Hey! Newt and Bill went to Claremont in the SUMMER!
Friday, December 17, 1999
- Bill Bradley and John McCain met in Claremont, New Hampshire to agree on some variation of campaign finance reform. Bradley and McCain have similar interests: They both need a lot of independent votes in New Hampshire's primary on February 1, 2000.
- Under New Hampshire law, someone registered as an independent can go into their polling place, request either a Republican or a Democratic ballot, and vote in that party's primary without losing their "independent" status.
- Both McCain and Bradley are counting heavily on independent voters casting their ballots for one of them. But, because independents haven't historically voted in the same numbers as registered Republicans and registered Democrats, there is a risk that won't be enough independent voters for both.
- This event was mounted solely for the purpose of increasing the number of independent voters participating in the November primary so there are enough of them for Bradley and McCain to split without injuring each other.
- By the way, I was the advance man for the original event between Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich where they shook hands and promised to appoint a commission to study campaign finance. To read my account of this event, go to the Secret Decoder Ring section of Mullings.com by clicking here.
- The made-for-TV event was carried by ABC's Nightline which decided this was newsworthy while the New Hampshire debate between the six GOP contenders a couple of weeks ago was not. Nightline's top guy Ted Koppel, remember, is the guy who made a big deal when he pulled up stakes and left the Republican National Convention in San Diego saying there was nothing newsworthy happening.
- Ted, apparently, considers something newsworthy if it is spelled e-x-c-l-u-s-i-v-e.
- What can you say about Monica Lewinsky testifying in the wiretapping case against Linda Tripp? Will these people ever go away? On her web page promoting handbags and totes Monica writes - this is true - "Keeping busy and creative was the biggest help in getting through a time of high anxiety and difficulty, and I started by learning to knit." Sorry. Milk just shot out of my nose as I was typing that.
- A Wall Street Journal/NBC poll has all the usual horserace stuff, but here was the question which had to send a chill through the Gore for President headquarters: "If the Constitution allowed presidents to be elected to a third term in office, would you consider voting for Bill Clinton in next year's residential election or not? Yes: 32%; No: 64%
- All right. Explain this to me. Y2K is a problem because a number of high tech devices will not recognize the year 2000 as 2000 but, rather 1900, right? So how do you account for the Reuters story yesterday that "Business and governmental agencies are buying satellite phones to ensure smooth communications at the start of the new year." They're afraid a push button telephone WON'T work, but think a satellite phone WILL?
- The Chernobyl nuclear plant may not be ready for Y2K but technology triumphs over all in the good old U.S. of A. The sign on the door of my car wash place: "We will be open on New Year's Day."
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