Tag Archives: 2010 congressional

On Page One, N.Y. Times Plays Up Sharron Angle’s ‘Awkward Retreats’ from ‘Hardline Positions’

Posted on August 19, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Following in the footsteps of The Washington Post , Wednesday’s New York Times put Sharron Angle on the front page, pushing strongly on Harry Reid’s notion that her extremism and ineptitude are working in Reid’s favor. Reporter Adam Nagourney played up Republican pessimism:  Since Ms. Angle won, her campaign has been rocked by a series of politically intemperate remarks and awkward efforts to retreat from hard-line positions she has embraced in the past, like phasing out Social Security. There have also been a staff shake-up and run-ins with Nevada journalists, including one in which a television reporter chased her through a parking lot trying to get her to answer a question. Republicans in this state are concerned that what had once seemed a relatively easy victory is suddenly in doubt, with signs that Ms. Angle’s campaign is scrambling to regroup. “Reid had no chance to win before,” said Danny Tarkanian, one of the Republicans who lost to Ms. Angle. “He has a shot to win now. He could still lose, but I have to say he is favored.” Nagourney does not suggest “Landslide Harry” is a terrific candidate. He makes it clear that the Democrats need an anti-Angle vote to win:  If Mr. Reid is doing better than he once was, it is still relative; he is a politician in deep trouble. A Mason-Dixon poll last week found that 51 percent of Nevadans held an unfavorable opinion of him, a toxic number for an incumbent. That poll found Mr. Reid and Ms. Angle in an effective tie. “I’ll say this about Angle: I still think when we get to the end, it’s still going to be about Harry Reid and whether Nevada voters want to get rid of him and send a message to Washington,” said Brad Coker, managing director of Mason-Dixon. “They may still hold their nose and vote for Sharron Angle even if they don’t agree with a lot of things that she says and does.” Mr. Reid’s advisers made clear that the only way they could win was to make Ms. Angle so distasteful to Nevada voters that they would vote for Mr. Reid or someone else — it is possible here to vote for “none of the above” — or stay home. “I’m not discounting her,” Mr. Reid said. “In the spite of the work we’ve done, people need to understand more about her. There are some unusual stands she has.” But Nagourney’s story makes no serious attempt to understand the “why” of Reid’s unpopularity — particularly as Reid wants to note the other candidate’s hardline ideological stands and gaffes. Nagourney avoids Reid’s list, like Reid declaring it should be impossible to be both Hispanic and Republican — the Times continues to avoid that gaffe completely. There’s no mention of Reid’s gaffes about how Obama won election because he was a “light-skinned black” with “no Negro dialect.” There’s no mention of Reid claiming the war in Iraq was “lost” and the surge accomplished nothing.  It’s too bad that the Times didn’t offer more of his interview with Angle in the paper, like this exchange in the transcript they posted : NAGOURNEY: do you think President Obama represents the values of this country, in your view? ANGLE: President Obama and Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi represent what mainstream America is rejecting about Washington, D.C. And that is this out of touch with the people. When Harry Reid was asked to do town halls, for instance, on Obamacare, he refused. Now people want to talk about these things. They want to talk to their representatives about it. And certainly there was a mainstream reaction, a majority reaction, against Obamacare, and yet they passed it anyway. That portrait of hardline ideology doesn’t match the liberal-media storyline — even if it explains a Republican advantage at the polls.

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Roland Martin to Dems: ‘Protect the Constitution’ By Supporting Mosque

Posted on August 18, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

On Tuesday’s Anderson Cooper 360, CNN contributor Roland Martin strongly pushed for the Democrats to ” stand up and protect the Constitution ” by defending the planned New York City mosque near Ground Zero: ” Democrats should get some spine and say, ‘You know what? I am sworn to uphold and protect the Constitution .’… Stay strong- say it’s about the Constitution .” Substitute anchor John Roberts brought on Martin, along with Republican strategist Ed Rollins and CNN senior political analyst David Gergen, to discuss the continuing controversy surrounding the mosque project. The anchor first turned to the black talk radio host and asked, “Roland, is this the sort of thing that Democrats want to be talking about right now, at a point where many people form their opinions of who they’re going to vote for in November?” Martin didn’t begin with his “constitutional” argument, but instead emphasized that Democratic candidates needed to focus on local issues: “Frankly, if I’m a Democrat and somebody comes to me with that question…I say, ‘Hey, go talk to…the folks representing New York. I’m here talking about my district.'” Both Gergen and Rollins disagreed with their fellow guest. When the strategist stated that “there’s going to be some seats lost over this issue,” Martin doubled down on his initial point: “You’ve got school districts laying off hundreds of thousands of teachers. And you’re actually going to say, ‘I’m going to vote for somebody based upon this issue’- to me, that’s nuts. You vote on what’s happening where you are.” The CNN contributor then went right in his proposed strategy about making it a constitutional issue and echoed the argument of The Washington Post’s David Ignatius : that the President shouldn’t have backed away a bit from his initial statement on the issue on Friday: “Democrats should get some spine and say, ‘You know what? I am sworn to uphold and protect the Constitution.’ The President was strong on that on Friday. I think he blew it on Saturday by walking it back. Stay strong- say it’s about the Constitution, because every member of Congress, they are supposed to stand up and protect the Constitution.” Martin continued on this point throughout the remainder of the segment. Refreshingly, Gergen pushed back and disagreed: ” I increasingly believe it may come back to haunt him [President Obama] over time….there was a sense that this is another example of people thinking, ‘He doesn’t understand me. He’s not like me. He sees the world through different glasses than I do.'” Later, after Martin rephrased his point and stated that “it is amazing how he’s criticized for saying it is a constitutional right- to freedom of religion,” the senior political analyst retorted by basically endorsing the main argument of the mosque opponents: ” It is not simply a constitutional issue. It has to do with the sensitivities and sensibilities of a lot of families who lost loved ones there for whom this is hallowed ground . And a lot of Americans are saying, basically- look, if they’ve got real problems with it, I would rather they’d move it somewhere else.” Earlier in the segment, as he introduced the controversy, Roberts didn’t use the word “mosque” to describe it, labeling it instead as a ” planned Islamic community center and prayer space down on Park Place in lower Manhattan , two blocks northeast of the Ground Zero site, another two blocks south of a mosque that’s been in that area since 1970, before there even was a Twin Towers.” The full transcript of the panel discussion, which began 37 minutes into the 10 pm Eastern hour of Tuesday’s Anderson Cooper 360: ROBERTS: We’re talking tonight about the planned Islamic community center and prayer space down on Park Place in lower Manhattan, two blocks northeast of the Ground Zero site, another two blocks south of a mosque that’s been in that area since 1970, before there even was a Twin Towers. Sixty-eight percent of Americans surveyed by CNN/Opinion Research Corporation oppose it. In other polling, so does a smaller majority of New Yorkers. A narrow majority of Manhattanites say they support it. Believe it or not, when the local community board voted on it, the result was 29-1 in favor, with 10 people abstaining. It seems the farther you get from the location, the closer you get to election day, the hotter the opposition becomes. Well, that’s ‘Raw Politics’ for you, and here to talk about all of that: political analyst Roland Martin, political contributor/GOP strategist Ed Rollins, and our senior political analyst David Gergen. Good evening to you all, gentlemen. Roland, is this the sort of thing that Democrats want to be talking about right now, at a point where many people form their opinions of who they’re going to vote for in November? ROLAND MARTIN: Of course not, and you’re running for office- you don’t want to be talking about what’s happening in New York City in lower Manhattan. You want to talk about what’s happening on the ground, economic-wise, in Indiana, in Georgia, in Mississippi, Alabama, Idaho, California, or wherever you are. And so, frankly, if I’m a Democrat and somebody comes to me with that question, and I’m running for the U.S. Senate, I say, ‘Hey, go talk to Chuck Schumer, or go talk to- you know, the folks representing New York. I’m here talking about my district.’ ROBERTS: Well, if only Harry Reid had said that, instead of what he said. So Harry Reid is another Democrat, David Gergen, who’s distancing himself from the President. Do you believe, as time goes on, now that the White House has weighed in on what was a local issue, you’ll see more Democrats looking to put some space between them and the President? DAVID GERGEN: I think so, yes. There are a lot of Democrats that, of course, would like not to talk about this. Roland is right about that. But when it becomes a big national controversy, and you’re running for a Washington office- you know, it seems to me it’s totally legitimate for the press or their opponents to ask them, what do you think about this issue? I think that- you know, it’s like one of the issues you’re going to have to deal with when you’re in national life. ROBERTS [to Ed Rollins]: And you were one of the notable quotables from the Sunday shows when you said, ‘This is the dumbest thing that any president has said or candidate has said since Michael Dukakis said it was okay to burn the flag.’ ED ROLLINS: It’s a similar issue. It’s an emotional issue. You can give an intellectual answer- ROBERTS: Is it a defining moment for this president? ROLLINS: It may be. It may very well be. There’s going to be some seats lost over this issue, I think. It’s going to energize our base- ROBERTS: Really? ROLLINS: Yeah, I think there will. I think there’s- I think you’re down to where these seats are a couple hundred votes. I think people are distracted by they can’t talk about the things they want to be talking about, as Roland said, and I think this is an issue that’s not going to go away. It’s going to get bigger as time goes on, and- you know, it shouldn’t be, but I think it will. ROBERTS: Do you agree, Roland? It’s going to cost the Democrats some seats? MARTIN: No. No. I think if you’re sitting here voting- if you were in any other place in America and your district is broke, you’ve got people who are- increasing number of Food Stamps. You’ve got school districts laying off hundreds of thousands of teachers. And you’re actually going to say, ‘I’m going to vote for somebody based upon this issue’- to me, that’s nuts. You vote on what’s happening where you are. And I will also say this here. Democrats should get some spine and say, ‘You know what? I am sworn to uphold and protect the Constitution.’ The President was strong on that on Friday. I think he blew it on Saturday by walking it back. Stay strong- say it’s about the Constitution, because every member of Congress, they are supposed to stand up and protect the Constitution. ROBERTS: David, you’ve been here- I’m not sure if you’re nodding your head or shaking your head or a little bit of both. GERGEN: Listen, I’ve been talking to people about- is this a one-week story or is this going to be a lingering story, especially for President Obama, and I increasingly believe it may come back to haunt him over time. I thought at first it would be short. But there was a quality about this that I think a lot of people concluded- wasn’t just about the merits of the issue, but there was a sense that this is another example of people thinking, ‘He doesn’t understand me. He’s not like me. He sees the world through different glasses than I do.’ ROBERTS: Communication problem? GERGEN: Well, it’s- I thought in Philadelphia. during the campaign, that was a masterful speech because he gave voice to alternative perspectives and was respectful of them. And in this situation, he stated one point of view, but for lots and lots of other people who oppose this, he showed no sympathy for what they’re going through and why the public is- MARTIN: David! David, the one point of view is the Constitution! ROBERTS: Yeah, well- GERGEN: That is not the only issue, Roland. I’m sorry MARTIN: Wow! That’s not the one point of view! GERGEN: That’s not the only issue. ROLLINS: I don’t think anybody is basically arguing about repealing the First Amendment. I think the critical thing here is, it’s a judgment call. It was a bad judgment in the heart of the politics, and where this president carries this party or sinks this party is on his approval ratings. You go back to 1947- ROBERTS: Which are not looking good. ROLLINS: And they’re 52 percent- 42 percent today in the Gallup, back to the Nixon and the Reagan levels now. If he drops another two or three points, which he clearly could- and this is a defining- could be a defining moment- he’s going to hurt his party. And I say people are going to lose seats. The whole thing is about 3 percent or 4 percent out there. And our base is energized already, and this is going to energize some conservatives, some Tea Party people. ROBERTS: But the point has been made, though- but the point has been made, Roland- let’s get you to speak to this- that the GOP could also lose something over this, because they’re trying, obviously, to get as many votes as they can. There’s a large section of the Muslim population that presidential candidates and, obviously, local candidates court in Dearborn, Michigan. How are Muslims in this country going to feel about what the GOP are saying these days? MARTIN: Well, obviously, frankly, people really haven’t cared what they thought since 9/11, whether you’re a moderate Muslim- and folks have just blown them away and dismissed them and said they’re absolutely irrelevant. And so, sure- bottom line is if you’re Republicans, you’re trying to lock up those freshman Democrats who won in conservative districts, and that’s really who you’re really targeting. But it is amazing to me, though, when you have folks on the right who have attacked this president by saying, he’s not one of us and doesn’t understand our values, and when he does actually reinforce the Constitution, then it’s a bad thing. I get the whole political thing, but maybe- but it is amazing how he’s criticized for saying it is a constitutional right- to freedom of religion. That’s pretty interesting. GERGEN: It is not only- it is not simply a constitutional issue. It has to do with the sensitivities and sensibilities of a lot of families who lost loved ones there for whom this is hallowed ground. And a lot of Americans are saying, basically- look, if they’ve got real problems with it, I would rather they’d move it somewhere else. ROBERTS: We’re not going to solve this tonight. It’s going to continue- MARTIN: Right. It’s hallowed ground? There’s a mosque four blocks away. This is two blocks away. Wow! (laughs) ROBERTS: Roland Martin, David Gergen, Ed Rollins, thanks for coming up- appreciate it.

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Daily Kos Creates Petition To Abolish Filibuster

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

A petition is beginning to show up in e-mail inboxes across the country thanks to the left-wing website Daily Kos. The goal? Ending the practice of filibuster completely and letting Senators pass news laws with a 50 plus 1 vote. For those who paid attention to Senator Scott Brown (R-Mass.) becoming the infamous “number 41,” the implications are all too clear. The Senate passed Obamacare on Christmas Eve in 2009 only because there were exactly 60 votes to stop a Republican filibuster. Brown’s election weeks later dropped Democratic control to 59 and virtually stopped them cold. Democrats are now expecting to lose the House in November and keep the Senate only with a slim majority. The folks who run Daily Kos, apparently thinking 49 Republican votes should not matter, are trying to change the rules to make it easier for Democratic agendas to sail through. Behold the thought process of today’s Machiavellian liberals who will do absolutely anything to get their way (h/t NBer choselife3x): Today we’re launching a campaign to end the filibuster. Join this campaign by clicking the link below and signing the petition that appears: We’ll deliver the petition to every Democratic nominee for Senate and every returning Democratic Senator. When we do, we’ll get them on record about whether they agree that the rules of the Senate can, and should, be changed with a simple majority vote on the first day of Congress next year. Once 51 returning and potential Senators have come out in support, we’ll have proven that changing Senate rules is possible with a simple majority vote. Sign the petition, prove change is possible! There’s no bigger decision Senate Democrats will make next year. The Senate is where good legislation goes to die. Democrats can either change a system that allows a tiny unaccountable minority to thwart the will of the country, or they can continue being part of the problem. So even though Republican Senators ostensibly represent 41 percent of America now, and are predicted to represent even more states in 2011, the Daily Kos calls them “a tiny unaccountable minority.” And even though the majority of Americans repeatedly tell pollsters they reject Democratic agendas, it’s Republicans who “thwart the will of the country.” On each of those issues, the Daily Kos came down on the side against the will of most Americans. And now the plan is to make it even easier to ram things down Americans’ throats. Democrats will presumably be able to squeak into the Senate with a bare 51 votes and then pass whatever they want even when the public loudly protests. The filibuster has been an important part of Congress since the very beginning of this country. Film director Frank Capra used the procedure in the iconic 1939 movie “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” proudly displaying the means by which a minority can protect itself from a bullying, overconfident majority. Ending the filibuster would be a drastic departure from our nation’s founding and a radical change in the meaning of representation. As of this writing, Daily Kos is not displaying the petition on its front page. Yet one Kos member by the name of garscosi posted this rather embarrassing diary pleading with the website’s owners to reconsider, followed by a slew of comments in agreement. For a website that habitually trumps up popularity for unpopular ideas, it’s just so fitting.

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CNN Lets Pro-Abortion PAC Spout Its Anti-Palin Talking Points

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

CNN’s Jessica Yellin, a one-time ” prominent feminist activist ,” helped forward the talking points of the pro-abortion lobby by devoting part of a segment on Tuesday’s Rick’s List to EMILY List’s new anti-Sarah Palin ad. Yellin aired their left-wing accusations against the Republican and her endorsed candidates without providing the other side and/or fact-checking them . Anchor Rick Sanchez introduced the issue by bringing up the Republican’s recent “mamma grizzly” ad: “It seemed like a very effective ad that Sarah Palin had put out . I mean, professionally speaking, it was very clean, very well put together – the whole ‘grizzly mom’ ad that everyone was talking about- and, apparently, there’s some blowback on this now. What is that?” Before playing the PAC’s video, which featured women dressed and made-up to look like bears, in mockery of Palin’s “mama grizzly” term, the CNN correspondent noted that EMILY’s List is a ” political action group that raises money for Democratic women pro-choice candidates , and they are now unveiling a new get-out-the-vote effort that’s hitting back on this idea that Sarah Palin speaks for women voters…EMILY’s List’s campaign is called ‘Sarah Doesn’t Speak For Me,’ and they’re taking the whole idea of ‘momma grizzly’ quite literally.” She then played a clip from the ad. During the clip, the unnamed women launched standard attacks from the left against the former Alaska governor and her endorsed candidates: ” Want to know what threatens me? My daughter not having the right to choose. The fact that if you were in charge of this country, my little cubs wouldn’t have health care….Unemployment benefits…something that you and your gang of candidates want to do away with .” Sanchez and Yellin shared a laugh over the ad, and the correspondent continued that EMILY’s List is “trying to drum up interest among Democratic voters who aren’t that energized right now, compared to Republicans, by taking on this whole idea, and with a little bit of humor.” Neither CNN personality provided any response from a pro-life organization or individual, something that CBSNews.com brought up in their Tuesday article about EMILY List’s campaign: Anti-abortion rights group the Susan B. Anthony List , which recently concluded a 23-city bus tour designed to spotlight its support for candidates who oppose abortion rights, quickly hit back with a statement suggesting “EMILY’s List is running scared.” “EMILY’s List is busy perpetuating what it purports to abhor: using women candidates with whom they disagree as punching bags,” said Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser. “On the eve of the 90th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the SBA List calls upon EMILY’s List to come to grips with reality.” Yellin also said nothing of whether Palin and her endorsed candidates actually are against health care for children and seek to “do away with unemployment benefits.” Obviously, the former governor and most, if not all, of her picked candidates are pro-life. It’s not surprising that Yellin would omit doing this, given her past as a leader of Harvard-Radcliffe Students For Choice , and, as The Harvard Crimson described her , a “prominent feminist activist in her own right .” During an April 10, 1992 interview with The Crimson , she actually lamented the apparent opposition to women’s studies at Harvard when she was an undergraduate there (Yellin was a political science and women’s studies double major): “For people interested in women’s issues or gender studies, this is an overtly hostile environment .” The transcript of the relevant portion of Jessica Yellin’s segment on Tuesday’s Rick’s List, beginning at the 19 minutes into the 3 pm Eastern hour mark: SANCHEZ: Let me ask you about the Sarah Palin situation going on, because- you know, we saw the ad, and I thought- and I had said on television- in fact, you and I were watching this- that it seemed like a very effective ad that Sarah Palin had put out. I mean, professionally speaking, it was very clean, very well put together- the whole ‘grizzly mom’ ad that everyone was talking about, and, apparently, there’s some blowback on this now. What is that? YELLIN: That’s right. Well, that Sarah Palin ‘momma grizzly’ ad has caught a lot of attention, and driven a lot of media interest, at least in Palin and this movement of women candidates she’s endorsing. But EMILY’s List is a political action group that raises money for Democratic women pro-choice candidates, and they are now unveiling a new get-out-the-vote effort that’s hitting back on this idea that Sarah Palin speaks for women voters who are- quote, ‘conservative momma grizzlies.’  EMILY’s List’s campaign is called ‘Sarah Doesn’t Speak For Me,’ and they’re taking the whole idea of ‘momma grizzly’ quite literally. Watch this. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 1 (from EMILY’s List ad): When my cubs are threatened- (unidentified woman roars like an animal) UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 2: But want to know what threatens me? My daughter not having the right to choose. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 3: The fact that if you were in charge of this country, my little cubs wouldn’t have health care. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 4: When the salmon stopped coming down the stream and I didn’t work for three months, guess how we survived? Unemployment benefits, which is something that you and your gang of candidates want to do away with. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE 5: You know, Ms. Palin, that really gets under my skin and my-   SANCHEZ (live): (Yellin laughs) Oh, my God. Did we have to stop it there because the bear was going to really get mad? (Sanchez laughs) YELLIN: It was going to climb out of the TV screen and get you. (Sanchez laughs) So, you see what they’re doing. It’s a get-out-the-vote campaign. That’s on their website. They also ask people to go in and sign a pledge that they’ll turn out to vote. Obviously, they’re trying to drum up interest among Democratic voters who aren’t that energized right now, compared to Republicans, by taking on this whole idea, and with a little bit of humor- SANCHEZ: Yeah. YELLIN: I think that’s humorous. SANCHEZ: Humor both ways- we will let the viewers decide. My thanks to you, Jessica.

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CBS: Despite Unpopularity, Obama Still ‘Raking in Millions’ for Dems

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

While teasing an upcoming report on President Obama campaigning for Democrats on Tuesday’s CBS Early Show, fill-in co-host Chris Wragge touted: “…plunging poll numbers haven’t stopped the President from raking in millions at fund raisers across the country.” Later, White House correspondent Chip Reid observed: “You know, the President’s approval rating is only 44%, but he is still quite popular with the party’s base and he’s using that clout to raise millions of dollars for fellow Democrats.” Reid went on to declare: “President Obama and the Democratic Party are managing to raise big bucks in the hope of retaining control of Congress. The Democratic National Committee is committing $50 million to help candidates in 2010, $20 million in cash, and $30 million to get out the vote.” A campaign sound bite was played of the President attacking Republicans: “We do not fear the future. We shape the future. That’s part of what this election’s about. The other side wants you to be afraid of the future.” Reid concluded: “President Obama is doing six fund-raisers over three days in five states. By week’s end, he’ll have raised over $56 million this campaign season.” Only at the end of his report did Reid briefly notice the money raised by the GOP: “Now, Republicans are also raking in the cash this campaign season. The Republican Governors Association, for example, has brought in $58 million since President Obama came into office.” In addition to the President’s fundraising efforts, the segment also focused on political fallout from the Ground Zero mosque controversy, though only in terms of how the issue would impact the elections. Reid explained how Obama was “now dealing with a split in the party over the issue of religious freedom.” Reid continued: “President Obama’s support of the right to build an Islamic community center and mosque near Ground Zero is causing a rift within the party.” He noted how Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid disagreed with the President’s position and added: “Some in the party fear the controversy will carry over into the midterm campaigns.” Following Reid’s report, fill-in co-host Erica Hill asked Democratic strategist Tanya Acker and Republican strategist Bay Buchanan about the issue. Speaking to Acker, Hill wondered: “President Obama made these remarks and now it’s really forcing a lot of Democrats to choose sides. So moving forward, what’s the best message for Democratic candidates as they tackle this – what’s now become a national issue?” Acker argued: “I think this is an issue about religious freedom and the Constitution….Democrats, and frankly Americans generally, need to understand what this issue is about.” Hill then turned to Buchanan: “Bay, how much of an issue should Republicans make this? Because at the end of the day, for most voters, the real issue here is still the economy.” Buchanan challenged Acker’s assertion: “This has nothing to do with religious freedom. There’s 100 mosques or so in New York City. Nobody’s suggesting we tear them all down. What we’re saying is Americans respect hallowed ground. This is hallowed ground, 9/11 is – Ground Zero is hallowed ground.” Acker shot back at Buchanan: “I’m pleased to know that Bay is not in support of tearing down mosques in the United States of America. I’m glad that that issue is off the table….to suggest that Islam – a faith that billions of people around the world adhere to – is endemically somehow compared to terrorism is just wrong.” Here is a full transcript of the August 17 segment:  7:00AM TEASE CHRIS WRAGGE: In-fighting. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid breaks with President Obama over the proposed Ground Zero mosque. HARRY REID: I think that it’s very obvious that the mosque should be built someplace else. WRAGGE: But the controversy and plunging poll numbers haven’t stopped the President from raking in millions at fund raisers across the country. We’ll have a live report. 7:01AM SEGMENT ERICA HILL: We want to take a look at politics now. It is day two of President Obama’s cross-country campaign-style fund-raisers. Today he will be in Seattle for the first time since he was a candidate. CBS News chief White House correspondent Chip Reid is traveling with the President. He joins us this morning from Los Angeles before heading north. Chip, good morning. CHIP REID: Well good morning, Erica. You know, the President’s approval rating is only 44%, but he is still quite popular with the party’s base and he’s using that clout to raise millions of dollars for fellow Democrats. But at the same time, he’s now dealing with a split in the party over the issue of religious freedom. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Mosque Controversy; Top Dem Breaks Ranks With Obama] President Obama’s support of the right to build an Islamic community center and mosque near Ground Zero is causing a rift within the party. The latest, the Senate’s top Democrat, Majority Leader Harry Reid, breaking ranks with the President. HARRY REID: The Constitution gives us freedom of religion. I think that it’s very obvious that the mosque should be built someplace else. CHIP REID: Reid’s comments come after the President’s speech Friday night. BARACK OBAMA: But let me be clear. As a citizen and as president, I believe that Muslims have the right to practice their religion as everyone else in this country. REID: Some in the party fear the controversy will carry over into the midterm campaigns. But so far, President Obama and the Democratic Party are managing to raise big bucks in the hope of retaining control of Congress. The Democratic National Committee is committing $50 million to help candidates in 2010, $20 million in cash, and $30 million to get out the vote. OBAMA: We do not fear the future. We shape the future. That’s part of what this election’s about. The other side wants you to be afraid of the future. REID: President Obama is doing six fund-raisers over three days in five states. By week’s end, he’ll have raised over $56 million this campaign season. UNIDENTIFIED MAN [POLITICAL ANALYST]: People want access to the President. They’re excited to be in the room with the President and if they can get a couple minutes to whisper in his ear, they’ll pay a lot of money for it. REID: Now, Republicans are also raking in the cash this campaign season. The Republican Governors Association, for example, has brought in $58 million since President Obama came into office. Erica. HILL: Chip, thanks. CBS’s Chip Reid in Los Angeles this morning. Also joining us from Los Angeles this morning, Democratic strategist Tanya Acker and in Washington, Republican strategist Bay Buchanan. Good to have both of you with us this morning. BAY BUCHANAN: Thanks, Erica. TANYA ACKER: Good to see you. [ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Countdown to Midterms; Assessing the Impact of Obama’s Mosque Comments] HILL: Tanya, I want to start with you. Forget the should he, shouldn’t he have said it. It’s been established, President Obama made these remarks and now it’s really forcing a lot of Democrats to choose sides. So moving forward, what’s the best message for Democratic candidates as they tackle this – what’s now become a national issue? ACKER: I think that it’s very important for Democrats, frankly, and look, I would expect – I don’t think this should simply be a partisan issue, I think this is an issue about religious freedom and the Constitution. And I think that whether or not the President should have stepped into this fray – I think he should have – Democrats, and frankly Americans generally, need to understand what this issue is about. And if Democrats lose seats because they took a stance for religious freedom, then we’ve got far bigger problems than simply winning elections, frankly. HILL: Bay, how much of an issue should Republicans make this? Because at the end of the day, for most voters, the real issue here is still the economy.              BUCHANAN: There – well, it’s going to be hard to beat the economy when it comes to the election, but I got to tell you, this is an important issue because it just shows a complete lack of understanding of what is happening here. This has nothing to do with religious freedom. There’s 100 mosques or so in New York City. Nobody’s suggesting we tear them all down. What we’re saying is Americans respect hallowed ground. This is hallowed ground, 9/11 is – Ground Zero is hallowed ground. We don’t want malls built next to Manassas, we don’t want casinos built next to Gettysburg. It has nothing to do with us being against development. What we want is this hallowed ground to be respected. And it does not respect or honor those that died to build a mosque, the very kind of statement to those who died, it’s an insult to them. HILL: But – but how much- ACKER: Well, I’m pleased to know that- HILL: Go ahead, Tanya. ACKER: I’m sorry. HILL: Go ahead. ACKER: I was just going to say, I’m pleased to know that Bay is not in support of tearing down mosques in the United States of America. I’m glad that that issue is off the table. But talking about what this issue really means, of course it’s hallowed ground, but to suggest that Islam – a faith that billions of people around the world adhere to – is endemically somehow compared to terrorism is just wrong. And as Americans, we should not be, we should not be propounding that message. It’s just wrong. So, of course it’s hallowed ground- HILL: Well, we know that this is a debate that will continue, but I do have to move on to this, ladies, before we let you go. We’ve seen so much this primary season, there’s been so much talk about the fact that what Americans really want is a change, that the incumbents are going to be on their way out. Bay, I’ll start with you. Can either party or any one candidate really change the way things are done in Washington? BUCHANAN: One person can change a lot. By just speaking out, being bold. In representing the millions of Americans that are expecting that. But what we’re going to find in November is it’s not just going to be one. We’re going to have dozens upon dozens of new fresh faces coming to Washington with one intent and that is to represent the will of the American people, to be there to fight for them, to stop this outrageous spending and to try to turn the country back to a safe and sound course. That’s where you’ll find real change. HILL: We’re going to have to leave it there. Bay Buchanan, Tanya Acker, always good to have your perspective. Don’t worry, Tanya, I promise you’ll be back. You both will. Thank you.

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Newsweek: Stay on Pro-Gay Marriage Ruling Will Hurt GOP Hopes for Big Social Conservative Turnout

Posted on August 17, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

How dense and forgetful does Newsweek think socially conservative voters are? Apparently so much so that the magazine’s Ben Adler predicts yesterday’s stay on Judge Vaughn Walker’s ruling permitting same-sex marriages in California will blunt the hopes Republicans have of social conservatives coming out in force on Election Day to help push the GOP to victory in the midterms on Election Day. In his August 17 The Gaggle blog post, ” 9th Circuit Stays Pro-Gay Marriage Ruling, Takes Away GOP Issue, ”  Adler argues that: Social conservatives were set to use the images of gay couples getting married in California as grist to motivate their base to turn out in the midterm elections. Republicans look certain to gain seats in both Houses of Congress in November, as opposition parties typically do during midterms. Whether they will pull the inside straight they need to take over either, or both, the House and Senate, will depend on any number of factors, but turnout is sure to be one of them. Further, Adler maintained, because “the Democrats have not done much to invite images of an American Gomorrah” what with President Obama moving “very gingerly” and tentatively on issues like repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” social conservatives need the visual impact of gay and lesbian couples at the altar this fall to incense social conservatives and drive them like angry hornets to the ballot box. Of course Adler’s argument completely leaves out a crucial driving force for social conservatives this November: ObamaCare and its pro-choice measures. Social conservatives are well aware that the president’s executive order was a fig leaf that supposedly pro-life “conservative” Democrats hid behind to vote for final passage on the president’s health care bill. Yet nowhere in his article does Adler consider ObamaCare’s unpopularity as a huge motivating factor for social conservative voters in a year when many Republican candidates are calling for outright repeal of the overhaul, including its abortion-subsidizing measures.

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Questions to Political Panel From CBS’s Schieffer Focus on GOP Problems 6 to 1

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

In a discussion of the midterm elections on Sunday’s Face the Nation, CBS host Bob Schieffer asked members of his political panel a total of seven questions, six of which highlighted Republican difficulties, only one of which actually raised the problems for the Democrats in November. Instead of acknowledging the greater political challenges facing Democrats, Schieffer began by acting as if both parties were equally in trouble: “You have Democrats on the one hand saddled with a very bad economy, high unemployment…. Republicans, on the other hand, have – find themselves suddenly with some very, well, how would I say it, unusual candidates, people who have taken very extreme views on things.” Schieffer then proceeded to focus almost exclusively on Republican obstacles. In his first electoral question to former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie, Schieffer asked about one of those “unusual” GOP candidates: “…you have Linda McMahon, who is formally – or maybe she still is part of the World Wrestling Federation.” After playing a clip of McMahon appearing at a WWE event, Schieffer pressed: “I expect Republicans are going to be seeing that video a lot this year, and they’re going to have to defend it. Is this somebody who’s going to be good for the Republican Party? Is this a good image for Republicans to have?” Before Gillespie could respond, Schieffer made this bizarre comparison: “I mean, if the president’s going to – every candidate is going to have to defend what the President did on the mosque down there [at Ground Zero], isn’t this going to be kind of a tough one for you guys?” Gillespie shot back: “You could also show the footage of President Obama when he was running for president appearing on WWE, calling out to voters there….not so long ago, President Obama and the Democrats thought the WWE was a great place to go to talk to voters.” Undeterred, Schieffer followed up: “So you’re comfortable with her? And she – you think on balance she helps or hurts Republicans overall?” Schieffer then turned to his next guest, current Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, and asked the same question about Republican candidates with “very extreme views”: “…what do you think about some of these candidates?” That gave Kaine the opportunity to rant: “The Republicans are putting up a whole series of extreme candidates that are way outside the mainstream of what Americans want.” Feeling that some balance was missing, Schieffer followed Kaine’s response by noting: “I would also add, the Democrats have their share of candidates that some of the other Democrats might think are rather embarrassing to have on the ticket this year, Charlie Rangel being one name that comes to mind.” Instead of pressing Kaine about Rangel, Schiefffer moved on to Republican strategist Ed Rollins and wondered if the RNC should dump current chairman Michael Steele: “He’s so immersed in controversy that he’s – he’s kind of in a bunker these days.” Schieffer didn’t ask if Kaine was worried about his future as DNC chair if the Democrats suffer major losses in November.     Finally, Schieffer turned to Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell and actually detailed the threat facing Democrats due to the poor economy: “…we’ve had now 15 months of unemployment above 9%….How are Democrats going to get around that? Because, after all, when people are unemployed, they generally blame it on the people in office.” After Rendell spent his entire answer blaming Republicans unchallenged, Schieffer decided it was time to turn back to Gillespie and more “extreme” Republican views: “…a lot of people are saying, even people who had problems with the current efforts at immigration reform, saying Republicans may have gone a step too far when they start talking about amending the 14th – the Constitution, the 14th amendment….Is this a problem for you?” Schieffer went back to Kaine and again asked a question about how Republicans would be hurt be their conservative views: “Harry Reid said the other day that he cannot imagine why any Hispanic would want to vote for Republicans now, after all of this controversy about immigration that’s come about. Is that overstating the case or do you think – is he making a good point?” Again Kaine got a chance to slam the GOP: “Well, I think Senator Reid was making a point that the Republican policies, which are so anti-new American, even to the point of shredding up the 14th amendment…is chasing new Americans, not just Latinos, into the Democratic camp.” After concluding the panel discussion, Schieffer came back from the commercial break with Politico’s John Harris and the Washington Post’s Karen Tumulty to further analyze the midterms. At one point, Schieffer turned to Harris and confessed: “I kind of take issue with what Ed Gillespie says about some of these Tea Party candidates. I thought from the beginning the Tea Party was a bigger problem for the Republican establishment than maybe it was for Democrats….Where do you see some of these candidates going, John? Isn’t it going to be very difficult for them?” Harris fully agreed with that assessment: “Ed was valiant here on the show – but it would be interesting to talk to him on truth serum as to what he really thinks about this. There’s no question that the sort of professional operative class which, frankly, all of your earlier guests were part of, on the show, they think that the Republicans have not nominated the most electable candidates.”

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Chris Matthews Winces In Pain When Guest Says Dems Could Lose Senate

Posted on August 15, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Chris Matthews this weekend winced in pain when a guest on his syndicated program said it’s actually more likely the Democrats will lose the Senate than the House in the upcoming midterm elections. As the “Chris Matthews Show” entered its final segment when guests offer their predictions, New York magazine’s John Heilemann said, “There are a lot of really smart Democratic politicos that I talk to who are actually a little bit more worried right now that it’s possible Democrats could lose the Senate more easily than they could lose the House.” Matthews interrupted with a pained expression on his face, “That’s like losing a dozen seats.” As Heilemann continued, the host once again interrupted, “Could [Sen. Barbara] Boxer lose in California?”  When Heilemann said yes, Matthews grimaced, “You’re talking tsunami” (video follows with transcript and commentary):  CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: John, tell me something I don’t know. JOHN HEILEMANN, NEW YORK MAGAZINE: You know, there are a lot of really smart Democratic politicos that I talk to who are actually a little bit more worried right now that it’s possible Democrats could lose the Senate more easily than they could lose the House. And part of it I think is because there are… MATTHEWS: That’s like losing a dozen seats. HEILEMANN: Well, it is, and I think there’s a concern about some of the quality of some of those Democratic candidates, there’s a concern about the national mood, and then there’s also some concern about the National Democratic Senatorial Committee which is not actually investing money necessarily in the wisest way according to some of the Democrats who… MATTHEWS: Could Boxer lose in California? HEILEMANN: Boxer could lose in California. And I think it’s also possible that you could see Democrats lose seats they should not lose like in New Hampshire, like in Illinois, seats they should absolutely hold that right now they’re not spending much money there. MATTHEWS: You’re talking tsunami. HEILEMANN: They could lose, yeah. Sheesh, could Matthews at least try to behave like a journalist and not show the audience how pained he is at the thought of a Democrat loss this November? 

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FNC Notices Americans More Positive Toward Tea Party Than Toward Pelosi or Reid

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

In FNC’s “Grapevine” segment Thursday night, Shannon Bream highlighted a finding in the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll which NBC’s Chuck Todd failed to point out in emphasizing the public’s disgust with Democrats, Republicans and the Tea Party. Bream observed:  A new poll suggests Americans have more positive feelings for the Tea Party movement than for either of the Democratic leaders in Congress. The NBC/Wall Street Journal survey finds 30 percent have a favorable view of the Tea Party movement, compared to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 21 percent and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s 11 percent. The evening before, on Wednesday’s NBC Nightly News, Todd declared: “It’s an unhappy America” where “the Democrats hit a record high in their negative rating – 44 percent” while “the Republicans are doing even worse – 46 percent of the country has a negative view of the Republican Party” and “even the Tea Party – which has actually enjoyed a little bit of a renaissance over the last six months – 34 percent now have a negative view. Just 30 percent have a positive view.” The next morning (Thursday) on the Today show, Todd repeated: “Democrats hit an all-new high in their negative rating. Republicans have even a higher negative rating. The Tea Party, which had enjoyed a positive rating for awhile, now they have a negative rating.” More in Geoffrey Dickens’ post: “ NBC’s Todd Proclaims If GOP Wins in November It’s Still ‘A Bad Election Night for All of Washington .” More of Todd’s poll summary on the August 11 NBC Nightly News, transcript provided by the MRC’s Brad Wilmouth for Todd’s look at evaluations of the parties: CHUCK TODD: It’s an unhappy America. Look, they don’t like the Democrats. The Democrats hit a record high in their negative rating – 44 percent. Just 33 percent have a positive rating on them. The Republicans are doing even worse – 46 percent of the country has a negative view of the Republican Party; 24 percent has a positive view. Even the Tea Party – which has actually enjoyed a little bit of a renaissance over the last six months – 34 percent now have a negative view. Just 30 percent have a positive view. What does this mean for the fall campaign? Right now, voters are sort of in a hold-your-nose moment. They’re sort of split decision – 43 percent want Democrats to keep control; 42 percent want Republicans to take control. But, among voters who have the highest interest in the November elections, this is where Republicans have a potential big advantage – 50 percent of high-interest voters want Republicans to take control of Congress, and just 39 percent would like to see the Democrats keep control. But, again, it’s an unhappy America. And this election, right now, could turn out being a hold-your-nose election when you go into that ballot box. Bream’s “Grapevine” item on the August 12 Special Report with Bret Baier where she was filling in for Baier: A new poll suggests Americans have more positive feelings for the Tea Party movement than for either of the Democratic leaders in Congress. The NBC/Wall Street Journal survey finds 30 percent have a favorable view of the Tea Party movement, compared to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s 21 percent and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s 11 percent. 33 percent of those surveyed have had a positive attitude toward the Democratic Party compared to just 24 percent for Republicans. Congress’ overall job score even worse: 21 percent approved compared to a whopping 72 percent who disapprove.

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CNN’s Sanchez: Reid’s Racist Gaffe Emblematic of Angle’s Incompetence

Posted on August 12, 2010 by Benny Hollywood| Leave a comment

Discussing Harry Reid’s racially-charged comment about Hispanic Republicans, Rick Sanchez miraculously managed to turn the embattled senator’s gaffe into an example of his opponent Sharron Angle’s incompetence. On the prime time “Rick’s List” yesterday, the CNN host actually gave serious consideration to the Nevada Democrat’s claim while exploring the extent to which the Angle campaign is “blacking out” Hispanic media outlets. “Also, do you think a Hispanic-American can be a Republican?” teased Sanchez. “Harry Reid doesn’t think so. And I’m going to tell you what Hispanic groups are saying about his opponent as well.” Instead of interviewing a Hispanic Republican who is offended by Reid’s insensitive remarks, Sanchez brought on Miguel Barrientos, a liberal talk show host, to “drill down” on why Angle is allegedly ignoring Hispanic journalists. “These charges against Angle, are they real?” asked a bewildered Sanchez. “Is she really blocking out the Latin media? Or is this just a case of opportunism by her opponent, Harry Reid?” After Barrientos confirmed that Angle apparently does not feel the need to reach out to media personalities who describe themselves as “activists” who “get involved very heavily in the political area,” Sanchez wondered if the Republican Senate nominee is merely an incompetent campaigner: Well, look, maybe she’s just not good at this. Maybe she’s hired people who aren’t very savvy at reaching out to the media. Maybe they’re not very organized and they don’t return phone calls. You know, there’s a stretch between someone not being competent at dealing with the media and somebody blocking out a specific part of the media, simply because they don’t like them, because they’re Hispanic or black or Asian or whatever the accusation is. Reid drew fire when he claimed he doesn’t “know how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican.” Rather than criticize Reid for insulting the intelligence of every Hispanic Republican in America, Sanchez characterized the Senate majority leader’s statement as something that “some, possibly even what many, Americans think.” A transcript of the relevant segment can be found below: CNN Rick’s List August 11, 2010 Also, do you think a Hispanic-American can be a Republican? Harry Reid doesn’t think so. And I’m going to tell you what Hispanic groups are saying about his opponent as well. This is a hot political story, and I’m going to take you through it when we come back. This is RICK’S LIST. I’m glad that you’re here. RICK SANCHEZ: I am so excited about that. Can’t wait to share it with you. Welcome back. I’m Rick Sanchez. It may be what some, possibly even what many, Americans think. But should it be said by the Senate Majority Leader? What am I talking about? Should Harry Reid suggest that no self-respecting Hispanic-American can be or should be a Republican? Play it, Kel. Sen. HARRY REID (D-NV): I don’t know how anyone of Hispanic heritage could be a Republican, OK? Do I need to say more? SANCHEZ: No, you don’t need to say more. Now, as a South Floridian, I can tell you, senator, that there are many Hispanic Republicans. The question is whether Senator Reid is taking advantage of his opponent’s problems with Hispanics in Nevada. A problem that seems to have come to a head lately with the Latino reporters saying that Sharron Angle is blacking out the Latin media, blacking them out. They say they’re not invited to her press events, that they’re not set press releases, and their phone calls aren’t even being returned. Those are the accusations. Those are the charges. Now we asked both camps about this. Here’s what I got from Reid’s camp. Right? He sent me this tweet saying, look, Rick, “Angle’s anti-saving jobs, helping unemployed, social security, Medicare, and says immigration reform overriding our culture.” So he takes a shot at her. Well, here’s what Angle tweets, alright. “Harry Reid pulls out race card again, whacks himself in the head.” So you could see that they’re going at each other here. Now we asked Angle to join us tonight but she declined. I’ll read you her comment nonetheless. “We have brought on more communication staff,” she says, “in recent days, and we will be reaching out to all media outlets aggressively between now and Election Day.” “This attack,” she says, “is an attempt by Harry Reid to distract the voters from his record and his insensitive comments yesterday regarding Hispanic voters.” So here we go, tit-for-tat, right? Joining me now to wade through all this is Miguel Barrientos. He’s a community activist and radio host for KLAV-AM out in Las Vegas. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to roll the R’s while on American television. That was kind of neat. All right. Let’s start with this. These charges against Angle, are they real? Is she really blocking out the Latin media? Or is this just a case of opportunism by her opponent, Harry Reid? MIGUEL BARRIENTOS, KLAV-AM talk show host: First of all, hello, Rick. We have been working in the community through our radio show. We’re activists. We get involved very heavily in the political area. And we have contacted Sharron Angle’s office saying we want to hear what’s going on, we want to know what the tea party feels about, you know, opening the door to the Latinos, especially when you’re talking about immigration issues. And we have not gotten any phone calls returned. We don’t get support from their staff to say, “this is what we feel.” We always hear what they say on the local print media, but doesn’t come forward and talk to our community to our media. SANCHEZ: Well, look, maybe she’s just not good at this. Maybe she’s hired people who aren’t very savvy at reaching out to the media. Maybe they’re not very organized and they don’t return phone calls. You know, there’s a stretch between someone not being competent at dealing with the media and somebody blocking out a specific part of the media, simply because they don’t like them, because they’re Hispanic or black or Asian or whatever the accusation is. Are you sure when you make this accusation that you’re saying, “look, she’s got a problem with Hispanics?” BARRIENTOS: Well, I’m not – I don’t think she dislikes Hispanics. When you have potentially 100,000 voters that are going to be coming out to vote in the elections and she’s not paying attention to the segment of the community, maybe you’re right. Maybe she doesn’t understand, maybe she’s incompetent, maybe she’s not interested in the Latino vote at this point. SANCHEZ: She says that she’s going to try and hire some people to reach out to you. What’s your reaction to that? BARRIENTOS: Well, I think now that you brought it to her attention, maybe she’s going to get a little smarter on how she’s going to run the campaign and get some Latinos out there to maybe speak on her behalf, which I think is a good idea. SANCHEZ: There’s a possibility that someone in her camp would feel like you’re not going to give her a straight shot anyway. In other words, that much of your coverage is going to be directed towards the Democrat because the voting record there in Nevada tends to be from Hispanics, more of a Democratic vote than a Republican vote. How would you answer that charge? BARRIENTOS: Well, we have issues on the table, Rick. We have issues such as immigration reform. You know, this is something that we have been fighting since 2003 here in Nevada. We’ve been working with the politicians. The Republican Party has basically ignored our call. They don’t support anything that has to do with immigration reform. The DREAM Act is a big issue that our community is faced with, and we need to open up the doors for higher education for those who qualify. I mean, it’s always negative, negative, negative, when it comes down to our issues. So how are we supposed to feel when they’re not really taking care? We’re part of the constituency in her district. SANCHEZ: We’ll leave it at that, then. We understand your point of view and we’ll continue to drill down on this topic. Miguel Barrientos, thanks so much, sir. BARRIENTOS: Thank you, Rick.

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