Category Archives: Politics: US: 2008 Elections

MoveOn seems to have got Rudy Guliani's goat. And all it took was the truth.

The REAL Rudy: Command Center video — probably the best Rudy Giuliani takedown video ever.

Can't say I think it will happen, but it would be great if it did. (The other way round would be quite interesting too, although it's a little harder to see Edwards agreeing to it.)

John Edwards gave a barn-burner of speech in Hanover, New Hampshire.

I've posted the full text below.

Edwards is currently my favorite of the Democratic candidates, although I am by no means suggesting that there are not others that would be fine too. Nor am I claiming I agree with 100% of what he says — I'm more conservative on trade, less willing to demonize corporate profits (while agreeing that corporate political behavior is often not in the common interest); I'm more liberal on gay marriage. Overall, though, he seems like the major candidate most passionate about poverty, health care, and ending the war (although Obama, to give him his due, was right about this long before Edwards).

Unfortunately, I am not as impressed by the John Edwards campaign organization as I would need to be to feel optimistic about his chances of winning the nomination given that he's running third in fund-raising. Clinton has a machine. Obama has a press and (slightly diminished?) public vibe. Edwards has passion. And a platform. But passion (not to mention a platform) won't make up for money unless you have a really good organization. And while they're a lot better than they were six months ago, and have some great instincts (e.g. their web presence, and unleashing Elizabeth Edwards), it's going to take both luck and still-better command of the fundamentals of campaigning to make it happen.

I believe Edwards is sincere and passionate when he says this:

A few weeks, ago I met a man named James Lowe in Wise, Virginia. James spent the first fifty years of his life without a voice — literally without a voice — because he didn't have health care. All he needed was a simple operation to fix a cleft palate. That a man in the richest country in the world could go unable to speak for 50 years because he couldn't pay for a $3,000 operation is something that should outrage every American. We are better than that. America is better that that.

It's a stark reminder of our broken political system that leaves millions of Americans without a voice in their government — a government that is supposed to work for them.

But it doesn't have to be that way. And we can change it together.

One can hope.

Continue reading →

It sounds like a great idea. But there's a little problem.

Richardson vows Cabinet preview: Democratic presidential hopeful Bill Richardson said he would give voters a preview of his Cabinet before they pick the next president.

“I would announce my Cabinet before the election. If I'm the nominee, I would tell you who my team would be,” the New Mexico governor told a Service Employees International Union conference at Dartmouth College in Hanover.

“It would have independents, Republicans and Democrats. Don't worry, I won't overdo the Republicans,” Richardson said, drawing laughter. “It would be taken from America, not from the Beltway.”

Forget for a minute that Richardson isn't going to be the nominee. Even if he were, this is one promise that he's going to have to break. As I explained in Why Kerry Will NOT Appoint a 'Shadow Cabinet', there's a legal obstacle: 18 USC § 599.

Whoever, being a candidate, directly or indirectly promises or pledges the appointment, or the use of his influence or support for the appointment of any person to any public or private position or employment, for the purpose of procuring support in his candidacy shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if the violation was willful, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

It ought to be legal for Presidential candidates to outline who will be in their cabinet, but with law on the books, it's just too risky — Richardson won't do it, nor will anyone else. And the fact that he and his team don't do their homework before making promises like this is one more reason among many why Richardson, a man of intelligence, achievement, demographic and geographic balance, nonetheless shouldn't be the Democratic nominee — or even the Veep.

(He would, however, make a great special envoy to those foreign leaders we Don't Talk To.)

Jim Henley knows how to upset me. In It Takes a Pillage he asks one of tough questions about Hillary Clinton (the other one would be about K Street, I think).

Go visit: it's not long, and I'll wait.

Now, what's the answer?