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PRESIDENTIAL WATCH
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(caricatures by
Linda Eddy)
Friday, March 21, 2008
GENERAL NEWS HEADLINES with excerpts
Security breach on McCain, Clinton & Obama
passport files
The bombshell announcement came within hours of the
admission that Obama's personal file was improperly accessed several
times earlier this year -- and no one was notified of the breach.
Poll: McCain gains from Obama/Clinton battle
1 in 5 Dems to defect to McCain if their candidate loses
As Democratic Senators Barack Obama of Illinois and
Hillary Clinton of New York slug it out for the nomination, many of
their supporters -- at least in Pennsylvania, site of the next major
primary -- aren't committed to the party's ticket in November,
according to a Franklin & Marshall College Poll.
Among Obama supporters, 20 percent said they would vote
for Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the Republican nominee, if Clinton
beats their candidate for the nomination. Among Clinton supporters, 19
percent said they would support McCain in November if Obama is the
Democratic nominee.
(See poll)
Obama sets single-month
record: $55M
Obama's campaign spent at a rate of nearly
$1.5 million a day in February, a crucial month that began with the
Feb. 5 Super Tuesday and ended with both candidates marching to a
showdown March 4 in Texas and Ohio. Clinton, riding her best
fundraising period yet, spent about $1 million a day on average.
But reports filed with the Federal
Election commission late Thursday showed that Obama set a single-month
fundraising record, with more than $55 million in contributions.
'O'
what a lucky break this fellow is getting... "The very
week he faces his toughest obstacle ever - one that may still derail
his candidacy - Obama gets a near-game-ending pot of gold."
Obama-rella: a bad week turned good...
McCain
getting crushed by Obama in money war...
Pennsylvania voter
registration skyrockets
Since November, statewide Democratic
enrollment has grown by more than 111,000, an increase of about three
percent. State Elections Commissioner Harry VanSickle told the
Associated Press that such growth appears to be unprecedented.
Democratic registration is approaching 4 million, which would be a
record.
Clinton has 16-pt lead in Pennsylvania poll
Michigan ends revote bid
With Florida Democrats already all but
giving up on a new contest, the Michigan state Senate's decision to
adjourn yesterday without acting on a new primary left in limbo a
Clinton strategy that relied on a string of victories in the remaining
contests, to be capped by victories in the Michigan and Florida
revotes, to help her gain ground in both the pledged-delegate and
popular-vote totals against Sen. Barack Obama...
Clinton, Obama are Wall Street darlings
It is part of a broader fundraising shift
toward Democrats, compared to past campaigns when Republicans were the
favorites of Wall Street.
Some Democrats worry that the influx of
money will make their candidates less willing to call for increased
regulation of financial markets, which have been in turmoil after a
wave of foreclosures on sub-prime mortgages.
THE CANDIDATES:
John McCain... today's headlines
with excerpts
McCain ahead in some national
polls
John McCain: International man
For the past week, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., has been front and
center on the world stage....
Unofficially, campaign aides said the international journey was an
opportunity for McCain to appear statesmanlike as he confers with
world leaders on issues of international importance, including
national security and the terrorism.
McCain aide circulates Obama/Wright video, is
suspended
Soren Dayton, who works in McCain's political department, sent out
the YouTube link of "Is Obama Wright?" on twitter at 12:31 today with
the tag, "Good video on Obama and Wright." It has since been taken
down.
Twitter is an online device that allows users to send out short
messages and links en masse through computers or PDAs.
McCain, PM Brown discuss Iraq war
"The fact is Al Qaeda is on the run. They are not defeated; they are
not defeated. And we're going to have to continue training Iraqi
military and doing what we've been doing," McCain said after meeting
with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown during a foreign policy swing
through the Middle East and Europe.
McCain moves towards public financing
McCain’s campaign stressed Thursday he hasn’t decided whether to
participate in the public financing program. But this month,
he filed papers with the Federal Election Commission creating a
separate campaign account that would enable him to make the public
money go further.
Hillary Clinton... today's
headlines with excerpts
Hillary Clinton's passport file also breached
The AP
reports that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has told Sen.
Hillary Rodham Clinton that her passport file was breached in 2007.
Clinton's office broke the news in a statement that
carried none of the outrage of the Obama campaign's statement last
night on a similar breach of Obama's file.
The statement from her Senate office:
This morning, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
contacted Sen. Clinton in order to inform her that the senator's
passport file was breached in 2007. The State Department will be
briefing Sen. Clinton's staff this afternoon to provide details about
the recent unauthorized breaches of passport records. Sen. Clinton
will closely monitor the State Department's investigation into this
and the other breaches of private passport information.
Hillary treats Obama pastor with extreme caution
Clinton advisers have asked their allies not to talk openly about the
[Obama/Wright] issue, for fear it could create a voter backlash and
alienate black Democrats. They also say Mr. Obama, of Illinois, is in
enough trouble over Mr. Wright that they do not need to foment more...
Hillary Clinton's experience is debated
Whether that has made her "tested and ready" to be president from the
first day, as she now claims, is a burning issue on the campaign
trail.
Obama camp says Hillary Clinton misrepresented
her support for NAFTA
Barack Obama’s campaign on Thursday accused Hillary Clinton of
purposely distorting her position on the North American Free Trade
Agreement, pointing to newly released White House schedules that show
Mrs. Clinton attended several meetings on the trade pact while first
lady.
... In a conference call with reporters, Obama advisers described Mrs.
Clinton’s White House meetings as evidence that she had misrepresented
her support for NAFTA. She has said that she has been a critic of
NAFTA “from the very beginning.”
Barack Obama... today's headlines with excerpts
Obama grandma gaffes... "typical white person"
"Obama aides rushed yesterday to clarify the 'typical white person'
remark,"
Michael Saul reports in the New York Daily News. Said Ben LaBolt,
an Obama spokesman: "His intentions may have been misconstrued."
watch video of Obama's
explanation
Minister's remarks unlikely to fade soon
In his much-discussed speech from Philadelphia on Tuesday, Obama
strongly condemned Wright's most controversial statements. But he did
not repudiate Wright or his overall ministry, saying the man who
officiated at his wedding is like a family member.
The decision will haunt Obama, LaCivita said, because his political
success is built on his image as a uniter and almost messianic figure
who eschews divisive strategies. When that image is juxtaposed to
Wright's outbursts comparing the United States to the
Ku Klux Klan, among other things, voters will wonder if they
misread Obama and his true character, he said.
Obama campaign leaks photo of Bill Clinton and
Rev. Wright to NY Times
Among those in attendance, was the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., who is
seen shaking hands with Mr. Clinton in a photograph provided by the
Obama campaign...
...In providing the photograph to The New York Times, the Obama
campaign appeared to be trying to divert some attention to the
Clintons after a week in which Mr. Obama’s relationship with Mr.
Wright has left him facing one of the biggest challenges of his
campaign. There is nothing in the picture or the note that addresses
whether Mr. Clinton had met Mr. Wright prior to the White House
meeting or whether he or Mrs. Clinton knew anything about Mr. Wright’s
views...
Clinton aide: Obama pushing Wright photo 'pathetic'
Bill Richardson endorses Obama
Richardson, who dropped out of the Democratic race in January, is to
appear with Obama on Friday at a campaign event in Portland, Ore.
Richardson's key line, from the endorsement announcement: "There
is no doubt in my mind that Barack Obama has the judgment and courage
we need in a commander in chief when our nation's security is on the
line."
Obama's passport files violated; 2
workers at State fired
Two State Department employees were fired recently and a
third disciplined for improperly accessing electronic
personal data on Democratic presidential candidate Sen.
Barack Obama, Bush administration officials said.
The officials, all contract workers, used their authorized computer
network access to look up files within the department's consular
affairs section, which processes and stores passport information, and
read Mr. Obama's passport application and other records, in violation
of department privacy rules, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack
said.
Obama camp calls for complete investigation
Spokesman Sean McCormack said the State department itself detected the
instances of "imprudent curiosity," which occurred separately on Jan.
9, Feb. 21 and March 14. He would not release the names of the
employees.
... Bill Burton, a spokesman for Obama's presidential campaign, called
for a complete investigation.
... "This is a serious matter that merits a complete investigation,
and we demand to know who looked at Senator Obama's passport file, for
what purpose, and why it took so long for them to reveal this security
breach," he said.
see also: Motive sought for Obama passport breach
Rice to Obama: sorry
Ralph Nader... today's headlines with excerpts
An
embarrassed State Department admitted today that the passport files of
all three presidential candidates -- Sens. John McCain, Barack Obama
and Hillary Clinton -- have been breached by its employees.
The
lengthy Democratic primary contest bodes well for Republican chances
of holding the White House, a new poll suggests. 
Hillary
Clinton upped the tempo of her fundraising and her spending last
month, only to be eclipsed by rival Barack Obama. At month's end, with
debts of nearly $9 million, her money was nearly spent and he was
sitting atop $30 million in available cash.
Hillary
Clinton and Barack Obama, who are running for president as economic
populists, are benefiting handsomely from Wall Street donations,
easily surpassing Republican John McCain in campaign contributions
from the troubled financial services sector.
...the
latest Gallup tracking poll showed good news for Mr.
McCain, who has clinched the Republican nomination. The
Arizona senator has erased Mr. Obama's once double-digit
lead in hypothetical matchups and now leads the Democrat
47 to 43. He also leads Mrs. Clinton of New York 48 to
45. The Rasmussen Reports Daily Presidential Tracking
Poll for yesterday had Mr. McCain ahead by even wider
margins — 49-42 over Mr. Obama and 51-41 over Mrs.
Clinton.
An
aide to John McCain was suspended from the campaign today for blasting
out an inflammatory
video
that raises questions about Barack Obama's patriotism. 
Sen.
John McCain on Thursday conceded that the British public is
"frustrated" over the war in Iraq, but warned that the battle is not
won despite recent improvements in the security situation.
Hillary Clinton's trip to Egypt as First Lady in 1999 offers a case
study of her foreign policy role during her husband's presidency.
While traveling across North Africa, she devoted little time to heads
of state and negotiated no agreements, but instead met community
leaders, explored local issues and culture, hit major tourist sites
and gave speeches on women's rights and other topics important to her.
Obama
didn't do himself any favors Thursday, speaking about his white
grandmother in a
Quote We'll Read Again: "She is a typical white person, who, if
she sees somebody on the street that she doesn't know, well there's a
reaction that's in our experiences that won't go away and can
sometimes come out in the wrong way. And that's just the nature of
race in our society. We have to break through it." 
"He
can give a speech a week, and it's not going to make the issue go
away," said Chris LaCivita, a Republican adviser who helped create the
"Swift Boat" ads that severely damaged John Kerry's 2004 presidential
campaign. 
During
one of the most difficult periods in the presidency of Bill Clinton,
he addressed a group of clerics at an annual prayer breakfast in
September 1998 just as the Starr report outlining his dalliance with
Monica Lewinsky was about to be published.
New
Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, the nation's only Hispanic
governor, is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president,
calling him a ''once-in-a- lifetime leader'' who can
unite the nation and restore America's international
leadership.
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