Craig Crawford's Trail Mix tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2007-10-24:/trailmix//7 2009-11-07T09:58:21Z Movable Type 4.1 Forget Bipartisan Health Reform, Mr. President tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8575 2009-11-06T17:30:00Z 2009-11-07T09:58:21Z It is hardly surprising that Rep. Eric Cantor says "not one Republican" will vote for a healthcare overhaul, but in repeating that vow for television cameras at a Capitol Hill protest rally on Thursday, the No. 2 GOP House leader... Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/ It is hardly surprising that Rep. Eric Cantor says "not one Republican" will vote for a healthcare overhaul, but in repeating that vow for television cameras at a Capitol Hill protest rally on Thursday, the No. 2 GOP House leader gave President Obama an excuse to forget bipartisanship.

Even if Obama finds a Republican or two in the Senate to back his health care agenda, we got a hint in the New York House race this week showing how GOP conservatives will respond. They will gnaw their party's limbs off to stand firm against just about anything Democrats want to do.

The rise of conservative activists and television personalities against GOP moderates makes it even less likely that Obama will be able to claim enough Republican converts to put a bipartisan stamp on his healthcare changes. As Lyndon Johnson discovered in creating Medicare, it's time for Obama to focus on a Democrats-only strategy.

Seven Things You Need to Know About the Health Overhaul (Congress.org)

GOP leaders rally against Democratic health bill (11/5)

 

Craig and Helen Thomas on Book TV
Book Launch Party, Lebanese Embassy
"Listen Up, Mr. President"
C-SPAN2: Saturday (Nov. 7) at 4:00 PM ET
Repeats: Sunday (Nov. 8) at 10:30 AM ET
Monday (Nov. 9) at 7:30 AM ET

 

]]> Feel the Power tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8565 2009-11-05T17:00:00Z 2009-11-05T16:56:43Z Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/

Craig and Don Imus talk about Tuesday's elections (11/5).

 

]]> Negativity Finally Loses tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8560 2009-11-04T19:04:17Z 2009-11-04T22:56:41Z Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/

Craig looks at how attack ads seem to have backfired in Tuesday's elections.

Craig on "Imus in the Morning"
Thursday (11/5) 6:30 AM EST
Listen Live: WABC-AM (NYC)
(TV simulcast on FOXBusiness)

 

]]> Bad Timing for Health Reform tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8558 2009-11-04T05:00:00Z 2009-11-04T05:30:42Z Tuesday's voting results could jeopardize the public insurance option. Politicians, by nature, are fearful creatures and, regardless of its merit or lack thereof, the argument that voters rejected big government will gain ground among wavering Democrats at a time when... Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/ Tuesday's voting results could jeopardize the public insurance option. Politicians, by nature, are fearful creatures and, regardless of its merit or lack thereof, the argument that voters rejected big government will gain ground among wavering Democrats at a time when health reform faces key tests on Capitol Hill. Victorious Republicans in Tuesday's balloting pinned their hopes on raising concerns about expanding government. Even if those races really turned on local issues and personalities, there's enough of a chance that national trends were afoot to convince nervous Democrats to back away from the President's agenda.

Online Chat with Craig
Today (11/4) 1 PM ET

 

]]> Poll Watch tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8557 2009-11-04T01:00:00Z 2009-11-04T05:20:43Z Virginia -- GOP Wins Governor Race Associated Press: Light Turnout for Closely Watched Governor Race Washington Post: Poll Watcher's Guide to the Va. Election Poll Tracker: Primary-Eve Virginia Polls Project Big McDonnell Win CBS NEWS: A Look at the Electorate... Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/ Virginia -- GOP Wins Governor Race

  • Associated Press: Light Turnout for Closely Watched Governor Race
  • Washington Post: Poll Watcher's Guide to the Va. Election
  • Poll Tracker: Primary-Eve Virginia Polls Project Big McDonnell Win
  • CBS NEWS: A Look at the Electorate
  • Washington Post: Final Push in Va. Race For Governor
  • CNN Political Ticker: Palin Robocalls Urge Virginians to 'Vote Your Values'


    • New Jersey -- GOP Wins Governor Race

    New York -- Dem Wins House Seat

  • New York Times: Biden Stumps in Upstate Race
  • Watertown Daily Times: Scozzafava Campaigns With Democrat | Biden Backs Owens; Says Limbaugh Picked Hoffman
  • New York Daily News: Scozzafava's Robo Call

    •  

    ]]>     Obama Prepares for the Worst tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8551 2009-11-03T11:00:00Z 2009-11-03T18:44:02Z The White House is braced for bad news today. Elections in New Jersey, New York and Virginia are likely to show troubling signs for the President -- even if Democrats win. Independent voters are trending against Barack Obama, fearful that... Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/ The White House is braced for bad news today. Elections in New Jersey, New York and Virginia are likely to show troubling signs for the President -- even if Democrats win.

    Independent voters are trending against Barack Obama, fearful that he is leading the nation into a spending binge that we cannot afford.

    The truth is that he has been far more careful about expanding government -- in economic recovery and health reform -- than many in his party would prefer, but Obama's conservative foes have successfully portrayed him as an advocate of outsized government.

    The President has two choices: Keep trying to dodge that label in vain, or openly embrace the expansions of federal power that his political base demands. If he's going to get nailed for being a big-government president anyway, no matter how he tries to finesse it, why not just go ahead and be one for real?

     

    ]]>     Vote Counting Time on Tuesday tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8543 2009-11-02T11:00:00Z 2009-11-02T04:05:25Z CQ-Roll Call's Senior Elections Analyst Bob Benenson writes, "This year, we count just three elections that have national implications, all being held this coming Tuesday: a hotly contested House special election in upstate New York's 23rd District and elections for... Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/ CQ-Roll Call's Senior Elections Analyst Bob Benenson writes, "This year, we count just three elections that have national implications, all being held this coming Tuesday: a hotly contested House special election in upstate New York's 23rd District and elections for governor in Virginia and New Jersey."

    New Jersey

    Virginia

     

    ]]>     Sunday Comics tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8542 2009-11-01T18:00:00Z 2009-11-01T18:00:28Z Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/

     

     

     

    ]]>     Meet Craig and Helen Thomas Sunday tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8536 2009-10-31T05:00:00Z 2009-10-31T21:18:58Z Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/

    Helen and Craig talk about their new book on Sunday 2:30 PM ET at The Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, DC

     

    ]]>     I Hear Them All tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8539 2009-10-31T02:41:37Z 2009-10-31T21:18:39Z Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/

    Old Crow Medicine Show

    New Orleans needs your help (commongroundrelief.org)

    Craig and Helen Thomas Sign Books
    Sunday, Nov. 1 at 2:30 PM ET
    Newseum, Washington DC

     

    ]]>     Wars Without End? tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8532 2009-10-30T19:30:00Z 2009-10-30T19:28:31Z So far, only the Revolutionary and Vietnam wars outpace Iraq and Afghanistan. Predictions are that our current wars will eventually be our longest in history. "In accordance with the principles of double-think it does not matter if the war is... Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/ So far, only the Revolutionary and Vietnam wars outpace Iraq and Afghanistan. Predictions are that our current wars will eventually be our longest in history.

    "In accordance with the principles of double-think it does not matter if the war is not real.  For when it is, victory is not possible. The war is not meant to be won, but it is meant to be continuous."  -- George Orwell

    America's Longest Wars (Congress.org)

    Craig and Helen Thomas Sign Books
    Sunday, Nov. 1 at 2:30 PM ET
    Newseum, Washington DC

     

    ]]>     Pelosi's 'Mean Machine' Wins One tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8524 2009-10-30T04:00:00Z 2009-10-30T19:26:45Z Congress prevails over Capitol police in charity football game. "The Longest Yard" began in 2005 as a way to raise money for the Capitol Police Memorial Fund. In this year's game, the Mean Machine, made up of Members of... Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/

    Congress prevails over Capitol police in charity football game. "The Longest Yard" began in 2005 as a way to raise money for the Capitol Police Memorial Fund. In this year's game, the Mean Machine, made up of Members of Congress and former professional football players, beat the Capitol police Guards team 32-26. It was the first victory for the Members squad in the four times the game has been played. Produced by Andrew Satter, CQ-Roll Call Group.

     

    ]]>     Corzine Money Gains Weighty Results tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8514 2009-10-29T04:00:00Z 2009-10-28T21:15:03Z Spending more than $20 million of his own money, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine is coming back, giving hope to Democrats for at least a mixed result in two key races next week, including the Virginia governor race where the... Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/ Spending more than $20 million of his own money, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine is coming back, giving hope to Democrats for at least a mixed result in two key races next week, including the Virginia governor race where the Republican is poised for a rout.

    Corzine is finally getting traction after trailing for weeks, aided by an avalanche of negative ads against GOP foe Chris Christie. Check out this Corzine ad, which not so subtly shows unflattering video of the hefty Christie tumbling out of an SUV, pointedly saying he "threw his weight around" to avoid penalties for traffic violations.

    Implying your opponent is a fat law breaker? Now that's what we call winning ugly.

     

    ]]>     Bush 'Motivates,' Cheney Aggravates tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8505 2009-10-28T16:00:00Z 2009-10-28T21:25:18Z George W. Bush's "motivational" speech this week was surely less provocative than anything Dick Cheney has done. While Cheney has chosen to lead the GOP partisan assaults on President Obama, his former boss kept quiet until recently, and opted for... Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/ George W. Bush's "motivational" speech this week was surely less provocative than anything Dick Cheney has done. While Cheney has chosen to lead the GOP partisan assaults on President Obama, his former boss kept quiet until recently, and opted for a non-controversial approach in his lecture circuit debut in Ft. Worth:

    • Of cleaning up after his dog on a neighborhood walk, Bush said, "Man, my life has changed!"
    • "The marketplace works. It is fair. It is equitable. It is a fair form of democracy."
    • "It's so simple in life to chase popularity, but popularity is fleeting."
    Stephen Colbert on Bush's new gig
    The Colbert Report Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
    George W. Bush's Motivational Speech
    www.colbertnation.com
    Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Religion

     

    Craig and Helen Thomas talk to radio host Jim Bohannon
    Listen Here

     

    ]]>     Bush and Bauer tag:blogs.cqpolitics.com,2009:/trailmix//7.8502 2009-10-28T04:15:00Z 2009-10-28T04:19:54Z I always knew George W. Bush had to be a fan of "24," the TV show that some call "torture porn." And now one of the actors, Carlos Bernard, confirms that Bush once told him, "All I can do is... Craig Crawford http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/ I always knew George W. Bush had to be a fan of "24," the TV show that some call "torture porn." And now one of the actors, Carlos Bernard, confirms that Bush once told him, "All I can do is watch that show of yours." Bernard notes, "I was like, you don't have anything better to do?"

    jack-bauer.jpgHere's hoping Bush wasn't actually getting ideas from the anti-terror thriller. But I can well imagine he and Dick Cheney cheering rogue U.S. agent Jack Bauer, played by Kiefer Sutherland, as he blew off whining bureaucrats to torture suspects. In one episode Bauer even sawed off the head of a bad guy. 

    "He grabbed me at a baseball game in the U.S. A big guy came up to me and said, 'Excuse me, the President would like to speak with you.' I went over, and it was George W. Bush, and he said 'Hey Carlos, when are you coming out of that coma? All I can do is watch that show of yours. Are you coming back?' I was like, you don't have anything better to do?" - "24" actor Carlos Bernard (Daily Express, 10/28)

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