The Daily Brief — Thursday, August 28, 2008

By Patrick Henry 

 

Economy rebounds at better-than-expected pace in the spring, mostly spurred by exports
Associated Press · Jeannine Aversa
The economy shifted to a higher gear in the spring, growing at its fastest pace in nearly a year as foreign buyers snapped up U.S. exports and tax rebates spurred shoppers at home. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that gross domestic product, or GDP, increased at a 3.3 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter. The revised reading was much better than the government’s initial estimate of a 1.9 percent pace and exceeded economists’ expectations for a 2.7 percent growth rate… more»

It’s the economy, stupid? –PH

Dems nervous over Invesco risks
Politico · Charles Mahtesian
Senior Democratic officials are expressing serious concerns about the political risks posed by Barack Obama’s acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium Thursday evening. From the elaborate stagecraft to the teeming crowd of 80,000 cheering partisans, the vagaries of the weather to the unpredictable audience reaction, the optics surrounding the stadium event have heightened worries that the Obama campaign is engaging in a high-risk endeavor in an uncontrollable environment. A common concern: that the stadium appearance plays against Obama’s convention goal of lowering his star wattage and connecting with average Americans and that it gives Republicans a chance to drive home their message that the Democratic nominee is a narcissistic celebrity candidate… more»

The Master Has Arrived
Wall Street Journal · Peggy Noonan
The general thinking among thinking journalists, as opposed to journalists who merely follow the journalistic line of the day, is that the change of venue Thursday night to Invesco Field, and the huge, open air Obama acceptance speech is…one of the biggest and possibly craziest gambles of this or any other presidential campaign of the modern era… more»

Avoiding A Long, Disappointing Fall
The New Republic · John B. Judis
The Barack Obama campaign has been floundering. If he had a lead in the polls in late June–and the summer polls are notoriously fickly–he clearly lost it by the convention’s beginning. And so far, the convention–dominated, ironically, by the Clintons–has not particularly helped. Bill Clinton and Joe Biden performed quite well last night, but if Obama fails to deliver a spellbinding oration tonight, the Democrats could be in for a long and disappointing fall… more»

The Devils in His Details
RealClearPolitics · George Will
When Barack Obama feeds rhetorical fishes and loaves to the multitudes in the football stadium Thursday night, he should deliver a message of sufficient particularity that it seems particularly suited to Americans. One more inspirational oration, one general enough to please Berliners or even his fellow “citizens of the world,” will confirm Pascal’s point that “continuous eloquence wearies.” That is so because it is not really eloquent. If it is continuous, it is necessarily formulaic and abstract, vague enough for any time and place, hence truly apposite for none. If Socrates had engaged in an interminable presidential campaign in a media-drenched age, perhaps he, too, would have come to seem banal. But the fact that Obama lost nine of the final 14 primaries might have something to do with the fact that when he descends from the ether to practicalities, he reprises liberalism’s most shopworn nostrums… more»

Pelosi gets unwanted lesson in Catholic theology
Associated Press · Rachel Zoll
Politics can be treacherous. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi walked on even riskier ground in a recent TV interview when she attempted a theological defense of her support for abortion rights. Roman Catholic bishops consider her arguments on St. Augustine and free will so far out of line with church teaching that they have issued a steady stream of statements to correct her. The latest came Wednesday from Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik, who said Pelosi, D-Calif., “stepped out of her political role and completely misrepresented the teaching of the Catholic Church in regard to abortion.” It has been a harsh week of rebuke for the Democratic congresswoman, a Catholic school graduate who repeatedly has expressed pride in and love for her religious heritage… more»

Alaskans send Ted Stevens on to general election
Associated Press · Steve Quinn
Alaska Republicans gave U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, currently facing a federal indictment, a primary victory on Tuesday. It sets up a November election race with possibly the toughest opponent Stevens has ever faced in his 40 years in public office, squaring off against popular Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich. Stevens won his primary with 63 percent of the vote. Begich easily won his Democratic primary over two minor challengers with 91 percent of the vote… more»

Stevens is an embarrassment to the Republican Party and a shining example of the need for term limits. Corruption, nepotism, and pork… With all these liabilities, who cares how he votes? Give me an honest Democrat over a corrupt Republican. –PH

The GOP’s Alaska Meltdown
Wall Street Journal · WSJ Editorial Board
The scandals that led to the demise of Republican Representatives Tom DeLay, Bob Ney and Duke Cunningham — and to the party’s loss of Congress two years ago — should have been a teaching moment. Alaska’s GOP voters haven’t taken the hint, and that may cost their party again in November. Alaska Senator Ted Stevens easily won a six-way GOP primary on Tuesday with 63% of the vote, even though he was recently indicted for failing to disclose $250,000 in gifts from Veco Corp., an oil company. Mr. Stevens deserves the presumption of innocence, and after his primary victory he told supporters his re-election will be a “piece of cake.” Democrats are happy to hear that because the political reality is that the 84-year-old Senator’s case goes to trial before a Washington, D.C. jury less than six weeks before Election Day, and he already trails Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich by double digits… more»

Obama campaign confronts WGN radio
The Swamp · John McCormick and Steve Schmadeke
Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign organized its supporters Wednesday night to confront Tribune-owned WGN-AM in Chicago for having a critic of the Illinois Democrat on its air… more»

Obama’s e-mail about WGN-AM
Chicago Tribune
In the next few hours, we have a crucial opportunity to fight one of the most cynical and offensive smears ever launched against Barack. Tonight, WGN radio is giving right-wing hatchet man Stanley Kurtz a forum to air his baseless, fear-mongering terrorist smears. He’s currently scheduled to spend a solid two-hour block from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. pushing lies, distortions, and manipulations about Barack and University of Illinois professor William Ayers. Tell WGN that by providing Kurtz with airtime, they are legitimizing baseless attacks from a smear-merchant and lowering the standards of political discourse… more»

A pattern is emerging: Whenever a negative message about “The One” appears, the Obama campaign threatens the messenger rather than the message. The campaign might pause and consider, “What would Jesus do?” –PH

ABC Reporter Arrested in Denver Taking Pictures of Senators, Big Donors
ABC News · Brian Ross
Police in Denver arrested an ABC News producer today as he and a camera crew were attempting to take pictures on a public sidewalk of Democratic senators and VIP donors leaving a private meeting at the Brown Palace Hotel. Police on the scene refused to tell ABC lawyers the charges against the producer, Asa Eslocker, who works with the ABC News investigative unit… more»

MSNBC prez defends convention team
Politico · Michael Calderone
Amid a spate of awkward on-air conflicts among MNSBC anchors at this week’s Democratic convention, some staff members say there are sharp internal disputes at the cable network over whether its opinion and personality-driven political coverage has crossed the line. “The situation at our channel is about to blow up,” a high-ranking MSNBC journalist told Politico on Wednesday. Two other MSNBC sources said some of the testy on-air exchanges between Keith Olbermann — whose quick-witted and often caustic commentary has fueled ratings growth — and other network personalities were a public glimpse of much more intense behind-the-scenes turmoil… more»

Olbermann is insufferable. I never liked his sportscasts dating back to his KTLA days in the late 80s. I always have the feeling he thinks he is wittier than he really is. But watching his “news” show is excruciating. He’s the liberal version of Bill O’Reilly. Needless to say, MSNBC is probably the least watched channel in my household, with the possible exception of MTV. –PH