The Hunt for Blue November

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee held a press conference to discuss elections being held in November. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) told the press that Saturday, July 29 begins the 100 day countdown to the November election, saying that the DSCC has overwhelming evidence that Americans are looking for change and finding it in Democrats.

Schumer said polls indicate that Americans are more concerned over topics like health care and education rather than national security and abortion, a concern he said shows a preference for Democratic policies. He noted Mississippi, which he described as the most conservative state, is leaning Democratic in November and becoming a swing state. Schumer, who said that only 3 of the 35 seats contested in the fall are in blue states, said Sen. Barack Obama’s popularity in the Republican Deep South is a valuable asset for Democratic senatorial contests. Schumer said Democratic senatorial candidates are well ahead in Virginia, New Hampshire, Colorado, New Mexico, and Alaska while candidates in Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska are behind but gaining momentum.

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) stated that elections are also looking promising for Democrats on the House side of the Hill. He said that the DCCC is focusing on early contact and persuasion, launching “Get Out and Vote” campaigns in 50 districts throughout the United States. With a Democratic-controlled White House and Congress, Van Hollen said policies concerning stem cell research, children’s health care, Iraq, and gas prices would be successfully addressed.

House Majority Leader Hoyer optimistic about party unity

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer held his weekly pen and pad briefing today, calling this morning a “historic morning,” following last night’s victory by Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) over his democratic presidential nominee opponent, Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.).

Hoyer discussed the news of Obama’s presumptive nomination along with the schedule for the week ahead. Hoyer said he anticipates the Democrats still being able to achieve “party unity” despite talk of a divided Democratic party.

Hoyer, when asked if he endorses Senator Obama for the presidency, said he “supports” the Senator. and is unequivocally optimistic for party unity. He said that both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton have broad support so they will cooperate closely in the future. Hoyer said that he hopes for the party’s focus to now turn to defeating Senator John McCain (R-Azl) in November and changing the nation’s direction.

On House issues, Hoyer mentioned that he hopes the House can pass a revised Foreign Intelligence Security Act (FISA) bill and an improved war-veteran benefit bill by the end of the week.

Clinton Campaign: Obama thinks that the Democratic process is not in his best interest

The Clinton campaign held one of it's regular conference calls with Neera Tanden, senior policy advisor for Hillary Clinton, Howard Wolfson Communications Director and Phil Singer Deputy Communications Director.

Tanden started off summarizing Clinton's economic speech and her commitment to creating new jobs in the energy sector. A big emphasis of this was education and job training for workers to change into new, growing sectors of the economy and access to Pell grants for people who are working and studying.

When questioned about when the Clinton's tax returns would be made available Wolfson said that he had full confidence that the media would have everything they need to evaluate the Clintons within a week. When pressed about the delay, Wolfson said that Obama had delayed too when asked to produce tax returns.

When asked about Clinton's previous statement comparing the credentials for commander in chief to John McCain (i.e. Clinton saying I have experience in the senate and foreign policy, John McCain has experience in the senate and foreign policy, Obama has a speech he gave in 2002) the Clinton campaign reps said that there John McCain has credentials for foreign policy but he is wrong on the biggest foreign policy question of the day and that is the war in Iraq.

When asked about whether Hillary's comparisons to her credentials and John McCain's were a factor in recent Gallup polls that suggest that 28 percent of Clinton supporters would vote for McCain were the race to be between McCain and Obama. Wolfson answered that no, her comments have nothing to do with those numbers, which they discount because they are so close to the margin of error, and that the party will united around the Democratic nominee in the end.

The issue of the letter sent by Clinton donors to Nancy Pelosi came up. The letter told Pelosi to clarify her comments about superdelegates and emphasized the Clinton campaign's line that superdelegates should vote for whomever is best for the party and the country. The campaign reps on the call said that they did not help in drafting the letter and only received a heads up about it being send to the Speaker of the House.

The biggest criticisms of Obama from this conference call were:
-That Obama is not a creative thinker and he is a follower. He simply piggy backed on Clinton's $30 billion second stimulus idea.
- Obama believes that voter participation in the Democratic process is not in his best interest and he is the one standing in the way of the voices of Michigan and Florida voters being heard. Obama is the obstacle, not the legislatures or Democratic parties of these states.
- Obama, because he can not distinguish himself on policy matters, is resorting to pointed, intentional personal attacks on Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton. The media is turning a blind eye to the hypocrisy of Obama's positive message about hope and unity.