[big campaign] Media Monitoring Report - Evening 05/23/08

podesta-emails 3,200 words email

P22 P17 V11 V12 D3

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*Main Topics:* McCain's records: taxes and medical, Hagee controversy, Pfotenhauer interview/Cuba* Summary of Shift:* Several journalists, including Tim Russert found occasion for jest in McCain's barbecue party this weekend. Most notably: Steve Handelsman referred to McCain as a 'legendary grill man,' Tim Russert referred to himself as 'Tim "The Grill Man" Russert and David Gregory referred to his 3 show as *the backyard barbecue edition*. Hillary Clinton's comment on Kennedy's assassination received extensive coverage, including a special comment from Keith Olbermann. Highlights 1. McCain's weekend dump a. Pundits generally find the timing of the release suspect b. Some issues about McCain's health remain 2. The Hagee-McCain dual rejection receives lasting coverage a. Analysts consider the extent of the Hagee fallout b. Democratic strategist points to double standard in Hagee and Wright coverage 3. In FNC interview Pfotenhauer defends McCain's stance on Cuba 4. Sanjay Gupta underscores the absence of records on possible mental health and substance abuse from McCain's release [no clip] 5. Olbermann points out that the McCain camp gave nine seconds per page to reporters to investigate his medical records [no clip] 6. Kelly O'Donnell calls the McCain health records and tax return release 'a document dump' on NBC Nightly News [no clip] Clips *Highlight #1* *Russert and Gregory Consider Strategy of Weekend Dump* (MSNBC 05/23/08 6:35pm) DAVID GREGORY: We are seeing kind of a strategy here of ditching some of his memorial day baggage rather getting out these questions of health concerns, dealing with John Hagee and his controversial comments, the lobbyist issue for him, and this big weekend where he is meeting with potential VP nominees. So break it all down in terms of where McCain is strategically trying to get back into the spotlight here TIM RUSSERT: The VP meetings are a good news story trying to get the spotlight on him as the nominee making sure that everyone knows he is about to make the most important decision as a nominee... It is interesting because *the story of the pastor is one that John McCain didn't want it is an endorsement he asked for and now has basically had to distance himself from Pastor Hagee*. Many democrats think it neutralizes McCain's ability to use Jeremiah Wright against Barack Obama while McCain says the situation is different*. On the lobbyist, it is interesting what is happening there because some of the people that are very close to John McCain, the hierarchy, were involved in lobbying and are now distancing themselves from the campaign and it kind of raises questions as to just what is this maverick independent doing with this group of folks. I think that all laid out what it means to us David is that McCain realizes that this is a tough year for a Republican to run. He has to continue to create his own brand of republicanism and that's why you are seeing him take the steps that he is.* GREGORY: ... how big of a concern do you think age and health is for this campaign? RUSSERT: Well if elected he would be 72 when he took office. The oldest American ever to be sworn into his first term so it is something they are very conscious of. They know that in all the polling many voters have said that age is more important to them then race or gender. *McCain's records including melanoma, vertigo, and cholesterol records* (FNC 05/23/08 3:07pm) CARL CAMERON: [McCain] is 72 years old so questions about his health raise questions about his ability to fulfill his duties in office and the campaign's very conscious of that; part of the reason why, frankly, they do it on a Friday before Memorial Day Weekend. It's not gonna get a tremendous amount of attention. Folks have other things to barbecue this weekend rather than McCain and his health records. TRACE GALLAGHER: [...] Why release this [batch of documents] on a Friday if everything is so rosy? Why not a Monday where we can talk about the whole thing all week? CAMERON: Well, that's part of it. They don't want to do that. They recognize that it does bring up the issue of age. [...]<https://www.box.net/shared/rlbadcxcok> *Timing of Document Dump Discussed* (FNC 05/23/08 04:41pm) NEIL CAVUTO: John McCain getting a clean bill of health today, releasing more then a few thousand documents from his medical record as the campaign releases his wife's tax records for the year 2006 democrats question certainly the timing of the release ahead of the long memorial day weekend. DOUG SCHOEN: … I think this is a subject John McCain would like to go away and the best way to make it go away is do it on the Friday before the memorial day weekend and hope that the media moves on to other things. […] SCHOEN: Well, you know, they weren't able to copy the documents they had to review them in private in Scottsdale at the Mayo clinic there was a somewhat more limited release Neil, and I think there is hope that the conversation will segway to the vice presidential cattle call that is going on in Arizona and away from John McCain's health and his age. […] SCHOEN: In John McCain's case, old or young, he has had cancer he has apparently beaten it. That is great news but it is an issue your colleagues in the media focus on. […] SCHOEN: I think all three major candidates should have their health care vetted, yes absolutely, CAVUTO: let me ask you, as a sound political strategist, there is good reason to get this out on a holiday just like you said but do you think the issue goes away? Or will it be one of these, *John McCain is old, John McCain is old, his wife is rich, his wife is rich*? In other words themes that are repeated regardless of the attempt on the part of McCain folks to burry them today? SCHOEN: I think the health issue probably goes away… but I think the age issue, your right, is going to be one of those lingering issues as is the question is Barack Obama ready, is he able to deal with a national security problem does he have the right policies towards countries like Iran those are issues that will be around till election day. Clip Label: DS JM FNC 05-23-08 16.41 (KF#5) Dd *MSNBC Panel Finds Timing of Health and Tax Records' Release Suspect* (MSNBC 05/23/08 6:16pm) KELLY O'DONNELL: This turned into records release day with the McCain campaign. We knew about the medical files being opened up; more than a thousand pages. The real surprise is Cindy McCain's tax returns. She didn't want to make public her financial information. […] They released a two-page summery of her 2006 taxes. Income: $6 million. […] Senator McCain is 71 years old and a survivor of serious skin cancer. The overall headline: his general health is good. He needs to be monitored regularly to make sure the skin cancer doesn't come back. DAVID GREGORY: John Harwood, *this information: there's a strategy behind it. What is it?* JOHN HARWOOD: *They wanted to bury the $6 million income for Cindy.* John McCain had been cast by the returns that were released before as the poor man in the race […]. Putting that $6 million out behind the news of the health records was a good way to de-emphasize that part for a guy who's trying to get working class votes from Barack Obama. GREGORY: […] it's still a concern, age and a history of cancer. Why appear to put the information out when nobody is looking if the news is good. RACHEL MADDOW: Why put it out with such obvious and weird restrictions? […] When he was running for president in 2000, he made 1500 pages of medical records available freely. He gave reporters direct access to question his personal physician. This time reporters—only a hand-selected group, a small group of reporters—are allowed to look at the records for a specific amount of time. They are not allowed to make copies. There's only a pooled report. Prominent medical reporters—probably the most prominent medical reporter in the country, Lawrence Altman who works for the New York Times and has an MD is not one of the reporters who's allowed to look at them. The contrast between the caginess around the records now and the openness about the records in 2000 makes it seem like there's something to worry about. The way they did it, I think, heightens suspicion. *CNN's Gupta Analysis McCain's Health; mentions chance of cancer reoccurrence and fathers age at death *(CNN 05/23/08 06:04pm) WOLF BLITZER: For the first time in almost a decade, John McCain has briefly opened up his medical records. The republican candidate is 71 years old. He has had several bouts of skin cancer including the most serious kind of skin cancer, but McCain's doctor says there is not medical reason why he shouldn't be president of the united states. SANJAY GUPTA: It was a very detailed almost voyeuristic look into his health history. 1200 pages we had to go through in about 3 hours there was a lot in there Wolf. There was stuff about his cancer history, things about his heart history, even details about his colonoscopy. [...] We are learning just how extensive McCain's operation for melanoma was in 2000. Doctors removed 34 lymph nodes in his neck, doctors say the high number was due to an abundance of caution. He still has swelling that is obvious. McCain has had melanoma removed four times, the most recent in 2002. There is a 66% chance of it reoccurring within 10 years, 8 years have already past. Also new, McCain had skin cancer taken off his leg in February of this year... his campaign insist it is under control [...] It looks like the medication is helping here. [...] Doctors say he may need both shoulders replaced [...] While he trots out his 96 year old mother on the campaign trail it is worth nothing his father died at age 70 of a stroke. *Local DC News Takes a Look at McCain's Eventful Weekend* (ABC-WRC 05/23/08 6:00pm) STEVE HANDELSMAN: Meanwhile John McCain who would be 72 at his inauguration released medical records today [...]. Vietnam left McCain with skin damage. Doctors have removed four potentially deadly melanomas. They say McCain is cancer free, but experts say McCain's age and sun exposure remain a worry. [...] JIM VANCE: Mrs. McCain is the heiress of a large Arizona beer distributorship. *CNN Reports on McCain's Release of his Health Records* (CNN 05/23/08 07:00pm) MARY SNOW: The headline from McCain's doctors is that they have not seen any re-occurrence from the Melanoma that caused him to have extensive surgery back in 2000. [...] [Start Audio Recording] DR. JOHN D. ECKSTEIN: I and my colleagues can find no medical reason or problems that would preclude Senator McCain from fulfilling all the duties and obligations of the President of the United States. [End Audio Clip] [...] SNOW: McCain has pointed out several times he hiked the Grand Canyon rim to rim in 2006, which took 3 days. ROBERT GILBERT: When a candidate has experienced serious cancer surgery I really think there is a special need for complete or almost complete medical disclosure before voters go to the polls. [...] SNOW: And Kitty another disclosure from the McCain campaign late in the day it released a summary of Cindy McCain' 2006 tax returns showing that she earned more then 6 million dollars paying 1.7 in taxes. Note worthy because Cindy McCain had said she would never release them since she files her taxes separately from her husband. But she changed course, the campaign said she did not want to become a distraction. *Highlight #2* *Hagee Responds, Effects on All Republican Candidates Considered *(CNN 05/23/08 07:15pm) BRIAN TODD: Pastor Hagee said that the last couple of days have been disappointing and painful for him and he said this has nothing to do with him and John McCain parting company. [Clip of Hagee 'speaking out'] TODD: Pastor Hagee does not apologize or back away from the controversial remarks that led John McCain to reject his endorsement. [...] TODD: Following inquiries from CNN about Hagee's sermon McCain rejected his endorsement which the pastor then withdrew. Hagee's defense is combative. [...] TODD: Hagee said his sermon was merely an effort to explain how God could let the Holocaust take place. A popular San Antonio Rabbi, who is also a close friend supported him. [...] TONY PERKINS: I think this is going to send a pretty strong message to a lot of evangelical leaders who they need the support of and I think they will be hesitant to make an endorsement thinking that everything they have taught on everything they have said would be scrutinize. *GOP and Democratic Strategists Weigh in on Pastor Disaster and GI Bill*(MSNBC 05/23/08 3:15pm) PASTOR JOHN HAGEE: Many have wondered where God was during the Holocaust, but I think the more important question is: What we will do here on earth to make sure that there will never be another holocaust. We must give meaning to the words, 'Never Again' through our actions. […] DOUG MCKINNON: […] John McCain had to put a long distance between himself and Reverend Hagee. […] I would like both candidates to talk more about the issues and less about these side issues. KEITH BOYKIN: […] When we had Jeremiah Wright on TV a few weeks ago there was wall-to-wall coverage of everything he said. […] I just think it's completely inconsistent; a huge double-standard, especially for republicans to say, 'This [pastor disaster] doesn't deserve attention' when we have so much attention about what Jeremiah Wright was saying. […] ALEX WITT: [outlines back and forth between Obama and McCain on GI bill] MCKINNON: […] I think most Americans now really don't care whether you served in the military or not. You can certainly be patriot without serving in the military. […] WITT: […] if Doug [McKinnon] is right here; McCain's saying this bill is too expensive, that it will encourage mid-level officers to leave the military—why not really focus on *that* argument as opposed to criticizing Obama's lack of military experience? BOYKIN: […] Look at the current president, he had no military experience; he dodged the draft in Vietnam as many people already know. […] I don't think the military experience really works anymore and it's kind of old-school politics on the part of John McCain to use that right now. *Highlight #3* *Fox's Megyn Kelly interviews Nancy Pfotenhauer about McCain and Obama's stands on Cuba* (FNC 05/23/08) MEGYN KELLY: Obama's claim that McCain's straight talk express is coming off the rails, at least when it comes to Cuba policy. Dr. Susan Rice says *McCain is the only one who has flip-flopped on this issue. she says in 2000 John McCain said he would fayor moving toward normalization of the policy with respect to Cuba. Now he's against that.* your response? NANCY PFOTENHAUER: Well I almost feel sorry for Dr. Susan Rice because she's got to be engaging in incredible gymnastics to show that her candidate has maintained a so-called consistent road when it's clear that he hasn't. Let me answer your question. If you go back and roll tape and read transcripts of what senator McCain said, its very very clear that what he said, he said *we need to have political prisoners released then we need to have democratization efforts take hold and then free market reform. He has always been very clear.* This is actually an upside with John McCain because he has been so articulate on these issues and willing to talk to anybody anywhere anytime about them. There is record to support his consistency. The record does not support Senator Obama's claim of consistency. KELLY: *So are you saying now Nancy that there is no difference in McCain's position today versus 2000 when the Obama campaign says he was much more open minded to normalization of relations than he is now?* PFOTENHAUER:*Uh Uh Senator McCain has been completely consistent in his position. It is clear that Castro understands that because Castro is not very happy with senator McCain and I think that's wonderful.* KELLY: That's true. He came out with a statement criticizing him and president Bush today. Dr. Rice says *the policy we have maintained with respect to Cuba is a complete failure*, and that if the goal was to help Cubans economically, we haven't done that, and that we need to try something different instead of, as they put it, have a third bush term. PFOTENHAUER: *Then the change has to come from Cuba*. Cuba's leadership, the Castro's have to change their behavior. The worst thing we can do is prematurely capitulate and give them what they want the most without anything in return, and what they want the most is legitimacy, which, by the way, all that does is completely erode the confidence and the hopes of the people in Cuba who want freedom. *It's analogous to what is happening in the middle east with the reckless statements there that we're at odds with all of our allies and the U.N. Security Council.* KELLY: *How do you convince Americans who look at the long policy the long embargo against Cuba and see no change, that maintaining the status quo is the answer? Barack Obama says he wants to turn a page. That sounds like an argument that might resonate with voters. How does John McCain convince voters that's wrong?* PFOTENHAUER: You look back at history and say Presidents matter, and the enforcement of policy matters. Look at Iran and the hostage crisis. *When Carter was there, Iran held our hostage for 444 days. Ronald Reagan was elected and they were released in a New York minute, because Iran knew that it took the measure of the character of the person they would be dealing with. my faith is in John McCain. I think the foreign leaders understand very much what they're getting into. It is why Hamas endorses Obama and Castro doesn't like McCain. I think the case is closed the right there.* -- Jacob Roberts Media Analyst PMUSA (c) 208.420.3470 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the "big campaign" group. To post to this group, send to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] E-mail [email protected] with questions or concerns This is a list of individuals. It is not affiliated with any group or organization. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---