2008 and counting: Edwards hits Clinton on red-state credibility

Democratic presidential candidate and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) is stepping up his attacks on front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (N.Y.) ability to compete in so-called red states, implicitly accusing her of being a drag on the ticket next year.

The Edwards campaign on Thursday announced its “True Blue Majority” initiative, which will start next week and feature events with elected officials from red and battleground states talking about why only Edwards can “ensure that Democrats maintain and expand Democratic majorities in Congress” from the top of the ticket.

“We need a leader who can compete anywhere in America, and win,” former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes said in a statement. “Some pundits say that a Democrat can’t win in some places in the South, Midwest or West. But they’re wrong. The right Democratic presidential nominee — one who shares our values, understands our issues and offers real and bold solutions — can win these states. That candidate is John Edwards.”

The Edwards campaign offered some of its harshest language yet to portray Clinton as damaging to the party as a whole.

Dave “Mudcat” Saunders, a senior adviser to Edwards, said putting Clinton at the top of the ticket would bring heavy losses to congressional Democrats in rural areas, especially in Southern states.

“The campaign can call it ‘True Blue,’ I call it collateral damage,” Saunders told The Hill.

Saunders said most Washington Democrats believe Clinton would hurt congressional Democrats’ reelection chances in red states, but are afraid to say so.

“It’s whispered throughout the Capitol, but nobody wants to shout it out,” Saunders said. “I don’t know why. It’s insane.”

Saunders said in rural America: “You can’t find a Hillary supporter where I live with a search warrant.”

Saunders said Edwards would offer “positive coattails as opposed to toxic coattails” as the party’s nominee.

The Edwards campaign also hit Clinton for scheduling an event called the “Rural Americans for Hillary” lunch in Washington.

“Here’s some news for the Clinton campaign: When folks in rural Iowa talk about the problems with hog lots, they don’t mean parking lots on K Street,” the campaign said in a release.

Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said Clinton is polling better against the GOP candidates than her rivals.

“Here’s the bottom line: If the election were held today, Sen. Clinton would beat all the leading Republicans,” Singer said.

Those criticisms come on the same day senior Clinton adviser Mark Penn told reporters that Clinton could compete more effectively in some Southern states because as a woman she could attract about 24 percent of female Republican voters.

Penn also said that in recent days and weeks, the Clinton campaign has noticed an escalation in attacks from the senator’s rivals.

— Sam Youngman

Penn analyzes GOP field

Mark Penn, senior adviser to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), told reporters Thursday that either former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney or former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani will win the Republican nomination.

“I don’t think the Republicans have any real outstanding stars in terms of their candidates, and I don’t think Republicans think that,” he said.

Penn added: “I think you couldn’t find a more volatile election than the Republican primary.”

Penn said that Clinton stands to play better in some parts of the South than former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani because his, Penn’s, polls show that 24 percent of GOP women would turn out for Clinton. Penn said Giuliani has “no connection” to core GOP voters, and his nomination could fire up a conservative third party.

— Sam Youngman

’08ers back Armenian genocide resolution

While a House resolution recognizing the mass killing of Armenians from 1915 to 1923 by the Ottoman Empire as genocide has attracted widespread attention, its Senate version has garnered little notice.

Three presidential candidates so far are among its 32 co-sponsors: Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), though Brownback is said to be quitting the race Friday. The measure was introduced in March of this year by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.).

Clinton supports the resolution, although her husband’s administration asked then-House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) in 2000 to pull the provision before it came to a House floor vote.

Known for his advocacy against the Sudanese government for its actions in Darfur, Brownback will drop out of the race Friday, according to wire reports.

The Brownback campaign could not be reached for comment.

—Kevin Bogardus

Gov. Bush’s son signs on with Giuliani

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush’s (R) youngest son, Jeb Bush Jr., signed on as co-chairman of Rudy Giuliani’s (R) Florida campaign this week.

The younger Bush told The Hill he signed on with the former New York mayor because he views Giuliani as the most fiscally conservative and most qualified candidate on foreign affairs.

Bush said he talked to his father before joining the campaign, but “it’s a political family,” so it is not unusual for the two to talk politics.

Bush said in his new capacity he’ll be traveling to universities and high schools to get young people involved in the political process. After one day on the job, Bush said he is looking forward to working hard for Giuliani’s campaign.
“They’re keeping me busy; there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

— Sam Youngman