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Wednesday, April 16, 2008
After the debate: Ready to take a spin?
You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That’s the signpost up ahead. Your next stop: The Spin Zone.
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Each of these people watched the same debate. Each of these people are convinced their candidate was the big winner.
Buckle up. You are about to be spun.
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Watching TV so others don’t have to
Reporters from around the world converged on Philadelphia for the Democratic presidential debate.
And, like you, they watched it on TV.
Take a look at the press covering the debate from the filing center in the National Constitution Center.
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More scenes from a debate
The glamour. The cuisine. The pretzels.
It’s the press filing center at the Democratic presidential debate at Philadelphia’s National Constitution Center.
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Scenes from a debate
Pre-debate action near the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, scene of the Wednesday night Democratic presidential debate.
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McCaul has big fundraising lead, but Doherty shows viability
At the end of March, U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, had $318,000 in his campaign account.
Democratic opponent Larry Joe Doherty of Austin/Houston/Washington County (the man has homes in all three places) reported that he had about $122,000. He certainly has a lot of ground to make up, but that’s not a bad total for someone who emerged just weeks earlier from a tough primary.
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Opponents to Carter, Doggett show little life
The long, long list of candidates who have tried unsuccessfully to win office without raising any serious money is not stopping two local congressional candidates from trying to do just that.
Democrat Brian Ruiz of Williamson County has yet to file any fundraising paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. That means he either hasn’t raised or spent $5,000, or he’s not following their rules. We could not reach Ruiz at his campaign office.
He’s running against Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock. New reports to the FEC show that, at the end of March, Carter had $220,000 in the bank.
Republican George Morovich of LaGrange is doing only slightly better. He reported that he had about $9,000 on hand at the end of March. But he’s going to need much more. He’s running against Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, who has $2.4 million in his campaign account.
Candidates who do not raise money often say that they’re instead running grass-roots campaigns. I’m reminded of what Democratic consultant Harold Cook said in November when I talked to him about what it takes to run for office. It’s important to note that Cook wasn’t talking about any campaigns or candidates in particular.
“Campaigns are always a lot more expensive than first-time candidates believe they will be,” Cook said then. “They all think that they can run a grass-roots campaign and be above the fray and that hardly ever works. If you want to communicate with voters you’ve got to have the money to do it. And that’s just the ugly truth. A lot of first-time candidates try to find a loophole for it. And there just is no loophole. They either have to raise the money or they’re going to lose.”
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Papal dinner (minus the pope) guest list
As reported below (see His Holiness will skip White House dinner in his honor), Pope Benedict XVI (a birthday boy today: Happy 81st) won’t be on hand for the big White House dinner tonight marking his visit.
But former Dodger Manager Tom Lasorda will be. Other guests, according to the White House, will include several of the supremes, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Scalia, Kennedy, Alito and Thomas.
And there’ll be a supreme knight, specifically Carl Anderson, the supreme knight and chief executive officer of the Knights of Columbus.
From the legislative branch: Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader John Boehner.
Also, more than 20 members of the clergy from around the nation.
Here’s the menu. Probably similar to what you have planned for this evening. No telling what spell check will try to do to some of these words.
Morel-encrusted diver scallops, ramp spatzle, angel hair asparagus bisque, duo of veal, white truffle potato dumplings, baby carrots and boletus mushrooms, heirloom lettuces and candied pumpkin seeds, spring squash carpaccio, styrian pumpkin oil vinaigrette, raspberry crisp and mint coulis.
No evidence of birthday cake, which allows the White House to avoid the dicey decision of angel food or devil’s food.
