Hotline After Dark -- Trying To Be Provocative

On last night's "Situation Room," Dem strategist James Carville pushed for Al Gore to be Barack Obama's running mate.

Carville: "If I was Senator Obama I would say the biggest economic problem we face is the biggest national security problem and the biggest environmental problem. And if I were him, I would ask Al Gore to serve as his vice president, his energy czar, in his administration to reduce our consumption and reliance on foreign energy sources. That would send a signal to the world, to American people, to Congress, to everybody, that America's getting serious about this horrendous problem that we face. ... I'm not suggesting he's just any vice president. I'm suggesting that Senator Obama as president would give him a lot of authority to deal with our consumption of oil."

Bill Bennett, in response: "It's been said that the vice presidency isn't worth a bucket of -- you know the rest of the line. To do it twice, I don't know that someone would want to do it twice. ... He is a Nobel Prize winner, he's kind of the master of the warming universe. I'm not sure he wants to put himself in a subordinate role."

CNN's Blitzer, to Carville: "Some of our viewers, James, might be surprised you're recommending Al Gore as opposed to Hillary [Clinton]."

Carville: "I think the biggest national security problem we have is energy security and our dependence on this. And I think that my idea is that this is the way that Senator Obama could say, we're dead serious about this. Obviously, I would be delighted if he picked Senator Clinton. I'm trying to be provocative in one sense" (CNN, 6/11).

After the jump, McCain's controversial comments on Iraq and Johnson leaves Obama camp.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

DAZED AND CONFUSED?

There was reaction to John McCain's interview on NBC's "Today," where he said that it's "not too important" when troops come home from Iraq. McCain: "What's important is the casualties in Iraq."

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA): "I think it means that Senator John McCain does not have a complete understanding of the nature of the conflict in Iraq. You know, we knew at the start of this that John McCain didn't understand the economy because he himself told us that. But we're learning now increasingly that he really doesn't understand Iraq. ... He doesn't know how much troops are there, he doesn't know who is training whom, he really doesn't even know its history about Shia and Sunni. And so, he is proving day by day that his strong card is not, in fact, Iraq, it is not national security policy, it is not the economy, it evidently is winning a nomination" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 6/11).

Ex-WH adviser David Gergen: "I think he made a mistake. And, you know, it's in line with his argument that we might be there a hundred years. What he's talking about is trying to get people out of harm's way, and then we may have to leave some sort of contingency force there for a long period of time, and he doesn't feel pressure to bring that contingency force home anytime soon. But I must tell you ... one of the outcomes with the Jim Johnson resignation was it stepped on the story. ... So I think that was another price the Obama campaign is paying for what has been a flap that goes way" ("AC 360," CNN, 6/11).

Dallas Morning News' Slater: "There is no way any Democrat is going to seriously challenge John McCain and make people think that he doesn't care about the troops. There was something about the tone in what he said that suggested that. That won't fly. But Americans do care about when the troops come back. The rest of the statement about the casualties I think most Americans agree with. It is that this about how long are we going to be there. Americans do think it is important. I think the way it works against McCain is if Democrats are successful between now and November in tying that idea about staying here 100 years ... to the bigger idea, are we going to get mired down in something in Iran. ... That's when it hurts" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 6/11).

A DIFFERENT KIND OF CASUALTY

And ex-Fannie Mae exec Jim Johnson, who had been leading Obama's VP search cmte, stepped down.

Karl Rove: "I thought the Jim Johnson thing was handled deftly by both McCain, who made it an issue, and by Obama, who quickly cut the ties. Now we'll see if he cuts the ties to Eric Holder as rapidly as he did with Johnson, because I think Holder is a more problematic individual for Obama to defend" ("Hannity & Colmes," FNC, 6/11).

Gergen: "I think this has been a blow for the Obama campaign, a major distraction. It hit them just at the time they were trying to get traction. They were trying to get some momentum built around the economy, and here they now get diverted over this other issue. And it sort of takes some of the glow off, if you would" ("AC 360," CNN, 6/11).

MSNBC's Carlson: "I want people like Jim Johnson around Barack Obama. Barack Obama has the thinnest resume of any modern presidential candidate with a shot of actually winning. Very talented, not much experience. You want people who know how the government actually works, who know how Washington works. ... I don't care if he worked at Fannie Mae. Barack Obama wants to hold a moral measure to the people in his government. I want a competence measure. ... He can hire Satan, as long as Satan knows what he is doing" ("Hardball," 6/11).