Sam Dealey September 05, 2008

Another Rangel Property Scandal?

Already facing questions about one sweetheart property deal, New York Rep. Charlie Rangel now finds himself in another property brouhaha. The longtime Democratic congressman from Harlem has failed to report at least $75,000 in rental income from a luxury beachfront villa he owns in the Dominican Republic.

Bonnie Erbe September 05, 2008

Polls, Unemployment, and Politics

We now have today's numbers from those two daily presidential tracking polls I cite so often. They are pasted in below.

They should show the beginning of the GOP's widely expected convention bounce. Surprisingly, a new CBS poll shows John McCain enjoying an even bigger convention bounce, having completely wiped out an 8-point lead Barack Obama had a week ago.

Michael Barone September 05, 2008

How McCain is Distancing Himself from Bush

How do you run for president as the candidate of the party of an unpopular president? We had one answer last year from Nicolas Sarkozy of France, who had actually served in the cabinet of the widely detested incumbent Jacques Chirac. He campaigned as the candidate of change who would reform France's headed-toward-bankruptcy welfare state. We had another answer from John McCain this week in St. Paul. The steps include:

Bonnie Erbe September 05, 2008

Polls Are Looking Bad for McCain

The two polls I usually cite did not have their Friday results up as of 10 a.m. EST, so here's the latest from electoral-vote.com. If you scroll half-way down the page, you'll see it reflects results from three state polls, two of which show Sen. John McCain trailing far behind President Bush's record from his two presidential races:

Robert Schlesinger September 05, 2008

A 'Walter Reed' by Any Other Name...

ST. PAUL—Oh my God. Is it really possible that the McCain campaign had a Spinal Tap moment last night?

John Aloysius Farrell September 05, 2008

McCain Speech: I, Me, Mine

I, Me, Mine

At one point in his speech last night, taking a shot at Barack Obama, Republican nominee John McCain assured Americans that "I'm not running for president because I think I'm blessed with such personal greatness that history has anointed me to save our country in its hour of need."

Robert Schlesinger September 04, 2008

McCain Gives as Good as He Can

ST. PAUL—John McCain gave about as good a speech as he can give: not great, but surprisingly effective—and definitely good enough.

Sam Dealey September 04, 2008

Who Were Abramoff's Victims?

Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff is off to the hoosegow for another four years after a judge sentenced him today for his role in the tribes-and-bribes scandal. In 2006, you'll recall, Abramoff and his cohort Michael Scanlon pleaded guilty to crimes that resulted in fraud and corruption, and ever since the two have been helping federal prosecutors in an attempt to lessen their punishments. Abramoff received 9 months more than prosecutors asked for.

Robert Schlesinger September 04, 2008

The Age of Palin Draws to a Close

ST. PAUL—It seems hard to believe that Sarah Palin week is finally drawing to a close. One almost wonders why, since she gave her acceptance speech last night, the Republicans are having another night of convention. Oh yeah: She's not running for president.

This is not merely snark, there's a larger point here. The Palin boomlet has been fascinating, but it too shall pass: People vote for presidential candidates, not presidential tickets.

Ultimately this comes down to Barack Obama and John McCain.

Michael Barone September 04, 2008

Just Call Her Sarah "Delano" Palin

Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered his acceptance speech to the 1936 Democratic National Convention before a crowd of 100,000 people at Franklin Field in Philadelphia—one of three acceptance speeches given at stadiums (the other two were John Kennedy's in the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1960 and Barack Obama's at Invesco Field in Denver last week). As Roosevelt was approaching the podium, out of view of the spectators, he reached out to shake hands with the elderly poet Edwin Markham and fell. Helpless to rise on his own, Roosevelt was furious; his speech text flew out of his hands. But aides quickly helped him rise and, on the arm of his son James Roosevelt, made his way to the podium and began speaking to the 100,000 in the stadium and a nationwide radio audience. But the pages of his speech text were out of order. Quickly, without a hint of irritation or hesitation, he reshuffled them while he was speaking. He was a pro. (You can read a good account in Arthur Schlesinger, Jr.'s The Politics of Upheaval, somewhere around page 567; I can't recall the exact page number).