The Week looks at a final tally that was much closer than anticipated.
The Gamble
Free download: The Gamble: High Rollers by John Sides and Lynn Vavreck.
The authors provide a data-driven analysis of the impacts of the Obama re-election campaign’s early ad blitz.
Too Soon to Call the Iraq War a Failure?
Paul Wolfowitz: “It may be a long time before we really know the outcome of the Iraq war.
To put that in perspective, consider that the Korean armistice was
signed 60 years ago, but South Korea struggled for decades after that.
Even after 30 years, only an extreme optimist would have predicted that
South Korea today would not only have one of the world’s most successful
economies but also a democratic political system that has successfully
conducted six free and fair presidential elections over the last 25
years.”
Rubio Has Big Fundraising Quarter
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) raised $2.28 million during the first quarter across three affiliated political committees, Roll Call reports.
“Adopting a fundraising strategy usually employed by national party committees and major presidential nominees, the Florida Republican set up a joint fundraising committee with his personal campaign account and his political action committee, Reclaim America.”
For the latest on campaign finance reports — due today — check Political Moneyline.
On God’s Side
Just published: On God’s Side: What Religion Forgets and Politics Hasn’t Learned about Serving the Common Good by Jim Wallis.
Paul Begala: “If political participants want to be encouraged to selfishly screw their
neighbor, they should read Ayn Rand; on the other hand, if they are
looking to be challenged–to be better political combatants, better
Americans, perhaps even better Christians–they will find that challenge
in the works of the Rev. Jim Wallis.”
How to Get Rich After Leaving the Obama White House
Noam Scheiber: “Within Obamaworld, there are a few unwritten rules about how to parlay one’s experience into a handsome payday. There is, for example, a loose taboo against joining a K Street lobbying shop and explicitly trading on administration connections. And while joining a consulting firm is acceptable, those who do are reluctant to work for clients reviled by liberals: gun makers, tobacco companies, Big Oil, union busters. Above all, there is a simple prohibition against excessive tackiness.”
Said one insider: “It’s like: Don’t embarrass yourself. You were part of something special. I think if [Obama] were to send an all-staff e-mail, it would be along the lines of Ron Burgundy–‘Stay classy, San Diego.'”
Will Skeletons Emerge from Marco Rubio’s Closet?
McKay Coppins: “The enduring notion that the ‘Republican savior’ may have feet of clay has followed him since his arrival on the national stage three years ago. It’s been a subject of gossip among the chattering Miami politicos at The Biltmore, a talking point pushed by bloodthirsty Democrats eager to stop his ascent, and a constant source of frustration in the Senator’s orbit.”
“Rubio is just 41, but he has already served as Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives. And his quick rise to national stardom, along with his long, varied career in state politics, well-known financial troubles, and ties to an embattled former congressman have combined to prompt many in the political class — including some of his most enthusiastic boosters — to speculate that the Senator’s pristine political brand will collapse under the weight of national scrutiny.”
Bonus Quote of the Day
“People are surprised. Of course, some people are surprised I can even read.”
— George W. Bush, talking to the Dallas Morning News about his painting.
Governor’s Office Calls Efforts to Integrate Prom a Leftist Stunt
George Gov. Nathan Deal (R) won’t take sides in the controversy over efforts by some Georgia teens to finally integrate their high school prom, WMAZ-TV reports.
Said a spokesman: “This is a leftist front group for the state Democratic party and we’re not going to lend a hand to their silly publicity stunt.”
Big Obstacles Remain for Gun Control
The Cloakroom: As difficult as it may seem to gun control advocates, rounding up votes in the Senate this week is the easy part.
House to Call for Firing Workers Who Owe Back Taxes
The House of Representatives will mark April 15, the day federal taxes are due, by passing a bill that would require the government to fire federal workers with “seriously delinquent” tax debts, The Hill reports.
Obama Veers to the Middle
Liz Sidoti: “He wants to slash funding for the Democratic sacred cows of Social Security and Medicare. He doesn’t agree with a judge and women’s rights groups that girls of any age should have easy access to emergency contraception. He has hinted that he may disappoint environmentalists by letting the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline be built.”
“And, to varying degrees, President Barack Obama seems to be going middle-of-the-road on everything from gun control to immigration reform to drone policy, much to the annoyance of many Democratic activists and liberal lawmakers.”
Is Andrew Cuomo the Shrewdest Politician Since LBJ?
New York: “For all his speechifying about the ‘us’ of government, he runs a
government of one, controlling decisions large and small. And the way
Cuomo wins his battles–strong-arming and horse-trading; a mastery of
talking past inconvenient questions and facts–tends to antagonize
enemies and allies, as in the most recent round of budget
wrangling, in which he managed to chafe both liberals and business fat
cats. People are afraid of him; David Paterson, as governor, once
described feeling like Cuomo was lurking under the floorboards of the
executive mansion, holding a saw. In politics, fear can be a highly
useful tool, but it is a risky one. The governor doesn’t have many
friends.”
Kerry Says Foreign Students Scared of Guns in U.S.
Secretary of State John Kerry told CNN that students in other countries assessing where to study abroad are increasingly scared of coming to the United States because of gun violence.
Said Kerry: “We had an interesting discussion about why fewer students are coming to, particularly from Japan, to study in the United States, and one of the responses I got from our officials from conversations with parents here is that they’re actually scared. They think they’re not safe in the United States and so they don’t come.”
Weiner Puts Out Policy Booklet as He Explores Mayoral Bid
“As he seeks to extend the discussion about a possible candidacy for mayor — and shift attention away from the online sex-messaging scandal that cost him his Congressional seat — Anthony D. Weiner released a 21-page policy booklet on Sunday that he described as a blueprint for keeping New York City ‘the capital of the middle class,'” the New York Times reports.
Quote of the Day
“I don’t know. You’ll have to call all the people who’ve written these books about me, who claim they know me, the psycho-babblers.”
— George W. Bush, in an interview with the Dallas Morning News, when asked why he’s taken up painting since his retirement from politics.
Miller Gears Up for Another Senate Bid
Joe Miller (R), the tea-party-backed Alaska Republican who lost a 2010 Senate race, announced that he is launching an exploratory committee as he considers another Senate campaign, Roll Call reports.
Many Republicans Once Favored Gun Control
Peter Beinhart: “Every now and then I encounter some random piece of historical trivia and I remember: the Republican Party used to be sane. The last such epiphany occurred when I was researching the assault-weapons ban, which first passed the Senate in 1993. Scanning the roll call, I noticed an odd letter–‘R’–next to some of the senators who had voted yes. Overall, 10 Republicans voted for the assault-weapons ban back then, almost a quarter of the GOP caucus. Today, by contrast, not a single Republican senator supports such a ban. Even the Obama administration’s less controversial proposal for background checks faces overwhelming GOP opposition. Today, in fact, most Senate Republicans don’t merely oppose new gun-control legislation; they oppose even holding a vote.”
