Rich on the Road

I didn't actually miss the Palin and McCain speeches this week but I watched them from a cabin in Colorado instead of hovering over my computer in the newsroom following along on the pre-released speech transcripts -- more like the rest of you.  It was kind of nice.

My timing could have been better.  My bosses would have preferred that I was working Wednesday and Thursday but, months ago, I had booked airline tickets and hotel rooms for a little family business that had to be done.  It's good stuff.  Should lead to a wedding.  Really interesting story that I hope to tell you all about one day.  But, anyway, that's why I was watching Senator McCain and Governor Palin like the rest of you.  On television.  Away from work.

What I also saw on Denver TV is some of what we in Texas will be missing this fall -- McCain and Obama TV ads.  Texas is a foregone conclusion - it will almost certainly go Republican again -- so neither party wastes money on TV ads here.  It was interesting to see them a few times.  But, I'm sure the battleground states where they are playing will be sick of them by election day.  It's a perfect example of the old adage: A little goes a looong way.

After we conducted the family business we needed to conduct on Wednesday, Catherine and I drove on up to Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.  We spent a glorious two and a half days hiking and critter watching -- had a blast.

I will share more of that in tomorrow's post but I wanted to include at least one picture today.  This is Alberta Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park.

Oh, what the heck -- have another one.  The elk in the park are moving into rutting season and they were all over.  A hunter outside the park told me they know when hunting season has begun and that's why they flock to the park where it's illegal to shoot them.  But, I'm getting ahead of myself.   More tomorrow.

Rich

I had a little fun a couple days ago with Sarah Palin's onetime occupation as a TV sports reporter.  Sure enough, video has now surfaced on YouTube of a 24-year old Sarah (then Sarah Heath) doing a sportscast for an Anchorage station.  Big Hair warning!

Reportedly, she was a 24-year-old intern at the time of the taping.  I must say, she read well, seemed relaxed.  Pretty impressive under those circumstances. 

Rich

There have been rumblings for days now about the terrible timing of Hurricane Gustav -- threatening New Orleans on the third anniversary of Katrina and possibly spoiling the party Republican's are scheduled to throw next week in St. Paul.  The timing could not be worse; President Bush scheduled to address the RNC on Monday night with Gustav giving detractors a reason to remind people about Katrina and the aftermath.

Today news comes that John McCain himself is considering postponing the convention (I'm not sure how that would work -- with millions of dollars already spent on travel and accomodations) if Gustav starts tearing up the Gulf Coast.  Senator McCain told Fox News Sunday in an interview scheduled to run tomorrow:

“It just wouldn't be appropriate to have a festive occasion while a near-tragedy or a terrible challenge is presented in the form of a natural disaster.  So we're monitoring it from day to day and I'm saying a few prayers, too.”

Texas Governor Rick Perry is already telling reporters that he won't be going to St. Paul.  He's cancelling his scheduled speech and staying home to wait on Gustav -- now scheduled to hit as early as Monday afternoon.  The hurricane could well threaten Galveston/Houston and evacuees will be headed to Texas either way.  Governor Perry really has no choice.  He's made the right decision.

Senator McCain is really in tough spot here.  Democrats had their week in the sun.  Republicans need to bounce back.  It's a lose/lose situation.  Unless, unexpectedly, Gustav weakens and drifts into unpopulated areas.  Of course, everybody should be praying for that to happen. 

Rich 

John McCain's choice of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has pundits and pols and journalists scrambling to answer the question:  Sarah Who?  Already they've begun to dig up details of her background that could trouble some -- including the really disturbing news that she was once (insert drum roll) A TV REPORTER!

I'm shocked.  Imagine me with eyes opened wide and mouth agape.  Do you know what this means?  A woman tainted by this wretched profession could be a heartbeat away from the Presidency!  Certainly millions will shutter at the thought.

Who is vetting these candidates?  Certainly, that's why Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison was considered and then rejected -- she, too, spent time chasing people with a microphone; several years, in fact, as a TV reporter in Houston.  But, Sen. Hutchison has had decades of public service to erase the stain of her earlier life -- she can write it off to youthful indescretion.  At 44, Gov. Palin is less than two decades removed from her brief career as a sports reporter in Anchorage.  With only a few years as mayor of her hometown and just two as Governor.  Not nearly enough time to prove that she's completely erased her past life as part of (insert really ominous bass line that ends in wailing Tuba blast) THE MEDIA!

Seriously.  She was also a beauty queen.  Robert Wilonsky of the Unfair Park blog found this head shot somewhere.  The beauty queen part shouldn't hurt her too much.  But, Republicans better hope that YouTube video of her doing TV live shots from a men's lockerroom (naked, sweating behemoths in the backgroud) doesn't surface.

Rich

Over the last three days numerous Democrats (both Clintons, Biden, etc.) have made a point of telling America that John McCain is a good American with a long record of heroic public service -- before telling voters that he would be a bad President.

Tonight, John McCain is prepared to return the favor, sort of.  In a one-evening-only TV spot he will congratulate Barack Obama on "a job well done."  McCain's ad makes note that Senator Obama is accepting his party's nomination on the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.  "Tomorrow we'll be back at it," McCain tells the camera.  "But tonight Senator, job well done."

That is cool.  When is the last time we heard that kind of civility -- from either party?  It won't last.  But, it's nice.  If you read this blog from time to time you know that I'm a big fan of civil debate.  Hold different opinions.  Espouse them passionately.  But, don't demonize everyone who happens to disagree with you.  They can be wrong (in your opinion) but that doesn't necessarily make them evil.

An Associated Press writer named Calvin Woodward put out an interesting piece today about how much McCain and Obama actually agree on.  Here's a portion of it:

There is clearly a choice to be made -- many issues the two do differ on; Universal Health Care being a major one.  Obama wants coverage for all -- an ambitious and expensive proposition.   McCain does not.  Obama favors abortion rights.  McCain does not.  Though, abortion is not something the President can do much about, either way.  The Supreme Court and lawmakers hold sway there. 

There is much they agree on.  One can hope that the debate will remain civil on the areas they don't.  But, that's really not entirely up to them.  Democracy gets messy and millions of voices are heard.   A lot of them are determined to be as un-civil as possible. 

Rich 

I'm not the political junky that I used to be but covering the DNC this week has been interesting.  As I wrote in an early blog: "There will be drama.  With the Democrats there always is."

Lots of stuff going on.  Lots more than I can get air time for so I thought I'd just throw some of it out here.

Kay Bailey as VP?

Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison would be an interesting choice for John McCain, it could help him attract women voters.  He's certainly going after disaffected Hillary supporters with an ad blitz.  By the way, we won't be seeing a lot of the TV ads that are showing elsewhere.  Texas is simply a foregone conclusion.  McCain will win here.  Obama knows that.  Neither will spend much time or money here.

Back to the Kay Bailey for VP talk.  Today is the first I've heard of it.  Drudge Report is playing it prominently and, I'm told, the Houston Chronicle is fueling speculation.  Interesting, anyway.

Friends/Enemies

There is a really fascinating dynamic that will play out as we go along with this race.  Politically, they are enemies but on a personal level John McCain and Hillary Clinton are close friends.  So are McCain and Joe Biden.  Close.  Friends.  It won't stop them from saying nasty things about each other in public as the campaign heats up.  Has to be wierd though, for the friends/enemies involved.

Bill Won't Get Over It

I actually did find time to talk about this on TV last night.  There are persistent reports that Bill Clinton remains personally p-o'd at Barack Obama.  To the point that friends are urging him to "get over it."  As I write this, Bill still hasn't delivered his speech.  Aides are promising it will be just as strong in support of Obama as Hillary's.  And, shorter.  I buy the first part of that.  Shorter?  That I'll have to see to believe.

Hillary Won By Losing

Hillary Haters will not like this - but, she is in better shape, politically, then she has ever been.  Her speech last night was the best I've ever seen her deliver.  She made the pitch for party unity.  She evoked a certain sympathy factor she could not have evoked if she had won the nomination.  If Barack Obama loses in November she is perfectly positioned for 2012.  As long as she and Bill (noted loose canon) don't go and do something that makes it look like they're the reason Obama lost.

Lieberman Won't Get McCain's VP Slot

Apparently, John McCain seriously considered Democrat/Independent Joe Lieberman as his VP.  But, the conservative backlash would be tremendous.  The GOP might put on the kind of messy convention revolt Democrats are known for.  Lieberman pleased a lot of Republicans by backing George W. Bush on the war but he is pro-choice and otherwise votes pretty much along Democratic party lines.   Republican party activists are a very right leaning bunch.  Lieberman would not make them happy.

Just some stuff that won't get on TV.

Rich

Let me preface this all by saying that I have had dozens of encounters with Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson over the years and always found her to be professional and, even when miffed, courteous. I like the lady. Really.

But, apparently, that's not the impression she's left with a lot of folks in Washington. Washingtonian.com has put out its annual "Best & Worst of Congress" list and Sen. Hutchison finishes number two in the Senate's "Meanest" category, edged out by Democrat Barbara Mikulski from Maryland and just ahead of Republican Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. According to the website the voting reflects the opinion of Congressional staffers from both parties.

On the House side another Texan finishes number one in the "Meanest" category, Democrat Sheila Jackson-Lee. I've never had the occasion to deal with Rep. Jackson-Lee, but Washingtonian.com notes that "she burns through staff."

Although I'm disappointed to see Sen. Hutchison on the "Meanest" list I'm not totally shocked. Politicians often show one personality to the outside world and another to the people who work for them. I spent a lot of time covering Kansas Senator Bob Dole, for example, when he was running for President. He was hilarious and really fun to be around. But, his staffers called him "The Ayah-Dole-ah" and were terrified of his temper tantrums.

Senator Hutchison has made no secret that she doesn't really like Washington and wants to come home to Texas. Sounds like some on Capitol Hill are more than ready to give her a going away party.

Rich

There will be drama.  With the Democrats there always is.  Try as they might they just can't seem to get that unity thing going.  Hillary Clinton supporters are still sore that their lady lost and some of them, at least, seem bent on raining on Barack Obama's parade.  That will be the overriding theme this week in Denver:  Can Democrats unite behind Barack Obama.

Hillary Clinton made what appeared to be a sincere effort to unify during a morning breakfast meeting speech  -- delivering a good line on John McCain campaign ads that use soundbites of here criticizing Obama -- and one former Hillary supporter who now says she's voting for McCain.

"The McCain campaign is running ads trying to divide us," Senator Clinton told New York Democrats.  "And, let me state what I think about their tactics and those ads: I'm Hillary Clinton and I do not approve that message."  Laughter and cheering commenced.

But, there are rumblings that Bill Clinton isn't happy with the speech he's being asked to give -- on why Barack Obama would be a great president.  Reportedlly, he'd rather pontificate on foreign affairs and economic principals -- weightier stuff.  Don't know if the report is entirely accurate.  But, sounds about right.

Meantime, anti-war protestors are knocking about Denver, some of them calling themselves "Recreate '68" and threatening violence because they don't like the permitting process that police and the party have put in place.  Recreate '68?  That would be 1968 when riots at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago pretty much doomed Hubert Humphrey's chances of beating Richard Nixon.  Can you say, "Shoot myself in the foot?!!" 

Lots of emotion could be on tap tonight when Teddy Kennedy makes an appearance.  A video tribute is planned and then Senator Kennedy (gravely ill with a malignant brain tumor) is expected to make some remarks.  He is beloved by the party's rank and file.

What Barack Obama and his supporters want to do this week is equate John McCain with George W. Bush.  The message they want to deliver to America is - a vote for John McCain is a vote for four more years of the Bush policies.  But Democrats are often too busy squabbling among themselves to deliver the message they want to deliver.

We'll see if that holds true again this year.  That's the overriding subplot -- can they pull together or will they pull apart?

Rich

A lot of debate today over Barack Obama's choice of Joe Biden as his running mate.  I see a lot of folks with credentials as analysts think it was a mistake not to pick a woman (Dick Morris and my mother among them -- hey, Mom knows!).  But, in the end, a VP usually doesn't make much difference to the ticket.  Conventional wisdom is that a bad VP pick can hurt you a little but even a great one won't help you much.   For most of us, the choice comes down to the two guys at the top of the ticket.

Having said that, I think John McCain's choice really should make a difference to voters.  And, simply put, his age is the reason. 

"I am older than dirt and have more scars than Frankenstein," McCain is fond of saying.  And, it always gets a laugh.  He also talks a lot about his mother who is sharp as a tack and healthy as a horse at the ripe young age of 95.  But, if he's elected and I think there is a very good chance of that, John McCain will instantly become the oldest president we have ever inaugerated.  That's not a bad thing.  I'm getting up there myself.  But, it does increase the odds that his Vice President may one day, suddenly, become President.

Barack Obama is a relative kid -- younger than I am -- and that's never happened before.  A president younger than me?  It would be wierd.  But, it also means there's a really slim chance that Joe Biden has to take over.

For most voters it still comes down to a choice between Obama and McCain.  But, I for one, will be watching a little more carefully to see who John McCain picks.  And, I think a lot of other folks will be, too.

Rich 

Once again, my politics crystal ball proves to be hopelessly clouded up.  Weeks ago, I predicted that Barack Obama would "swallow real hard and name Hillary Clinton" as his running mate.  Apparently, Obama can't swallow that hard. 

It's funny.  Just a week ago I read that Ralph Nader was predicting Hillary would be the choice.  His quote looked suspiciously like my earlier post, predicting:

  “He just has to swallow hard and do what JFK did (in picking rival Lyndon Johnson)"

Ralph, you're not posting here on myfoxdfw.com are you?  Reading my blog and then using my lines in your other life?  Gurkha, that's not you, is it?

Anyway, both Ralph and I were proven wrong with the naming of Joe Biden.  Apparently, Hillary was never really considered.  I still think that's a mistake.  Hillary Clinton (love her or hate her) attracted millions of votes and got a lot of women in America really fired up.  Her supporters may eventually come around (maybe they'll have to swallow hard too) and vote for Obama.  I don't think a lot of them will choose McCain.  But, just as bad for Obama, they may sit out the election in protest.

That's me, though, looking into a crystal ball that fails me often.

Rich

I feel a little like Forrest Gump today, looking back at John McCain's presidential campaign.  I haven't covered politics as much this time around but I seem to have stumbled into the key moments of the Arizona Senator's run -- and Phil Gramm was always there -- until now.

The high point came back in March, when Sen. McCain clinched the nomination on the night of the Texas primary.  He chose to celebrate at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas.  I was assigned to the event.  It's always fun to cover the winners and the McCain people put on a good show.  I was looking to fill a little air time and spied former Texas Senator Phil Gramm walking by.  He's always been a willing and interesting interview.

On camera, Gramm shed light on another moment I'd briefly shared with McCain -- the low point of the campaign.  Almost a year earlier McCain had come to Dallas, hat in hand, for a fund raising event.  He was trailing Rudy Giuliani in the polls, unable to raise money and having just cleaned house with his campaign staff.  He needed money and some deep-pocket Republicans here were willing to give it to him.  I'd been the only local TV reporter to bother covering his Dallas visit.  Most everyone else thought he was on the verge of dropping out of the race.

As Gramm told the story, when McCain's campaign faltered he turned to his former colleague from Texas for wise counsel.   It was the advice he'd given McCain (and the money he helped him raise) that enabled the turn around and set McCain on a new course that led to the nomination.  I don't recall all of the advice Gramm claimed he'd imparted -- but, clearly, he thought what he'd told his old friend had made the difference.  New strategies, different focus.  And, it may well have.  McCain certainly went from also-ran to winner.

Now Phil Gramm is gone -- at least from a visible role in McCain's run for the White House.  He's quit the campaign, a victim of ill-chosen words that are seen as having damaged McCain.  Here's what Gramm said in a statement issued along with his resignation as campaign Co-Chairman.

“It is clear to me that Democrats want to attack me rather than debate Senator McCain on important economic issues facing the country.  That kind of distraction hurts not only Senator McCain’s ability to present concrete programs to deal with the country’s problems, it hurts the country.”

Phil Gramm's sin was dismissing the troubled economy as "a mental recession" and saying the US has become "a nation of whiners."  Democrats have used that to portray Republicans as out of touch with the concerns of ordinary Americans -- with those who've lost jobs,  can't pay their mortgage, see their retirement funds disappear, or struggle with $4 gasoline.

Phil Gramm has always polarized people -- few are neutral on the man.  You either love him or hate him.  It reminds me of a line that Democrat Jim Hightower (former Texas Agriculture Commissioner) used to deliver, faithfully, at every campaign rally when he was running for Senate and trying to unseat Gramm.

"Some people claim," Hightower drawled, "that Phil Gramm is his own worst enemy."

Hightower would scan the crowd with a scowl on his face, shake his head slowly.  And, with perfect timing, deliver the punch line.

"Not while I'm alive he ain't!"

Rich

Right about now John McCain and Barack Obama are praying for deliverance -- from their friends.

 CHICAGO (AP) - Comedian Bernie Mac endured some heckling and a campaign rebuke during a surprise appearance Friday night at a fundraiser for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Toward the end of a 10-minute standup routine at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Chicago, the 50-year-old star of "The Bernie Mac Show" joked about menopause, sexual infidelity and promiscuity, and used occasional crude language.

Obama told Mac to "clean up his act next time" and his campaign is doing damage control

 "Sen. Obama told Bernie Mac that he doesn't condone these statements and believes what was said was inappropriate," spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement after the event.

John McCain has a "friend problem" of his own -- former Texas Senator Phil Gramm.  Newsweek's Howard Fineman had a good take on that:

This was supposed to be John McCain's week to re-re-launch his campaign, this time with a tightly focused message about the economy and how he plans to fix it. He had a nicely staged debut in Denver, even if the experts quickly demanded to know how he could preserve George Bush's tax cuts, stay in Iraq and yet balance the federal budget by 2013. Details, details! Still, McCain was back in the game.

Then a one-man thundercloud named Phil Gramm rained on McCain's Main Street parade.

In one of the more boneheaded remarks in recent presidential politics (and Gramm has uttered others) the former Texas senator declared that we are in the midst of a "mental recession" and that we have "sort of become a nation of whiners."

Oh, my.

Rich

"We wouldn't do it again."

That's what Sen. Barack Obama is telling everyone who asks about his decision to grant an exclusive interview to Access Hollywood that included his daughters.  

Honestly, I don't know what to think about it.  I guess the conventional wisdom is that children of Presidents and presidential candidates should be shielded from as much public exposure as possible.  The Clintons and the Bushes certainly did with their daughters.

Access Hollywood (seen on Fox 4 at 6:30pm weekdays) has cranked out a four-parter that began last night.  So, they are making the most of the exclusive.  Clips are also getting wide play elsewhere.  Not much news there -- except that the children are allowed to talk on camera.

Again, I don't know.  Huge lapse in judgement?  Or, not that big a deal?

I'm guessing some of you have opinions. 

Rich

The U-S Army is displaying remarkable courage and candor -- with the release today of a 696-page report, called "On Point II: Transition to the New Campaign."   It is the Army's historical account of the 18 months following President George W. Bush's declaration of the end of major combat in May 2003.

"US military operations in Iraq following the 2003 ouster of Saddam Hussein suffered from poor planning and lack of vision."

The study is the second in a series -- the first On Point covered the start of combat through to the ouster of Saddam in April 2003 -- and is described by the authors as "neither triumphant nor defeatist."

"Military leaders and civilian officials were fixated on military triumph and removing Saddam from power, but paid too little attention to the phases that would follow."

This largely backs up what a large number of dissident generals have been saying for several years -- that Donald Rumsfeld and others in the administration totally misread the situation, sent in far too few troops, should never have disbanded the Iraqi Army and generally botched the whole situation.   It's particularly tough on Generally Tommy Franks.

Some who read this will surely be tempted to blast me for having dared to write on the topic.  Go ahead if you must.  But,  I just think this is really remarkable -- that Army historians clearly have not tried to sugar coat anything.  They have truly (it seems to me) tried to provide "military professionals with a means to understand important and relevant lessons from the army's recent operational experience."

The conclusion that we botched the end game in Iraq is no longer a partisan one.  In fact, John McCain has been saying the same thing for years now. 

What this report says about the United States is that even when we make mistakes we are capable of admitting them.  Hopefully, learning from them.

Rich

The wildest governor's race I can remember is back in the news -- nearly two decades later.  In 1990 Republican oil man Clayton Williams came out of nowhere politically and won the GOP nomination.  He roared to a 20 point lead over Democrat Ann Richards in the polls.  And, then.  He. Blew. It.

Told a terribly offensive joke about rape.  Refused to shake Ann Richards hand at a Dallas event.  Said and did a whole series of things that turned voters off.  On election night (with the polls still showing him in the lead) he was shockingly defeated.

What's brought Clayton back into the spotlight is a decision by Senator John McCain to cancel a Williams led fundraiser in Midland today -- apparently because reporters raised a few questions about some of the controversial things Clayton said back in 1990.  The rape joke, for example.

Okay.  Claytie (always a pleasant guy to be around, no matter what you thought of his politics) made mistakes and said dumb things.  But, he didn't do anything illegal.  He just made political blunders.  I'm, frankly, surprised that Senator McCain would cancel the fundraiser.

We'd like to ask him about it while he's in Dallas tonight (for a couple of fundraisers he didn't cancel) but his Press people tell us there will be "no media availability."  I'll be stalking him anyway.  And, filing reports at 5 & 6.  Probably for 9 & 10 too.

See you on TV.  Meantime, I thought this might spark some discussion.  Do you think McCain is overreacting on this one?  Or, maybe not?

Rich