James Carville Rips First Night Of Dem Convention

As the convention wound down to a close Monday evening, the Republican National Committee blasted out video of ex-Clinton strategist James Carville slighting the night's festivities. "If this party has a message," he said on CNN, "it's done a hell of a job hiding it tonight, I promise you that."

Pundits and analysts kicked around similar concerns, wondering whether the convention was too positive and not tough enough on John McCain and the Republicans.

My take: given the coordinated efforts to paint Michelle Obama as the angriest woman in America, the program on her night had to be positive. Not only her speech, but her lead-ins. Thus the love-in. Does anyone think that Hillary Clinton's night won't boast some sharper contrasts?

I emailed strategist and CNN talker Alex Castellanos to get his view. "I think tonight was fine," he wrote. "Tonight was defense, [meant to] fix the problems and open the door to Barack Obama for voters, so that tomorrow night they can start herding the voters through it with sharper attacks."

Castellanos offered another explanation for Monday's positive tone: the Kennedy moment. "It was important because it transferred to Obama the moral leadership of the Democratic Party, which the Kennedys -- not Clinton -- hold."

And it appears the conservative strategist was not totally resistant to Michelle Obama's charms, either, adding that she "may have helped a bit."

Comments

[Bitsko]

He had a good point, possibly for the first time since "It's the economy, stupid." But your opinion got old pretty darn quick, JimBo. Besides, the hasn't been an exciting convention since 1984.

[who38]

Well, James would know about successful messages; his did so well for Hillary. If Obama wins, we may actually be able to go a whole four years without being subjected the the Drag Queen and the Zombie on Sunday morning TV. That's almost worth the vote, right there.

[Postroad]

I had liked James till his wife published the Corsi (the guy who swift boated Kerry) book for a division of Simon and Schuster. While it ok for a wife to think one way and a husband another politically, that she published that pack of lies meant to sink a Democratic candidate seems to me has crossed some sort of line. In sum: she did her husband dirt and he has not the guts to say something in public about it, or her, or Corsi...the book is meant to screw over the Democrats, a party James we are told by him) he loves. Where are his balls?

[who38]

They are both in it for the money. Even Rove has a political goal. As for his balls, Mary wear them on her ear lobes.

[chicagoexpat]

Carville (& Begala & the rest of the Clinton Klan) know they will have more access & more chances to make big lobbying money with a McCain presidency than under Obama

[chicagoexpat]

James Carville should be neutered so his seed will not continue to pollute the planet like he does.

[who38]

Too late, he has already spawned.

[Djackson56]

F/U Jimmy

[mrchippington]

As much as I like James Carville especially for the fact of his brilliant election strategy that got Bill Clinton in the whitehouse. I felt that he croosed the line in his critism of Michelle Obama and the DNC that night. Maybe it wasn't so much what he said but his body language told the entire story. And while I am on that. I want to say that I was and still am a loyal Clinton supporter first for former President Clinton then for Senator Hillary Clinton and maybe one day I'll be supporting Chelsea Clinton on something or office. Anyway when she (Senator Clinton) and Senator Obama were campaigning against each other even here in this state of South Carolina I still supported and voted for Senator Clinton. When she put up a good fight and finally decided end her run and support Senator Obama I still stand behind her. And now she wants us to support and back the next President of our United States of America, Barack Obama and I have done that. And on election day I will cast my ballot for the Democrats Presidential nominee Senator Obama. I am also appealing to other Hillary Clinton supporters to listen and stand behind Senator Obama. When Mrs. Clinton visited our state I went to hear her speak at Benedict Collge. Senator Obama has a great power base with Senator Clinton and will win!

[freedomisabsolute]

Sounds like you'll back any Clinton. How about Roger? Loyalty is good but it cannot be static.

[who38]

Good point.

[OneLiberalLady]

Good for you! You are using your head, as well as your heart, to tell you to do the right thing for America. If the positions were reversed as an Obama supporter I promise you I would have made the same choice (to support clinton). By the way, I can honestly say that I thought her speech last night was terrific and I look forward to her leadership in the party and various Senatorial or other government posts for many years in the future.

[takeamericanback08]

Forgive James because he is PMSing

[cengizfromoc]

Funny thing about Carville.........he was catapulted to "Political Genius" status after Clinton's election in 92. While Clinton was a good president and still is a very capable politician, that election was swung in his favor by the candidacy of H Ross Perot. If Perot was not there to divide conservatives - Bubba never wins that election. While I am glad he won, I am quite certain that he would not have in a head to head race against Bush.

While I like Paul Begala and find him much more palatable than Carville, the two of them together were given too much credit for 92. Bottom line is, Obama is actually the most talented Presidential Candidate that the democratic party has had since JFK.

Furthermore, his criticism of the first night of the convention is transparent and self serving. Really, it is disgusting. Truthfully, somebody who could be married to Mary Matalin, formerly a key staffer to Dick Cheney, is of suspicious character in my book. I would actually agree with him that there has not been enough red meat to this convention so far. To level that criticism after the first night is premature. Anybody with a brain and a discerning eye can see that Carville has ulterior motives.

We Democrats need to cut this guy loose. He has spoken on our behalf for too long. He just is not as smart or capable as he thinks, or as the cable news networks seem to give him credit for.

[westward]

If he wants to do the Democratic party a favor, he should divorce Matalin for editing that hideous swiftboat book on Obama, by Corsi.

[who38]

He was probably the proof-reader.

[Bitsko]

Good one. Folks forget Bill never had a majority.

[heal57]

Could we please get rid of Carville? He's out of touch and so Clintonian he's unable to be a REAL individual without an agenda; just like his wife.


Independent for Obama/Biden '08

[macbabe]

I use to like and respect his opinion, what happened? ..
he's throwing the Dems under the bus for what, because his candidate lost?
Give me a break James!

[Doots]

Does Carville ever have anything to say positive about Obama's campaign. He seems to always be scowling. I don't even know why CNN continues to interview his dour ass.

[cmarmonhalm]

Surpise Surprise ... Clinton surrogate James Carville with something negative to say.

[baxtersbrother4]

Agreed. I have had enough. This is the thing, If you hate Sean Hannity, Do not watch Fox News. If yo u hate Carville, don't watch CNN. See it on C-Span. These jackasses should NOT tell us how to think because obviously they have other motives.

[pachecoben]

If you don't like to see Obama challenged on any front watch MSNBC- They never have anything to say that would provoke thought outside the campaign talking points.

[baxtersbrother4]

Ok. Carville, for that comment is an idiot. The Democratic Establishment had some business that they needed to take care of tonight. The Ted Kennedy thing, along with the Swiftboating of Michelle Obama to address. Nancy Pelosi's comments were more confrontational. I think that we are warming up for the main event tonight, Tomorrow and Thursday. Otherwise, the Democrats are setting themselves up to lose. We needed to inspire before we condemn.

[Coinyer101]

why turn a celebration into a hatefest? cant we celebrate barack's nomination without mentioning mccain? the mention of mccain brings me down...

[vsign]

Early on, Hillary and Bill communicated that Hillary was willing to offer Obama the VP position if voters would vote for her to be President. She had the confidence she could win and would be the best President.

The question was and is - can Obama win? Obama said he would win and Hillary could not. He did not ask for my vote. Obama said that Hillary voters would vote for him but - would his voters vote for Hillary? I call that a good poker player bluffing with superdelegates and voters. He never offered the VP position to Hillary if he won the nomination. Then Obama surrogates and supporters threatened there would be riots in Denver if the leadership of the party and superdelegates did not vote for Obama. His campaign was using a burn-baby-burn approach.

He never asked for my vote! Obama's campaign charged racism with every criticism by voters or the media. He did not leave it up to the voters. He continued to bluff and threaten the superdelegates and the AA community that they had to vote for him.

The question was and is - can Obama win the General against John McCain?

No one else to blame now. No one left to bully. Obama has to stand on his own feet now. It is the American voting public now. What do you BET that Obama is holding a losing hand?

[abluevoice]

NO VSIGN, THE QUESTION IS DO ALL YOU WHINING, SELF INTERESTED , HILLARY SUPPORTERS, WANT FOUR MORE YEARS OF REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION AND INCOMPETENCE?

I DIDN'T KNOW HE HAD TO ASK FOR YOUR VOTE. bUT i GUESS IF YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT WHERE HE STANDS ON THE KEY ISSUES OF THE DAY, THE SAME AS CLINTON ,AND THE OPPOSITE OF McCAIN, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE YOUR FEELINGS HURT BY NOT GETTING ASKED TO VOTE FOR HIM.

STOP LOOKING IN THE MIRROR LONG ENOUGH TO DO SOMETHING GOOD FOR YOUR CCOUNTRY.

[pachecoben]

None of us know anything about his stands because he hasn't made them known. Long on rhetoric and short on specifics-And yes he does have to ask for my vote!

[Cakey4814]

That's the problem; Vsign and Pachecoben are only thinking of themselves; HE HAS TO ASK ME..you are only one vote and Obama and his supporters aren't in the habit of kizzing azzes to receive your support; vote your heart and live with it but please don't think Obama supporters are going to hold your hand and soothe your hurt feelings because your candidate lost. If you don't have enuff sense to go to the Obama site to see what he stands for then by all means vote for McCain but please stop your whining and expecting Huffington bloggers to appease your ego; in other words..GTFU!!

[macbabe]

So you're willing to throw our youth under the bus, all to bring back the draft and back alley coat-hangers... splendid, just splendid. The bible says the world will end in 2012 and I always laughed at that stupidity, but maybe now that's where we are really headed by America's choice... Start living out your "Bucket List" NOW.

[laire]

vsign,

you are living in bazaro world the Obama campaign never charged racism aganist the Clinton's The people in the media and people on the street did that. He doesn't have tell Black people how to vote we are thoughtfull and care about issues and policies and will reward those who care about our issues they way we have with the Clintons. However, once they decided to act like republicans and use dog whistle lanuage that all black people understand to try to win they did themselves in. If Obama loses Black people and white people of goodwill are probably done with the democratic party and we will have to suffer through McCain.