A post by Matthew Slutsky

A Dream Ticket?

By now we’ve all heard speculation about whether an Obama/Clinton ticket would, in fact, be a winning ticket for Democrats in November. This chatter will only get louder in the days ahead as activists, media, bloggers and others weigh in on what the potential pay-offs would be for such a union.

The arguments that I’ve heard for and against the “dream ticket” are all largely based on political calculations. That is, can Senator Clinton deliver lower-income and women voters to Senator Obama in the general election? Or, with Clinton off the ballot and campaigning on Obama’s behalf, does this not matter because these demographics will likely be reliable Dems in the fall?

While I don’t think anyone can divorce politics completely from the decision making process, I do not believe that, in the end, this will be the primary factor in whom Obama chooses to be his running mate.

In the end, this decision will need to be about trust.

By suggesting this I don’t wish to insinuate that Senator Clinton is not trustworthy. However, after going through this long primary campaign, I can only imagine the bad blood and harsh feelings that may exist between these two individuals. Sure, their policies are similar and they certainly share a desire to get our country back on track. But let’s get real; they have been through a tough fight and it may take a bit of time for wounds to heal.

There is plenty of precedent for primary rivals embracing one another and running successfully on the same ticket. I would have given anything to be in the room as Kennedy and Johnson made their amends and joined forces in 1960. Same thing in 1980 with Reagan and H.W. Bush.

There will be a time in the coming weeks “at a place and time of her choosing” where these two political rivals will have to sit down and talk through their issues.

And, while I have been skeptical of Obama choosing Clinton for some time largely due to the politics of such a decision, no one knows how this discussion will go. Will these rivals decide to agree to disagree? Or, will they put the recent past aside and decide to, as others have before them, establish trust and move forward together in a historic run for the White House in 2008.

A post by Peter Slutsky

Tuesday’s News

Happy last primary day! Keep an eye out for Matthew, who will be on MSNBC between 2:30pm-3:00pm EST today to discuss all things politics!

In other news:

McAuliffe: Clinton Ready To Go [LINK]

Clyburn Gets Off The Fence [LINK]

Governors Supporting Hillary Prepare For Switch To Obama [LINK]

Dick Cheney Is Funny, Kind Of [LINK]

Retiring Clinton’s Debt? [LINK]

TPM: Inspector General: NASA Distorted Climate Data [LINK]

Gallup Poll: Obama Edges McCain Nationally [LINK]

Bill Clinton Is Pissed At Vanity Fair (With Audio) [LINK]

G.M. Closing 4 Plants In Shift From Trucks Toward Cars [LINK]

Wes Clark Floats Obama-Sebelius [LINK]

Climate Change: GOP Not Warming Up [LINK]

Sen. Robert Byrd Hospitalized [LINK]

A post by Joshua Skaroff

155,000 > 135,000

Yesterday John McCain, the self proclaimed expert on Iraq and foreign policy, told an audience in Wisconsin that we “have drawn down to pre-surge levels” in Iraq.

John McCain is wrong.

Before the surge, there were 135,000 US troops in Iraq. Today there are 155,000. Last I checked 155,000 is greater than 135,000. Oops.

A post by Joshua Skaroff

A Liberal Twitter

Just a quick correction regarding Peter’s appearance on MSNBC yesterday afternoon. At 3:12 in the clip, the host quotes a “liberal website” saying “Feeling for Scott McLellan [sic]. Nice getting savaged for saying what everyone knows to be true anyway.”

The so-called liberal website is actually a twitter post from Mike Turk, the Bush-Cheney 2004 eCampaign Director. Damn that liberal media!

A post by Matthew Slutsky

The Primary Is Finally Over!

Well, the Ricky Martin primary is at least. With 3 contests remaining for the Democrats, Ricky Martin has decided to bravely step out on a limb and flex his muscle (political and other) in support of the great Senator from New York, Hillary R. Clinton.

We here at DoubleSpeak have calls into the managers of Menudo to see when and where they will endorse.

Big day for America. Big day for Hillary Clinton.

It is worth noting, however, that Ricky Martin was the headliner for George W. Bush’s inauguration ball in 2001.

Disgraced Sen. Larry Craig

is writing a book that focuses on “the state of politics” in Washington. The book will detail the “arrest turmoil” from the Minnesota bathroom. Here’s the story. Can’t wait to read that one!

A post by Peter Slutsky

Ummmmmm, Huh?

This woman should probably not go on TV anymore.

And the apology. (Note: I wonder if she’ll go into rehab?)

A post by Peter Slutsky

Today’s News

Scott McClellan Speaks Out [LINK]

Rove Calls McClellan A “Left-Wing Blogger” [LINK]

Bush Re-Elect eCampaign Director:”McClellan Savaged For Saying What Everyone Knows To Be True” [LINK]

CNN’s Jessica Yellin Says “Network Execs Killed Critical White House Stories” [LINK]

Murdoch: “I Think Obama Will Win… [LINK]

Rendell Doesn’t Think Clinton Can Win [LINK]

Sen. Coburn Not Happy With Obama [LINK]

NPR: Mich. Democrats Offer Plan To Restore Delegates [LINK]

Media Plays Up DNC “Chaos” This Saturday [LINK]

Delegate Dilemma…Seat Half? [LINK]

Pelosi’s Crystal Ball [LINK]

TIME: Team McCain Ready for Prime Time? [LINK]

A post by Peter Slutsky

More MSNBC…

Look! I’m on the TEEVEES! Enjoy.

A post by Joshua Skaroff

Denial: Not Just a River in Egypt

Former Bush Press Secretary Scott McClellan has a new book out. And let’s just say it’s not exactly friendly to George Bush, Karl Rove, or any of the other knuckleheads who’ve been running our country for most of this century.

Putting aside the much more serious charge that the president and his team purposely mislead the nation into war with a coordinated propaganda campaign, I thought this find was symbolic of everything that is wrong with this administration. Via Jake Tapper:

Writes McClellan: “‘The media won’t let go of these ridiculous cocaine rumors,’ I heard Bush say. ‘You know, the truth is I honestly don’t remember whether I tried it or not. We had some pretty wild parties back in the day, and I just don’t remember.’

“I remember thinking to myself, How can that be? How can someone simply not remember whether or not they used an illegal substance like cocaine? It didn’t make a lot of sense.”

And yet, McClellan concludes, “I think he meant what he said in that conversation about cocaine. It’s the first time when I felt I was witnessing Bush convincing himself to believe something that probably was not true, and that, deep down, he knew was not true. And his reason for doing so is fairly obvious — political convenience…”

I honestly believe in this day and age that drug use, especially in a long gone youth is not a big deal. But deluding yourself into believe that said drug use didn’t even exist is emblematic of a much deeper problem with the truth. Something our president clearly isn’t a fan of.