Okay, I’m Done

I’ve been watching this GOP debate and need to get a life. It’s 8 pm on a Saturday night. Some rough impressions after an hour: Huckabee is easily the most coherent and intelligible Republican. McCain seems very tired, which is understandable. I like the quietness of the format. When Romney stops pandering and starts explaining policy, he’s much better. He’s obviously a capable guy. He was a decent governor. But the ability to mortgage every part of his soul and past to the exigencies of the present really undermines him. I think of the Romney campaign that might have been. But in the end, character counts, I guess.

Obama, Huckabee, Blacks and Evangelicals

A reader writes:

Beyond being agents of change, there is one obvious similarity between Obama and Huckbee. They both represent large voting blocks in their respective parties that are expected to get out the vote, then shut-up. It’s fun watching these folks that have taken blacks and evangelicals for granted for years squirm.

The Core Of The Clintons

Crowley captures it:

The preternaturally jolly McAuliffe is a good man to have spinning for you in a pinch. But his good cheer dimmed when I asked him about Bill Richardson, who appears to have made an 11th-hour deal to throw his supporters to Obama.

“How many times did [Clinton] appoint him?” McAuliffe marveled. “Two? U.N. Ambassador and Energy Secretary?” He looked at me, half-glaring, awaiting confirmation. “I don’t know,” I joked, “but who’s counting?”

“I am,” McAuliffe said firmly.

The Clintons used every lever, every intimidating tactic, every legitimate threat to bully Democratic office-holders to back them … or else. Many caved. But for others, the politics of fear and parsing and petty polling are over.