Name Calling?

Rove: Obama's inexperienced; Biden's a 'big, blowhard doofus'

By Jessica Alaimo

MINNEAPOLIS -- Maine's Republican delegation got a surprise visit from former White House political operative Karl Rove at its convention breakfast this morning.

During his speech, he talked up John McCain's Republican presidential bid and criticized Democratic nominee Barack Obama for his inexperience.

When the topic of running mates came up, he referred to U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) as a "big, blowhard doofus."

Later, a questioner asked about the economy in the context that the Democrats paint the country as being in a great depression. Before Rove answered, he asked: "Is there press in the room?"

Rove said that the housing values are dropping because they were artificially inflated during the housing boom. The economy is growing, he said, with a pattern of job creation.

The current problems came up because of risky behavior by private industry under an implied promise that the government would bail them out.

"It was brought on by risky behavior where government made a promise to private individuals who went out and made themselves very, very rich by risky practices that have put our economy at risk."

Rove played up McCain's candidacy in his speech, telling the story about him being a prisoner of war in Vietnam. McCain was told to go early because he was the son of an admiral, but he chose to stay because there were others in line in front of him to get out.

He also told a story of Cindy McCain adopting a child with health problems from Mother Teresa's orphanage.

He said Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) was a risky choice for vice president for the Republicans, but she will help McCain in certain geographic areas.

He touched on Obama's inexperience, and said his speeches are a result of targeted polling and focus groups.

"Barack Obama has spent four years in the Senate, and he spent two of those running for president," Rove said.

The McCain campaign will work hard in Maine and expend resources in the state, he said. Rove acknowledged that the Republicans do have trouble in the Northeast.

He said that the problems were slow in coming and will take time to solve. The first step is re-electing U.S. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Bangor).

"It strikes me that having an outdoors woman who is willing to take on the good ol' boys is something that might be well received in the Northeast," Rove said.

He said they campaigned hard in 2000 and 2004 in the Northeast and will continue to do so this year.

"I want to go out and fight for things in places that Republicans don't always win," Rove said.

September 1, 2008 - 9:39pm

UPDATED: Biden, Rove respond to 'doofus' comment

By Jessica Alaimo

UPDATE: Karl Rove just appeared on Fox News, where he is a commentator. He was asked about the comments he made at a Maine delegation breakfast where he called Democratic vice presidential candidate a "big, blowhard doofus."

He didn't deny making the comments, and said the only thing he would apologize for was for Biden being wrong of the Iraq War.

***

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden has responded to comments Karl Rove made in front of the Maine delegation this morning.

At the delegation’s breakfast, Rove called Biden a “big blowhard doofus.” His press secretary later responded with a prepared statement.

CNN reports that on a campaign flight Monday evening, a reporter asked him if he would now answer to Senator Doofus.

“You can call me anything you want,” Biden said. “I learned a long time ago you can call me anything you want.”

Both parties are trying to tone down attacks in response to Hurricane Gustav, CNN reports.

“I don’t think we’ll have any trouble resuming the campaign,” Biden said, according to CNN. “I guess Karl did it already. I guess he didn’t get the memo.”

Palin was a Member of Fringe Alaskan Secessionist Party

By Steve Benen, Washington Monthly
Posted on September 2, 2008

What may prove to be the single most damaging angle to Sarah Palin's role on the Republican Party ticket? There are quite a few contenders (ethics scandal, earmarks, inexperience, outside-the-mainstream views), but following up on Hilzoy's item from last night, Palin's association with the Alaska Independence Party might be the most politically detrimental.

It's practically impossible to make a "Country First" argument when your running mate is affiliated with a political party that puts country second.

Officials of the Alaskan Independence Party say that Palin was once so independent, she was once a member of their party, which since the 1970s has been pushing for a legal vote for Alaskans to decide whether or not residents of the 49th state can secede from the United States.

And while McCain's motto -- as seen in a new TV ad -- is "Country First," the AIP's motto is the exact opposite -- "Alaska First -- Alaska Always."

Lynette Clark, the chairman of the AIP, tells ABC News that Palin and her husband Todd were members in 1994, even attending the 1994 statewide convention in Wasilla. Clark was AIP secretary at the time.

"We are a state's rights party," Clark -- a self-employed goldminer -- tells ABC News. The AIP has "a plank that challenges the legality of the Alaskan statehood vote as illegal and in violation of United Nations charter and international law."

For all the talk about Barack and Michelle Obama's patriotism, John McCain's running mate was a member of a political party that liked the idea of seceding from the United States altogether. It's the kind of idea that would have been more common in the 1850s.

Advocating secession is, practically by definition, un-American. How does the right go after Obama's patriotism while supporting a ticket with a candidate who joined a secessionist party?

We are, after all, talking about a party founded by a man who said, "I'm an Alaskan, not an American. I've got no use for America or her damned institutions." The same man, AIP founder Joe Vogler, also said, "[T]he fires of Hell are glaciers compared to my hate for the American government."

How is this any better than Jeremiah Wright? Why would Sarah Palin voluntarily join this man's political party?

Complicating matters, Marc Ambinder has a video of a AIP leader explaining that party members "must 'infiltrate' -- his words -- the other two parties and push for the cause of Alaskan independence."

I suspect McCain and his aides didn't know about any of this. Indeed, they couldn't have -- they didn't vet her. But now that this revelation has come to light, what's the defense?

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