Pretzel Logic

"The response to our poll was predictably nasty. Trent Lott, who left the Senate to become a Washington lobbyist, struck first. 'I doubt the accuracy of that poll,' he declared. 'It is in Newsweek, after all.' A day later, Karl Rove, George W. Bush's 'architect' and now a Washington political consultant, chose one of the late George Carlin's seven dirty words to describe the quality of our poll in a private meeting with Republicans on the Hill (and he's an occasional contributor to Newsweek!).

"Some of our competitors dismissed our survey, too, although they used a more polite, technical term: We were an 'outlier.' But then the LAT/Bloomberg numbers appeared, and the universe of 'outliers' expanded. Maybe I missed it, but I haven't heard from Lott and Rove on this."

Mark Halperin is always thinking about lists--he must dream in lists--and his advice for McCain included these pointers on handling the media:

"11. Spend a day (or two) in New York meeting with the columnists, publishers, anchors, executive producers, and news division presidents you have known and have cultivated for more than two decades -- and remind them why they have always liked and respected you. (a.k.a: rejuvenate the base)

"12. And/but recognize that your relationship with the press is different now, and it can't ever be again like it was in the old days."

Yes, people are still going on about Hillary as veep, as the media will undoubtedly do today when HRC and BO have their unity meeting in Unity, N.H. It's like we're programmed and just can't help ourselves. Meanwhile, a new talking point is emerging, as we see in this piece by Democratic strategist Bob Beckel:

"The chatterers insist she will be a drag on the ticket and bring the Republican base to the polls in huge numbers. If it is not obvious to the chatterers yet, they should pay closer attention [to] the vicious anti Obama tirades by right wing bloggers and conservative talk radio show hosts. The Right will come to the polls all right . . . to vote against Barrack Obama in droves with or without Hillary Clinton . . .

"No one will be a more effective attack dog against McCain and the Right than Hillary. She can take the heat and defend you (something you are increasingly forced to do yourself). Every attack on McCain by Clinton will get wide coverage. No one has had more experience than Hillary on taking the Right to the wood shed and beating them to a pulp."

The New Republic's Jonathan Cohn is thinking along the same lines:

"It's unquestionably helpful to have a running mate who is also a deft attacker. Think back to the last few presidential campaigns--and the moments for which the running mates are most memorable. Many of them involve the debates. We remember John Edwards and Joe Lieberman failing to deliver punches against Dick Cheney; going back a little further, we remember Lloyd Bensten absolutely devastating Dan Quayle with his famous line about Jack Kennedy . . .

"Hillary Clinton, of course, excelled at the debates."

Stepping in to moderate "Meet the Press" doesn't come without great sacrifice. Gail Shister talked to Tom Brokaw:

"Brokaw canceled a fishing trip to Russia set for September and will 're-orient' his fall hunting schedule (pheasants, partridge and grouse.)"