Mark A. Kilmer (the weblog)

For Sunday, May 18, 2008

FOX News Sunday (FNS): Host Chris Wallace does the surrogate thing, this time with Senators Jon Kyl for McCain and Chris Dodd for Obama. Then FOX News analyst Karl Rove comes on to explain what might happen.

This Week (ABC): Host George Stephanopoulos has Joe Biden on to invent epithets in reaction to the President’s remarks in Israel. John Boehner, the House GOP leader, is on next to talk of the GOP.

Meet the Press (NBC): Host Tim Russert has Jim Webb on to hawk his book; Mike Huckabee, Harold Ford (jr)… and Mike Murphy and Bob Shrum.

Face the Nation (CBS): Host Bob Schieffer has, in his half an hour, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, former Ross Perot campaign manager Ed Rollins, former Colorado Governor Roy Romer, and Mario Cuomo.

Late Edition (CNN): Host Wolf Blitzer talks to Hillary then turns quickly to Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and Washington lobbyist Trent Lott.

= = = = =

We’re in the new frontier of surrogates, what with Hillary having been cast aside after her blowout win in West Virginia, the one which caused the squeamish Dem superdelegates to try to rally ’round Barry; yes, it is now McCain surrogates vs. Obama surrogates. Or it will be soon, if FNS is breaking the ground.

We’ve not seen Joe Biden on for a while. There was a time, not too long ago, when Biden and John McCain were on these shows every Sunday.

We don’t need to hear Webb mumble from notes scribbled on his wrists.

Hillary. She won’t drop out on Late Edition, and why should she? She’s going to crush the Dem nominee in Kentucky on Tuesday. And it will be good to hear from Senator Lott now that he’s left the upper chamber of the loony bin.

I shall watch these and report back tomorrow afternoon.

Last October, Obama cursed the American flag lapel pin:

“Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we’re talking about the Iraq War, that [American flag pin] became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security, I decided I won’t wear that pin on my chest.

He said that wearing the American flag pin on your lapel made you a fake patriot.

Now, Barry is wearing the pin, but not to fundraisers in San Francisco.

Bob Barr has announced that he will be running for President this year on the Libertarian Party ticket. The only distinguishing thing he did in his brief House career was his stint as a House Manager at Hillary’s husband’s Senate trial after he was impeached.

He’s currently a member of the ACLU who digs the war on drugs. You figure him out.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Preface:

On FNS, Obama campaign boss David Axelrod told host Chris Wallace that he was “encouraged” by the McCain campaign’s proposal to hold joint town hall meetings this summer. Next up, Clinton mouthpiece Howard Wolfson argued that the race for the Dem nomination would not be over until someone garnered the support of 2209 delegates, the number required to nominate if both the Florida and the Michigan delegations are counted.

On TW, Harry Reid told host George Stephanopoulos that Americans have outgrown the 2nd Amendment as an issue in Presidential campaigns and that John McCain was a “flawed” candidate because of his temper. Asked for evidence of this temper, Reid said that “everybody knows” about it. Carly Fiorina, McCain advisor, was up next, and she made a point about “incentivizing” private companies to develop green technologies to combat the global warming threat. (She didn’t use the term “global warming threat”; rather, I get a kick out of it.)

On MTP, Obama supporter Chris Dodd said that he was not upset that Hillary was still in the race; rather, he didn’t want her trashing Barry. Hillary’s campaign manager, Terence McAuliffe, threatened that if the Democrats nominate Obama, they’ll lose both the Presidential election and the House of Representatives.

On FTN, host Bob Schieffer talked to John Edwards who said that he might eventually endorse. He added with a twinkle in his eye that John McCain seemed to be open about his proposal to create a cabinet-level Poverty Czar. (I hope not.) Next up, Terence McAuliffe answered questions about Hillary being the candidate of white people.

On LE, host Wolf Blitzer first talked to Obama, who opined that the American people want change and that he wanted to appoint Supreme Court justices who saw the court as a “refuge for justice.” With two shrubberies so you get the two-level effect with a little path running down the middle. He next spoke to Roy Blunt and Chris Van Hollen, with Van Hollen spouting memorized notes he clearly did not understand.

The complete, show-by-show review is over at RedState.com.

For Sunday, May 11, 2008

FOX News Sunday (FNS): Host Chris Wallace talks to top Obama strategist David Axelrod and Hillary’s mouthpiece, Howard Wolfson, about what will be left of the Dem Party.

This Week (ABC): Host George Stephanopoulos has Nevada Senator Harry Reid on the show to hawk his new book and he sits down with Carly Fiorina to discuss the McCain campaign.

Meet the Press (NBC): Host Tim Russert talks to two former DNC bosses: Chris Dodd for Obama and Terence McAuliffe for Hillary, about what will be left of the Dem Party.

Face the Nation (CBS): Host Bob Schieffer talks to John Edwards and to McAuliffe.

Late Edition (CNN): Host Wolf Blitzer interviews Obama and then hosts House GOP whip Roy Blunt and DCC chair Chris Van Hollen to discuss the outlook for Congressional elections. Then he speaks to his usual cast of thousands.

=====

The consensus seems to be that the Dem race is over, and the hosts want to know if Hillary’s ongoing battle will let the aging, weary John McCain abscond with the General Election this November; they’ll talk to Democrats who will reassure them that everything will be alright.

Harry Reid is doing his book tour; he’ll probably do Russert next week.

Kudos to Blitzer for paying some attention to what is happening with Congressional races; he has an opening now that the luster has been stolen from his Obama vs. Clinton star.

The only reason for the FTN producers to cast John Edwards this week would be if he promised to endorse Barry, but I am nonplussed about that possibility. At this point, who cares?

I’ll cover these things and have my notes over at RedState.com tomorrow afternoon.