Pennsylvania: The Hangover (Wednesday's Show)
Hi everybody. The "best political team on television" is once again coming at us from the Election Center (did they lock them in all night?!), taking full advantage of every last drop of primary shiny screen goodness. Anderson Cooper begins things with the fallout from last night, which then moves us into a Candy Crowley piece on where things go from here. Recently the state on every pundit's lips, Pennsylvania has been kicked to the curb for something a little more Midwestern. Hello Indiana! Oh, and we're also introduced to the new favorite media narrative: why can't Obama close?
For discussion, we're then joined by Carl Bernstein, Jeffrey Toobin, and Gloria Borger. Carl thinks Clinton is hanging on and counting on Obama to collapse. Hey, the "last candidate standing" strategy worked for McCain, so maybe Carl's onto something. Toobin notes that her negative campaigning has worked, but he doesn't see an end game because she just doesn't have the numbers. There's a lot more here, but meh, speculation nation. Hey, remember how Huckabee just kept running even though math was not his friend? Where are the comparisons?
A stint in the Election Center just wouldn't be the same without John King and his Magic Map Board, so he's up next to do his thang. For those interested in the Dunder Mifflin vote, we learn Scranton went heavy for Clinton. Hm, and I pictured Jim and Pam (they're so cute!) as Obama supporters. Then there's Indiana and North Carolina predictions and we leave the map to talk polls with the poll man himself, Bill Schneider.
On now to the surrogate bickering part of the show, we're joined by Paul Begala, James Carville, and Jamal Simmons. Hey, what's with the two-to-one match up we have going on? Although really, Paul and James are both kind of crazy (in their own separate ways), so the Obama camp still might have the upper hand here. The conversation begins with Anderson bringing up a recent New York Times editorial that decries Clinton's negative campaigning. Paul then proceeds to call those steering the gray lady a bunch of ninnies. "Ninnies?" asks Anderson. "Ninnies, wimps, wussies. Pick your word," says Paul. Uh, here's one: immature. But it's not directed at the paper. Although, I did just call Paul crazy, so there's that.
Anderson then dutifully brings up the new media narrative of wondering why Obama can't close. Jamal tells us he's making up ground with white voters, but I have to say, his weakness in that area at this point in the race is a little troubling. Anderson wonders how Clinton, with a straight face, can count Florida and Michigan, when she agreed not to count them before. "Well, who knows what she agreed to?" asks Paul. Um, she does! It's in writing! "The rules say that you can't seat those delegates. It doesn't mean that we have repealed the laws of mathematics," he says. What? "This is like arguing over what the definition of is, is, isn't it?" asks Anderson. No, says Paul, it's simple math. Uh, no it isn't. Ah! Okay, you want your candidate to win. Fine. I totally get that. But the magical thinking is getting ridiculous. The segment basically ends with James admonishing Obama for hiding under the New York Times editorialists' skirt. I'll let you mull that over for a bit.
Moving on now to a Randi Kaye piece, all about Clinton's benjamins. Long story short? She was broke, Pennsylvania helped her fundraising, but she's massively in the hole. Man, so much money wasted on all sides. From Randi, we go to Tom Foreman who gives us the low down on Indiana. Then we're back to the panel and the subject of race comes up. Of note is Carl saying that Colin Powell could have been president in 2000, which I assume he's using as an argument against the importance of race this time. At least I think. But anyway, it's just kind of strange since the reason he didn't even run was that his wife was afraid. I actually might have voted for Powell back in 2000; now he just makes me sad. Calvin Trillin has it down:
"His memory of war was strong.
No Sissy Hawk, he'd fought the Cong.
He knew that bunk on nukes was wrong.
But, still, he chose to go along.
Of him, they'll sing the saddest song:
But, still, he chose to go along."
Coming back from commercial, we rock out to a little Modest Mouse and I notice for the first time that the intense drumbeat that often assails Election Center viewers is blissfully absent. So much better! Anyway, there's more panel, but I'm going to wrap this thing up and go to The Shot, which is Obama's left over waffle. Apparently it's selling on eBay for $10,000. We are electing a president right? Ever the skeptic, Anderson wants a DNA test done on that puppy. "So, I don't even believe it was -- how do we know it was his waffle?" he asks. I don't know; maybe you guys should get the investigative unit on this one. "If you see some waffles for sale, please tell us about it at CNN.com/360," says Anderson. I'll take a picture next time I pass an IHOP.
Tonight's "Beat 360" is a picture of a little bear baby playing with a TV camera. The staff caption comes from Gabe: "Anderson, show that bear falling out of a tree again and I'll bounce you off a trampoline." Oh, Gabe's a bit violent. So, of course we're shown the requisite (and old!) clip complete with DRAMATIC ANIMAL VIDEO intro. Okay Gabe, ball's in your court. Oh, and don't forget the camera because, yeah, we're going to need to see that. Don't worry, people, Anderson's been working out--he can take it. Annnd that's about it. Oh, one more thing: Jeffrey Toobin must live-blog more. That is all. B-
For discussion, we're then joined by Carl Bernstein, Jeffrey Toobin, and Gloria Borger. Carl thinks Clinton is hanging on and counting on Obama to collapse. Hey, the "last candidate standing" strategy worked for McCain, so maybe Carl's onto something. Toobin notes that her negative campaigning has worked, but he doesn't see an end game because she just doesn't have the numbers. There's a lot more here, but meh, speculation nation. Hey, remember how Huckabee just kept running even though math was not his friend? Where are the comparisons?
A stint in the Election Center just wouldn't be the same without John King and his Magic Map Board, so he's up next to do his thang. For those interested in the Dunder Mifflin vote, we learn Scranton went heavy for Clinton. Hm, and I pictured Jim and Pam (they're so cute!) as Obama supporters. Then there's Indiana and North Carolina predictions and we leave the map to talk polls with the poll man himself, Bill Schneider.
On now to the surrogate bickering part of the show, we're joined by Paul Begala, James Carville, and Jamal Simmons. Hey, what's with the two-to-one match up we have going on? Although really, Paul and James are both kind of crazy (in their own separate ways), so the Obama camp still might have the upper hand here. The conversation begins with Anderson bringing up a recent New York Times editorial that decries Clinton's negative campaigning. Paul then proceeds to call those steering the gray lady a bunch of ninnies. "Ninnies?" asks Anderson. "Ninnies, wimps, wussies. Pick your word," says Paul. Uh, here's one: immature. But it's not directed at the paper. Although, I did just call Paul crazy, so there's that.
Anderson then dutifully brings up the new media narrative of wondering why Obama can't close. Jamal tells us he's making up ground with white voters, but I have to say, his weakness in that area at this point in the race is a little troubling. Anderson wonders how Clinton, with a straight face, can count Florida and Michigan, when she agreed not to count them before. "Well, who knows what she agreed to?" asks Paul. Um, she does! It's in writing! "The rules say that you can't seat those delegates. It doesn't mean that we have repealed the laws of mathematics," he says. What? "This is like arguing over what the definition of is, is, isn't it?" asks Anderson. No, says Paul, it's simple math. Uh, no it isn't. Ah! Okay, you want your candidate to win. Fine. I totally get that. But the magical thinking is getting ridiculous. The segment basically ends with James admonishing Obama for hiding under the New York Times editorialists' skirt. I'll let you mull that over for a bit.
Moving on now to a Randi Kaye piece, all about Clinton's benjamins. Long story short? She was broke, Pennsylvania helped her fundraising, but she's massively in the hole. Man, so much money wasted on all sides. From Randi, we go to Tom Foreman who gives us the low down on Indiana. Then we're back to the panel and the subject of race comes up. Of note is Carl saying that Colin Powell could have been president in 2000, which I assume he's using as an argument against the importance of race this time. At least I think. But anyway, it's just kind of strange since the reason he didn't even run was that his wife was afraid. I actually might have voted for Powell back in 2000; now he just makes me sad. Calvin Trillin has it down:
"His memory of war was strong.
No Sissy Hawk, he'd fought the Cong.
He knew that bunk on nukes was wrong.
But, still, he chose to go along.
Of him, they'll sing the saddest song:
But, still, he chose to go along."
Coming back from commercial, we rock out to a little Modest Mouse and I notice for the first time that the intense drumbeat that often assails Election Center viewers is blissfully absent. So much better! Anyway, there's more panel, but I'm going to wrap this thing up and go to The Shot, which is Obama's left over waffle. Apparently it's selling on eBay for $10,000. We are electing a president right? Ever the skeptic, Anderson wants a DNA test done on that puppy. "So, I don't even believe it was -- how do we know it was his waffle?" he asks. I don't know; maybe you guys should get the investigative unit on this one. "If you see some waffles for sale, please tell us about it at CNN.com/360," says Anderson. I'll take a picture next time I pass an IHOP.
Tonight's "Beat 360" is a picture of a little bear baby playing with a TV camera. The staff caption comes from Gabe: "Anderson, show that bear falling out of a tree again and I'll bounce you off a trampoline." Oh, Gabe's a bit violent. So, of course we're shown the requisite (and old!) clip complete with DRAMATIC ANIMAL VIDEO intro. Okay Gabe, ball's in your court. Oh, and don't forget the camera because, yeah, we're going to need to see that. Don't worry, people, Anderson's been working out--he can take it. Annnd that's about it. Oh, one more thing: Jeffrey Toobin must live-blog more. That is all. B-
posted by eliza at 9:19 PM
3 Comments:
Hi Eliza,
I got tired of the phrase, "why can't Obama close?". I chimed in on the live blog, but it didn't get posted. I think because a few others said the same thing. I wrote please get a new phrase and why is that Hillary can't close the deal? It is insulting that Begala and Carville want us to forget what the candidates and the DNC agreed to regarding Michigan and Florida. They seem to act as if it's o.k. for their candidate to bend, change, and ignore the agreed to rules. I live in Florida. I was very upset with Gov. Crist for crusading ahead with changing the primary date, he apparently didn't care about the consequences. I wonder if it was a way to create chaos with this primary. In FL, the punishment was for all democrats to be counted out, while only half the republicans would be held back. Is is it just me? I never get anything out of what Gloria Borger says. I don't get Carville's statement about Obama hiding under skirts of an editorialist but then I barely understand half of what he says anyway. Thank goodness for Toobin and the Gerg for sanity. I enjoy Roland Martin's commentaries. I have watched the first 40 minutes of "Why we fight". I don't have a computer at home, I'll be able to watch the rest of it next week, thanks for forwarding it to me.
Anne
I'm become less enthused about Hillary Clinton as this race has gone on. There was a time when I could felt if either Hillary or Obama gets the nomination I'd be happy, no more.
@anne-Yeah, I think it's kind of fishy the way some republicans were actually the ones that broke the rules and now it's affecting the democratic race.
@anonymous-Unfortunately I'm starting to feel the same way. But that being said I can't think of any situation that would have me vote for McCain over her. So if she's the nominee I guess I'll be holding my nose and pushing that button come November.
Post a Comment
<< Home