THE FRAME
"[Obama] recently suffered some big losses"
"Hillary's big win in PA - what are her chances"
HELLO AGAIN
Obama watch: 772.
1. Electibility: "Your defeat in PA raises new question about your candidacy" "Why are you having such trouble convincing white, working-class voters that you are their guy?"
closed 20-pt lead. PA was familiarity.
2. "You come off as a former law professor ... want to know what you are going to do for them. ... Hillary Clinton seems tougher than you do."
2a. "losing 70% to 30% you are not troubled by that. Do you think you need a new message..."
Ans:
We've done well among every group.
"Chablis-drinking, limousine-liberals" <-- there goes the "elitist label" [Buuttt, does Barack drink Chablis ...?]
We've always been the underdog in this race. "I'm running against the best brand in Democratic Politics"
3. PA "...12% of Whites admitted race was a factor and went for Clinton 3-to-1. ...isn't there a divide that is going to make it very difficult for you to become President?
Ans: "Is race still a fact in our society?" "Will it be THE determinative factor?" No.
4. "...blacks are furious at him [Bill]. Is there a deliberate effort to make race an issue."
Ans: "I don't think there has been a deliberate effort. I take the President at his word." "Everyone is fretting now ..."
People will come together. <--Out of touch
5. Jeremiah Wright "Public campaign to redeem his reputation." [video] "Do you think that Rev Wright is just the victim here?"
Ans:
"I got to the Church not to worship the Pastor, but to worship God."
6. "Did you talk to Rev Wright about making public appearances?" "Did you try and discourage [him] ..."
Ans:
"I don't think I did that." ... rest.
7. "Which comments...[of Wright]?"
Ans:
Some things in sharp relief. "Only catalog the bad, not doing enough to lift up the good."
7a. "Did you ever go to see him afterwards ..."
"It's not as if his sermons were constantly political"
8. "You say that things like Flag Pins are a distraction" For an unknown, isn't it fair to ..."
Ans:
"How do people come to understand my values." My work. How I speak about my children.
"On flag pins. I've worn in the past. I will wear in the future." DNC speach was patriotic.
9. William Ayers You said ... Tom Coburn" Do you really see a moral equivalence between the two?
Ans:
"Because I'm interacting with people does not mean that I endorse what they say."
"Mr. Ayers is a 60 y.o.. in my neighborhood who did something I deplore 40 years ago when I was 8. I met him when he was a professor...." long list about Ayers
*Wallace moves to cut off talk about the list, fast.*
BREAK:
notes: Obama is talking too fast and at one pace. He's letting himself be interviewed ... how ... amateurish. Still, he's getting his points across, without tripping at this speed.
10. "As a President - can you name a hot button issue that you will be willing to Buck, where Republicans have a better idea."
Regulation? Cap-and-Trade
Education: "We should be experimenting"
11. "Do you really want ... [partnership with Republicans] or do you want total surrender."
Ans:
Mentions dailkos ...
"Here's my philosophy: I want to do what works for the American people. Both at the State level and at the Federal level."
Senate votes - liberal: Well, because the issues are set-up to polarize.
Partial birth abortion: "The State can properly restrict late term abortion. All I've said is we need a provision for health of the mother."
"Democrats do not have a monopoly on wisdom" <- wow
12. "Taxes" Payroll tax, Increase Capital Gains. "Classical Liberal tax-and-spender"
Ans: "I'm going to go after John McCain." "It's irresponsible and the irony is that he said it was irresponsible." "Somewhere along the line his conscience took flight, because he is look to get along as the Republican nominee." Goes after McCain on fiscal responsibility.
BREAK:
notes: interesting. His "pitch" to Republicans is 100% positive here. He doesn't mention George Bush, once.
13. David Petreaus appointed to Centcom. "Will you vote to confirm his nomination?".
Ans:
Yes. A good tactical job.
It's sad the administration wasn't listening more to Admiral Fallon.
14. "I want to ask you about Presidents and listening to Generals". "If he says your idea to get out of Iraq is a mistake, will you listen?"
Ans:
Replay of Philly debate answer.
14a "Would you replace him? What would you do?"
Ans:
"I want you to tell how best to meet this new assignment." Will not let Iraqis put US foreign policy on ice. <--Cute phrase Will not stand by while they dither.
15. "why duck another debate with Hillary"
Ans:
2 wks, 2 big states
"We are not going to have debates between now and Indiana"
16. "Hillary as VP"
Ans:
Punt on that question until I'm the nominee
17. "First time voters ... upset if you don't get the nomination?"
Ans:
"Democrats are going to be unified." <-Out of touch
18. First privately financed campaign since Watergate [did I hear that right?]
Ans:
RNC, swiftboats - no
With that agreement, very interesting in public financing.
19. What have you learned? Mistakes. Learned about running. About yourself.
Ans:
I have the right temperament. Not too high and not too low. [The Goldilocks Candidate]
Mistakes: Me talking too much, not listening
How much I miss my family - the biggest hardship of this campaign. [Very strong finish!]
END: HIllary Clinton's "convincing win" in Pennsylvania [oh brother, if you thought Chris was credible, suddenly he comes up with this rubbish.]
FOX commentators hate that Obama didn't give them particulars to chew apart.
Apparently, they are worried he's just like Reagan on "the details".
Brit Hume, headlessly: "She needs to draw an inside straight about three times ... But it is not impossible."
