference to McCain
Clinton delivers strong endorsement for Obama while passing torch
Want to see video of the convention? Click here.
To read the stories behind the headlines, click here and scroll down.
———
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Everything I learned in my eight years as president and in the work I’ve done since, in America and across the globe, has convinced me that Barack Obama is the man for this job.” — Former President Clinton.
———
STAT OF THE DAY
The Democratic National Convention is expected to generate $160 million and draw as many as 50,000 visitors.
Wednesday's quickie political briefing
Latest numbers in the governor's race has Chris Gregoire's lead continuing to slip. She went from a lead of 27,665 to a lead of 26,689 in the last 24 hours as ballot tallies trickle in. For the latest map, click here
Wondering about what's going on with the state delegations at the Democratic Convention? Check in on the blogs.
Click here to read about the Idaho delegation.
Click here to read about the Washington delegation.
Here are the headlines in the presidential campaign from the Associated Press:
Obama and Biden plan post-convention bus tour of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan
GOP ’war room’ revs up as high-profile figures hit airwaves to slam Obama
Democrats plan heavy presence at GOP convention, will greet delegates with Bush billboard
To read the stories behind the headlines, click here and scroll down.
THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Prez/Veep:
Barack Obama talks to veterans and military families in Billings, Mont. Joe Biden accepts his party’s nomination for vice president at the Democratic Convention in Denver.
John McCain is in Arizona with no public schedule.
Gov:
Chris Gregoire is at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Dino Rossi speaks to the Rotary Club in Bellevue.
———
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Let’s be honest: Religion has been used and abused by politics.” — Jim Wallis, an evangelical and editor of Sojourners magazine.
———
STAT OF THE DAY
The party breakdown of Denver’s registered voters: 1,018,000 Republican, 1,014,000 independent, 901,000 Democratic.
Where the heck are our delegates?
Posted by Jim at 12:42 PM on Aug 26Comments (0)Filed under: Presidential, Washington, Multimedia, Clinton
Wondering where the Washington and Idaho delegations are hanging out during the convention?
Might be hard to spot them in those shots from the podium. Idaho was supposed to be up front, but got moved to the back of the hall to make room for veep candidate Joe Biden's home state. (See previous post here.)
They're only slightly behind where Washington state started.
Facing out from the podium, Washington is back and to the right, between Texas and Hawaii. Idaho is next to the District of Columbia and behind Tennessee, which is behind Kansas, which is behind Texas.
For a version of the floor map that can be enlarged to your heart's content click here.
For details of tonight's Democratic National Convention schedule, go inside the blog.
Tuesday's quickie political briefing
Posted by Jim at 12:18 PM on Aug 26Comments (0)Filed under: Presidential, Washington, Charts & Polls, Multimedia, Clinton, Obama, McCain
Today's video: That phone is ringing again at 3 a.m. (and it's McCain's doing)
With both Clintons dominating the convention’s next 2 days, Hillary faces new GOP attacks
Republicans debate platform shaped by conservative base as well as by McCain
Biden stops by Delaware breakfast, offers mea culpa for past mistakes
Caroline Kennedy says her uncle went through a lot to get to Democratic convention
———
THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
Prez/veep: Barack Obama meets with voters in Kansas City, Mo. Joe Biden attends events at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
John McCain addresses the American Legion National Convention in Phoenix.
———
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I’ve never been a team. I should’ve been a one-man band.” — Vice presidential candidate Joe Biden, noting how he’s not used to playing a supporting role.
———
STAT OF THE DAY
The Pepsi Center seats 20,000 in its enclosed arena.
New maps in the gov's race
Posted by Jim at 11:32 AM on Aug 26Comments (0)Filed under: Washington, News & Notes, Charts & Polls
Dino Rossi has been gaining a bit of ground in the gubernatorial vote tally as the primary count continues.
His percentages are getting bigger east of the Cascades, while incumbent Chris Gregoire's percentages are getting smaller in most Western Washington Counties.
To see how the vote total percentages look this morning, click here."
To see how the vote total percentages looked last Wednesday, after the election night counts,
click here
Gregoire is currently ahead by 27,665 votes statewide. To see how many votes Gregoire is leading (or losing) by in each county right now, click here.
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