TPMtv: Golden Fleece Award: BMW Direct
The late Sen. William Proxmire saved his Golden Fleece Award for federal government boondoggles but he might have made an exception for GOP direct mail firm BMW Direct -- which takes obscure Republican candidates and turns them into money-making machines for itself ...
High-res version at Veracifier.com.
--Ben Craw
Obama Addresses Supporters on FISA
Confronted with growing dissension on his own website from supporters opposed to his reversal on FISA, Obama is forced to address the issue directly in an online statement.
In case you missed it, take a look at TPM's timeline on Obama's position on the issue.
--David Kurtz
Here We Go
Obama, perhaps ill-advisedly, said today he will "continue to refine" his proposed policies for troop withdrawals from Iraq. Ill-advised because you might expect that nuance to be seen as opening the door to backtracking on his withdrawal plans.
Sure enough, overheated coverage of his remarks has followed this afternoon.
Obama has just finished a second press availability to clarify his initial remarks.
We'll have the video shortly.
Late Update: As promised:
Later Update: The McCain campaign issued the following statement late today:
"Today, Barack Obama reversed that position proving once again that his words do not matter. He has now adopted John McCain's position that we cannot risk the progress we have made in Iraq by beginning to withdraw our troops immediately without concern for conditions on the ground. There is nothing wrong with changing your mind when the facts on the ground dictate it. Indeed, the facts have changed because of the success of the surge that John McCain advocated for years and Barack Obama opposed in a position that put politics ahead of country."Now that Barack Obama has changed course and proven his past positions to be just empty words, we would like to congratulate him for accepting John McCain's principled stand on this critical national security issue. If he had visited Iraq sooner or actually had a one-on-one meeting with General Petraeus, he would have changed his position long ago."
--David Kurtz
Slow Motion Recession
Dean Baker: "Total private sector job gains in the Bush years may fall below 3 million by November. The annual average for the Clinton years was 2.6 million."
--David Kurtz
Lazy Bums
There's no question Barack Obama has shifted his position on FISA. But I'm hearing more and more that Obama has clearly shifted his position on Iraq. I've been a bit under the weather the last few days. So maybe I've missed something. But can anyone show me any evidence that this is really true? I know the McCain campaign is saying it? And I know bleating, game-playing neocons are saying it. But now that I'm seeing network talking heads saying it, can I see some evidence beyond the fact that the idea is getting pitched by the McCain campaign? Many thanks ...
--Josh Marshall
Pop a Brew ...
The Fourth can't come soon enough, says TPM Reader JP ...
Before we all torpedo the best candidate we have had in 30+ years over this FISA thing, be aware of the two facts: (1) there is a long-established government contractor immunity doctrine in American law & what the telecoms did after 9-11 in obeying government demands for compliance is right in stride with that doctrine, and (2) in any event, the federal government is likely required to indemnify the telcos for any judgment or settlement they'd have to pay. Is this really the make-or-break litmus-test the netroots is clamoring for? No way. Is this just another example of liberals eating their own? You betcha. Pop open a brew, chill out, enjoy the 4th and then get back to the task of electing this guy president.
--Josh Marshall
Obama's Great FISA Flip-Flop
We've got what he said then -- and what he's saying now -- all laid out at TPM Election Central.
--David Kurtz
Rudy, Too!
The whole China-Cuba drilling for oil offshore Florida myth jumps the shark: Rudy Giuliani has signed on, too.
--David Kurtz
Today's Must Read
McCain supporters working hard to get around McCain-Feingold spending caps, with a little help from the Republican Governors Association.
--David Kurtz
FISA Revolt
Supporters urging Barack Obama to change his position and oppose the pending FISA bill are now the biggest group on his website.
--David Kurtz
Election Central Morning Roundup
Obama may shorten the Democratic National Convention by a day. That and the day's other political news in the TPM Election Central Morning Roundup.
--David Kurtz
TPMtv: Am Not Not An Expert!
Did John McCain say he didn't know much about economics or not? In today's episode of TPMtv, we go to the tape ...
High-res version at Veracifier.com.
--Josh Marshall
Campaign Fleecee: We're Loving It!!!
Over the last couple days we've been telling you about this DC outfit called BMW Direct. They are a direct mail shop. And from what we can tell they have a two-tiered business model.
First, they've got a few bonafide Republican elected officials who they raise money for by the normal rules of direct mail fundraising business. But then they've got a bunch of potemkin candidates for whom they raise insane gobs of money, almost all of which they keep for themselves.
Good work if you can get it.
The biggest moneymaker in this latter category -- though there's some competition -- seems 
to be Deborah Honeycutt (R-GA) who's running in the 13th district of Georgia. In 2006 Honeycutt lost to incumbent David Scott (D-GA) by an impressive 38 points. And since in this cycle her campaign has managed to spend only a measly $16,695 in Georgia, you might figure for round two against Scott, Honeycutt is just dialing it in.
But quite the contrary.
Look at her FEC filings and you find that Honeycutt is one of the biggest players in the 2008 cycle. With the help of BMW Direct she's managed to raise an astounding $1.7 million.
To give you some perspective, high-profile netroots-backed Darcy Burner raised only $1.37 million over the same period -- and that's a very impressive total.
So where's all the money going? Well, of that $1.7 million, $1.5 million went to BMW Direct and various affiliated companies. So we've been wanting to find out how happy Honeycutt was with BMW Direct raising insane amounts of money for her around the contrary which she gets virtually none of.
Well, it turns out they're pretty psyched.
Andrew Tilghman got a hold of Honeycutt's volunteer campaign manager Michael Murphy who says, "We've been very pleased with them. BMW Direct has been able to help us raise resources and tap into a thirst in the country for the principles and platforms that she stands on."
How about Honeycutt's campaign getting next to none of the money raised for them? "I just work with the resources we have ... All I can say is we've been very pleased with BMW Direct."
--Josh Marshall
Hmmm
Do I just have issues, or does this ad (which Google is currently running on some of our pages) contain an element of cognitive dissonance?
--Josh Marshall
Due D'ohligence
Part me is hoping, trying to find some argument that explains why Washington Post didn't muff this Obama home loan story as badly as they seem to have.
But I think I'm destined to be disappointed.
--Josh Marshall
Pays To Do Your Homework
Obama's Axelrod administers a gentle smackdown to CNN's John Roberts ...
--Josh Marshall
Obama Re-Reconfirms Stance On Iraq Timetable
Obama spoke on his position on Iraq this afternoon, but the word "refine" has already spawned such a media tizzy that the candidate held a second conference to address it again.
Timeline: Obama's FISA Flip-Flop
Barack Obama has responded to his supporters about his FISA change of heart. To catch you up we bring you a timeline of his past statements.
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