GreenMountainPolitics1

The "Kids" Can Build The Republicans A MyBo 2.0 For 2010, But The GOP "Adults" Have To Buy In

2008-07-07T08:25:00.004-04:00

The NYT has a piece up taking a look at Barack Obama's online grassroots organization (MyBo).

We've said it before and we'll say it again: Obama's organization is impressive.

And can absolutely be copied by the Republicans for their benefit by 2010.

But the Adults of the Party have to buy in.

Myron Ebell: "McCain Is Really Out Of Step With The Strong Majority Of His Party"

2008-07-07T07:21:00.003-04:00

So says the director of energy and global warming policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (which is really a front for big tobacco and big oil pretending that it's a think tank) in a front page WaPo story examining McCain's relationship with "conservatives" (like Ebell) in the run-up to the GOP Convention.

Sigh.

Candidates "out of step with the strong majority of their party" don't usually win primaries, Mr Ebell.

We would argue that the one who is out of touch is Ebell, an inside-the-beltway, shouting at the rain, 29.3% dinosaur.

But that's just us.

Rock & Roll Monday (The "Across The Pond, South Of The Border & Right Here At Home" Edition)

2008-07-07T06:09:00.004-04:00

Happy Monday everyone.

SPECTACULAR!

2008-07-06T17:18:00.003-04:00

Nadal defeats Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7 in the Wimbledon men's tennis finals.

We've never seen better.

A Soft Launch Of A Soft Launch

2008-07-03T09:06:00.004-04:00

It's time to get off the porch and run with the big dogs.

Much more to come in the near future.

Happy 4th of July everyone.

Welcome Back Mrs. Edwards, We've Missed You

2008-07-02T15:03:00.002-04:00

The lady is back and healthy enough to keep kicking ass for a cause she believes in.

Well done.

Changes In McCain World (UPDATED)

2008-07-02T11:58:00.006-04:00

According to Jon Martin, Steve Schmidt will take a larger role in the campaign.

But isn't this still a problem for Team McCain (from Martin's article):

Now, accounts diverge on the exact nature of the new chain of command. One top McCain source said that Schmidt "assumed full operational control of the campaign today" and described Davis as "a general manager"

But Charlie Black, another top adviser, said Davis was still in charge.

"Steve is going to function under Rick as a [Chief Operating Officer]," Black said. "Rick still has authority over all things. Steve works for Rick."

But Black made sure to not diminish Schmidt's elevated role in the campaign.

"He'll be the maestro who conducts the symphony," Black said of Schmidt's position in driving McCain's message.

Yes, this is still a problem.

A big problem.

Who is in charge, and responsible, in Crystal City?

---

(UPDATED) Chris Cillizza weighs in with a piece that also wonders who's in charge.

The Aspen Institute

2008-07-02T11:37:00.003-04:00

Folks who write for The Atlantic really might get to have all the fun.

As Marc Ambinder is proving with his dispatches (make sure you read this one) from the in-progress Aspen Ideas Festival.

Think really smart people and dynamite food in a glorious location. And somebody else is picking up the tab.

What's not to like?

Yup, Campaigns Are (usually) F*cked Up Places To Work

2008-07-02T09:19:00.004-04:00

Vanity Fair has a new old look at what happened in Hillaryland.

It ain't pretty.

But it's a fun read nonetheless.

We Wear Our Opinions On Our Sleeve

2008-07-01T23:59:00.007-04:00

Literally.

Hey, Johnny Mac is an American Hero. Not perfect. But a proven Hero nonetheless.

Anyway, a damn good friend of ours gave us these tonight.

We love them.

So this one is for you buddy. The 24 month Odyssey you're on is almost over.

Almost.

Yesterday's News

2008-07-01T19:05:00.002-04:00

Running this Sunday in the Old Grey Lady.

Of course, it's 2008. Not 1998.

We're just saying.

h/t Halperin

Oh My Silly American Friends! You Are Merely Addicts While We Are Dealers Sitting On Much Of The World's Oil Supply! Who Do You Think Makes The Rules?

2008-07-01T16:42:00.010-04:00

"Choke on it!" says the king.

And, we are. So long as we remain addicted to his product.

Noted: Again, this is not a "Time To Drill More" post.

This is a "Time To Start An Apollo Type Crash Program To Get Us Off Fossil Fuels Entirely" post.

Offshore Drilling

2008-07-01T12:46:00.007-04:00

Some smart people on the right (and some not so smart people) believe that they've found a magic bullet for what ails the GOP in the offshore drilling issue.

Or, as Newt says, "Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less."

Right.

Forget for a moment that offshore drilling is "sh*tty" policy (and when you start rebuilding a brand using bad policy that you're screwed to begin with).

What does it say about a political party when its "best" minds think that they've found a solution to current problems in a political fight that's been going on for 30 years?

Uh...

And furthermore, assume that the GOP gets exactly what it wants and the offshore drilling starts tomorrow. What do Republicans say to the voters between now and when the gasoline prices (maybe) come down (a few cents) five years (or more) from now?

Uh, we're keeping our fingers crossed that there won't be an oil spill and you should to? Wanna build a nuke plant while we wait?

Right.

We think it's smart politics to harness voter anger over high gas prices (duh!), but the Republicans need to dream bigger.

They have nothing to lose.

And everything to gain.

"Sippin Whiskey Out The Bottle, Not Thinking 'Bout Tomorrow, Singing Sweet Home Alabama All Summer Long!"

2008-07-01T12:17:00.002-04:00

Any questions?

We didn't think so.

LOVE this guy.

"I Stand By The Comment That I'm The Only One Who Believes That I'm Still Relevant!"

2008-07-01T12:06:00.004-04:00

General.

GENERAL!

We don't know who is advising you on PR, but J-E-S-U-S!

Put a cork in it!

The whole thing is soooooo boring.

Please, for the love of everything holy, let's move on.

Why Doesn't Google Like American Heroes?

2008-07-01T09:24:00.003-04:00

About two weeks ago, GreenMountainPolitics1 was "identified" by Google (which owns Blogger) as a "potential spam blog".

Our blog wasn't shut down, but we were forced to enter a long security key each time we did a post.

This went on for about 24 hours until Google - at our request - had an actual human being look at our blog and determine that we weren't a spam blog.

Aside from being a little annoyed about the whole thing, we didn't think much about it. We guessed that it was someone we had ticked-off who to get even with us dropped a "flag blog" on us to Google.

In any event, today we read that a group of anti-Obama bloggers (so, by default, pro-McCain bloggers) have had the same trouble with Google that we had, and on a larger scale.

All very interesting.

So, as we search the skies for black helicopters and weave a new tinfoil hat, we have to ask: Why doesn't Google like John McCain?

What do those boys and girls in California (and in their hotsy-totsy lobby shop here in DC) have against American heroes?

Scandalous!

Barack Obama Says: When You Don't Have Much Of A Record To Run On, Talk Fast & Pretty Like!

2008-06-30T20:10:00.005-04:00

A bit harsh?

Maybe, but not by much.

Here is Obama's latest ad running in 18 states (including New Hampshire):

Which promptly brought back a call of (pretty much) bullsh*t from the AP, the WaPo and Marc Ambinder.

The thing that we don't get (really, truly) is why Team Obama is even dipping their little toe in the "politics as usual" waters (of course, we didn't understand why they put the Obama brand in jeopardy by forgoing public financing for his campaign).

Maybe that's why the strategists on Team Obama get paid the big bucks.

But then again...

Andrew Sullivan Hits A Home Run

2008-06-30T15:56:00.004-04:00

Sullivan digs up an old book about Iraq written by Bill Kristol and goes yard.

Our favorite graph:

It seems to me that we demand accountability from our politicians and we should demand accountability from our intellectuals. Not that they always get things right - but that they give a full accounting when they are wrong. Instead we reward and celebrate those who not only get things wrong - Kristol and Rove now have prominent columns in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal - but those who have never taken personal responsibility for their own mistakes. Until we purge all these tendencies from Washington, we will not learn from history and we will keep repeating it.

Can. We. Get. An. Amen?!!??

Read the whole thing.

And where, oh where, is the New York Times/Wall Street Journal's self-respect?

With some many breathtakingly talented writers out there, who "goes" with Rove and Kristol?

Uh, news organizations who ponder why they have to struggle to maintain their relevance?

Wait, what?

Just Asking...

2008-06-30T13:52:00.004-04:00

CW seems to be getting on the "Mitt Romney will be McCain's VP pick" train.

Just asking...

Does Mitt Romney really put Michigan in play for John McCain? Really?

Will the voters remember that the "I'm an economic genius" message which helped Mitt win the Michigan Primary (along with some plain old pandering) was Mitt 3.0 at least?

Will Charlie Black/Mark Salter/Rick Davis/Steve Schmidt remember that Mitt 1.0 (I'm the George Allen candidate) and Mitt 2.0 (I'm the change/anti Washington candidate) was soundly rejected by Republican primary voters (voters that Team McCain needs to get excited and turn out in November)?

Will the DNC rub its little hands together with glee at the ads it will get to run of things that John McCain said about/to Mitt Romney during the primary?

Will the American public view a guy who made hundreds of millions of dollars as a venture capitalist (which includes a lot of laying people off) as someone who understands the economic pain they feel right now?

Does the GOP want two white guys on the Republican ticket in 2008?

If Romney is put on the ticket by McCain, how long does Team Romney '12 continue to do what Rick Davis tells them to do if the election starts to get away from the Republicans in September/October?

The Full Impotence Of Daily Kos/MoveOn/Code Pink In 8 Minutes And 14 Seconds

2008-06-30T10:14:00.004-04:00

"A New Direction In Iraq"

Does anyone else remember that Democratic campaign slogan from the '06 cycle?

The NewsHour's Kwame Holman sure does, and he did a piece on Friday's show about it (click on "War Funding" to hear the segment).

So ask yourself, what did President Bush not get in the latest war funding bill that he signs today.

Nothing. Because he got everything.

As usual.

Sigh.

The Democratic House & Senate Leadership has broken the central promise of their 2006 campaign platform, again.

Absolutely shocking. Not.

Oh Mr. President, A 3rd War?!!?? (Part 2)

2008-06-30T05:32:00.004-04:00

Seymour Hersh has a story up in The New Yorker about what (Hersh believes) the Bush Administration is up to in Iran.

Read the whole thing.

FLASH!!! WaPo Reporting That Some Voters Won't Vote For Senator Obama Because He's Black And/Or Muslim!!!

2008-06-30T05:00:00.003-04:00

Version #2,519 of this story.

Sigh.

Some people (of all colors, shapes, sizes and religions) are ignorant and racist. Always have been. Always will be.

Most people aren't. Never have been. Never will be.

Let's move on.

Rock & Roll Monday (The High School Class Of '96 Edition)

2008-06-30T04:55:00.000-04:00

1996.

What a great year.

Happy Monday everyone.

Sunday Evening, Doin' Time Over "The Kettle"

2008-06-29T18:05:00.001-04:00

And there's nowhere we'd rather be.

Happy Summer Sunday evening everyone.

Taken This Morning At The Air & Space Museum

2008-06-29T18:03:00.000-04:00

A Snark Missile.

Fricking. Awesome.