For Obama, Clinton, McCain, Palin, '08 seems a bit longer

In some ways, this year has seemed unusually long. And we weren't even running for any office.

Fact is, that's exactly right. As with every presidential election year, 2008 was a leap year. So we got an extra entire day on Feb. 29.

But additionally because of the Earth's rotation and minor adjustments needed for precise timekeeping equipment every few years, 2008 will be one entire extra second longer. A little bit longer for Barack Obama to remain president-elect before his Jan. 20 inauguration.

You might not feel it until Thursday morning. When it'll hit your head hard. But surely we'll all notice the countdown tonight just before midnight:

10....9....8....7....6....5....4....3....2....1....1....0

See the video below. More time for Ticket reading.

--Andrew Malcolm

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Already 2009 in The Ticket's world of Barack, Michelle, Hillary, Sarah, Newt

10....9....8....7....

It might seem a tad early here in the predawn darkness of the Pacific time zone on New Years Eve day. But it's already time for us to start wishing loyal Ticket readers around the world a Happy New Year.

To our absolute delight, the Ticket's audience has mushroomed internationally in recent months, as folks way, way beyond the lower 48, the distant islands where the new president hangs out and Sarah Palin country up north tune into the American political scene.

We're delighted you chose our online window to peek through.

6....5....4....

These have been momentous months for American history with thousands of Ticket items telling the stories of the 2007-08 presidential campaign. Now, we start a brand-new year. And the political stories of a brand-new Congress and administration. And, believe it or not, the start of the next election season.

It's only 36 months until the 2012 Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire voting; 22 months to the 2010 midterm elections, including the California governor and Senate votes; 20 days until a historic inauguration; and 144 hours until the new Congressional session starts.

There will be much, much more to write about in coming hours, days, weeks and months. And we're so happy that so many millions of you have tuned in.

3....2....1....

So, without further ado, in one minute, we wish happy 2009 to our loyal Ticket readers in New Zealand, and 120 minutes later to those in Australia. And in 60 minutes the same wish goes to Japan. And then onward around the globe through our readership in India and Iran, and then to U.S. troops in Iraq, to our friends in Italy, France and the U.K. And to one of our latest subscribers in the Canary Islands. And to both of you Newfies out there.

Plus, happy New Year to all of the U.S.-Canadian time zones from Halifax to Nome and Waikiki.

This is going to be a fascinating political year. We look forward to making the journey together.

A very happy and healthy New Year to all!

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo credit: 2009 New Year's Baby / The Father

Inside Blagojevich's bold, brash &*%$^# pick to replace Obama

There's something weirdly fascinating about professional wrestling. Not that we've ever watched it ourselves, mind you. But a, uh, friend tells us that you know someone is gonna get thrown out of the ring onto the fragile tables sitting over there and you know that guy's gonna struggle to get up and then grab a folding chair to swing back into the ring.

Neither contestant apparently watched last week's match because one of them still walks into the other's elbow. And when the elbow guy starts arguing with the referee, he doesn't think to look behind for the folding chair coming down to bloody his head.

It's a lot like watching Illinois politics. We too should have seen this latest move coming. Gov. Rod Blagojevich's brazen, bold blitz of naming Roland Burris to fill the vacant Barack Obama Senate seat is at once a brilliant and cunning and cynical political move.

In the last hour before the announcement, Senate Democrats, including Illinois' Dick Durbin, realized they'd been outfoxed, hastily conferred by phone and tried to duck by desperately announcing they weren't gonna seat Blagojevich's pick anyway.

A vacationing Obama, who's got nothing to do with it anymore and once vowed to stay out of picking his successor, sent word anyway from Hawaii that he sides with Durbin against Blagojevich, whom he helped elect in 2002.

Too late.

The governor said the other day he was going to fight, fight, fight his case to his last dying breath.

So Sunday night he calls up the wily, old, not always successful Burris who's always dreamed of an office higher than state comptroller or attorney general, both of which he held. The son of a railway worker, Burris is a Howard University Law School graduate who as a teenager helped integrate a local swimming pool.

Never lacking in confidence, Burris even hopelessly challenged current Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley back in the 1990s. Burris has state political experience going back to the '60s. He was the first black person elected to statewide office in Illinois and did it as a native of southern Illinois, parts of which culturally and geographically are farther south than Richmond, the one-time Confederate capitol.

Burris has been party loyal. He's been beaten often, though not bowed, by other Democrats -- Paul Simon in 1984 to win Chuck Percy's Senate seat -- including Blagojevich in 2002. The 2002 race was the third straight Democratic gubernatorial primary that Burris lost. (See Burris and Blagojevich speak for themselves in the videos below.)

But he came around to support good old Rod in that general election and the 2006 reelection, as did both Obama and his new chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. Unlike, say, Caroline Kennedy,....

Updated: Terry McAuliffe gears up to buy the Virginia governor's office

(UPDATE: After a two-month tour of Virginia, Terry was so excited about 10 more months of touring Virginia that he couldn't wait until Jan. 7 to announce his prefabricated decision to run for governor of the commonwealth. So he did it on Jan. 3 instead.)

Here's the bad news for Virginia Republicans, who once ruled the commonwealth politically: There are no limits whatsoever on how much a person or union, say, can give to any one candidate.

Here's the good news for Virginia Republicans: Terry McAuliffe, the ex-chair of the Democratic National Committee, the political powerhouse, is probably running for governor there.

Now, if Terry the Tiger's candidacy is good news for the GOP, that tells you how bad things are. The Washington Post had a fascinating examination of  McAuliffe's cannonball into the political pond of Virginia.

Now that he's done raising gazillions of millions for both Bill and Hillary Clinton, who lost anyway, McAuliffe is doing a fair bit of money-vacuuming now on his own. Without hardly trying, he's already cornered the support of the state's billionaire Randal J. Kirk, who's given, oh, say, about $660,000 to Gov. Tim Kaine just in the last 36 months.

In the last 18 years, McAuliffe has raised nearly $940 million between the Clintons and the DNC. That's even more than the magic new guy. But, of course, he did it in a much shorter time and is busy changing the way things are done next door in Washington as soon as he's inaugurated Jan. 20.

Speaking of time, McAuliffe says he'll announce on Jan. 7 what his plans are. Gee, whaddya think?

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo credit: Associated Press

Ticket Replay: Obama and Blagojevich: No strangers in a dark, ruthless world

This holiday week we are from time to time republishing some of our favorite Ticket items from this past political season. This one on the inbred political relationships in Illinois Democratic operations, originally appeared in this space on Dec. 11, 2008.

(UPDATE: Today, Dec. 30, 2008, Gov. Blagojevich moved in a bold political foray to nominate former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to the vacant Obama Senate seat. Before the announcement Senate leaders announced they would not accept any Blagojevich pick. But the selection of a 71-year-old politicallly-experienced African American could create problems for Majority Leader Harry Reid. More breaking details here. Now, the Replay:

First of all, we need to crush a rumor floating around.

Illinois' legally-embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich did not offer the vacant Barack Obama Senate seat to the FBI agent handcuffing him.

However, given the compelling courtroom nature of wiretap audios, especially ones as brazenly specific as those the feds allege they have of Blagojevich discussing the sale of his nomination to that seat, Obama recognized the inevitable Wednesday and called on his state's governor to resign. (Notice, he did so through a spokesman's statement, providing no scandal-dominated Obama video for endless looping on news channels.)

This morning, Obama would really prefer to be back talking about forming his new White House administration instead of about disassembling one of a state political ally. He and Blagojevich are no strangers.

As a state senator, Obama and the governor had a mutual fundraiser, Antoin "Tony" Rezko, now convicted on federal charges. Obama advised the governor's first campaign in 2002, endorsed him then and in 2006 and campaigned for him two years ago. That's what you do in Illinois politics, despite the persistent rumors of gubernatorial shadiness for years.

Fifty Democratic senators in Washington also signed a letter Wednesday calling for the governor's resignation and raising the threat of not seating anyone he might name under the current cloud.

Fact is, the Harry Reid-led Democrats did this to create some political public relations distance from an embarrassing corruption case, not because they think that a Chicago politician would heed their urging any more than he would advice from the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Politics can be tough and hardball anywhere, as Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin knows from her successful struggles against a corrupt Republican establishment there. But none are tougher than ...

Ticket Replay: Obama praises radio host who calls McCain 'warmonger'

From time to time this holiday week The Ticket is republishing our favorite items from the past political season. This one, which originally appeared in this space on April 5, 2008, carries a particular irony since it refers to McCain's adamant denunciation of one of his rally speakers using Barack Obama's middle name of "Hussein" repeatedly to warm up the crowd.

(Back in April that was considered name-calling. Here we are in December and the president-elect has chosen to use all three of his names when taking the oath of office on Jan. 20.)

For the second time in several days a liberal radio talk-show host has ignited a firestorm of political criticism by calling another candidate names. This time it was Ed Schultz, who calls himself "progressive," speaking before Illinois Sen. Barack Obama at a Democratic state party event in North Dakota on Friday night and calling Republican Sen. John McCain a "warmonger."

The McCain camp immediately called on Obama personally to denounce Schultz and the reference, as McCain did after a similar incident in Ohio in late February.

Saturday in Arizona, McCain, a decorated former POW who has spoken often of the horrors of war, said, "I would hope that, in keeping with his commitment, that Senator Obama would condemn such language, since it was part of his campaign."

A few weeks ago when a Cincinnati radio talk-show host, Bill Cunningham, aroused a large Republican rally by continually referring to the Democratic presidential candidate as Barack Hussein Obama,....

Barack Obama's golf score N/A; but the course crowd gives him a 10

President-elect Barack Obama obviously chafes under the constant gaze of the "protective pool," the gaggle of media representatives allowed to follow his every move almost everywhere just in case, well, you can guess.

The other day after a representative told reporters Obama was back in his Hawaii vacation home for the day, reporters dispersed. Soon after, so did the president-elect and his daughters to a marine park.

It's, frankly, not the greatest duty for media folks either. You can spend seven hours waiting in a hot van outside a house party and never see anything the officeholder is doing. Nothing to show for a day's "work." Some of these public officials send food and drinks out; some don't. Some will pause to feed the pool a sound bite. Over time, the public officials learn that, even when on one last R&R before an inauguration, good press can come from letting the media see them candidly in interaction with citizens.

Here's an example from Monday's protective pool report of Obama's third round of vacation golf, when he unexpectedly took some time off from his time off:

"At 5:37 p.m. the pool could see Obama get out of his golf cart and approach his ball located in the middle of the fairway on the 414 yard, par 4, 18th hole.  He took three practice swings before centering the ball and hitting a shot that flew low and straight for about 75 yards before landing at the front, center-edge of the green. 

"More than 100 people sitting on a rock wall along the fairway applauded as Obama approached and he put his gloved right hand to his mouth to signal for quiet, pointing to another member of his group who was getting ready to shoot. As he got close to his ball, (Obama) turned to the crowd and said, 'Hey guys. That was pretty good right?  That almost made up for my 20 yard drive.'

That drew applause and laughter and prompted one member of the crowd to shout, 'Better than your bowling.'

"Obama replied, 'That’s right,' and smiled and laughed before turning back to walk toward the green to size up his putt. Obama lined up his putt then tapped the ball about a dozen feet before it stopped within a foot of the cup. The crowd applauded and Obama turned to them, put his hand above the bill of his baseball cap, and bowed.

"He then approached the crowd, flanked by Secret Service agents and started to shake hands and exchange greetings at the end of the wall farthest from the cup. As he reached the middle of the rock wall, a young girl wearing a white T-shirt took his right hand. “Hey there, how are you?” Obama asked.

"As he turned to keep moving, the little girl refused to let go of his right hand, prompting the President-elect to pick her up and give her a hug while her mother snapped a picture. “Thank you so much,” the girl’s mother said.

"One couple mentioned they were from Michigan. 'You guys from Michigan?' Obama asked.

"As he worked the line, shaking hands and smiling, one woman said, 'We’re so glad you won, now we don’t have too move to Canada. We love you.'

"'Thanks so much guys,' said Obama.

"As he got to the last batch of fans sitting on the end of the rock wall closest to the cup, a man handed Obama a copy of his book, 'Dreams of my Father' and asked for an autograph. Obama took the book and glanced down the line of people and said, 'You see all these people? If they see me signing, I’ll be late for my wife and then I’ll be in trouble.'

"Obama signed the book and handed it back to the man.

"Obama gave the crowd one final wave and then walked off the green toward his black SUV. --Peter Boylan, The Honolulu Advertiser."

--Andrew Malcolm

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Photo credit: HawaiiPanorama

Bristol Palin's baby makes Sarah Palin a grandma. And he's a Republican

Sarah Palin's oldest daughter, Bristol, has had a baby boy -- 7 pounds 7 ounces.

His name weighs in at only 4 pounds -- Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston.

"The baby is fine. Bristol is doing well. And everyone is excited," a relative told People magazine, which said the birth occurred Saturday.

Bristol, who is 18, and her longtime boyfriend, Levi Johnston, plan to marry in 2009, the family has said. He is an apprentice electrician and she is finishing high school.

The pregnancy of the Palins' daughter as her mother was about to accept the GOP vice presidential nomination shocked a lot of people during the Republican National Convention. (See news video below.)

But instead of moral rejection, the conservative crowd seemed to see the situation as a familiar family one and embraced the mother of five enthusiastically, especially after her electrifying acceptance speech.

Word came this weekend that a new USA Today-Gallup Poll found that the 44-year-old Palin, a mother of five, is the nation's second-most-admired woman, behind only Hillary Clinton and ahead of someone named Oprah Winfrey.

In Alaska, a Palin spokesman said the grandma governor was focused on state business and would have no public comment on her offspring's offspring.

Oh, photo rights have been won at auction by People, with experts estimating the price at $300,000, up sharply since Levi's mom was arrested on a recent drug charge.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photo credit: Susan Walsh / Associated Press

Ticket Replay: Change we can't believe in: Obama and Larry Craig on same ticket

The Ticket is republishing some favorite items during these next few days. Here's an amusing one originally published here back on July 28, 2008:

Here's how Republican Idaho is:

In 1992, Bill Clinton came within 1 percentage point of finishing third there in the general election behind President George H.W. Bush and Ross Perot.

So it was surprising to many during this past primary season when Sen. Barack Obama invested an unusual amount of time for a Democrat in the scenic potato state.

Now, an even bigger surprise: According to a new political button just unveiled, Obama is running on the same political ticket as Republican Sen. Larry Craig, who had that embarrassing toe-tapping to-do in the  summer of 2007 in the men's room of the Minneapolis Airport.

No, really!

As you can see from the photo, Obama and Craig are shown shoulder-to-shoulder on the button, which has become an instant classic collector's item.

It is, of course, a mistake. A hilarious one. After announcing his retirement and then unannouncing it to finish his six-year term, Craig is not running for anything this fall.

Instead, Lt. Gov. Jim Risch is representing the GOP in the U.S. Senate race against Democrat Larry LaRocco, whose photo was supposed to be on the button next to Obama. Risch and LaRocco are longtime Idaho political foes, having faced each other twice for state Senate and lieutenant governor, with Risch winning both times.

The button company, Tigereye Design out of Ohio, simply picked the wrong Idaho Larry from the photo file. After selling a few buttons to some sharp-eyed collectors, the incorrect button sale was halted.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Another %$#@&*\ Ticket Replay: How the media handles Blagojevich's $#&*/=@ language

For the next several days The Ticket is republishing from time to time some of our favorite items from recent months and weeks. This one appeared here originally on Dec. 12, 2008:

One of the offbeat yet interesting aspects of the fascinating political criminal drama playing out in Chicago nowadays is the incredibly obtuse way the political media feels it must handle the issue of crude language.

Swearing is not confined to politics, of course. But it fits perfectly there. It seems that in the FBI wiretaps of Illinois Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the state's chief executive is heard saying some pretty strong things about many people, including that x#&#!=/er President-elect Barack Obama and his whole >##$*)-+ing team.

Yes, sure, Blagojevich is a steelworkers son who grew up on Chicago's rugged North Side. But that's not the only place in the country some people with limited $#&*/=@ vocabularies put $#&*/=@ in front of almost every $#&*/=@ noun. They also say =0&^,<+{ after every *c7@#=] Cubs loss and they shout "Hot $@#=!" after each Bears victory, like last night's OT win.

As if folks on Obama's beloved $#&*@ South Side don't say ~~`%$#&^ when the Sox get swept again in the XX;{\*{- playoffs by those d;\;;#@ in Florida.

If some guy shouts "U-o%$#@-!" at a candidate's rally, print reporters can't write "U-o%$#@-!"

They must type something like, "He shouted an eight-letter barnyard epithet." Even then some wussy $#&*/=@ editor will likely delete that. How $#&*/=@ quaint!

Now, these fg9##$6_+ television reporters have another #g\g';[0 problem. They can't substitute stupid symbols for bad words on-air. They have to use one of those %%&*^/+@  bleeps.

U.S. Atty. Patrick Fitzgerald (top photo), who is one tough @s#-of-a-$%=/(, kept saying "bleeping" as he read some of the @3$&*- governor's alleged bleeping wiretapped language.

Like Fitzgerald never shouted, "$#&*!" when an accused got off $#&*/=-free.

Who are we $#&*/=@ kidding here? You know =)&%9\ well what every one of these $#&*/=@ euphemisms means. Even if we mix up the symbols in each &#$-*@/ phrase, you can @/-$&#* figure it out.

Same on the (bleeping) TV bleeps. It's a royal pain in the bleeping %$*. We don't even allow )%-$ in the Comments section here because that would be $#&*/=@ rude.

And anyone who doesn't $#&*/=@ like that, can go bleeping bleep. Now watch the $#&*/=@ video below here. It's (bleeping) hilarious.   

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photos: Associated Press

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