Post Politics Hour

washingtonpost.com's Daily Politics Discussion

Don't want to miss out on the latest in politics? Start each day with The Post Politics Hour. Join in each weekday morning at 11 a.m. as a member of The Washington Post's team of White House and Congressional reporters answers questions about the latest in buzz in Washington and The Post's coverage of political news.

Washington Post national political reporter Lois Romano was online Wednesday, Nov. 7 at 11 a.m. ET to discuss the latest news in politics.

The transcript follows.

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Archive: Post Politics Hour discussion transcripts

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St. Paul, Minn.: Hi Lois -- thanks for hosting today's chat. I initially was quite hopeful for Sen. Clinton's campaign and her chances, but when Bill starts talking "swiftboating" a year out from the general election it really makes me start to wonder. Why remind the public of all the things that they don't like about the Clintons (copresidency, vast right-wing conspiracy, etc., etc.)? But more importantly, is there truly an opening for someone else (Obama?) or is this just a blip that will be forgotten six months from now?

washingtonpost.com: Swift Response on Swift Boats: Bill Clinton Takes Heat For a Comparison to 2004 (Post, Nov. 7)

Lois Romano: Hi sorry for the delay -- technical problems.

You make a good point -- President Clinton's reaction was predictably Clintonian -- blaming others. When he got called on it he later said he was referring to republicans but it sure didn't sound that way. Smartly, Sen. Clinton -- finally -- said yesterday that it wasn't her best performance. As for her sinking -- it's not over til it's over. But she is running a smart campaign and will not likely get derailed by one mistakes. I think there would have to be multiple errors for someone to catch up to her.

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Washington: The Fix is reporting Pat Robertson endorsed Giuliani. Is there any statement of why he is backing a candidate who is pro-choice and pro-gay rights?

washingtonpost.com: Official Campaign Statement (JoinRudy2008, Nov. 7)

Lois Romano: From Cillizza's blog:

"He insisted that while some on the 'fringe' of the social conservative movement may see Giuliani as an unacceptable nominee, the 'core know better.'

"Robertson said although he and Giuliani disagree on social issues, those disagreements 'pale into insignificance' when measured against the import of the fight against global terrorism and radical Islam. 'We need a man who sees clearly how to deal with that issue,' said Robertson."

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Richmond, Va.: It is being reported by a Rasmussen poll that Clinton's lead in New Hampshire is down to 10 points over Obama. According to this poll, it appears that the debate last week had an impact, because she was 16 points over Obama before debate and 23 points the month before. Have you heard similar reports?

Lois Romano: CNN's national poll also has her dropping. So clearly the debate had an impact. Her core support still seems in place -- what you;'re seeing is some swing among her "soft" support, those potential voters who are not locked in.

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Columbia, S.C.: What a blow hard Joe Biden is, basically calling Giuliani a one-trick pony. What has Joe ever done? Sat on his fat butt with all of the rest of the phonies. Living on the dole of the working people. What about closing the borders, Joe, or how about some decisions on cutting the budget? How about a health care bill? We should elect Joe. What a joke -- what city or state or responsibility has he ever accepted? I am sick of the whole stinking bunch. They all need to be fired.

washingtonpost.com: The Fix: Biden Bashes Rudy (washingtonpost.com, Oct. 30)

Lois Romano: Whoa -- do I detect some real anger here? Is was meant to be a one-line debate zinger and Giuliani last night admitted to NBC that he doubled over laughing when he heard it. Lighten up.

(Biden said in last week's debate that Giuliani's sound bites consist of a noun, a verb and Sept. 11.)

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McLean, Va.: Lois: So, how many mistakes does the Clinton campaign have to make before the media drops the mantra that "she's the most disciplined candidate we've ever seen"? If someone in Obama's camp had used the "Swift Boat" comparison, we'd be hearing about their "inexperience" surfacing again, wouldn't we?

Lois Romano: Well, how many mistakes has she made? I don't count very many myself. No campaign is perfect. I think we'll have to see a bit more fumbling to conclude the campaign is unraveling.

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New York: Hi, Lois. Lately, I've been hearing pundits making the case that the compressed primary/caucus schedule make Iowa and New Hampshire even more important, on the assumption that if a candidate wins early, then they'll have unstoppable momentum. I actually think the reverse might be true, that the schedule is so tight that there won't be enough time to develop momentum, and that the various states will go their own way in picking candidates -- possibly leading to brokered conventions (especially on the Republican side). Your thoughts?

Lois Romano: Good question. All the analysis is mind-numbing. Both statements have validity. I think if someone at the way end of the pack -- say a Richardson -- wins Iowa or New Hampshire, it would fairly difficult for him to catapult that into significant momentum given the schedule. The better financed candidates would leap ahead to the next set of states and be ready to make a comeback.

However, if a top tier candidate wins either or both -- it's a real push toward Feb. 5.

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Fairfax, Va.: How important is Robertson's endorsement? The Christian Coalition is no longer an organization of any power and Robertson seems to have been supplanted in the evangelical community by the likes of James Dobson, Tony Perkins and Richard Land.

Lois Romano: Its significant -- everyone would have wanted it and candidates were probably seeking it. The Christian Coalition per se may not have the swat is used to have, but the conservative Christians are still a body of support that candidates don't want to alienate. The best scenario for Giuliani is for evangelical right to be divided as a voting block -- which seems to be happening without his help -- which would help him build his own coalition of liberal, moderate and conservative republicans to secure the nomination.

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What Joe Biden Has Done: Joe Biden has actually done a lot in his time in the Senate. He helped stopped Robert Bork from being confirmed to the Supreme Court. He's authored a lot of federal crime legislation, including the Violence Against Women Act. As one of the leading members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he urged President Clinton to get more involved in the Balkans. Oh, he also has outlined a plan for what to do in Iraq that doesn't involve talking-point rhetoric like "stay the course" or "gradual withdrawal." And enough of this executive experience argument -- Lincoln, Truman and Kennedy didn't have any executive experience either!

Lois Romano: Thank you for your comment.

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Floris, Va.: Lois: As someone who used to cover this sort of event, what is your view of Hank Steuver's irreverent account of the White House dinner last night? Any blowback from 1600 Pennsylvania yet? To me, it's just the kind of snarky reportage we need for these stuffy -- and ultimately non -- events that are manufactured and controlled by the party in power.

washingtonpost.com: All Fraternite for Sarkozy At a Cozy White House Fete (Post, Nov. 7)

Lois Romano: As irreverent social coverage goes, I think Hank was quite restrained. Those events can be deadly -- and the media has no access. So anything a reporter can do to breathe life into the coverage can only help the reader. I don't think we'll be hearing from the White House on this one. The have a lot more important fights to fight.

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Claverack, N.Y.: Sort of an old issue but curious nonetheless. Back in 2004, some found it astonishing how heartily and enthusiastically John McCain endorsed and embraced President Bush, considering their nasty history in the 2000 South Carolina primaries. More than one pundit said it smelled of a backroom deal, where McCain's support in 2004 would translate into reciprocated support in 2008. Well, what happened? Was McCain played for a sucker, or did the pundits just make stuff up?

Lois Romano: These things are never simple to interpret. McCain was not played for a sucker -- a lot of mainstream Republicans signed up with him early and he seemed to be he candidate to beat. But as the saying goes, you can lead a horse to water ... many conservatives are just not comfortable with him so it wasn't a lock. Also, you may recall, McCain's campaign was managed into the ground -- it spent too much money too fast so he had to regroup. people were fired, laid off, etc. Don't write him off yet.

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Kensington, Md.: Speaking of key endorsements, has Rudy Giuliani gained the support of his daughter or son yet? Please keep us apprised on those "gets." Thanks!

Lois Romano: Ouch! I hear that from many people. Something he'll have to address at some point I imagine.

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Brooklyn, N.Y.: I hear occasionally talk about how "soft" certain voters are on their preferences. Is Giuliani's support hard or soft? If his rationale is that he's the one who can win, but he finishes third in New Hampshire, doesn't a lot of that support go elsewhere?

Lois Romano: A recent poll indicated a high percentage of his support was soft -- meaning people were taking a good look at him and liked him, but could be persuaded to look elsewhere.

On New Hampshire -- hard to know. he would argue that he can recoup votes in he northeast corridor and still secure victory -- New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania. He's also strong in Florida -- a lot of New York retirees.

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Anonymous: Schumer's op-ed stating why he supports Mukasey was confusing to me. Did you read the op-ed, and if so, what the hell was he talking about?

washingtonpost.com: Editorial: Two for Mr. Mukasey (Post, Nov. 4)

Lois Romano: I think its pretty clear what he's saying: its the best he can get from this administrations and he knows Mukasey to be an independent-minded jurist. So he's taking a chance rather that obstruct. What was unsaid but likely part of the political calculation: there are a lot of conflicts coming up and he probably wants to pick his fights.

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Anonymous: When you type, "President Clinton's reactions was predictably Clintonian -- blaming others," what does that mean? On what basis do you attribute "blaming others" particularly to Clinton, as opposed to pretty much every other pol who ever lived?

Lois Romano: We were not talking about every other pol. We were talking about the Clintons, who believe in firing back when attacked. They have made that very clear by actions and words.

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Washington: Do the election day results from yesterday rattle republicans running next year? Do we just dismiss it or is it a "sign" of things to come?

Lois Romano: How can it not rattle Republicans when a historically Republican state turns over its state Senate? The results can't be dismissed -- every trend shows movement to Democrats. But, as the saying goes, in politics 24 hours is a lifetime. Anything can happen in 12 months. The war and the economy will play a big role in determining where the electorate goes next year.

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Lois Romano: Thank you all for joining us today, I appreciate your interest and great questions. Please join us every day at this time.

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