ELECTION 2008: BlogBites

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

SPINCYCLE; THE SWAMP

February 8, 2008

MONEY-PULATION?

Yesterday, the Clinton campaign puts out a story that it's broke, that Hillary had to put up $5 million of her own money, and the staff was going without pay. Suddenly, everyone jumps in with struggling-underdog stories. Presto! The free media helps trigger a $6 million, 24-hour bonanza. And, actually, it turns out that staffers are being paid. Anybody know how to spell manipulation?

- SPINCYCLE

CLINT TAKES SHOT

Clint Eastwood, himself a small-town mayor, sees a sense of masochism in the Republicans who say they cannot support John McCain's bid for the White House. In an interview with Fox Business Network, Eastwood had this to say about Ann Coulter's claim that she would vote for Hillary Clinton over John McCain: "Conservatives, often times, are very masochistic. They say, 'I'd rather not show up than have so-and-so. If it's not my guy then I won't show up.' You can't be that way."

- THE SWAMP

TAKING OFF MITTS

Speaking to reporters aboard his plane, Barack Obama took exception to Mitt Romney's explanation that he was dropping out of the race to unify his party against "surrender" to terrorists. Obama called the comment a "poorly thought through statement" that reflected "part of the reason he was such an ineffective candidate. ... Democrats have suggested that we start withdrawing out of Iraq so we can focus our attention on terrorism. But, you know, it's a classic example of trying to conflate the war against real enemies with the failed strategy of the Bush administration in Iraq."

- SPINCYCLE