DEMOCRATS OFFERING TWO CHOICES: THE FAR LEFT, AND THE REALLY, REALLY FAR LEFT
CRP Chairman Makes Statement on Democrat Convention in CA

(SACRAMENTO) - Citing an increasing leftward shift in the national Democratic Party, promoted by its presidential candidates and congressional leaders, California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring today said Democrats are creating new opportunities for Republicans by abandoning the political center.

"Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and the Democrat presidential candidates are redefining the Democrat Party so far to the left, no one outside of San Francisco and New York City will be able to recognize it in a few weeks," said Nehring.  "Instead of focusing on issues that really matter to regular people, Democrats are concentrating on obscure issues that matter only to the extremists within their party."

"Democrats are offering voters two choices: the far left, and the really, really far left," he added.

More than 50 House Democrats represent districts President Bush won in 2004.  "How many of those Democrats are going to jump at the opportunity to be branded Pelosi Democrats?" asked Nehring, citing the Democrat agenda as consisting of a big tax increase, taking away workers' right to a secret ballot in unionization elections, and an agenda for Iraq that Senator Joe Lieberman has described as a "deadline for defeat."   

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WHAT ELSE MIGHT THE 2008 CONTENDERS BRING TO SAN DIEGO?

JOHN EDWARDS:  A NEW $400 HAIR CUT?
Edwards Paid $800 For Two Haircuts And Over $400 On Makeup In The First Quarter Of The Year. "The campaign paid $800 for two haircuts from the Torrenueva salon. Designworks provided $248 worth of camera-ready makeup. And Pink Sapphire was called on two occasions for Edwards's makeup needs at $150 and $75 a visit." (Robin Givhan, "Primping For President: A Little Dab'll Do Ya," The Washington Post, 4/20/07)

• "They Are The Ones Incurred At Designworks Salon In Dubuque, Iowa, Torrenueva Hair Designs In Beverly Hills, Calif., And The Pink Sapphire Salon And Spa In Manchester, N.H." (Robin Givhan, "Primping For President: A Little Dab'll Do Ya," The Washington Post, 4/20/07)
  

HILLARY CLINTON:  MORE POLITICALLY CALCULATED RHETORIC AIMED TO CHANGE HER IMAGE

Hillary Campaign Kicked Off With Scripted Presentations Aimed At Changing Her Image:

"The Effort To 'Humanize' Clinton, As Her Advisers Have Put It, Was In Full Swing Just Two Days Into Her Presidential Campaign." (Anne E. Kornblut, "Clinton Dives In Media Waters," The Washington Post, 1/23/07)

"The Senator [Had] Three Days Of Online 'Conversations' With Carefully Screened Questions."  (Ben Goddard, Op-Ed, "How Candidates Use Web Video," The Hill, 1/25/07)

Hillary Clinton Performed "In A Carefully Controlled Setting." "In a carefully controlled setting where inquiries about affordable tuition and health care counted among the tougher topics, she reminisced, in response to a question about Hurricane Katrina, about walking the streets of New Orleans on visits when she and her husband lived in Arkansas." (Anne E. Kornblut, "Clinton Dives In Media Waters," The Washington Post, 1/23/07)

"The Friendly Tone Highlighted A Key For The Campaign: Warming Up Clinton's Image."(Dave Saltonstall and Michael McAuliff, "Chat's The Ticket For Web-Loving Clinton," [New York] Daily News, 1/23/07)

Democrat Consultant Hank Sheinkopf: "The Trick Is To Personalize Her So When The Republican Attacks Come, They Won't Stick. ... They Want To Create A Warm Persona."(Dave Saltonstall and Michael McAuliff, "Chat's The Ticket For Web-Loving Clinton," [New York] Daily News, 1/23/07)

BARACK OBAMA:  A PROPOSAL FOR SOLVING EVEN ONE ISSUE?  (Doubtful)

Obama Failed To Provide Specifics Or Solutions In Iowa:
"Obama Offered Little In The Way Of Concrete Solutions. And Most Of The Proposals He Did Throw Out, Like Harnessing Technology To Bring Greater Efficiencies To The Healthcare System, Were Hardly Novel." (Mark Z. Barabak, "Obama's A Huge Draw, But A Work In Progress," Los Angeles Times, 2/12/07)

Obama "Will Be Forced To Come Up With More Defined Ideas, Not Just About Troop Withdrawal, But About What Will Happen After The Bulk Of American Soldiers Leave." "Mick [Burr of Cedar Rapids, IA] pauses. 'That was the only thing that bothered me. He wasn't specific enough about our troop withdrawal.' That criticism -- about vague proposals -- has been leveled at Obama by others, even though it's early going in his campaign. But as the catastrophe there continues, the senator will be forced to come up with more defined ideas, not just about troop withdrawal, but about what will happen after the bulk of American soldiers leave." (Jennifer Hunter, Op-Ed, "Obama Short On Details, But That'll Have To Change," Chicago Sun-Times, 2/14/07)

Obama Failed To Provide Specifics Or Solutions In New Hampshire:
"Childcare. Obama Said It Was A Problem; He Didn't Offer Specifics." (Philip Elliott, "Obama's N.H. Visit Brings Little Criticism, Much Love," The Associated Press, 2/13/07)

"The USA Patriot Act. Obama Is Against Parts Of It But Didn't Offer An Alternative." (Philip Elliott, "Obama's N.H. Visit Brings Little Criticism, Much Love," The Associated Press, 2/13/07)

"He Said More Young People Should Consider Teaching But Stopped Short Of Specific Incentives." (Philip Elliott, "Obama's N.H. Visit Brings Little Criticism, Much Love," The Associated Press, 2/13/07)

Obama Failed To Provide Specifics Or Solutions At The DNC Winter Meetings:
At The Democratic National Committee's Winter Meeting, Obama's Speech "Avoided Specifics About Health Care Plans And Foreign Policy Strategies." (Barbara Barrett, "Cheers For Obama, Jeers For Clinton, Tears For Edwards," The Houston Chronicle, 2/3/07)

Obama's Own Speeches Suggest He Places Greater Value In Style And "Other Characteristics" Over Substantive Policy. "Obama raised the issue of his policy agenda during a news conference in Ames, Iowa, on Sunday, chiding reporters for concentrating more on how he looks in a swimsuit than on what he has said about health care or energy or ending the Iraq war. Still, a speech to the Democratic National Committee, in which he seemed to dismiss the significance of policy white papers, has rippled through party circles as a sign that he believes other characteristics carry more weight with voters than coming off as a policy wonk." (Dan Balz, "With Campaign Underway, Obama Now Must Show More Than Potential," The Washington Post, 2/13/07)

• "For Instance, At The Democratic National Committee's Winter Meeting In Washington Last Week, Some Of Obama's Speech Appeared To Endorse Rhetoric Over Substance." (Bill Lambrecht, "Barack Obama," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 2/9/07)
  

The Washington Post's David Broder: Obama Has "To Put Some Policy Meat On The Bones Of That Compelling Personality, Lest He Feed The Suspicion That He Doesn't Have Much To Say." "Obama delivered a lofty address, decrying negative campaigning -- a speech that put him squarely on the record against cynicism and in favor of hope. People listened intently, but at some point, the man from Illinois is going to have to put some policy meat on the bones of that compelling personality, lest he feed the suspicion that he doesn't have much to say." (David S. Broder, Op-Ed, "The Other Democrats Weigh In," The Washington Post, 2/6/07)

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