2008 Presidential Campaign Blog

Thompson Announces Minnesota Leadership Team

Thompson Announces Minnesota Leadership Team
Veteran Republican Leader to Chair Thompson Minnesota Organization

McLean, VA - Today the Fred Thompson campaign announced the members of his Minnesota Steering Committee.  Minnesota House Republican Leader Marty Seifert will serve as Honorary Chairman and lead the Thompson campaign operation in Minnesota.

House Republican Leader Marty Seifert has served in the Minnesota State Legislature for over a decade, representing the people of District 21A in southwestern Minnesota. During his tenure as a State Representative, Seifert has utilized his conservative philosophy and rural values to pass legislation that has an impact on the average working citizen in Minnesota. He's gained a reputation as a champion for tax relief and more efficient state government. Like Senator Thompson, Seifert believes in a strong economy led by free market solutions that do not pervade individual freedoms. As Caucus leader Marty has worked tirelessly to help recruit and elect Republican candidates at all level of government.  A former social studies teacher Seifert is currently an admissions counselor at his alma mater Southwest Minnesota State University

"I'm honored to be a part of the team that helps lead Fred Thompson to victory in Minnesota," said Republican Leader Seifert. "Thompson is the only true conservative in the race, and his message of smaller government, lower taxes will resonate with conservatives in our state."

"We are pleased to have Marty Seifert and these Republican leaders joining our Minnesota campaign organization," said Randy Enwright, National Political Director.  "This strong operation in this key February 5 state will be a great asset in helping spread Fred Thompson's consistent conservative message."

The Thompson Minnesota Steering Committee also includes:

Rep. Tom Hackbarth, Minnesota state legislator since 1994

Margaret Cavanaugh, Co-chair of the Third Congressional District Republicans and former Chair of the Third District Republican Coalition for Life

Rory Koch, Chair of the Fourth Congressional District Republicans, former Vice-Chair of the St. Paul Republican City Committee, and former three-term State Vice-Chair of the Minnesota Young Republicans.

Lori Windels, Vice-chair of the St. Paul Republican City Committee, First Vice Chair of the Fourth Congressional District, Secretary of the House District 65B Republicans and State Treasurer of the Minnesota Federation of Republican Women.

Daniel Riojas,  Political Director for Barb White for Congress Committee and former delegate to the State Convention

Mark Swanson, Chair of the Sixth Congressional District Republicans

Bridget Sutton, Veteran Republican activist and local School Board Member.

Mike Barrett - State Vice-Chair of the Republican Party of Minnesota Executive Committee

Lewie Reiman, Secretary of the First District Republicans

Kurt Daudt - Isanti County Commissioner and Eighth Congressional District Executive Committee Member for the Republican Party of Minnesota

George Cable - Representative for the Eighth Congressional District on the Republican Party State Executive Committee and former Deputy Chairman of the Minnesota Republican Party

Memo From Mark Penn: State Of Play Going Into The Debate

To: Interested Parties
From: Mark Penn, Chief Strategist
Re: State of Play Going Into the Debate

What is the most important card in this race? The leadership card.

That is the card that we see in poll after poll that analyzes why people are voting for Hillary Clinton.

And so while opponents are strategizing and re-launching their campaigns with aggressive personal attacks on Sen. Clinton, one truth remains – running for president is not a qualification for president.

The voters are looking for someone who has the strength and experience to lead, and little has changed in the last few weeks outside of the massive media coverage of the attacks.

As Senator Clinton has said, change is just a word unless you have the strength and experience to make it happen.

So let’s look at the ratings voters give the three leading candidates on the qualities they look for in a president.

On the questions of who is best able to handle Iraq and Iran, Hillary Clinton is the runaway leader. More than half of Democratic primary voters say Hillary can best handle Iran (52%) and Iraq (50%) – more than twice the number for Barack Obama (23% on Iraq and 22% on Iran) and John Edwards (14% on Iran and 16% on Iraq) (ABC/Washington Post Oct 29-Nov 1).

Senator Clinton also has an overwhelming lead among Democrats on being knowledgeable and experienced enough to handle the presidency (76% for Clinton and 41% for Obama), having the strong leadership qualities needed to be president (72% for Clinton and 55% for Obama), being inspirational and an exciting choice for president (64% for Clinton and 56% for Obama), being a good commander in chief (63% for Clinton and 43% for Obama) and bringing real change to the direction of the country (63% for Clinton and 52% for Obama) (NBC/WSJ Nov 1-5).

Finally, as the polls come in, they show that Obama 2.0 isn't working any better than the previous version.  After shifting to a negative attack strategy, Obama remains stalled.

For example, as the candidates prepare to meet in Nevada, a new poll there has Hillary Clinton leading Barack Obama 51 percent to 23 percent with 11% for John Edwards.  Clinton leads among Nevada likely caucus-goers on having the best chance of beating the Republican nominee in the general election (Clinton 63%, Obama 15%, Edwards 11%), being the strongest leader (Clinton 54%, Obama 21%, Edwards 14%), most qualified to be commander in chief (Clinton 51%, Obama 20%, Edwards 13%), most likely to bring needed change (Clinton 49%, Obama 28%, Edwards 11%), having taken clear positions on the issues (Clinton 42%, Obama 23%, Edwards 12%), saying what she believes rather than what voters want to hear (Clinton 41%, Obama 23%, Edwards 12%), most likeable (Clinton 40%, Obama 30%, Edwards 20%) and most honest (Clinton 37%, Obama 24%, Edwards 13%).

In the national polls, five polls in the last two weeks show Hillary Clinton’s lead holding steady or increasing in the Democratic primary. The latest NBC/WSJ poll gives Hillary a 22 point lead, up 1 point from September, and yesterday’s Cook Political / RT Strategies poll puts Hillary 17 points ahead – up from a 13 point advantage in September. AP/Ipsos gives Hillary a 23 point lead, up 2 points since October, USA Today/Gallup has her 28 points ahead, compared with 29 points in October and according to Newsweek, Hillary now leads by 19 points, compared with 21 points in August.

Hillary also leads Rudy Giuliani, John McCain, Fred Thompson and Mitt Romney. She leads Giuliani by 3 points in the Cook/RT Strategies poll, 6 points in the USA Today / Gallup poll, 6 points in the CNN poll, 10 points in the WNBC/Marist poll, 4 points in the Newsweek poll and 4 points in the ABC/Washington Post poll. Her advantage widens against other Republicans – to 9 points over McCain, 18 points over Romney and 16 points over Thompson in the ABC/Washington Post poll.

And the states show little change. We know it is a close race in Iowa and Hillary has a significant lead in New Hampshire

The latest Iowa polls all show a very close race - this week's CBS/NYT poll gives Hillary Clinton a lead of only 2 points. In New Hampshire, Hillary has a double-digit lead (15 points in this week’s CBS/New York Times poll). Hillary leads by 10 points in South Carolina (Winthrop/ETV). And in yesterday’s Quinnipiac Ohio poll, Hillary’s 25 point lead is virtually unchanged from last month.

Meanwhile in the general election, Hillary leads Giuliani in Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee – all states the Democrats lost in 2004. In fact, if the election were held tomorrow, Hillary would win 360 electoral votes compared with 178 electoral votes for Rudy Giuliani. And Hillary would beat Fred Thompson, John McCain and Mitt Romney by similar margins.

But for all the negative personal attacks, this race comes down to one word – leadership.

Tech Leaders Announce Support For Barack Obama

TECH LEADERS ANNOUNCE SUPPORT FOR BARACK OBAMA 

CHICAGO, IL -  Technology leaders across the nation today endorsed Barack Obama the day after he unveiled his innovation agenda at Google headquarters. These entrepreneurs, academics, and innovators are drivers in the effort to recapture American competitiveness. 

“Senator Obama not only understands good tech policy, but he also understands the best policy so that tech can do some good,” said Lawrence Lessig, founder of Stanford Law School’s Center for Internet and Society.  “By committing to opening government data, an Obama administration would provide all of us the tools we need to make government work for us, and not for the special interests that flourish in the shadows of a nontransparent government.”            

"I want my kids to grow up in an Obama America - an America in which, as Barack Obama has said, we stop setting settling for what the cynics say we have to accept and reach for what we know is possible,” said Julius Genachowski, Co-founder and Managing Director of Rock Creek Ventures.  “An America with a President who will summon the nation to a common purpose, who will lead not by polls, but by principle; not by calculation, but by conviction; a President who will combat the common threats of the 21st century - nuclear weapons and terrorism; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease.  This is what Barack Obama has promised - they are his words. And as someone fortunate enough to know him for two decades, watching him gather extensive real-word experience and a record of great judgment, I am completely confident he will deliver on his promise."

A full list of the technology leaders endorsing Barack Obama is below:

Stuart Benjamin, Professor of Law, Duke University
Robert Blackwell, Founder and CEO, Electronic Knowledge Interchange Consulting
Joseph Farrell, Professor of Economics, University of California,  Berkeley; Chief Economist, Federal Communications Commission (1996-97); Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economics (chief economist), Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice (2000-02)
Lloyd Frink, President and Co-Founder, Zillow
Julius Genachowski, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Rock Creek Ventures; former Chief of Business Operations & General Counsel, IAC/InterActiveCorp; former Chief Counsel to FCC Chairman Reed Hundt
Don Gips, Executive Vice President, Corporate Development, Level 3 Communications; former Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to Vice President Gore
Rob Glaser, Founder and CEO, Real Networks
Mark Gorenberg, Managing Director, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners
Nick Hanauer, Partner, Second Avenue Partners; Founder, aQuantive
Adam Hanft, Founder and CEO, Hanft Unlimited
Reed Hundt, Former Chairman, Federal Communications Commission (1993-97)
Mitch Kapor, President, Kapor Enterprises; Founder, Lotus Development Corp.
Jed Katz, Managing Director, DFJ Gotham Ventures
Michael Katz, Professor, NYU and UC Berkeley; former Chief Economist, FCC; former Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economics (chief economist), Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice
William Kennard, Former Chairman, Federal Communications Commission (1997-2001)
Deborah Lathen, President, Lathen Consulting; former Chief, Cable Bureau, FCC
Steve Lerner, Managing Partner, Blue Hill Group
Lawrence Lessig, Professor of Law, Stanford University
Blair Levin, Managing Director, Stifel Nicholas; former Chief of Staff, FCC
Andrew McLaughlin, Director, Global Public Policy and Government Affairs, Google
Ted Meisel, Elevation Partners
Jon Miller, Former Chairman and CEO, American Online, Inc.
Glenn Neland, Retired Senior Vice President, Dell
Robert Nelsen, Managing Director and Co-Founder, ARCH Venture Partners
Craig Newmark, Founder, Craigslist
Beth Noveck, Professor of Law, New York Law School
Chamath Palihapitiya, Executive Vice President, Product and Operations, Facebook
Deven Parekh, Partner, Insight Venture Partners
Sunil Paul, Founding Partner, Spring Ventures; Co-Founder, Brightmail
John Place, Retired General Counsel, Yahoo!, Inc.
Jeff Pulver, Founder, pulver.com
Arti Rai, Professor of Law, Duke University
John Roos, CEO, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Alec Ross, Senior Vice President, One Economy
Kim Scott, AdSense Director of Online Sales and Operations, Google
Carl Shapiro, Professor of Business Strategy, UC Berkeley; Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Economics (chief economist), Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice (1995-96)
Howard Shelanski, Professor of Law, UC Berkeley; former Chief Economist, FCC
Steven Spinner, Executive, Danoo
Phil Weiser, Professor of Law and Telecommunications, University of Colorado
Kevin Werbach, Asst. Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Tom Wheeler, Managing Director, Core Capital Partners
Tim Wu, Professor of Law, Columbia University
Ed Zander, CEO, Motorola

New Barack Obama TV Ad "Chances I Had" Focused On Education

Obama Campaign to Host 10 Education Roundtables Today and Tomorrow
Ten roundtables around the state coincide with release of new TV ad "Chances I Had" focused on education

MANCHESTER, NH—Senator Barack Obama's New Hampshire campaign will host ten roundtable discussions on education around the state today and tomorrow, November 15 and 16.  The discussions—many of which will be hosted by members of New Hampshire Educators for Obama—will bring Granite Staters together to learn more about Obama's commitment to excellence for every child and support for every teacher.

On Friday, the campaign will begin airing a new television ad in which Obama discusses his goals for our education system.  In the thirty-second spot, entitled "Choices I had," Obama discusses his plan to ensure every child gets the same educational opportunities that allowed him to succeed, and he stresses parents' responsibility to do their part in helping kids learn.  You can watch the ad and read the full script HERE.

As President, Obama will expand early childhood education, recruit an army of talented new teachers, and encourage parents to instill a sense of excellence in their children.

"Chances I Had" Script

My parents weren't rich. My father left me when I was very young.

The one thing I was able to get was a great education.

We should give every child the same chances that I had.

By investing in early childhood education and recruiting a whole new generation of teachers. But government alone is not going to solve the problem.

Obama's Education Plan:

Expand early childhood education
Recruit a new generation of teachers

We need parents to turn off the television and instill in our children a sense of excellence.

We've got to ask more of ourselves if we want the kind of world class education that they need.

Iowa State Representative Bob Kressing Endorses John Edwards

STATE REPRESENTATIVE BOB KRESSIG ENDORSES JOHN EDWARDS FOR PRESIDENT
Endorsement builds on Edwards’ growing momentum in Iowa

Des Moines, Iowa – Today, Senator John Edwards received the endorsement of State Representative Bob Kressig, building on Edwards' growing support in Iowa.  Kressig is endorsing Edwards because he believes Edwards is the strongest candidate to not only change our country, but win the general election.  Kressig’s endorsement comes as Edwards is gaining momentum across the state following the endorsement of the 10,000 member strong Caucus for Priorities and the release of his second television ad.

“Bob is a leading voice on behalf of Iowa’s families,” said Edwards.  “I am honored to have his support and look forward to working with him to improve the lives of hard-working families here in Iowa and across the country.”

“John Edwards is the best candidate in this campaign to truly change our country,” said Kressig. “He has the courage to take on the special interests controlling Washington, the big ideas to meet the challenges facing our country – and he can win in November 2008.  His plan to build One America starts with making sure every child gets a great education. I am particularly impressed with his bold plan to overhaul No Child Left Behind and strengthen our schools, so every child can learn.  With John Edwards in the White House, all Americans will have the chance to achieve the American Dream.”

Edwards’ campaign in Iowa continues to gain momentum.  Last week, Edwards became the first candidate to announce County Steering Committees in all 99 counties, reaffirming the growing strength of his statewide organization. Edwards has also been endorsed by the Iowa State Council of the SEIU and 11 other SEIU state councils, representing more than a million SEIU members. Additionally, Edwards has won the endorsement of the Iowa Postal Workers Union - representing workers in all 99 Iowa counties, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, the Transport Workers Union of America, the United Steelworkers and the United Mine Workers of America.

Obama Unveils Innovation Agenda At Google

OBAMA UNVEILS INNOVATION AGENDA AT GOOGLE 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – At a town hall meeting today at Google headquarters, U.S. Senator Barack Obama will unveil an innovation agenda that will connect and empower Americans through technology.  The comprehensive plan will ensure the full and free exchange of information by protecting the openness of the internet and encouraging diversity in media ownership, create a transparent and connected democracy by opening up government to its citizens, modernize our communications infrastructure, employ technology and information to take on the challenges facing America, and improve our nation’s competitiveness. 

Excerpts from Obama’s prepared remarks are below: 

“Together, we could open up government and invite citizens in, while connecting all of America to 21st century broadband.  We could use technology to help achieve universal health care, to reach for a clean energy future, and to ensure that young Americans can compete – and win – in the global economy. If America recommits itself to science and innovation, we can lead the world to a new future of productivity and prosperity. That’s what we can do if we seize this moment."

“I will take a backseat to no one in my commitment to network neutrality. Because once providers start to privilege some applications or web sites over others, then the smaller voices get squeezed out, and we all lose. The Internet is perhaps the most open network in history. We have to keep it that way.” 

“To seize this moment, we have to use technology to open up our democracy. It’s no coincidence that one of the most secretive Administrations in history has favored special interests and pursued policies that could not stand up to sunlight. As President, I’ll change that. I’ll put government data online in universally accessible formats. I’ll let citizens track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and lobbyist contacts. I’ll let you participate in government forums, ask questions in real time, offer suggestions that will be reviewed before decisions are made, and let you comment on legislation before it is signed. And to ensure that every government agency is meeting 21st century standards, I’ll appoint the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer.”

“We need to make sure that the next success story – the next Google – happens here in America. The Google story is about what can be achieved when we cultivate new ideas and keep the playing field level for new businesses. But it’s also about not settling for what we’ve achieved. It’s about constantly raising the bar so that we’re more competitive, and so we use technology to reach ever-expanding horizons…The promise and prosperity of our new economy must not become the property of the few, it must be a force that lifts up our entire country, and that lifts up the world.”   

Obama's innovation agenda would:

I. Ensure the Full and Free Exchange of Information through an Open Internet and Diverse Media Outlets

• Protect the Openness of the Internet
• Encourage Diversity in Media Ownership
• Protect Our Children While Preserving the First Amendment
• Safeguard Our Right to Privacy

II. Create a Transparent and Connected Democracy

• Open Up Government to its Citizens
• Bring Government into the 21st Century

III. Deploy a Modern Communications Infrastructure

• Deploy Next-Generation Broadband

IV. Employ Technology and Innovation to Solve Our Nation’s Most Pressing Problems

• Lower Health Care Costs by Investing in Electronic Information Systems
• Invest in Climate-Friendly Energy Development and Deployment
• Upgrade Education to Meet the Needs of the 21st Century
• Create New Jobs
• Modernize Public Safety Networks

V. Improve America’s Competitiveness

• Invest in the Sciences
• Make the R & D Tax Cut Permanent
• Reform Immigration
• Promote American Businesses Abroad
• Ensure Competitive Markets
• Protect American Intellectual Property Abroad
• Protect Intellectual American Property at Home
• Reform the Patent System

Mike Huckabee Names Tim Michels Chairman Of Wisconsin Leadership Committee

Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee Names Former U.S. Senate Candidate Tim Michels Chairman of Wisconsin Leadership Committee

Little Rock, AR – Former Arkansas Governor and Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee has named Former U.S. Senate Candidate Tim Michels as his Wisconsin State Chairman.

"I am proud to announce the addition of Tim Michels as Chairman of my Wisconsin Leadership Committee," Huckabee said. "He is a highly motivated manager, distinguished military veteran, and a strong supporter of common sense, conservative values."

"I am honored to be on the Huckabee team and serve as his Wisconsin Campaign Chairman. Governor Huckabee is a family man and proven executive who has demonstrated the leadership that America needs during these challenging times," Michels said. "For more than a decade he provided consistent leadership for the State of Arkansas which resulted in fiscal responsibility and kept honor intact in the office of the Governor."

Michels was the 2004 Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate and received 1.3 million votes, more than any other Republican in the history of the state of Wisconsin.

"These are not times for the United States to have a president who has no executive experience or who has changed their positions on issues. Governor Huckabee's conservative credentials are solid and consistent," Michels said. "These are traits that hard-working Wisconsin people are looking for in their next president."

Thompson Launches New TV Ad, "No Amnesty," In Iowa

Thompson Launches New TV Ad, "No Amnesty," in Iowa
Thompson: 'Giving up, by granting amnesty is not the answer'

McLean, VA - Following up on his tough Border Security and Immigration Reform Plan which emphasizes the need to secure our borders and enforce the law, Senator Fred Thompson launched a new 30-second television ad, titled "No Amnesty," that will begin airing today statewide in Iowa.  The 30-second spot is set in a diner, featuring the Senator sitting at a counter discussing the problem of illegal immigration.

The spot, titled "No Amnesty," can be viewed at http://www.fred08.com

Below is a transcript of the new advertisement.

No Amnesty (30 seconds)

Americans know we have an illegal immigration problem.

And most of us have a good idea about how to start fixing it-secure our borders, and enforce the law.

Giving up, by granting amnesty is not the answer.

It's unfair to those who have played by the rules and ignores the rule of law.

It's also a matter of national security.

We can do a lot better than this and with your help we will.

I'm Fred Thompson and I approve this message.

Edwards To Launch TV Ad In South Carolina Entitled “American Jobs and America’s Workers”

Edwards first Democrat to launch TV ads in South Carolina, with 30-second spot entitled “American Jobs and America’s Workers”

Columbia, South Carolina – The campaign’s first South Carolina television ad, a 30-second spot entitled “American Jobs and America’s Workers” begins airing in South Carolina today. Senator Edwards is the first Democrat to launch a TV ad campaign in South Carolina

In the ad, Senator Edwards explains why we need leaders who stand up and fight for good jobs and working families. The message of the ad makes clear that, while many in corporate America are willing to outsource jobs for “profit and greed,” Edwards believes in “the dignity of a job and doing what’s right for America’s workers.”

The ad comes at a time of increased momentum for Edwards’ South Carolina operation.  In addition to recent new endorsements, Senator Edwards leads other Democrats in trips to South Carolina and fundraising in the state.  This ad buy further highlights the campaign’s long commitment to Senator Edwards’ native state of South Carolina and the issues and concerns of voters here. 

The new ad campaign, “America’s Jobs and America’s Workers,” reflects many of the pro-family policies Senator Edwards highlighted during his two-day swing through the state earlier this month when he focused on smarter trade policies to protect American workers, helping communities recover from massive layoffs, providing true universal health care and helping low-income families find work and join the middle class. 

“AMERICA’S JOBS AND AMERICA’S WORKERS” (TV -:30)

My father worked in this mill and others like it for 30 years.
I worked in it when I was young.
Now it’s closed, the jobs are gone. For too many, it’s just about profit and greed.
They’re wrong. It’s about the dignity of a job and doing what’s right for America’s workers.
I’m John Edwards and I approve this message because we don’t need another president that puts wealth above work.
So, if you’re ready to stand with me for American jobs and America’s workers, your time is now.

Rudy Giuliani Campaign Launches First Television Ad

Rudy Giuliani Campaign Launches First Television Ad

New York City - The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee announced today it will launch its first television ad of the campaign.  The ad, entitled “Tested,” will begin airing statewide in New Hampshire on Thursday.  “Tested” features Rudy Giuliani speaking to the camera about his record of results turning around New York as Mayor. 

“America deserves an authentic leader who has been tested in times of crisis and has a real record of results," said Campaign Manager Michael DuHaime.

The script is below.   

Script for “Tested”: 

MAYOR GIULIANI: “New York City is the 3rd or 4th largest government in the country.  It’s one of the largest economies in the United States.

“They used to call it unmanageable, ungovernable. A large majority of New Yorkers wanted to leave and live somewhere else.  It was a city that was in financial crisis.  A city that was the crime capital of America.  A city that was the welfare capital of America.  A city that was in very, very difficult condition when I became the Mayor.

“By the time I left office, New York City was being proclaimed as the best example of conservative government in the country.  We turned it into the safest large city in America.  The welfare to work capital of America.  And most importantly, the spirit of the people of the city had changed. Instead of being hopeless, the large majority of people had hope. 

“So, I believe I’ve been tested in a way in which the American people can look to me. They’re not going to find perfection, but they’re going to find somebody who has dealt with crisis almost on a regular basis and has had results. And in many cases exceptional results. Results people thought weren’t possible. I’m Rudy Giuliani and I approve this message.”