Condoleezza Rice as Republican vice presidential candidate? That's the question Beltway observers were buzzing about last week after she spoke at a semi-secret gathering of the Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) and talked about race in a Washington Times interview.
When The Hill asked ATR president Grover Norquist about Rice's chances, he did little to tamp them down. Rice would make a "great vice presidential candidate and a good president," said Norquist, a key player in President Bush's 2004 campaign. Norquist then ticked off a number of Rice's attributes that would appeal to conservatives: "serious, tempermentally level headed, understands free markets, likes guns... a foreign policy person, promoted free trade policies."
Michigan Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak sent a letter to DNC Chairman Howard Dean and the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton campaigns today proposing a plan to seat Michigan's delegates at the Democratic convention.
"The 2008 election gives us, as Democrats, a unique opportunity to make history and change the direction of our country," Stupak writes. "The last thing we want to do as Democrats is to disenfranchise voters."
The plan would split the state's 156 delegates into two groups.
Barack Obama leads Hillary Clinton 51% to 43% nationally among Democrats according to Gallup's latest tracking poll, ahead by two fewer points than Gallup reported yesterday.
Yesterday Gallup reported Obama leading Clinton by ten points, 52% to 42%. Today Obama's lead had shrunk to eight.
Gallup's tracking poll differs from Rasmussen's: that agency reported Obama leading Clinton 46% to 43% today. Other major polls, which have not been updated since last week, are split on who leads among Democrats. NBC/Wall Street Journal reports Obama and Clinton tied at 45%; Fox News, Clinton up 40% to 38%; Pew Research, Obama up 49% to 39%.
Barack Obama took a break from the campaign trail Sunday to go bowling with recent endorser Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.). Obama bowled a 37, getting nearly doubled-up by Casey's 71. As the video shows, Obama couldn't buy a pin.
Former Vice President Al Gore will roll out a $300 million campaign for his group Alliance for Climate Protection on Wednesday. The campaign will include this ad called "we." Gore spoke about his climate change campaign as well as the presidential campaign yesterday on 60 Minutes. Gore said, "I'm not applying for the job of broker" when asked about the extended fight between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
Hillary Clinton put out a statement this morning honoring the 81st anniversary of Cesar Chavez's birthday, and hours later Obama went one step further, calling for March 31 to be designated a national holiday in Chavez's honor.
"Under his leadership -- highlighted by nonviolent protest -- thousands of farmers across the country were able to secure improved wages and benefits, humane living and working conditions, and better job security," Clinton said. "Through his lifetime of service, he has paved the way for many, and provided inspiration for countless others."
The United Farm Workers, the union formed under Chavez's leadership in1966, endorsed Clinton for president in January. But it was Obama to call for a national holiday honoring Chavez.
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After endorsing Barack Obama this morning, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) said Hillary Clinton "has every right to continue" her presidential campaign during a conference call with reporters. Klobuchar said she "has faith" the race "will come to a conclusion in early summer."
Klobuchar denied that the tone of the campaign influenced her timing to endorse Obama, repeatedly saying she "respected" Sen. Clinton.
Last week Obama supporter Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said Clinton "ought to withdraw."
Despite conflicting news reports from Texas, Barack Obama's campaign is claiming a net victory of nine delegates in the state's caucus.
If the caucus margin holds, the combined primary-caucus delegate count will show Obama netted five delegates in the Lone Star State. Hillary Clinton bested Obama by four delegate in the state's primary.
Obama's claimed victory comes hours after the announcement that Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) will endorse Obama today. Obama won Minnesota handily on Super Tuesday.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has recently been making the rounds with some potential VP vetters. Just yesterday she had a closed-door session with Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform, a no-holds-barred editorial board meeting on race with the Washington Times and said she didn't know Iraq was going to be "this tough." Rice says running for elected office is the "one thing" she has never seen herself doing.
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