ElephantBiz: January 2007 Archives

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Jan31	A Report from the Summit Bill Hobbs January 31, 2007 Know More: 2008 Presidential Race, Consultants, Grassroots, Miscellaneous, Strategery, Think Tanks Steven Warshawsky, writing at the American Thinker blog, recaps the National Review Institute's Conservative Summit last weekend in the nation's capital, says the summit "offered a wealth of practical and philosophical insights from leading politicians, scholars, and policy analysts, from across the conservative political spectrum (although the 'paleo' perspective was under-represented, not surprisingly)." His recap of the Summit is thorough and thought-provoking... Continue Reading Posted at 6:13 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan31	Oops! Bill Hobbs January 31, 2007 When the history of the 2008 presidential race is written, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden might have the shortest chapter - and it will read:On the same day he announced he was running for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, Delaware Sen.... Continue Reading Posted at 6:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The First Family of GOP Politics in the Granite State Bill Hobbs January 31, 2007 New Hampshire's Portsmouth Herald profiles Doug and Stella Scamman, often called "the first family of Republican politics" in the state that traditionally is home to the first presidential primary each election cycle.The two have had their hand in mixing down-home cooking... Continue Reading Posted at 9:45 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan30	Attack Ads Go Online and Viral Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 Attack ads are going "online and underground," says the Los Angeles Times in a story exploring the impact of YouTube and other social media on the advertising side of modern campaigns. "'Viral' Web video spreads fast and far, biting candidates... Continue Reading Posted at 6:18 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Giuliani's Texas Ties Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 He's nearly synonymous with New York City and often sports a Yankees ballcap, but some people think former Big Apple Mayor Rudy Giuliani's Texas ties may help him raise Texas-sized bucks for the looming presidential campaign.That's right, Texas ties -... Continue Reading Posted at 5:47 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Macaca Effect Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 ABC News has a fascinating story, headlined Blogging Gone Wild, out of the Virginia state legislature, where the minority Democratic Party is using modern video technology in its latest political tactic against the Republican majority. Anger over Republicans killing bills without... Continue Reading Posted at 8:08 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Socialites Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 Micah Sifry has a follow-up to his recent article at Personal Democracy Forum about how the Democratic presidential candidates as a group are far ahead of the Republican field in online social networking (which I blogged and commented on last... Continue Reading Posted at 6:06 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	184 Friends Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 An Arkansas TV station profiles the Arkansas Baptist pastor who created an unofficial MySpace page for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, to encourage him to run for president."Hillary Clinton announced her intentions to run on-line, and I think the Internet... Continue Reading Posted at 5:05 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	10 Reasons Hillary Wishes the Liberal Blogosphere Would Disappear Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 The London Times' Daniel Finkelstein summarizes the 10 bloggers who can make or break Hillary Clinton's presidential bid. Drudge isn't a blogger, but that's a minor quibble.Interesting observation from Finkelstein: "All in all Hillary would probably prefer the netroot campaigners... Continue Reading Posted at 4:04 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan29	Memo to the Media: There's a Conservative Netroots Too Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 There was an interesting discussion on the Jan. 27 edition of Fox News Watch regarding the role of the "netroots" in the presidential election process, after Sen. Hillary Clinton annoaunced her candidacy via her website.BURNS: This is a matter, then -... Continue Reading Posted at 12:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Clinton Wants Deadline Set For End of War Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 Sen. Hillary Clinton wants the Iraq war - the central front in the global War on Terror - all wrapped up by Jan. 20, 2009, reports the AP, because she doesn't want to deal with it after (if) she becomes... Continue Reading Posted at 12:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Race Unsettled as Gingrich Delays Decision Until Fall Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says he won't decide until September if he will seek the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. It's a decision that could cede conservative-Republican voters to another candidate - but I predict it more likely that Gingrich's delayed decision... Continue Reading Posted at 12:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tennessee's Rising Red Tide Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 The Memphis Commercial Appeal quantifies a political trend in Tennessee, the only state in the nation to defy the Democratic tide last November:After nearly four decades of political domination, West Tennessee's grip on power in the state capital is slipping... Continue Reading Posted at 11:38 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Senator Schilling? Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 Will Boston Red Sox ace pitcher Curt Schilling run against Sen. John Kerry in 2008? Probably not, but it's sure fun to think about. Lots of media on the story, including the Boston Herald, which expressed the desire that Schilling be... Continue Reading Posted at 11:18 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Giuliani Makes Key Hires Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 The Boston Herald reports that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has recruited veteran New Hampshire Republican activist Wayne Semprini to lead campaign operations in the key first-in-the-nation-primary state. Giuliani spent the weekend in New Hampshire making campaign-style speeches. Semprini... Continue Reading Posted at 11:01 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	No Doubt: Giuliani Will Run Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 The New York Times says former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is being "cautious" as he weighs whether or not to run for president in 2008.Despite the delay, his aides argue that the accelerated pace of early primaries next year... Continue Reading Posted at 8:16 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Cutting Edge? Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 Is Hillary Clinton's effort to launch her campaign as an online "conversation" campaign really cutting-edge? Not really, say a variety of political consultants, though it is driven by new technologies as well as a need to soften Hillary's image. From the... Continue Reading Posted at 7:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Will: Rudy's the Conservative Choice Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 ABC News political commentator and syndicated columnist George Will makes the conservative case for Rudy Giuliani on This Week With George Stephanopoulous: ... Continue Reading Posted at 1:51 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan28	Hope, The Sequel Bill Hobbs January 28, 2007 Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will officially enter the 2008 presidential race on Monday, he confirmed on NBC's Meet Tim Russert Sunday. The New York Times calls Huckabee "an early longshot contender in the Republican field" and says Huckabee "faces a... Continue Reading Posted at 4:47 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan26	John Edwards' America Bill Hobbs January 26, 2007 Mary Katherine Ham takes a look at one of John Edwards' "Two Americas." The one with the squash court. Click to link to find out why Ham wrote, "If a Wal-Mart had wanted to clear-cut that much land in Chapel... Continue Reading Posted at 7:30 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan25	Weak on the Web Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 Micah Sifry at the Personal Democracy Forum says Republicans running for president are behind their Democratic counterparts in online grassroots support. Waaaaay behind. And he's got the data to prove it.They're almost invisible on the web. Compared to the Democratic... Continue Reading Posted at 2:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Huckabee Hopes For Tennessee Connection Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 A former chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party is likely to sign on to help the longshot presidential bid of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, reports The Hill. Chip Saltsman, a longtime aid to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist... Continue Reading Posted at 2:42 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Hillary in Blogistan Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 William Beutler's detailed examination and analysis of Hillary Clinton's first foray into advertising on blogs is a must-read even if you're a Republican. The Hillary campaign clearly understands the role the blogospere plays in political campaigns, and is pursuing a... Continue Reading Posted at 10:04 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Supporting Senators Who Support the War Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 Influential radio talker and blogger Hugh Hewitt is leading the charge against retreatist Republicans in the U.S. Senate. Writes Hewitt:Because the troops and the war trump any partisan calculation, I have helped organize a campaign to alert Republican senators that... Continue Reading Posted at 9:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Romney on Iran Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 The pro-Mitt Romney blog MyManMitt has posted the full audio/video of Romney's recent speech in Israel regarding how to address the Iranian threat. You can find the link here. The blog also mentions something I didn't know before about Romney:... Continue Reading Posted at 8:57 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Mitt on McCain's Mind Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 Arizona Sen. John McCain "has Mitt on the mind," says a column today from Boston Globe columnist Joan Venocchi exploring how the McCain campaign is trying to defuse the potential problem of conservatives deserting McCain for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt... Continue Reading Posted at 8:22 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan23	Worried About Bill Richardson? Bill Hobbs January 23, 2007 Ed Morrissey says Hillary Clinton has reason to be worried about New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as she runs for the Democratic Party's 2008 presidential nomination. Richardson, just reelected to a second term as New Mexico's governor, has "an incredible amount... Continue Reading Posted at 11:31 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Minting a New Conservative Leader Bill Hobbs January 23, 2007 Thanks to his leadership on "earmark" reform and other issues, South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint is fast becoming a new hero to conservative Republicans, and this article from the McClatchy newspapers' DC bureau profiles why.Charlie Black, a prominent Republican lobbyist... Continue Reading Posted at 12:33 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Nicholson for Senate? Bill Hobbs January 23, 2007 ColoradoPols.com reports that current Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson "is rumored to be taking a serious look at running for Senate in 2008" - and the rumor is serious enough that current GOP front-runner U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis "is... Continue Reading Posted at 12:03 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan22	One For the Books Bill Hobbs January 22, 2007 The Miami Herald spotlights the latest must-have item for presidential candidates and possible candidates: A book.Just about every Tom, Dick and Hillary running for president in 2008 is hawking a hardcover these days, or will be in the coming months.... Continue Reading Posted at 7:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan21	Republicans Stand to Gain in '07 Gubernatorial Races Bill Hobbs January 21, 2007 2008 is the next big national election with races for President and the Senate and House - but 2007 brings gubernatorial elections on three states that could be an advance preview of how Republicans will fare in '08. In all... Continue Reading Posted at 9:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan20	Still Not Baking Cookies! Bill Hobbs January 20, 2007 Republican fund-raisers everywhere just got a big boost.In a videotaped message, Clinton invites voters to begin a dialogue with her on the major issues - health care, Social Security and Medicare, and the war in Iraq. "I'm not just starting... Continue Reading Posted at 10:16 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Running on Radio? Bill Hobbs January 20, 2007 Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, a lawyer and actor who currently plays District Attorney Arthur Branch on Law & Order, is now doing radio commentary on the Paul Harvey show, which reaches 22 million listeners per week. Thompson's most recent... Continue Reading Posted at 7:28 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Does America Want Post-Boomer President? Bill Hobbs January 20, 2007 John M. Broder's piece in the New York Times looking at the prospects for a president from the post-Baby Boomer generation is well worth reading, though it focuses mainly on Sen. Barack Obama and the Democratic presidential field.... Continue Reading Posted at 6:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Up and Down Bill Hobbs January 20, 2007 PoliticalDerby.com has released its latest edition of the 2008 White House Power Rankings, which ranks the current horse race for the Republican and Democratic nominations and explains why each candidate or potential-candidate in the field is rising, falling or holding... Continue Reading Posted at 6:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan19	Are Independents Abandoning McCain? Bill Hobbs January 19, 2007 Liberal commentator Josh Marshall says Arizona Sen. John McCain "is going nowhere in the 2008 presidential race," and he's got some numbers to back up his assessment from American Research Group. Writes Marshall:A new ARG poll shows that over the... Continue Reading Posted at 8:17 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Giuliani To Reorganize His Campaign Bill Hobbs January 19, 2007 New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani "will reorganize his presidential exploratory efforts over the next two weeks, expanding his national finance team and adding staff in early primary states to try to transform the New York-centric operation into a credible... Continue Reading Posted at 7:52 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Nu Nu Hampshire Bill Hobbs January 19, 2007 New Hampshire has long been strong for the Republican Party, but last November Democrats took over both of the state's Congressional seats and both houses of the state legislature and voters re-elected a Democratic governor with 74 percent of the... Continue Reading Posted at 6:46 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan17	Prominent Conservative Ditches McCain for Romney Bill Hobbs January 17, 2007 Prominent Republican lobbyist and national party strategiest Vin Weber has ditched Sen. John McCain, whom Weber backed in the 2000 presidential campaign, and signed on instead with former Massachussets Gov. Mitt Romney, reports the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire. Weber,... Continue Reading Posted at 8:16 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Does Elway Have the Drive? Bill Hobbs January 17, 2007 *UPDATED AT END* The Hill reports on speculation that former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated in 2008 by Sen. Wayne Allard:Elway’s office at the Colorado Crush of the Arena Football League... Continue Reading Posted at 2:48 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan16	Allard Out - Will Elway Play? Bill Hobbs January 16, 2007 Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard won't run for a third term, so the race is on to replace the Republican in 2008. While there are plenty of well-known and not-so-well-known politicians lining up on both sides, the wildcard in the political... Continue Reading Posted at 2:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Guiliani Nuzzles Iowa Bill Hobbs January 16, 2007 Former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani has hired a big gun to help him harvest votes in Iowa.The Des Moines Register reports that former U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle, the 2006 GOP nominee for Iowa governor, will work as Giuliani's top paid... Continue Reading Posted at 2:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Romney May Get Assist from PBS Documentary Bill Hobbs January 16, 2007 Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney might get some help answer "the Mormon question" from an unlikely source this spring: PBS, which will air a four-hour two-part documentary The Mormons by award-winning filmmaker Helen Whitney. The Deseret News reports on the documentary,... Continue Reading Posted at 9:04 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan15	The Company You Keep Bill Hobbs January 15, 2007 Over at PoliPundit.com, Michael Illions questions why Sen. JohnMcCain has invited "one of the most notorious liberal Republicans in the state of New Jersey," - the pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage Lew Eisenberg, to join McCain's campaign finance committee. Eisenberg - who also was... Continue Reading Posted at 1:43 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	A Libertarian-Conservative Dream Team? Bill Hobbs January 15, 2007 Political consultant Chuck Muth writes a regular online newsletter, DC Confidential, is one of my favorite online reads, and the latest installment - not online yet, but forwarded to me by a friend - looks at the impact that Rep. Ron... Continue Reading Posted at 12:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan13	The YouTube Election Bill Hobbs January 13, 2007 Patrick Hynes, who happens to be Sen. John McCain's new-media guru, looks at the impact of YouTube on the campaign process:"Whether Republicans are ready for it or not, the website which will have the biggest impact on a candidate’s political... Continue Reading Posted at 9:18 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan12	Early Ad Buys on Blogs for '08 Presidential Race Bill Hobbs January 12, 2007 Online Media Daily notes an interesting phenomenon: Even though the next presidential election is still 22 months away, at least two candidates have already bought advertising on popular political blogs - nearly a year earlier in the cycle than ocurred... Continue Reading Posted at 1:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan11	Using a Podcast to Respond to a YouTube Attack Bill Hobbs January 11, 2007 It's all new media all the time for presidential hopeful Mitt Romney as the former Massachusetts governor goes on the Glenn and Helen Show podcast to respond to video from a 1994 debate with Sen. Ted Kennedy that surfaced on... Continue Reading Posted at 6:40 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan10	The Reagan Revolution Rolls On Bill Hobbs January 10, 2007 Republicans in the George legislature have turned to one of the architects of President Ronald Reagan's tax-cutting efforts as they consider reforming Georgia's tax code.Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson is using private funds to pay consultant Arthur Laffer, is best... Continue Reading Posted at 11:38 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 9	Insider Politics Meets YouTube Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 Mike Chapman, government affairs and public policy specialist at AnthonyBarnum PR in Austin, Texas, tells a fascinating tale of how the new media "injected itself into the process" of the "ultimate insiders' game" in Texas politics: the election of the... Continue Reading Posted at 10:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gilmore Twirls Hat, Eyes Ring Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 Republican and former Virginia governor James S. "Jim" Gilmore has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to form a presidential exploratory committee. Here's a wire story on Gilmore's announcement. Gilmore brings solid national security and anti-terrorism credentials to the race.Gilmore... Continue Reading Posted at 6:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Shakers Moving Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 Washington Post blogging reporter Chris Cillizza's got info on the latest staff announcements affecting Republican Party politics at the national level. Cillizza reports that the Republican National Committee is "staffing up in anticipation of the handover of power from outgoing RNC... Continue Reading Posted at 5:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Staffing Up in S.C. Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 The State reports on Sen. John McCain's latest presidential campaign staff addition in crucial South Carolina, where McCain has hired Trey Walker, chief assistant to Attorney General Henry McMaster, to manage his campain in the Palmetto state. Walker, 39, is a... Continue Reading Posted at 11:08 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Romney, Religion and Reagan Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 The Hartford Courant explores the political impact of Mitt Romney's membership in the Mormon religion and explains why it is crucual that Romney "to deflect and at some point end any controversy over his religion."The religious issue has special significance... Continue Reading Posted at 10:41 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Romney Rising Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 Former Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney raised a whopping $6.5 million for his presidential campaign Monday night in a giant fund-raiser in Boston augmented by a big national call-a-thon, an eye-popping number that's sure to have raised eyebrows over at the McCain... Continue Reading Posted at 10:22 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 8	Eye On Newt Bill Hobbs January 8, 2007 Time magazine says: Conservatives are desperate for a 2008 contender they can love. That headline is not exactly accurate. What IS accurate is that conservatives surveying the current field of Giuliani, McCain and Romney, are desperate for a 2008 contender... Continue Reading Posted at 6:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Investments in the Red Bill Hobbs January 8, 2007 Investors normally don't like to hear that their investments are "in the red," but there's a new exception for Republican investors who want their investing strategy to support their political point of view. From the New York Times comes this story (also... Continue Reading Posted at 1:19 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Who Is Winning the Cyber Primary? Bill Hobbs January 8, 2007 The Greensboro News-Record profiles the guy who revolutionized online campaigning while working for Democrat Howard Dean's presidential campaign four years ago. No, it's not Joe Trippi.About four years ago, before Mathew Gross made his way from Utah to Vermont on... Continue Reading Posted at 12:40 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 5	Owens Endorses Romney Bill Hobbs January 5, 2007 Hugh Hewitt reports that Colorado Gov. Bill Owens - once a favorite future potential candidate among conservative Republicans - has endorsed Mitt Romney in the '08 presidential race.Also in Romney news, the campaign estimates he must raise at least $100... Continue Reading Posted at 12:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Is McCain Locking Up South Carolina Early? Bill Hobbs January 5, 2007 The John McCain campaign has to be pretty happy with the headline in today's edition of The State, a leading newspaper on South Carolina, site of one of the first crucial primaries in 2008.Headline: Big money backs McCain in S.C.The Hill's Hotline blog... Continue Reading Posted at 9:28 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Liberal Media Critics Think Press Covering for Rudy Bill Hobbs January 5, 2007 Media Matters for America says what's important about the leaked Giuliani campaign playbook isn't how it got into the hands of the New York Daily News, but what it says about media coverage of the race so far. Says Media... Continue Reading Posted at 9:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	NCSL Surveys Blogger-Legislature Relations Bill Hobbs January 5, 2007 The January 2007 edition of State Legislatures, the monthly magazine of the National Conference of State Legislatures, has a lengthy story about whether bloggers who cover their state legislature should be granted press credentials. While the NCSL normally puts its... Continue Reading Posted at 8:59 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 3	Senate Republicans Hire a Blogger Bill Hobbs January 3, 2007 U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell has hired a blogger, Jon Henke, as New Media Director for the Republican Communication Office in the Senate. Henke, one of the contributors to the popular QandO blog, previously and briefly served in a similar role... Continue Reading Posted at 9:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Giuliani: SOMEONE STOLE MY STRATEGY! Bill Hobbs January 3, 2007 Regarding that leaked Giuliani campaign strategy book that we talked about here yesterday: The Giuliani team says it was stolen. New York Daily News reporter Ben Smith, who broke the story yesterday and revealed details from the 140-page strategy document,... Continue Reading Posted at 4:17 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Romney Forms Exploratory Committee, Launches New Website Bill Hobbs January 3, 2007 Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has the proper paperwork with the Federal Election Commission announcing the formation of his presidential campaign exploratory committee, and launched a new campaign website at www.mittromney.com which includes such modern new-media bells and whistles as video... Continue Reading Posted at 3:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Politico Bill Hobbs January 3, 2007 New York Daily News journalist and blogger Ben Smith, who yesterday broke the news of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's leaked presidential campaign strategy book, announced today he is leaving the Daily News to write for The Politico, a DC-based... Continue Reading Posted at 2:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 2	LEAKED! Rudy's Plan To Become President! Bill Hobbs January 2, 2007 The New York Daily News reports on the contents of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's 140-page presidential campaign strategy, leaked to it by someone connected with one of Giuliani's rivals for the 2008 GOP nomination. The paper is playing it... Continue Reading Posted at 11:55 AM \| Permalink \| Comments

« December 2006 | Main | February 2007 »

Jan31	A Report from the Summit Bill Hobbs January 31, 2007 Know More: 2008 Presidential Race, Consultants, Grassroots, Miscellaneous, Strategery, Think Tanks Steven Warshawsky, writing at the American Thinker blog, recaps the National Review Institute's Conservative Summit last weekend in the nation's capital, says the summit "offered a wealth of practical and philosophical insights from leading politicians, scholars, and policy analysts, from across the conservative political spectrum (although the 'paleo' perspective was under-represented, not surprisingly)." His recap of the Summit is thorough and thought-provoking... Continue Reading Posted at 6:13 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan31	Oops! Bill Hobbs January 31, 2007 When the history of the 2008 presidential race is written, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden might have the shortest chapter - and it will read:On the same day he announced he was running for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, Delaware Sen.... Continue Reading Posted at 6:03 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The First Family of GOP Politics in the Granite State Bill Hobbs January 31, 2007 New Hampshire's Portsmouth Herald profiles Doug and Stella Scamman, often called "the first family of Republican politics" in the state that traditionally is home to the first presidential primary each election cycle.The two have had their hand in mixing down-home cooking... Continue Reading Posted at 9:45 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan30	Attack Ads Go Online and Viral Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 Attack ads are going "online and underground," says the Los Angeles Times in a story exploring the impact of YouTube and other social media on the advertising side of modern campaigns. "'Viral' Web video spreads fast and far, biting candidates... Continue Reading Posted at 6:18 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Giuliani's Texas Ties Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 He's nearly synonymous with New York City and often sports a Yankees ballcap, but some people think former Big Apple Mayor Rudy Giuliani's Texas ties may help him raise Texas-sized bucks for the looming presidential campaign.That's right, Texas ties -... Continue Reading Posted at 5:47 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Macaca Effect Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 ABC News has a fascinating story, headlined Blogging Gone Wild, out of the Virginia state legislature, where the minority Democratic Party is using modern video technology in its latest political tactic against the Republican majority. Anger over Republicans killing bills without... Continue Reading Posted at 8:08 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Socialites Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 Micah Sifry has a follow-up to his recent article at Personal Democracy Forum about how the Democratic presidential candidates as a group are far ahead of the Republican field in online social networking (which I blogged and commented on last... Continue Reading Posted at 6:06 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	184 Friends Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 An Arkansas TV station profiles the Arkansas Baptist pastor who created an unofficial MySpace page for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, to encourage him to run for president."Hillary Clinton announced her intentions to run on-line, and I think the Internet... Continue Reading Posted at 5:05 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	10 Reasons Hillary Wishes the Liberal Blogosphere Would Disappear Bill Hobbs January 30, 2007 The London Times' Daniel Finkelstein summarizes the 10 bloggers who can make or break Hillary Clinton's presidential bid. Drudge isn't a blogger, but that's a minor quibble.Interesting observation from Finkelstein: "All in all Hillary would probably prefer the netroot campaigners... Continue Reading Posted at 4:04 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan29	Memo to the Media: There's a Conservative Netroots Too Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 There was an interesting discussion on the Jan. 27 edition of Fox News Watch regarding the role of the "netroots" in the presidential election process, after Sen. Hillary Clinton annoaunced her candidacy via her website.BURNS: This is a matter, then -... Continue Reading Posted at 12:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Clinton Wants Deadline Set For End of War Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 Sen. Hillary Clinton wants the Iraq war - the central front in the global War on Terror - all wrapped up by Jan. 20, 2009, reports the AP, because she doesn't want to deal with it after (if) she becomes... Continue Reading Posted at 12:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Race Unsettled as Gingrich Delays Decision Until Fall Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says he won't decide until September if he will seek the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. It's a decision that could cede conservative-Republican voters to another candidate - but I predict it more likely that Gingrich's delayed decision... Continue Reading Posted at 12:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Tennessee's Rising Red Tide Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 The Memphis Commercial Appeal quantifies a political trend in Tennessee, the only state in the nation to defy the Democratic tide last November:After nearly four decades of political domination, West Tennessee's grip on power in the state capital is slipping... Continue Reading Posted at 11:38 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Senator Schilling? Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 Will Boston Red Sox ace pitcher Curt Schilling run against Sen. John Kerry in 2008? Probably not, but it's sure fun to think about. Lots of media on the story, including the Boston Herald, which expressed the desire that Schilling be... Continue Reading Posted at 11:18 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Giuliani Makes Key Hires Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 The Boston Herald reports that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has recruited veteran New Hampshire Republican activist Wayne Semprini to lead campaign operations in the key first-in-the-nation-primary state. Giuliani spent the weekend in New Hampshire making campaign-style speeches. Semprini... Continue Reading Posted at 11:01 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	No Doubt: Giuliani Will Run Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 The New York Times says former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani is being "cautious" as he weighs whether or not to run for president in 2008.Despite the delay, his aides argue that the accelerated pace of early primaries next year... Continue Reading Posted at 8:16 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Cutting Edge? Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 Is Hillary Clinton's effort to launch her campaign as an online "conversation" campaign really cutting-edge? Not really, say a variety of political consultants, though it is driven by new technologies as well as a need to soften Hillary's image. From the... Continue Reading Posted at 7:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Will: Rudy's the Conservative Choice Bill Hobbs January 29, 2007 ABC News political commentator and syndicated columnist George Will makes the conservative case for Rudy Giuliani on This Week With George Stephanopoulous: ... Continue Reading Posted at 1:51 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan28	Hope, The Sequel Bill Hobbs January 28, 2007 Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will officially enter the 2008 presidential race on Monday, he confirmed on NBC's Meet Tim Russert Sunday. The New York Times calls Huckabee "an early longshot contender in the Republican field" and says Huckabee "faces a... Continue Reading Posted at 4:47 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan26	John Edwards' America Bill Hobbs January 26, 2007 Mary Katherine Ham takes a look at one of John Edwards' "Two Americas." The one with the squash court. Click to link to find out why Ham wrote, "If a Wal-Mart had wanted to clear-cut that much land in Chapel... Continue Reading Posted at 7:30 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan25	Weak on the Web Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 Micah Sifry at the Personal Democracy Forum says Republicans running for president are behind their Democratic counterparts in online grassroots support. Waaaaay behind. And he's got the data to prove it.They're almost invisible on the web. Compared to the Democratic... Continue Reading Posted at 2:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Huckabee Hopes For Tennessee Connection Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 A former chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party is likely to sign on to help the longshot presidential bid of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, reports The Hill. Chip Saltsman, a longtime aid to former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist... Continue Reading Posted at 2:42 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Hillary in Blogistan Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 William Beutler's detailed examination and analysis of Hillary Clinton's first foray into advertising on blogs is a must-read even if you're a Republican. The Hillary campaign clearly understands the role the blogospere plays in political campaigns, and is pursuing a... Continue Reading Posted at 10:04 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Supporting Senators Who Support the War Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 Influential radio talker and blogger Hugh Hewitt is leading the charge against retreatist Republicans in the U.S. Senate. Writes Hewitt:Because the troops and the war trump any partisan calculation, I have helped organize a campaign to alert Republican senators that... Continue Reading Posted at 9:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Romney on Iran Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 The pro-Mitt Romney blog MyManMitt has posted the full audio/video of Romney's recent speech in Israel regarding how to address the Iranian threat. You can find the link here. The blog also mentions something I didn't know before about Romney:... Continue Reading Posted at 8:57 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Mitt on McCain's Mind Bill Hobbs January 25, 2007 Arizona Sen. John McCain "has Mitt on the mind," says a column today from Boston Globe columnist Joan Venocchi exploring how the McCain campaign is trying to defuse the potential problem of conservatives deserting McCain for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt... Continue Reading Posted at 8:22 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan23	Worried About Bill Richardson? Bill Hobbs January 23, 2007 Ed Morrissey says Hillary Clinton has reason to be worried about New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as she runs for the Democratic Party's 2008 presidential nomination. Richardson, just reelected to a second term as New Mexico's governor, has "an incredible amount... Continue Reading Posted at 11:31 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Minting a New Conservative Leader Bill Hobbs January 23, 2007 Thanks to his leadership on "earmark" reform and other issues, South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint is fast becoming a new hero to conservative Republicans, and this article from the McClatchy newspapers' DC bureau profiles why.Charlie Black, a prominent Republican lobbyist... Continue Reading Posted at 12:33 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Nicholson for Senate? Bill Hobbs January 23, 2007 ColoradoPols.com reports that current Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson "is rumored to be taking a serious look at running for Senate in 2008" - and the rumor is serious enough that current GOP front-runner U.S. Rep. Scott McInnis "is... Continue Reading Posted at 12:03 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan22	One For the Books Bill Hobbs January 22, 2007 The Miami Herald spotlights the latest must-have item for presidential candidates and possible candidates: A book.Just about every Tom, Dick and Hillary running for president in 2008 is hawking a hardcover these days, or will be in the coming months.... Continue Reading Posted at 7:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan21	Republicans Stand to Gain in '07 Gubernatorial Races Bill Hobbs January 21, 2007 2008 is the next big national election with races for President and the Senate and House - but 2007 brings gubernatorial elections on three states that could be an advance preview of how Republicans will fare in '08. In all... Continue Reading Posted at 9:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan20	Still Not Baking Cookies! Bill Hobbs January 20, 2007 Republican fund-raisers everywhere just got a big boost.In a videotaped message, Clinton invites voters to begin a dialogue with her on the major issues - health care, Social Security and Medicare, and the war in Iraq. "I'm not just starting... Continue Reading Posted at 10:16 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Running on Radio? Bill Hobbs January 20, 2007 Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, a lawyer and actor who currently plays District Attorney Arthur Branch on Law & Order, is now doing radio commentary on the Paul Harvey show, which reaches 22 million listeners per week. Thompson's most recent... Continue Reading Posted at 7:28 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Does America Want Post-Boomer President? Bill Hobbs January 20, 2007 John M. Broder's piece in the New York Times looking at the prospects for a president from the post-Baby Boomer generation is well worth reading, though it focuses mainly on Sen. Barack Obama and the Democratic presidential field.... Continue Reading Posted at 6:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Up and Down Bill Hobbs January 20, 2007 PoliticalDerby.com has released its latest edition of the 2008 White House Power Rankings, which ranks the current horse race for the Republican and Democratic nominations and explains why each candidate or potential-candidate in the field is rising, falling or holding... Continue Reading Posted at 6:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan19	Are Independents Abandoning McCain? Bill Hobbs January 19, 2007 Liberal commentator Josh Marshall says Arizona Sen. John McCain "is going nowhere in the 2008 presidential race," and he's got some numbers to back up his assessment from American Research Group. Writes Marshall:A new ARG poll shows that over the... Continue Reading Posted at 8:17 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Giuliani To Reorganize His Campaign Bill Hobbs January 19, 2007 New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani "will reorganize his presidential exploratory efforts over the next two weeks, expanding his national finance team and adding staff in early primary states to try to transform the New York-centric operation into a credible... Continue Reading Posted at 7:52 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Nu Nu Hampshire Bill Hobbs January 19, 2007 New Hampshire has long been strong for the Republican Party, but last November Democrats took over both of the state's Congressional seats and both houses of the state legislature and voters re-elected a Democratic governor with 74 percent of the... Continue Reading Posted at 6:46 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan17	Prominent Conservative Ditches McCain for Romney Bill Hobbs January 17, 2007 Prominent Republican lobbyist and national party strategiest Vin Weber has ditched Sen. John McCain, whom Weber backed in the 2000 presidential campaign, and signed on instead with former Massachussets Gov. Mitt Romney, reports the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire. Weber,... Continue Reading Posted at 8:16 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Does Elway Have the Drive? Bill Hobbs January 17, 2007 *UPDATED AT END* The Hill reports on speculation that former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated in 2008 by Sen. Wayne Allard:Elway’s office at the Colorado Crush of the Arena Football League... Continue Reading Posted at 2:48 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan16	Allard Out - Will Elway Play? Bill Hobbs January 16, 2007 Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard won't run for a third term, so the race is on to replace the Republican in 2008. While there are plenty of well-known and not-so-well-known politicians lining up on both sides, the wildcard in the political... Continue Reading Posted at 2:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Guiliani Nuzzles Iowa Bill Hobbs January 16, 2007 Former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani has hired a big gun to help him harvest votes in Iowa.The Des Moines Register reports that former U.S. Rep. Jim Nussle, the 2006 GOP nominee for Iowa governor, will work as Giuliani's top paid... Continue Reading Posted at 2:44 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Romney May Get Assist from PBS Documentary Bill Hobbs January 16, 2007 Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney might get some help answer "the Mormon question" from an unlikely source this spring: PBS, which will air a four-hour two-part documentary The Mormons by award-winning filmmaker Helen Whitney. The Deseret News reports on the documentary,... Continue Reading Posted at 9:04 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan15	The Company You Keep Bill Hobbs January 15, 2007 Over at PoliPundit.com, Michael Illions questions why Sen. JohnMcCain has invited "one of the most notorious liberal Republicans in the state of New Jersey," - the pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage Lew Eisenberg, to join McCain's campaign finance committee. Eisenberg - who also was... Continue Reading Posted at 1:43 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	A Libertarian-Conservative Dream Team? Bill Hobbs January 15, 2007 Political consultant Chuck Muth writes a regular online newsletter, DC Confidential, is one of my favorite online reads, and the latest installment - not online yet, but forwarded to me by a friend - looks at the impact that Rep. Ron... Continue Reading Posted at 12:58 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan13	The YouTube Election Bill Hobbs January 13, 2007 Patrick Hynes, who happens to be Sen. John McCain's new-media guru, looks at the impact of YouTube on the campaign process:"Whether Republicans are ready for it or not, the website which will have the biggest impact on a candidate’s political... Continue Reading Posted at 9:18 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan12	Early Ad Buys on Blogs for '08 Presidential Race Bill Hobbs January 12, 2007 Online Media Daily notes an interesting phenomenon: Even though the next presidential election is still 22 months away, at least two candidates have already bought advertising on popular political blogs - nearly a year earlier in the cycle than ocurred... Continue Reading Posted at 1:34 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan11	Using a Podcast to Respond to a YouTube Attack Bill Hobbs January 11, 2007 It's all new media all the time for presidential hopeful Mitt Romney as the former Massachusetts governor goes on the Glenn and Helen Show podcast to respond to video from a 1994 debate with Sen. Ted Kennedy that surfaced on... Continue Reading Posted at 6:40 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan10	The Reagan Revolution Rolls On Bill Hobbs January 10, 2007 Republicans in the George legislature have turned to one of the architects of President Ronald Reagan's tax-cutting efforts as they consider reforming Georgia's tax code.Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson is using private funds to pay consultant Arthur Laffer, is best... Continue Reading Posted at 11:38 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 9	Insider Politics Meets YouTube Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 Mike Chapman, government affairs and public policy specialist at AnthonyBarnum PR in Austin, Texas, tells a fascinating tale of how the new media "injected itself into the process" of the "ultimate insiders' game" in Texas politics: the election of the... Continue Reading Posted at 10:45 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Gilmore Twirls Hat, Eyes Ring Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 Republican and former Virginia governor James S. "Jim" Gilmore has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to form a presidential exploratory committee. Here's a wire story on Gilmore's announcement. Gilmore brings solid national security and anti-terrorism credentials to the race.Gilmore... Continue Reading Posted at 6:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Shakers Moving Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 Washington Post blogging reporter Chris Cillizza's got info on the latest staff announcements affecting Republican Party politics at the national level. Cillizza reports that the Republican National Committee is "staffing up in anticipation of the handover of power from outgoing RNC... Continue Reading Posted at 5:53 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Staffing Up in S.C. Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 The State reports on Sen. John McCain's latest presidential campaign staff addition in crucial South Carolina, where McCain has hired Trey Walker, chief assistant to Attorney General Henry McMaster, to manage his campain in the Palmetto state. Walker, 39, is a... Continue Reading Posted at 11:08 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Romney, Religion and Reagan Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 The Hartford Courant explores the political impact of Mitt Romney's membership in the Mormon religion and explains why it is crucual that Romney "to deflect and at some point end any controversy over his religion."The religious issue has special significance... Continue Reading Posted at 10:41 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Romney Rising Bill Hobbs January 9, 2007 Former Massachussetts Gov. Mitt Romney raised a whopping $6.5 million for his presidential campaign Monday night in a giant fund-raiser in Boston augmented by a big national call-a-thon, an eye-popping number that's sure to have raised eyebrows over at the McCain... Continue Reading Posted at 10:22 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 8	Eye On Newt Bill Hobbs January 8, 2007 Time magazine says: Conservatives are desperate for a 2008 contender they can love. That headline is not exactly accurate. What IS accurate is that conservatives surveying the current field of Giuliani, McCain and Romney, are desperate for a 2008 contender... Continue Reading Posted at 6:37 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Investments in the Red Bill Hobbs January 8, 2007 Investors normally don't like to hear that their investments are "in the red," but there's a new exception for Republican investors who want their investing strategy to support their political point of view. From the New York Times comes this story (also... Continue Reading Posted at 1:19 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Who Is Winning the Cyber Primary? Bill Hobbs January 8, 2007 The Greensboro News-Record profiles the guy who revolutionized online campaigning while working for Democrat Howard Dean's presidential campaign four years ago. No, it's not Joe Trippi.About four years ago, before Mathew Gross made his way from Utah to Vermont on... Continue Reading Posted at 12:40 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 5	Owens Endorses Romney Bill Hobbs January 5, 2007 Hugh Hewitt reports that Colorado Gov. Bill Owens - once a favorite future potential candidate among conservative Republicans - has endorsed Mitt Romney in the '08 presidential race.Also in Romney news, the campaign estimates he must raise at least $100... Continue Reading Posted at 12:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Is McCain Locking Up South Carolina Early? Bill Hobbs January 5, 2007 The John McCain campaign has to be pretty happy with the headline in today's edition of The State, a leading newspaper on South Carolina, site of one of the first crucial primaries in 2008.Headline: Big money backs McCain in S.C.The Hill's Hotline blog... Continue Reading Posted at 9:28 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Liberal Media Critics Think Press Covering for Rudy Bill Hobbs January 5, 2007 Media Matters for America says what's important about the leaked Giuliani campaign playbook isn't how it got into the hands of the New York Daily News, but what it says about media coverage of the race so far. Says Media... Continue Reading Posted at 9:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	NCSL Surveys Blogger-Legislature Relations Bill Hobbs January 5, 2007 The January 2007 edition of State Legislatures, the monthly magazine of the National Conference of State Legislatures, has a lengthy story about whether bloggers who cover their state legislature should be granted press credentials. While the NCSL normally puts its... Continue Reading Posted at 8:59 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 3	Senate Republicans Hire a Blogger Bill Hobbs January 3, 2007 U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell has hired a blogger, Jon Henke, as New Media Director for the Republican Communication Office in the Senate. Henke, one of the contributors to the popular QandO blog, previously and briefly served in a similar role... Continue Reading Posted at 9:04 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Giuliani: SOMEONE STOLE MY STRATEGY! Bill Hobbs January 3, 2007 Regarding that leaked Giuliani campaign strategy book that we talked about here yesterday: The Giuliani team says it was stolen. New York Daily News reporter Ben Smith, who broke the story yesterday and revealed details from the 140-page strategy document,... Continue Reading Posted at 4:17 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Romney Forms Exploratory Committee, Launches New Website Bill Hobbs January 3, 2007 Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has the proper paperwork with the Federal Election Commission announcing the formation of his presidential campaign exploratory committee, and launched a new campaign website at www.mittromney.com which includes such modern new-media bells and whistles as video... Continue Reading Posted at 3:59 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	The Politico Bill Hobbs January 3, 2007 New York Daily News journalist and blogger Ben Smith, who yesterday broke the news of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's leaked presidential campaign strategy book, announced today he is leaving the Daily News to write for The Politico, a DC-based... Continue Reading Posted at 2:06 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
Jan 2	LEAKED! Rudy's Plan To Become President! Bill Hobbs January 2, 2007 The New York Daily News reports on the contents of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's 140-page presidential campaign strategy, leaked to it by someone connected with one of Giuliani's rivals for the 2008 GOP nomination. The paper is playing it... Continue Reading Posted at 11:55 AM \| Permalink \| Comments

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