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Category: US Politics

Is it now more likely that McCain will choose a woman?

Is it now more likely that McCain will choose a woman?

How will the final convention betting market play out? After the scintillating speeches overnight from Bill Clinton and Joe Biden there’s the big rally tonight in the massive stadium in Denver and the Obama campaign must be more hopeful that their convention will end giving it the boost they had planned for. So how is it going to affect the McCain campaign particularly the choice of VP. ? We won’t have to wait long. For at noon, local time, tomorrow…

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Will Congressional Success cost Obama the White House?

Will Congressional Success cost Obama the White House?

Will Americans be wary of giving the Democrats untrammelled power? In all the many conversations I have had this last year, I have not met a single politically-minded who believes that the Republican party can take back either the US House of Representatives, or the US Senate in November 2008. The first indications are that the Democrats will very easily pick up five seats in the Upper Chamber (VA, NH, NM, CO, AK) with some estimates reckoning 8 or 9…

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Is Biden going to be a one-term VP?

Is Biden going to be a one-term VP?

If he wins, might Obama choose a different running-mate in 2012? I posted a comment about a month ago raising a question that has been asked by several people on here, and that becomes more pertinent with the selection of Joe Biden as his running mate: Might Obama choose ‘an old hand’ in 2008 to allay fears about his inexperience, but then (if he wins) choose ‘a potential successor’ when running for re-election in 2012? The initial premise has been…

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Greetings from Denver

Greetings from Denver

36 hours to go until the Democratic National Convention kicks-off in Colorado After a nine-and-a-half hour flight, and some incredibly poorly-planned packing, I’ve arrived in Denver! The city is already gearing up for the massive logistical challenge of catering for around 50,000 political junkies; airports on Terror Alert Orange, helpers with DNC badges everywhere, and customs officers managing cues of quintessentially English reporters delighted to be getting the best overseas gig of the year. I spent the flight sat next…

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Is this leak by Drudge significant?

Is this leak by Drudge significant?

Drudge reports Obama-Bayh material being produced Four years ago it was the aviation blogs that broke the story of the Kerry-Edwards ticket, when a plane was customised with their banner. Now Matt Drudge, who famously broke the story of Lewinski’s blue dress, is reporting that a firm in Kansas City is producing Obama-Bayh ‘material’. Bumper stickers with any number of whacky tickets arent rare (‘Obama-McCain ’08’ is available if you think that’s still possible…) but industrial quantity production is either…

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When did Brian Schweitzer get ruled out?

When did Brian Schweitzer get ruled out?

Is the NRA-sponsored Governor of Montana still in the running? I am still of the view that there are plenty of names washing around that are done to muddy the issue of who Obama will actually choose. I’m interested in the names that were in contention, but that the campaign have sought to keep out of the limelight whilst final-stage vetting was being done. I mentioned Bill Richardson and (for the Republicans) Mike Huckabee for this reason a few weeks…

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Advertising and campaign tactics

Advertising and campaign tactics

What is dictating McCain’s media strategy? In the advertising war waging across the water, John McCain is positively hammering Barack Obama. The Arizona Senator has ploughed significant money into attacking his counterpart from Illinois on a number of fronts; from his advice on inflating tyres to his ‘celebrity’ status, apparently comparable to that of Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Two elements of his campaign’s assault on Obama have raised eyebrows. Firstly, why is McCain criticising Obama on such spurious grounds…

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Will this be the foreign policy trump-card?

Will this be the foreign policy trump-card?

Is McCain’s plan for a ‘League of Democracies’ the answer? On May Day of last year, John McCain addressed the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in California. As the Republican primary candidate with the most foreign policy experience, his remarks received a significant amount of attention. The key idea in the speech was that, if elected President, McCain would call a summit of the Democratically-elected world leaders, and discuss with them how global problems might be solved. He described the…

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