| | February 4, 2015 | |
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Successful presidential candidates just don't have to be excellent fundraisers, compelling speakers, and competent debaters. They also need to do something else, especially in today's media landscape -- stay on message. Just ask Rand Paul, who's had to do some, well, creative damage control after participating in a CNBC interview, in which he stated that he's heard of "many tragic cases of walking, talking normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines." Ditto Chris Christie who, after stepping in it with his own comments on vaccinations, stopped talking to the reporters who followed him on his overseas trip to London. "[W]hen The Washington Post asked whether he had discussed the Islamic State terrorist threat in his private meetings with Cameron and his cabinet members, Christie snapped. 'No questions," he said. 'Is there something you don't understand about "no questions"?'" On the other hand, you have Hillary Clinton (via her Twitter account) and Jeb Bush (also through social media), who have been able to stay on message -- though largely by avoiding the scrum so far. And today, Bush speaks to the Detroit Economic Club at 12:35 pm ET, where he will take questions from the CEOs in attendance. But it's unclear if he will speak to the reporters who have followed him to Detroit.
And the danger of staying TOO on message
But there's also the danger of presidential candidates appearing to be too on message; after all, a candidate needs to look and sound authentic. To be sure, there are many news organizations on the hunt for a gaffe or soundbite that will go viral. But designing a press strategy to completely avoid that isn't going to succeed, either. Yes, unscripted moments can damage a candidate, but they also can propel one, too. Bottom line: The candidate who is likely to come out on top is one who is MOST COMFORTABLE in making a mistake -- or who quickly cleans up any damage. So embrace the chaos. As Republican strategist Kevin Madden, who worked for Mitt Romney in 2008 and 2012, tweeted yesterday: "Take your worst/craziest day in the statehouse/Cap Hill. It's like that EVERY day when you're a prez candidate."
Previewing -- and pre-butting -- Jeb's speech to the Detroit Economic Club
As mentioned above, Jeb Bush speaks to the Detroit Economic Club this afternoon. It's a big deal -- it's his first real policy speech since becoming an all-but-announced-presidential candidate. USA Today sets the stage: "Jeb Bush will test his themes about everyone having a 'right to rise' in remarks Wednesday, as he launches a series of speeches ahead of a likely presidential campaign. The title of Bush's speech to the Detroit Economic Club plays off the name of his Right to Rise political action committee, which the former Florida governor recently established to support his political activities and serve as a vehicle to back federal and state candidates." Interestingly, the Michigan Democratic Party is pre-butting Bush's speech by noting that he opposed the auto bailout. "Just a couple years ago Jeb Bush was asked byCharlie Rose if he supported the President's decision to rescue General Motors. Without hesitation, he responded: 'I don't. I don't.' You don't?" writes Lon Johnson, the chair of the Michigan Democratic Party.
Senate holds confirmation hearing for Obama's top Pentagon pick
Also speaking today is Ashton Carter, President Obama's pick to succeed outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. Carter has his confirmation hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, and all of the ISIS-related news serves as the backdrop. NBC News: "Jordan Executes Two Prisoners to Avenge ISIS Murder of Pilot." The New York Times: "United Arab Emirates, Key U.S. Ally in ISIS Effort, Disengaged in December." The Hill: "Obama's Pentagon pick worried about Iranian influence in Iraq." Carter's confirmation hearing begins at 9:30 am ET.
The White House's PR countermoves against the GOP-controlled Congress
Meanwhile, over at the White House, Team Obama is having its second-straight day of responding directly to the GOP-controlled Congress. At 10:55 am ET, Obama meets in the Oval Office with the so-called "DREAMers" who benefited under Obama's 2012 executive action. This comes a day after the GOP-led Senate voted -- unsuccessfully -- to advance a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security that would have rolled back Obama's executive action. And yesterday, Obama met with Americans who've written letters about benefitting from the federal health-care law -- right before the GOP-led House voted, again, to repeal the law. It used to be that the White House would often ignore the actions from congressional Republicans. But now, it's clearly trying to counter them. The question we have is if these countermoves actually bring more attention to the GOP's legislative maneuvers.
Breaking down yesterday's House Obamacare vote
As for yesterday's House vote to repeal the health-care law, it passed by a 239-186 vote. Interestingly, unlike in past years, ALL Democrats voted against the measure. What's more, there were three GOP defections (Dold of Illinois, Katko of New York, and Poliquin of Maine). Why the change? It's what happens after Democrats lose their southern moderates (like John Barrow), and when Republicans now have them (see Katko and Poliquin). Don't forget, Republicans are at their high-water mark in congressional representation, while Democrats are at their low point.
New education report from the Jeb Bush-founded Foundation for Excellence in Education
Here's one more Jeb Bush-related news event today: The Foundation for Excellence in Education, which Bush founded, is out with a new report on what demographic changes (in age) mean for U.S. education. "The number of Baby Boomers entering retirement has been well documented. As they leave the workforce, their contributions to government revenues will decline while their demands on government expenditures will increase. We tend to focus on the impact this will have on services, entitlement programs and public employee pension funds. But as Dr. Ladner points out, there also will be a very real impact on our public education system because the growing number of retirees is accompanied by a second demographic phenomenon - the growing number of school-age children."
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OBAMA AGENDA: Get Carter
Defense Secretary nominee Ashton Carter faces his confirmation hearing today "against the backdrop of the Islamic State's most recent high-profile execution, the burning alive of a Jordanian pilot who was part of the American-led coalition against the Sunni militancy."
The Boston Globe profiles Carter: "The truism about Carter is that he's the smartest person in the room; the truth is he's probably the smartest one in the building."
Obama would scrap strategies that high earners can use to contribute to Roth retirement accounts, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Dominating the conversation Tuesday, from the AP: "Islamic State group militants burned a captured Jordanian pilot to death in a cage, according to a purported video of the violence released Tuesday. The kingdom, which had vowed a swift and lethal response, executed two al-Qaida prisoners by hanging early Wednesday."
Today in eyebrow-raising FOIAed emails: The Washington Post looks at how Florida socialite Jill Kelley won the affections of top military brass.
CONGRESS: 67th time isn't the charm
The House has approved full repeal of Obamacare again, report Alex Moe and Andrew Rafferty.
Senate Democrats blocked a DHS-funding bill, objecting to add-ons to limit the president's ability to implement his executive orders on immigration.
OFF TO THE RACES: Jeb goes to Detroit
Republican 2016 hopefuls all want to meet with Henry Kissinger, POLITICO reports.
Email we received: Former House Intelligence Committee Chair Mike Rogers "starts a two-day visit today to the Hawkeye state. Rogers is expected to meet with Governor Terry Branstad and leading Iowa elected officials, donors and activists in the leadoff presidential state about his new initiative, Americans for Peace Prosperity and Security, which is aimed at educating, identifying and mobilizing pro-national security voters during the 2016 presidential caucuses and primaries . Rogers is expected to unveil the leaders of the Iowa effort in a Thursday statehouse news conference."
BUSH: The Detroit News: "Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is scheduled to speak in Detroit Wednesday about "restoring the right to rise in America," the first in a series of speeches that will test potential themes for his possible run for president in 2016."
Jeb Bush WILL attend the March 7 Iowa Agriculture Summit, the Des Moines Register reports.
CHRISTIE: The Wall Street Journal's hed: "Christie Checks Swagger as U.K. Trip Ends"
Yet more not-great NJ ratings for Chris Christie: "Christie is not the overwhelming presidential preference of his fellow New Jersey Republicans - 46% say Christie would make the better president while 37% say Bush would be a better fit as Commander-in-Chief."
CRUZ: He admitted that he smoked pot as a teenager.
PAUL: Rand Paul yesterday, from one of us(!): "A day after he spoke about healthy children "who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines," Sen. Rand Paul issued a statement clarifying that he supports vaccines and that he "did not allege causation" between vaccinations and disorders. "I did not say vaccines caused disorders, just that they were temporally related -- I did not allege causation," Paul said. "I support vaccines, I receive them myself and I had all of my children vaccinated.""
And he tweeted a photo of getting a booster shot.
The Washington Post ed board rips Paul and Christie: "Mr. Paul's reporting of anecdotes that he has 'heard' is particularly insidious. Measles was eliminated in the United States by 2000 with widespread use of the vaccine. No presidential candidate should endorse parental "choice" that could reopen the door to an ugly and preventable disease."
ROMNEY: He'll give the commencement speech at St. Anselm College in May.
WALKER: The Journal Sentinel outlines Scott Walker's budget plan: "One year after touting an expected budget surplus, Walker proposed sweeping spending cuts such as ending state funding for highway beautification, and Wisconsin Public Radio and Television; phasing out a long-standing racial integration program for students; and leaving most prison watchtowers vacant at night."
More, from the Wall Street Journal: "Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's 2011 fight with public-sector unions sparked huge protests-and elevated him into a national figure in conservative politics. Now, as he eyes a run for president, he is targeting another group on the public payroll: university professors."
WARREN: Democracy for America has hired four campaign staffers and opened a Manchester office in the hopes of supporting an Elizabeth Warren run.
And around the country...
FLORIDA: "David Rivera's former girlfriend repeatedly told a federal grand jury that the ex-congressman was the mastermind behind a complicated campaign finance scheme that landed her and another in prison," reports the Miami Herald. "Nearly two dozen times, Ana Alliegro says, she testified that Rivera supplied more than $81,000 used in the crime, that he plotted the cover-up and he then helped her twice escape to a getaway in Nicaragua."
Alan Grayson says he might run for Senate, per The Hill.
NORTH CAROLINA: "Once we're done debating whether children should be vaccinated, we can move on to other pressing public health questions, such as whether eateries can force their employees to wash their hands after they use the bathroom. At least one freshman U.S. senator thinks, "nah." Because freedom."
PENNSYLVANIA: The New York Times looks at the Pennsylvania attorney general who's charged with violating secrecy rules.
PROGRAMMING NOTES.
*** Wednesday's "News Nation with Tamron Hall" line-up: Tamron Hall speaks with terror expert and former CIA agent Kevin Strouse regarding ISIS execution of a Jordanian pilot, Minneapolis Star Tribune Columnist Samara Postuma about measles and vaccinating children, Miami trial attorney Michael Grieco about the Aaron Hernandez trial, both Evan Leedy (the college student behind a kick starter) and James Robertson (the Detroit man who walks 21 miles a day to work who the kick starter was for), and actor Jonathan Banks from AMC's new series "Better Call Saul".
*** Wednesday's "Andrea Mitchell Reports" line-up: NBC's Andrea Mitchell interviews CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden, Newsweek contributor and "Panic Virus" author Seth Mnookin, Rep. Adam Schiff, the New York Times' Rod Nordland, NBC's Richard Engel, Ian Williams and Ron Mott, msnbc's Adam Reiss and the Washington Post's Nia Malika Henderson and Jonathan Capehart. |
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A day after he spoke about healthy children "who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines," Sen. Rand Paul issued a statement clarifying that he supports vaccines and that he "did not allege causation" between vaccinations and disorders.
"I did not say vaccines caused disorders, just that they were temporally related -- I did not allege causation," Paul said. "I support vaccines, I receive them myself and I had all of my children vaccinated."
The Kentucky Republican, who is mulling a 2016 presidential bid, said that he received a booster shot on Tuesday for vaccinations he got for a trip to Guatemala last year.
And he tweeted a photo of his trip to the doctor:
Paul told CNBC on Monday that vaccines "are a good thing" but that parents should have "some input" when it comes to decisions about vaccinating their kids.
"I have heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines," he said in the interview.
On Tuesday, possible Republican contenders Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida both expressed strong support for vaccinations.
- Carrie Dann
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| NBC's Mark Murray discusses how the top political debate over the past 24 hours is about vaccines to combat measles -- and not President Obama's budget or funding for the Department of Homeland Security? |
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With a political vaccination debate emerging as a measles outbreak stretches to 14 states, a panel of federal health officials told members of Congress that vaccinations are safe and an important tool for public health policy.
Dr. Ann Schuchat from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned "measles are literally a plane ride away" and when people are not immunized, it "has the chance to spread." All four officials who testified Tuesday dismissed concerns about any link between vaccines and developmental disorders such as autism.
"Vaccines save lives and are the best way for parents to protect their children from vaccine preventable diseases," Schuchat emphasized.
The health directors were testifying at a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing that was scheduled to look into the U.S. public health response to the seasonal flu, but the concerns over the measles took center stage. Officials say a large majority of those who have contracted measles were not vaccinated.
"It's really a slam dunk what the decision should be."
"In addition to understanding why this year's flu vaccine missed so badly and what should be done to protect the public in future years, I hope we can use this platform to educate the public in advance of vaccine development in interest of public health," Chairman Tim Murphy, R-Penn., told the panel.
The vaccination debate rose to the top of the political conversation this week after President Obama weighed in on Sunday. In an interview with NBC's Savannah Guthrie, the president insisted there is "every reason to get vaccinated, but there aren't reasons to not," adding that the science is "pretty indisputable."
That led to a flurry of responses from potential 2016 candidates. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, told reporters while traveling in England that he vaccinates his kids but raised eyebrows when he said the government must decide the balance in allowing parents to have a choice in vaccinating their children.
His office later clarified those comments, saying that Christie "believes vaccines are an important public health protection and with a disease like measles there is no question kids should be vaccinated."
Republican Sen. Rand Paul, told CNBC that vaccinations are a good thing, but should be voluntary because of stories of children developing mental disorders after getting vaccinations. Dr. Ben Carson, called vaccines "extremely important."
Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., before questioning the officials about the risks of vaccinations held up a newspaper and said "this is far too serous of an issue to be treated as a political football." "People still die from measles," she added.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told lawmakers the measles vaccine is "highly effective," saying parents should vaccinate "without a doubt." "It's really a slam dunk what the decision should be," Fauci testified.
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