Election 2004 Update: While the Dem field try to figure out who’s going to go after Al Sharpton, Karl Rove and the White House set their sights on John Edwards. It’s getting ugly early, folks.
Category: Election 2004
California Gold Rush.
In the Democratic race to lock up Golden State backing for 2004, John Kerry’s leading in the (still-hesitant) money department while – surprisingly – Howard Dean (also doing well in Iowa) has locked up some key Hollywood endorsements, including Rob Reiner and President Bartlett. Meanwhile, Florida Senator Bob Graham joins the fun and swells the field to nine. Despite the late start by Graham, his entry probably means bad news for John Edwards.
It’s the Economy, Stupid.
As more and more Americans feel the bite of the Dubya dip, Bush’s polling numbers finally start falling back to Earth after their unnatural 9/11 levels. Betcha Karl Rove is on the phone with the Pentagon at this very moment.
Friendly Fire.
Having appeased the DNC over the weekend, the Democratic field now set their sights on John Kerry, the current frontrunner. Intriguing to note that the former Gore cronies, like Edwards communications director David Ginsberg, have access to all the potential oppo research done for the 2000 veep decision…looks like the real nasty mud’ll be flying sooner rather than later.
How to be Good.
Much to their chagrin, political party ops and fundraisers go to “school” to try and figure out how to navigate (around) McCain-Feingold. It’s kinda sad how many reps are quoted as saying variations of “Wow, if I had known this bill was really going to stop us from getting all that money, I never would have voted for it.”
Let the Groveling Begin.
The 2004 hopefuls prepare to kowtow before the DNC in what’s being billed as the “first big test” for the Democratic field (minus Kerry, who’s still recovering from prostate surgery.) Anyone else want to jump in before we get this party started? Feingold? Bradley?
On the Bandwagon.
Come on aboard, I promise you, you won’t hurt the horse… The Democratic field in 2004 continues to grow, with Senator Carol Moseley-Braun and Rep. Dennis Kucinich joining the ranks of the contenders. At this point, the more the merrier, I say – it’s just too bad a that frontloaded primary season is going to make it all about money in the end.
Post-President for Life.
The James Fallows interview with Bill Clinton I mentioned earlier is now online at TheAtlantic. Slightly out-of-date by this point, but interesting nonetheless.
Read the Fine Print.
Surprise, Surprise. It turns out Dubya’s budget doesn’t add up as advertised.
Treading Lightly Amid the Palmettos.
John Edwards and the rest of the Democratic field try to figure out how to manage the NAACP boycott of South Carolina. Sigh…between Bob Jones University and the Stars ‘n Bars, it’s always a bit embarrassing to hail from South Carolina in an election year. Hopefully a day will someday come when the post-Strom Palmetto State will finally get its act together.