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Posted at 11:19am on Jul. 6, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows: The Review

By Mark Kilmer

Sunday, July 6, 2008

PREFACE:

On ABC's This Week, Senator Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) asserted that the Iraqis were passing laws to make it seem like they were doing something but not enforcing them. (Actually, on oil revenue sharing, they've not passed a law but are enforcing the sharing anyway.) Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Connecticut) noted that there has been a significant change in Obama's position over the past week, with Obama now expressing concern for the "stability of Iraq" when discussing troop withdrawal. That, Lieberman argued, is the McCain position.

Next on TW, Libertarian Bob Barr spouted a few agreeable platitudes regarding the Nanny State then posited that George Bush was worse for our civil liberties than was Bill Clinton.

On FOX News Sunday, Brit Hume hosted an entertaining panel discussion.

On NBC, Meet the Press was preempted by a tennis match.

On CBS' Face the Nation John Kerry ("reporting for duty") posited that John McCain has flip-flopped more often than he has, and that we should try to partner with the People's Republic of China. Gitmo should never have been opened, Kerry offered, maintaining that we should have tried the enemy combatants right there on the battlefield.

For his part, Lindsey Graham said that the biggest loser now in Iraq is al Qaeda, and the biggest loser longer will be Iran. He said that the only way we could lose this war is to do an Obama retreat.

On CNN's Late Edition, Wolf Blitzer did a 10th anniversary best-of show.

Read on for the show-by-show review.

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Posted at 8:16am on Jul. 5, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows: a preview

By Mark Kilmer

For Sunday, July 6, 2008

FOX News Sunday (FNS): Host Chris Wallace has an "All Star Power Panel," including Superman, the Flash, Captain American, the Incredible Hulk… no, it is going to be Fred Barnes and Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard with Mara Liasson and Juan Williams of NPR. They will discuss… stuff that's important.

This Week (ABC): Host George Stephanopoulos talks to Senators Joe Lieberman (I-Connecticut) and Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island) about the election. The hen talks to Bob Barr.

Meet the Press (NBC): There is no host and there is no program. Look for Federer and Nadal to go at in on British grass for our amusement.

Face the Nation (CBS): Host Bob Schieffer has two surrogates: Lindsey Graham vs. John Kerry.

Late Edition (CNN): Host Wolf Blitzer celebrates his ten year anniversary of LE with a sort of Best Of show of interviews with such as Yasser Arafat and Nelson Mandela, Rudy post 9-11 and Al Gore in 1999.

=====

Jack Reed (TW) and John Kerry (FTN) have never said anything interesting or stimulating in their lengthy spans on this Earth. Lindsey Graham has been very clever of late, I've noticed, mainly because Obama offers ideal opportunities, and Joe Lieberman is Joe Lieberman. The lefties must be galled by a man who favors abortion and the welfare state yet is so stubborn about defending our ally Israel from our shared enemies and seeking victory in Iraq.

Kerry will wax indignant about hot he would have won if the election had not been stolen by lies about his service record. He always makes these things about him and offers as a KNOWN FACT™ that he served honorably and was the victim of smears by the SBVT.

I'll have the review up tomorrow after the shows.

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Posted at 1:19pm on Jun. 29, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows: The Review

By Mark Kilmer

Sunday, June 29, 2008

PREFACE:

On FNS, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell said that though both he and President Clinton are disappointed that Obama won the Dem nomination, Bill Clinton will do whatever he is asked for Obama. Rob Portman said that though he's pleased to be home in Ohio with his family, he would like to get back into public service at some point. He seemed to think it would be as a cabinet secretary, perhaps, though everyone has the veepstakes on their minds.

Bob Barr was next for host Chris Wallace on FNS, and he insists that he is a Libertarian despite having voted for the war, for the Patriot Act, and against medical marijuana. He said that his votes were mistakes made because he trusted the Administration. BushLied™.

On ABC's TW, Rahm Emanuel and Tim Pawlenty made the case that they have been friends for a long time. The highlights were when Pawlenty asked when Obama had ever led on anything. Emanuel searched his mind and came up with once back when Barry was in the Illinois State senate. Pawlenty later asked when Obama has fought his party when he thought they were wrong. Emanuel had nothing.

Next for host George Stephanopoulos on TW was Ralph Nader, who attacked Obama. Steph begged him to attack McCain, so he did that. Then Nader declared the two-party system to be broken.

On NBC's MTP, host Tom Brokaw talked to Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal, both Dems. Both men talked of the independence of the west. They support Obama but do not agree with all that flies from the candidate's trap. (Freudenthal is in favor of domestic energy exploration, for example, and Ritter is pro-life.)

Same show, Arnold supports McCain, loves the environment and fears global warming, but doesn't agree with McCain on everything. He said that Tim Russert had promised that he'd repeal the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution and insisted that now, Tom Brokaw had the power to do this.

On FTN, Joe Lieberman explained that the Dem Party was no longer the party of JFK which he had joined as a young man. He pointed out that Iran and al Qaeda would be the greatest influences in a chaotic Iraq if we had followed the Dem lead and gotten out when they wanted out.

Next on FTN, Wes Clark claimed that Obama is more prepared to be President than is John McCain: "I do not think riding in a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification for being President."

On LE, with Candy Crowley in for Wolf Blitzer, Senate Republic leader Mitch McConnell talked about the Republicans "drill more, use less" bill regarding oil. He said that he expected that Republicans, running with a strong candidate in John McCain at the top of the ticket, would hold steady in the Senate despite the numbers.

Next up, Obama surrogate Jon Corzine said that Congress must break us of our oil habit and that offshore drilling is a "short-term gimmick."

Also on LE, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said that Obama must be held accountable, as he too often says one thing and does another. He also did not rule out a gubernatorial veto of a Dem pay grab by the State legislature.

(The show-by-show review is below the fold.)

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Posted at 8:25am on Jun. 28, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows: a preview

By Mark Kilmer

For Sunday, June 29, 2008

FOX News Sunday (FNS): Host Chris Wallace talks to Ed Rendell for Obama and Rob Portman for McCain. Then it's a trip to the fringe with Libertarian Presidential nominee Bob Barr.

This Week (ABC): Host George Stephanopoulos talks to Rahm Emanuel for Obama and Tim Pawlenty for McCain.

Meet the Press (NBC): Host Tom Brokaw sits down with California Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wyoming Dem Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D-WY), and Governor Bill Ritter (D-Colorado) to discuss the politics of the wild, wild west.

Face the Nation (CBS): Host Bob Schieffer speaks with Joe Lieberman for McCain and Wes Clark for Obama.

Late Edition (CNN): Host Wolf Blitzer talks to Bobby Jindal for McCain and Jon Corzine for Obama, then to Mitch McConnell and the usual cast of thousands.

=====

There are potential veeps, I have heard, it Rendell (D), Portman (R), and Pawlenty (R). Jindal's name has been thrown around, and I'm surprised I've not yet heard Emanuel's name.

This week is also of note for the fact that the two "mob governors," Rendell and Corzine, will be on in the morning, though on different shows.

I'll do the review tomorrow.

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Posted at 12:59pm on Jun. 22, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows: The Review

Sunday, June 22, 2007.

By Mark Kilmer

PREFACE:

On TW, host George Stephanopoulos held an energy roundtable at which Ed Markey spewed slogans, Columbia U' Jeff Sachs sailed in la-la land, Senator Hutchison made the Republican case, and American Petroleum Institute CEO Red Cavaney made perfect sense.

On FNS, Tom Daschle explained that Barack Obama never really promised to accept public financing thus did not flip-flop on the issue. Tom Ridge contested Daschle's use of "Bush-McCain."

On MTP, Joe Biden maintained that Obama did not flip-flop on campaign finance reform but has made public financing a less achievable goal.

On FTN, Bob Schieffer observed that Obama had flip-flopped on public financing of his presidential campaign. Carly Fiorina, speaking for John McCain, said that it was disingenuous for Obama to claim that he was doing this in the name of reform. Bill Richardson, speaking for Obama, said, nuh-huh, Barry didn't flip-flop, McCain flip-flopped.

Speaking for Obama on LE, Richardson said that the Surge had "absolutely not" been successful, as there has been little political reconciliation in Iraq and they are not sharing oil profits. Speaking for McCain in the next segment, Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin dismissed the falderal that the Iraqis should sell us oil at a discount, asserting that it should be sold at market prices so we will not be kept artificially dependent on it.

The show-by-show review is beneath the fold.

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Posted at 9:02am on Jun. 21, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows - a preview

By Mark Kilmer

For Sunday, June 22, 2008

FOX News Sunday (FNS): Host Chris Wallace does the surrogate thing, with Tom Ridge for McCain and Tom Daschle for Obama.

This Week (ABC): Host George Stephanopoulos talks energy and the price of oil with such as Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Representative Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts),American Petroleum Institute CEO Red Cavaney, and economist Jeffrey Sachs, who runs something called the Earth Institute at Columbia University.

Meet the Press (NBC): Brian Williams will host the show Tim Russert wanted to host last Sunday, featuring Joe Biden and Lindsey Graham. The surrogate thing.

Face the Nation (CBS): Host Bob Schieffer does the surrogate thing, with Carly Fiorina for McCain and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson for Obama.

Late Edition (CNN): Host Wolf Blitzer does surrogates with Richardson for Obama and Tim Pawlenty, becoming known nationally, for John McCain. He talks also to Congressman Eric Cantor of Virginia and that gawdawfully dim bulb Bob Wexler of Florida. And the usual cast of thousands.

~~~~~

We've plenty of surrogates this week and Steph's oil thing.

I'll have the review tomorrow.

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Posted at 12:16pm on Jun. 15, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows: The Review

By Mark Kilmer

Sunday, June 15, 2008 (Happy Fathers Day)

PREFACE:

Everyone had a tribute to the late Tim Russert. (The sentence looks strange.)

On FNS, a roundtable argued about how to decrease gas prices. Hutchison Dorgan wants to tax the oil companies and find new types of energy and to regulate speculators, as well as to drill in his home State of South Dakota, while Kay Bailey Hutchison wants to drill in ANWR and elsewhere. American Petroleum Institute CEO Red Cavaney offered that a promised increase in production by the Saudis, along with domestic production, will help to decrease prices. He also forecast that absent external factors, the price of gasoline should start to decrease as the summer proceeds.

Next on FNS, Karl Rove picked veeps for McCain and for Obama: Joe Biden and Mitt Romney.

On TW, John Edwards went in one ear and out the other. Fred Thompson was as charming as ever, but he said that he was "not interested" in being McCain's veep pick. However, he would not rule out what has not been offered, he said. (Russert would have taken that as a "definite maybe.")

On MTP, Tom Brokaw hosted a nice discussion of Tim Russert and his career, including plenty of clips.

First up on FTN was Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal. Guest host Chip Reid wanted to talk about Jindal as GOP-Superstar and Jindal in the veepstakes, but the governor got the word out about what's happening in Louisiana.

Next on FTN, Newt Gingrich said plainly that Jindal would be McCain's best running mate selection.

FEMA director David Paulison was on LE to discuss the flooding in Iowa, but host Wolf Blitzer wanted to talk about Katrina. It turns out that CNN's Abby Boudreau had done an exposé on supplies which FEMA had hoarded for years, keeping them out of the hands of the needy Katrina victims. Paulison explained that the supplies were not all for Katrina victims and that Louisiana had turned down FEMA when they were offered. An indignant Blitzer demanded to know why Paulison hadn't explained that to Abby Boudreau before she made a fool out of herself.

Next up for Blitzer was House Republican Leader John Boehner who stressed that the Republican Party has to inform the American people of their solutions; do that, and they will do better than expected this November.

After this, Blitzer talked to his own congressman, DCCC boss Chris Van Hollen. The Congressman went through the Axelrod talking points and smiled as he said that the GOP "is very tight with BIG OIL."

Read on for the Show-by-Show review….

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Posted at 8:58am on Jun. 14, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows - a preview

The post-Russert era.

By Mark Kilmer

For Sunday, June 15, 2008

FOX News Sunday (FNS): Host Chris Wallace will chat with Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison and Byron Dorgan, then he'll talk to American Petroleum Institute CEO Red Cavaney.

This Week (ABC): Host George Stephanopoulos talks to John Edwards and Fred Thompson, former Senators both.

Meet the Press (NBC): It was to be host Tim Russert interviewing Lindsey Graham and Joe Biden, but… we'll see.

UPDATE: From NBC News comes word of the revised listings for "MEET THE PRESS WITH TIM RUSSERT." This one is for remembering Tim: Tom Brokaw of NBC News, Mike Barnicle of MSNBC News, James Carville, MTP Executive Producer Betsy Fischer, Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Gwenn Ifill of PBS, Mary Matalin, and former NBC News correspondent Maria Shriver.

Kudos to Fischer for selecting Barnicle as the obligatory MSNBC representative Mike Barnicle. This memorial could have become a farce.

Face the Nation (CBS): Host Bob Schieffer will talk to Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and Newt Gingrich.

Late Edition (CNN): Host Wolf Blitzer will chat with Republicans John Boehner and Arlen Specter and Democrats Janet Napolitano and Chris Van Hollen, plus his usual cast of thousands.

= = = = =

This is a unique week, and singular sad at that. David Brinkley of ABC's This Week had retired, turning his show over to Sam & Cokie, when he passed, while Tim Russert was at the top of his game and went suddenly. His passing alters the face of Sunday morning.

It's pretty much surrogate-ville again across the board, except for Bob Schieffer at FTN. From time-to-time, he'll go all-conservative, and with Bobby J. and Newt G., he will be taking that step again.

I don't know what to expect from MTP this week. We'll see.

The reveiw of the shows will come in the space early tomorrow afternoon, and I'll have more on the passing for Tim Russert later.

"If it's Sunday..."

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Posted at 12:11pm on Jun. 8, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows: The Review

Your map of next week's political news.

By Mark Kilmer

Sunday, June 8, 2008

PREFACE:

On FNS this morning, Time Pawlenty and Tim Kaine were in studio for what host Chris Wallace called an "American Idol audition" for their preferred candidate's veep slot. (Kaine's an Obama governor, while Pawlenty favors McCain.)

On TW, Dianne Feinstein, host of last week's historic, unprecedented, breakthrough, significant, dramatic, and earth-shaking tête-à-tête 'twixt Obama and Hillary, said that she favors Hillary for veep despite Jimmy Carter's protest that such a ticket would bring "the worst of both worlds." (An African American and a woman?)

Next on TW, Lindsey Graham pushed John McCain while John Kerry made mindless pronouncements.

On MTP, journalist Andrea Mitchell offered that prior to yesterday's Hillary speech, Bill Clinton had been crying. Host Tim Russert argued that John McCain can compete with the Obama juggernaut by convincing the American people that he's "a comfortable shoe." He compared Obama and RFK, pointing to RFK's vision in 1968 that a "negro" could be elected President in forty years, in 2008.

On FTN, Hillary's former campaign mouthpiece, Howard Wolfson said that Hillary will do "whatever she has to" and "whatever she can" to see that Obama is elected President. Chuck Rangel, on next, said "I would hope so!" when asked if Bill Clinton would be involved in everything during an Obama Administration if Hillary were Barry's Veep. Jim Webb, on next, compared himself intellectually to Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

On LE, for some reason, host Wolf Blitzer put Senator Bob Casey of Pennsylvania up against Jon Kyl of Arizona, and it was embarrassing. (To Pennsylvanians, if not to the Democrats.) Kyl hammered Obama for his ever-changing position on meeting with the leaders of rogue and/or terroristic nations, and Casey could only argue that Ronald Reagan and the first President Bush did that.

Some good stuff this week. Read the summary below the fold.

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Posted at 12:46pm on Jun. 1, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows: The Review

What did Saturday's Dem RBC freak show solve? Anything? Well, "on to Denver."

By Mark Kilmer

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Preface:

On FNS, Hillary's main mouthpiece, Howard Wolfson, expressed discontent with the face that the Dem RBC's Saturday freak show decided to give Obama four of Hillary's delegates, amounting to two votes, and were willing to fight this simply on principle. He also didn't care for the "uncommitted" delegates from Michigan being given automatically to Obama.

Next on FNS, Obama surrogate Dave Bonior declared that the popular vote doesn't count but that he would not entertain a question which stipulates that Obama might not win the popular vote.

On ABC's TW, Obama mouthpiece Bob Gibbs assured us that Barry is "still a strong Christian," despite leaving the church where he found Christianity.

Up next on TW, Clinton campaign honcho Terence McAuliffe declared: "This is not the Democrat Party I know." He quickly added that he had just had dinner with Hillary, leaving open the possibility that these are also her sentiments. He added that one Wednesday, after the results of the final contests have been resolved, Team Hillary begins chasing the superdelegates.

Finally on TW, FDR's grandson called for a "unity choice" for veep. Howard Dean said that the most important person in the race is the second place finisher, which he was in 2004.

On NBC's MTP, host Tim Russert interviewed Scott McClellan, both accusing McClellan of hypocrisy and reveling in his charges against the Bush Administration. Is Tim Russert a true believer in this tenor lefty insanity or is he, like McClellan and Olbermann, doing this for ratings, for the fame and the money?

On CBS' FTN, Cuddly Carl Levin, who says he's backing neither Dem candidate right now, said that both Hillary and Barry have promised him that the Michigan delegation would receive their full votes. Barry, he conceded, had promised that this would happen only after he'd received the number of delegates he needs to secure the nomination.

On FTN, Hillary supporter Mandy Grunwald said that Hillary had received the most votes of anyone ever. Schieffer asked her if this includes voters in the caucuses, and she said that they were in the newspapers, so it did.

On CNN's LE, Howard Dean had an interesting comparison. He told host Wolf Blitzer that he had learned not to answer hypotheticals when raising two teenagers. Barry and Hillary behaving like teenagers? FDR's grandkid was there, as well.

Next on LE, Hillary's buddy Harold Ickes evoked the image of September 11 when he declared that the Michigan delegates had been "hijacked" from Hillary.

Read the review beneath the fold.

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Posted at 12:48pm on May 11, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows: The Review

To quote the late Rep. Bono (R-California): "And the beat goes on..."

By Mark Kilmer

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Preface:

On FNS, Obama campaign boss David Axelrod told host Chris Wallace that he was "encouraged" by the McCain campaign's proposal to hold joint town hall meetings this summer. Next up, Clinton mouthpiece Howard Wolfson argued that the race for the Dem nomination would not be over until someone garnered the support of 2209 delegates, the number required to nominate if both the Florida and the Michigan delegations are counted.

On TW, Harry Reid told host George Stephanopoulos that Americans have outgrown the 2nd Amendment as an issue in Presidential campaigns and that John McCain was a "flawed" candidate because of his temper. Asked for evidence of this temper, Reid said that "everybody knows" about it. Carly Fiorina, McCain advisor, was up next, and she made a point about "incentivizing" private companies to develop green technologies to combat the global warming threat. (She didn't use the term "global warming threat"; rather, I get a kick out of it.)

On MTP, Obama supporter Chris Dodd said that he was not upset that Hillary was still in the race; rather, he didn't want her trashing Barry. Hillary's campaign manager, Terence McAuliffe, threatened that if the Democrats nominate Obama, they'll lose both the Presidential election and the House of Representatives.

On FTN, host Bob Schieffer talked to John Edwards who said that he might eventually endorse. He added with a twinkle in his eye that John McCain seemed to be open about his proposal to create a cabinet-level Poverty Czar. (I hope not.) Next up, Terence McAuliffe answered questions about Hillary being the candidate of white people.

On LE, host Wolf Blitzer first talked to Obama, who opined that the American people want change and that he wanted to appoint Supreme Court justices who saw the court as a "refuge for justice." With two shrubberies so you get the two-level effect with a little path running down the middle. He next spoke to Roy Blunt and Chris Van Hollen, with Van Hollen spouting memorized notes he clearly did not understand.

The complete, show-by-show review is beneath the fold. …

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Posted at 1:25pm on Feb. 24, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows - The Review

"Shame on you, Barack Obama!"

By Mark Kilmer

On TW, Joe Biden said that the situation in Kosovo was "not as dire" as the media is making it out to be. He added that it has long been U.S. policy to invade Pakistan without warning Pakistan if we felt Osama bin Laden were hiding there.

Next on TW, Kay Bailey Hutchison said: "I don't want to be vice president."

On MTP, Ralph Nader said that he will run for President. Russert complained that he might again throw the election to the Republicans, but Nader countered that Obama supports Israel.

On FTN, host Bob Schieffer talked first to Governors Janet Napolitano, an Obama supporter, and Jenn Granholm, a Hillary girl, about Hillary going ballistic on Barry about a few old fliers the campaign had mailed. Only Granholm was able to spit the platitude about "two wonderful candidates," but only after taking a few shots at Obama. Napolitano says that she will use her superdelegate vote for Obama even though Hillary won Arizona.

Next on FTN, McCain advisor Charlie Black brushed off the NYT hit piece after calling it a smear. He said that McCain had not even begun to think about who would be a good running mate.

First on LE, John King played a tape of this morning's interview with Mike Huckabee. Huck thinks Nader draws votes from the Dems and that there will be no significant challenge from the right. Huckabee wants Fair Tax and Human Life Amendment.

Next on LE, Tim Pawlenty said that he expects Mike Bloomberg will support John McCain.

Third on LE, Chuck Hagel said that he's out of the process but that he would not support anyone until some later date. (He used to follow John McCain around like a puppy dog but now has wrested the maverick mantle away from the GOP nominee.) He wants to negotiate and to trade with Cuba, calling it a "great country" and comparing it with Vietnam and the PRC. He wants to negotiate the future of Iraq with Iran, and he's backed away from his QUAGMIRE, QUAGMIRE, VIETNAM rhetoric regarding Iraq, but he refused to say that the surge has worked.

Read on for the show-by-show review:

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Posted at 1:59pm on Feb. 17, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows - The Review

The attack of the rabid Dem surrogates

By Mark Kilmer

Sunday, February 17, 2008

First up on FNS, Wisconsin's Dem Governor Jim Doyle boasted Obama's large crowds and grassroots support. He urged the superdelegates to go with the momentum. Ohio's Dem Governor Ted Strickland said that people like Hillary on health care and the Dems' should seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida. Doyle predicted that the 2008 Democratic National Convention could be like the one in Chicago, 1968.

Next on FNS, Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said that the FISA law was needed in order to have private companies cooperate with the government in the fight against terrorism. He said that al Qaeda was much less a threat than it was on 9/11 and that the NIE the media declared told us that Iran had joyfully stopped making nukes had said nothing of the sort.

On TW, John McCain promised no new taxes. He even nodded when Steph asked if we could read his lips. He said that he would have cut interest rates further than to Fed Chief Ben Bernanke, but that he would consider reappointing Bernanke in 2010.

On MTP, Senators Dick Durbin (Obama) and Chuck Schumer (Hillary) argued about Michigan and Florida, as well as superdelegates. Schumer specified that if the race was still that close on June 5, the two would have to sit down with Howard Dean and work something out. We learned that the two men are DC roommates, and they chided each other about who came home last night and who was the "neat one."

On FTN, we had some Obama and Clinton surrogates. First the ops: Howard Wolfson for Hillary and David Axelrod for Barry. They argued about superdelegates, public financing vows, debates, and the use of race as a campaign tool. Next, the mayors: Antonio Villaraigosa of Los Angeles for Hillary and Doug Wilder of Richmond for Barry. Wilder challenged Bill Clinton for his racist remarks in South Carolina, while Villaraigosa assured host Schieffer that blacks have liked the Clintons since Little Rock. Wilder said that this Democrat convention could be worse than the Dem convention in Chicago, 1968.

On LE, Wolf talked to Mitch McConnell, who is excited that McCain will attract Indies from the Dems and certain that he can excite conservatives. Next, Wolf had on Obama surrogate Bill Bradley to play the apologist for his guy. Then, he had on Hillary apologist Lanny Davis to start spewing his wild charges on her behalf. The notes are there for you to read, but then I stood athwart this nonsense and sighed: "Enough, already."

Read More for the show-by-show review. …

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Posted at 2:02pm on Feb. 10, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows - The Review

By Mark Kilmer

Sunday, February 10, 2008

On TW, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine talked to host George Stephanopoulos on behalf of Hillary and Obama respectively. Kaine, the Obama guy, said that Clinton's recent racist remarks will be forgotten by November. O'Malley argued that the Superdelgates, the Dem Party's circuit breaker in case their voters get it wrong, are "part of the process" and that Hillary probably won't need them anyway.

Next on TW, Tom DeLay argued that John McCain had to prove himself to conservatives on such issues as immigration and the 2nd Amendment. (Not sure what the latter is about.) He argued that Mike Huckabee had not yet earned McCain's veep slot. Tom Davis added that conservatives might "come back" to the party's nominee once it became more widely known that McCain has long been a leader in opposing earmarks. (Some of us never left, Tom.)

Mike Huckabee was host Tim Russert's guest on NBC's Meet the Press. Huckabee thinks competition will be good for the GOP and will not let al Qaeda win by handing the election to Hillary or Barry. He had good words for Rush Limbaugh and what the radio talker has done for conservatism. He did not insult anyone except when he called John McCain's immigration position, "way out the mainstream" and "unorthodox."

On FNS, President Bush seemed relax talking to host Chris Wallace at Camp David. He seems ready to begin duties on the campaign trail, and I'm certain McCain has a fundraising position with the President's name on it.

On FTN, Mike Huckabee argued that, math be darned, anything was possible. Karl Rove brought his white board to show that McCain matches up well with Hillary and with John McCain, then old Howard Dean hand predicted that the Hillary vs. Obama race "could end up ugly" and be decided at their convention by fat cat Superdelegates with cigars.

LE Host Wolf Blitzer spoke to Mike Huckabee in an interview taped after Huck's Kansas demolition Saturday. Huckabee argued that ongoing competition in the Republican nominating process makes for a stronger nominee, just as competition is always good in the private sector. He promised to say in the race until his supporters tell him to hang up his cleats.

Nancy Pelosi told Blitzer on LE that the President has no say in the debate over earmarks. She said that though our military had won the military part of the surge, it was a lost cause because the Iraqi politicians had made no progress. Blitzer pointed out some of the real, tangible progress being made, and she referred to them as: "baby steps, too late." Too late for victory or too close to November, Nance, who sees everything, including the lives of our soldiers, in terms of electoral politics.

Read More...

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Posted at 1:57pm on Jan. 6, 2008 The Sunday Morning Talk Shows - The Review

New Hampshire's next.

By Mark Kilmer

Sunday, January 06, 2008

On FNS, Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney argued that John McCain is not an agent of change because he has been in Washington for too long and boasted that the charge of "phony" would not stand up because of his record as governor of Massachusetts, including, he boasted, working with the Dems to fashion the nation's first Universal Health Care program.

On FNS, Republican Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee proclaimed: "I think the Republican Party needs some repair." He said that he does not want the rich to become poor, but would like for the poor to be given the opportunity to become rich. Whatever that means.

On TW, Democratic Presidential hopeful John Edwards said that he would continue is fight until the Dem convention.

On TW, Huckabee mentioned about disagreeing with the President in order to "distinguish" himself from the President.

On TW, Republican Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said that he erred in calling the McCain immigration plan "amnesty" even though it was "amnesty." You see, he said, though it was not "amnesty" by the dictionary definition, it was "amnesty" by the "normal, colloquial definition." (Would he know it if he saw it, under the alternate definition of "saw"?) Steph argued that after Saturday night's debate, it seems the term "flip-flop" had suck to Romney. Romney blamed McCain.

On MTP, Republican Presidential hopeful John McCain defended his vote against the Bush tax cuts, promised tax cuts only with concomitant spending cuts, attacked Donald Rumsfeld, and defended Ronald Reagan. McCain told Russert that he expects to win New Hampshire, but he refused to classify it as a "must win."

On FTN, McCain pointed out that he and Huckabee differ on a number of issues but can have a "respectful debate" in South Carolina. He said that we can stay in Iraq for 100 years, as we've had a presence elsewhere in the world for long periods of time, if we eliminate American casualties.

On LE, Blitzer asked Huckabee about an exchange at last night's debate, where Romney denied ever having supported a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. Huckabee pointed to The Hill newspaper. Huckabee also called Romney on claiming that he had called the President, "arrogant." No, Huckabee argued, he had called the foreign policy of the Administration, "arrogant."

Read On for the Show-by-Show review. …

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