Instant Clinton, Obama results Tuesday via Ticket Twitter

Ex-President Bill Clinton and wanna-be president Hillary Clinton dress down and take a little time to relax away from the campaign trail, completely comfortable in the knowledge that they will still be fully informed on all political news and primary results through The Ticket.

See how they've been brought together simply by the news that Tuesday's Kentucky and Oregon primary results will be available instantly throughout the evening on The Ticket Twitter.

Yes, just like the ex-president you too can now get The Ticket via Twitter. For existing Twitterers, go to http://twitter.com/latimestot

Click Follow. Enroll there for alerts on every new Ticket item AND our instant, breaking-news election results starting tomorrow. It's all free, of course.

For about-to-be Twitter folks, think of it as text message headlines to any mobile device. Go here to enroll (also free). Click on Join, not surprisingly.

And join.

Once again, on the election day and all the ones still to come until the Bitter End when they pull the microphone from the cold hand of one of them, we're going to have election result updates all evening for our Twitter subscribers. Plus, of course, notice of each regular Ticket posting.

-- Andrew Malcolm 

Obama and the cross: A double standard?

Much conversation this Sunday morning on the talk shows about the flyer that Barack Obama is distributing in Kentucky about the role of his Christian faith in his life.

Here's a look at the flyer (in which, blogs David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network, the Obama campaign "goes for the in-your-face cross") ...

Biden, Webb, Huckabee: The veepstakes heat up on the Sunday shows

There's been a lot of talk about a "dream ticket" of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton -- but just in case that doesn't work out, two potential vice presidential candidates, Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Jim Webb, took to the airwaves Sunday and were asked about their prospects for being the Democrats' #2. (Both senators, it should be pointed out, have kept their options open by refusing to endorse either Obama or Clinton.)

On ABC's "This Week," host George Stephanopoulos quoted from a column in the Des Moines Register touting Biden, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as a running mate. "He has grit and gravitas," political reporter David Yepsen wrote last month. "He's not rich. He's not known as a womanizer. He would appeal to white men, who despite all the chatter about women, minorities and young voters, are a constituency Democrats need to do more to attract."

But just as potential running mates are supposed to do, ...

Mike Huckabee removes foot from mouth

Mike Huckabee used his appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday to reiterate his regret for a comment he made while speaking to the National Rifle Assn. convention two days before.

You'll recall, of course, that Huckabee's quick quips on the campaign trail enlivened his run for the GOP presidential nomination. On Friday, after hearing a chair fall over backstage during his speech, Huckabee "joked" that the loud banging sound was Sen. Barack Obama tripping over a chair after "somebody aimed a gun at him and ... he dove for the floor."

It was quickly pointed out that a remark about an attempted assassination of the Democratic presidential front-runner wasn't very smart -- or amusing -- and the former Arkansas governor just as quickly posted an apology on his blog. On Sunday, he went further:

"It was a dumb, off-the-cuff remark," he told "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert, adding: "And, you know, it wasn't the first dumb thing I've ever said and -- let me go ahead and announce on this program -- it won't be the last dumb thing I've ever said. ... This wasn't funny, I'll be the first to tell you that. Shouldn't have said it. I apologize. I don't know what else I can do."

-- Leslie Hoffecker

Are U.S. senators letting the country's lobbyists down?

Before we get into all the deep political discussions and spun talking points on all the talk shows on this serious Sunday morning, here's a thoughtful new video that explores a pressing issue that has been bothering more and more people who follow events in the nation's capital.

The burning issue is: Are legislators letting lobbyists down by not delivering on their paid promises?

It's an important point because corporations spend hundreds of millions of dollars to buy influence and obtain legislation favorable to them or their industry. And if the legislators are letting them down, maybe the country needs some new legislators.

--Andrew Malcolm

John McCain tries his hand at satire on "Saturday Night Live"

Starring in two short skits on the season finale of "Saturday Night Live," John McCain reeled off a series of one-liners that generally earned little more than mild chuckles.

But it's a good bet he and his staff could not be more pleased with the exposure he got -- especially the chance to use humor to try to defuse one of the big questions shadowing his presidential candidacy.

That issue would be his age -- if he wins in November, at 72 he would be the oldest person ever to begin a first term in the White House. And McCain, well known for his vigor, played off that inescapable fact at the very start of a mock address to the nation he delivered about 30 minutes into the show.

What voters should be looking for in a president, he intoned, is someone who is "very, very, very old."

Later in the bit, the presumptive Republican nominee referred to his "great, great, great grandchildren," the youngest of whom, he added, are "nearing retirement." And, in his best deadpan, he asserted he has the "oldness" necessary to be an effective chief executive.

Polls have shown a larger percentage of voters say age -- rather than race or gender -- could cause them to turn against a candidate. So confronting the matter head on, and poking fun at it, may well be in McCain's best interests.

In the same skit, he caricatured ... 

For Barack Obama fans only; nobody else allowed, especially Clinton voters

To be sure, the ultimate purpose of the new website is ultimately to sell a book that won't be published for a few months -- "Barack Obama Is Your New Bicycle."

But for a few months we can overlook the upcoming commercial aspect. And go here for dozens upon dozens of sayings about your guy, Sen. Barack Obama.

Yes, many of them are quizzical -- "Barack Obama parsed your error," "Barack Obama warmed up your car for you," "Barack Obama followed you on Twitter."

But that's what makes it mild fun to browse through by just clicking on the screen.

Or, if you're a fan of Sen. Hillary Clinton, and sneaked into this item despite the warning at the top, you cannot do it. Just click here or on her name here and see a whole bunch of other articles about her.

-- Andrew Malcolm

The political impact of Kennedy's seizure: Obama, Clinton and McCain

As most probably know by now, Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy was rushed to the hospital earlier today after suffering what was described as a seizure.

Recent tabloid photos of the 76-year-old well-respected, liberal lion showed him to be grossly overweight, so that can't help his condition as doctors diagnose what's wrong.

But The Ticket isn't a medical blog. It's a politics blog. So what's the political effect? First, his illness and a presumed recovery will keep Kennedy sidelined from the campaign trail on Obama's behalf, although other than publicity that hasn't seemed to prove all that helpful anyway.

Despite the slim Democratic majority in the Senate, probably not much effect there. Even if a replacement senator had to be named by the governor, he's a Democrat too. So the party seat balance won't change.

Inside the Senate, Kennedy is well-respected as a hardworking, effective legislator, who can deal with all sides, as he did, for instance, with President Bush on compromise education legislation.

Outside the Senate, the influence of the veteran senator, who overcame the Chappaquiddick scandal, seems to have waned as a vote generator. Despite lingering affection for his famous Democratic family name and....

Fred Thompson reemerges to play an opinion writer

Hey, remember that tall Tennessee guy who played a presidential candidate last year? He looked kind of like a president or an admiral or district attorney. Anyway, somebody who carries a lot of authority on his stooped shoulders and a lot of heavy thoughts that take awhile to come out.

What was his name? He was going to play the next Ronald Reagan for the nation and Republican Party as a kind of wise Southern grandpa, even though he just became a father again in real life not too long ago.

He had a few good lines in the debates. He was the only Republican presidential candidate who dared to propose a detailed Social Security rescue plan.

Oh, what was it? Thompson. That's it! Not Tommy. The other one. Fred.

His presidential show kind of flopped. Well, not only did he sign with a talent agency, which means we may be seeing him on the TiVo one of these days. But he's back writing opinion pieces. On Townhall.com.

Just put his first one up. Kind of heavy on the "nation must preserve its conservative ideals" stuff. And light on the details. Although he does take a shot at a person or persons who do a lot of talking about "change," "bold change" or "change we can believe in." He's just saying.

This new job could mean he's going to stick around to have a say in public affairs too.

Not a bad thing to have some physically healthy senior Republican statesmen around, thinking deep thoughts, ready to re-lead the opposition party if the much-talked-about political slaughter of the GOP really occurs come Nov. 4.

He won't be close to the implosion. Unless, of course, his good friend from Arizona talks him out of his reluctance to play a vice presidential candidate.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Known for his wit, Mike Huckabee shows none in NRA 'joke'

Mike Huckabee unquestionably has a feel for the artful quip and the smart ad-lib that is rare among politicians -- it's what helped fuel his surprise rise early in the Republican presidential race (recall his response to a "what would Jesus do" question during a debate late last year).

But just as clearly, there were moments as the campaign wore on when his attempts at humor seemed strained -- a forced effort to live up to his reputation. And occasionally he displayed bad taste, pure and simple. We recall his effort, last summer, to impress Iowans with his political successes in Arkansas by saying, "A Republican in my state feels about as out of place as Michael Vick at the Westminster dog show."

Few laughed at his reference to the horrific dog abuse charges that landed the Atlanta Falcons quarterback in jail.

That side of Huckabee surfaced again Friday when a loud noise sounded during his speech to a National Rifle Assn. gathering in Kentucky. "That was Barack Obama," Huckabee said (as you can see and hear for yourself below). "He just tripped off a chair. He was getting ready to speak. Somebody aimed a gun at him and he ... he dove for the floor."

Setting aside the lack of anything approaching a punch line in the remark, it obviously was uncalled for, as Huckabee realized. Not long after he left the convention stage, he issued a statement saying, in part, "I made an offhand remark that was in no way intended to offend or disparage Sen. Obama. I apologize that my comments were offensive. That was never my intention."

To his credit, Huckabee did not try to couch the apology by saying "if" the comments were considered insulting. Still, it was not a well-timed stumble for a fellow widely viewed as a strong contender for the vice presidential spot on John McCain's ticket.

-- Don Frederick

Ticket Notice: Sunday Talk Show Guests

As promised, here's The Ticket's Sunday morning TV guest list, posted every Saturday at noon Pacific time.

ABC's "This Week": Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), and a round table with the New York Times Magazine's Matt Bai, the Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonan, Democratic strategist Donna Brazile and George Will.

Bloomberg's "Political Capital With Al Hunt": Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va).

CBS' "Face the Nation": Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, Republican Strategist Ed Rollins, former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo and former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer.

CNN's "Late Edition": Carlos Gutierrez, U.S. Commerce secretary; Trent Lott, McCain supporter and former U.S. senator; and CNN's John King, Jessica Yellin and Dana Bash.

C-SPAN's "Newsmakers": Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) will be interviewed by the Dallas Morning News' Todd Gillman and Politico's Martin Kady.

"Fox News Sunday": Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Republican whip and McCain surrogate; Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.); Karl Rove, former White House senior adviser and Fox News contributor; Big Brown's trainer, Rick Dutrow Jr., Power Player of the Week; and a panel with Brit Hume, Washington managing editor of Fox News; Mara Liasson, National Public Radio and Fox News; Bill Kristol, the Weekly Standard and Fox News; and Juan Williams, National Public Radio and Fox News.

MSNBC's "Chris Matthews Show": Andrew Sullivan of the Atlantic; Gloria Borger of CNN; Clarence Page of the Chicago Tribune; and Norah O'Donnell, chief Washington correspondent, MSNBC.

MSNBC's "Tim Russert": Ted Sorensen, author of "Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History," and Doris Kearns Goodwin, presidential historian.

NBC's "Meet the Press": Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and a round table with former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. (D-Tenn.), Mike Huckabee, Republican strategist Mike Murphy and Democratic strategist Bob Shrum.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo: Al Hunt. Credit: Bloomberg News