All Blog Posts from Horserace

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that the Obama campaign has told station WFTV-Channel 9 not to expect any more interviews until after the election.

According to a blog on the paper's Web site, this stems from a satellite interview the Orlando station's Barbara West conducted with Joe Biden on Thursday.

West asked the Democratic vice presidential nominee to defend whether the ticket's policies were "Marxist" and whether Biden's comments about Obama being "tested" early in his presidency were saying "America's days as the world's leading power are over."

During the interview, Biden reacted with surprise to the questions.

"Are you joking?" he asked at one point. "No," the anchor responded. Later, Biden said: "I don't know who's writing your questions."

The paper reports that the campaign then cancelled a planned interview the station had scheduled with Jill Biden.

"This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election," wrote Laura K. McGinnis, central Florida communications director for the campaign, according to the paper.

Read more from the newspaper here.
Watch the interview with Biden.

Despite the presence of the first Alaskan on a major national party ticket, Alaska's largest newspaper endorsed Barack Obama today.

The Anchorage Daily News editorial board acknowledges that Sarah Palin's selection as John McCain's running mate was a momentous event for the state and writes that "Many Alaskans are proud to see their governor, and their state, so prominent on the national stage."

But the editorial continues:

Gov. Palin's nomination clearly alters the landscape for Alaskans as we survey this race for the presidency -- but it does not overwhelm all other judgment. The election, after all is said and done, is not about Sarah Palin, and our sober view is that her running mate, Sen. John McCain, is the wrong choice for president at this critical time for our nation.

Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, brings far more promise to the office. In a time of grave economic crisis, he displays thoughtful analysis, enlists wise counsel and operates with a cool, steady hand. The same cannot be said of Sen. McCain.

After enumerating other reasons the paper's board backs Obama over McCain, the editorial returns to the subject of the state's governor with a particularly biting critique, saying she is not ready for the presidency and calling her "too risky" as a vice president:

Gov. Palin has shown the country why she has been so successful in her young political career. Passionate, charismatic and indefatigable, she draws huge crowds and sows excitement in her wake. She has made it clear she's a force to be reckoned with, and you can be sure politicians and political professionals across the country have taken note. Her future, in Alaska and on the national stage, seems certain to be played out in the limelight.

Yet despite her formidable gifts, few who have worked closely with the governor would argue she is truly ready to assume command of the most important, powerful nation on earth. To step in and juggle the demands of an economic meltdown, two deadly wars and a deteriorating climate crisis would stretch the governor beyond her range. Like picking Sen. McCain for president, putting her one 72-year-old heartbeat from the leadership of the free world is just too risky at this time.

Read the full endorsement here.

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(WASHINGTON) Two liberal political action committees, Brave New PAC and Democracy for America, launched an aggressive attack on John McCain's health this morning in an ad featuring unflattering images of his melanoma scars. The ad calls for McCain to release his medical records, something he already did earlier this year.

"Another bout of cancer for John McCain while he is president of the United States would profoundly impact his capacity lead," Dr. Michael D. Fratkin says in the ad. "Melanoma is the deadliest of skin cancers," Dr. Noah Craft then explains, adding "the chances of survival if you have melanoma spread through your body are very slim." The ad closes with a graphic asking, "Why won't John McCain release his Medical Records?"

The 30-second television spot is set to run on MSNBC in a $50,000 buy over a few days. The groups hope to extend the buy to battleground states or possibly purchase a full page ad in the NY Times in the coming weeks if they are able to raise necessary funds through donations from supporters.

"Special interest attack ads are part of what is wrong with Washington," Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant said in response. "It is absurd that Barack Obama's allies would be attacking John McCain at a moment when when we are trying to put politics aside."

In addition to the ad, the groups initiated a petition for doctors with the hopes that with enough signatures they will "ultimately deliver the petition and create enough grassroots support to get a full disclosure of the [medical] records,” Brave New PAC spokesman Axel Woolfolk told CBS News. So far they say they have collected 2,500 signatures.

However, the thing is, McCain has released his medical records.

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This was written by CBS News consultant Joe Trippi.

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In every single poll John McCain has higher ratings with voters on foreign policy than Barack Obama. So its pretty simple -- if at the end of this debate voters think that Barack Obama deserves to stand on the same stage with John McCain on foreign policy, then hands down John McCain has lost the debate.

This means from the start Barack Obama has a much easier time winning this debate than McCain does.

The fact is that Barack Obama has been answering foreign policy questions for 19 months or more. His sparing with Hillary Clinton has sharpened his debate skills. He knows his answers and it's unlikely that there is any question that he hasn't heard or will cause him to stumble. All of which is likely to make him appear surprisingly knowledgeable and thoughtful to undecided swing voters who have doubts about him on foreign policy and his readiness to be commander in chief.

If Barack Obama goes through the entire debate and holds his own with the "more experienced and knowledgeable" McCain – it helps Obama. It raises Obama's stature on foreign policy issues and more voters are likely to see him as "presidential".

The more he stands with McCain and doesn't stumble, the more it will be Obama who is scoring.

McCain on the other hand has a tougher hurdle – he has to try to "disqualify" Obama.

McCain cannot afford to let Obama gain ground on him on the foreign policy dimension. The McCain campaign has been raising the difference between "talking" and "doing". And I would expect McCain himself to carry this theme into the debate. But disqualifying someone who has had 19 months to fine tune his answers is not going to be easy.

Bottom line? This is the debate that could decide who wins the election and it could decide it in a big way.

If McCain somehow successfully disqualifies or raises serious doubts about Obama on critical foreign policy and defense issues it would be devastating to the Obama candidacy.

But every minute Obama is on that stage with McCain and proves he belongs there, McCain loses his one advantage over Obama and with it the election. Both outcomes are possible, but Obama has the easier job in Mississippi.

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Writes CBS News consultant Joe Trippi:

In every single poll John McCain has higher ratings with voters on foreign policy than Barack Obama. So its pretty simple -- if at the end of this debate voters think that Barack Obama deserves to stand on the same stage with John McCain on foreign policy, then hands down John McCain has lost the debate.

This means from the start Barack Obama has a much easier time winning this debate than McCain does.

The fact is that Barack Obama has been answering foreign policy questions for 19 months or more. His sparing with Hillary Clinton has sharpened his debate skills. He knows his answers and it's unlikely that there is any question that he hasn't heard or will cause him to stumble. All of which is likely to make him appear surprisingly knowledgeable and thoughtful to undecided swing voters who have doubts about him on foreign policy and his readiness to be commander in chief.

If Barack Obama goes through the entire debate and holds his own with the "more experienced and knowledgeable" McCain – it helps Obama. It raises Obama's stature on foreign policy issues and more voters are likely to see him as "presidential".

The more he stands with McCain and doesn't stumble, the more it will be Obama who is scoring.

McCain on the other hand has a tougher hurdle – he has to try to "disqualify" Obama.

McCain cannot afford to let Obama gain ground on him on the foreign policy dimension. The McCain campaign has been raising the difference between "talking" and "doing". And I would expect McCain himself to carry this theme into the debate. But disqualifying someone who has had 19 months to fine tune his answers is not going to be easy.

Bottom line? This is the debate that could decide who wins the election and it could decide it in a big way.

If McCain somehow successfully disqualifies or raises serious doubts about Obama on critical foreign policy and defense issues it would be devastating to the Obama candidacy.

But every minute Obama is on that stage with McCain and proves he belongs there, McCain loses his one advantage over Obama and with it the election. Both outcomes are possible, but Obama has the easier job in Mississippi.

Update 4:30 P.M.: CBS News consultant Dan Bartlett reacts to Trippi's analysis:

I mostly agree with Joe's assessment of the debate and that the hurdle for Obama seems a bit lower than for McCain. However, this won't be a true foreign policy debate and the developments over the last 24hrs could prove fairly interesting. First, there might not be a debate. McCain has made it clear that if there is no deal on legislation, he's not going. Not sure how the public will react. But if a deal is brokered by early tomorrow, expect McCain to show up with at least the argument that while Obama talks a lot about a bipartisan governing philosophy, he actually demonstrated the ability to work across party lines...

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On Wednesday morning, CBS News anchor Katie Couric interviewed Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin in New York. The first part of the interview on economic policy aired on the CBS Evening News last night. You can read and watch that part of the interview here.

Tonight, the second part of the exclusive interview, this time on foreign policy, will air on the CBS Evening News. But before that, here's a preview of Palin talking about Afghanistan. This clip also aired on The Early Show this morning.

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Katie Couric: Why is it much more challenging there? Can you explain that?

Sarah Palin: The logistics that we are already suggesting here, not having enough troops in the area right now. The… things like the terrain even in Afghanistan and that border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, where, you know, we believe that-- Bin Laden is-- is hiding out right now and… and is still such a leader of this terrorist movement. There… there are many more challenges there. So, again, I believe that… a surge in Afghanistan also will lead us to victory there as it has proven to have done in Iraq. And as I say, Katie, that we cannot afford to retreat, to withdraw in Iraq. That's not gonna get us any better off in Afghanistan either. And as our leaders are telling us in our military, we do need to ramp it up in Afghanistan, counting on our friends and allies to assist with us there because these terrorists who hate America, they hate what we stand for with the… the freedoms, the democracy, the… the women's rights, the tolerance, they hate what it is that we represent and our allies, too, and our friends, what they represent. If we were… were to allow a stronghold to be captured by these terrorists then the world is in even greater peril than it is today. We cannot afford to lose in Afghanistan.

Update: Click in the player below to watch the video of Katie Couric on The Early Show this morning:

The McCain campaign has released the following excerpts ahead of Republican presidential nominee John McCain's speech tonight at the GOP convention:

"I’m very proud to have introduced our next Vice President to the country. But I can’t wait until I introduce her to Washington. And let me offer an advance warning to the old, big spending, do nothing, me first, country second Washington crowd: change is coming."

"The constant partisan rancor that stops us from solving these problems isn’t a cause, it’s a symptom. It’s what happens when people go to Washington to work for themselves and not you. Again and again, I’ve worked with members of both parties to fix problems that need to be fixed. That’s how I will govern as President. I will reach out my hand to anyone to help me get this country moving again. I have that record and the scars to prove it. Senator Obama does not."

"I fell in love with my country when I was a prisoner in someone else’s. I loved it not just for the many comforts of life here. I loved it for its decency; for its faith in the wisdom, justice and goodness of its people. I loved it because it was not just a place, but an idea, a cause worth fighting for. I was never the same again. I wasn’t my own man anymore. I was my country’s.”

Read the whole speech here.

(ST. PAUL) Sarah Palin was unknown to the public just a week ago, but it's going to be hard to say that about her anymore. The ratings from her speech at the Republican National Convention are in, and it's now clear just how all the buzz about her translated big time into viewership for the Republican convention.

According to Nielsen, 37.2 million people watched the speech on six networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX News Channel, and MSNBC). That is just 1.1 million less than watched Obama's speech last Thursday night. Compare that to the estimated 24 million who watched Democratic VP nominee Joe Biden's speech last Wednesday night. You can also compare that to the about 34 million who watched the opening of the Beijing Olympics last month, 32 million who watched this year's Oscars and 31.7 million who watched last spring's American Idol finale.

According to Nielsen, Palin also attracted 19.5 million women, which is 4.9 million more than watched Biden. And 1.4 million Hispanic viewers watched, which is more than the 1.2 million who watched day 3 of the Democratic convention, even though Univision and Telemundo did not carry Palin's speech last night. In fact, it's also of note that Palin's speech was carried by four less networks than Obama's speech (BET and TV One also showed Obama).

Palin has certainly gotten people's attention now. Now the question is whether that will translate into votes for the Republican ticket.

The Republican Party has released advance excerpts from several of the big speakers tonight, including vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin and three of McCain's former rivals for Republican nomination -- Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee.

You can watch the video and read the text from more speeches at the convention here.

Sarah Palin

On her experience as a public servant:

"I had the privilege of living most of my life in a small town. I was just your average hockey mom, and signed up for the PTA because I wanted to make my kids’ public education better. When I ran for city council, I didn’t need focus groups and voter profiles because I knew those voters, and knew their families, too. Before I became governor of the great state of Alaska, I was mayor of my hometown. And since our opponents in this presidential election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves. I guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ‘community organizer,’ except that you have actual responsibilities."

On why she is going to Washington, D.C.:

"I’m not a member of the permanent political establishment. And I’ve learned quickly, these past few days, that if you’re not a member in good standing of the Washington elite, then some in the media consider a candidate unqualified for that reason alone. But here’s a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators: I’m not going to Washington to seek their good opinion - I’m going to Washington to serve the people of this country."

On energy policies that the McCain-Palin administration will implement:

"Our opponents say, again and again, that drilling will not solve all of America’s energy problems - as if we all didn’t know that already. But the fact that drilling won’t solve every problem is no excuse to do nothing at all. Starting in January, in a McCain-Palin administration, we’re going to lay more pipelines...build more nuclear plants...create jobs with clean coal...and move forward on solar, wind, geothermal, and other alternative sources. We need American energy resources, brought to you by American ingenuity, and produced by American workers."

On John McCain:

"Here’s how I look at the choice Americans face in this election. In politics, there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers. And then there are those, like John McCain, who use their careers to promote change."

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(ST. PAUL) The buzz around Sarah Palin continues to grow with each passing day since she was picked as John McCain's running mate. And her speech is shaping up to be the key moment of this convention, even surpassing McCain's own speech tomorrow night. So what's should we expect from her? We asked members of the CBS News political team for their take on what she has to do tonight and whether she should address the allegations that have been raised this week.

CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer: "This is the most anticipated, and will be the most closely watched vice presidential candidate speech I can recall. Usually it’s all about what the candidate says in his speech. But there's far more interest in what she's going to say.

"It's because no one knows who she is. She simply has to, number 1, not make some sort of blunder, which I don’t think she will… but what she has got to do is introduce herself to the American people. Every poll shows the vast majority of the American people have no idea who she is. First impressions are always the most important.

"I think this is something that is either going to be seen as one of the most astute and smartest nominations in the history of politics, or it's going to be a flop. I don’t think there is going to be any in between."

CBS News political analyst Joe Trippi: "I think she's got to use this moment not to so much explain any of the controversies around her, but explain who she is and to take her strengths -- her strength of reform, taking on corruption -- and project that as to how that affects the McCain-Obama fight.

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