Tue, August 12, 2008 - 1:45 PM

WASHINGTON – It may not be the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins, who open the NFL season on the very night as John McCain accepts his nomination at the Republican National Convention.

But turns out that both McCain and Obama will be facing other football competition durng their acceptance speeches. ESPN is scheduled to show South Carolina Gamecock games on Aug. 28 and Sept. 4.

NBC and the NFL have already agreed to move the Sept. 4 Giants vs. ‘Skins game up an hour from 8 p.m. to 7 p.m., given the McCain speech from St. Paul.

The only problem might occur if the game runs late or into overtime. McCain is expected to deliver his speech at 10 p.m. ET.

But on the same night, the Gamecocks are in Nashville for their Southeastern Conference opener against the Vanderbilt Commodores at 8 p.m. on ESPN.

Gamecock football fans are rabid, and that tilt is certain to run well into the time of McCain’s scheduled speech.

And week before that, Obama’s own speech in Denver on Aug. 28 will face a similar conflict, as the Gamecocks host the North Carolina State Wolfpack in their season opener in Columbia, to be shown by ESPN starting at 8 p.m.

Maybe the political parties will tape the speeches.

-- Billy House

Mon, August 11, 2008 - 2:22 PM

WASHINGTON – An “open call” has been announced for people in Tampa, Richmond and six other cities to record questions and their personal stories for possible airing Aug. 25 through 27 at the Democratic convention in Denver.

Those chosen will have their “interactive dialogue” or questions aired and answered live during a special program each night from the Convention floor in front of thousands of delegates in the Convention hall, millions of Americans watching the Convention at home on television and millions more watching online.

Open calls to record these videos are also to take place in Atlanta; Columbus, Ohio; Denver; Detroit; Philadelphia.; Raleigh, N.C. The exact times and locations of those tapings will soon be posted here.

“As Barack Obama has said, this is not our Convention – this is America’s Convention,” said Governor Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, in announcing the effort. “And now, at a critical moment in our history, Americans will have their concerns addressed, challenges listened to and their questions answered live by our country’s leaders. We want Americans to be at the center of this Convention, and ‘America’s Town Hall’ will allow us to do just that.”

Also starting today through Wednesday Aug. 27, text and video questions can also be submitted online also at www.DemConvention.com/townhall, though participants are encouraged to submit their questions as early as possible.

-- Billy House

WASHINGTON – Sen. Mel Martinez says a military response by the U.S. and other Western countries to the Russian push into Georgia “is unthinkable.”

The only logical way to respond is through diplomacy, said the Florida Republican, during an interview today on NPR’s Diane Rehm Show.

Even as Martinez conceded that might seem to reflect more a Barack Obama-type emphasis on diplomacy, he said the events in Georgia are drawing attention to issues of international security and preparedness.

“And I think John McCain is the better for it,” said Martinez. He said he believes the public views the Arizona Republican as the more capable potential commander in chief.

As for the current Republican president, Martinez said that President Bush apparently misjudged Vladimir Putin – now the Russian prime minister -- when he said in 2001, "I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy... I was able to get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country."

Martinez himself visited Georgia about two years ago in a congressional trip along with McCain, during he got to meet with President Mikheil Saakashvili.

What Martinez recalls was a “struggling” young country, with Saakashvili and other young Georgian leaders at the helm, trying to come into the modern era and out of the former “Soviet morass.”

Martinez rejected any suggestion that over-exuberant U.S. and Western support of the young president and his country may have led them to go too far in agitating Russia.

“It’s hard to make a complete judgment … it does seems to me he (Saakashvili) didn’t overstep as much as Russia made a decision it was going to recreate the Soviet Empire,” said Martinez.

-- Billy House

Fri, August 08, 2008 - 2:08 PM

John Edwards admitted Friday that he cheated on his wife with a novice filmmaker, but denied fathering the woman’s child, ABC News reported.

The network taped an interview with Edwards that will air tonight on Nightline.

From ABC’s Website:

John Edwards repeatedly lied during his Presidential campaign about an extramarital affair with a novice filmmaker, the former Senator admitted to ABC News today.

In an interview for broadcast tonight on Nightline, Edwards told ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff he did have an affair with 44-year old Rielle Hunter, but said that he did not love her.

Edwards also denied he was the father of Hunter's baby girl, Frances Quinn, although the one-time Democratic Presidential candidate said he has not taken a paternity test.

Edwards said he knew he was not the father based on timing of the baby's birth on February 27, 2008. He said his affair ended too soon for him to have been the father.

A former campaign aide, Andrew Young, has said he was the father of the child.

According to friends of Hunter, Edwards met her at a New York city bar in 2006. His political action committee later paid her $114,000 to produce campaign website documentaries despite her lack of experience.

Edwards said the affair began during the campaign after she was hired. Hunter traveled with Edwards around the country and to Africa.

Edwards said his wife, Elizabeth, and others in his family became aware of the affair in 2006.

Edwards made a point of telling Woodruff that his wife's cancer was in remission when he began the affair with Hunter. Elizabeth Edwards has since been diagnosed with an incurable form of the disease.
When the National Enquirer first reported the alleged Edwards-Hunter affair last October 11, Edwards, his campaign staff and Hunter vociferously denounced the report.

"The story is false, it's completely untrue, it's ridiculous," Edwards told reporters then.

He repeated his denials just two weeks ago.

Edwards today admitted the National Enquirer was correct when it reported he had visited Hunter at the Beverly Hills Hilton last month.

The former Senator said his wife had not known about the meeting.

Since becoming pregnant, Hunter has lived under assumed names in a series of expensive homes in North Carolina and, more recently, in Santa Barbara, California.

Edwards denied paying any money to Hunter to keep her from going public but said it was possible some of his friends or supporters may have made payments without telling him.
He said he would ask questions about any possible arrangement.

--Sean Mussenden

Presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama both are urging the United Nations to get involved in convincing Russia today to immediately and unconditionally withdraw its forces from Georgian territory.

Here’s what Republican McCain says:

"The U.S. should immediately convene an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council to call on Russia to reverse course. The U.S. should immediately work with the EU and the OSCE (the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe)o put diplomatic pressure on Russia to reverse this perilous course it has chosen. We should immediately call a meeting of the North Atlantic Council to assess Georgia's security and review measures NATO can take to contribute to stabilizing this very dangerous situation. Finally, the international community needs to establish a truly independent and neutral peacekeeping force in South Ossetia."

Obama says:

“Now is the time for Georgia and Russia to show restraint, and to avoid an escalation to full scale war. Georgia’s territorial integrity must be respected. All sides should enter into direct talks on behalf of stability in Georgia, and the United States, the United Nations Security Council, and the international community should fully support a peaceful resolution to this crisis.”

-- Billy House

John McCain’s camp said today that it would return $50,000 in contributions bundled by a foreign national with ties to the finance chairman of the Republican Party of Florida.

--Sean Mussenden

Wed, August 06, 2008 - 10:24 AM

It’s official: Former state lawmaker Jim Martin will face off this fall against Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss.

Martin won a runoff election Tuesday night against Dekalb County CEO Vernon Jones with 59 percent of the vote.

Martin and Jones were the top two among five candidates in an initial primary, but neither received the required 50 percent.

Now Martin faces an uphill road against the better funded incumbent Chambliss.

-- Amy Dominello

Tue, August 05, 2008 - 1:06 PM

John McCain should “seriously consider” Rep. Eric I. Cantor as a vice presidential running mate, according to the number two Republican in the U.S. House.

Rep. Roy Blunt, of Missouri, the House Republican Whip, was long on praise for Cantor during an interview Tuesday about the Virginia Republican he tapped to be his chief deputy whip six years ago.

“I’m really pleased to see him listed” Blunt said, stopping short of endorsing his deputy to be McCain’s.

“I spend more time with him (Cantor) every week than any other Member of Congress,” he said. “I like working with Eric Cantor in the House of Representatives, but if he has an opportunity to persuade people around the country why they should follow Republican principles on energy and tax policy, he’d be a good person to do that.”

“I think he brings some things to the ticket that nobody else does,” said Blunt. “Eric’s outreach to the Jewish community around the country is important. I think it’d make a difference.” Blunt also mentioned Cantor could help win Virginia, which Blunt acknowledged as a swing state.

Blunt, the number two Republican in the House, said he meets with Cantor at least twice a week to strategize about Republican policies and political messages.

As the chief deputy Republican whip, Cantor helps Blunt to keep Republican members voting and acting in the interest of the House Republican caucus.

“Part of the challenge is essentially talking to same two or three dozen members everyday. Maybe they couldn’t get there yesterday for our side to prevail, but you go back the next day,” Blunt said of the patience and persistence required to be an effective whip. “(Eric) doesn’t get frustrated and walk away and say, ‘I’m through.’”

The confidence boost from Blunt comes the same day Democrats unveiled a site (thenextcheney.com) attacking potential Republican vice presidential picks, including Cantor. Cantor's office had no comment on the Web site.

--Neil H. Simon

No big surprise here. But according to a new poll, John McCain still has a large lead over Barack Obama in Alabama.

The poll, by Rasmussen Reports, shows McCain up over Obama 55 percent to 37 percent. McCain’s numbers have fluctuated in the Yellowhammer State, but since May he has lead against Obama by at least 15 percentage points.

Interestingly, about two-thirds of men would vote for Obama, while women voters are split between the two candidates.

Rasmussen also looked at the state’s U.S. Senate race. Sen. Jeff Sessions is leading his Democratic challenger Vivian Davis Figures by 58 percent to 31 percent.

Sessions, a Republican, has led by at least 20 percentage points since April.

-- Amy Dominello

Mon, August 04, 2008 - 2:33 PM

WASHINGTON -- If, as news reports indicate, John McCain is looking at the No. 4-ranking Republican in the U.S. House as a possible running mate, then shouldn’t he also be looking at No. 3?

Number 4 is chief deputy GOP House whip Eric Cantor, 45, of Virginia.

Number 3 is Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow, who as GOP conference chairman is the third-ranking House Republican. Like Cantor, he’s a young, articulate, reliably conservative family man who comes from an important presidential swing-state and is building a national profile through traveling and party fundraising.

But unlike Cantor, there’s been no buzz about Putnam for veep.

So why not?

There’s one really good reason—Putnam isn’t old enough. The Constitution says a candidate for the presidency must be at least 35. Putnam, who turned 34 Thursday, won’t be old enough until next July 31 to assume the presidency should something happen to the president.

Even so, Putnam, who initially endorsed Fred Thompson for the nomination, has been asked to start revving up personal campaign appearances and stumping on behalf of McCain, and plans to do so.

-- Billy House

WASHINGTON – Barack Obama may have shifted his position to off-shore drilling, but Florida’s Democratic senator Bill Nelson has not.

“We’re getting a lot calls today asking whether Florida’s Sen. Nelson plans on dropping his opposition to drilling off Florida,” states an e-mail sent out to reporters and editors this afternoon from Nelson’s office.

“The answer is – No,” the statement says, in a quote attributed to Nelson.

The Nelson quote goes on: “The oil companies are hording oil by not bringing to market the supplies they have on 68 million acres already under lease, but where they aren’t drilling. I certainly don’t think the industry needs to put oil rigs in the last unfettered American military training range that’s out in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.”

“In fact, I spoke with Defense Secretary (Robert) Gates last week and was assured the secretary won’t agree to anything that would degrade the military mission of the U.S,” Nelson added.

Nelson’s comments come after Obama shifted his position last week, to say he now favors a proposal offered by a bipartisan group of U.S. senators that could move oil drilling to within 50 miles of Florida. He had previously opposed such a move.

Republican Florida Sen. Mel Martinez also has already criticized the proposal by the bi-partisan group of senators, saying it would give Floridians no say in determining where offshore drilling and exploration would occur. On this issue, Martinez has generally been an ally of Nelson.

-- Billy House

No details yet on Michelle Obama’s Norfolk visit with military families Wednesday, but the Norfolk City Democratic Committee has big plans for her that night.

The presumptive Democratic nominee’s wife will be the main attraction at a party fundraiser at the Harrison Opera House, featuring a performance by native Virginian Bruce Hornsby.

I’m wondering if a singer best known for a song entitled “That’s Just the Way It Is,” is the best fit for an event following a day spent talking about war with military spouses.

The fund raiser invitation from Gov. Tim Kaine and Virginia first lady Anne Holton misspells Holton’s name (adding an ‘e’).

A hundred dollars gets you in the door; $250 gets you orchestra seating; and $1,000 gets you the prime seats and a photo with Michelle.

-Neil H. Simon

Monday, Aug. 4

The Republican National Committee is having some fun with Barack Obama's birthday today. The committee is sending tire gauges to members of the Washington news media. Why?

According to the RNC's news release, "Like so many Americans, members of the media also are struggling to pay upwards of $4 a gallon for gas. But last week, Barack Obama said, `There are things that you can do individually though to save energy; making sure your tires are properly inflated, simple thing, but we could save all the oil that they're talking about getting off drilling, if everybody was just inflating their tires and getting regular tune-ups. You could actually save just as much.' (Barack Obama, Springfield, MO, 7/30/08)

"So the RNC is providing members of the media with complimentary tools related to Barack Obama's energy plan -- a brand new tire gauge."

-- Marsha Mercer

Sun, August 03, 2008 - 5:45 AM

Sunday, Aug. 3

Rep Eric I. Cantor of Richmond, the No. 3 Republican in the House of Representatives, is apparently under consideration by Sen. John McCain as his vice-presidential running mate, Jeff Schapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports today.

Here's more from Schapiro's story or read it here:

"The McCain campaign yesterday afternoon requested `personal records' from Cantor, a GOP source said. That typically includes family, health and financial documents.

"Cantor is the second Virginian -- after Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine -- to be vetted this year for the vice presidency, a sign that both parties view the once-reliably Republican state and its 13 electoral votes as in play.

"Cantor, who until this year was little-known outside the sprawling suburban-rural 7th District he has represented since 2001, was not immediately available for comment last night because he was attending a birthday party for his son.

"But last week, Cantor played down talk of a national candidacy, telling Media General News Service, `This whole issue is one my kids think is really cool that my name is even there.'"

Cantor, 45, is the only Jewish Republican in Congress, a prolific fundraiser, and could help McCain win Virginia and attract more support from Jewish voters.

For more on his political rise, go here.

-- Marsha Mercer and Neil Simon

Fri, August 01, 2008 - 11:15 AM

WASHINGTON – Florida GOP Sen. Mel Martinez says a energy plan offered today by a bipartisan group of 10 other senators falls short – and could give Floridians a lack of say in determining where off-shore oil exploration could occur.

Among the initiatives proposed by the new energy “Gang of 10” is an oil drilling plan that would open up areas of the eastern Gulf of Mexico, as well as areas off the eastern United States.

“I compliment the group for coming together in a bipartisan way to try to address the current energy crisis. Unfortunately, the proposal would eliminate Florida’s 2006 Gulf protections and give Floridians absolutely no voice in determining where exploration could occur,” said Martinez, in a statement.

“Our current crisis is a supply and demand problem and we need a comprehensive plan to address our energy needs and that includes substantially increasing domestic production as well as conservation, and renewable fuel technology,” he said.

But he added, “A comprehensive solution includes oil shale production, exploring (the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, and allowing states to decide where to develop offshore resources. This proposal falls short of meeting those goals.”

Members of the group include Sens. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., Mary Landrieu, D-Louisiana,

John Thune, R-S.D.; Ben Nelson, D-Neb.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Mark Pryor, D-Ark.; Johnny Isakson, R-Ga.; Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark.; and Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga.

-- Billy House