The economy was the main topic on the presidential campaign trail Thursday, with both Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama addressing the issue at separate events. ABC World News reported on "what is clearly the number one issue with voters: the economy. All three candidates are talking about it these days, with major speeches about what they would do as president." ABC added, "Today for the first time a major presidential candidate said flat-out what no other candidate has said." Obama said, "As most experts agree, our economy is in a recession." ABC added that Obama "blamed much of the current economic crisis, on a lack of regulations of financial institutions, which he said were simply eliminated under Presidents Bush and Clinton."
The Financial Times reports under the headline "Obama Blames Clinton Era for Crisis," Obama said "much of the blame for America's unfolding credit crisis on the financial deregulation of the 1990s in his hardest hitting attack so far on the economic legacy of Bill Clinton's administration." The FT says Obama's speech was "the fourth so far this week by a presidential candidate focusing on America's probable recession." In calling for "an overhaul of US financial regulation" and another $30 billion in stimulus funding, the "clear target of Mr Obama's speech was the economic record of the 1990s." However, he did not mention "the Clintons by name."
The Wall Street Journal reports Obama "proposed broadening government regulation of financial markets and expanding the power of the Federal Reserve to oversee investment banks in certain cases." The plan "marks a more aggressive stance" by Obama, "who has been less willing to embrace active federal intervention in the housing and credit markets than has Sen. Hillary Clinton." The Politico says Obama "blamed lobbyists, greedy businessmen and complacent Washington politicians for creating 'an ethic of greed' that led to today's foreclosure crisis."
Clinton Addresses Economy In North Carolina Clinton also spoke on the economy yesterday, but her speech is receiving far less media attention today. USA Today reports Clinton "proposed a five-year, $10 billion program to help displaced workers get job training." The Washington Post reports on Clinton's speech in a single paragraph deep in a story on Democrats attacking Sen. McCain's economic plans, saying she "set out an agenda for workers who are laid off from their jobs, proposing additional funding for training jobs and Pell Grants that can help for retraining for a new position. McCain and Obama have both proposed similar ideas."
Both Democrats Hit McCain The AP says both Clinton and Obama said Sen. John McCain "isn't ready or willing to handle an economic emergency." Clinton "focused on job insecurity and said the government needed to take more responsibility for helping displaced workers." Clinton said, "Our government is more focused on how you lost your job than how you can find a new one." The Los Angeles Times reports Clinton tied McCain to what she said was President Bush's "neglect" of the economy, "ridiculing McCain's comment that he didn't understand the economy as well as he should."
The Washington Post says the McCain campaign, "stung by the Democrats' rhetoric," responded Thursday. Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, "who was recently tapped by McCain to head the Republican National Committee's 2008 victory fund, accused the Democrats of 'mischaracterizing' McCain's remarks, calling their criticisms 'politics of the worst sort.'"
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg introduced Sen. Barack Obama before his economic speech in Manhattan yesterday, and while he praised him, the AP reports Bloomberg "made it clear he wasn't ready to make an endorsement -- a prize all the presidential candidates are seeking." Obama "has mounted what appears to be the most aggressive effort to woo the billionaire." Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain "both have called since Bloomberg dangled the possibility of an endorsement, but neither has met with the Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent mayor."
The New York Post reports Bloomberg "gave a boost" to Obama on Clinton's "home turf yesterday, lavishing a warm introduction on the Democratic front-runner. ... Bloomberg made clear to the crowd at Cooper Union that he has yet to get behind a 2008 candidate, but he gave Obama kudos for coming to New York to discuss the nation's faltering economy." The New York Daily News reports that it was "a friendly game of political footsie with Mayor Bloomberg." The Mayor "seemed to give Obama credit for addressing what many voters see as the nation's No. 1 problem: the economy." The New York Times reports that despite speculation that Bloomberg might make an effective running mate for Obama, "the men seemed nothing like two peas in the same political pod, destined to share a ticket."
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The AP reports Sen. Barack Obama "suggests he would have left his Chicago church had his longtime pastor, whose fiery anti-American comments about US foreign policy and race relations threatened Obama's campaign, not stepped down." In a taped interview that will be broadcast on ABC's "The View" Friday, Obama said, "Had the reverend not retired, and had he not acknowledged that what he had said had deeply offended people and were inappropriate and mischaracterized what I believe is the greatness of this country, for all its flaws, then I wouldn't have felt comfortable staying at the church."
Obama Not Interested In "Wallowing" In Race Discussion ABC World News interviewed Barack Obama, who said, "I am not interested in having, in wallowing in a, lengthy conversation about race. What I was trying to do in the speech was point out that we often use racial divisions, or politicians also often use racial divisions, as a way of ignoring the common problems like terrorism, or the foreclosure crisis. And so, my argument is not that we should focus obsessively on race. My argument is, we should acknowledge the dangers of racial division. Precisely in order to pivot and focus on those problems that we all have as common Americans."
ABC World News interviewed Barack Obama, who was asked if the "eventual nominee" for the Democrats would be "hurt by the extension of this contest," Obama said, "I don't think we are hurt long-term. I think short-term, there is going to be work to do for the nominee to bring the party back together again. And Senator Clinton has run a very tough, hard-fought campaign." Obama later added, "I think what's going to happen is, is that there are going to be some bruised feelings, whoever the nominee is. We are going to have to come together and remind ourselves that there is a heck of a lot bigger difference between either Senator Clinton or myself and John McCain." Clinton seemed to agree. The AP reports she said in North Carolina, "The differences [between her and Obama]...pale in comparison to the differences between us and Senator McCain."
The New York Daily News reports House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "blew off warnings from Hillary Clinton backers Thursday, refusing to acknowledge their veiled threat." Pelosi "ignored the Wednesday memo from 20 Clinton fat cats, in which they threatened to stop giving to" House Democratic campaigns "unless she changes her tune urging superdelegates to follow the lead of voter-chosen delegates." Her "deafening" silence "only magnified the rancorous chatter reverberating around the Internet. ... The Clinton campaign, after initially supporting the letter from its moneymen, insisted yesterday the overture was an independent effort." Meanwhile, The Politico reports that the influential liberal group MoveOn.org yesterday sent a letter to its membership urging them to back Pelosi in this dispute, and calling the move by the Clinton backers "outrageous."
The AP reports a Pew Research poll shows that if a national Democratic primary were held today, 49% of Democrats would vote for Barack Obama; 39% would vote for Hillary Rodham Clinton. The "two rivals' standings in the Pew Research Center poll have changed little from late February, the latest indication that so far Obama has weathered the controversy over provocative sermons by his longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright."
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The AP reports that in a "show of Republican unity," John McCain and Mitt Romney "raised money and campaigned together Thursday for a single goal -- getting McCain elected president." In an event in Utah, McCain was "flanked by Romney and Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., an early McCain supporter. Both have been mentioned as potential vice presidential picks, and McCain praised each." The Washington Post says it "remains to be seen whether" McCain will "put ex-rival Mitt Romney's financial know-how to use by picking him as his running mate. But yesterday, McCain did the most to milk another of Romney's primary attributes -- his access to deep pockets in Rocky Mountain country." The Los Angeles Times reports that "animosity" between the two so evident during the primary "had vanished -- spurring speculation that they might be able to stomach being running mates after all. McCain, with Romney standing beside him, said the two would be spending lots of time together on the campaign trail."
The Politico reports a "new analysis of March polling data suggests that" Sen. John McCain's cross-party support is greater than that of either Sens. Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. According to Gallup data provided to the Politico, in a hypothetical contest between McCain and Obama, "McCain wins 17 percent of Democrats and those leaning Democratic, while Obama wins 10 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners." In a "potential contest with Clinton, McCain wins 14 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaners while Clinton wins 8 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaners." By way of comparison, "exit polls in 2004 reported that George W. Bush won 11 percent of Democrats and John F. Kerry won 6 percent of Republicans."
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In a speech at the National Museum of the United States Air Forces in Dayton on Thursday, President Bush touted US progress in Iraq, calling it "substantive" but "reversible" and making any decision on troop levels contingent on "ensuring that we succeed in Iraq." The Wall Street Journal says Bush "spoke pointedly about Iraq's importance," asking, "If America's strategic interests are not in Iraq -- the convergence point for the twin threats of al Qaeda and Iran...the country at the heart of the most volatile region on Earth -- then where are they?"
Bush's assertion during his speech that "normalcy is returning back to Iraq" is being disputed in most media accounts this morning. Among them is the one run by McClatchy, which says "in touting progress in Iraq...the president appeared to gloss over developments that most would characterize as a far cry from 'normalcy,' even by Iraqi standards." The report then notes the recent "deadly battles in the southern city of Basra." In its critical story, titled "Despite New Violence In Iraq, Bush Stresses Progress," the Washington Post reports, "The images from Baghdad and Basra bristled with explosions, burning buildings, angry street protests, rocket smoke wafting from the Green Zone. The words from Dayton were 'remarkable' and 'victory' and 'rebirth.'"
NBC Nightly News said Bush "insisted today that this new eruption of violence is actually the latest proof that the US troop surge is working." NBC showed Bush saying, "This offensive builds on the security gains of the surge and demonstrates to the Iraqi people that their government is committed to protecting them." ABC World News showed the same Bush quote, while the CBS Evening News reported that "as the violence in Iraq grows...Bush insisted today that US and Iraqi forces are making progress." The President was shown saying, "We've broken the grip of al Qaeda on the capital. We've weakened the influence of Iranian-backed militias." Fox Special Report reported that Bush's "assurances" about Iraq "come as terrorists fired rockets and mortars at Baghdad's Green Zone where many Americans live and work, while Iraqi security forces continue to engage armed Shiite militiamen."
Meanwhile, the Washington Times reports Bush "ridiculed critics who say there is no progress in Iraq." The AP says he "took aim at a principal frustration in Democratic-run Congress that Iraq's politicians have squandered time while US troops are dying." Bush said, "Some members of Congress decided the best way to encourage progress in Baghdad was to criticize and threaten Iraq's leaders while they're trying to work out their differences. But hectoring was not what the Iraqi leaders needed. ... What they needed was security and that is what the 'surge' has provided." Despite this, the Washington Post reports this morning that 42 Democratic congressional candidates "banded together yesterday to promise that, if elected, they will push for legislation calling for an immediate drawdown of troops in Iraq." USA Today, the Los Angeles Times and UPI run similar reports on the President's speech.
And while the White House sees progress in the clashes between Iraqi security forces and Shiite militias in Basra, the US News Political Bulletin has learned that at the Pentagon, military officials are following the developments warily. "It's not a sign of success," says one senior military official.
The CBS Evening News opened Thursday evening by reporting, "New violence is threatening the fragile stability of Iraq tonight. Iraqi security forces are battling Shiite militias for control of Basra, the country's main oil hub. At least 56 people have been killed." McClatchy says Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki "in effect declared war on Shiite cleric Muqtada al Sadr's Mahdi Army," demanding "Sadrists 'drop their weapons, turn themselves into police stations and sign a vow to say they will not interfere again and return to their homes.'" The Washington Post notes Maliki told a gathering of tribal leaders yesterday, "We entered this battle with determination, and we will continue to the end. ... No retreat. No talks. No negotiations."
The Financial Times says Maliki "took a huge gamble this week when he ordered the Iraqi army into battle against Shia militias in the southern port city of Basra." Success would bolster the "credibility of a shaky government," but it could be hard to achieve. The New York Times reports US-trained Iraqi security forces" failed for a third straight day to oust Shiite militias" from Basra. The Christian Science Monitor says the "continuation of fighting marks a serious escalation in a long-simmering battle between Iraq's rival Shiite factions," and ABC World News said what has US officials "worried is that the center of gravity in this fighting may now be shifting to Baghdad."
The AP reports that last night, a senior Sadr aide said the cleric "has called for a political solution to the standoff." In a statement, "Sadr said he wants 'everyone to pursue political solutions and peaceful protests and a stop to the shedding of Iraqi blood.'"
As Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill prepares to depart for the region, the New York Times reports South Korea said Thursday "that it was 'deeply regrettable' that North Korea had ordered South Korean officials to leave its territory." The Washington Post says 11 South Korean officials departed, but five remained. The Los Angeles Times, meanwhile, reports North Korea test-fired "several short-range missiles off its west coast today in a possible effort to show dissatisfaction toward the new South Korean government and lack of progress in nuclear disarmament talks." The AP reports Hill plans to travel Monday to South Korea to discuss the stalled nuclear talks with Pyongyang.
Puerto Rico Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila, a Democratic superdelegate who has pledged his support to Sen. Barack Obama, was "charged with campaign finance violations that carry a penalty of 20 years in prison," the AP reports, but Acevedo "indignantly denied wrongdoing." AFP reports the FBI said Acevedo and others "conspired to defraud the government 'by having Puerto Rico businessmen make illegal and unreported contributions to pay off large and unreported debts'" from the Governor's campaigns. The Wall Street Journal says Acevedo "accused the Justice Department of stretching its 'jurisdiction and the truth.'" The Obama campaign said of Acevedo, "Though he is a supporter, he holds no title and has no formal role with the campaign."
The New York Times says the indictment "threw Puerto Rican politics into disarray as some politicians and political commentators called for Mr. Acevedo's resignation" and opposition party members "began to discuss impeachment." The Miami Herald says Acevedo and his supporters said the DOJ "has a penchant for going after Democrats. ... Acevedo also has long accused the FBI of seeking revenge against him for his lawsuit over the September 2005 killing of fugitive Filiberto Ojeda Ríos in a standoff with the FBI." The Washington Times and Philadelphia Inquirer also report on the indictment, while the AP reports that Attorney General Michael Mukasey "vowed anew Thursday to crack down on crooked politicians and public officials, dismissing critics who accuse the Justice Department of letting partisan loyalties interfere with corruption cases." Roll Call reported on its website that Mukasey "issued a strong commitment to prosecuting public corruption cases, and said the number of FBI investigators working on such cases has nearly doubled since 2002."
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Jay Leno: "And MSNBC is reporting there's a chance that John McCain will pick Condoleezza Rice as his vice president. Well, actually, I think that's a perfectly balanced ticket, right? I mean, he's white, she's black. He's a man, she's a woman. He's always steamed, she's Rice. See what I mean?"
Jay Leno: "Hey, you heard Hillary Clinton's new campaign slogan? 'Incoming!'"
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