Tue, February 12, 2008 - 10:45 AM

Mike Huckabee -- yes, he’s still in the race for the Republican presidential nomination – spent the breakfast hour talking with reporters, saying his national campaign would survive today’s primaries.

“If anybody thinks our supporters are winding down, I tell you, they’re winding up,” Huckabee said at a breakfast hosted by The Christian Science Monitor in Washington.

In the hour-long Q and A, the former Arkansas governor said he had no interest in a vice presidency or a third party bid for the White House.

“Third party efforts are at best futile efforts,” he said.

Click the play button below to hear to Huckabee on the question of a potential Senate run this fall.




He complained about the news media’s narrative of his candidacy, saying it focused too much on his career as a Baptist minister, which he termed “an arcane part of my biography.” Huckabee left the pulpit in 1991 and served as governor from 1996 to 2007. While his strongest support has come from evangelical voters, he said his biggest cheers on the stump come from his lines about fair taxes, not faith.

He acknowledged “the path to victory is complicated for me,” but said his campaign fundraising is going stronger than ever. He said he’s raising $200,000 to $300,000 a day online.

“We’ve run a very frugal campaign and that’s why we’re still on our feet,” he said, noting that he flew commercial airlines through November.

Click the play button below to hear Huckabee joke about just how frugal his campaign manager was in 2007.



Now he’s got his own campaign charter plane, which he intends to take back to Little Rock to watch tonight’s returns from the so-called Potomac primaries in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.

--Neil H. Simon

Mon, February 11, 2008 - 5:58 PM

The view as I was leaving Old Cabell Hall after Hillary Clinton's speech Monday at the University of Virginia.



-- Amy Dominello

OK, the lighting wasn't great.

And I was far away.

But you get the idea - Here is Hillary Clinton and Larry Sabato speaking before his class on Monday.



-- Amy Dominello

After answering questions for about an hour and a half, Hillary Clinton has exited the stage at Old Cabell Hall.

The last question came from a student who asked about college affordability. Clinton told the audience of mostly students (Larry Sabato’s class has 450) that she would work to once again make college affordable.

Before she left, Sabato did offer one observation. As opposed to pundits, the students asked substantive questions. A roomful of pundits, he said, would have asked questions about polls and politics.

Good point, Sabato.

That’s all from Old Cabell Hall for now. I’ll try in the next hour to post some video and photos I took. If, that is, technology cooperates with me.

-- Amy Dominello

“Who is your favorite Republican?”

Hillary Clinton couldn’t name just one. Clinton said she’s worked with many over her years in politics to get things done.

“In the Senate particularly, you do get to know people,” she said.

And she added that it’s important people on both sides of the aisle respect each other even if they disagree.

She’s taken questions on embryonic stem cell research, the role of the United Nations, making English the official language, and whether being a woman has helped or hurt her in her race from the presidency.

-- Amy Dominello

Will Hillary unite Republicans?

A student put that question to Clinton. That doesn't matter because she knows how to win, Clinton said.

“I guess I have been through enough of these elections that I know what it takes to win,” she said.

And the states she has won so far in the primaries are states that are critical for the Democrats to win in the general election.

She added that she believes she can win those states come November against a “formidable” candidacy from Republican John McCain.

Oh and in case you’re wondering the Republicans will not be able to dig up any dirt on Clinton. It’s already out there, she said.

-- Amy Dominello

Next question: Who has been the most influential person in your political career?

Don’t worry. Hillary Clinton didn’t say her husband, former President Bill Clinton. That would have been too easy.

Clinton said she’s always had an interest in politics, but wouldn’t pinpoint anyone in particular.

“I really was fascinated how this mostly cumbersome bureaucracy got it right most of the time,” she said.

Interestingly, she did say she was fascinated by Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt and the work they both did for the country.

She did say that internationally she has been inspired by Nelson Mandela and his humanity and understanding of what it takes to withstand the worst. She also cited his ability to leave misery behind and move on from it.

-- Amy Dominello

Question from a student: How will you pay for universal health care and ending the war in Iraq?

Hillary Clinton’s answer: “I’m thinking about ending the war in Iraq which will save us a lot of money.”

The crowd responded with whoops and applause.

Now she’s launching into why we need universal health care and what her plan will do.

So where will the money come from?

Clinton said letting the Bush tax cuts for the rich expire and creating efficiencies in the health care system. She also got in a dig on her Democratic rival, Barak Obama, for not having a health care plan that is universal.

-- Amy Dominello

Hillary Clinton promises to take as many questions as possible and Professor Larry Sabato said she’ll stay late to answer questions.

Sabato said to expect great questions from his Politics 101 class. And, he added, we’ll see which student gets an A.

Clinton opened with some comments taken from her stump speech. She mentioned that she’s “never seen anything like” the interest in this year’s campaign.

After the first question, she drew applause when she mentioned the country has to get back to “evidence-based decision making after George Bush.”

-- Amy Dominello

Hillary Clinton just walked on stage to cheers at Old Cabell Hall at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

She’s speaking before Larry Sabato’s Introduction to American Politics class.

Only students can ask questions, so it might get interesting. I’ll keep you posted …

-- Amy Dominello

As Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue to run neck-and-neck in the Democratic presidential delegate count, speculation is mounting on the potential impact of the so-called “super-delegates” as the deciders.

Nationally, there are 796 of these officeholders and party officials who automatically have votes at the conventions. Florida has 22 of them.

But the Democratic National Committee has stripped Florida of its delegates because the state leapfrogged Super Tuesday (Feb. 5) and held its primary Jan. 29 in violation of party rules. And the national party continues to insist that sanction includes the state’s “super-delegates,” too. The state’s total number of delegates to the party’s nominating convention would total 210 – but it is now zero, the national party says.

However, Jon Ausman, a member of Florida’s Democratic National Committee delegation, says he is sending a letter to the DNC later this week arguing that the national committee’s own charter spells out that it has no authority to keep sitting members of Congress and national party committee members from being seated as delegates at the convention.

Ausman explains there are two levels of super-delegates.

First, Ausman points out that the DNC charter says U.S. senators and members of Congress “shall” be delegates to the convention. So, he reasons, that means Florida Sen. Bill Nelson and nine state Democratic members of Congress “cannot have their status as delegates taken away.”

Second, Ausman argues there also is no provision for the party – or its Rules and By-Laws committee-- to choose not to seat the state’s remaining super delegates who are all themselves members of the Democratic National Committee. That includes Ausman, who has not committed to either Obama or Clinton.

The national party disagrees. And this latest dispute is expected to come to a head on March 1, when the DNC is scheduled to certify the super delegates.

Arguing over Florida’s 22 super-delegates may not seem like much importance in the overall scheme of a race where 2,025 delegates are needed to win the nomination. But then, Obama and Clinton now are separated by just five delegates, Ausman notes.

Ausman also says it’s not just about the presidential sweepstakes. This fight is also about Florida having a say at the convention in the credentialing committee, in designing a national party platform on important issues, and in crafting what the rules of the next convention in 2012 will be.

Here’s a list of Florida’s super-delegates, including the latest information from the state party about which of them have already committed to either Clinton or Obama.

Uncommitted:
U.S. Rep. Ron Klein, Boca Raton
U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, Palm Beach Gardens
U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, Tampa
U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, Monticello
Mitch Ceasar, Plantation
Diane Glasser, Tamarac
Karen Thurman, state chair Tallahassee
Jon Ausman, Tallahassee
Andy Tobias, Tallahassee
Janee Murphy Tampa
Rudy Parker, Perry
Terrie Brady, Jacksonville

Hillary Clinton supporters:
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson
U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek, Miami
U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, Miramar
U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Weston
U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, Jacksonville
Raul Martinez, Hialeah
Chuck Mohlke, Naples

Barack Obama supporters:
U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler
State Rep. Joyce Cusack, DeLand
Allan Katz, Tallahassee

-- Billy House

Fri, February 08, 2008 - 9:51 AM

Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee took Stephen Colbert to task for trying to hand the Republican nomination to Sen. John McCain last night. The former Arkansas governor interrupted Colbert ( Huckabee's pretend running mate) as the Comedy Central host was saying that, with Mitt Romney dropping out of the race, the nomination was inevitably McCain’s.

The two then went to the Colbert Report “Big Board” which looks (and plays) a lot like an air hockey table, and mapped out Huckabee's strategy.



-- Mark Young

Thu, February 07, 2008 - 4:46 PM

Hillary Clinton was at Washington Lee High School in Arlington this afternoon where she took aim not at Barack Obama, but at presumed Republican frontrunner John McCain.

Clinton said she has “great respect” for McCain. But he’s not the candidate if voters want – that’s right – change.

“I believe he offers more of the same,” she said.

On a side note, I loved the two teenage girls the camera kept catching as Clinton spoke.

They were twirling their hair, whispering to each other and looking like this was just another day in class. Ahh, the life of a teenager.

-- Amy Dominello

Time to read the CPAC tea leaves to see if conservatives will get behind McCain now that Romney has left the race.

McCain on not leaving Iraq without victory = big cheer.

McCain says "I will not sign a bill with any earmarks in it." = huge cheer.

McCain says the word immigration = sustained boos.

Clearly, McCain's position on immigration, which many conservatives criticize as amnesty, is going to be a sore spot going forward.

--Sean Mussenden

We're waiting for John McCain to come out and speak to the crowd of conservatives at CPAC in Washington, and we just heard a strong defense of McCain from former Virginia Sen. George Allen, who endorsed McCain today.

Many conservatives -- well, talk show hosts at least -- have said they will sit on the sideline or -- gasp! -- vote for Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton this fall instead of vote for McCain. They say he's not a true conservative.

Allen, who originally endorsed Fred Thompson, and was one of his key surrogates in the "spin room" after a debate last month in South Carolina, is now riding the McCain train. At the CPAC convention, Allen, a conservative by any standard, delivered a full-throated appeal to conservatives to get behind McCain. Allen highlighted McCain's long opposition to wasteful government spending and strong national defense credentials.

"John McCain will fight for those ideas," he said, and pleaded with conservatives to work hard to put McCain in the White House this fall. "My fellow conservatives, you are absolutely essential teammates in our cause."

McCain is just taking the stage now, and Allen gave him a big old bear hug. That image could help him in next week's Virginia contest. We'll see how the crowd treats McCain. So far, his kind words about Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney attracted bigger applause than anything else he's said.

He started out with a direct appeal to conservatives to get behind him. "I'm acutely aware that I cannot succeed...without the support of dedicated conservatives," he said, acknowledging that they he has had disagreements from time to time with conservative leaders.

The McCain camp put this statement out from Allen regarding the endorsement:

"John McCain has led a life of heroic service to our country," said Governor Allen. "His experience coupled with his strong belief in core conservative principles makes him uniquely prepared to serve as our next commander in chief. I am confident that he is the only candidate who can combat the threat of radical Islamic extremism, ensure our country's economic prosperity, stop wasteful Washington spending, and uphold our traditional values. Today, I urge all fellow Virginians and Americans to join me in supporting John McCain for president."

John McCain thanked Governor Allen for his support, saying, "I am honored and humbled to have the support of my friend George Allen. George has devoted his life to serving the Commonwealth of Virginia and the people of the United States. I am very pleased that he has joined our team, and I look forward to working with him."

--Sean Mussenden