Insights
More GOP Governors Will Fold on Medicaid Expansion
It's only a matter of time before more GOP Governors fold on Medicaid expansion. Why? State budget realities. States that are refusing to expand Medicaid — like Texas — are hurting their hospitals by giving up funds that could help offset their uncompensated care, Dan...
Legal Challenge to Obamacare Fading
Politico is reporting today, correctly, that window is closing for those who want to bulldoze the Obama health law in court. It is going to become increasingly difficult because courts are much less willing to overturn something that is already entrenched said Randy...
The 2012 Election Aftermath Analysis
Looking past the fact the 2012 election was a GOP debacle, and the allegation — fair or not — that the GOP has a “polling problem,” the election result is best analyzed by a Resurgent Republic analysis authored by by Whit Ayres, Jon McHenry and...
Romney Achieves Parity on Medicare With Obama
Despite DCSpectator's prior skepticism that the GOP in general and the Romney campaign in particular could achieve a level of parity with the Democrats on the issue of protecting Medicare, Kaiser data suggests the Romney campaign has largely succeeded. Even though...
Polling Accuracy Reaching a Tipping Point as IVR Surveys Pollute Averaging
With dozens of polls on the presidential and congressional races out weekly in the closing phase of the 2012 campaign, many of which are IVR (robo-polls) as opposed to live caller polls, even taking an average of polls a la the Real Clear Politics average is becoming...
Allen Needs To Step Up Paid Media in DC Media Market
Besides the Arizona Senate race between GOP Rep. Jeff Flake and Democrat Richard Carmona, which has become a tight contest, the Virginia race between George Allen and Tim Kaine warrants attention in that Allen needs to focus his message and his rationale. While Allen...
Medicare Issue Turns Against GOP
When Mitt Romney selected Paul Ryan as his Veep nominee, and initially seized the offensive on Medicare by charging "Obamacare" was funded by actually siphoning-off Medicare dollars, too many GOP consultants rejoiced prematurely. One NRCC operative was quoted as...
Predictable DC Drumbeat that Romney is Toast
If one listened only to the Washington Beltway echo chamber this week, the presidential campaign is over. Not only did Romney 'mishandle' the sacking of the U.S. embassy in Libya, but he's also "lost Ohio" and thus the election because of several polls confirming the...
Romney Wave or Obama Squeaker?
As the GOP Convention convenes in Tampa and Republicans eagerly await Mitt Romney's acceptance speech, the sense is developing among several analysts that either Romney will pull away at the end in a modest 'wave election' and win a bit more handily than the current...
Health Reform Underway Regardless of Supreme Court Decision
Former Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (MedPAC) Administrator Donald Berwick is right about one thing: regardless of the Supreme Court ruling on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), health care reforms are already being driven in the private sector marketplace....
Poll: Small Business Tax Cuts Have Appeal to GOP and Dems
Tax breaks for small businesses are popular, and that's some welcome news for those of us who run small corporations, and shoulder the lion's share of the U.S. tax burden. Taxes are up, costs are up, and, while profits are up, working seven days is just a fact of...
DC Slowly Understanding Romney Can Win
While all eyes are on the Wisconsin recall tonite, and no declared winner yet, am going to have to say how slow DC moves in recognizing Mitt Romney is more likely than not to win the Presidency. Unsurprisingly, most of official Washington is relatively oblivious to...
POS/Hart Survey Underscores Potency of Attacking Lawmaker Votes to Cut Medicare
As the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives begin making crucial budgetary decisions for FY 2013, a recent survey conducted for the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care by Public Opinion Strategies and Hart Research Associates underscores the saliency political...
Gingrich the DC “Outsider”
As the Florida GOP race moves to Florida and a new Rasmussen survey finds Gingrich with 41%, Romney with 32% and Santorum at 11%, the Romney campaign is wrestling with the fact Newt has completely turned the tables and is now the insurgent 'outsider' who will bring...
Romney Polling Spike In South Carolina Breaks Glass Ceiling
The rap on Mitt Romney in both national surveys and states beyond just his home geo base in NH is that he cannot poke through approximately 25% in this large multi-candidate. While just one survey, the new CNN/Time/ORC South Carolina poll puts Romney at 37% followed...
Wyden Says Dem Outrage Over Teaming With Ryan on Medicare Will Subside
Senate Democrats on Capitol Hill were more than miffed at Sen. Ron Wyden’s (D-OR) decision to join Republican Paul Ryan on a new Medicare reform plan. But Wyden says the negative criticism will subside once the plan is actually reviewed. But that's not likely in this...
The DC Herd Jumps on “Newt Has Peaked” Bandwagon
One benefit of my office setup — some say a liability that perpetuates a narrow Beltway perspective — is that i watch MSNBC, Fox News, CNN and CNBC throughout the course of the business day. One benefit is sensing shift in narratives and storylines —...
Remembering 9/11 Part2
Walking back to Georgetown from Memorial Bridge, where I stood for at least an hour in silence watching the smoldering Pentagon, the first thing one could notice was that even M Street and Wisconsin Avenue had pretty much cleared out, as most, presumably, stayed...
Remembering 9/11
Like millions of Americans, i was already at work that fateful morning. It was a sunny, beautiful day in Georgetown, and had just enjoyed a dark roast coffee on my porch overlooking the serene courtyard. It was just like any other day. Seated back at my desk right...
Tim Pawlenty’s “Manchester Meltdown”?
I was greeted this morning by a crescendo of email alerts and tweets declaring that Mitt Romney and Michelle Bachmann "won" the CNN GOP presdiential primary debate in Manchester, NH -- and that's essentially correct. It's also true that Tim Pawlenty was the consensus...
RSS vs. Twitter? — Or Maintaining Both
Paris, VA -- As someone whose livelihood depends on aggregating dozens and dozens of news sources, opinion outlets and every variety of information related to politics, the media and health care, I depend upon my RSS feed. And as more than 50% of my consulting work...
Ben Nelson Faces Enormous 2012 Odds in Presidential Election Cycle
Alexandria, VA -- As Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) already faces an extremely challenging re-election environment, it will be even more difficult for him in a presidential election cycle, when he will be running alongside Barack Obama. In an off-year re-elect, extremely...
Health Providers Must Emphasize Cost-Efficiency in FY 2012 Budget Debate
Capitol Hill lawmakers, regulators and the media have heard it all before at the onset of the annual budget dance: No cuts to Medicare — especially as state budgetary chaos has eroded Medicaid funding stability. With the 2012 budget debate about to get underway on Capitol Hill, the nature and composition of the new Congress — with an eye on spending cuts — will require health care providers of every stripe to emphasize how they’re part of the solution when it comes to saving tax dollars.
New Kaiser Poll on HCR: 51% Say Repeal All or Part of Law
The new Kaiser poll on health care reform is rather determinative about the law: 51% say repeal all or part of the law while 41% say leave as is or expand it. And among those who voted in the 2010 mid-terms, 56% said repeal all or part of law and just 36% said leave...
How Harry Reid Won
I lost my shirt on this race, and still don't get it. How did Reid win while topping out at mid-40's in his ballot w/ Sharon Angle while suffering an unfav that was rarely below 52? Mark Mellman and Jim Margolis explain in this piece, courtesy of PollingReport.com:...
Texas Leading Nation in Medicaid ‘Opt-Out’ Threat
Tim Graves, President of the Texas Health Care Association (THCA) in Austin, TX has taken a measured, rational, intelligent approach to opposing the Medicaid "opt-out" proposal being fanned by Governor Rick Perry and newly-emboldened House conservatives in the Texas...
Online Advertising in 2010 Campaign Cycle: A Marginal Impact
Online advertising in political campaigns is of value. the question is, how much? This article by Vinny Minchillo, creative director for Scott Howell and Co., reflects my sentiment entirely, and appears in the 11/1/10 Advertising Age: Online's a Fine Place to Start,...
Pelosi House of Cards About to Tumble
Say what one will about Nancy Pelosi, but she is strong leader who delivered time and again for the Obama White House while Senate leader Harry Reid whiffed, waffled and stumbled his way through the last session of Congress. But Reid won re-election anyway. Now,...
The Incredible Shrinking Man: Barack Obama
Any reasonable observer of the 2010 campaign season can conclude President Obama has been completely ineffective selling his agenda, his policies and a rationale for continuing to support Democrats in Congress. Its been a steady downhill plunge for Obama and...
CMS Should Withdraw MPPR Proposal From Proposed Physician Fee Schedule Rule
Despite the fact the 2010 mid-terms are just weeks away, there are some highly technical matters related to optimizing seniors' care that require immediate action -- and which can hopefully gain the attention of Congress in a lame duck session. The matter at hand is...
A Key Primer on Dealing With The Media
For those folks with a hazy understanding about the rules of engagement with the media, this Atlantic article is a good primer. The key walkaway point is that YOU as a source are absolutely responsible for the terms of engagement -- and you should never assume your...
Ending Tax Cuts for “The Rich” — The Flawed Assumption
Robert McTeer in Forbes, “The Flawed Assumption Behind Ending The Bush Tax Cut For The Rich”: “We hear over and over that 'the rich' have a lower marginal propensity to consume and, thus, smaller multipliers than the multipliers of real people, or no multiplier at...
Houston Chronicle: Nursing Homes Merit Higher Priority During Hurricane Season
Here's the latest op-ed authored by Strategic Media, Inc. for a client, the Texas Health Care Association (THCA), appearing in the Sunday, July 11 edition of the Houston Chronicle: Nursing Homes Merit Higher Priority During Hurricane Season By TIM GRAVES AND GREG...
Boxer Attacks on Fiorina Are So Stale 90’s
Have always been impressed with the ferocity of the campaigns waged by Barbara Boxer against hapless opponents over the years. Something seems different this time: Boxer's liberal brand is stale and the cookie cutter SEIU-style negative class warfare attacks seem...
Running and Hiding From Media, Mark Kirk Blowing Illinois Senate Race
Just several months ago, Illinois GOP Senate candidate, Rep. Mark Kirk, was flying high -- and a solid front runner to win Barack Obama's Senate seat while Democrat Alexi Giannoulias was being dogged by a family banking scandal. Giannoulias still has severe problems...
New National Poll on Grateful Dead: Even Republicans Like Them
The results of a recent Mark Mellman survey on public attitudes surrounding the Grateful Dead -- where even Republicans give the band a higher favorable than unfavorable rating -- was reported today on Tucker Carlson's Daily Caller website. Tucker saw a bunch of...
New York Times Botches Editing of Blumenthal Story; Facts and Context Inexplicably Omitted
The New York Times' initial story about Connecticut AG Richard Blumenthal's Vietnam exaggeration scandal is an abysmal effort from the standpoint of accuracy and context. The situation developed when the Times reported that Blumenthal had repeatedly distorted his...
New Marist Poll: Pataki Best New York Governor
A new Marist poll (686 RVs 5/3-5 +/- 4%) asked, "Which one of the following do you think has been the best governor for New York State?" The options: Nelson Rockefeller, Hugh Carey, Mario Cuomo, George Pataki, Eliot Spitzer, and David Paterson. Pataki edged Cuomo for...
Kay Bailey Hutchison’s Road to Political Oblivion
As Clayton Williams' press secretary during the 1990 campaign for governor against Ann Richards, I flew around Texas with the candidate on many an occasion accompanied by a variety of surrogates. Kay Bailey Hutchison, then State Treasurer, was enormously appealing on...
For SNFs, FMAP Extension Badly-Needed as State Medicaid Budgets Wither
Putting aside the various policy benefits and liabilities associated with the respective Senate and House health care reform bills, currently buried in a snowdrift of indecision somewhere on Capitol Hill, the House bill's temporary federal medical assistance...
Bill Clinton ’93: Too Involved in Health Reform; Barack Obama ’09: Not Involved Enough
In thinking about how health care reform went so far off the tracks both in 1993 under Bill Clinton and in 2009, under President Obama, one can reason the Clinton’s went too far in their micro involvement in the details of reform. Now, in retrospect, Obama has done...
A Case Study in How To Avoid Becoming a Campaign Issue
Any press operative who has ever been sent into a high stakes campaign environment knows one of the first things NOT to do is become a campaign issue yourself. Mike Meehan, dispatched by the DSCC to “help” Martha Coakley in Massachusetts against Republican Scott Brown, seems to have body-checked a Weekly Standard reporter and then menaced him, for lack of a better word, at a Capitol Hill fundraiser.
Harry Reid’s Racial Gaffe and the Dangers of Speaking on “Deep Background”
Putting aside the appalling double standard from Democrats regarding Trent Lott's comments about Strom Thurmond and Harry Reid's comments about President Obama, one key question surrounding this explosive news nugget served up by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann in...
Michael Steele: The Antithesis of Haley Barbour as RNC Chairman
Among other tone deaf offenses rooted in self-aggrandizement, RNC Chairman Michael Steele recently decided to collect speaking fees when out on the hustings on the rubber-chicken circuit. This is highly unusual, unseemly, and unprecedented for a chairman of either...
Medicare Cuts in House Health Reform Bill Politically Unrealistic
The health care reform bill (HR 3962) that passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by the slimmest of margins last week was dealt a serious setback this weekend when the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new study that, according to the Washington Post, “found Medicare cuts contained in the health package approved by the House on Nov. 7 are likely to prove so costly to hospitals and nursing homes that they could stop taking Medicare altogether.”
Clouds of Doubt Settle Over Head of MN Sec. of State Mark Ritchie
On Election Day, Senate GOP incumbent Norm Coleman squeezed out a 721 vote victory against former funnyman Al Franken. As scattered votes from the DFL strongholds of the Iron Range – and in particular, Duluth – rolled in with almost uncanny timing throughout the early and late morning hours of November 5th, Al Franken – […]
McCain Big GOP Winner Coming Out of Iowa Caucus
While he didn’t even compete in Iowa, John McCain is the big winner tonight as the Iowa Caucus results unfold — and as Mitt Romney takes a big hit from Mike Huckabee in the run-up to the New Hampshire primary. McCain couldn’t have scripted it any better: a weakened, vulnerable Romney will now stagger into […]
New McCain Offensive on Romney Keeps Rudy Above Fray
With the resurgent campaign of John McCain (still more hype than reality, but there is indeed some incremental movement) laying the wood to Mitt Romney as an unprincipled liberal flip-flopper, the chief beneficiary is none other than Rudy Giuliani. There appears to be a mindset established over the past two weeks or so in which […]
Giuliani Slips on Social Security Tax Increase Banana Peel
Rudy Giuliani’s AP interview bylined yesterday by Liz Sidoti and Libby Quaid is starting to look like there’ll be a need to “re-explain” his view — dangerous that it is if it stands — that a tax increase might be needed to shore up Social Security. Here’s the offending article excerpt: Giuliani “refused to rule […]
McCain “Comeback” Storyline About to Punch Through
There’s enough anecdotal and real evidence in terms of an incremental polling uptick that it’s inevitable the NYT, WP, WSJ or other opinion-leader will write a trend-setting “John McCain’s Back” story very, very soon. To help this along, the McCain campaign is spinning the John Kerry 2004 Iowa comeback analogy, which is somewhat overstated, but […]
Batter Up: Bush Steps Up to Hammer Backpedaling MoveOn.org
This was one of those seminal days in Washington, where a hard-core political attack by an ideologically-aligned group finally backfires under the weight of time and scrutiny. Washington lives for this. President Bush, sensing the moment of perfect timing, gleefully and in a clearly pre-scripted manner, hammered MoveOn.org’s ill-considered (after the fact) Petraeus/Betray Us NYT […]
Rudy Giuliani Versus MoveOn.org — Rudy in a K.O.
As this Rudy-MoveOn.org fracas continues to unfold, this slugfest is becoming a mismatch. Giuliani is milking this to the max in Iowa with paid advertising slamming weak, “anti-war liberals”. They should bump the radio up to TV. “But wait” say some observers (all inside the beltway): MoveOn has upped their tv buy slamming Rudy for […]
Fred Thompson Smartly Avoids NH Debate; Activists Await Rationale for Candidacy, Plausible Conservative Message
With all the brouhaha and negative cable news coverage regarding candidate-in-waiting Fred Thompson’s decision to skip tonight’s Fox News New Hampshire debate in favor of a Jay Leno appearance in Hollywood, and how it’s going to “hurt” him – that’s all a total crock. In fact, it’s a solid strategic move for several reasons: First, […]
Giuliani Press Operation Raises Its Game
Besides the fact Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign has developed a plausible message centered upon strength and leadership, it has shown itself to be increasingly nimble and agile on the political front — seeking advantage and opportunity by living off the land using campaign savvy and the wire and glue of spin needed in this game […]
McCain’s Grim Reality Bolstered by Rock Bottom Expectations and the Unexpected
There’s obviously not much good news for the presidential campaign of Arizona Senator John McCain. The odds are that he’s cooked, especially with the imminent entry of Fred Thompson, who has helped starve the McCain campaign of needed funds. But as grim as things are at the moment, there’s at least one corollary benefit, however […]
Obama Campaign Errors Taking Toll on Credibility
Senator Barack Obama’s presidential effort is hauling in a boatload of cash, but his credibility is sinking fast as the rookie politician continues to blame staffers for various transgressions related to competency and judgment. For example, Obama called the ‘Hillary Clinton (D-Punjab)’ memo “a screw-up on the part of our research staff” (Des Moines Register). […]
Despite Message Control From HillaryHub.com, MSM Remains Key to Making, Breaking News
The interesting Ben Smith article in Politico this morning reporting on Hillary Clinton’s new auxilliary website, HillaryHub.com, contains plenty of valid points and analysis in regard to how the internet is impacting the dissemination of news from campaigns. Smith reports, “Not long ago, a campaign had a couple of options for getting out word of […]
New Books on Hillary Clinton Indeed a “Big Yawn”
Watching Carl Bernstein discuss with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer his new book about Hillary Clinton, “A Woman in Charge,” the discussion this morning was solely a rehash of past foibles, mistakes and indulgences on the part of the Clintons. When one hears the name “Betsy Wright” bandied about — and all of her twenty plus years […]
Giuliani Makes Clever Move on Ames Straw Poll; Thompson to Follow?
Per the Des Moines Register, Rudy Giuliani will skip the Ames straw poll in August, but still compete in the Iowa caucus. While blowing off the circus-like Ames event, Giuliani manager Mike DuHaime said ‘We are 100 percent committed to winning the Iowa caucuses. We’re going to take the resources that would have been spent […]
For CNN Politics Commentary, More Mike Murphy, Less Amy Holmes
Just a sidenote from the CNN debate this evening and the subsequent commentary: Mike Murphy should get more airtime and Amy Holmes far less. Murphy knows the biz as well as anyone and has been a player at the presidential and major statewide level for years. He’s inciteful, honest, objective and funny — the GOP […]
Romney, Rudy Stand Out at NH CNN Debate
Despite the fact AZ Senator John McCain did not do bad at the CNN debate in Manchester, NH this evening — in fact, he did OK — it was simply that Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani did better, and for different reasons. Romney, right at the outset, handled the McCain immigration charge of having no […]
Obama Overcomes Lightweight Label at NH CNN Debate
The instant react: Despite the fact Hillary Clinton and John Edwards both advanced their own causes at CNN’s debate tonite at St. Anselm’s College in Manchester, NH, Barack Obama probably came out the best. Obama “won” in this viewer’s opinion because he projected so much more gravitas than in the last major debate, in which […]
Fred Thompson’s Biggest Initial Hurdle: Ronald Reagan
Beyond the substantial structural and organizational challenges awaiting likely presidential candidate Fred Thompson, perhaps one of his biggest obstacles is Ronald Reagan — and the fact there is no possible way he will meet the media and activist expectations bar set for him as, quote, “the next Ronald Reagan.” As some have intimated in recent […]
SC GOP Debate: Giuliani, Romney Help Themselves; No Big Losers
Instant post debate react: Besides the fact the SC Fox News GOP presidential primary debate was vastly more interesting and better than MSNBC’s recent debate, one key headline of the debate has to be that Rudy Giuliani recovered somewhat from his first debate — with his forceful answers on terrorism and leaving it vague as […]
Giuliani Partners’ Ongoing Secrecy a Ripe Media Target
The Washington Post’s front pager today by John Solomon and Matthew Mosk, “In Private Sector, Giuliani Parlayed Fame Into Wealth,” Giuliani Partners remains an easy target for both investigative enterprise reporting and for opponents. Here’s the bottom line: until there is transparency and candor in regard to Giuliani Partners’ client list and other key bottom […]
Romney Cleverly Draws Sharpton Into High Profile Pissing Match
The campaign of GOP presdiential candidate Mitt Romney has cleverly and skillfully drawn the Rev. Al Sharpton into a high profile “religious slur” pissing match that helps the GOP candidate significantly every news cycle the story remains alive — especially as Sharpton tries to ease himself out, signaling the white flag of defeat. Case in […]
Giuliani Makes Unusual IA/NH Staffing Decisions
From Hotline On Call posted today: May 09, 2007 Rudy’s New State Directors Aren’t Vets Of Their States “Talented and experienced as they are, we noticed that Joe Jarabek, who’s been appointed Giuliani’s Iowa state director, and Jennifer Hallowell, who’s been appointed Giuliani’s New Hampshire state director, don’t seem to have much Iowa and New […]
McCain, Gilmore Emerge as Debate Winners
The morning after, assesments of the debate are all over the map, but we must concur with David Yepsen’s straight-on view: “John McCain was his old self in Thursday night’s Republican presidential debate: Feisty, pointed and a straight-talker who wasn’t afraid to tell Republican activists things they didn’t want to hear. It made him the […]
Instant React: McCain, Gilmore Come Out on Top
In a challenging format, McCain won the show — he was well lit, looked vigorous, demonstrated his debate experience; Gilmore the second tier winner. Rudy too much time on abortion… more later.
McCain Rebounding as Rudy Begins to Sink
Despite the “John McCain is History” sentiment prevalent among so many of the uninformed and naive in DC and NYC, the Arizona Senator is beginning to climb out of his cyclical rut — despite a spate of gaffes — while Rudy Giuliani is beginning the slow, inevitable slide back to reality. While Rudy has made […]
McCain One Term Pledge? A Bad Idea
The National Review recently proffered the notion that Arizona Senator John McCain should pledge to serve one term as a remedy for “the age issue,” and noted “it would separate him from the GOP pack and fit the ‘narrative arc’ of his career, acting above self-interest.” It would, they suggested, “defuse the age issue” – […]
Bob Weir, RatDog, Pull Off Historic Three Night Run at NYC’s Beacon Theater
When I tell my musically-literate friends that Grateful Dead guitarist/vocalist Bob Weir’s band, RatDog, is the hottest band on the planet, I routinely get glazed-over looks of skepticism, incredulity and outright derision. They just don’t know any better — and they would see things differently if they had been fortunate enough to catch the band’s […]
Rudy, THE National Story
This from ABC’s The Note this morning: (For the record, DCSpectator falls under “Group One” below — just so it’s understood in the context of other posts…) The Gang of 500’s previous unanimous view that Rudy Giuliani cannot win the Republican presidential nomination has come to a stunning end, and the Gang is now cleaved […]
Rudy Places Strong 2nd in SC Straw Poll
Rudy Giuliani’s continued good fortune was in evidence last night, as the AP reports Rudy is leading in a somewhat significant first test of strength: the Spartanburg County straw poll. In the final tally, he lost to Sen. John McCain by just two votes: 164-162. Anonymous mailings critical of Mitt Romney on the eve of […]
After Great Month, Giuliani Finally Takes a Direct Hit
Lets’s first start out by saying the Rudy guys have converted plenty of skeptics in regard to his seriousness, the competency and national ring savvy of his staff, and his overall credibility. His emerging message, that “more freedom” must be the ultimate guide to help solve a plethora of domestic policy ills, is right out […]
Ten Truths About Rudy Giuliani
Marc Ambinder of Hotline On Call lays out this “Ten Truths About Rudy Giuliani” very, very well: 1. He enters the race more admired; and, not only more admired, more-liked than any presidential candidate since Eisenhower. His national poll ratings do not simply reflect name recognition. They reflect the intrinsic bond that Giuliani formed with […]
As Pataki Takes an ’08 Breather, Rudy Starts to Turn DC Spin
While the Manchester Union Leader is reporting this afternoon on its blog that George Pataki’s entry into the 2008 presidential contest is hardly imminent and perhaps a no-go, Rudy Giuliani is making some political and personnel moves as of late that are getting skeptics to take a second look. Here’s the Union Leader: Pataki isn’t […]
More Nagging Questions About Viability of Giuliani’s Presidential Bid
The new DC political blog, The Politico, is up today with an interesting article by former NY Daily News reporter Ben Smith and Jonathan Martin raising still more questions about Rudy Giuliani’s nascent presidential campaign effort. I still say he’s out by the end of first quarter — despite the news that Rudy is selling […]
“Outsider” Romney Making a Good Run Lining-Up GOP House Members
An interesting development between the two true GOP frontrunners John McCain and Mitt Romney is how DC outsider Romney is making a good run at lining up U.S. House members in his camp. McCain’s got a slew of House endorsements to make once he takes the plunge as an official candidate, but there’s little question […]
Giuliani Effort Takes on Potemkin Village Appearance
As GOP presidential candidates John McCain and Mitt Romney continue to crisply line up staff, issue policy pronouncements that have the appearance of substance, and act like the top tier primary candidates they are, Rudy Giuliani’s effort is beginning to take on the appearance of a Potemkin village. The Rudy forces argue that, indeed, they’re […]
NYT Acquisition of Jeff Zeleny Brings New Energy to Moribund Washington Bureau
The increasingly moribund Washington bureau of the New York Times is getting a huge new boost of fresh, creative energy as the Chicaco Tribune’s Jeff Zeleny joins the Times to “to cover the intersection of politics and money and to tackle investigative projects about political corruption,” according to Times DC bureau chief, Phil Taubman. Zeleny’s […]
Clinton Forces Mounting Effective Assault Against ABC-TV
The multi-front pressure Clinton Administration forces have placed on ABC-TV regarding the pending “docu-drama” surrounding the run-up to 9/11 is paying off, with ABC now on the defensive and production consultant Tom Kean positioning himself as an advocate for script and scene edits. Howie Kurtz’s article in the Washington Post this morning makes it appear […]
Cuomo Severely Wounded by Voice Investitative Piece
Today’s Jonathan Hicks/Pat Healy New York Times follow-up to Wayne Barrett’s Village Voice investigative piece regarding Andrew Cuomo’s ties to a controversial businessman, Andrew Farkas, is striking in that it demonstrates the extent to which Cuomo and his supporters worked to postpone the Voice’s publication of the story until after the Democratic primary. Putting aside […]
Lieberman Josh Isay Acquisition a Boost
As first reported by the NYT Empire Zone reports, Josh Isay is coming aboard as campaign director to steer this front-running but uncertain vessel towards judgment day in just over two months. This’ll help get a little of the joe-mentum mojo back, it’s a good bet. With all the staffing tumult in Lieberman’s campaign, and […]
Lance Tarrance Resurfaces into GOP Campaign World in a Big Way
The Hotline item today reporting that GOP polling guru Lance Tarrance has signed on with John McCain’s Straight Talk America PAC is an interesting and significant development in the GOP ’08 primary competition, which is well underway. Lance, along with Arthur Finkelstein, Bob Teeter and perhaps a few others are pioneers in the pantheon of […]
Rudy Takes a Hit from Ralph Reed Gambit
There’s some interesting buzz on Rudy Giuliani that’s just now beginning to percolate in DC: his Ralph Reed gambit, and its failure, may be the first ripple that starts a long downward spiral of cyclical bad press (or not so glaringly glowing press) that is inevitable. Mort Kondrake, among others who are rational and intelligent, […]
Kansas’s Sam Brownback: Underestimated in Iowa ’08 Caucus
GOP Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas is profiled today in a superb piece from USA Today’s Susan Page — who gets a rare chance to stretch out and show her reporting chops beyond the standard 400 word piece that’s the dull hallmark of USAT. The point of the piece is that the GOP better wake […]
New Yorkers on Pataki’s 12 Years as Governor: 66% Say He’s Been “Somewhat/Mostly Successful”
As Governor George Pataki’s last legislative session draws to a close, we kicked around an idea at empirepage.com to see how New Yorkers viewed Pataki’s 12 years as Governor. In addition to the previously reported question regarding which U.S. Senator is more effective, Chuck Schumer or Hillary Clinton, we also asked our polling partner, Siena, […]
By 2-1 Margin, New Yorkers Say Schumer More Effective Than Clinton
According to a new poll of NYS registered voters conducted for the Empire Page by Siena Research Institute (6/12-14, 623 RV’s, +/- 3.9%) U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, by a 44% to 22% margin, is viewed as more effective for New York State than U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton. When asked,”Who is a more effective senator for […]
Bush, GOP Finally Back on Offense: Dems Will Cut and Run in Iraq, Raise Taxes
After months of taking unanswered hits, there’s a palpable sense among Republicans in DC today that a corner is being turned, and that the cyclical news tide is turning. Besides showing some welcome spunk, energy and good-natured ribbing of ABC’s Jake Tapper and NBC’s David Gregory, President Bush’s news conference this morning demonstrated the White […]
Columbia Journalism Review: Better Political Reporting Needed
The Columbia Journalism Review’s “CJR Daily” reports today that “Reporters Tire of Bad Political Reporting,” and that what’s needed is “big-picture changes that could improve news coverage in the upcoming campaign season.” The question posed to several journalists: “Some veteran American journalists see the 2006 elections as offering the press a momentous opportunity to revolt […]
ABC News “The Note” on CA-50 Results:
Tom Reynolds’ quote is superb, and the analysis shows why “The Note” from ABC News rules: “Ordinarily, there is nothing more annoying than reading press releases from the congressional campaign committees of both parties. They tend to be filled with over-the-top spin, dumb jokes, macho indirection, and juvenile taunts. These releases are so dumb, in […]
NRCC Chair Tom Reynolds: A Likely Victory Tonight in CA-50 Special Election
With all the action in New York today with Weld, it’s easy to overlook the CA-50 special election to replace Rep. Duke Cunningham – which is huge deal in DC tonight as the sun goes down and local California polls close shortly. And no one has as much at stake as New York GOP Congressman […]
If Weld Drops Out, So Should McFarland
With the AP’s Marc Humbert leading the unfolding coverage of the Bill Weld-Steve Minarick dance, it’s becoming clear, unfortunately, that Weld will pull out of the race in the next 24-48 hours. Several emails from reliable individuals indicate this will be the case. One Albany-based Republican also said this was simply Minarik’s attempt to save […]
President Bush’s Same Sex Marriage Ban: A Big Yawn
Same sex marriages? Nope — don’t support it. A truly terrible idea. But President Bush’s expected “major policy announcement” today calling for a constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriages is a big yawn. Frankly, it should be insulting to the influential swath of GOP voters who care about this issue. It’s as if, like […]
KT McFarland’s “Campaign”: A Sad Embarrassment; New York’s Own Version of Katherine Harris
Among the political blogosphere’s biggest liabilities is that a majority of those commenting on politics and public policy have never worked on a campaign, have never served as an aide to a federal, state or municipal lawmaker, and simply have no contextual understanding regarding their own misguided, uninformed opinions. Moreover, most of these bloviators have […]
New Zogby Data Demonstrates Hostility Towards Congress, Public Institutions
As incumbent members of Congress gaze forebodingly across the electoral landscape towards November, a new Zogby interactive poll shows some astoundingly poor results in regard to how trustworthy Americans find Congress, the Courts, the Media and other public institutions: Overall, just 3% said they think Congress in general is trustworthy, compared to 24% who said […]
McCain New School Speech: Guaranteed Protest, Guaranteed Good Press
When Arizona GOP Senator John McCain shows up in Manhattan later this week to speak at the New School graduation to reportedly defend the U.S. involvement in Iraq, the throngs of protesters sure to show up will simply end up as press fodder for McCain’s ongoing courtship of the conservative GOP base. McCain, speaking on […]
New Empire Page Siena Poll: Member Items Viewed With Major Skepticism by New Yorkers
After the cost and visibility of including member-designated spending projects in the New York state budget became an issue in this year’s negotiations, the Empire Page decided to gauge how registered NYS voters feel about the practice — and the results of a new survey conducted for the Empire Page by Siena College are very […]
Terry Nelson to Mercury/Fleishman-Hillard a Major DC Development
GOP consultant and grassroots expert Terry Nelson is the hottest consultant in town at the moment, and the former Bush-Cheney ’04 political director’s recent alignment with John McCain’s Straight Talk America PAC is rightly seen as a boon to McCain’s developing presidential effort — especially in Nelson’s home state of Iowa. But Nelson’s new hook-up […]