The AP reports this morning that Sen. Barack Obama "raked in" $40 million last month leaving Sen. Hillary Clinton "and her $20 million in the fundraising dust and stuffing his campaign treasury so he can outspend her in the crucial Pennsylvania primary." Obama's "haul in new donations also buttressed his argument to Democratic superdelegates that he has built a vast network of donors and volunteers that they wouldn't want to lose by denying him the nomination."
ABC World News added, "In California today, Hillary Clinton said she fully expected Barack Obama to raise and spend more money than her." Clinton said, "I am being outspent." Snow: "The Obama campaign says about half of the people who contributed to that $40 million raised in March were first-time donors, giving on average 96 bucks." The CBS Evening News also said Obama raised "double what Hillary Clinton's campaign raised." NBC Nightly News said it was Obama's "second-highest monthly total."
In a posting on its "The Swamp" politics blog, the Chicago Tribune reports Obama "already had more in the bank -- about $30 million on hand to spend as of March 1, compared with about $11 million for Clinton." The New York Times adds, "In recent weeks," the Clinton camp "has been dogged by reports that it has been late in paying its creditors, including health insurance premiums for campaign workers, although aides to Mrs. Clinton said the delays were not reflective of a cash squeeze."
Obama Heavily Outspending Clinton In Key States The Wall Street Journal said Obama's take "was less than the record-breaking $55 million he raised in February," but still it has allowed him to outspend Clinton on TV in the key battleground of Pennsylvania "about 3-to-1 so far." USA Today cites Campaign Media Analysis Group tracking that shows Obama "has spent about $3 million on television ads in Pennsylvania in advance of the state's primary April 22, compared with about $830,000 by Clinton." In a posting on its "The Trail" politics blog, the Washington Post says, "What does $40 million a month buy a presidential candidate? A whole lot of airtime and office space." Obama's "copious cash flow means he can compete as aggressively in the final Democratic contests as he did in the early days of the primary campaign. ... In North Carolina, one of the two vital May 6 states, the Obama campaign's office count has risen to 16, including smaller locales like Hickory, Boone and Elizabeth City. Two Obama television ads are airing around the state, at a total cost of $800,000, according to a source familiar with the campaign's media budget." In Indiana, Obama has spent over $1 million on ads, and his "office tally climbed today to 17."
McCain Camp Says It Raised Less Than Obama In a posting on its "Political Ticker" blog, CNN reports a "senior McCain official" told CNN "that the campaign's March fundraising numbers will be 'better than they usually are for us, but not competitive with Obama'" despite John McCain having spent much of the month raising cash.
A CBS News/New York Times Poll shows Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton both leading Sen. John McCain in general election trial heats. The poll shows Obama leading McCain 47%-42%, down from a 50%-38% lead in late February. Clinton leads McCain 48%-43%. The poll surveyed 1,196 registered voters from March 30-April 2. The poll shows that in the Democratic primary, Obama now leads Clinton 46%-43%, down from a 54%-38% lead in late February.
Sign up here to get the US News Political Bulletin emailed to you each morning at 8 a.m.
The New York Sun reports this morning that "a key adviser" to Sen. Barack Obama's campaign "is recommending in a confidential paper that America keep between 60,000 and 80,000 troops in Iraq as of late 2010, a plan at odds with the public pledge of the Illinois senator to withdraw combat forces from Iraq within 16 months of taking office." The paper, obtained by The Sun, "was written by Colin Kahl for the center-left Center for a New American Security. In 'Stay on Success: A Policy of Conditional Engagement,' Mr. Kahl writes that through negotiations with the Iraqi government 'the U.S. should aim to transition to a sustainable over-watch posture (of perhaps 60,00080,000 forces) by the end of 2010 (although the specific timelines should be the byproduct of negotiations and conditions on the ground).'" The Sun notes that Kahl is an Iraq policy adviser to Obama.
The AP reports this morning that former President Jimmy Carter "wouldn't quite say it, but he left little doubt this week about who he'd like to see in the White House next year. ... 'My children and their spouses are pro-Obama. My grandchildren are also pro-Obama,' he said at a news conference, according to the Nigerian newspaper This Day. 'As a superdelegate, I would not disclose who I am rooting for, but I leave you to make that guess.'" The CBS Evening News said Carter "dropped a strong hint today that he will support Barack Obama."
Bloomberg News reports New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine (D), who is backing Hillary Clinton, "said the race for the Democratic nomination may be over if she fails to win big in Pennsylvania's April 22 primary. 'I think she needs a good, big win,' Corzine said in an interview on CNBC today, describing himself as an 'aggressive supporter' of the New York senator. 'You have to see a real cut into this popular vote, and I think she's going to get it.'" The Los Angeles Times adds that Corzine, asked "what he will consider before casting his vote" as a convention superdelegate, Corzine said, "Who's got the most. I'm going to look at the popular vote."
CNN's Election Center reported last night, "We no longer have to guess about a revote in Michigan. Tomorrow the state's Democratic Party is going to vote to abandon any attempt to replace the faulty vote in January." The AP adds the Michigan Democratic Party Executive Committee is expected "to hold a meeting by phone to vote on a statement saying any kind of election to replace the results of the January 15th primary no longer is possible, according to Democratic leaders who spoke on condition of anonymity because the discussions so far have been private." Michigan Democrats "now hope the two campaigns can agree on a way to split Michigan's 128 pledged delegates so they can be seated at the Aug. 25-28 convention in Denver, Colo."
Sign up here to get the US News Political Bulletin emailed to you each morning at 8 a.m.
Sen. Hillary Clinton appeared on NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno, where she made light of her controversial comments on her Bosnia visit, saying, "It is so great to be here, I was so worried I wasn't going to make it. I was pinned down by sniper fire." Clinton, asked about reports that her husband can get fired up about the race, said he "does get a little carried away sometimes." Clinton also took shots at President Bush's handling of the economy, saying, "It is the economy, stupid. And unfortunately, we have such a stupid economy. And the President doesn't seem to pay much attention to what's going on. There is no sense of urgency. The unemployment numbers are going up. More and more people are losing their homes to foreclosure. We owe all this money to everybody in the world. We borrow money from the Chinese to buy oil from the Saudis, which is not exactly a smart strategy. And we just see our middle class really deteriorating under all of this stress. And the President doesn't seem to want to deal with it. And I'm just hoping we can survive until he's finally gone on January 20, 2009."
The South Bend Tribune reports this morning that a Research 2000 poll shows Hillary Clinton leading Barack Obama 49%-46% in Indiana, which holds its primary on May 6. The poll surveyed 400 likely Democratic primary voters from March 31-April 2.
The New York Times reports this morning that Sen. John McCain, "who says he will court the African-American vote this year and campaign in places Republicans often shun," will address the South Christian Leadership Conference today in Memphis to mark the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. McCain said his "thinking about Dr. King had evolved since 1983, when, as a freshman in Congress, he voted against establishing a national holiday in his honor. He has called his vote a mistake."
Sign up here to get the US News Political Bulletin emailed to you each morning at 8 a.m.
Top
The Wall Street Journal reports, "A new classified intelligence assessment about Iraq says conditions have improved on the ground since the last report, according to officials familiar with the document, and it has renewed a debate on Capitol Hill about the politicization of such analysis." The new report "says little more than what has already available in newspapers, the officials say, prompting criticism from some Democrats that it appears to be designed largely to bolster the administration's Iraq policy ahead of Congressional testimony next week from Gen. David Petraeus." The New York Times says the NIE "provides a more upbeat analysis of conditions in Iraq than the last major assessment by United States spy agencies, last summer." The Washington Post reports that "several lawmakers familiar with its conclusions declined to provide specifics but said it contained little information beyond public accounts of recent events in Iraq." Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph Biden said, "The stuff that was positive, they emphasized. The negative, they stated, but deemphasized." A second Washington Post story reports Democratic Sens. Edward Kennedy and Carl Levin said the new report "is 'essential' to upcoming debates on the war, and its judgments should be publicly released." They want an unclassified summary released before Petraeus and US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker testify on April 8.
As part of a markedly negative front-page story on the performance of Iraqi troops during recent fighting, the New York Times also reports on the NIE, which "cites significant security improvements but concludes that security remains fragile, several American government officials said." But "even as officials described problems with the planning and performance of the Iraqi forces during the Basra operation, signs emerged Wednesday that tensions" with Moktada al-Sadr "could flare up again."
Pelosi Warns Petraeus "Not To Put A Shine" On Iraq Events The Politico reports House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned Petraeus and Crocker "not to 'put a shine on recent events' in Iraq when they testify before Congress next week." Said Pelosi, "I hope we don't hear any glorification of what happened in Basra. ... We have to know the real ground truths of what is happening there, not put a shine on events because of a resolution that looks less violent when in fact it has been dictated by al-Sadr, who can grant or withhold that call for violence." The Politico also notes Sen. Lindsey Graham "sharply criticized" Pelosi over those comments, saying, "Speaker Pelosi's warning to Gen. Petraeus about his testimony being 'too shiny' says more about her than it does about him." He added, "I have no confidence Speaker Pelosi will ever accept anything coming out of Iraq other than a loss."
The Washington Post reports on its front page that when Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki "launched an offensive in Basra last week, he consulted only his inner circle of advisers. There were no debates in parliament or among his political allies," and senior US officials "were notified only a few days before the operation began." The "ultimately unsuccessful gambit has exposed the shaky foundation upon which U.S. policy in Iraq rests after five years of war." McClatchy says Maliki, "back in Baghdad after a week of directing an Iraqi security forces offensive against Sadr's Mahdi Army militia in the southern port city of Basra, promised to 'liberate' Sadr's strongholds." Maliki also "challenged the assessment of most analysts that the Iraqi operation in Basra was a failure. 'Basra was a prisoner, but it has been freed now,' he said." The AP also reports on Maliki's comments, and the AP also says Sadr called for "a 'million-strong' turnout for an anti-American demonstration next week to mark the fifth anniversary of the capture of Baghdad by invading US troops."
The New York Times reports on its front page that "more than 1,000 Iraqi soldiers and policemen either refused to fight or simply abandoned their posts during the inconclusive assault against Shiite militias in Basra last week," according to "a senior Iraqi government official said." Iraqi military officials said the group "included dozens of officers, including at least two senior field commanders in the battle."
The Washington Post reports in its business section that "many consumer advocates say the Senate's 'Foreclosure Prevention Act' does not live up to its name. They say it fails to deliver swift help to the most distressed homeowners and is of limited use to borrowers who may soon be in trouble." The bill, "hastily cobbled together by Republican and Democratic leaders, would allow state and local property tax deductions this year of up to $1,000 for families and $500 for individuals who now can't deduct that money."
The Christian Science Monitor reports, "Consumer groups, unions, and civil rights groups cried foul as details of the bipartisan deal surfaced Wednesday night." The Monitor adds "critics charge that the subprime mortgage industry marketed many of its loans to African-Americans and Latinos, including those with solid credit ratings." But the Washington Times says the final measure "could be altered significantly, as both parties have offered amendments. Several Democrats say they plan to co-sponsor an amendment to double the proposed funding for mortgage counselors to $200 million." The New York Times contrasts the "more modest Senate bill" with "a more aggressive legislative rescue effort for homeowners" that "is expected to pick up steam next week in the House." That plan could "provide up to $300 billion in federally guaranteed loans to help refinance the mortgages of as many as 1.5 million homeowners at risk of default." The AP also reports on the legislation.
Senate Votes Down Provision Allowing Judges To Alter Mortgages The New York Times reports, "The Senate on Thursday rejected a proposal to let bankruptcy judges modify mortgages on primary residences to help financially distressed homeowners, but lawmakers continued to work on a bipartisan bill that includes other foreclosure assistance as well as tax breaks intended to stabilize the housing market." The Hill says "opponents of the bankruptcy provision say it would force interest rates higher."
Sign up here to get the US News Political Bulletin emailed to you each morning at 8 a.m.
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and the "nation's top financial regulators told the Senate Banking Committee that if the Federal Reserve hadn't just intervened into the collapse of investment bank Bear Stearns last month, it could have had disastrous effects on the entire financial system," NBC Nightly News reported. Bernanke "says he expects the $29 billion in taxpayer money that was put up to back up the deal will all be repaid eventually." The Washington Post reported Fed, Treasury, and SEC officials "said the plan they implemented was meant to prevent a much bigger problem than the dissolution of a single investment bank."
The Wall Street Journal reports Treasury Undersecretary Robert Steel testified the government "sought a low sale price for Bear Stearns Cos. to send a message that taxpayers wouldn't bail out firms making risky bets. ... 'There was a view that the price should not be very high or should be towards the low end...given the government's involvement,'" said Steel. USA Today reports Bear Stearns CEO Alan Schwartz "said the deal to sell his firm to JPMorgan for $2 a share, reached hastily the weekend of March 15-16, came when he and his board realized there was no alternative. Just a year earlier, the stock hit $171. The New York Times and the AP also report on the testimony.
On its front page, the New York Times reports that in a new CBS News/Times poll, "81 percent of respondents said they believed that 'things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track,' up from 69 percent a year ago and 35 percent in early 2003." While the "public mood has been darkening since the early days of the war in Iraq, it has taken a new turn for the worse in the last few months, as the economy has seemed to slip into recession." The CBS Evening News said the poll showed that "the struggling economy" is "affecting the mood of the entire country." President Bush's approval rating in the poll is just 28 percent.
Sign up here to get the US News Political Bulletin emailed to you each morning at 8 a.m.
Top
Jay Leno: "Although some people call for her to pull out of the race, Hillary says she will not pull out because she wants everyone's vote to count. Unless you're voting for Obama. Then you can ignore that."
Jay Leno: "Actually, we're learning more and more about John and Cindy McCain. He's on this big biography tour so you can learn about him. I guess his wife, Cindy, is worth over $100 million" because "the family made money selling Budweiser beer. Budweiser beer distributor, $100 million. So, he has a wife 20 years younger than him, free beer," and "unlimited money. I think I speak for all guys when I go -- why is he running for president?"
Jay Leno: "Homeland Security Chief or Secretary" Michael Chertoff "announced that his department...will bypass all the environmental laws to build hundreds of miles of border fence between the United States and Mexico. Of course, this is a White House dream come true. Keeping Lou Dobbs happy while still being able to destroy the environment."
David Letterman: "Are you familiar with the Hillary Clinton 3:00 a.m. phone call commercial that she has been running during her campaign? The idea is" if "the phone rings at 3:00 a.m.," who "would you want to be president. She has another one. The phone rings" at 3 a.m., "Hillary...picks" up the phone "and says, 'Stop bothering me, President Obama.'"
Sign up here to get the US News Political Bulletin emailed to you each morning at 8 a.m.
Top
Copyright © 2008 by the Bulletin News Network, Inc.
11190 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 130 • Reston, VA 20191
advertisement
Get your POLITICALBULLETIN
Best Careers 2008
In a shifting job landscape, we've identified where the growth lies.
advertisement
Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our Terms and Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy.
