1. early and often
    Jesse Jackson Touts Obama’s ‘Clear Vision’Jesse Jackson has, up until now, been somewhat muted in his support of Barack Obama. Likewise, Obama has kept him at arm’s length, even though the former Democratic presidential candidate is a pledged advocate. But today, just after Barack Obama made a speech attempting to lift the lid off and expose the simmering pot of American racial tension, Jackson suddenly emerged exuberant. “I thought [the speech] was a culmination of tough-minded, tender-hearted and a clear vision,” Jackson told the Huffington Post. “It really was warm, filling, captive, reconciling and comprehensive and it displayed real true grit. He was forthright not evasive and used it as a teaching moment in American history: America’s struggle to overcome its past and become a more perfect union. And once he made the case about the past and the complexities of Reverend Wright’s life or [Geraldine] Ferraro’s for that matter, he made the case that we are here now, but this time we will go forward by hope and not backwards by fear.” Jackson added that he thought “American saw an even deeper and more profound view” of Obama today. What he may mean is that Americans saw Obama, finally, as a large step in the long climb toward civil rights in the country. It was a role Obama had been reluctant to adopt, but it seems as though he’s finally accepted it. Jesse Jackson: Obama Just Turned Crisis Into Opportunity [HuffPo] Earlier: Jesse Jackson Does Not Give ‘Free Advice’ To Barack Obama
  2. early and often
    Barack Obama’s Speech on Race in America Is Honest, BrutalBarack Obama just finished his big address on race and politics in Philadelphia. This was a big one for him, as he’s been forced to address many racially charged issues in the past week because of his friendship and affiliation with the controversial Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Wright is Obama’s pastor and officiated his wedding with Michelle Obama. He’s also blamed the United States for 9/11, the AIDS virus, and “creating a racist society.” In the lull before the Pennsylvania primary on April 22, this has become the main political plotline of the Democratic contest. Today, he addressed these issues and the broader scale of racial tension in America. It was strikingly reminiscent of Mitt Romney’s much-touted “Faith in America” address. Beginning with a discussion of the Declaration of Independence and a nod to Obama’s mixed heritage, it honestly bared the anger and confusion (and roots thereof) that black and white people still face in America today. Some highlights: • “For as long as I live I will never forget that in no other country on earth is my story even possible,” he explained, referencing the slave ancestry in his wife and daughter’s heritage. • He exclusively referred to Reverend Wright as his “former pastor.” He also conceded that he had heard him sermonize controversial ideas but compared it to the many Americans who have heard similar things from their own priests, rabbis, and religious leaders. He called Wright’s opinion “a profoundly distorted view of this country.”
  3. early and often
    Florida Says No to Revote, Michigan ConfusedWith the news yesterday that Florida is putting the kibosh on a Democratic-primary revote, the state has solidified its reputation as the place where votes go to die. A statement from Florida’s Democratic chairwoman, Karen Thurman, read, “We researched every potential alternative process — from caucuses to county conventions to mail-in elections — but no plan could come anywhere close to being viable in Florida.” Meanwhile, Michigan Democrats are also trying to make some kind of revote possible, but the logistics are complicated and the candidates themselves are dubious. Hillary Clinton would like to seat the delegates from the original vote even though Barack Obama wasn’t even on the ballot. And Obama doesn’t need the risk of losing Michigan while actually on the ballot or the few extra delegates he could gain from winning. Pundits — dissect!
  4. in other news
    Odds That the McGreevey Threesomes Actually Happened: Two to OneWell, the Post really dropped the ball on the whole David Paterson affair story (their version of the tale was devoid of quotes from the new governor, and filled with the line “the Post has learned” without the polite “from the Daily News” after it), but man, are they on top of the McGreevey threesome story. “IT WAS 3-MENDOUS” blares their headline. (All the News could come up with was “McOrgy.” Lame.) Andrea Peyser called the series of trysts between Jim McGreevey, Dina Matos McGreevey, and limo driver Teddy Pedersen as “T.G.I. Friday’s Three-For All.” Shrieks Peyser: The couple frequently enjoyed dinner a trois, before retiring to lick leftover spicy Buffalo wing sauce and chive-immersed sour cream from Pedersen’s body. Lord knows what they did with the fried mozzarella sticks. Come on, Andrea — you know exactly what they did with them. If you didn’t have such a vivid imagination for the tawdry and disgusting, you’d be out slicing oranges in Prospect Park with the rest of the soccer moms. Anyway, the best part of today’s updates on the McNage à trois was that the former governor was quick to confirm the sexual encounters, just as his estranged wife immediately denied them. The problem with having sex with more than one person at a time, you see, is that suddenly it’s not your word against his. It’s your word against his and the cute limo driver’s*. And that, like most situations involving sex and mozzarella sticks, is an uncomfortable situation in which to find yourself. Matos McGreevey denies threesomes; Jim McGreevey confirms aide’s account [NYDN] MCG: IT WAS 3-MENDOUS SEX [NYP] *Did anyone else notice that Ted Pedersen is 29 now, which means that he was 20ish when these affairs took place before 2001. Wow. Go-Go Gadget McGreeveys!
  5. it just happened
    David Paterson Had an Affair! But It’s Okay Because His Wife Loves Him. And We Do Too!We’re just going to say it: Our new governor rocks the house. Only moments after he shouted down the halls of the capital: “I am David Paterson and I am the governor of New York State!” he admitted to the Daily News that he had an affair for several years of his marriage. And that’s not all: His wife, Michelle, also was unfaithful. Turns out the two had a rocky period in their marriage where they both looked elsewhere for comfort, but they decided to give it another go and try marriage counseling. It worked, and now they are a happy couple again. So happy, in fact, that they addressed the issue during Paterson’s first moments as governor. (Hey, he did admit he had “a different kind of marriage.”) But you know the best part? Both Paterson’s affair and his later reconciliation with his wife took place at a Days Inn in Manhattan. And we thought nothing could top the Mayflower Hotel and T.G.I. Friday’s! This is amazing. We’re turning into France. Gov. Paterson admits to sex with other woman for years [NYDN]
  7. in other news
    DMX Can’t Believe Anybody Would Have a Name As Ridiculous As ‘Barack’Rapper DMX has seen his share of gangs, hard drugs, and prison bars, but please, reporters, don’t try telling him crap like there’s some black guy out there named Barack Obama running for president. The Dark Man X seemed unfazed by a female candidate, but a Barack? “What the fuck is a Barack?!” he demanded during a recent Q&A with hip-hop mag XXL. “Where he from, Africa?” DMX admitted he’s not following the race and suggested that “no one person is directly affected by [whoever is] president” anyway. But seriously: “Your momma ain’t name you no damn Barack!” The Yonkers-born DMX knows something about baby names, after all; his kids are named Xavier, Tocoma, Shawn, Javon Micai Wayne, and Praise Mary Ella. The XXL interviewer futilely tried to pursue the topic, even trying to convince the politically apathetic rapper that the possibility of a black president is a big deal, but eventually gave up with a halfhearted, “Well, Barack has a good chance of winning so that might be something.” Thoughts, DMX? “Good for him, good for him.” —Jennifer Chen
  8. photo op
    David Paterson Is Sworn In as Governor, Promises Good Times AheadGovernor David Paterson was just sworn in and gave his first address as head of the state. And boy, was he excited. It was hard not to get giddy for him, even though he took about ten minutes to introduce everybody that came to see the event (Hillary Clinton! Chuck Schumer! The governors of New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts! (The last of whom is also black!) Mayor Bloomberg! Paterson’s stepdaughter! Yaaaaay!). Every dignitary in the audience seemed to be wearing at least one piece of ridiculous green flair, which added a comical air to the proceedings. Paterson allowed himself only one swipe at Spitzer, saying: “[My wife] Michelle and I have a different kind of marriage,” before pausing for laughs. His speech was centered upon the theme of moving forward “in spite of obstacles and regardless of circumstance.” He also challenged party leaders to work together on issues, unlike in the past. To close his speech, he couldn’t resist a moment of triumph. “Let me reintroduce myself,” he shouted. “I am David Paterson, and I am the governor of New York State.” We wondered whether it was too much, but then, as the standing ovation stretched toward two minutes long, we realized it wasn’t. This guy is going to be fun.
  9. early and often
    Barack Obama Runs But Can’t Hide From Reverend Wright The good news for Barack Obama: The latest Democratic race-based scandal comes during a five-week lull between primaries, so it may not actually result in any tangible loss until the April 22 Pennsylvania contest. The bad news: It might be something people still remember on April 22. Obama is feeling the heat right now for several particularly inflammatory statements made by his former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, which have recently received renewed scrutiny in the media. Obama has come out against Wright’s remarks and dropped him from the campaign, but questions surrounding the closeness of their relationship and Obama’s knowledge of Wright’s more provocative statements continue unabated. How damaging to Obama will this controversy become? And are we committing guilt by association, or guilt by … guilt?
  10. white men with money
    Spitzer–Mortgage Industry ConnectionAmid all the vengeful glee on Wall Street, the Ashleymania, and the coverage that has accompanied Spitzer’s fall, one aspect of the story has been underexplored, according to journalist Greg Palast: Could the Lonesome Gov’s fall have had something to do with the Fed’s $200 billion bailout of the subprime-mortgage industry, which Spitzer conspicuously opposed and which coincidentally occurred on the same day as his resignation? It was a federal investigation which uncovered Spitzer, Palast points out, and his outing could be seen as unusual. Senator David Vitter, Republican of Louisiana, paid Washington DC prostitutes to put him in diapers (ewww!), yet the Senator was not exposed by the US prosecutors busting the pimp-ring that pampered him. Naming and shaming and ruining Spitzer — rarely done in these cases — was made at the ‘discretion’ of Bush’s Justice Department. Palast, a cult hero in underground journalism circles (he’s the winner of six “Project Censored” awards), doesn’t really unload any evidence as much as speculate at sinister motives, but it’s interesting, and better than watching Ashley’s maddeningly chaste dance moves on some scrub’s cell-phone camera. —Josh Ozersky Eliot’s Mess [Greg Palast] Predatory Lenders’ Partner in Crime [WP]
  11. 21 questions
    Former Hillary Clinton Intern Keli Goff Thinks Chris Rock Should Be PresidentName: Keli Goff Age: 28 Job: Political pundit, author of Party Crashing: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence, out this week from Basic Books. Neighborhood: Lower East Side Who’s your favorite New Yorker, living or dead, real or fictional? Jackie O. The First Lady, not the rapper. What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in New York French fries at Bette, followed by cheesecake at Veniero’s. In one sentence, what do you actually do all day in your job? I write and talk about politics.
  12. party lines
    Fred Armisen Performs in ‘Honeyface’Lorne Michaels took some heat for picking Venezuelan-Japanese cast member Fred Armisen to play Barack Obama when Saturday Night Live returned to the air at the end of February, but Armisen himself isn’t having any trouble with it. “I just want to have fun,” he said at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on March 10. “I like wearing outfits and doing things.” So how does he turn himself into the country’s potentially first black president? “It’s really quick,” Armisen said. “There’s shading on my eyebrows and plastic behind my ears. And there’s a little bit of something called Honey, a honey color, that is something I would wear when I play Prince.” About the perception that “Weekend Update” favors Hillary Clinton, Armisen’s response was similar to what SNL writer Jim Downey told today’s Times: “I think they’re not favoring anyone,” he said. “The pieces are more making fun of the media than anything else. It’s all about the jokes.” —Bennett Marcus Related: SNL Searches for A Fauxbama
  13. in other news
    Kristen Is Rich Last night, Ashley Alexandra Dupré, a.k.a. “Kristen,” told the New York Times she was worried about paying her rent in the fancy Flatiron district building in which she lives. But in fact, in the less than 24 hours since that interview took place, Dupre’s personal wealth has increased considerably. The two songs on her Amie Street profile, which each cost 98 cents, have reportedly been downloaded more than two million times, and according to that site’s business model, Dupré should receive 70 percent of the total profit. Plus! Playboy and Penthouse are both reportedly interested in setting up photo shoots. “We’ve already discussed some options,” Penthouse publisher Diane Silberstein tells Radar, adding that they’d pay in the “high six figures.” Book publishers, however, are dragging their feet. “I don’t think it’s worth anything,” HarperCollins publisher Jonathan Burnham tells Portfolio today, making us want to wrap our hands around his neck and administer a light throttle. “There’s no story there.” Seriously? Does no one remember for instance the best-selling Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl, soon to be an HBO series with Darren Star? Hookers are so hot right now.
  14. it just happened
    David Paterson: ‘The Only Whores I Know Are Lobbyists’ David Paterson just gave his first public address since Eliot Spitzer’s resignation yesterday. He made noises about “getting back to work” and the budget, talked about being black and blind, indicated he wasn’t planning any major changes to his predecessors more controversial policies, and became the first human being in government to express sympathy for Spitzer himself. “My heart goes out to Eliot Spitzer, his wife Silda, his daughters,” he said. “I know what he’s gone through this week. In my heart, I think he’s suffered enough.” Paterson also displayed a rather awesome sense of humor. “Just so we don’t have to go through this whole resignation thing again,” one ballsy reporter asked, “have you ever patronized a prostitute?” Patterson thought for a minute. “Only the lobbyists,” he said.
  15. in other news
    Checking In at the Mayflower HotelLooks like D.C. has another infamous hotel. The city appears tickled with its role
  16. company town
    New York Newspapers Tanking More Slowly Than Papers ElsewhereMEDIA • Of the top twenty American newspapers, the circulation of New York ones suffered less than others over the past few years. [Mixed Media/Portfolio] • We hear … that gossip Website Jossip.com is up for sale. [NYP] • And that ESPN The Magazine is beefing up its fashion coverage. [WWD]
  17. early and often
    Geraldine Ferraro Does Not Go Gently Into the NightAmerica’s first female vice-presidential candidate, Geraldine Ferraro, has resigned from Hillary Clinton’s campaign in disgrace after she said that Obama “would not be in this position” if he were a white man. Except, according to her, there’s no disgrace at all. In fact, she’s owed an apology. After a liberal blog and media feeding frenzy over her comments, she stepped down from her position on the finance committee — but she refused to apologize for the flap. “If anybody is going to apologize,” she said defiantly, “They should apologize to me for calling me a racist.” She said she’s stepping down only so the campaign can move past this issue. Obama himself stopped short of calling her racist, but Hillary aggressively attacked her. “I rejected what she said and I certainly do repudiate it.” She rejects and repudiates? She’s making sure all her bases are covered. She’s also putting Ferraro in the same box as Louis Farrakhan. Ouch! Ferraro Quits But Offers No Apologies [Campaign 08/Nation]
  18. in other news
    Eliot Spitzer’s ‘Kristen’ Somehow Much More Adorable Than AnticipatedWe’re not really sure what we expected from “Kristen,” but when we learned that she was a fresh-faced, seemingly earnest 22-year-old, we realized it wasn’t that. We sort of thought the Emperor’s Club prostitute that brought down Governor Eliot Spitzer would be some over-made-up 35-year-old with pounds worth of hair extensions and a laugh that sounded like a whinny. But the real “Kristen,” a.k.a. Ashley Youmans, is nothing like that. In fact, we kind of like her. Here’s what we learned about her, starting last night with a big report in the Times: • She’s from the Jersey Shore, and left when she was 17. And she comes from a “broken home.” • She lives in the Flatiron district. [Ed: That explains everything! And nothing.] • She’s an aspiring singer-songwriter. Her demo, which the Times says uses “dated slang,” can be found on her still-live MySpace page.
  19. company town
    Will ‘Kristen’ Get a High Rate From the Media, Too?MEDIA • How did the New York Times get the Spitzer scoop anyway? [NYO] • “CNN Admits: We Shouldn’t Have Used Alleged Stripper Biter As Spitzer Commentator.” [AP via HuffPo] • Bids for an interviews with “Kristen,” the prostitute who slept with “Client 9,” are reportedly up to $100,000. [Guest of a Guest]
  20. early and often
    The Surprising Facets of Last Night’s Unsurprising Obama Victory As you probably already know, but perhaps haven’t been much thinking about, Barack Obama won the Mississippi primary last night. It was a big win, something like 60 percent to 37 percent. Clinton didn’t make much of an effort in the state, so she probably didn’t take the loss too hard — for a woman who claims to want to seat the Michigan and Florida delegations so that every Democratic voter can feel like he’s been listened to, she’s certainly been ignoring a large amount of them. But the exit-poll numbers indicate a few surprises. For one thing, Hillary Clinton received the lion’s share of crossover votes (Republican voters who vote in the Democratic primary), which is a first — every other time crossover voting has been included, Obama has trumped her with this group. But this time, Hillary took them 3 to 1. Obama took 90 percent of the black vote, and Hillary did better than usual with the white vote, which Politico’s Ben Smith chalks up to the attitudes of southern white voters. And finally, Obama won either five or seven delegates more than Hillary did last night, depending on who is counting. This effectively erases any ground she may have gained after her big wins last Tuesday. We will now return to our round-the-clock Eliot Spitzer hookapalooza coverage. Mississippi Crossovers [Talking Points Memo] Mississippi Delegates [Politico] The Magnolia State Stats [Stumper/Newsweek] Obama Wins In Mississippi [NYT]
  21. it just happened
    Joe Bruno Remarkably Restrained in Press ConferenceJoe Bruno held a press conference just now, and it was well played. Despite the fact that Eliot Spitzer has basically been up until now his mortal enemy, he didn’t rub it in that he was totally right when he told New York earlier this month that the governor was “two-faced. He does not tell the truth.” Rather, wearing an expression of weary “I-don’t-have-time-for-this-perv” resignation, he discussed the possible transition of David Paterson (with whom he has a “great relationship”) into the position of governor and went out of his way to make the point that just because someone decided to defy Lord and country by sleeping with hookers doesn’t mean that everyone else was going to stop doing their jobs. “There is no pleasure in what is going on in this state,” he said. “This is a distraction of proportions we have never experienced. As for Eliot Spitzer, my heart goes out to his wife and his family. He must deal with his problems in his own way.” Related: How Eliot Spitzer Finally Got Joe Bruno on the Ropes [NYM]
  22. in other news
    Late-Night Hosts Take the Spitzer Ball and, Um, Dribble With It If any good could come from the Eliot Spitzer scandal, it’s that the late-night shows have some of their best source material since Bill Clinton requested the definition of the word “is.” So with that in mind, we fired up our DVR for the most promising night of comedy in years. And boy, were we disappointed. Letterman, predictably, was funny enough, opening his monologue by asking whether it was too soon to hit on Mrs. Eliot Spitzer, then telling a handful of jokes (“Did you happen to see the press conference? Very dramatic. Eliot Spitzer was there with yellow crime-scene tape around his pants”). The Times has a complete rundown of every joke, if you’re interested. Seated back at his desk, Letterman read off a Top Ten List of Eliot Spitzer excuses (No. 8: Just trying to help the economy!).
  23. in other news
    New Details Emerge in Spitzer Prostitution ScandalOkay, have you gotten over your shock yet? Have you called back your mother, who called you the minute she heard about it on TV and asked, “WHAT’S WITH YOUR GOVERNOR?” (“THESE GUYS WITH THEIR EGOS, THEY THINK THEY CAN DO ANYTHING,” she probably said when you returned her call. That was probably just before your aunt sent you an e-mail asking for “the buzz from the city.”) Well, if you’ve gotten past these initial phases of dealing with trauma, it’s time to unload some more awkward details on you. The Times does a really amazing job today of walking you through what happened leading up to, on, (under), and after that fateful February 13, when Client 9 had his assignation in the Washington with “Kristen” the call girl. Kristen, having already passed through the lobby, with its wing chairs and its gilded half-clad cherubs, arrived in a small room in a quiet corner of the “Club Floor,” a special wing for V.I.P.’s. A king-size bed commanded the floor. Two photos — of the Capitol and the Washington Monument — hung beside a wood-framed mirror. As soon as she came in, Kristen called her boss, Temeka Lewis, who was the booking agent for the Emperor’s Club V.I.P., an online prostitution ring, the affidavit said. Ms. Lewis told her that the client had arrived. He was headed for the room.
  24. in other news
    Reacting to Eliot’s Mess Eliot Spitzer is still holed up in his apartment in New York, where he and his wife, Silda, have been conferring with advisers since last night. He’s weighing his options, and deciding whether to resign. Meanwhile, on the outside, the politicians and the media have descended into exactly the kind of feeding frenzy you would expect: • The Post reports that State Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno held back from reveling in his great rival’s fall: “I feel very badly for the governor’s wife, for his children,” he said. “The important thing for the people of New York State is that people in office do the right thing.” • According to CNN, Republican state senators and assemblymen (and some Democrats) are aggressively calling for his resignation. So is the Republican Governors Association. • If Spitzer doesn’t resign before a deadline set by state Republicans, they’ve vowed to begin impeachment proceedings, reports WCBS.
  25. intel
    Predict Which Pun the ‘Post’ Will Choose for Tomorrow’s Spitzer Cover! Obviously, our wit will never match the staggering genius of the minds behind New York Post headlines. But, as we wait for some, any new information to emerge in the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal, we can’t help but fall into that age-old game: Guess What the Post Is Gonna Say Tomorrow! If the governor resigns tonight, there’s a chance the coverage will have moved on to something about the new African-American (and legally blind) governor, David Paterson. But in all likelihood, no matter what happens, there will be a completely spectacular and vicious pun on the cover, along with a terribly unflattering picture of Spitzer. Below, we’ve come up with our best guesses — and we admit, they’re not that good. In the comments, please help us out with your best pun stylings: NAILED SCREWED SPENT RING STING HOOK, LINE & SPITZER STEAMROLLED BLOWING OFF STEAM LOVE POTION #9 A NIGHT AT THE SPITZ AN EL’ OF A GOOD TIME SPITZER SWALLOWS Update: Our friend Jeff over at Portfolio has a pretty good one: “LOVE GOV” Update: And the Post went with… HO NO! We congratulate them for finding something that none of you come up with. Thanks for all your suggestions — we think our favorite was LOVE GUV DOESN’T LIKE TO WEAR “GLOVE” by “Creativeunderclass.”
  26. early and often
    Video: New York Women on Hillary Clinton Is a vote for Hillary Clinton an act of feminism? Should she have cried? Is it more important to have the first black man or the first woman president? These are the kinds of questions that Democratic-primary voters have been asking themselves during the most riveting election season in decades. According to a recent New York Times/CBS News poll, women are evenly split between Clinton and opponent Barack Obama. More women than men also believe that the media is tougher on Clinton than on her male opponents. But what do New York women think? We put these questions to several of them in Union Square yesterday and found that Clinton cannot take even her constituents’ votes for granted. Watch the video.
    By Jonah Green
  27. early and often
    ‘Journal’ Stipple Artists Find Obama ChallengingRemember when there was all that hullabaloo about the Clinton campaign’s making Barack Obama look blacker than he is in one of its ads? The campaign dismissed the claim, but we know enough about political advertising to be aware that not one single second of any spot isn’t agonized over. (Case in point: The idea that the famous “floating cross” in Huckabee’s Christmas ad was anything but planned is ridiculous.) But maybe we were too quick to judge: Last Thursday we noticed that Clinton isn’t the only one with trouble nailing down Obama’s exact facial characteristics. The Wall Street Journal’s crack team of stipple artists (led by Noli Novak) couldn’t quite get it right, either. Instead of Obama’s trademark dark brow and big open eyes, we got an image of a man who looked, well, a little bit like a generic black dude. That’s weird, right? But maybe we should just chalk it up to the limitations of the medium. And in that case, let us say that said limitations are kinder to Hillary. When was the last time you saw her looking that joyful and young? Clinton, Obama Go on Attack as Superdelegates Hold Key [WSJ]
  28. in other news
    Why the Sean Bell Trial Hasn’t Exploded (Yet) Andrea Peyser needs Al Sharpton’s help. The Post columnist has been doing her sneering best to try to pump some racial tension into the trial of three cops accused of murdering Sean Bell. Lately, though, Peyser sounds more frustrated than incendiary: “This was supposed to be a case about racist cops shooting a black man for no good reason,” she recently complained. Where is Reverend Sharpton to make an inflammatory stand when you need him? Disney World, that’s where!
  29. it just happened
    Former U.K. Prime Minister Tony Blair to Teach at Yale University Tony Blair, fresh into his first year of retirement from helming the United Kingdom, will take up a position as a fellow at Yale in the fall. A press release from the university announces: Mr. Blair will lead a seminar at Yale and participate in a number of events around the campus. The course in which he will participate with Yale faculty will examine issues of faith and globalization. His efforts at Yale relate to the work of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation that he will be launching later this year. Blair will be a “Howland Distinguished Fellow,” a post once filled by Indira Ghandi. Blair’s son Euan is currently studying for a master’s degree in international relations at the school. In 2006, it was reported that Harvard, Princeton, and Yale all competed for Euan’s affections when he was choosing schools, and in the end he selected Yale, which gave him a full scholarship. A prescient move, it would now seem.
  30. early and often
    John McCain Brings All the Billionaires to the YardJohn McCain is coming to New York next Tuesday for a giant fund-raiser to power his national campaign, reports Elizabeth Benjamin at the Daily News. It sounds like it’s going to be a doozy — the host committee includes Henry Kissinger, Alfonse D’Amato, Woody Johnson, Georgette Mosbacher, and Merrill Lynch CEO John Thain. Tickets are either $1,000 or $2,300 per person (get it? The most you can donate to one candidate?), and it will take place at the Plaza. So glamorous. But let’s get down to business (literally). How many billionaires will be in attendance? And how many billions do they represent? From Forbes.com’s most recent list, we count five: Henry Kravis (the world’s 178th-richest man, worth $5.5 billion), Ray Dalio (worth $4 billion), Louis Bacon (worth $1.7 billion), Marc Rowan (worth $1.5 billion), and Robert Fisher ($1.4 billion). That’s a total of over $14 billion in the room with the Republican presidential nominee. There are several dozen other multimillionaires on the list, plus Lord knows how many buying tickets — so we’ll conservatively push that number over the $15 billion barrier. At first, we wondered how on earth any of the Democrats could get that much money into one room. And then we remembered that all Hillary needs to do is have Warren Buffet hold another fund-raiser, and she’d be in the company of quadruple that amount. Nobody else would even need to show up.
  31. white men with money
    CEOs Fry at Congressional Hearing!Oh, not really. We’re just exaggerating. That’s what the media does, according to former Citigroup CEO Chuck Prince, Countrywide CEO Angelo Mozilo, and former Merrill Lynch CEO Stan O’Neal,all of whom who have all offered up the line that the media has “grossly exaggerated” the amounts of their compensation in their testimony in front of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee today. “The reality is that I received no severance package,” said O’Neal. This is technically true: but he did recieve $161.5 million in cash, stock and stock options upon his “retirement” in October. Over at Portfolio, Elizabeth Olson is live-blogging the hearing, and she has reported that, among other things, Countrywide Financial CEO Mozilo looks “tan and confident,” but everyone looks totes unhappy. The day started out with a bang: Chair Henry Waxman, who called for the hearing, wondered aloud whether the “hundreds of millions of dollars [the CEOs] were given represent a complete disconnect from reality,” but Republican representative Tom Davis killed his joy by saying that they “should not degenerate into a sanctimonious search for scapegoats.… Punishing individual corporate executives with public floggings like this may be a politically satisfying ritual — like an island tribe sacrificing a virgin to a grumbling volcano.” Indeed. Also, who knew Davis was so creative? Credit C.E.O. Comp Under Fire, IV [Daily Brief/Portfolio]
  32. early and often
    Samantha Power Thinks Hillary Clinton Is a Problem From HellBarack Obama’s foreign-policy adviser, Samantha Power, went negative on Hillary Clinton to the The Scotsman yesterday. Like, really negative. While traveling in the U.K. to promote her book Chasing the Flame, about U.N. representative Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Pulitzer winner lamented the Ohio primary — “We fucked up in Ohio” — and kinda let loose about Obama’s rival. “She is a monster,” she told the paper, before quickly trying to pull the statement off the record. (The paper was having none of it, noting that Power was promoting her book and it had been established in advance that the interview was on the record.) Regardless, Power’s on-the-record statements weren’t much gentler. “She is stooping to anything,” she said of Clinton. “You just look at her and think: ergh … The amount of deceit she has put forward is really unattractive.” All right then! Now tell us how you really feel. Power later apologized and Obama “decried” the statement (wonder whether Hillary will call him out on not “rejecting” it instead?). We also learned today that Hillary’s team is trying to slap Obama with the Ken Starr name tag, but let’s be honest — “monster” is much more catchy. Inside US poll battle as fight turns dirty for Democrats [Scotsman] Update: Power just resigned, issuing the following statement: “With deep regret, I am resigning from my role as an adviser to the Obama campaign effective today. Last Monday, I made inexcusable remarks that are at marked variance from my oft-stated admiration for Senator Clinton and from the spirit, tenor and purpose of the Obama campaign.”
  33. early and often
    Hillary Clinton Hints at a Dual Ticket With ObamaHillary Clinton, perhaps worried that some people think her ambition still threatens to tear apart the Democratic Party, has today came out with a surprising hint: that she’d be open to the possibility of joining Barack Obama on a ticket. We watched her hedge about the possibility of a Democratic “dream team” on several of the morning shows today, but while talking to CBS she admitted it wasn’t out of the question: That may be where this is headed, but of course we have to decide who is on the top of the ticket. Of course, we highly doubt that a dual ticket is “where this is headed” if Hillary would be in the veep position — she’s mentioned several times that if she doesn’t get the nomination she plans to go back to the Senate. (For what it’s worth, we can’t imagine Barack would go for VP, either.) But for Hillary, it does help to remind everyone that she can be a uniter and that she does have a long history of doing what’s right for the party. We’re impressed by this tactic. Dropping that kind of nuance into a series of dozens of early-morning interviews the day after kicking some ass? Is this lady never hung over? Clinton Hints at Sharing Ticket With Obama [WCBS-TV]
  34. early and often
    But Will the Endless Race Tear the Party Apart? Woooo! Hillary won! Things are going to be exciting now. She’s back in it to win it. Or is she? As the confetti settles from last night, pundits have begun repeating their long-practiced warnings: In order to really capture the nomination, Hillary still has to pull some political moves that will tear the Democratic party asunder. Whether it’s a continued onslaught of attack ads, a bid to seat Michigan and Florida delegates, or a last-minute coup of the election by superdelegates, many are still afraid of what Clinton’s actions might mean for the party base. • Jonathan Alter does the math using Slate’s Delegate Calculator (predicting generous Clinton victories), and still thinks she can’t win without superdelegates, even if she gets a rerun in Michigan and Florida. [Newsweek] • Charles Hurt, who called Hill the “strife of the party,” warns that if superdelegates actually do give her the nomination despite overwhelming demand for Obama, “many of his supporters — including the party’s crucial bloc of black voters — will desert the party.” [NYP]
  35. early and often
    Bloomberg Is Out of Race for Good, Except That He Still Plans to Be in It After months of teasing, innuendo, and downright madness, Bloomberg has put our stress over the possibility of his presidential candidacy to rest. In an editorial in the New York Times that went online last night, the mayor explained: I listened carefully to those who encouraged me to run, but I am not — and will not be — a candidate for president. I have watched this campaign unfold, and I am hopeful that the current campaigns can rise to the challenge by offering truly independent leadership. He railed against the candidates for not fully comprehending the challenges facing our economy, the environment, and our schools. He also encouraged an independent approach to these solutions, rather than a partisan one, and emphasized the importance of encouraging growth in America’s cities. He says he’ll still use his vast means to advocate for these issues during the race. The Daily News applauded the move, immediately nominating Bloomberg as a vice-presidential candidate to run on Obama’s ticket. The Post, meanwhile, called his prior flirtation with a run “shameful” and “infuriating.” We’re frankly a little past caring — we’d already pulled out all of our eyebrows by last summer anyway. I’m Not Running For President, But… [NYT]
  36. in other news
    Dan Rather Rails Against ‘Corporate Overlords’ Colluding With ‘Powers in Washington’Part of what Dan Rather was hoping for, in his $70 million lawsuit against former employer CBS, was the ability to open to public scrutiny the company’s actions that led up to his ouster in 2005. So it’s no surprise that when the network asked Manhattan Supreme Court to keep documents concerning Memogate private, the former anchor got a bit upset. CBS originally said it would keep things public, but they have backed off that. Rather, who wanted the public to see all the information involving the media giant’s investigation into the origins of disputed memos about President Bush’s National Guard Service, railed against network execs. “It is a fact that corporate overlords working in secret collusion with the powers in Washington are intruding far too often in far too many newsrooms,” he said. “Corporate overlords? “Secret collusion”? “Powers”? What is this, a Wachowski movie? Whether or not he is right, Rather isn’t doing himself any favors in the battle to rescue his reputation. He, of all people, should know how much phrasing matters. Rather: CBS Bosses Hiding Truth [NYDN via Jossip]
  37. early and often
    Clinton’s Barbs Condoned by the Patron Saint of Bitchy Sarcasm, Tina Fey Above is the terrifyingly shrill clip of Hillary Clinton’s sarcastic comedy routine about Barack Obama that’s been making the rounds today. Some people seem to think the crack, which she delivered at a rally yesterday, is good for her, because it shows her funny side. Other people found it “unattractive.” We kind of found it to be both riveting and appalling at the same time. Also, we can’t help but suspect that Hillary felt empowered to pull the stunt because of Tina Fey’s rather surprising, rabble-rousing Clinton endorsement on Saturday Night Live the day before. We have that video after the jump. Watching both these videos, you kind of have to admit that Tina’s on to something. Bitch may be, in fact, the new black.
  38. early and often
    So What Does the Liberal Media Think of Ralph Nader’s Latest Presidential Bid? We’ll admit it, we spent most of yesterday thinking about the Oscars. We tried to do our other normal Sunday things (hating the people in Page Six Magazine, hating the people in the New York Times wedding pages, hating Chris Matthews for having that voice so early in the morning), but most of the day was really devoted to looking forward to seeing George Clooney in a tux. And when Ralph Nader announced that he was running for president again, it was a small blip on our mental radar. (Come on, in competition with imagining what it would be like to be George’s human cummerbund, it didn’t stand much of a chance.) So this morning we decided to look online to see what other, less absurd members of the media, thought about the news. And it didn’t take much digging to discover the general, um, sentiment. An assortment of news headlines: • Nader, spoiling for a fight, says he’ll run yet again. [LA Times] • Spoilin’ for a Prez Run, Says Nader [NYDN] • Nader’s back, spoiling for another White House fight [AFP • Nader enters race, rejecting label of potential ‘spoiler’ [Boston Globe] • Ron Paul: Spoiler? [U.S. News & World Report] This is going to be fun, isn’t it?
  39. early and often
    The ‘Times’ McCain Debacle: Just What Huckabee Has Been Waiting For?Hooo boy! The Times really opened up a box of bees when they published their insinuating John McCain story late last night. If you haven’t seen it, it concerns McCain’s high-horse attitude toward ethics, which may have been compromised in part by a close, perhaps romantic relationship with attractive lobbyist Vicki Iseman during McCain’s first run for president eight years ago. The paper (using a half-dozen reporters and thousands of words) described confrontations that staffers had with both McCain and Iseman to stop what appeared to be an inappropriate intimacy. By late last evening, political blogs and news programs were exploding with reactions. McCain’s camp was outraged at what they called a “smear.” It quickly surfaced that there had been a long period of debate inside the Times as to when to publish the piece, and whether to do it at all. The McCain camp claimed that the paper ran with it after hearing that The New Republic was going to publish a story about the infighting at the paper over its inflammatory contents. Some critics even went so far as to speculate that the liberal Times wanted to wait until the Republicans had a presumptive nominee before blowing a hole in his candidacy. Woweee. Whether any of this affects McCain remains to be seen (we cannot wait for the smackdown that Cindy McCain is bound to lay down today). But the scandal addresses something that’s been itching us in the back of our heads for a long time: Why the heck is Mike Huckabee still in this race?
  40. early and often
    McCain Anoints Obama As His Rival, Obama AcceptsOn the back of their respective strong wins in Wisconsin, John McCain has trained his sights on Barack Obama. He called the Illinois senator “naïve” for his position on bombing Al Qaeda targets in Pakistan and labeled his position on whether he would accept public campaign financing as “Washington double-talk.” Obama lashed back through a spokesman, who said, “John McCain is in no place to question anyone on pledges when he abandoned the latest campaign-finance-reform efforts in order to run for the Republican nomination and went back on his commitment to take public financing for the primary.” Obama also had an editorial this morning in USA Today about working toward a compromise on financing with McCain. “I am committed to seeking such an agreement if that commitment is matched by Senator McCain,” Obama wrote. “When the time comes, we will talk and our commitment will be tested.” Wait, wait, wait. What started off as a bunch of bickering this morning suddenly morphed into what we’ve been expecting for a few weeks now: Obama is using the old Hillary tactic of running as the de facto nominee. He’s already fighting McCain directly and treating the primary competition as though it’s over. And McCain’s helping him do it. Now, this doesn’t mean anything, really; we saw how it didn’t quite work for Hillary. But it does mean it’s about time to add a new candidate to our trademarked New York Electopedia! Everyone welcome John McCain! How much money is he worth? How did he do in high school? What does he eat? The Electopedia has all of your answers. The 2008 Electopedia [NYM]
  41. early and often
    Hillary Eyes Obama’s Pledged DelegatesForget the battle over superdelegates; the Clinton campaign has decided to turn regular delegates into wild cards. Though the handful of citizens that you vote for on primary day are “pledged” to a candidate, they are not bound to vote for that candidate at the convention. “Pledged delegates are not really pledged at all, not even on the first ballot,” writes Roger Simon on Politico.com. “This has been an open secret in the party for years, but it has never really mattered because there has almost always been a clear victor by the time the convention convened.” A senior Clinton campaign official confirmed to him that “as we get closer to the convention, if it is a stalemate, everybody will be going after everybody’s delegates… All the rules will be going out the window.” This is going to sound baaaaad to voters who went through the trouble of pulling the lever for each delegate under their chosen candidate’s name, thinking that they were selecting people who would automatically help his or her cause. Also, after Hillary’s well-publicized efforts to seat delegates from Michigan and Florida (where she won handily) at the convention even though they were punished by the DNC, this is going to come off as particularly underhanded. The Clinton official who says that “everybody will be going after everybody’s delegates” may be correct. But the fact that we’re hearing about Clinton considering it first is going to reflect poorly on her. It just sounds like she’s playing dirty. This is where Barack Obama’s high-school-basketball years are coming in to his advantage. As anyone who has ever played ball knows, if you’re going to steal the ball by fouling an opposing player, you don’t announce it to the refs before you do it. Clinton Targets Pledged Delegates [Politico]
  42. early and often
    Surprise! The Democratic Primary Might Still Be About White MenHey everybody, guess what? Remember how you thought this Democratic primary race was historic because it was all about choosing between a woman and a black man? And the real contest was over winning the female, black, and Hispanic votes? What a refreshing change you thought it was! But of course, you, like all of us, are a huge chump, because it’s still white men who will probably be choosing the Democratic candidate. See, roughly half of the superdelegates are white men. According to Politico.com, that puts more than 350 delegate votes in the hands of Establishment honkies. “It’s still the old guard, the white men. They always want to control the outcome,” said an anonymous superdelegate, who is still hopeful that they’ll split the vote among themselves. In a race where the current delegate count has a split of less than 100, a bloc of 350 could decide the outcome. Right now at least 81 of the white men are for Clinton, and 63 are for Obama, which roughly represents the divide between all of the pledged delegates so far. Still, when so much attention is being put on the power of these 796 unaffiliated voters, any whiff of unfairness is sure to raise a stink. It also raises the first opportunity for us to ask our boss if it’s okay for us to use the word “honky.” White men hold superdelegate power balance [Politico]
  43. early and often
    Hillary Campaign Starts to StingThe Wall Street Journal today gets to the bottom of an issue everybody is wondering about this week: What the hell is going on inside the Clinton campaign? As Obama pulls into a double-digit lead in a national poll, but the New York senator remains in a strong delegate position, everyone assumes things must be tense. Especially since there was a shake-up in the leadership of the campaign team last week. And, it turns out, everyone is right! Clinton campaign operatives say it happened as top Clinton advisers gathered in Arlington, Va., campaign headquarters to preview a TV commercial. “Your ad doesn’t work,” strategist Mark Penn yelled at ad-maker Mandy Grunwald. “The execution is all wrong,” he said, according to the operatives. “Oh, it’s always the ad, never the message,” Ms. Grunwald fired back, say the operatives. The clash got so heated that political director Guy Cecil left the room, saying, “I’m out of here.” That was awesome. We don’t know Mark Penn personally, but it’s pretty clear he’s a guy who needs a good slap in the balls every now and then. When we heard the Clinton campaign was in “fighting mode,” we had no idea that’s what they meant! Clinton Team Seeks to Calm Turmoil [WSJ]
  44. early and often
    New York’s Superdelegates: Who Are They, and What Are They Going to Do?Man, the election is all about the superdelegates these days, huh? As Obama surges into the Potomac primary, the press remains unwilling to start making predictions about a serious downturn in Hillary’s chances. They’ve learned their lesson from New Hampshire, after all: There’s no telling what will happen in this race. Instead, the media is focusing on getting hysterical about superdelegates, and the possibility that the influence of those 796 unpledged party officials will swing the primary results away from the will of the voting public. But who are New York’s superdelegates? Who are these people who have the power to, well, take power away from us? They include Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Chuck Schumer, Eliot Spitzer, our 23 Democratic congressmen, and Democratic National Committee officials like Randi Weingarten. Many of the above have worked extensively with Hillary Clinton since she was elected senator and are likely to swing her way. Today, the Sun spoke with Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, who is one of our Clinton supporters. “I’ll be with Hillary to the end,” said Velazquez, when asked about critics of the superdelegate system who would like it to more accurately reflect the will of the people.
  45. in other news
    MSNBC’s David Shuster Maybe Shouldn’t Have Called Chelsea Clinton a Whore At this moment, David Shuster may very well be booking a flight to a remote island somewhere. During a discussion of Chelsea Clinton’s recently elevated role in Hillary’s campaign on MSNBC last night, Shuster asked whether the 27-year-old was “sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way.” (Click above to view.) His point, some have interpreted, was that the only type of person that would campaign for their mother is some kind of street whore. Shuster made an on-air apology today, but so far Hillary is unwilling to bury the hatchet. Her communications director, Howard Wolfson, told reporters that Hillary might pull out of MSNBC’s planned debate on February 26 in Ohio. “I, at this point, can’t envision a scenario where we would continue to engage in debates on that network,” he said in a conference call. Now, instead of ignoring Fox News, whose invitation to host a Democratic debate Hillary finally (unilaterally) accepted a few days ago, Hillary’s shutting out MSNBC. It’s like the networks just switched their acceptable/pariah roles. Those with sharp memories may recall a similar Chelsea-attack episode in 1993, when Mike Myers claimed on SNL that Chelsea Clinton, 13 years old at the time, was “not a babe.” If Chelsea’s the type of person to look for a silver lining, she might note that at least the inappropriate, disparaging comments about her have improved over the years: She went from being unattractive to being so attractive that people will pay to have sex with her. Remember to thank Shuster for the compliment, Chelsea. —Dan Amira MSNBC’s Chelsea Comment Angers Clinton [Guardian] Update: Shuster has been suspended temporarily from appearances on NBC and MSNBC because of his gaffe.
  46. early and often
    Why Barack’s Mojo With the Gays Can’t Match Hillary’sWhy did twice as many gay Democratic voters prefer Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama on Super-Duper Tuesday? Despite Obama’s soaring rhetoric of inclusion, according to exit polls, Hillary won the gay vote 63 percent to 29 percent in California and 59 percent to 36 percent in New York. In tony coastal Massachusetts, Obama carried Martha’s Vineyard (the Clintons’ on-again, off-again summer home), but Hillary tellingly swept Provincetown. The compromises and betrayals of Bill Clinton’s presidency (“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the Defense of Marriage Act, and other more minor offenses) seem to be forgotten or at least forgiven. But this could be as much about fear of Obama as it is belief in Clinton.
  47. early and often
    Mayor Bloomberg: ‘Hillary Should Pray I Get in the Race’Buried in Rush & Molloy’s “Side Dish” section today is a totally fun, kinda bitchy tidbit from Mike Bloomberg about Hillary Clinton. At a private event on Wednesday, Bloomberg said he thinks that after Super Tuesday, she’s “going to be the nominee.” But, he said, “that’s not to say she can beat John McCain.” Bloomberg and New York’s junior senator have been friendly as they’ve worked together on state issues, but his comments Wednesday seem a little skeptical. Hizzoner couldn’t vote in New York on Tuesday because he’s now a registered Independent. If he did make a bid for the presidency starting next month, he’d be courting a lot of the outside-the-box, fiscally conscious voters who have been attracted to McCain. “Hillary should pray I get in the race,” he cracked, “because that would help her.” Ah! Hubris! He’s already sounding presidential… Side Dish [NYDN]
  48. it just happened
    Breaking: Mitt Romney Drops Out of RaceAs we type, Mitt Romney is giving a live speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. GOP sources say that, during this rally, he will announce the suspension of his campaign. According to Time.com, he will say the following: “If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or [Barack] Obama would win.” Romney to Quit Race [Time] Update: Snippets from his speech just now, in which he said he was stepping aside so that McCain could begin a national campaign: “Today, we are a nation at war. And Barack and Hillary have made their intentions clear regarding Iraq and the war on terror. They would retreat and declare defeat. The consequences of that would be devastating.… Frankly, in this time of war I simply cannot let my campaign be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.… This isn’t an easy decision; I hate to lose.… If this were only about me, I’d go on. But it’s never been only about me. I entered this race because I love America. And because I love America, in this time of war, I feel I now have to stand aside for our party and our country.”
  49. early and often
    Now We’re All Talking About Money, and It’s AwkwardAfter Hillary Clinton announced late yesterday that in January she lent $5 million dollars to her own campaign, it got us thinking: If we donated money to her in the last couple of weeks, were we actually just paying her back? Clinton called the loan a wise “investment.” Now, we know that she’s not going to make, like, a profit on this investment (that would be especially awkward, now that highly placed officials in her campaign are going without pay) unless it’s in “political capital.” But the loan is estimated to be upwards of 10 percent of her personal wealth, which sets up this weird expectation that she is maybe going to get it back.
  50. early and often
    Super Tuesday Tells Us This Thing Ain’t OverGood morning! How late did you stay up watching the Super Tuesday results come in? Did you make it to Minnesota? All the way to California? Well, now more than 90 percent of precincts are reported in all the states, and the results are more solid. John McCain has strengthened his lead on the Republican side, winning in nine states and pulling in an estimated 613 delegates. Romney, who won six states, pulled in only 269, and Huckabee, who was stronger last night than many expected, still earned only 190 delegates. On the Democratic side, things were much less clear. Late in the evening, Hillary pulled out a win by 10 percent in the hotly contested California race, putting her state total at eight and her estimated delegate total at 845. Obama won thirteen states and 765 delegates. That’s still far short of the 2,025 needed for a win, so we’ve got a long way to go. Both had strong wins in their home states of New York and Illinois, and the closest races were in New Mexico (still uncalled) and Missouri. Obama’s strong showing is going to make the next few weeks very interesting as Hillary tries to hang on to her base. We can’t wait! Tears! Red-faced Bill! Badass Michelle! Hope! Change! Day One! Bring it on. Election Index [NYT]
  51. intel
    Tonight: Blogging the Super Tuesday ResultsIn honor of the orgy of voting that is going on all over the country today, Daily Intel is staying up late tonight. Really late. Starting at 8:30 p.m., New York columnist Kurt Andersen is going to be live-blogging the primary results. Then, later in the evening, Chris Smith will take a look at voting in our home state and what it means, and John Heilemann will analyze the national results on both the Democratic and Republican sides of the table. So tonight, when you get home from the gym, after your friends have arrived to watch the results and you’ve ordered pizza and uncorked that magnum of Cavit Pinot Grigio that someone random dragged over, go ahead and log on to Nymag.com. After all, as the hours go on, even Lou Dobbs’s voice starts to pound against your eardrums like a Q-tip during a hangover (you know, like Chris Matthews’s voice does every day). We’ll be quietly examining what today’s voting means for the candidates and, more importantly, what it means for you. P.S.: Last night, we were at the Met watching Carmen, and we totally spotted MSNBC’s Chuck Todd out of the office, on a date. Slacker!
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