Wed, January 16, 2008 - 9:00 PM

LAKE WYLIE, S.C. – The battle for the Republican nomination in South Carolina rolls on. Sen. John McCain, fresh off a second place finish in Michigan to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, stops for a town hall meeting at T-Bones, a steak joint in this suburb of Charlotte, N.C.

The event was supposed to be outside, but the weather has dipped near freezing, so McCain’s advisers move it inside. And the place is packed.

As Moe the Bartender from the Simpsons would say, this is a restaurant with "a bunch of crazy crap" on the walls. So, it’s perfect for political reporters like to look for poignant (read: tortured) metaphors in the décor to tell the narrative of the campaign.

There are multiple “Don’t Mess with Texas” signs. A reminder of the scorched earth campaign former Texas governor George W. Bush used to crush McCain’s bid in South Carolina in 2000?

There’s the “Bull for Sale” sign perched just above McCain’s head, not exactly an ideal juxtaposition for a candidate who says he’s “here to tell the truth” at every stop.

And there’s the multiple posters for old John Wayne movies from the 60s. As if we need a reminder that McCain would be the oldest elected president if he wins.

(Counteracting this: the two 16-year-olds sitting next to me in the second row. They tell me the McCain camp plopped them up front to project an image of youthful vigor for the cameras. They tell me they’re Democrats, but they’re here because they like McCain and they’re huge political geeks. Don’t blow our cover, they say. And I don’t.)

McCain rolls in after an introduction from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and the vaudeville act starts up.

Joke 1: After he lost here in 2000, McCain says he slept like a baby. “Sleep two hours, wake up and cry. Sleep two hours, wake up and cry,” he says. Cue the rim shot.

Joke 2: He rails against pork barrel spending. “We spent $3 million dollars to study the DNA of bears. I’m not sure if that was a criminal issue or a paternity issue,” he deadpans. Bad-dum-dum.

Then he says “my friends, let’s have some straight talk,” his signature line. It’s what the people here came to hear. Well, except for those who just came here to have dinner, in a restaurant obviously in extreme violation of the fire code.

And the town hall starts. McCain is asked how we solve the nursing shortage? Scholarships and student loans.

He’s asked if he’ll pick Joe Lieberman as a running mate if he wins. McCain is non-committal.

And then the tough one: an adorable little girl in the upper deck asks him how he’ll “protect our wildlife.”

Graham pipes up: “That’s a bad place to ask that question.”

And he’s right. The progeny of Ernest Hemingway and Teddy Roosevelt appears to run T-Bones. This joint is lousy with dead stuffed animals. A quick accounting: A skunk, a wild cat, several bass, a fox, a mountain lion, a duck, a turkey, a goose, at least a half dozen elk, a beaver, a boar. There’s a chair AND a chandelier made entirely out of deer antlers. And we haven’t even touched on the inflatable dinosaur and the light up Spuds MacKenzie behind the bar.

“I won’t kill this many animals,” he says, which seems to placate his questioner.

--Sean Mussenden

There’s a lot of attention right now on the race for the White House.

But congressional seats also are at stake this fall.

In an interview today, Rep. Jo Bonner, R-Ala., said he intends to run again for his seat in the 1st District.

There was little doubt about that. Still, hearing Bonner actually say so is likely a relief for House GOP leaders.

That’s because Republicans, since losing majority control of the chamber after the 2006 elections, have heard 20 of their House colleagues announce they will not be seeking reelection this fall – including Rep. Terry Everett, R-Ala.

Montgomery Mayor Bobby Bright is seriously considering running for Everett’s 2nd Congressional District seat, according to published reports this week. But he has not said whether he’d run as a Republican or Democrat.

-- Amy Dominello

A “draft Lou Dobbs for president” effort has been launched by a group that says Republicans John McCain, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee are wrong on the issue of immigration.

The better answer, the groups says, is voting for CNN’s Dobbs as an independent candidate. Dobbs’ voice in the immigration report can be heard discussing what he describes as the nation’s “broken borders” almost every night on his show, “Lou Dobbs Tonight.”

"Ninety percent of our supporters are behind either (Mitt) Romney, (Fred) Thompson, (Ron) Paul, or (Duncan) Hunter for President because they appear truly opposed to Amnesty for illegal aliens," says William Gheen of Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee, in announcing the draft movement.

"Eighty four percent of our supporters say they would support Lou Dobbs for President, if the GOP primary fails to yield a candidate opposed to Amnesty,” he added.

Gheen’s statement noted that The Wall Street Journal reported on Jan. 7 that some people are dropping Dobbs' name as a potential candidate and that he is a self-styled "independent populist" who is reluctant to run, but responds to such suggestions with "I cannot say never.” Dobbs could not immediately be reached by Herd on the Trail Wednesday.

"Lou Dobbs could run and win because he could easily raise the funds and grassroots support he needs to be a historic and viable candidate quickly, suggested Gheen.

"Our Web site is designed to allow people to express their political support for Lou Dobbs, to show Mr. Dobbs what kind of support is out there, and to have some supporters organized, if he decides to run," he said.

The link for the site is here.

-- Billy House

Tue, January 15, 2008 - 9:48 PM

And Sen. John Edwards hops on the mistake admission bandwagon. Both he and Sen. Hillary Clinton say they were wrong to vote in favor of legislation that made it harder for people in deep debt to declare bankruptcy, legislation that banks and credit card companies both sought.

And we've hit the time for the candidates to question each other directly.

"We should know right away if this is a bad idea," Williams says. How can this possibly be bad.

Edwards starts. He asks Sen. Barack Obama -- with a backhanded dig at Clinton -- whether the employees of drug companies that donate money to his and Clinton's campaigns "expect something from this money?" Obama points out that he does not take money from lobbyists or PACs, and says that the employees of drug companies who donate to his campaign are not seeking favorable legislation in Washington, but rather are "mid-level executives" who are excited about his campaign.

Clinton does take money from lobbyists and PACs, including drug companies. Edwards probably should have asked this question of her.

Clinton's turn. She asks Obama to join with her to prevent President Bush from "binding the hands" of the next president on Iraq, by requiring Bush to come before Congress before he builds new bases or ups troop levels in the country. "We can work on this, Hillary. We have unity in the democratic party on this. The notion that Presidnet Bush could tie the hands of the next president" is wrong, Obama says.

And a strange thing happens with Obama. In his answer about the Iraq war, he starts to asks Edwards a question, apparently by mistake, then quickly pulls back. That's your question, the ref (Brian Williams) rules. Too bad for Obama here. You have to imagine he wanted to ask Clinton a question.

--Sean Mussenden

The debate just came back from a commercial break, and Brian Williams starts of with a question on the economy. Finally, some substance.

On another note, Williams just announced that each candidate will get to ask two questions of the other candidates. Oooh! Now we're talking.

I'd like your feedback. What should the candidates ask each other? Comment below.

We’re 20 minutes into the Democratic debate in Nevada, and Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama, and former Sen. John Edward have all argued that the infighting – largely over race – that has defined the Democratic contest for the last week must end. It’s time to go back to talking about issues like health care, the economy and more, they said.

And the moderators, NBC’s Brian Williams and Tim Russert, have obliged by … asking question after question unrelated to a single policy issue. Lots of questions over campaign infighting.

Brian, Tim, perhaps you’ve heard that the level of economic anxiety is creeping up to levels not seen in five years, as economists debate over whether we’re headed to a recession. The candidates have all in recent days talked about economic stimulus plans, with vastly different components. Maybe we could get a few questions about that.

A few early thoughts. Russert, a master questioner, has already got Obama and Clinton to admit that their campaigns had made mistakes in recent days. With Obama, it was a comment of his about Clinton’s likability that some viewed as disparaging to her. With Clinton, it was a comment a supporter of hers made on Sunday – BET founder Bob Johnson – widely viewed as a crack on Obama’s teenage drug use.

Not that notable, perhaps, except when viewed in context of the current administration. During President Bush’s terms in office, Bush has been famously reluctant to admit mistakes.

If Obama or Clinton win, will admitting mistakes once again become en vogue in Washington?

--Sean Mussenden

The TV Networks may not be asking all the tough questions.

But former supermodel Tyra Banks is doing her job – getting to the bottom of whether Hillary Clinton would rather be on Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, or America's Next Top Model?

The Clinton presidential campaign has just released excerpts of a transcript of the New York senator’s taped appearance on the Tyra Banks Show, which is to air on Friday.

Here’s just a sampling of what’s in store for viewers.

TYRA: Now if you win, you are going to be Madam President or Madame? . . . He [Bill Clinton] has to have another name because . . . it would be your time.

SENATOR CLINTON: Well, that is true. He will always be Mr. President but now we need to do a nationwide contest for a name.

TYRA: Like a reality show.

SENATOR CLINTON: Like a reality show. This is good, because think about it; here are some of the things that have been suggested like First Mate. His Scottish friends say "First Laddie," but we need ideas. I'll just keep calling him Bill.

And also …

TYRA: . . . If you were a contestant on a reality show, would you rather be on Dancing with the Stars, American Idol, or America's Next Top Model?

SENATOR CLINTON: In my dreams I would be on America's Next Top Model. But in reality I would have to choose my limited talents and of them dancing is better than singing. You do not want me to sing.

-- Billy House

Is television network coverage of the presidential candidates ignoring their positions on the issue of global warming?

MoveOn.org claims to have the statistics to back it up, in an e-mail today to supporters..

As a result, the on-line, liberal grass-roots group says it is teaming up with the League of Conservation Voters in a petition drive to push TV reporters to spend more time asking the candidates about climate change.

According to the group's research, the major TV networks in the last year asked the presidential candidates 2,679 questions.

Pop quiz: How many were about global warming?

A. 514 -- after all, it's one of the top issues facing the country
B. 165 -- as many as were asked about illegal immigration
C. 3 --the same number asked about UFOs

If you guessed 3, you're right, exclaims MoveOn's e-mail.

“Reporters asked as many questions about UFOs as they did about the climate crisis—the biggest threat to our planet,” says the e-mail.

"NBC's top political reporter, Tim Russert, didn't ask a single question about global warming last year. Same for Sunday political show hosts on CBS and ABC. CNN asked just 1. Incredibly, Republican-leaning Fox bested them all with a grand total of 2."

“Our friends at the League of Conservation Voters will deliver your signature and comment directly to the TV networks at a press conference in front of their Washington, D.C., headquarters,” says the e-mail. “And they'll use our petition signatures to prove there's public demand for TV anchors to ask about climate change.”

-- Billy House

Rep. Tom Davis, a Republican whose congressional district straddles the Washington beltway in Northern Virginia, has endorsed John McCain for president, McCain's campaign announced today.

"John McCain alone has the experience, character and integrity we need in our next president," said Davis, in a statement released by the committee.

The statement from Davis continued: "As president, John McCain will lead the fight for fiscal responsibility, a strong defense and the highest ethical How standards to restore Americans' trust in their leadership. I am proud to support him for president."

Like McCain, Davis is a Republican with a streak of independence. As chairman of the Government Reform Committee prior to the Democratic takeover of the House, he had criticized the Bush Administration's response to Hurrican Katrina, and launched a review of the Iraq war. His committee also grabbed headline s in 2005 with hearings that focused on steroid use in Major League Baseball.

It's hard to say how influential his endorsement might be. The presidential field has paid scant attention to Virginia voters so far. And the state’s primary is scheduled for Feb. 12, after many decisive contests.

-- Billy House

Mon, January 14, 2008 - 2:00 PM

As a Southerner, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards has focused nearly all of his attention over the last week on winning in South Carolina, the state of his birth. A win here – which appears unlikely right now – could help revive his campaign.

Is it possible, though, that Edwards is focusing on the wrong state? Despite his native-son appeal in South Carolina, polls show him running a distant third behind Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama.

But a new poll out in Nevada today by the Reno Gazette-Journal, shows Edwards locked in a much tighter race in that state than in South Carolina. Accounting for the margin of error of 4.5 percent, the poll shows that race is a dead heat, with Obama getting 32 percent, Clinton at 30 percent, and Edwards at 27 percent.

The caucuses there are scheduled for Sunday, so there's still plenty of time for a shift -- either for or away -- for Edwards.

One interesting subplot: the impact of the union vote. Edwards' strong anti-corporate, pro-worker populist message has made him the candidate of choice for many labor unions, though some have gone with Clinton or Obama as a second choice because of fears that Edwards could not win. A key union out there, the Culinary Workers Union, which represents casino workers, came out for Obama last week, which was expected to give him a strong edge.

--Sean Mussenden

On the eve of Tuesday’s Michigan Republican primary, Mitt Romney today will continue to play up that he has a more optimistic view of the future of the auto industry in that state than does John McCain.

In a speech this afternoon to the Detroit Economic Club, Romney will even blame domestic automakers’ problems, in part, on Washington politicians.

The former Massachusetts governor will say that his presidency would not only shun pessimism -- but also do something to turn the industry around -- in several not-so-veiled swipes at McCain.

Romney's comments today will be the latest in a back-and-forth that began last week when the Arizona senator reacted to Mitt Romney’s talk about reviving some Michigan industries. McCain suggested some simply can’t be resurrected.

“I've got to give you some straight talk: Some of the jobs that have left the state of Michigan are not coming back,'’ McCain said, in widely reported comments. McCain explained he is just being realistic, and that new types of jobs need to be created.

But there have been signs that Romney’s focus on McCain’s pessimism is now causing McCain’s “straight talk” in Michigan to take a U-Turn?

By Saturday, The Detroit News was quoting McCain as saying, “We can restore Detroit’s Supremacy … I’m optimistic.”

But in today’s speech, Romney will continue to highlight his optimism, versus the pessimism of others.

"Washington politicians look at Michigan and see a rust belt. But the real rust is in Washington," Romney will say, according to excerpts of his speech sent out by his campaign.

"There is no one silver bullet. When it comes to getting Michigan back on track and building a stronger America, we must address every problem I've spoken about. And I will,” Romney will also say.

Romney also will say that McCain has been part of the problem.

"For example, Senator McCain and Senator Lieberman have a bill pending in Congress that unilaterally imposes new high energy costs on U.S. manufacturers, with no safety valve," Romney will claim. "The Energy Information Agency estimated that this bill would raise electric rates by as much as 25 percent and gasoline prices by 68 cents a gallon. And the cost in American jobs – over 300,000. So it would not only kill jobs, it would make it harder for families to make ends meet."

In response, the McCain camp just issued a statement on its behalf from former Massachusetts Gov. Jane Swift.

"Michigan voters shouldn't be fooled by Mitt Romney's latest campaign promises of economic development and job growth. They need to look closely at his record in Massachusetts, where manufacturing job growth was third-worst in the country and taxes and 'fees' increased by over $700 million per year. Mitt Romney even advocated a new SUV tax that would have hurt the same American auto industry in Michigan that he now claims to champion," Swift said.

"Mitt Romney has a reputation of saying anything to win. A comparison of his record versus his rhetoric on the economy shows why," reads Swift's statement.

This final push in Michigan could be critical for Romney – who has finished second in the Iowa caucuses and in the New Hampshire primary. He is banking on strong ties to the state -- including that his father was a Michigan governor in the 1960s.

But McCain is hoping to keep his momentum from winning the New Hampshire primary alive Tuesday with another win in Michigan, a state he captured in his 2000 race against then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

Latest polls show a tight race. The Detroit Free Press on Sunday released its final pre-primary poll, showing Romney leading McCain among Republican primary voters 27 percent to 22 percent, with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at 16 percent.

And a Mason and Dixon Polling and Research poll released on Sunday that had Romney leading McCain among Republican primary voters 30 percent to 22 percent, with Huckabee at 17 percent.

But as Romney himself explained on Sunday, in an appearance on CBS News’ Face the Nation, Michigan’s GOP primary is not limited to Republicans, as independents and Democrats also can choose to cast their ballots in the race.

"I plan on winning Michigan, and there's no question, if it were just Republicans and independents, I'd win Michigan. But Democrats also get to vote in the primary here, so you can't be 100 percent sure,” Romney told host Bob Schieffer.

But Romney went on to say that he won’t quit the race even is he loses Michigan, promising to go on to South Carolina’s Jan. 19 GOP primary, Florida’s Jan. 29 primary, and then the Feb. 5 primaries in 21 states.

-- Billy House

Sun, January 13, 2008 - 12:43 PM

Sen. Hillary Clinton and BET founder Robert Johnson converse at an African-American Presbyterian church in Columbia, S.C. on Sunday. Photo by Sean Mussenden/Media General News Service.


COLUMBIA, S.C. – The Bible says God rested on the seventh day. God obviously never had to run for president of the United States.

The war for South Carolina’s Democratic presidential nomination went to church on Sunday, as Sen. Hillary Clinton delivered a sermon on race and gender equality to a small congregation of African-American voters at a Presbyterian church here.

The Democratic contest here has become a dogfight between Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama, with Sen. John Edwards running a distant third in polls.

Black voters are expected to account for half of all Democratic voters in the state’s primary, scheduled for Jan. 26, making them a crucial voting block.

Many remain torn between Clinton – who would be the first female president – and Obama – the first African-American one.

Clinton, who has been extremely critical of Obama in other settings, toned down her message at church. She said she was “proud” of Obama and said that African-Americans and women shared a common struggle.

“The only way forward on behalf of justice and equality is together. We cannot stand apart. Because while we may be fighting different injustices, we are fighting for the same cause,” she said.

“Right is of no sex, truth is of no color,” she said, quoting the African-American abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

Clinton has come under fire from some African-American leaders in the state after a she said recently that though Dr. Martin Luther King was the leading force for the Civil Rights Act, it took a white president – Lyndon Johnson – to get it passed. Some viewed the comment as discounting King’s contribution to the historic legislation.

If those comments hurt Clinton with average voters, that was not on display Sunday. Virtually the entire church – perhaps 200 people – lined up after her speech to shake her hand and exchange small talk.

Clinton was joined by several prominent African-American leaders, including Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, the first African-American elected to Congress from Ohio, and Robert Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television.

--Sean Mussenden

John Warner is going back on the campaign trail -- but the senior senator from Virginia hasn't changed his mind about retiring. Warner will stump in South Carolina for his fellow member of the Armed Services Committee and presidential candidate John McCain, R-Ariz.

South Carolina has the fifth-fastest-growing veterans population in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That constituency could be helpful to McCain after his victory in the New Hampshire primary. South Carolina's first-in-the-South Republican primary is Jan. 19.

Warner, a former Navy secretary, will remind votes of McCain’s military career, but as importantly, Warner can showcase how McCain applied his military experience to policy work on the Senate committee.

Warner’s work for McCain could also bring a less positive issue to mind -- age. Warner is 80; McCain is 71. Among the military retirees along coastal South Carolina, age may be a good thing.

Today, Warner is scheduled to hold a “meet and greet” at Blackstone’s Café in Beaufort and another at Sun City Hilton Head Republican Club.

Monday, Warner will attend two events for McCain in Charleston – one at The Citadel.


--Neil H. Simon

Fri, January 11, 2008 - 3:01 PM

It’s not quite a “buy one, get two” sale. It's more of a "sell one, get twice as much for it" sale.

In an e-mail solicitation sent out today, John Edwards’ Democratic presidential campaign emphasizes the opportunity for his supporters “to buy a T-shirt, a bumper sticker or a campaign sign …”

But here’s the best part for Edwards.

Since Edwards has opted for public financing, all the purchases of these items count toward a donor’s overall contribution limit of $250 – and can be matched by the federal government.

That means, "Your contribution could have twice the impact for our campaign!" the e-mail says.

“Your $20 T-shirt could bring $40 of resources as the campaign expands to additional states,” the campaign explains.

(By the way, all the products available for purchase are ‘union made and union printed in the USA’, according to the e-mail.)

-- Billy House

With the Democratic field all but narrowed to a two-person race between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the Democratic Leadership Council today weighed in on the race, saying the early trends bode well for their party.

Though Clinton is a member of the DLC’s ‘leadership team,’ the organization is not endorsing her candidacy right now.

In fact, DLC Founder and CEO Al From seemed to relish in the idea of a drawn out primary, telling reporters on a conference call today, “We are looking for a good long fight and I think a constructive one in the primaries, because of the nature of our candidates.”

The organization, made popular for its heavy involvement in drafting policies for Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, has pushed the Democratic party more toward the political center. But today its chairman, Harold Ford Jr., said, Democrats need to start giving voters more substance and specifics in defining ‘change,’ which has emerged as an overarching 2008 campaign them.

Looking at the numbers, the DLC, and Dems in general, have something to smile about: turnout. The record-breaking turnouts in early contests have not been divided equally among the parties. In Iowa, Democrats increased their caucus turnout compared to 2004 by an estimated 78-percent. Republicans increased by 30-percent over the same time period.

Registration rolls tell an even larger story. Since 2004, Democratic registration numbers have increased by 14-percent in Iowa. Republicans have decreased 1.4-percent. The Iowa Secretary of State’s office now shows total registration favoring Democrats by 30,000 voters. Just four years ago Republicans held a 51,000-vote margin in the state.

--Neil H. Simon