A lot has been made in recent days over Barack Obama’s reversal of his pledge* to stay within the federal campaign finance system in the general election. Today’s USA Today editorializes: Sen. Barack Obama sells himself as the candidate of “change,” the candidate of reform, the man who’ll shake up Washington’s business-as-usual mentality. But before [...]
A colleague makes a good point: The funny thing is, the reporters the blogosphere hates the most (exhibit A: Broder) are the ones who spend the most time talking to voters, while the ones they lionize never come out from behind their keyboards. I think another key lesson is: What happens at campaign “events” is [...]
Jeez, maybe it’s because I’ve only covered nine presidential campaigns, but I find it difficult to make sweeping generalizations about presidential campaigns or the coverage thereof. 1. While luck and quick reflexes have a lot to do with the success of campaigns, I have covered more than a few that have been brilliant tactically or [...]
I’ve learned a lot from this first go-round at covering a presidential campaign up close and personal, from the mundane (power outlets are the new pay phones) to the mildly alarming (reporters, on the whole, detest talking to actual voters). One realization that could be either heartening or disappointing, depending on your level of paranoia, [...]
A curious passage from John McCain’s victory speech last night: Or will we risk the confused leadership of an inexperienced candidate who once suggested invading our ally, Pakistan, and sitting down without pre-conditions or clear purpose with enemies who support terrorists and are intent on destabilizing the world by acquiring nuclear weapons? In time, I’m [...]
• “Trust me when I tell you that the latter is the view in Clintonland. That they have more arrows in their quiver to fire at Obama, charges they believe will cast doubt on the hopemonger, raising the specter (terrifying to many Democrats) that John McCain and the Republican machine will make mincemeat of him. [...]
And yet I participate.
Hillary Clinton’s campaign knew this one was going to be tough for her. Internal polling has shown for weeks that Obama was headed for a big win, and there were those in her campaign hierarchy who had argued that it was not worth the time and money even to put in a serious effort there. [...]
A field guide to types of delegates.
The New Yorker’s precocious Ryan Lizza has nice McCain mash note up this week. I particularly like the cameos by former Bush hand Steve Schmidt: Steve Schmidt, one of the campaign’s chief strategists, is usually perched on a ledge in a corner of the lounge. He is thirty-seven, has a shaved head, and often wears [...]
