IPW Daily Report – Monday, February 9, 2004

* Quotables:

"There are some in Washington that are going to say, 'Let's not make the tax cuts permanent.' That means he's going to raise your taxes," President Bush said today in Missouri.

"I've just changed my mind," Dean said about staying in past Wisconsin.

"...they're all talk," said Clark" -- Wesley Clark, referring to rivals Kerry & Edwards' tax proposals.

"I just want to be your second choice," Dean told an elderly couple wearing Clark buttons.” – Dean quote in the Chicago Tribune,

“[Tim] Russert is a master of the legitimate gotcha question. I admire his hard-nosed interviewing techniques. But he must have checked them before passing through the metal detectors at the White House.” – writes The Nation’s columnist David Corn regarding Tim Russert’s Bush interview.

It was as if Russert wouldn't let Russert be Russert. Booking Bush was the big "get," but, alas, Russert let this "get" get away. – writes The Nationa’s columnist David Corn regarding Tim Russert’s Bush interview.

"There has not been enough time for the challengers to raise enough money, spend time on the ground, or build upon free publicity because they could not cover enough states in a short time span," – pollster Zogby, commenting on John Kerry’s success.

“Kerry thinks people are dying to hear his economic plan. In fact, the only economic plan most male voters want to hear about is how Kerry snookered two babes worth hundreds of millions of dollars into marrying him….Kerry may as well start giving out dating tips. He's running out of other ideas.” – Ann Coulter

"No one would argue that John Kerry doesn't have a great deal of momentum right now… at some point -- I know from my own experience because I had all that momentum in December -- people are going to say, 'Now, wait a minute. Let's take a closer look." – wishful words by Howard Dean.

* TODAY’S OFFERINGS:

Dean to stay in race

Clark & Edwards spar over taxes

Edwards, the true Tennessee Son

Kerry re-hashes Bush interview

Dean re-hashes Bush interview

Tennessee poll picks Kerry

Kerry’s 3-state sweep

Maine snows on Dean

Tough act to follow

Clark touts taxes in Tennessee

Bush says economy strong

Bush blasts Dems in Missouri

Hillary just an afterthought

* CANDIDATES:

Dean to stay in race

Yes, he said he’d stop if he lost in Wisconsin, but today Howard Dean is declaring his intent to go on past Wisconsin – regardless of the outcome February 17th. According to an AP story, Dean told Wisconsin television reporters he’d changed his mind about dropping out:

"I've just changed my mind," Dean said in the interview. He said supporters had persuaded him, during the past week, to stay in the race, and that he is campaigning to win Wisconsin.

"We're in, we're bringing something to the Democratic Party," Dean said.

Clearly, the force is not with Dean. Polls show him far behind John Kerry. And losing the AFSCME union endorsement (widely reported over the weekend and made official today) isn’t a step in the right direction for Dean’s chances. Meanwhile, Dean continues to portray himself as the Washington Outsider, and his opponents as wishy-washy Washington do-nothings.

Money-wise, Dean seems to have enough to at least grab some air time in Wisconsin. According to the article:

The campaign was trying to fire up Dean's online legions by asking them to vote for an ad to air in Wisconsin. The plan was for one of three supporters to describe why he or she was backing the former Vermont governor.

Dean is spending $50,000 in Wisconsin's five media markets through Tuesday to run his 60-second biographical ad. The television industry estimates that the buy is large enough that the average TV viewer in each market likely could see the ad once over the two-day run.

Clark & Edwards spar over taxes

John Edwards and Wesley Clark – the “Southern” fellas – are making a ruckus over taxes, namely, who’s got the best plan. The Raleigh News & Observer gives a full report, citing Clark as he mounted a full front attack on Edwards (and Dem leader John Kerry):

“Real middle-class tax cuts aren't just a matter of rhetoric --they're a matter of action," Clark said. "And while both men talk a lot about middle-class tax cuts ... they're all talk," said Clark….Clark said his plan would provide about $1,500 in tax relief for "typical families" -- a figure much higher than his rivals' plans provide.

That did set too well in the Edwards camp. Jennifer Palmieri (Edwards spokesperson) cried foul and accused Clark of faulty conclusion. Palmieri said Clark only used part of the relief Edwards proposes as the basis of his attack:

"The fact is, Senator Edwards' plan offers thousands of dollars in tax relief to millions of middle-class families and helps them with the toughest challenges they face today -- building their savings, buying a home, taking family leave and giving their children a better future," Palmieri said.

Edwards, the True Tennessee Son

It’s credentials that John Edwards is flashing in Tennessee – you know… birth certificate kinda stuff. Yessire, Edwards has played his trump card on Clark (and Kerry) and proclaimed his holy birth in the great state of Tennessee. Now that’s a reason to vote for the guy!! According to the Raleigh News & Observer, the claim is legit:

In the days leading up to the South Carolina primary, Sen. John Edwards reminded voters that he was born in the Palmetto State. Sunday, he offered another bit of his biography to voters in Tennessee.

"By the way, I used to live in Tennessee," Edwards told a crowd in Jackson. "My first child was born in Tennessee."

Kerry re-hashes Bush interview

Here are some quotes by John Kerry regarding President Bush’s “Meet the Press” interview aired yesterday on MSNBC:

On Iraq:

President Bush said that his decision to go to war with Iraq when he did was because Saddam Hussein had "the ability to make weapons."

This is a far cry from what the president and his administration told the American people throughout 2002. Back then, President Bush repeatedly told the American people that Saddam Hussein "has got chemical weapons." They told us they could deploy those weapons within 45 minutes to do injury to our troops. They told us they had aerial vehicles and the capacity to be able to deliver those weapons through the air. And it was on that basis that he sent American sons and daughters off to war. Now the president is giving us a new reason for sending people to war, and the problem is not just that he is changing his story now.

It is that he, it appears, that he was telling the American people stories in 2002. He told America that Iraq had chemical weapons two months after his own defense intelligence agency told him there was, quote, no reliable information on whether Iraq is producing and stockpiling chemical weapons. I once again call on the president to have a legitimate and immediate investigation into the extraordinary failure of intelligence, or to help explain to the American people whether there was politics involved in the development of that intelligence.

I respect the fact that the president has asked for a commission that will look at all of the intelligence agency. But that's not what Americans asked for. What Americans asked for and what we need is an explanation of what happened to our intelligence.

On President Bush's Military Record:

I have always honored, and I will always honor, anybody who serves anywhere. I've said since the day I came back from Vietnam, that it was not an issue to me if somebody chose to go to Canada, or to go to jail, or to be a conscientious objector, or to serve in the National Guard or elsewhere. I honor that service. But that's not the issue here. The issue here as I have heard it raised is, Was he present and active, on duty in Alabama, at the times he was supposed to be? I don't have the answer to that question. And just because you get an honorable discharge does not in fact answer that question.

Dean re-hashes Bush interview

Here are some quotes by Howard Dean regarding President Bush’s “Meet the Press” interview aired yesterday on MSNBC:

On Iraq:

This president has some peculiar thing going on about Saddam Hussein. There's no question that he's a terrible person. There's now no question at this point that he was never a threat to the United States nor an imminent threat to the United States. The president for whatever reason has not been truthful with the American people about why we went to war.

Whether he was deceived by his own intelligence or the vice president's office, or whether he knew that he wasn't being truthful to the American people, we don't know. If there were a Democratic Congress right now there would be a series of very serious inquiries along the matter.

On the Intelligence Inquiry:

I think this commission needs to be a great deal more independent than it is. If you were investigating the fact that we went to war apparently on false information, it seems to me that you need an inquiry that is not appointed by the president of the United States no matter how good the people on it may be. They owe something to the president of the United States. They owe their appointment to the president of the United States. The president of the United States sent our troops to war.

Tennessee poll picks Kerry

John Edwards and Wesley Clark may have been staking out Tennessee as their own sacred Southern ground, but Massachusetts’s John Kerry is running away with the holy land. Today’s Reuters, MSNBS, Zogby poll shows Kerry with a 24-point lead over John Edwards. The Tennessee Primary is tomorrow.

Why is Kerry so hot? Consensus seems to be that Kerry’s the guy who can beat George W. Bush. Frequently mentioned in this scenario are Kerry’s Vietnam War medals (the ones he kept when he threw the other guy’s medals over the White House fence, back in Kerry’s Protest Daze…). But a better bet on Kerry’s winning momentum is the layout of the Democrat’s process of selection this election cycle, namely, the condensed time frame of the state primaries and caucuses. Here’s Zogby’s take on the deal, according to Reuters report:

Zogby said Kerry has been helped by the new front-loaded Democratic nominating calendar, which schedules contests in a dozen states right after the traditional openers in Iowa and New Hampshire.

"There has not been enough time for the challengers to raise enough money, spend time on the ground, or build upon free publicity because they could not cover enough states in a short time span," Zogby said.

Other numbers from the Tennessee poll show Sharpton at 2 percent and Kucinich with less than one percent. The poll of 600 likely voters was taken Saturday and Sunday and has a margin of error of 4 percent.

Kerry’s 3-state sweep

John Kerry’s had a good weekend – no, make that a great weekend. Winning convincingly in all three state contests (Michigan, Washington and Maine), the Massachusetts senator increased his delegate count substantially as his rivals fell further behind in the count.

With fifty percent of the vote in, the numbers were evident: Kerry 45 percent, Dean 26 percent, Kucinich 15 percent, John Edwards 9 percent and Clark 4 percent. This puts Kerry’s delegate count at 426, and Dean’s at 184. [Maine had 24 delegates at stake.] 

With primaries looming on Tuesday in Tennessee and Virginia, and another on the 17th in Wisconsin, the American Research Group polls show Kerry with strong leads in all three states: 11 points over Edwards and 12 over Clark in Tennessee; 13 points over Edwards and 18 over Clark in Virginia; and 26 points over Clark and 31 over Edwards in Wisconsin. Not to say that Kerry has this nomination totally in the bag, though. With his delegate count at 426 he still has 1,736 delegates to go before he can officially claim the prize. It takes 2s162 delegates to cinch the nomination – out of a total pool of 4,322. But in the first 12 state contests, Kerry has come forth with 10 wins and no strong challengers to his ascension.

Kerry’s rhetoric shows a candidate in full stride – virtually ignoring his Democrat rivals, and instead taking aim at the one rival he hopes to beat… George W. Bush. Bush, on Meet the Press, was questioned by Tim Russert about his supposed lack of show in Alabama while in the National Guard. One could almost hear the voice of Reagan… there you go again… as Bush reiterated his response. “Nooooo…” Afterall, this ground has been covered exhaustively over the years – as Bush himself pointed out to Russert:

"I served in the National Guard. I flew F-102 aircraft. I got an honorable discharge," Bush said. "I've heard this — I've heard this ever since I started running for office. I put in my time, proudly so."

And Kerry, not known for his originality, took up the Meet the Press item shortly after the interview aired:

Kerry said Bush had not fully answered questions about whether he fulfilled his National Guard service in Alabama during the Vietnam War.

"The issue here is, as I have heard it raised, is was he present and active in Alabama at the time he was supposed to be," said Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran. "I don't have the answer to that question and just because you get an honorable discharge does not in fact answer that question."

Maine snows on Dean

Sunday was the scene of yet another Democratic party contest – this time the Maine caucuses --  and Howard Dean was in the state, pushing through the snow to campaign. According to a Reuters story, the once hot Howard fought the cold to try and heat up his support there… but with all polls showing John Kerry in a strong lead, the former Vermont governor seemed likely to suffer his 12th straight defeat in the battle for the Dem nomination for president.

And he did. Kerry won the Maine contest easily, with Dean straggling far behind in second place.

Dean is clearly making his stand, though, in Wisconsin on February 17th. TV ads are airing in that state today. Without a win in Wisconsin, Dean’s campaign will be over. But according to the Reuters story, many already think Dean should drop out now:

A Time/CNN poll released on Saturday found that 49 percent of 1,000 people surveyed said Dean should drop out, 39 percent said he should stay and 12 percent were uncertain.

The feisty-but-not-as-feisty-as-before former governor told CBS on Sunday that is was too early to concede the nomination to John Kerry:

"No one would argue that John Kerry doesn't have a great deal of momentum right now," Dean said. But "at some point -- I know from my own experience because I had all that momentum in December -- people are going to say, 'Now, wait a minute. Let's take a closer look."

"If I'm wrong, I'm wrong," Dean said. "I've said clearly that I'm going to support John Kerry or whoever wins the nomination because we need to beat George Bush."

Tough act to follow

Democratic presidential candidate Al Sharpton gave fellow Dem candidate John Edwards a tough act to follow yesterday in Richmond, Virginia. Sharpton preached down the glory cloud as he stumped and spoke to the congregation at the Cedar Street Baptist Church of God. Touting “timing” and “like views” as the plumb line for voting, Sharpton reminded worshippers that good things happen in “God’s timing.” Obviously inspired, Reverend Al had the congregation clapping, stomping and singing to his message as the gospel bank backed him up.

Then it was John Edwards’ turn in the pulpit.

Edwards spoke his piece, no doubt wishing the boisterous Rev. Sharpton hadn’t set the bar quite so high. But the congregation applauded politely and Edwards was soon on his way – Edward had arranged to speak at three area Baptist churches as he campaigned in Virginia.

Clark touts taxes in Tennessee

Heading into the Tuesday primaries in Tennessee and Virginia, Wesley Clark has turned to his tax proposals to sway voters his way. Despite rival polls showing him in a virtual tie with rival John Kerry for the lead in Tennessee, Clark made clear his belief he’d win there on Tuesday.

Appearing on CNN’s “Late Edition” yesterday, Clark also repeated his stance of not accepting a vice president spot, if offered to him, and asserted his goal of staying in the race through "Super Tuesday" March 2 – the 10 state primaries day.

* ON THE BUSH BEAT:

Bush says economy strong

In his official report to Congress, President Bush declares the U.S. economy is “strong and getting stronger.” Bush named specific events that caused the downward spiral, beginning in the year 2000 when the stock market tumbled. Also named is the attack on 9/11, two wars, corporate scandals and the first recession in a decade. According to an AP report, Bush said:

"Americans have responded to each challenge and now we have the results: renewed confidence, strong growth, new jobs and a mounting prosperity that will reach every corner of America," Bush wrote in the message transmitting the report to Congress.

Bush’s report encompasses 412 pages and was compiled by the president’s Council of Economic Advisers. Predictions include a 4 percent growth in the economy and the creation of 2.6 million new jobs for 2004.

Bush blasts Dems in Missouri

President Bush blasted his Democrat rivals during a speech today in Missouri. According to the AP article, Bush loudly defended his tax cuts and the need to make them permanent:

His voice rising to a shout, President Bush lashed out at Democratic rivals who want to roll back his tax cuts as he defended his economic priorities Monday in a presidential primary state where his record has been harshly criticized.

"There are some in Washington that are going to say, 'Let's not make the tax cuts permanent.' That means he's going to raise your taxes," Bush said at a factory. "When you hear people say, 'We're not going to make this permanent,' that means tax increase."

"Let me tell you what's going to happen when they raise them," Bush said. "They're going to say, 'Oh, we got to raise it so we can pay down the deficit. Uh-uh. They're going to raise the taxes and increase the size of the federal government, which would be bad for the United States economy."

But Missouri’s own governor, Bob Holden, was not complimentary to Bush’s economic policies. Holden said the 27,000 jobs gained there in 2003 were done “in spite of President Bush, not because of him."

* Clinton Comedies

Hillary just an afterthought

Remember the Big News? Hillary, nominated for a Grammy award for her recording of “Living History” – pitted against leftwing pitbull Al Franken for his own recording of his book, “Lies and the Lying Liars [blah blah blah}”?

Well, Sunday was the Big Grammy Night. And though it was tainted by Janet Jackson’s nipple ring debacle (the awards ceremony went on sans Janet), certainly all of America’s press were waiting, anxiously, to report the outcome of the showdown between Hillary and Al…

Nope.

Who got the spotlight?  Bill. That’s right -- Bill Clinton. Bigger than life and splashed on Yahoo via Rueters, AP, etc, etc, was the Big Victory of Bill Clinton, winning a Grammy.

Did anyone even know he’d been nominated?

He was. It seems that a while back Bill, Mikhail Gorbachev and Sophia Loren joined global forces to record a children’s album called “Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf/Beintus: Wolf Tracks.”

Catchy title, huh.

What happened to Hillary? You’ll have to read long and hard to find mention of her. By the way, she lost to Al Franken.

Poor Hillary – still Bill’s afterthought. Do you suppose she could just wring his neck???

 

homepage