[big campaign] Media Monitoring Report - Morning 07/18/08

podesta-emails 4,416 words email

P17 P22 P18 D6 V11

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*Main Topics:* McCain surrogates attack Obama trip, McCain doesn't know if Obama is a Socialist *Summary:* Media excitement revolving around Obama's trip to Europe, Afghanistan and Iraq led the news today. Although anchors were quick to repeat GOP talking points of Obama's travel as being part 'political' and occurring too late, several outlets still noted the contradictory criticisms emanating from the McCain campaign on this issue. There were mentions of McCain's rebuke of Jill Hazelbaker's photo-op comment from yesterday. Top McCain surrogates Tim Pawlenty and Mitt Romney gave interviews this morning, both faithfully delivering the message that Obama is campaigning for the "President of Europe" and that the entire trip to the Middle East is more about politics than policy. Political-related news touched on an EPA report about climate change and health concerns, Bill Clinton's willingness to campaign for Obama, Al Gore's environmental speech on Thursday, new Republican smears against Michelle Obama, and an interview Speaker Pelosi gave to Wolf Blitzer attacking President Bush. Segments about the release of the new Batman movie, an increase in travel costs, an apparent parachute mishap, and a missing child story, were on constant rotation throughout the day. Highlights: 1. MSNBC: Pawlenty disparages Obama for speaking in Europe, campaigning for "President of Europe" 2. NBC: Romney similarly attacks Obama, also saying Obama should have proposed policy after fact-finding trip rather than before 3. ABC: Tapper analyzes McCain position on Obama trip 4. CNN: Hosts discuss McCain town hall, conflicting messages from McCain camp regarding Obama's travels 5. CNN: McCain campaign dumps oppo research and 8 minute video file to reporters in attempt to reframe Obama foreign policy position 6. CNN: Moost mock McCain's response to Viagra position 7. MSNBC: Jim Warren of the Chicago Tribune calls Cindy McCain 'stolid,' an 'ice queen' 8. MSNBC: Morning Joe pundits discuss Hazelbaker comments, blame 24/7 news cycle yet note conflicting message coming from McCain campaign 9. COMEDY: Stewart uses word pander to describe McCain's NAACP address, highlights vote and opposition to MLK holiday [no clip] *Local Highlights:* 10. KANSAS CITY STAR: McCain interviewed, says he "doesn't know" if Obama is a Socialist, discusses reversals on domestic policy Clips: * *Highlight #1 *Pawlenty Says Obama Is Campaigning For 'President of Europe'* (MSNBC 07/18/08) MIKE BARNICLE: The Obama trip to Iraq, Afghanistan, overseas. How many trips to Iraq have you taken? TIM PAWLENTY: I've taken three Mike and the last one was last year. I'm glad, we're glad the McCain campaign said Senator Obama is finally getting back to Iraq. He's only been there once. He hasn't been there almost three years. If you're going to make pronouncements about war, be helpful if you had some on the ground experience. So we applaud his decision to go. And we applaud his decision to migrate more towards McCain's position on these issues. But I am concerned about the unprecedented political rallies he's going to be having across Europe. *It's one thing to meet with world leaders. It's another thing to be basically campaigning for President of Europe, it seems. And that's a little unprecedented and concerning if he's going to be having political rallies.* BARNICLE: Aren't you encouraged though? Everything, all the reporting says that in the papers are that Europeans are down on America because of Iraq and they don't like the Bush administration. So this might be some element of the United States of America might like? That's kind of encouraging don't you think? PAWLENTY: Well again I segregate the trip. I applaud the Iraq and Afghanistan trip but I don't think he's ever by the way set foot in Afghanistan even though he's making pronouncements about the war. But going to Europe and meeting with those leaders and introducing himself, trying to build good relations, that's positive. But it looks like he's planning what looks like political rallies in Europe. And I think that's unprecedented and to me it seems a little untoward. MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Ok let me try to give you the other side of that. And that is that one could argue that we are at a time, a moment in history where some feel that our international reputation is at stake. And perhaps Barack Obama is going there to build on not only his foreign policy credentials but also work on something that has been ripped to shreds over the past 8 years. PAWLENTY: And I think that's good in that you saw Senator McCain go to Colombia for example. He met with President Uribe, he met with the Defense Sec. Santos, others at high level official meetings. He didn't go out and have rallies and politicize the trip in Colombia, or in Canada. He kept it in the context of formal policy speeches or meeting with officials. This trip seems designed to have kind of a political rally or campaign rally component to it. If you're a sitting President that would be good or a sitting official but it seems a little bit odd if your in the middle of a Presidential campaign that he'd be having these political rallies on this trip. BARNICLE: What's odd about it? The guys a politician. You're a politician. I mean if you were given the opportunity, I mean if somebody said to you we're the government of Germany we'd like you to stand up and speak before 4,000 people or how many people, what would you say? No I don't want to do it because I'm the Gov of Minnesota and I don't want to speak when I'm overseas. It's odd. This complaint seems odd. PAWLENTY: Well I think it's a question of is it political or is it policy? He's a sitting Senator and in that capacity the right and opportunity to go and deal with those kinds of issues or have those kinds of meetings but are those things really designed to advance a policy discussion and the United States national security interests which we try not to politicize as officials? *Or is it designed to be part of his campaign? And if it's part of his campaign, campaigning in Europe, seems to be perhaps unusual or unprecedented at least in my knowledge about Presidential campaigning.* <https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/em3kyys080> Highlight #2 *Romney Attacks Obama's Trip As 'Campaign Swing,' Distances Himself From Past Criticism of McCain* (NBC 07/18/08) MITT ROMNEY: *As a campaign swing more than a fact-finding tour, it's unfortunate that he developed this policy with regards to the surge before he was actually there 20 see how the surge might be progressing. As a matter of fact, had he been president a year ago he would have said no to the surge, pulled out our troops and we would be in a setting where al qaeda would be planning attacks against us from Iraq. We're fortunate he wasn't president and not doing this tour at a time when it could have shaped his policy with regards to iraq and foreign policy*. [...] ROMNEY: I'm sure he'll be warmly received. People of different political backgrounds are warmly received there. I don't know whether he'll be able to erase the things he's already said. My guess is he'll say don't confuse me with the facts. My mind is already made up. He's already said what he'd do without the benefit of speaking to General Petraeus and leaders on the ground there. John McCain is saying, look, his goal get the troops out by the end of his first term. They're in a combat setting, and get that done but not going to do it based upon some artificial political timetable. MATT LAUER: [...] *Primary races, of course, good news you get to run for president. Bad news, everything you say during that primary race comes back to haunt you in some caes. Here what you said, quote, in January, 'I frankly don't think Senator McCain despite his service and length of experience will be able to stand up to the message that Barack Obama has brought forward. I think Barack Obama would be able to do the John McCain exactly what he was able to do to other senators who are running on the democratic side.' So if that's what you said in January, why do you think John McCain's now the man? * ROMNEY: Well, no question when it comes to Barack Obama you've got a charming person, well spoken. He speaks beautifully. But i think in the final analysis that the sweet talk is going to give way to straight talk. [...] Barack is very tough. No question about that. When I was running in the primary I thought i was the right guy to run against Barack Obama. When it comes to comparison between John McCain and Barack Obama I know who I'd pick, who America should choose and in the final analysis will choose the guy that's been there, has the experience, demonstrated right on the surge, author of it, his work. LAUER: They worry about John McCain and the economy. Six in ten a poll feel that John McCain will continue basically the policies of our current president George Bush. 54% to 35% in a Washington Post abc poll think Barack Obama will best handle the economy. With the economy being the biggest issue on the minds of voters, that's got to be a real problem for John McCain. Doesn't it? ROMNEY: It's a big opportunity for John McCain. As they understand Barack Obama's position, the John McCain position, the American people will say, guess what? John McCain is right on the economy. Barack Obama is wrong. Raising taxes, as Barack Obama would do would slow down the economy. He's admitted that as much. His energy policy is critical to the economy. Barack Obama doesn't want additional drilling or nuclear power plants fast tracked, wants to put higher tax on coal and John McCain will bring the cost of energy down. that's the right policy. <https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/9g4mrg2lcg> Highlight #3 *"Good Morning America" Analyzes McCain Camp's Position Vis-à-vis Obama's Trip Overseas *(ABC 06/18/08 7:00am) JAKE TAPPER: From the Euphrates to the Chunnel, Barack Obama will wade into the waters of international geopolitics. McCain campaign spokeswoman Jill Hazelbacker said there was nothing 'fact-finding' about any of his trip, just image-building. [clip of Hazelbacker] JILL HAZELBACKER: This trip is a political trip for him. It's one giant photo opportunity. It is not designed to inform his world view. [end clip] TAPPER: McCain himself backed off that charge a bit, but continued to argue Obama is unprepared to be Commander-in-Chief. [video clip] JOHN MCCAIN: I'm glad he's going to Afghanistan. It's long, long overdue if you want to lead this nation and secure our national security. [end clip] TAPPER: Obama's trip comes after a back-and-forth with McCain over international issues such as Iran, Afghanistan and Iraq. [...] JUSTIN LOGAN: "What I think Senator Obama is trying to do is to take away the initiative from Senator McCain to be able to brand him as a neophite in foreign affairs and on military issues. [...] ROBIN ROBERTS: How does McCain counter all this attention that Obama is going to be receving on this trip? GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The McCain campaign is very frustrated by this. As you know, All three evening news anchors going over on this foreign soil with Barack Obama. They know he's going to get a lot of attention. I think they will look to take quick hits every day. And of course, pounce on any mistake that Barack Obama makes. That would be the big opening for the McCain campaign. <https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/0wlegkvgo0> Highlight #4 *CNN Previews McCain's MI Town Hall, Discusses His Position Having "Goaded" Obama Into Iraq/Afghanistan Trip* (CNN 06/18/08 9:00am) TONY HARRIS: Michigan is one of the hardest hit states economically. I'm wondering what John McCain's message is today. DANA BASH: It's going to be talking about exactly that. [�] that is going to be a big part of John McCain's message there that he has been trying to give across the country on this stump talking a lot about the economy and the fact that he understands people are hurting. But what he's going to do at this particular event is try to shine a light on some new technology that he says he hopes will be the wave of the future and perhaps a jobs gainer in the future. He's going to be touring this plant where they're hoping to and trying to devise the first plug in electric car. It's called the Chevy Volt. *So you are going to hear some of the 'I feel your pain' message from John McCain but also a try to focus on some of the technologies that he says he hopes can be developed for in the future.* HARRIS: Hey Dana you know we've heard John McCain crticize Barack Obama's upcoming overseas trip. Are we likely to hear more of that today? BASH: We are. [�] *in the words of one adviser it is extraordinarily arrogant for him to be explaining his policies, his foreign policies on Afghanistan on Iraq which he did this week before even going.* You heard John McCain yesterday say that from his experience, he's travel abroad extensively, he waits until he comes home from a fact finding mission to announce his policies. *There they feel that they have a little bit of an edge on something they know* Tony they know full well that this trip is going to get extensive, extensive coverage. They're trying to influence it as much they can. HARRIS*: And remind us: this is a trip McCain suggested Obama should take, correct?* BASH: *Exactly. Pretty much goaded him into it.* He talked about over and over counting the days Obama had not been in Iraq and of course he's never been to Afghanistan. <https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/54glv6gqoc> Highlight #5 *CNN: McCain Campaign Clamors to Frame Coverage of Obama's Trip With Accusations of Politicking and 8-Min Video* (CNN 07/18/08 6:30am) JOHN KING: Today John McCain holds a town hall meeting with General Motor Employees in Michigan focusing on issue number one. The McCain campaign also critizing Barack Obama as he prepares to go global. DANA BASH: Aides to John McCain say that when Barack Obama is abroad McCain will spend his time talking about the economy, the issue most on voters' minds here at home. Still the McCain camp is trying hard to influence what they know will be a heavy focus on Obama's trip. DANA BASH: This Kansas City Town Hall was billed as a chance to talk about problems close to home like the economy, but *John McCain also made sure to tweak Barack Obama for his upcoming trip abroad.* [Clip of McCain Town Hall] JOHN MCCAIN: I know that Senator Obama is going to Iraq I was very interested that he articulated and announced his policies and approach to Iraq before he went. BASH: *Aides to McCain may not like it but they know full well Obama's overseas trip will get a lot of coverage and the reality is that McCain himself goaded Obama into it.* [Clip of McCain] BASH: The Republican National Committee still has a running clock on its website. Now that Obama is going, it's oppo time inside camp McCain their central theme? By announcing his war policies before leaving Obama is embarking on a campaign swing not a fact finding mission. [Clip of McCain] BASH: McCain aids are stepping up their push to highlight Obama's apparent shift in rhetoric on Iraq. [Clip of McCain] MCCAIN: My friends, flip floppers all over the world are enraged BASH: Earlier this week McCain declared Obama a flip-flopper for changing statements on the success of the surge. BASH: Now McCain's campaign made this eight-minute video aimed at illustrating Obama's contradictory statements on Iraq. [Clip of 8min McCain Attack ad] BASH: The Obama campaign quickly responded with a lengthy statement suggesting Senator McCain has for the most part been lockstep with President Bush on the Iraq war and that McCain's position keeps troops there indefinitely but notably there response did not address McCain's central charge that over the years Obama's Iraq position has shifted with the politics of the moment. <https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/9sv7mvmg4c> Highlight #6 *CNN Mocks McCain's "Bad-Hand," Awkward Response to Viagra Question* (CNN 06/18/08 6:45am) [montage of awkward photos of McCain squirming to a soundtrack of "Freeze Frame"] [�] JEANIE MOOST: This is what they call glad-handing and this is what we call bad hand. Q and A so bad you have to hide behind your hand, so bad your move is imitated. JONATHAN CAPEHART: You got to have an answer you can't do this. MOOST: So bad that Planned Parenthood has turned the exchange into an anti-mccain commercial. [Clip of Planned Parenthood Ad] MOOST: For eight seconds Senator McCain said nothing critics dubbed it his Viagra moment. A politician rendered speechless, squirms and winces, froze, agonized and a week after it happened still haunted by impotent performance hunted by the new commercial which the Republican National Committee called a misleading partisan attack. Allow me to introduce you to the latest character in the 08 campaign, John McCains hand. A hand mocked on the Daily Show. JON STEWART: John McCain's face is being attacked by the hand of a prehistoric monster. I'm sorry I am being told that is in fact John McCain's own hand, I apologize. MOOST: A hand we asked body language expert and author Dan Hill to analyze DAN HILL: He puts his hand across his mouth as to protect himself from telling a lie [...] <https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/jsr64k9c80> Highlight #7 *Chicago Tribune's Jim Warren Calls Cindy McCain 'Stolid,' An 'Ice Queen'*(MSNBC 07/18/08) JIM WARREN, CHICAGO TRIBUNE: *If you look at Cindy McCain, you could argue playing amateur psychologist there's big of an insecurity when it comes to political campaigns, you know there's sort of an implicit caricature of a bit of the ice queen in the background always with that sort of stolid figure of hers and that kind of unchanging visage.* So no I think its sort of more logical that given Michelle propensity to sort of be out there, to be the independent minded, opinionated person that she is that she'd open herself up for criticism to a greater extent that Cindy McCain. <https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/aaj2jk8co4> Highlight #8 *Brzezinski Defends Hazelbaker While Stating McCain Campaign Conflicted On Obama Trip* (MSNBC 07/18/08) MIKE BARNICLE: I would submit to you, part of the reason we have these things, Jill Hazelbaker, smart woman, knows what she's talking about, sort of gets slapped a couple of hours later by the candidate himself John McCain, part of the reason these things happen is they have to feed this beast, that is 24 hours cable news. All day long, Tiki you know you get these Blackberries every five minutes you get e-mails point counter point from these campaigns and you go immediately to erase. TIKI BARBER: It's exausting to hear though. MIKA BRZEZINSKI: Well Mike you bring up a great point I was actually talking to Andrea from the campaign yesterday and we were, it is a little bit the beast and I don't think John McCain. *The idea I got from talking to the campaign last night is not that upset with her. It's just there's different concepts as to what Barack Obama is doing abroad and Jill got a sense as we do every morning how hard it is to go on the air and get like 50 thousand hatemail and I'm still getting hatemail.* <https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/8zlwg2mg4w> Highlight #9 *Stewart Skewers McCain's NAACP address, 'What Else Do You Have In Your Pander Box?'* (COMEDY 07/17/08) STEWART: What else do you have in your pander box? JOHN MCCAIN (CLIP): Martin Luther King who often reminded us there's no moral badness and there was moral blindness. It was this spirit that turned hatred into forgiveness, anger into conviction, and a bitter life into a great one. STEWART: *And that is why I, John McCain, voted fought so hard so long to prevent to prevent his birthday from becoming a national holiday. Well into the 1980's long after most of my likeminded colleagues had given up fighting that. That's why when it was passed into law I supported the drive to prevent its observation in my home state of Arizona.* * *Highlight #10 *McCain Says He "Do[es]n't Know" If Obama Is a Socialist, Answers Questions about Gas Tax Holiday, Immigration and Flip-Floppping on Tax Cuts* (Kansas City Star taped interview 07/17/08) INTERVIEWER: Your opponent raised $52million dollars. [...] That shows he has a lot of support it seems. JOHN MCCAIN: Well we have never raised more money than our opponents in the primary and other races. Now we have more than enough money to do the things we need to do, to buy the media we need to buy[...] We're gonna get $85 million in public financing. And Senator Obama, after he had pledged to take public financing as well if I did obviously went back on his word. [�] INTERVIEWER: You talked about a gas tax holiday[...] You said it would be brief. [...] How long would it be? MCCAIN: �It depends on the economy, it depends on a lot of things. [...] I was at a big trucking company yesterday; they said we could save $40 million a year. � INTERVIEWER: A lot of experts this is just not a good idea. MCCAIN: *A lot of experts are driven to work in chauffeured limousines.* A lot of experts live in Georgetown and walk to work. These are the lower-income Americans that are being hurt by it. INTERVIEWER: You're saying it could last for... a summer? MCCAIN: We'd have to see. But let's declare it and see what happens. And [�] you want to spend their gas-tax dollars on $233million bridge in Alaska to an island with 50 people on it, or do you wanna let people have a little relief? The most pork-barrel laden aspect of all the everything we do are the highway bills. INTERVIEWER: Kit Bond might have some problems with that, as you know� MCCAIN (interrupting): Senator Bond and I have strong disagreement [�] on pork-barrel spending and we've fought on the floor of the Senate, and I think the American people are fed up with earmark pork-barrel spending [�] They're sick of Washington and the ways they're doing things. INTERVIEWER: [�] T. Boone Pickens has suggested natural gas for cars, wind power. What do you think of his idea? MCCAIN: I think it's a good idea. The only disagreement I have�I think we need nuclear [�] and he agrees with that. We need wind, tide, solar [�] I agree with that. All of these alternate forms of energy have to be (1) funded in pure research and development and second, see which one wins. Let 'em all loose. Unleash 'em all. And nuclear *has* to be part of any equation. Sen Obama opposes nuclear. Offshore drilling *has* to be part of it�he opposes offshore drilling. INTERVIEWER: [�] Been a little dustup here over a group called the Minutemen Civil Defense Fund. [�] Are they a good thing? [�] Do they help in the immigration fight or not? MCCAIN: I think they are citizens who are [�] entitled to being engaged in the process [�] I don't agree with them but they certainly are exercising their legal rights as citizens. INTERVIEWER: Finally, you talked a little bit about Senator Obama today. You said he was the most extreme member, I think. MCCAIN: Yep, that's his voting record. INTERVIEWER: [�] Do you really think he's an extremist? I mean, he's clearly liberal, but� MCCAIN: That's his voting record. All I said was his voting record, and that is more to the left than the announced Socialist in the United States Senate, Bernie Sanders of Vermont. So� INTERVIEWER: Do you think he's a socialist�Barack Obama? *MCCAIN: Oh I don't know.* All I know is his voting record. [�] But I know this, too. Senator Obama has not done what I've done. He's not reached across the aisle [�] I have. [�] And finally, Senator Obama supported amendments that would've killed comprehensive immigration reform. Then he says that he's for immigration reform. INTERVIEWER: But you flip-flop a little bit too� MCCAIN: No, I didn't! INTERVIEWER: You flip-flopped on drilling a little bit� MCCAIN (interrupting_: Actually I didn't! INTERVIEWER: �tax cuts� MCCAIN: Actually, on the drilling issue�when gasoline reached $4 a gallon, we gotta do things that we otherwise have not done in the past. I have not changed my position on any other issue: On immigration [�] INTERVIEWER: But you were against the tax cuts, now you're talking about making them permanent. MCCAIN: I mean, isn't there flip-flopping on both sides, Senator? INTERVIEWER: Actually no. actually, I had a tax cut proposal of my own�Senator Obama wants to raise taxes, I want to keep them low. [�] I had a package of tax cuts and I said we had to restrain spending. [�] We did not restrain spending, and that's why I voted�main reason why I voted against them. [�] And I have voted for tax cuts in the past. And Sen Obama wants to raise them. So, I've heard a lot of this propaganda. And I understand what campaigns are about�all of the [�] back-and-forth. But I'll stand on my record of bipartisan effectiveness for America [�] as I did when I said that we had to send additional troops to Iraq. Sen Obama said it would fail [�] We have succeeded in Iraq, and if we keep doing what we're doing, we'll win this war. <https://issuealliance.box.net/shared/oz8nale040> --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---