Dodd NH Ad: "Half Measures Won't Stop This President"

I just got an email press release (4.00 / 1)

That says Obama will support Reid-Feingold (as well as his own plan). That seems sensible -- I don't want the candidates to quibble over details. I want them to find 16 votes for something that gets us out. Ideally, when that something emerges for which we can find the 16 votes, I'd like them all to come together and support it, even if it is less than perfect.

In my dream world, they all have a joint press conference and say this is it, this is the big push, we're all going to do this together.

So my questions are:

1) What do you guys think of Obama's recent press release. I imagine it's welcome, right?

2) Do you expect similar support from Hillary and Biden on this?

and

3) Will Dodd get behind a less than perfect measure if we can find the 16 votes?

There's a fourth question, not as important, about whether such commercials could be supporting Republican memes about fractured Democrats not having a single plan, but that's for bonus points...

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by: Mike Caulfield @ Tue May 15, 2007 at 14:07:21 PM CDT

What's a less than perfect measure? (4.00 / 1)

We've got the money, so we've got the leverage.

I had heard on NPR today that some people want to just give Bush the appropriations he wants without conditions because of the veto. That's unacceptable to me. I hope no one falls for that less than perfect measure.

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by: Alex Gallichon @ Tue May 15, 2007 at 14:20:48 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

OK, you got me. (4.00 / 2)

I say "less-than-perfect".

I mean "best possible, with emphasis on possible"

Given votes, Reid-Feingold is perhaps the best possible, but the votes aren't there.

Or maybe they are there -- as someone that has negotiated deals in the business world, if I know one thing about brokering agreements between groups, it's that the spectator's opinion is worthless. Unless you're the one putting the deal together, you have very little idea how possible it is, or conversely, how difficult.

So I'm willing to be schooled. However, I really want each candidate to make the case that their plan has a chance and is not just symbolic.

In other words, I'm not giving candidates points for bold but failed plans here -- the high marks will go to the candidates that put something together that results in action. Low marks go to windmill-tilters. Bonus points to presidential candidates that work together on this.

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by: Mike Caulfield @ Tue May 15, 2007 at 16:11:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

And in that context (0.00 / 0)

• Is it subject to filibuster by parliamentary rules?
  
• Is it subject to filibuster by realpolitik (e.g., do Senators refuse to filibuster because it's tied to precious pork?)
  
• Is it legally subject to veto? Refusing to fund is not; strings on a bill is.
  
• Is it realpolitikally subject to veto? (I don't know what would make Bush unwilling to veto tough language on the war -- tie it to a repeal of Social Security?)
  

These are getting at: does it need 51, 60, or 67 votes?

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by: elwood @ Tue May 15, 2007 at 19:06:26 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Welcome, Matt! (0.00 / 0)

Thanks for keeping us up to date. I appreciate your participation and involvement here. The Dodd campaign has been quite good about reaching out to BlueHampshire.

Where did you go to High School?

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by: Alex Gallichon @ Tue May 15, 2007 at 14:23:18 PM CDT

Thanks (4.00 / 1)

Glad to be here - I'm a big fan of this community (as a now-former SoapBox, we're all tight).

To answer your question, I went to Phillips Exeter Academy.

.::Hold Fast::.

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by: Matt Browner Hamlin @ Tue May 15, 2007 at 19:47:49 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

For some reason (0.00 / 0)

this ad keeps crashing my sound card.  Maybe it will do better on a MAC.

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by: hannah @ Tue May 15, 2007 at 14:32:30 PM CDT

I am a little irked (4.00 / 1)

at the loss to The Right's Field, which is one of my favorite blogs.  If it goes one bit downhill without Matt Browner Hamlin, I'm holding Chris Dodd personally responsible.

On the other hand, personal inconvenience to me aside, it does point to some very good hiring by this campaign.

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by: Laura Clawson @ Tue May 15, 2007 at 16:35:19 PM CDT

I just saw it on TV! (0.00 / 0)

Looks even better than on the computer.

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by: Alex Gallichon @ Tue May 15, 2007 at 18:23:37 PM CDT