The Blue State

Hillary needs to follow Warner's giving mood

These days, the former Virginia Democratic Governor has a lot to be proud about.  Mark Warner, who is a 2008 hopeful, has raised a total of $8.2 million since November of 2005 through his Forward Together PAC.  But not all of that money was just kept for himself.  Almost $900,000 was donated from his PAC to 108 other Democratic candidates nationwide.  Instead of just throwing money at them, the candidates had to meet the criteria of being "solutions-oriented candidates who want to tackle the tough problems," according to the web site.  In other words, just being against something was not enough.  Those Democrats needed to be inspired, people-powered problem-solvers with a vision for the future.

And according to The Hill Magazine, Warner was busy throughout the month of June in terms of remaining in the giving mood:

In June, Forward Together, Warner’s PAC, contributed$392,400 to House and Senate Democratic candidates and he gave $15,000to both the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and theDemocratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), said Ellen Qualls,Forward Together’s spokeswoman.

Separately, Warner gave $164,000to House Democratic candidates and more than $72,000 to SenateDemocratic candidates, as well as $36,500 to state parties, during thefirst three months of 2006, according to Federal Election Commissionrecords.

Why am I bringing all this up?  Mark Warner is going beyond his own personal ambitions, and is trying to build the progressive base -- mirroring the goal of the progressive blogosphere.  Speaking of which, a lot of the money Warner has raised in 2006 has come from blogs.  A few months back, his PAC decided to advertise on a number of progressive blogs.  In my view, it was likely more or less a test to see how much money could be raised via the blogosphere, leading him to an upcoming decision about whether or not to follow that same strategy as we get closer to the 2008 primaries.  Putting it bluntly, it worked.  Forward Together PAC sent out a mass e-mail a few days ago to a number of bloggers touting their fundraising successes.  Now you know where I got some (key word: "some") of the stats at the very top of this post from.

But once again, you are probably asking why would I recycle one of Mark Warner's e-mails?  First, this is not recycling.  Secondly, if it makes you feel any better, I will say that I am disturbed by Mark Warner's decision to hire former Kerry strategist Jim Jordan, who was eventually fired by the Kerry Campaign after the primaries and replaced by Mary Beth Cahill.  Just reusing Washington-based Democratic strategists with losing records does not really help make the party stronger.

Now let me get to the point I wanted to make.  The AP is reporting that Hillary Clinton has raised $22 million for her Senate Campaign, which she will undoubtedly win in a landslide.  She will not need that money.  Even if she is running for president, she should at least appear to be a leader in the progressive movement by donating more money to candidates.  Relatively speaking, Mark Warner has donated two times more money than Hillary has to other candidates.  This is more than just about 2008 -- it is about pushing back against the Republicans in every district.  People like Mark Warner understand that it is about building the progressive base in all 50 states.

In the words of Steven Colbert, Hillary Clinton is on notice.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Other blogs writing about this issue: I am the only one!

The GOP smearing of Mark Warner has begun

Yesterday, we got an a clear idea as to how Republicans will try to go after former Virginia Governor Mark Warner if he wins the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.  During a stop in Iowa to campaign with Chet Culver, the Democratic candidate for Governor in that state, Mark Warner also took time to emphasize that Democrats cannot let Republicans get the upper hand on national security issues:

"There is astrong case to be made that what Democrats have to do is prove theirmettle on national security, but also lay out a world view," Warnersaid.

Warner joked about how Bush's problems in both trade and energy are interlinked:

"Let's go borrow money from China to buy oil from countries around the world that don't like us," Warner says.

..."Idon't think anyone has fully connected the dots in America betweennational security, American job creation, energy policy and globalwarming," Warner says. Warner, who co-founded the Nextell cellulartelephone company, says America should position itself as the worldleader in what he terms "next generation energy research anddevelopment."

Then came the Republican smear machine.  The Iowa Republican Party issued a press release yesterday, labeling Warner as an old-style tax-and-spend liberal:

By bringing in Mark Warner, Chet Culver is showing Iowa voters whattype of tax and spend governor he will be,” said Republican Party ofIowa Executive Director Cullen Sheehan. “Warner broke his campaignpromise not to raise taxes and allowed out-of-control spending, Iowanscan not afford to make the same mistake with Chet Culver who hasalready proposing his own out-of-control spending that would force taxhikes.”

Sheehan continued, “Mark Warner failed to listen to the people ofVirginia during his endless crusade for higher taxes and Chet Culver isguaranteed to do the same if elected governor.”

Actually, if anyone, the Iowa Republican Party should be criticizing the Virginia Republican Congress for passing those spending bills in the first place.  What Warner did was balance the budget, and convince members of the other party to back enacted budgetary discipline.  The Congress in Virginia was two-to-one Republican.  How many politicians these days are good at both deficit reduction and working with the other party?  Not many.  Mark Warner did just that when he was Virginia's governor.

From this GOP attack, at the very least we are getting an early idea of how Republicans would target Mark Warner in 2008.  But in reality, in comparison to John Kerry, Republicans don't have much to go on.  Warner finished with an approval rating higher than 70% in a solidly red state.  He can work with both sides of the isle, while still championing the progressive cause.  He is a communicator.  Based on what we have learned so far this decade, I think we can all agree that our next president needs to be someone that uses correct sentence structure when communicating in public.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Other blogs writing about Mark Warner: Unearth Iowa, The Next Prez, Tommy Wonk, Demnotes, Political Forecast, Democrats.com, Diary of a Political Madman.

Video: The next Clinton is not Hillary

On the syndicated weekend program the Chris Matthews Show, the panel of political analysts discussed who the next Bill Clinton might be.  Let me give you two hints: it's a Democrat, and it's not Hillary:

Click to watch video clip

-------- Partial Transcript --------

DANA MILBANK (of the Washington Post): "You know, if Clinton was our first black president, Obama could be our actual black president.  What he can do, in fact, also, President Bush, when he was campaigning, had this gift too.  Obama is down the line liberal, but he can talk the language of religion.  He can talk about God in the pledge.  He can do that 'sista soldier' thing that Clinton could do so well too."

It seemed like the panel thought the next Bill Clinton would be Obama, Warner or Edwards.  Although, I would agree that if Edwards has any shot then he needs to broaden his stump speech.  Most people are tired of hearing the same line:

"What we believe, what I believe, is the family you're born into and the color of your skin..." -- blah blah blah

Each time, it's almost word-for-word the same.  But if Edwards steps outside of his carefully established rhetorical box a little bit, then he is definitely a force to be reckoned with.  As of now, Edwards leads Hillary Clinton and all the other 2008 presidential hopefuls in the state of Iowa, according to the latest Des Moines Register poll.  Poverty is a great issue to talk about.  But most Democrats would like to hear more discussion about Iraq, gas prices and disaster preparedness.  So if Edwards can rhetorically broaden himself a little bit, like Mark Warner is doing right now, then he will be in great shape.
------------------------------------------------------------
Other blogs writing about this issue: VB Dems Blog, Pennsylvanian in Exile, DGTD, Glimpse into Hell, Viva Voce, Kirkogitation, Freight Teamsters, Carolina Demline, Political Roads, The Rothenberg Political Report, Texas 21, Pressing the Flesh.

Guess which 2008 Democratic hopeful leads in Iowa

18 months from now, Iowa Democrats and independents will meet in precincts all over the state to determine who will emerge victorious in the 2008 Iowa Caucus.  Not only is Iowa the first on the list of primary destinations, but last time around it was the most important.  In 2004, John Kerry came from behind to surpass both Howard Dean and John Edwards to win Iowa, and he never looked back.

The DeMoies Register conducted a poll earlier this month of likely voters in the 2008 Democratic caucus.  Here are the results:

All those appearances in Iowa over the last year have paid off for John Edwards.  It was as if the 2004 campaign never ended.  Fittingly, as this poll was being talked about on Meet the Press yesterday, Edwards spent the day talking with folks in Bettendorf, Iowa.  He understands that the state is the key to a huge early advantage in the race for the Democratic nomination.

Video: Mark Warner tells Clinton not so fast

On the syndicated weekend program the Chris Matthews Show, a panel ofexperts discussed 2008 presidential candidate Mark Warner's recentinterview on a New York television station, where he explained thatDemocrats might want to think hard before selecting Hillary Clinton astheir next Democratic nominee:

Click to watch video clip

Warner's comment about wanting the Democrats to compete in more than 16 states echoes the sentiment coming from web sites like this one.  After John Kerry's loss in 2004, we learned a valuable lesson that in order to succeed the Democrats needed to become more than merely a regional party.  Yes, of course, we should expect to hold Senate and House seats in the Northeast.  But we can also do a better job of funding winning candidates all across the country, such as in Virginia, where Mark Warner has already proved that anything is possible.

Speaking of bloggers, Mark Warner courted the Netroots at the Yearly KOS Convention in Las Vegas.

(Related News)

Mark Warner says net neutrality must be protected

Here is a video clip from a Mark Warner Podcast about net neutrality:

Just in case you are new to the whole debate on net neutrality, here are the basics as explained by Slate.com:

The Internet is largely meritocratic in its design. If people likeinstapundit.com better than cnn.com, that's where they'll go. If theylike the search engine A9 better than Google, they vote with theirclicks. Is it a problem, then, if the gatekeepers of the Internet (inmost places, a duopoly of the local phone and cable companies)discriminate between favored and disfavored uses of the Internet?  Totake a strong example, would it be a problem if AT&T makes itslower and harder to reach Gmail and quicker and easier to reach Yahoo!mail?

Welcome to the fight over "network neutrality,"Washington's current obsession. The debate centers on whether it ismore "neutral" to let consumers reach all Internet content equally orto let providers discriminate if they think they'll make more moneythat way.

The group SaveTheInternet.com is lobbying Congress to prevent internet providers from regulating the internet.  The current bill to protect free speech online cleared committee and is waiting for a full House vote.

I guess this will be our chance to see which Congressmen get big donations from the cable and telephone industries.

Al Gore sneaks up in latest 2008 primary poll

The latest Democratic primary straw poll was just released by the Cook Political Report.  Al Gore is catching up to Hillary Clinton:

"I am going to read a list of people who might seek the Democratic nomination for president in 2008, and I will read the list twice.  I would like you to tell me who would be your FIRST CHOICE for the nomination? . . ." Names rotated.         Among Democrats     and leaners.

Hillary Clinton - 31%
Al Gore - 18%
John Kerry - 14%
John Edwards - 11%
Joe Biden - 4%
Mark Warner - 3%
Wesley Clark - 3%
Evan Bayh - 2%
Russ Feingold - 2%
Bill Richardson - 2%
Chris Dodd - 1%
Tom Vilsack - 0%
Other - 10%

I still am not convinced that Hillary Clinton is electable.  Every Democrat, including myself, would obviously throw their support behind her if she ended up being the nominee.  But with books out like American Evita, which recklessly attack the former First Lady for something she is not, she might be too wounded to even stand a chance against GOP heavyweights like John McCain, Rudy Giuliani or George Allen.

This poll did leave out Barack Obama, who has created a lot of buzz over the last couple of weeks.  Sources say that he might decide to stun everyone and enter the race for president in 2008.  Now here is a guy who is popular, well-rounded and respected enough to get more votes than both Hillary (primaries) and McCain (November).  Singer Neil Young and Senator Dick Durbin have already endorsed him.  Obama also has the highest national approval rating of any Democrat.

Mark Warner upset about U.S. image abroad

A few weeks back, possible 2008 presidential candidate Mark Warner embarked on an overseas trip to meet with leaders in Israel and Jordan.  Although he did not elaborate on his meetings with the foreign leaders, he did seem saddened about one aspect of the trip, as he explained yesterday in Virginia:

Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner worries about the United States’ diminishing influence abroad.

“It’s sadto me that an American president can’t travel to any country withoutprotests and anti-American expressions,” said Warner, who came toRichmond on Tuesday for the unveiling of his official portrait asVirginia’s 69th governor.

Warner saidit was simple to contrast the lack of support for the United States nowcompared with “the worldwide support” the country had after the Sept.11 attacks.

And whileWarner believes the world is “desperate for American leadership,’’ hecriticized President Bush’s foreign policy, saying it was a19th-century one.

Most Americans would tend to agree with Warner.  Obviously, almost all of this is an unfortunate result of our unilateral war in Iraq.  And an ABC News/Washington Post Poll released today says 52% of Americans believe the Administration "intentionally misled" them while building the case for war.

Warner wows graduates

As it is posted every week, here is the latest 2008 presidential buzz from the list of probable Democratic candidates:

• Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner addressed graduates at Wake Forest University.  He introduced the theme of politcal tolerance, which he is expected to promote when he runs for the White House in 2008.  "No one in politics  has a monopoly on virtue, on patriotismor, most importantly, on the truth  and that goes for everyone fromconservative to liberal and everywhere in between," Warner said.  Many Democratic strategists like this idea because it will provide a breath of fresh air to the hyper partisanship influenced by this Administration.
• An anti-Hillary Clinton web site called The Hillary Project introduced the "10 Ways to Stop Hillary".  One of those recommendations includes nominatintg Rudolph Giuliani as the Republican candidate.
• During a stop in New York, John Edwards told NY1 during an interview that he is considering running for president in 2008.  And although he spoke somewhat highly of Giuliani during the interview, he said that the former NY Mayor would not get his vote.  Edwards also was in Maine over the weekend as he spoke to the UM graduating class.  Here is an excerpt: "There is such anopportunity for good. Such an opportunity for good. And this is whereyou [the students] come in. I'm here to tell you. I'm not guessingabout this. I have seen it, young people have changed America before,and you can change America again."
• WBAY2 News in Green Bay said yesterday that John Kerry is adding his name to Russ Feingold's censure measure.  Kerry joines Barbara Boxer of California and Tom Harkin of Iowa as the only Senators to support Feingold's measure.
• Just in case you missed Saturday Night Live over the weekend, here is one last look at Al Gore's cameo appearance.  I guarantee this will make you laugh!  The former Vice President has been in the news a lot recently.  His new movie, An Inconvenient Truth, which explains the threat of global warming, is propelling him to rockstar status.  Online Journal's Wayne Madsen writes about the appeal that Gore would have if he ran for president in 2008.

2008 campaign buzz: Hillary courts Fox's Murdoch

Once each week, I like to keep tabs on some of the potential 2008 presidential candidates.  So here is the latest:

• New York Senate incumbent Hillary Clinton is going to have one of her fundraisers hosted by none other than Fox News' Rupert Murdoch, according to the Financial Times.  This is pretty unbelievable if you ask me, especially after all that Hillary has said about Fox News and the "vast right-wing conspiracy" over the years.
• Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner has added the Podcast feature to his web site, reports the Richmond Times Dispatch.  Podcasting allows individuals to download media content onto their mp3 players.  In other words, you can both view and listen to his daily take on politics via your ipod by going to his Forward Together PAC web site.
• Yesterday Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack unveiled a memorial that honors the fallen soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan that come from the great state of Iowa.  "The country has called, and those who we remember today responded withcourage and great dignity. We should not, and we must not forget theirsacrifice," Vilsack said, as reported in the Quad City Times.
• Students at Central High School in Philadelphia conducted a straw poll and elected Hillary Clinton as the next president of the United States, defeating Al Gore by a vote of 275 to 126.  The election was designed to mirror NCAA's March Madness.  Therefore within the large field of candidates, the political affiliations were not considered.

There is a lot of chatter all over the blogosphere about Hillary's fundraiser with Rupert Murdoch.  One commenter at the anti-Fox media watchdog site "News Hounds" said, "I read this on Democratic Underground and it made me mad as hell. Ithink it's time to get off the Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton cycle.(it's long past time)"

There will be a huge backlash among bloggers because of this -- mark my words!