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

[ruthinking]

I caught Carville's comments, and was struck by his shifty eyes at the end; he was reluctant to look even the camera in the "eye." He is a man of ulterior motives -- wants HRC to run in 2012, not to mention he must be wondering if he can keep getting "work."

[baxtersbrother4]

Completely agree with that. He "LOVES" the Clintons.

[Newspaperbrat]

Hear, hear! Carville is a national embarrassment who literally poses as an iconic democratic strategist in the day and sleeps with the enemy at night. He is, sadly, a corrupt political hit man who squandered his talent and reputation long ago. A sad legacy for the ole Ragin' Cajun -now simply an embarrassment destined to become a very small footnote, if any, in the history of early 21st Century American political history.

[judesuper]

Another has been with an opinion. Who cares.

[libbygirl]

If Carville is a Democratic strategist, he needs to find another job. He is doing nothing to help the Democrats. I'm sure if Hillary was running instead of Obama he would be fighting like hell for her. I think he's just miffed that he has no importance in the Obama campaign. His "attack-dog" status has been lowered to barely a nip.

[jsinclair]

I think its more accurate to say he's a CLINTON strategist. But, with his politics and personal ambition (and loathsome wife so deeply embedded with the sleaziest elements of the GOP)...I wouldn't be surprised if he's actually advising McCain.

I wish someone would ask him. But, it's CNN, so they're happy to keep up the fiction that he's really a Democrxat.

[rzan1]

You only need to see Carville and his wife together to see who is the dominant person in that marriage. Carville, as far as I am concerned, sold out long ago. He doesn't have a clue.

[skaterdon66]

What's worse? Carville stating how he felt about last night? Or Biden saying our man is not ready to be Prez....?

[cariintexas]

What's WORSE is Romney looking at Mc Cain { debate at Reagan Library} and saying you're lying about me and my campaign. Or the Pig comment.

[Gettreal]

Carville by a mile. He's in the position of so-called analysis, and he's there because he's supposed to be a Democrat. Biden said that in a fight for the nomination, and obviously, you use whatever will trip up your opponent so that you can win. Your question is naive and silly. Getting nasty and acting completely without integrity is obviously a no-no...fo­r people with integrity. But using something as obvious as 'not ready' for a 1st-term Senator is not exactly over-the-top nastiness. Obama is ready, and his smooth campaign has more than proven that. But Biden's comments at that time were reasonable for a nomination fight.

Now, for Bubba to refuse to say that Obama is ready to be Prez...a few weeks ago, now that's a different story. Obama should spit in his face at the first opportunity.

[mivogo]

Talk about the wolf in the henhouse. Get Carville out of there, and let him take the Clintons with him--they obviously licking their chops about 2012 and want Obama to lose. Wake up!

[skaterdon66]

How soon you forget mivogo...w­here were you in 92??

[mivogo]

Voting for Clinton. It's Obama's turn--Hillary lost. Get on board, or get off the train!

[lezlie]

this ain't '92, baby! come into the 21st century!

[laire]

I voted for Clinton in 92 and 96 and it was a good vote and he was good president. However, lets look at how he won he won because of Ross perot who got 19% which is the largest third party candidate ever. Clinton did not win the white male vote he got less then 50% of the vote etc. In 96 Bill beat Bob Dole a man with one working arm who was falling off of stages. So let's not act as if Carville was so great at campaigning. The very fact that Obama with a different name and background his black is even here shows alot. David Axlerod should get alot of credit who also got Deval Patrick only the second Black person to be elected gov. in the United States says he knows what his doing.

[soundfury]

Carville did more damage than wolfie last night. But then wolfie invited him to be on that panel and he knew that Car ville would deliver, so wolfie is the real snake.

[DCtrain]

Good point... Wolfe has really shown himself to be a divissive character.­. During the primaries, you would think that he was on the C l i n t o n payroll (anyone check that out?). Wolfie is a wolf in sheeps clothing..­. but the problem is that the we're seeing clearly through the clothing now.

[Fremon]

We forget that Wolfie is originally with the Jeruselem Post and reported from there for years. His true motivations are for what benefits Isreal and not the US. Right about him being a wolf is sheeps clothing. He is not fair and balanced. Did you like one of his recent CNN shows that showed Obama's half brother. The showing , in my opinion, was to show a real black associated with Obama and what that might engender. Will be see McCains very dark adopted daughter on the stage or will it be all blond? McCain was ruthlessly savaged by the Bushies who said he fathered a black daughter. I wonder how this will show up on one of Wolfie's shows. Cafferty is the only one to listen to on his show. I wonder what he thinks of Wolfie? Not much I bet.

[JFaye]

Increasingly, while endeavoring to listen to the pundits, it is becoming clear many of them are out of touch with this new generation of Democrats. If last night had been more about McCain and garbled negativity, they would have lost me and I'm not a registered Democrat. Instead, it was a welcoming of sorts to a Party that embodies intelligence, warmth, passion and ideals.

Congratulations DEMS. Carville, bye-bye.

[nutty4tahoe]

Carville needs to turn his attention to his scummy wife and muzzle her. Sorry, Carville, but your credibility and judgment disappeared the day you married her.

[Nikelaus]

James Carville Continues to Run His Mouth for His Own Amusement; Others Actually Affirm Him

[dmkaplan]

James Carville is yesterday's news. He is feverishly partisan to the point of not being objective. And for his information: after savage attacks by the Republicans about how Michelle Obama is some angry leftist, the Democrats HAD to have a positive message about who she really is and how she is more like the rest of us than has been portrayed.
If that bald headed mouth of the South wants vitriol towards McCain and the Republicans, tune in tonight!!

[66rock]

For those who are ripping Begala and Carville, lets be reminded that these are the guys who got the only Democrat Elected in recent memory. They know how to WIN and I thought that's what the object is. Forget the Hillary thing, let's win for a change.

[batspaul]

Why do people believe this? Bill Clinton got elected because he was Bill Clinton, not because of some Carville backwoods magic. It's about the candidate, stupid! James Carville and Paul Begala are not responsible for Bill Clinton's charisma and political gifts, and that's what won that election.

They don't know how to win this time, if they think that opening the Convention with a cavalcade of attack and complaint is the right approach. The attacks and complaints will come, as a necessary part of the campaign. But Obama has come this far and inspired millions of voters promising a change from the politics of fear to the politics of hope.

Carville and Begala are behind the curve. Witness, for instance, their support of the HRC campaign. Autres temps, autres moeurs.

[skaterdon66]

Oh please batspaul..­did you happen to see clinton's convention speech in 1988?
Boring is too kind...the­n Carville came along in 92 and focused all on the economy..
remember..­."it's the economy stupid."

Too bad we're dwelling on how many houses JM has when we should be pounding
the bad economic straits...­Oh well...I'm used to seeing our side blow it !!

[skaterdon66]

66rock has it right..Car­ville was a hero for us in 92 and 96..if Obama loses who's next to go under the bus..I'm afraid the way the polls are looking, we may not get that big a "bounce" coming out of this thing..so let's pull together..­.!!

[Manx]

This is one of those rare times when I agree with Carville. The opening was a non-event except for Kennedy and Michelle Obama. Those video clips were boring, like commercials. I thought I was watching the Academy Awards. Where are the compelling speakers? Where are the fighters? It's the Kerry syndrome all over again...

[Fremon]

They always are!

[DCtrain]

It's hard to agree with Gollum, much less look at him

[66rock]

Okay, I understand why last night was what it was but Carville is so right on this.

If we want to win, and we need to, this convention had better get to the meat of the huge problems our country has after 8 years of Bush and How the Democratic platform addresses those problems or we will lose this election, again.

For those that call down Carville and Begala, these are the two guys who got the only Democrate elected in ages so listen to them, they know how to win, whether you like them or not, they know their stuff so don't write them off.

[amiee41]

OK, I understand Carville not liking last night, but, he should understand by now that this isn't the Clinton campaign. The tactics he may want to use will lose the young voters that they want. They want him to fight, but in a more "subtle" way. Why have I not seen ads that depict McCain as a one-note candidate? Why is everything he says or does based on his war experience of 40+ years ago? Why does having survived being a POW give him infinite ability to deal with a new crisis? Why aren't there ads that deal with that? Young people have noted and are aware of his proclivity to base everything on that one aspect of his life. Attack that! Attack, of course, his 7 homes; attack the idea that when questioned by the minister about who he considered or would use as a person who could advise him or have import on his decisions, he named General Petraeus as his main person. Why a military advisor, why not his wife, as Obama said, or a minister whom he revered? Come on Carville, start looking into ideas like these, not instead of attack ads, but as adjuncts to them. Grab the young people who don't want just dirty with imaginative ideas that will get them. Give us, your people a choice.

[flamflurm]

The Kennedys have moral leadership of something? It must be in Vegas or Amsterdam.

[alanposting]

Obviously flamflurm you have never been to Amsterdam, a truly wonderful city, but I'm sure you have been to Vegas.

[w84gdo]

instead of whining about how dems aren't attacking repubs, why doesn't Carville just attack some republicans?

typical clinton supporter, needs someone else to do his dirty work...

[radical1]

YES, like his mean Republican wife who seldom lets him get a word in.

[NoSillyName]

Looks like all the years of the MM brainwashing has finally turned him into a republican like she is.

Or maybe being the clinton's attack dog didn't require him to be a democrat in the first place.