Aiming to portray himself as the “greenest” Republican candidate for president in decades, Senator John McCain spoke today on climate change. He made the case that global warming is fact and without the limiting of greenhouse gases using free-market principals it will not just be the environment that will find itself in peril:
“Our economy depends upon clean and affordable alternatives to fossil fuels, and so, in many ways, does our security. A large share of the world’s oil reserves is controlled by foreign powers that do not have our interests at heart. And as our reliance on oil passes away, their power will vanish with it.”
McCain stressed that only the free-market system can help slow climate change, namely using a cap-and trade system:
“And we must do this in a way that gives American businesses new incentives and new rewards to seek, instead of just giving them new taxes to pay and new orders to follow,” McCain said, “The most direct way to achieve this is through a system that sets clear limits on all greenhouse gases, while also allowing the sale of rights to excess emissions. And this is the proposal I will submit to the Congress if I am elected president — a cap-and-trade system to change the dynamic of our energy economy.”
Cap and trade gives companies emission targets or caps and if they produce less emissions then they can trade the surplus. McCain set goals for emissions to be reduced by 60 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, “We will cap emissions according to specific goals, measuring progress by reference to past carbon emissions. By the year 2012, we will seek a return to 2005 levels of emission, by 2020, a return to 1990 levels, and so on until we have achieved at least a reduction of sixty percent below 1990 levels by the year 2050.”
In contrast, McCain’s Democratic rival, Senator Barack Obama has pledged to cut emission rates by 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
The presumptive Republican nominee gave a swipe at President Bush for not doing enough to maintain the negotiations that lead to the failure of the Kyoto Protocols:
“I will not shirk the mantle of leadership that the United States bears. I will not permit eight long years to pass without serious action on serious challenges,” McCain continued, “I will not accept the same dead-end of failed diplomacy that claimed Kyoto. The United States will lead and will lead with a different approach — an approach that speaks to the interests and obligations of every nation.”
LOGAN, WV — Even the most ardent supporters of Hillary Clinton’s long-shot bid for the nomination now recognize the kind of results she needs from here on out if she’s to have a chance. Introducing the NY Senator at a rally in West Virginia’s coal country, State Senate Majority Leader Harry Truman Chafin told the crowd “you think it’s loud in here, wait until we win by 80-20.”
Chafin said Hillary supporters in West Virginia need to send a message to the national media — which has all but written Clinton off. “We’ve got to give her a vote tomorrow of 80-20 or 90-10,” he said, raising the bar even higher. “This is a national election. We will be responsible for making the national media understand that you will be President of the United States.”
Clinton wouldn’t go that far herself, but said tomorrow’s primary will be “a crucial turning point” in the battle for the nomination. “West Virginia has a record of picking presidents. West Virginia made it possible for President Kennedy to become the President of the United States. West Virginia in the general election votes for the winner,” she said. “I think it’s real important for people to pay attention to what West Virginians do.”
Clinton campaign spokesman Mo Elleithee smiled when asked about Chafin’s comments, saying “we appreciate his exuberance, but we expect it will be a closer race than that.”
According to the Obama campaign, Barack Obama now has more superdelegates than his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton - “a clear sign that Democrats across the country and throughout the party are ready for a new kind of politics.” In an email sent out to supporters, Campaign Manager David Plouffe shared the news while noting the race is not over (hint, send money).
“Given the long history the Clintons have with the Democratic Party, it’s no surprise Senator Clinton maintained her superdelegate lead for so long,” Plouffe wrote. “But right now it’s clear that the Democratic Party is uniting around Barack’s candidacy.”
Read the email here:
“Big news today: for the first time since this campaign began, Barack Obama has taken the lead among superdelegates.
We’ve won more elected delegates, more states, and more votes than Senator Clinton. But until yesterday we trailed among Governors, Members of Congress, and Democratic Party leaders — the so-called “superdelegates” who have a vote in the nominating process.
As it stands, we have 279 superdelegates who have committed to cast their convention votes for us. That includes 21 since last Tuesday’s elections, and 3 who switched their support from Senator Clinton.
We have just 152 delegates to go before Barack Obama clinches the nomination.
But Senator Clinton intends to compete vigorously in the remaining contests; at the same time we face increasing attacks from Senator McCain and the Republican attack machine.
Barack needs your support to close out this nomination and start building for the general election.
You got us where we are today. Please help by making another donation of $100 now.
Given the long history the Clintons have with the Democratic Party, it’s no surprise Senator Clinton maintained her superdelegate lead for so long.
But right now it’s clear that the Democratic Party is uniting around Barack’s candidacy.”
CLEAR FORKS, WV — Hillary Clinton reminded West Virginians today that their votes secured the nomination of another Democrat who didn’t have enough delegates at the convention — John F Kennedy.
“It was West Virginia that made it possible for John Kennedy to become president,” she said. “John Kennedy didn’t have the number of delegates he needed when he went to the convention in 1960, but he had something equally as important – he had West Virginia behind him.”
“It’s a fact that Democrats don’t get elected president unless West Virginia votes for you. Everyone knows West Virginia has picked presidents pretty accurately over the last years, right?”
Her speech today had the tone of a fighter who has her back against the wall. “Even when times are tough and it looks like the deck is stacked against you, Americans are resilient. And boy, West Virginians are sure resilient,” she said of America’s legacy. And speaking of keeping America great, she said “every generation of people have to recommit to what must be done. Get complacent, get self indulgent, give up, that is not going to continue.”
She asked West Virginia, so vital to her chances, to help her on Tuesday. “West Virginia has nearly always picked the president. So it’s especially important that West Virginians vote tomorrow, because the eyes of the whole country, and practically the whole world are going to be on West Virginia tomorrow night. West Virginia is making a decision that has far reaching consequences to send a message to people of what you expect from your next president.
The Obama campaign today announced Barack Obama would head to Michigan tomorrow - a move that only a frontrunner could make on the night of the West Virginia primary. While Hillary Clinton will likely celebrate her victory in the Mountaineer State, Barack Obama is traveling to Missouri and Michigan, states that held their primaries on February 5th and January 15th respectively. Obama will spend Wednesday on the stump in Michigan.
Of course Obama won Missouri and did not contend in Michigan as no delegates were at stake due to a punishment handed down by the DNC. Hillary Clinton carried the illegitimate primary, whose results have not factored into the heated race, and remains one of the reasons why she has yet to concede.
After Tuesday there will be five contests remaining in the Democratic nomination. The Obama campaign vows to campaign in each of the remaining states, but noted in a statement today, “Our schedule reflects the fact that we are still fighting for votes and delegates in the remaining contests but also that we are going to places that are going to be competitive in the fall. John McCain has gone unchallenged for far too long and we’re going to make sure that voters in competitive states know the choice in this election between changing Washington and the third term of George Bush’s failed policies that McCain is offering.”
And while Barack Obama himself has said this nomination is not over, his campaign is beginning to morph into general election mode. “Obviously we also don’t want to wake up on the morning of June 4th or June 10th or whenever this is going to end and not be prepared, so we’re going to do the things we can in our off hours,” Campaign Manager David Plouffe told reporters on a conference call last week. At the time it wasn’t clear “off hours” would mean prior to the campaign sealing the Democratic deal.
One of the “silver linings” to this long, drawn out campaign, Plouffe says, is that they have an organization in most states which will better ready Democrats to take McCain on in the general election. But Obama did not campaign in Florida or Michigan. “I think Florida is one state where we’ve probably suffered the most from lack of campaign activity compared to the rest of the country,” Plouffe observed on last week’s conference call. Which may be why Obama is scheduled to campaign in the Sunshine State on May 21st and 22nd – just one day after the candidate is expected to have accumulated the majority of delegates at stake in the nomination.
On Obama’s travel plans, a spokesman for the RNC responded today by noting, “Barack Obama can travel wherever he wants, but it won’t make his calls for higher taxes, restricted gun rights, and proposed meetings with state sponsors of terrorism any more appealing. Wherever Obama takes his flawed message, voters will learn more about the weak leadership he has demonstrated on important issues confronting the nation.”
GRAFTON, WV — Hillary Clinton celebrated Mothers’ Day with her daughter Chelsea in the holiday’s ancestral home — using its founder as a message of perseverence for a campaign that’s hanging on by a thread.
“I think it’s interesting that this holiday we start today was the idea of a woman, right here in Grafton,” she said. “Anna Jarvis prevailed against the odds. If you were to come up with an idea right now for a national holiday, and you persevered for nine or ten years like she did, it would be a labor of love. And that’s what it sometimes does take to make the changes that benefit us.”
Part of the inspiration to persevere against her own long odds, she said, comes from messages from her supporters telling her to keep her head up and forge ahead. “Over the past few weeks I’ve gotten emails from around the country from people offering words of encouragement and advice,” she said. “One man from California wrote ‘keep fighting. No matter what the outcome may be, the fact that you stood throughout the constant ups and downs of the race, one thing is sure - you never wavered and you never gave up.’”
At that, the crowd cheered - and one man loudly yelled “don’t give up!”
Hillary continued, “My favorite message was from a woman named Angela. ‘Keep strong,’ she said. ‘It’s not over until the lady in the pantsuit says it is.’”
Clinton is spending the next few days in West Virginia, where the campaign hopes a big win can give her some momentum. But with a big win lready expected due to the large white, blue collar base in the state, any result here is unlikely to have much impact on the state of play.
Even as the Democratic primary seems to be coming to a close, the delegate situation in Michigan and Florida remains unresolved. Today, both reporters and voters asked Senator Barack Obama about the on-going battle.
At a town hall in Bend, OR, a woman asked the Democratic frontrunner given the outcome of the race if he has “considered giving her Florida?” referring to Senator Hillary Clinton.
Obama chuckled at first, but then said the delegates will be seated, “Let me say this. I love Florida, I love Michigan. The people of Michigan and Florida they will be represented at the convention–their delegates will be seated and we will figure out a way where they are fully participating in the process.”
He defended his opposition to a re-vote explaining to the crowd that he stuck by the rules not to campaign in Florida and Michigan because both states broke DNC regulations and moved their primaries up, “Now as some people know we were told at the beginning of this race that we were not supposed to campaign in Florida and Michigan so we didn’t campaign in Florida and Michigan,” Obama said, “We played by the rules that everybody agreed to. We took our name off the ballot in Michigan because we weren’t supposed to be campaigning there. So obviously we don’t think that that was a fair contest and that it should count in the same way the other contests have counted.”
He did not agree to “give” Clinton Florida, but ended by assuring the crowd that the delegate situation would be resolved and that he knows how important those states will be in the general election, “But having said that, having said that I am confident that we will get this resolved and I have every interest because I intend to be the Democratic nominee, I have every interest in making sure that Florida and Michigan are happy. This is something that will get done. “
Senator Barack Obama responded to comments Oregon Congressman, Peter DeFazio made at a town hall yesterday while introducing the Democratic frontrunner. DeFazio mentioned Senator John McCain’s association with the Keating Five savings and loan scandal, “He says we need less regulation? Hello! Wall Street mortgage meltdown, Bear Stearns taxpayer bail out, Enron, but you know, I guess maybe for a guy who was up to his neck in the Keating Five and saving and loan scandal less regulation is better.”
When the superdelegate introduced Obama at a rally in Eugene, OR later that night he did not repeat the hit questioning McCain’s ethics.
Today, in Bend, OR, Obama was asked if the dig was fair game. He began by trying to separate DeFazio’s attack from himself, but said the information is out in the open and therefore appropriate to bring up, “I don’t have any doubt that John McCain’s public record about issues that he’s apologized for and written about is not germane to the presidency,” Obama continued referencing an earlier question, “You know, I was just asked previously about a whole host of issues and associations that were a lot more flimsy than John McCain’s relationship to Keating Five. What I’ve said is, you know, I can’t quarrel with the American people wanting to know more about that and me having to answer questions about that.”
Obama was asked about Republican attacks on his patriotism, something he brought up at the rally last night.
The McCain campaign’s Tucker Bounds responded to the Keating Five mention, “Apparently Obama’s lively calls for ‘new politics’ ended today and politics-as-usual emerged, because his campaign spokesman said just yesterday that this is an issue they didn’t intend to discuss. If Barack Obama doesn’t have the strength to stand up to his own standards, how is he going to stand up for hardworking Americans who need a strengthened economy? ”
The Democratic frontrunner may have an opportunity to have it out with McCain in person soon. Some of McCain’s advisers have suggested holding town hall style debates with Obama and today he agreed, “I think that’s a great idea–that’s a great idea. Obviously we would have to think through the logistics on that,” Obama told reporters, “But to the extent that I, should I be the nominee, if I have the opportunity to debate substantive issues before the voters with John McCain that’s something that I am going to welcome.
Senator Barack Obama overtook Senator Hillary Clinton’s superdelegate lead today. He gained five, two of which were formerly supporters of Clinton’s. Obama said it was a sign that superdelegates believe he will be a strong general election candidate.
He told reporters that superdelegates are looking forward to the Democratic primary coming to a close, but that he is still concentrating on voters, “They are looking forward to resolving this contest as soon as we can so we can pivot and start talking about John McCain and the general election and our positive unified vision for where we want to take the country so ultimately though what I’m going to be spending most of my time doing is looking for the support not of superdelegates but of voters.”
At one point in the campaign, Obama was more than 100 superdelegates behind Clinton. As the surge of superdelegate support continues Obama told reporters that the primary is coming to an end, “We only have six contests left in the democratic primary, we are getting to the point where somebody is going to be the nominee, we’re not going to have a lot of time to pivot.”
He made it clear that he is no longer focusing on his Democratic rival, but Republican presumptive nominee, John McCain, “And John McCain’s’ been getting a free pass,” Obama told reporters, “For the last two months he’s been able to go on various tours and make assertions that I think are questionable and it’s important that we as Democrats, both myself and Senator Clinton remind our constituencies that that’s the ultimate price, win in November and that’s what I will continue to focus on. “
Recently, Obama has been concentrating his attacks on McCain and when he does mention his Democratic rival it is to talk about party unity and to assure voters that Democrats will come together in November.
In yet another sign that Obama is moving forward to the general election he confirmed that he will be “actively campaigning” in both Florida and Michigan “soon”, but added that he doesn’t think the seating of the two states’ delegations is “what is going to be on voters’ minds.”
Sen. McCain is set to appear on Saturday Night Live next weekend, giving us a good excuse to take a glimpse back at his October 2002 SNL appearance.
In the skit above, he (painfully tries to) sing Barbra Streisand’s greatest hits like “Memories” and “People,” before going back to his straight talk: “Do I know how to sing? About as well as she knows how to govern America!”
Let the Race Go On Democratic voters around the country appear to feel that it ain’t over ’til it’s over | WEST VIRGINIA BRIEFING BOOK (pdf)• Expected Clinton Victories Ring Hollow in Delegate Count• Ron Paul Supporters Gear Up for Convention Showdown• Watch FNC West Virginia Primary Coverage, 7 p.m. ET
