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Brown Still Has Tough Road in Special Election

December 21, 2012 at 1:54 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Nate Silver looks at new polling showing the recently-defeated Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) as the heavy favorite in a special election to replace Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) — who is likely to become Secretary of State — but notes “it is difficult to view Mr. Brown as much better than even money: he is a Republican in Massachusetts who lost an election by a reasonably clear margin just last month.”

“And if Mr. Brown wins, he could well face another competitive election in November 2014, when Democrats will have more chance to gear up from the race – and when Mr. Patrick will have finished his second term as governor and might be more likely to run for the Senate.

Harry Enten: “Even if Brown were to win in 2013, he’d face another election in
2014: the seat currently occupied by Kerry is due for its regular
election in 2014. A Republican winning a Senate seat in Massachusetts
three times in five years could be considered equivalent to Adam Sandler
winning an Oscar three times in five years.”

Rubio Favored Among Republican Primary Voters

December 21, 2012 at 1:32 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Harper Polling takes an early look at 2016 GOP presidential contenders and finds Republican primary voters back Marco Rubio with 34%, followed by Chris Christie at 18%, Condi Rice at 14%, Rand Paul at 8%, Allen West at 5% and Scott Brown at 3%.

Most interesting is that the Tea Party is the foundation of Rubio’s support with 43% who identify as tea partiers backing the Florida senator.

Hagel Apologizes for Gay Slur

December 21, 2012 at 1:11 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), seeking to preserve his viability for nomination as secretary of Defense, issued a strong apology for a gay slur in 1998 that turned some top Democratic activists against his potential selection, Politico reports.

Hagel had in 1998 disparaged James C. Hormel as “openly aggressively gay” after President Bill Clinton named him ambassador to Luxembourg. Today, Hagel said in a statement: “My comments 14 years ago in 1998 were insensitive. They do not reflect my views or the totality of my public record, and I apologize to Ambassador Hormel and any LGBT Americans who may question my commitment to their civil rights.”

Media Tip: How to Deliver a Better Phone Interview

December 21, 2012 at 12:30 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A guest post from Brad Phillips, author of The Media Training Bible.

In 2010, Toronto Mayor-Elect Rob Ford agreed to an interview with As It Happens, a national radio program that airs on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (and elsewhere). But when the reporter called at the scheduled time, Ford was busy coaching a youth football game.

He proceeded with the interview anyway. Unsurprisingly, he was unfocused, simultaneously yelling at children and telling the reporter about fiscal restraint. He interrupted the interview numerous times and made his points inarticulately, until finally admitting he was “being distracted.” The disastrous interview generated unnecessary bad press for his campaign.

[Read more…]

NRA Wants Armed Police in Every School

December 21, 2012 at 12:01 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The National Rifle Association called for armed police officers to be posted in every American school to stop the next killer “waiting in the wings,” the AP reports.

Said NRA president Wayne LaPierre: “The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.”

The Week has more on the “instantly inflammatory” news conference.

Mark Halperin: “Some Democratic strategists on Thursday in advance of the NRA statement thought the group might talk in a more conciliatory fashion and then work quietly over the longer term to stymie any legislative efforts. Those Democrats were wrong — and now have to try to figure out how to make Republicans who stick with the NRA pay a political price.”

Obama Picks Kerry as Secretary of State

December 21, 2012 at 10:12 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

President Obama will nominate Sen. John Kerry to be the next secretary of state at the White House later today, the Washington Post reports.

Kerry selection “all but guarantees a swift, smooth path to confirmation. The lawmaker has been a frequent foreign policy adviser and confidant to Obama, and his long experience means he has bipartisan advocates in the Senate.”

A new CNN/ORC poll finds that most Americans think Kerry’s appointment would be good for the nation, with 57% saying they hold that view and 32% saying it would be bad. But there is also a partisan gap, as 80% of Democrats and 54% of independents say the Kerry pick would be good but 56% of Republicans say it would be bad.

Meanwhile, the New York Times notes that if he is confirmed, Kerry will become the first losing general election candidate to ascend a major new political position since Richard Nixon in 1968.

Loss of Leverage and Leadership

December 21, 2012 at 10:02 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

First Read: “In covering politics, you always want to resist the temptation to
overstate things. After all, what’s up one day can go down the next. But
it’s difficult to see what took place in Congress last night as
anything other than an unmitigated disaster and embarrassing blunder for
House Republicans — all over something that was viewed as a
negotiating tactic or PR move.”

Rich Lowry: “If part of what President Obama was after was Republican humiliation and disarray, it’s going better than even he could have hoped.”

Are Republicans Ready to Dump Boehner?

December 21, 2012 at 9:47 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Steve Kornacki: “Last night was hardly the first public humiliation that John Boehner has suffered at the hands of his fellow Republicans, but it’s probably the most stark. And it raises some very basic questions about the House speaker’s political future – like whether he even has one.”

“The demise of Plan B also calls Boehner’s job security into question. The Obama-era conservative base has never trusted him; he’s been in Washington too long, he cut too many pre-2008 deals with Democrats, and he voted for too much spending. Since he claimed the speaker’s gavel, they’ve been watching him like a hawk for any sign he’s about to sell them out, virtually eliminating his ability to cut deals on their behalf. What happened last night indicates that this dynamic hasn’t changed since the election, and with the January 3 vote for speaker coming up, there is some chatter now that House conservatives might attempt to dethrone Boehner.”

First Read notes “it seems to us that the only person who’s capable of toppling Boehner
right now is Paul Ryan. But does he — or anyone else — want that job?”

Republicans Have a Message Problem

December 21, 2012 at 9:42 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds it’s the Republican party’s message that appears to be the problem, not the messengers who are delivering it.

Key findings: 53% of Americans say the GOP’s problem is that they are overly conservative and unconcerned “with the welfare of the people, particularly those in the lower and middle income levels.” By contrast, just 38% say the bigger issue is that Republicans “need a better leader to explain and win support” for their policies.

Daley Mulls Bid for Governor

December 21, 2012 at 9:34 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former White House Chief of Staff William Daley (D) talked a lot about a lack of “leadership” in Illinois government as he continued to mull a run for governor in 2014, the Chicago Sun Times reports.

Said Daley: “I am thinking about it seriously. We are a way’s off.”

Quote of the Day

December 21, 2012 at 7:32 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“It weakens the entire Republican Party, the Republican majority. It’s the continuing dumbing-down of the Republican Party and we are going to be seen more and more as a bunch of extremists that can’t even get a majority of our own people to support policies that we’re putting forward.”

— Rep. Steven LaTourette (R-OH), quoted by Roll Call, on the failure of House Speaker John Boehner’s “Plan B” to avoid the fiscal cliff.

Few Options Left for Boehner

December 21, 2012 at 7:03 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Now that House Speaker John Boehner’s “Plan B” for addressing the fiscal cliff “has crashed and burned, the top U.S. Republican appears to have two remaining options — wash his hands of the entire matter or negotiate a compromise with Democrats that could abandon scores of his fellow Republicans,” Reuters reports.

“The Republican rank and file and Democrats may face an equally stark choice: work together for a change, or plunge together off the cliff.”

Washington Post: “Following the latest breakdown in negotiations, Democrats said Boehner
should return to the bargaining table with Obama — or just let House
Democrats and 25 or so Republicans vote for a Senate-approved plan to
extend tax cuts for the middle class. But Republicans said the well has
been so poisoned that restarting bipartisan talks would be more
difficult than ever.”

Wonk Wire: Low expectations for a fiscal cliff deal.

House Cancels Fiscal Cliff Vote

December 20, 2012 at 9:24 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

House Republicans “scuttled a vote on a backup plan they had pushed as a way to partially avert steep tax increases and spending cuts next year, sending lawmakers home for Christmas as Washington lurched toward the fiscal cliff,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The sudden turn of events left efforts to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff in disarray with no clear path forward.”

Politico: “After a full day of heavy arm-twisting, House Republican leaders were unable to cobble together enough support from 217 of their 241 members for Boehner’s (R-OH) ‘Plan B’ proposal, even after Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) assured its passage. Democrats vowed not to support the measure.”

New York Times: “The decision was a major setback for the speaker, who was pushing his
so-called Plan B to prevent lower tax rates from expiring on most
Americans. It came after the House had narrowly approved a plan to
suspend planned Pentagon cuts.”

Sanford to Launch Comeback Bid

December 20, 2012 at 9:09 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) is launching a political comeback that may begin within days, CNN reports.

Sanford is planning to run for the Congressional seat he held almost a decade ago which is being vacated by Rep. Tim Scott (R-SC), who was just appointed to a U.S. Senate seat.

Obama Approval Hits Highest Since 2009

December 20, 2012 at 4:51 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Gallup poll shows President Obama’s approval rating at 56%, his highest mark on that question since October 2009, with just 37% disapproving of his job performance.

“The timing of the increase in Obama’s ratings could reflect a broad-based public reaction to the Newtown shootings, similar to the ‘rally around the flag’ effect often seen at the start of wars and other threats to national security, in which Americans rally behind their leader. It could also reflect the impact of the president’s specific actions after the tragedy, including his attendance and speech at a Newtown prayer service Sunday night, and his appointment on Wednesday of a national task force to recommend steps that can be taken to reduce gun violence in the future.”

The 34 Days That Decided the Election

December 20, 2012 at 2:35 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Great reading if you’re traveling over the holidays: The End of the Line: The 34 Days That Decided the Election by Glenn Thrush and Jonathan Martin.

Modest Change in Support for Gun Control

December 20, 2012 at 2:24 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Pew Research survey finds the public’s attitudes toward gun control have shown only modest change in the wake of last week’s deadly shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Currently, 49% say it is more important to control gun ownership, while 42% say it is more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns.

Opinion was evenly divided in July, following a shooting at a Colorado movie theater. At that time, 47% said it was more important to control gun ownership, while 46% said it was more important to protect gun rights.

Majority of Lawmakers Received NRA Donations

December 20, 2012 at 1:56 pm EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The Sunlight Foundation notes that 51% of the members of the new Congress that convenes next month have received funding from the National Rifle Association’s political action committee at some point in their political careers. And 47% received money from the NRA in the most recent race in which they ran.

Bloomberg: NRA protections racket in Congress.