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By Mark Kilmer Posted in Face the Nation | FOX News Sunday | Late Edition | Meet the Press | Special Features | This Week — Comments (14) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »

Sunday, November 18, 2007

On FNS, Mike Huckabee was able to introduce himself as a virtual-frontrunner in Iowa and New Hampshire, and host Wallace debuted Huckabee's first Iowa commercial, a funny little number relating to the Chuck Norris endorsement. Huckabee dismissed Fred Thompson and slammed Club for Growth.

On MTP, a group of journalists told us what they think about the upcoming nominating contests. About the GOP race, they think immigration and Bernie Kerik.

On TW, lots of stuff from Steph's interview with Fred Thompson. He turned the "executive experience" argument around a little by pointing out that his executive experience, gained in the Senate, is with the federal government dealing with the number one issue facing the country: national security. He also accused the Romney campaign, in the person of Paul Weyrich, of whining because they've spent a lot of money and still don't get every endorsement they want. But it was a Fred Thompson-esque interview, by-and-large.

On FTN, John Edwards was nice(ish) to Hillary, stressing only "disagreements." He does not think Hillary is corrupt, and he thinks the big issues of the day are global warming and universal health care.

On LE, John Edwards, there you go again.

And for the goods, the complete show-by-show review, please Read On...

MIKE HUCKABEE ON FOX NEWS SUNDAY. Host Chris Wallace of FOX News Sunday interviewed "the biggest political story of the week," 2008 GOP Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee. He opened by pointing out that in two polls taken last week, a NYT poll and an ARG poll, Huckabee was now virtually tied in Iowa with "frontrunner" Mitt Romney. Romney's commercials have aired more than 5,000 times in Iowa, according to Wallace, and he has twenty times as much cash, so why does Huckabee think he's doing so well? Huckabee explained that he has "a lot of people praying that what little I have will turn too much." He talked about dedicated people in all fifty States working hard, specifically mentioning bloggers.

Wallace then debuted Huckabee's first Iowa TV commercial, set to air next week: the Chuck Norris endorsement. It was a funny commercial and the Norris endorsement is real. Wallace wondered what Huckabee hoped to accomplish with this semi-serious commercial, and Huckabee explained that he was trying to have fun. He predicted that it will drive more people to his web site to look at the issues.

Huckabee spent some time extolling the wonderfulness of his Fair Tax, including the fact that it will force drug dealers and prostitutes to pay their fair share of the tax burden.

Huckabee had nothing but unkindness to utter about the Club for Growth, which he again dubbed "Club for Greed." Their tactics, he argued, are "some of the most despicable in politics." Huckabee argued that he balanced the budget every year and appointed several government efficiency commissions.

Wallace asked Huckabee about that tax increase YouTube which has been everywhere in the blogosphere. Huckabee joked that the vid had been shot while he still had a weight problem, so he could blame a "sugar rush," then seriously, he asked for context. He asserted that the clip was one minute from a 20 minute speech. It was a special session, the Democrats had blocked all budgets and the State was about to be forced to shut down. All he did, he said, was put everything on the table to do the emergency work of keeping Arkansas in operation at an emergency session.

Mike Huckabee intoned that he's never changed his positions on the important social issues of the day. "Fred," he repeated from his staff's old and incorrect notes, "never had a 100% record on life in his Senate Career." (He did. The only thing marring his score was the use of a non-abortion related vote for McCain-Feingold.)

Mike Huckabee argued that polls show him to be much more electable than Thompson, "at least in Iowa." (The qualifier got me.)

Huckabee argued that abortion is a "moral question" – like slavery – not a "political issue," thus the problem should be resolved by a Constitutional Amendment, not by 50 States going 50 different ways.

Huckabee argued that the 14 ethics charges filed against him in Arkansas were all a matter or Arkansas Democrat politics or the five filed by a local tabloid editor. He called each charge, "Pure nonsense."

He dismissed charges made by Quinn Hillyer at American Spectator (AmSpec) blog about Huckabee's short fuse and ethics problems, basically by saying that Hillyer used to work for an Arkansas newspaper and someone else who worked for that paper supports him. He complained that Hillyer had never called him. Huckabee did admit, however, to sometimes having a short temper.

A MEET THE PRESS PANEL. On NBC's Meet the Press, host Tim Russert again sat down with a bunch of journalists to discuss the election. First the Dems, E.J. Dionne said that Clinton and Obama agree about the public's perception of them. He argued that Hillary was "ready from Day One." Edwards, on the other hand, appeals to the Democrats' union base.

At some other point, Chuck Todd argued that if the Dem race were reduced to two persons, it would be better for Obama, because he is the candidate of change.

It was a grand Russert presentation of moments from the MSNBC and the CNN Dem debates.

At some other point, now speaking about the Republicans, Todd said that the immigration matter was Fred Thompson's "lone opening" into the thick of the race for the GOP nod. Gwen Ifill sneered that discussing immigration kept Republicans conveniently away from the things which matter, like Iraq, the Middle East, North Korea, and Pakistan.

Then the panel discussed Bernie Kerik.

FRED THOMSPON ON THIS WEEK. This week, on ABC's This Week, host George Stephanopoulos talked, "on the trail," to GOP Presidential hopeful Fred Thompson. Steph asked Thompson if the terror threat against the United States is an "existential threat." Thompson said that it was, and that is must be defeated "primarily militarily." The "hearts and minds" component is in play, as it was with communism and even Nazism, but they also had to be defeated militarily. Steph brought up that the terrorist had no "standing army," so where do we invade? Thompson asked, "What's the alternative?" He said we have to react to circumstances, but the primary threat "has to do with radical fundamentalism" – avoiding specifying a particular religion – and he mentioned the various terrorist groups, affiliated and unaffiliated, and rogue nations: "You simply have to have an approach to all of that." This might be, he said, "intervening in a faraway place where they're planning to do havoc." He specified Afghanistan then added that we might have to be wise enough to stay out of another place because we don't have the military capability or the intelligence to do it." (Iran? Who knows.)

Thompson added that he thinks "we've learned that we do need the help of others," and that America neither can nor should "carry the brunt of this alone." He called for "wiser intelligence" to help us make "wiser decisions than we have in the past." On the "judicious application of soft power," Thompson applauded its use but added: "We're fooling ourselves if we think that if they just understood us better, that we could all get along."

Steph turned to the NRLC endorsement and Mitt Romney's Paul Weyrich's accusation that Thompson bought the endorsement. Thompson laughed a little. "Having one of Governor Romney's people talk about somebody else buying something has got to be one of the most ironic things… because he's spent close to $60-million including probably 20- to 30-million of his own personal fortune with regard to this election." He thinks it would be appropriate for the Romney campaign to respond to Weyrich's accusation, and he won't hold them accountable if they admit it was a "nutty" thing to say. He admits to some uncertainty as to why the Romney campaign would "insult the very people they've been courting… trying to get that endorsement. And when they don't get it, they whine and they complain. They've spent all this money and they can't get everything that they want."

Thompson would still side with the parents in the Case of Terry Schiavo. He backed away a little when Steph asserted that an autopsy had determined she was braindead, and Thompson said that he wants to talk about the big issue.

Steph asked him for his "legal position" on "end of life matters," and Thompson replied that he had none other than that it should be handled by the State courts if the families cannot get together, which he hopes would always be in favor of life.

Steph posited that Thompson was a "strong federalist." Thompson said that he agrees with the Constitution, which is a federalist document. Steph asked him if he thought States should be free to set abortion policy. Calling it a "very complex issue," Thompson called for the reversal of "Roe vrs. Wade, where the decisions would go back to the States, no longer limited by the Federal courts. He stressed his pro-life voting record. He would not sign anything which would promote or fund abortion. He added that he would have to act within the law, but the best thing a President could do would be to nominate favorable judges.

Steph brought up Giuliani-Romney-Huckabee-Executive Experience: "You have no executive experience. Why shouldn't voters say we need someone with executive experience?" Thompson retorted: "Why shouldn't voters say we need someone with experience with regard to the number one issue facing this country… National Security." Thompson served on the Senate Intelligence Committee, he reminded, and he was the GOP floor manager for the Homeland Security bill. He was chairman of a committee which had nuclear proliferation jurisdiction. He has been to China and Russia. He's been to Pakistan and talked to Musharraf. He's been to Turkey. He's "talked to leaders of all these countries." Steph pointed out that Thompson has "never had to manage a crisis." Thompson responded by asking about the type of management experience his opponents have compared to what they would need if elected. He pointed out that his management experience "actually has to do with the federal government."

"Management is always a good thing, but managers are folks that leaders hire."

Why is Huckabee a pro-life liberal? "He's pro-life, but he's liberal on everything else … like taxes, like illegal immigration enforcement." Steph asked Thompson why, then, Huckabee has "rocketed past" him in Iowa. Thompson announced a new Gallup poll, "out today," which puts him a strong second among likely voters nationwide.

Thompson agreed that he needs a strong finish in Iowa to remain a viable candidate and added: "I think anybody does."

Steph asked him to look forward, after winning this election and being reelected. Of what would he be most proud? Thompson answered, "That we would have not been attacked. That we would not be at war. That we would be a safe, strong, and secure country with free people being able to go about their daily livelihood. With a good, strong economy. "

JOHN EDWARDS ON FTN. On CBS' Face the Nation, venerable host Bob Schieffer gave face/hair time to Dem Presidential hopeful John Edwards (live from Los Angeles). Another pretty face/hairdo or another wealthy spokesman for the working class? ('T is my question, not Schieff's.)

Schieffer played clips from the Las Vegas Dem debate, the one in which Hillary accused Edwards of slinging mud "direct of the Republican playbook." Edwards said that he was merely pointing out their differences on Iraq and Iran.

Edwards refused to say that Hillary either shouldn't or couldn't be elected. He pointed out that he was the candidate for change, and that the Dems had real choices in this campaign. He pointed out that he has "actually won in a red state," and that he comes from a small town.

Edwards does not think that Hillary is corrupt.

The big issues, Edwards says, are global warming and universal health care.

Edwards admitted that "even big corporations should have a voice" in politics, but the corps have too much money and it's not fair. (Talkin' lobbyin' with John Edwards.)

Schieffer asked Edwards about his pledge to propose legislation to strip Congress of its own health care if they don't pass universal health care. Edwards hypothesized that Congress really want to pass universal health care "for their constituents."

Responding to Schieffer after a commercial break, Edwards says that he offers a more specific plan for getting out of Iraq than does Hillary. Edwards would get everyone out in nine or ten months with no permanent bases. What he's heard from Hillary, Edwards says, is a "continuation of the occupation." Edwards would negotiate, "especially with the Iranians and the Syrians," and would keep a quick reaction force in Kuwait.

Edwards called Iranian President Ahmadinejad, "Bellicose." He said that the Iranian people were the most "moderate" and "pro-American" in the region. He said that it was wrong to vote that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard was a terrorist organization. Schieffer asked him if this were just a Presidential excuse to invade Iraq. Edwards said that he's given up trying to "read George Bush's mind," but that this pattern of behavior reminded him of the months leading up to the invasion of Iraq.

JOHN EDWARDS ON LATE EDTION. On CNN's Late Edition, host Wolf Blitzer first spoke with Wolf Blitzer, telling him that he had to do well in Iowa. He showed a poll, declared it a close race, and asked Edwards what he had to do to win in Iowa. Edwards pointed out that he has always "fought against corporate interests" and will continue to do so. He also declared himself "a winner, Wolf"; to back this up, he said that he's won in a red state and comes from a small town.

Blitzer played a clip of Hillary at the CNN Las Vegas debate, the one with her accusing Edwards of throwing mud. He said he was talking issues, "speaking the truth." He promised to "continue to speak the truth." He said that Hillary is throwing "poll-tested slogans," with no specific plans.

He's lived through the "hard, tough fight" of a general election and is prepared.

Hillary's mud-slinging remarks "are absurd," Edward declared, allowing that she is allowed to defend lobbyists and such.

Hillary had said in that debate clip Blitzer played that Edwards had objected to Universal Health Care in the Senate. She welcomed him aboard. Edwards claimed to be the first of the Democratic candidates to embrace Universal Health Care, laying out his plane in February. (She was still a little ahead of you on this, John.)

Edwards called the Clinton campaign, "Washington insiders," who "protect politicians."

Edwards spoke of a "leadership responsibility as a Presidential candidate."

Wolf brought up that four years ago, talking to Chris Matthews on MSNBC's Hardball, Edwards had agreed to licensing illegal drivers. He said that now, his view is that in this context, anybody who is on a "path to citizenship" should be eligible to receive a drivers' license.

John Edwards claims to have been consistently against any sort of free trade. He opposes the Peru trade deal because it is a "continuation of NAFTA" and his dad was a mill worker. (No kidding, folks.)

John Edwards said that he makes the campaign decisions, not Joe Trippi. ("YEAAARRRRGH!") He has "strength and passion," he said, not anger. He is not angry. He said that America needs a President who "will give those people [corporations] hell" like a trial lawyer. (No kidding, folks. And "hell" is "HAY-YULL.")

John Edwards said that Musharraf is not wonderful and does bad things. He said that we have been helping Musharraf, "and not the Pakistani people." He said that a report tells us that we do not understand Pakistani history. He added that we should be multilateral and "intensify our diplomacy."
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And those were the shows. Have at it!