Taegan Goddard's Political Wire

Seven States Viewed as Toss Ups

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:38:04 -0500

An Associated Press analysis concludes that if the presidential election were today, President Obama would likely win 247 electoral votes to Romney's 206 -- both short of the 270 electoral votes needed to win.

Seven states, offering a combined 85 electoral votes, are viewed as too close to give either candidate a meaningful advantage: Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio and Virginia.

Coburn Reprimanded by Ethics Committee

Sat, 26 May 2012 14:33:18 -0500

The Senate Ethics Committee publicly admonished Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) "for an aspect of his role in the scandal that led to the resignation last year of Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)," the Oklahoman reports.

Coburn did not violate the law or Senate rules but the committee said a meeting with Ensign's former top aide was "improper conduct" that did not meet the "higher standards expected of a U.S. senator."

Weiner Truthers

Sat, 26 May 2012 13:47:49 -0500

Former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) resigned a year ago after admitting to having sent lewd photos to female followers on Twitter.

But BuzzFeed notes "for one corner of the Internet, Weinergate is very much not over. A group of liberal bloggers believe that Anthony Weiner was blackmailed by Andrew Breitbart into a false confession, and are carrying out a lonely Twitter crusade to spread their theory -- in spite of the fact that Weiner himself has never claimed this to be the case."

Billionaire Plans Another Effort to Defeat Obama

Sat, 26 May 2012 08:52:07 -0500

Billionaire investor Joe Ricketts, who dropped plans for a $10 million advertising blitz linking President Obama with the fiery race-based rhetoric of the Rev. Jeremia Wright, "is involved in another effort slated for this summer, a documentary film based on a widely criticized book, The Roots of Obama's Rage by Dinesh D'Souza, which asserts that Mr. Obama is carrying out the 'anticolonial' agenda of his Kenyan father," the New York Times reports.

"Mr. Ricketts's aides said he was one of roughly two dozen investors, providing only 5 percent of the film's budget. But his involvement shows how the more strident attacks against Mr. Obama, which Mr. Romney's aides view as counterproductive, continue to find backing even as the Republican Party and the Romney campaign seek to keep the focus on the economy."

Alternate Jurors in Edwards Trial Raise Questions

Sat, 26 May 2012 07:54:17 -0500

Washington Post: "Something exceedingly strange is happening at the John Edwards trial: all four alternate jurors dressed in red shirts Friday. They each wore bright yellow the day before. Coincidence? Few here think so."

"The demeanor of the alternate jurors and their behavior has become the talk of the courthouse. The alternates enter the courtroom each day giggling among themselves. One of the alternates, an attractive young woman, has been spotted smiling at Edwards and flipping her hair in what seems to some to be a flirtatious manner. On Friday, she wore a revealing red top with a single strap and an exposed right shoulder."

ABC News: "The juror clearly instigated the exchanges. She smiles at him. He smiles politely back at her. She giggles. He blushes."

The jurors are in their 6th day of deliberations and will resume next week.

Indiana Senate Race Very Close

Sat, 26 May 2012 07:50:05 -0500

A new Rasmussen survey in Indiana shows Joe Donnelly (D) and Richard Mourdock (R) locked in a dead heat in their U.S. Senate race, 42% to 42%.

McCotter May Not Qualify for Primary Ballot

Sat, 26 May 2012 07:38:59 -0500

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) said that he "may not have turned in enough valid signatures to qualify for the Aug. 7 Republican primary in his suburban Detroit district," the Detroit News reports.

Said McCotter: "Fully respecting the accuracy and integrity of the Secretary of State's Office, we will thoroughly review our petition signatures for their sufficiency or insufficiency. Out of respect for Memorial Day, an announcement of our findings will be made public on Tuesday."

"If his signatures are ruled insufficient, McCotter would still have options. He could run as a write-in Republican candidate or as an independent."

Most Say They're Conservative on Economic Issues

Sat, 26 May 2012 07:00:35 -0500

A new Gallup poll finds Americans are more than twice as likely to identify themselves as conservative rather than liberal on economic issues, 46% to 20%.

The gap is narrower on social issues, but conservatives still outnumber liberals, 38% to 28%.

Democratic Poll Also Shows Walker Ahead

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:59:57 -0500

A new Wisconsin poll commissioned by the Democratic Governors Association finds Gov. Scott Walker (R) with a narrow lead over challenger Tom Barrett (D) in the recall election, 49% to 46%.

Clinton Took Photo After Agents Rebuffed Porn Stars

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:43:48 -0500

After porn stars Brooklyn Lee and Tasha Reign were shooed away from Bill Clinton by a Secret Service agent, the former president called them back over for a photo, ABC News reports.

However, the two were uncertain, but hopeful, that Clinton knew who they were.

Said Lee: "I kind of feel like he knows. We hope he likes us and we hope he likes to watch our movies."

Reign concurred: "I have a feeling that everyone watches adult entertainment."

Obama Inhaled

Fri, 25 May 2012 15:06:33 -0500

BuzzFeed compiles excerpts from Barack Obama: The Story by David Maraniss that deal with the "elaborate drug culture" surrounding Barack Obama when he attended Punahou School in Honolulu and Occidental College in Los Angeles.

The bottom line: "He inhaled. A lot."

Trump Insists Again Obama Wasn't Born in the U.S.

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:16:07 -0500

Donald Trump told Lloyd Grove that President Obama was born in Kenya, not the United States.

Said Trump: "That's the way life works... He didn't know he was running for president, so he told the truth. The literary agent wrote down what he said... He said he was born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia... Now they're saying it was a mistake. Just like his Kenyan grandmother said he was born in Kenya, and she pointed down the road to the hospital, and after people started screaming at her she said, 'Oh, I mean Hawaii.' Give me a break."

House Plans Vote on Bush Tax Rates

Fri, 25 May 2012 12:11:37 -0500

House Republican leaders "unveiled a legislative calendar for the summer, revealing plans to hammer President Obama and Democrats on the economy, energy, taxes and other divisive issues in the months leading up to November's elections," The Hill reports.

The schedule includes a July vote to extend the Bush-era tax rates for all Americans.

Obama Strays Off Message

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:43:00 -0500

President Obama, not Mitt Romney, "is the one with the muddled message -- and the one who often comes across as baldly political," Politico reports.

"Obama, not Romney, is the one facing blowback from his own party on the central issue of the campaign so far - Romney's history with Bain Capital. And most remarkably, Obama, not Romney, is the one falling behind in fundraising."

However, First Read points out there is "one big exception to this: Donald Trump. Yesterday, we found out that Romney will attend a fundraiser in Las Vegas on Tuesday with Trump, and the campaign is also pushing a "Dine with Donald Trump and Mitt Romney" competition. This now makes Trump an unmistakable surrogate for the Romney campaign, especially considering his other assistance to Romney (his endorsement, attendance at other fundraisers). And as we've seen in the past, candidates are often forced to own what their surrogates say."

Quote of the Day

Fri, 25 May 2012 10:33:11 -0500

"Mitt Romney did what he had to do in order to become the nominee."

-- Newt Gingrich, in an interview on MSNBC.

Women May Provide Edge to Obama

Fri, 25 May 2012 09:41:07 -0500

Ron Brownstein: "The new round of national and state surveys this week generally showing President Obama clinging to a tenuous advantage over Republican Mitt Romney reinforce the conclusion that socially liberal, upscale white women may stand as the president's indispensable line of defense in his struggle for reelection."

"Both the national ABC/Washington Post survey released earlier this week, and the NBC/Marist Polls released Thursday in the battleground states of Ohio, Virginia and Florida show Obama retaining preponderant support among minority voters who were critical to his 2008 victory. Conversely, in almost all of the surveys, Obama faces a consistent pattern of erosion from his already meager 2008 levels of support among whites without a college education."

Walker Spending Much More on Television Ads

Fri, 25 May 2012 06:44:00 -0500

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) and his Republican allies have outspent Tom Barrett (D) and supportive groups more than 3-1 on TV ad buys during the three months leading up to the June 5 recall election, The Hotline reports.

Rubio Plans Swings State Book Tour

Fri, 25 May 2012 05:37:28 -0500

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) "is planning a swing-state summer bus tour that will also roll through South Carolina, the early presidential primary battleground," the Miami Herald reports.

"It's officially aimed at selling books, not winning votes, but the freshman senator and possible vice presidential pick is set to make multiple stops not just in his home state of Florida but also in North Carolina and Virginia, critical presidential battlegrounds this fall. On the way, he'll make several appearances in South Carolina, where Republicans hold their first-in-the-South presidential primary."

An American Son will be released in June.

Perry Reasserts Himself in Texas

Fri, 25 May 2012 04:31:22 -0500

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) "is now embarking on an all-out effort to revive his standing in Texas and prove he's still a dominant force in the Lone Star State," Politico reports.

"Unlike other failed White House candidates -- Tim Pawlenty, for example -- Perry has declined to become one of many full-time foot soldiers for Mitt Romney's general election campaign. And unlike Sarah Palin, another superstar governor who flamed out as a national candidate, Perry still has a taste for wielding power on the state level. He has toyed publicly with the idea of running for governor again in 2014, and even with another presidential bid down the line."

"The governor has endorsed 16 candidates for state and local office this year, including throwing his full weight behind Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, who is locked in a battle for the Republican Party's Senate nomination next Tuesday... The decision to back Dewhurst so aggressively represents a gamble that as a three-term governor, Perry is still the political king of Texas."

Marion Barry Digs a Deeper Hole

Thu, 24 May 2012 21:09:00 -0500

Washington, D.C. Council member Marion Barry "stepped up his campaign to mend relations with Asians, apologizing again for disparaging remarks he made about Koreans and Filipinos," noting the United States "has had racial tensions since it was founded," the Washington Post reports.

Said Barry: "The Irish caught hell, the Jews caught hell, the Polacks caught hell."

Asked later about his reference to "Polacks," Barry at first denied using the word, then retracted it. "I meant Poles."

Halperin Interviews Romney

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:29:57 -0500

Andrew Sullivan comments on Mark Halperin's recent interview with Mitt Romney:

"If you do not feel the urge to cut out your own heart with a dull knife after reading it, there's something wrong with you."

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

Thu, 24 May 2012 20:19:45 -0500

"I've had a couple of those during the campaign, which have haunted me a little bit, but I'm sure before this is over will haunt me a lot."

-- Mitt Romney, in an interview with Peggy Noonan, speaking about gaffes "that make me want to kick myself in the seat of my pants."

Romney Has Edge in North Carolina

Thu, 24 May 2012 16:43:02 -0500

A new Civitas Institute poll in North Carolina shows Mitt Romney just edging President Obama in the battleground state, 47% to 45%.

Mayor Arrested for Hacking Into Website

Thu, 24 May 2012 16:16:21 -0500

West New York Mayor Felix Roque (D) was arrested by the FBI "on charges of illegally hacking into a website associated with a recall movement, while attempting to tap into e-mails to find who might be plotting against him," the Newark Star Ledger reports. Rogue's son was also arrested.

"According to a criminal complaint filed under seal and released following the arrests, the two men are charged with an electronic dirty tricks campaign in an effort to disrupt and kill the recall movement... Details in the complaint show the two men were playing hardball, in a place where politics is always a life and death struggle against competing Democratic factions."

Most Bizarre Campaign Ad of the Year?

Thu, 24 May 2012 16:10:13 -0500

Jeff Barth (D), who is running in the Democratic primary to challenge Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD), released a freewheeling campaign ad that could be the weirdest of this election cycle.

A glimpse of what makes it so special: Barth makes the point that that his daughters "have straight teeth, college degrees and husbands."