| Jamie Dupree |
August 2008 Archives
One thing that I am missing while on the road for these conventions is the 75th birthday of my father, who has taught me about politics and laid the groundwork for me to act like I know what I'm talking about when it comes to Congress and the political world.
Don't get me wrong, Denver was a nice place. But to have a convention in the Pepsi Center, there just wasn't the type of work space that was really needed by the media. So when we arrived at our spot in Minnesota early on Saturday morning, I was all smiles.
By choosing Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska as his running mate, John McCain seems to have undermined a key tenet of his campaign so far, that Barack Obama is not experienced enough to be President.
... continue reading The Experience Argument. As news was breaking Friday of John McCain's choice for running mate, both sides tried their best to influence the way the selection of Gov. Sarah Palin was going to be reviewed by the news media and the voters of the US.
... continue reading Conservatives Thrilled By McCain Pick. I'm writing this quickly before leaving Denver to go to Minneapolis for the Republican Convention, where John McCain will be nominated for President, and now Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will be his running mate.
... continue reading McCain-Palin. I spent several hours inside Mile High Stadium in Denver before Barack Obama made his acceptance speech to Democratic delegates and thousands of others jammed into the NFL stadium of the Denver Broncos.
If you were hoping that Barack Obama would throw a tire and flub his acceptance speech at Mile High Stadium in Denver, you were betting on the wrong longshot. Nothing seemed to go wrong as the Illinois Senator made history.
... continue reading Obama The Nominee. As soon as Barack Obama's speech was over and I had written, recorded and filed my stories for Friday morning, my efforts shifted from journalism to tearing down my equipment and packing it up for St. Paul, Minnesota.
By the time Bill Clinton's speech to the Democratic Convention ended, his repeated full throated endorsements of Barack Obama were becoming so repetitive that I began to wonder if he was playing a trick on us.
... continue reading The Clintons Join The Bandwagon. The headline should be pretty simple, that Barack Obama won the Democratic nomination for President in 2008. But the story is weaved with a tapestry of American political and social stories that is oh, so much more complex.
As Barack Obama accepts his party's nomination tonight, there is some risk involved, as Democrats moved the last night's activities from the convention hall used the first three nights in Denver to the NFL football stadium just down the street.
... continue reading A Sold Out Mile High Stadium. While we get ready for Barack Obama's acceptance speech tonight in Denver, part of my job will be to write about the end to the Democratic Convention, but I will also have to break down my equipment as soon as possible and get ready for the trip to St. Paul, Minnesota for the GOP convention.
Did any of you really think that Hillary Clinton was going to do anything but give a full throated endorsement of Barack Obama last night? Did you really think she would do anything less?
I don't have any smoking gun evidence, but from two days of observation, it sure seems like most Democrats have decided to avoid talk radio shows broadcasting from the Pepsi Center here at the Democratic National Convention.
... continue reading Democrats And Talk Radio. Even someone like me who has been to ten political conventions will admit, when you walk out into the convention hall, and see the big rostrum, the lights, the delegates and everyone else, it's a pretty cool scene.
... continue reading Down On The Convention Floor. As Democrats prepare to formally nominate Barack Obama for President, it's a good time to remember something basic. There is always the chance that some story outside of the convention could blot out the campaign message.
... continue reading Upstaging The Convention. I have seen the senior Senator from Massachusetts speak at five Democratic Conventions, the first time in 1988 in Atlanta. He almost always brings down the house as he calls on the nation to back his party at the polls.
Hand it to the Democrats. They have found a way to keep the Hillary vs Barack story alive for week after week, and they were still working hard on Monday to iron things out and bring this race to a close, without causing a broader Clinton/Obama rift.
... continue reading Hillary and Barack Forever. It was a typical Monday at a major political convention, one this time which included grass, sidewalks and curbs, jersey walls and tall fences, media bigwigs and political hopes of everyday delegates.
... continue reading Another Convention Monday. A tour of the city of Denver made it very clear that this is going to be Barack Obama's week at the Democratic Convention. Whether it turns out to be as lucky as William Jennings Bryan when he was nominated here in 1908, we'll get that answer in November.
... continue reading Barack Obama's Week. Back in 2000, I went to the GOP Convention in Philadelphia. My wife was also there, as was her sister. We came back to Washington, D.C. with three completely different experiences.
... continue reading The Many Faces of a Convention. This Democratic Convention is the 10th major party political convention that I have covered as a reporter. One thing never changes, that being my personal desire to have it end immediately.
... continue reading The Usual Headaches. On my way out to Denver, I stopped and changed planes in Minneapolis, which is where I will end up later this week for the GOP Convention, and got a little work done.
... continue reading Want To Talk To Bobby?. After all the suspense, all the secrecy, all the hoopla about the Obama text message to supporters on his running mate, the message got sent out in the middle of the night that Barack Obama had picked fellow Senator Joe Biden of Delaware as his running mate.
... continue reading Obama-Biden For The Democrats. Maybe by the time you read this, Barack Obama will have chosen his running mate. Then again, maybe he wants to wait a few more hours and see how much of a frenzy he can work political news junkies into on a Friday.
... continue reading And The Envelope, Please. This date has pretty much been circled on the calendar for the entire year, as I get ready to basically put life on hold and go into the 2008 Political Party Convention Mind Meld Mode.
... continue reading Off To The Conventions. Thursday in the Presidential race morphed into a battle of the houses, as a John McCain gaffe gave Barack Obama an opening to attack. Team McCain though reached into its bag for some housing related jabs of their own.
Supposedly it could happen today. Or tonight. Or on Friday. But no later than Saturday. We will see if Team Obama can zap out a text message to thousands of interested parties without having the name of the Vice Presidential nominee first scooped by the press.
... continue reading Just Waiting For A Text. Someone has to know what Barack Obama is going to do. He certainly wasn't offering anything to reporters on Wednesday about his Vice Presidential choice.
... continue reading "No Hints". I'm always somewhat torn about what to do as a reporter when there is a death in the U.S. House or Senate. On one hand, it's a fairly small group of 435 Representatives and 100 Senators, so it's important.
... continue reading A Death In The Family. It looks like the first real event with Barack Obama and his still-unnamed will be at the State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois, which is where Obama announced his bid for the White House in early 2007.
... continue reading Saturday In Springfield, Illinois. History shows us that the selection of a Vice Presidential running mate has been like finding friends or a mate - sometimes it works - sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it is the candidate's fault, or the campaign team. Other times it is the potential VP.
Lawyers for Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska will be back in a Washington, D.C. federal courtroom today, trying to move his trial on corruption charges to his home state.
... continue reading A Change Of Venue?. Not only is it important who Barack Obama and John McCain choose as their running mate, but the timing of those announcements will be very important in order for it to grab the attention of voters and keep it until the announcement is made.
... continue reading More Veepstakes Rumors. Maybe it's just the leftover feeling from Barack Obama's week off the campaign trail. Maybe John McCain does seem to have some momentum right now. Or maybe he's just being more aggressive than Obama in this campaign.
... continue reading Obama, McCain Look For Momentum. The Democratic Convention begins one week from today, which means the clock is really ticking for Barack Obama in terms of his choice for a running mate.
... continue reading A Vice Presidential Week For Obama?. Since the Russian Army moved into parts of the Republic of Georgia, two areas that were formerly under control of the Soviets have agreed to house part of a missile defense system. And both of those countries have been threatened by the Russian High Command.
... continue reading The Next President and Russia. As GOP lawmakers return today for a third straight week of speeches to tourists after the summer adjournment of the Congress, Democrats are making it clear there will be votes on an energy plan after the political conventions.
... continue reading The Energy Battle Takes Shape. New figures out from the Labor Department on Thursday made me think again about what's going to drive voters as they make their choice for President in November, as I went back to James Carville's memorable line from the 1992 campaign.
... continue reading It's The Economy, Stupid. In the "Lessons Learned" section about how Sen. John Kerry ran his race for the White House four years ago, there certainly is something to learn about how a candidate should respond to attacks against him, no matter how scurrilous they may be.
... continue reading Obama Fights "The Obama Nation". What is it with Republican Senators from Minnesota? 16 years ago I covered the ethics troubles of Sen. David Durenberger, which were centered on his housing on Capitol Hill. 16 years later, there is another GOP Senator from that state in hot water over his lodgings.
... continue reading Minnesota Senators and Rent. Democrats have announced plans today to allow Hillary Clinton's name to be placed in nomination at the Democratic Convention, giving the party a chance to showcase unity later this month in Denver.
The Bush Administration turned up the public heat on the Russians Wednesday, as Russian troops took up positions not far from the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, which could obviously be theirs if they wanted to take it.
... continue reading "This Is Not 1968". With the August break definitely slowing the news cycle here in DC, several of my colleagues tried to brainstorm our way to choose Barack Obama's Vice Presidential nominee on Wednesday. None of us could come up with anything.
... continue reading More VP Questions. As Republican lawmakers gather in the House for another day of energy speeches during the Congressional break, a rift has definitely emerged within the GOP on what the legislative answers are for high oil and gas prices.
... continue reading GOP Infighting On Energy. Despite the tough talk from the US and other Western European capitals, there isn't much that the NATO alliance can do to really punish Russia for their incursion/invasion of Georgia, so the search is on for some symbolic actions to take.
... continue reading A Punishment For Russia?. Before you know it, we are going to have a nominee picked for Vice President by both Barack Obama and John McCain, as two weeks from tonight, the Democratic choice for the number two slot will speak to his or her party's convention.
... continue reading VP Countdown For Obama & McCain. As Republican lawmakers in Congress kept up their drumbeat of criticism of Democrats over energy issues, President Bush joined in from the White House on Tuesday, but no one is willing to predict whether it will actually get Congress to produce an energy bill this year.
... continue reading Staying On Message On Energy. Mark me down as a bit puzzled by the decision of Barack Obama's campaign to respond - several days late - to John McCain's "celebrity" ad against Obama by putting up a "celebrity" ad of their own.
... continue reading Celebrity v Georgia; Politics 2008. The news alerts on the Associated Press wire on Monday seemed so far away, and yet sent such a strong message to other newly independent states which were once under the influence and control of the Kremlin.
The August Recess as it is known around Capitol Hill is an almost sacrosanct happening. Congress is gone for five weeks, the President leaves town for most of the month and lots of people go on vacation.
... continue reading August Slows The GOP Energy Blitz. Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, U.S. diplomacy has operated under the thought process that the Russians were going to be our friends and allies, and not a competing superpower. Those assumptions now must be quickly changed.
... continue reading The Russian Bear Returns. While GOP lawmakers in the Congress will rally again this week on the floor of the adjourned U.S. House of Representatives, some might want to look to a Republican primary last week and think about their efforts on energy.
... continue reading A Big Oil Warning For Republicans?. I have to admit that my mouth is still sort of wide open, that I'm still shaking my head about the admissions and non-admissions from John Edwards about his affair with a woman he hired to produce videos for him.
... continue reading John Edwards Part Deux. It's not too often that something happens which hasn't been seen in a long time in the U.S. Congress, but we did have one of those moments on Friday.
What was once denied as "tabloid trash" has now been admitted by former Senator and two-time Democratic Presidential hopeful John Edwards. He was noodling around on the side with a campaign worker as he was running for President.
Since my colleagues and I are getting somewhat glassy eyed about the daily GOP Speeches to Tourists on energy issues at the U.S. Capitol, I thought I might throw out some ideas on how best to improve their P.R. product.
... continue reading A Suggestion From The Fourth Estate. On the same day that Hillary Clinton goes out on the campaign trail for Barack Obama, a group of her die-hard supporters are gathering in Washington, D.C. to see if there's any chance that they could get her on the top of the Democratic ticket.
... continue reading Party Unity, My (Butt)?. Evidently the last week or so in U.S. politics left a number of people very aggravated, and their notes showed up in my Inbox.
As Republicans go back to the House floor for a fifth day to make speeches on energy, it is obvious that this protest has energized GOP lawmakers.
... continue reading GOP Energy Optimism. I have to say that I am surprised how little political debate there was in the run up to the Summer Olympics about whether President Bush should go to Beijing for the opening ceremonies.
... continue reading Not Much Debate On The Olympics. Even as Republicans continue their energy vigil on the floor of the U.S. House today, a new AP-Ipsos poll out on Wednesday shows just how difficult their election battle is right now.
... continue reading August Is A Cruel Month. House Republicans have been talking a good game of late about how they are for more than just "drill, drill, drill" as Democrats claim. What does their energy bill show?
... continue reading GOP: All Of The Above?. Republicans in the House will be holding forth on the House floor again today, out of the sight of television cameras and out of range of us radio reporters, as they entertain tourists in the galleries and call for action on major energy legislation.
... continue reading GOP Energy Speeches Day Four. I was playing golf over the weekend when one of the people in my foursome found out I was a reporter.
I guess it shouldn't really be any surprise that worries over high energy costs, especially the cost of gasoline, has become the hot issue in the Presidential campaign.
... continue reading Energy Takes Center Stage. While their colleagues were off enjoying the start of a five-week summer break, a group of Republican die hards in the US House were back on the floor of that chamber, speaking to any tourist that would listen.
... continue reading GOP Protest - Day Two. We all know how difficult it is to unseat a member of Congress, especially during a primary. But it has already happened twice this year, and some wonder if it will occur again tonight.
... continue reading Some Incumbents On Notice. House Republicans are back on the floor of the US House today, demanding action on energy issues, as Congress takes a five week summer break.
... continue reading The Medium Is The Message. Even though the Congress is officially on a summer break, a group of GOP lawmakers will be back on the House floor today, demanding that Democrats allow votes on a series of energy policy initiatives.
... continue reading GOP Continues Energy Protests. The sound you might have heard over the weekend in the poltical battle about high oil and gas prices was that of Democratic Leaders in Congress realizing that Barack Obama might be pulling the rug out from under them.
... continue reading Dems Zig, Obama Zags on Drilling. As I am writing this on Sunday night, there is no indication that either John McCain or Barack Obama is going to act in coming days and choose a running mate. But it's something we need to be ready for.
... continue reading Countdown To A Veep Choice. Congress left town last Friday with an abysmal 2008 record in terms of work on next year's budget. Only one of the dozen spending bills required to fund the government's operations was considered by the House - none in the Senate.
... continue reading How Bad Was This Summer?. While the last few months have been dominated by gridlock on energy legislation, lawmakers in Congress did make sure they would have a few things to talk about during their upcoming five week recess.
... continue reading Congress Gets A Few Things Done. For those of you who don't have a copy of the Bill of Rights in your coat pocket like a number of members of Congress, Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) is giving you a bit of a civics lesson as he fights a seven count felony indictment against him.
As I wrote earlier this month, the Congress took away much of the fun that I usually have in July, by sidetracking most of the usual work on next year's budget.
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