Hotline After Dark -- When Booze Beckons

Last night's TV primarily focused on Barack Obama and John McCain's ongoing debate over energy policy, including Obama's response to the McCain camp "making fun" of his suggestion for people to make sure their car tires are properly inflated.

McCain spokesperson Nicolle Wallace: "I saw Obama's rather fussy and petulant response today to the tire gauge. If we're going to rule out humor, I think I'm going to have to rule in hard alcohol. This is going to be a long three months" ("Hannity & Colmes," FNC, 8/6).

Washington Post's Robinson, on Obama: "His counterpunching was effective, I think. And, you know, it seems clear to me that after the initial teeter of amusement over the tire gauges, it seemed to me to start working against McCain. ... It seems that maybe [Obama]'s got some traction now in trying to turn it around and make the campaign about John McCain to the extent that it ought to be. And you know, it ought to be about both of them, but so far, it's been about Obama. I think this helps to make it more about John McCain" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 8/6).

After the jump, she's baaaack.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

PAT'S GAL PAL

There was also some discussion about Hillary Cliton as VP.

GOP strategist Ed Rollins: "She's the only one who creates a real buzz and a real excitement, and that ticket gets stronger by her being put on it. Evan Bayh may help win Indiana, which is 11 electoral votes, which would make a difference. Tim Kaine, 13 electoral votes in Virginia, may help there. But you're going to spend a lot of time explaining who these people are" ("AC 360," CNN, 8/6).

Pat Buchanan: "No Vanilla, Go With Hillary. For heaven sakes, the Zogby Poll shows Obama is losing support among white, working class folks, among women, among seniors, among Catholics. These are the big battalions Hillary lead to victory over Obama in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky. Obama is bleeding the Hillary Clintons to McCain right now. Stop horsing around with white bread vanilla types like Kaine and Bayh and go with the gal that won 18 million votes. Finally, like Paris Hilton, Hillary is hot" ("Race for the WH," MSNBC, 8/6).

Ex-WH press sec. Dee Dee Myers, on Clinton looking for a "strategy" to have her delegates' voices be heard at the Dem convo, and not ruling out the possibility of having her name placed into nomination at the convo: "I think Hillary Clinton does want to make sure that her delegates are somehow recognized. ... So, there is obviously some tension around that. The Obama folks, no way do they want Hillary Clinton's name put in nomination. I don't think they're worried that they would lose the vote. They just don't want to remind people, A, how close it was, and, B, how many tensions still exist between these two parties. They want to come out of the convention unified" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 8/6).