Starting Gate: Not Easy Being Green

By: Vaughn Ververs
Topics: Starting Gate

It's not always so easy to run for president as a different kind of politician. Both Barack Obama and John McCain are immersed in the kind of economic debate the country has heard for decades, pitting supply-side tax cuts against government programs and tax hikes on the more prosperous as the cures for what most people consider a recession.

Policy aside though, both candidates are discovering the hazards of associations now that they have consolidated leadership of the country's two mammoth parties. McCain's effort was rocked several weeks ago with a rash of resignations and disassociations with lobbyists on the campaign. The fact that some of McCain's remaining high command have lobbying pasts remains a target for Democrats.

Now, Barack Obama is coming under fire from the GOP for questionable mortgage loans received by Jim Johnson, the Democratic Party's professional vice presidential vetter. This is a new experience for a candidate who in many ways ran against the system. Now that he's become the leader of the party, Obama's campaign by necessity inherits many of its elements that conflict with his basic message. It's not all that different from candidates who rail about the evils of Washington yet never fail to find a Congressman or Senator to praise on the campaign trail.

While Obama indicated that scrutiny of those associated with his campaign amounts to little more than a political game, he sort of admitted that it could be a problem. "This is a game that can be played, everybody who is anybody who is tangentially related to our campaign I think is going to have a whole host of relationships," Obama told reporters yesterday. "I would have to hire the vetter to vet the vetters."

As the presumptive nominee, the entire Democrat party and infrastructure becomes "tangentially related" to the Obama campaign and there are a "whole host of relationships" involved there. Not all of those elements will be a problem for Obama. But as he embarks upon a very important and serious process of choosing a running mate, seasoned hands like Johnson are a necessary part of that. And this almost certainly won't be the last time that the campaign finds they must take some of the baggage that comes along with such necessities.

Around The Track

Ron Paul and his loyal supporters are tentatively planning to hold a daylong rally just miles away from the GOP convention this August – sort of a counter-convention. "We plan on having a large rally," said Paul spokesman Jesse Benton. "We want it to be a celebration of Republican values and what the Republican Party has traditionally stood for."

Democratic Rep. Dan Boren yesterday said he would not endorse Obama and called him the "most liberal" member of the Senate. (Boren did say he would vote for Obama at the convention and in the general election). The Obama campaign responded: "Unfortunately, Congressman Boren has his facts wrong. Barack Obama has a long history of working across the aisle to get things done…in the U.S. Senate he's worked with some of the most conservative members—including Congressman Boren's Republican colleague from Oklahoma, Tom Coburn — to restore accountability and openness to our government and crack down on the special interests."

Does the Clinton camp have an "enemies list?" The New York Times examines.

The Politico looks at Virginia Sen. Jim Webb's "affinity" for the confederacy.

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by gsm1565 June 11, 2008 4:41 PM EDT: Quit your whining. Clinton didn''t get cheated. I don''t understand how you, and so many like you, don''t comprehend what happened. She wanted to bend the rules in her favor, as if they weren''t already in place.

Let me put this into perspective for you: if you were to enter into a university, any one across the globe, and they gave you a list of requisits to graduate and you agreed to those terms. Then, later in your college career, because it didn''t suit you and you weren''t going to graduate, you decide to lobby to have them changed. The dean says no because you agreed to and fully understood the terms by signing up at that university as an incoming freshman. Is that unfair? Should it really go your way? Are you special? Should Hillary be treated any differently than every other candidate for some strange reason???

Look, rules are rules. HRC knew and acknowledged these rules 100% at the beginning, and throughout, the entire campaign... that is, until she needed them changed. Just because it suited her needs towards the end does not mean that the rules should be altered. You''re fooling yourself if you think any other way.

Now, to the point of restructuring the DNC primary voting schedule, sounds good but won''t happen. It''s too convenient the way it is right now for the candidates, party and news agencies.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 June 11, 2008 2:59 PM EDT: Corruption, Cronyism and incompetent handling of governmental agencies, the Policialization of our Justice Department, Illegal surveillance for Political Oppositional Research, Pollution and disregard of the notion that the environment is changing, invisible tax imposed on the America People by the high cost of OIL, the Occupation of Iraq, mis-managemet of two foreign wars, unfettered barrowing of $Billions from the Peoples Republic of China, and 35 other counts of Impeachable Offenses committed by GEORGE W. BUSH!

And, these issues are all things Americans wanted, will continue to vote for?; Reply to this comment


by starpost June 11, 2008 1:53 PM EDT: I was amazed that Boren%u2019s district has no interest in %u201Cparty unity.%u201D What will happen when %u201Cthe Chicago Way%u201D comes to town? Ask Mayor Dailey how they deal with those who won%u2019t get on board. But, I%u2019m encouraged and hope Boren sticks to his guns. There seems to be little principle left in the Democratic Party. After over 30 years of voting Democratic without once wavering, I am boycotting the DNC for 2008. Call me an independent. And other political party that has some news for this white, female, college grad and working professional -- I%u2019m listening. As a woman, I%u2019d like to hear how you do not need to reduce me to one issue -- %u201Creproductive rights.%u201D Sure, that%u2019s important, but so are glass ceilings, especially the one with 18 million cracks in it. As a college educated woman, I never forget that I''m from a %u201Cno higher than 9th grade%u201D family, working class through and through. As a resident of Greenwich Village, living two blocks from where Ayers and his crew blew up a townhouse, I%u2019d like to hear about candidates who refuse to associate with murderers who escaped conviction, but who proudly admit they%u2019re guilty. As a voter concerned about campaign financing, I am offended by the Obama hypocrisy over %u201Cno lobby/pac money%u201D as he continues to embrace the millions gathered up by %u201Cbundlers%u201D via a finance law loopholes. In short, I am immune to DNC talking points and will VOTE AGAINST THE DNC.; Reply to this comment


by mattcat25 June 11, 2008 1:26 PM EDT: A lot of Republican Voters see the need for change within their party and our country. The results from the Bush/Cheney polices have been less then positive. From watching the Republican Presidential Primary Debates Ron Paul consistently gained resounding approval and applause at his statements and ideas. Americans know that there has to be a change of course and someone like Ron Paul represented those kinds of thought. It%u2019s not up to the Democratic Party to change the Republicans it%u2019s up to Republicans to hold their party accountable and to assure a commitment to change.; Reply to this comment


by exaag June 11, 2008 1:21 PM EDT: Barack Obama really does not need to know anything as long as he has the media to minimize his gaffes. Nevertheless, it is incredible that this individual keeps running into the same problem week after week. First it is Che Guevara flags in his Houston HQ (He didn''t know), then it is 20 years of Rev. Wright (he didn''t know) , then it is Ayres (He didn''t know) , then it is his staffer assuring Canada that his "anti-NAFTA" position was just campaign posturing (He didn''t know), then it was another staffer meeting with HAMAS (He didn''t know.) On and on and on. It seems that Obma is simply not mentally alert enough to be president.; Reply to this comment


by seah5 June 11, 2008 12:32 PM EDT: Obama really does not know anything about anything.

His team will keep him informed of the right things to say.

Just so he don''t have to answer and direct questions not in the breifing or script. he will be ok; Reply to this comment