News Cut: June 8, 2008 Archive

Presidential postscript

Posted at 9:30 AM on June 8, 2008 by Bob Collins (1 Comments)

It seemed the worse Hillary Clinton did on the campaign trail, the more interesting former President Bill Clinton's expressions became. Yesterday, he watched as his wife announced she was "suspending" her campaign.

The former president on Saturday.	"Walter," the Jeff Dunham puppet.

Now to the pithy analysis.

The Baltimore Sun says there was an air of "inevitability" surrounding Mrs. Clinton, suggesting her bid to claim the vice presidency is meant to keep other women candidates at bay in 2012 or 2016.

So what undid her candidacy, which a few months before the Iowa caucuses appeared to be a coronation? Citing the early '90s advice of Sally Quinn, according to the LA Times, the Clintons learned to run against inside Washington to get in, and become inside Washington to stay in. Bottom line? She was too inside Washington.

The Vancounver Sun finds a less analytical approach in its analysis. Too much confidence, too little good strategy.

Comment on this post

The vice presidential two-step

Posted at 10:00 PM on June 8, 2008 by Bob Collins (16 Comments)
Filed under: Pawlenty, Politics

If we were to say we're surprised that Gov. Pawlenty now says he's open to being the vice president of the United States, we would have to pretend this is our first day covering politics for a living, that we don't know what political flirting looks like, and that we didn't know the steps to the dance.

1-2-3-1-2-3 ... promenade.

"I'm committed to being governor of the state of Minnesota. That's why I ran. I love it here. I don't have a big goal or ambition to go be Washington. I've got young kids. I've got a lot of work to do and great opportunities for public service right here in Minnesota." Pawlenty said.

"But if one of the presidential candidates were to ask you to be a running mate, would you accept?" host Gary Eichten asked.

"I said I would serve out my term as governor if I was re-elected. And that's what I intend to do," Pawlenty said.

1-2-3-1-2-3, step to the side:

"People always assign motives and labels, and half of the stuff is unfounded," said Pawlenty. "There are a lot of commentators and writers and people who speculate about this, but it's simply and clearly only that I want Senator McCain to be president. I don't need or want anything else other than that, and there's no agenda other than that." said Pawlenty.

1-2-3-1-2-3 ,
Pivot...

"For the 900th time, I am not running for Vice President. I don't want to be Vice President and I'm focused on being governor of the state of Minnesota and have said I will fill out my term."

1-2-3-1-2-3 .... change partners.

"I want to help him become the president, because I think he'd be a great president," Pawlenty said. "I don't have any designs on being vice president. If somebody came to me and said that, of course I would be honored to be mentioned, honored to be asked, and it would be difficult to turn that down, but I don't have any designs, and it's not why I'm such a great and strong supporter of Senator McCain."

And... bow.

It's not as if he signed some sort of pledge.

(Update 5:20 p.m. Mon 6/9) Listen to All Things Considered host Tom Crann's interview with Bob Collins)

Comment on this post