Sunday Snapshot -- Georgia On My Mind

The conflict between Russia and neighboring Georgia, and how John McCain and Barack Obama would deal with such a situation, dominated Sunday news discussion. VA Gov. Tim Kaine (D) and NM Gov. Bill Richardson (D) discussed Obama's stance on "Face the Nation" and "This Week," respectively. LA Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) discussed McCain's stance vs. Obama's on "This Week."

CBS' Schieffer: "When we see what's happening today, won't that bolster John McCain's argument that the presidency needs someone with experience dealing with issues like these?"

Kaine: "I think the two concerns that Americans have are the state of our economy and our security at home and abroad. And this issue in Georgia, obviously, raises great questions. But I think, as we look at security, what Americans most want is judgment. Experience is only positive insofar as it creates good judgment. And I think Senator Obama's strong case to the American people is that he will have the right judgment about how to balance America's military force with strong diplomacy to protect our interests abroad. He has spoken very strongly about the need to protect Georgia's integrity and sovereignty, has called on Russia to cease-fire in the region, and called on the international community to begin talks to protect Georgian sovereignty. But I think Americans really -- and I know Virginians better than those in other states -- what we want is judgment" ("Face the Nation," CBS, 8/10).

Richardson: "My view is that the United States -- if we had a stronger relationship with Russia, we could exercise strong diplomacy to stop this effort against Georgia. We should immediately go to the United Nations Security Council, condemn Russia's action, and then get the Security Council to pass a strong resolution getting the Russians to show some restraint, and possibly at the same time generate some U.N. peacekeeping troops. The problem, though, is that we don't have the kind of influence and strength in our relationship with Russia to persuade them. This has been one of the failures of the Bush administration, failing to build a strong relationship, a mutually beneficial relationship with Russia, so we'd have the kind of influence to persuade them to stop some of these very, very dangerous efforts within their territory" ("This Week," ABC, 8/10).

Jindal, on whether he shares the McCain camp's view that Obama is echoing the Kremlin regarding the crisis: "I think it was wrong for Senator Obama to try to focus on a McCain adviser rather than actually listening to what McCain had to say about the policy, rather than recognizing McCain's years and years of experience when it comes to international affairs. ... This is a very serious international crisis" ("This Week," ABC, 8/10).

After the jump, more on Russia and Georgia, as well as Hillary Clinton's convention role and Veepstakes talk.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

Richardson, on whether this incursion proves McCain's view of Russia is correct: "Senator Obama has said, let's use diplomacy. I believe what Senator McCain is proposing is totally, totally wrong. Keeping them out of the G-8? Russia is a major superpower. We have to build the kind of relationship with Russia so that we can deal with them on restraining Iran from building nuclear weapons, so that we can deal with Russia in the Middle East, help us in the situation in Iraq. Senator Obama's policy of diplomacy, of building international support for our goals makes sense. What Senator McCain wants to do is continue the Bush policies of trying to isolate Russia, you know, build this missile system there, find ways to be aggressive against Russia. It's not working. And Russia doesn't respect our efforts to try to restrain them. So I believe what Senator Obama is proposing -- international diplomacy, build a strong relationship with countries like Russia and China, find the United Nations as a vehicle to bring this crisis possibly to an end -- that's what we need."

ABC's Tapper: "Governor Richardson, the McCain campaign put out a very forceful statement calling the situation in Georgia 'dire' and blaming Russia. Here's the Obama campaign's response. They said, quote, 'John McCain's top foreign policy adviser lobbied for and has a vested interest in the Republic of Georgia, and McCain has mirrored the position advocated by the government.' Now, Georgia is a strong U.S. ally. Is that really an appropriate response to such a serious international crisis to blame the McCain campaign's position on one of his advisers?"

Richardson: "The McCain campaign is getting very negative. ... Senator McCain is the Washington celebrity here. His campaign is run by lobbyists that represent Georgia and other countries. His campaign is negative. He changes positions. He takes huge amounts of money from oil companies that are profiting in the Soviet Union and many parts of the world. ... This is a campaign run by lobbyists, so we have a Washington celebrity campaign going on and it's negative. And the American people want to see the good, positive positions of both candidates. And the best part about Senator Obama's campaign is he can bring people together. He's uplifting of the American people. He can bring Republicans and Democrats together to deal with energy, with the economy, and many other important issues that affect this country" ("This Week," ABC, 8/10).

Others also discussed possible implications of the conflict on the WH '08 race.

Washington Post's Marcus: "On the political front, if one might be so crass as to raise politics here, I think it's an interesting question going forward about what this will make people think vis-a-vis Senator Obama and Senator McCain. Senator McCain has been to South Ossetia, a place that most Americans probably hadn't paid a lot of attention to beforehand. He came out with a much stronger, much more anti-Russian, less even-handed, if you will, statement immediately after the hostilities broke out. ... Will people look at this and say, 'We still live in a dangerous world. We feel better with Senator McCain there. He knows this area.' Or will they look at this and say, 'Boy, we are already embroiled in places that we would prefer not to be. Is Senator McCain going to get us elsewhere?' And I think that's going to be an interesting state of discussion going forward" ("Fox News Sunday," 8/10).

Washington Post's Broder, on whether this is a "3 a.m." moment for the candidates: "It is, and particularly a moment where John McCain can claim to be been pressured, because in his basic foreign policy speech two months ago and in an interview that I did with him last week, he draws a very sharp line when it comes to Russia, because these people are being aggressive and imperialist. There is no confusion, in his mind, about the character of the Putin-Medvedev government, and he is prepared, I think, to unmake the case that this is a demonstration of exactly what he has been arguing for" ("Meet the Press," NBC, 8/10).

For more on Russia and Georgia and its political implications, see ROUNDTABLE ROUNDUP.

HEAR ME, HEAR ME

Hillary Clinton's role at the Democratic Convention was also discussed this weekend.

Obama nat'l co-chair/Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) appeared on "Fox News Sunday," and discussed Clinton's role at the convention.

Fox's Wallace: "Is the Obama camp OK with a roll call at the convention in which delegates can vote openly for either Clinton or Obama?"

Durbin: "I can tell you this. I don't know what decision has been made, if there is a final decision on that question, but I can tell you this. Hillary Clinton and President Clinton are integral parts of our convention in Denver. Hillary Clinton will be speaking Tuesday night in prime time. President Clinton will be speaking Wednesday night. Their people are not only welcome to this convention, we need their help. Now, let's understand. We've gone through a bruising primary season between these two excellent candidates, and there are some people still healing from that. I understand it. But in the end, I believe that the Hillary Clinton supporters and Hillary herself are definitely committed to Obama's candidacy."

More Durbin: "Look what happened just a day or two ago. Here was Hillary Clinton in Nevada campaigning for Barack Obama on the issue of pay equity so that women are treated fairly in the workplace, an issue which John McCain disagrees with Obama on and disagrees with Hillary Clinton.
There are clear differences between the candidates, and Hillary Clinton is going to be supporting Barack Obama and encouraging all of her voters to do the same."

Wallace: "But just a simple question, sir. Do you think a roll call is a good idea or not?"

Durbin: "I'm not going to speak to that, because I don't know what decision has been reached at the convention. Trust me, the Hillary Clinton delegates will be treated fairly. We welcome them. We need them. If we're going to win in November, their support is critical" ("Fox News Sunday," 8/10).

THE CLINTON CONUNDRUM CONTINUES

VA Gov. Tim Kaine (D), on the role the Clintons will play for Obama: "I have a great feeling ... all of the Democratic forces, whoever they were supporting before, coming together. And the Clinton camp and Obama camps have come together very well in Virginia. You know, look, competition can create some challenging feelings, but the Democrats have shown again and again that we get on board and that we work together. The stakes are very, very high. I know that both Senator Clinton and President Clinton will have key roles in the convention. And I expect that, once we're there, that everybody is going to be together in a great way to do a historic job of turning out Democratic voters and also independent and disgruntled Republican voters for Barack Obama in November" ("Face the Nation," CBS, 8/10).

FOR CRIST'S SAKE

FL Gov. Charlie Crist (R) appeared on "Late Edition," and was asked whether he is being vetted for McCain's VP slot.

Crist: "I don't know the answer. I'm just happy to be the governor of the fourth largest state in America. ... It's a state of almost 20 million people and it's great to always be in Florida."

CNN's Wolf Blitzer: "I'm going to move on, but quick question. Have they started a formal vetting process with you? In other words, are they asking for documents, IRS returns, stuff like that?"

Crist: "I can't discuss the process, Wolf. I hope you appreciate that."

Blitzer: "I'll take that as a yes."

Crist: "You take it however you want, I can't discuss the process" (CNN, 8/10).

THE KAINE GAIN

Veepstakes talk continued with Karl Rove discussing Obama's choices on "Face the Nation."

Rove, on whether Obama should pick a "red state" Democrat, like Kaine: "I didn't say that I thought he ought to. I said that I thought he probably would pick a red state Democrat, because I think he's going to make an intensely political choice, not a governing choice. He's going to view this through the prism of a candidate, not through the prism of president. That is to say, he's going to pick somebody that he thinks will on the margin help him in a state like Indiana, or Missouri, or Virginia. He's not going to be thinking big and broad about the responsibilities as president."

More Rove: "With all due respect, again, to Governor Kaine, he's been a governor for three years. He's been able, but undistinguished. I don't think people could really name a big, important thing that he's done. He was mayor of the 105th-largest city in America. And, again, with all due respect to Richmond, Virginia, it's smaller than Chula Vista, California, Aurora, Colorado, Mesa or Gilbert, Arizona, North Las Vegas, or Henderson, Nevada. It's not a big town. If he were to pick Governor Kaine, it would be an intensely political choice, where he's said, 'You know what? I'm really not first and foremost concerned with, is this person capable of being president of the United States? What I'm concerned about is, can he bring me the electoral votes of the state of Virginia, the 13 electoral votes in Virginia?'" (CBS, 8/10).

ROUNDTABLE ROUNDUP

The "This Week" roundtable discussed the conflict in Georgia and Russia.

New York Times Magazine's Matt Bai, on whether the conflict helps McCain: "He's got to be very frustrated, because he does understand what's happening in that region. He's been in Georgia. I know he's met with opposition leaders in Georgia. And I don't know that he's going to get the credit for that, because what happens, I think, when a party in an administration has lost the faith of the American public as much as this administration has, anything happens that's destabilizing that makes you feel threatened or that feels like bad news, becomes a reinforcement of mismanagement, in a sense."

Cokie Roberts, on whether this conflict proves Obama needs a VP with experience: "I think that he needs to have somebody at his side, so that if any one of these things comes up in the next few months, not to mention the next few years, that America feels, oh that person might know what's going on. Yes, this is going to be a problem. Most people have not heard of South Ossetia. ... It's hard to get your mind wrapped around it and to care about it much, unless it looks like a danger to Europe and to us. And that's where Russia comes in" (ABC, 8/10).

The "Fox News Sunday" roundtable discussed the conflict in Georgia and Russia.

Chicago Tribune's Zuckman, on whether this conflict falls more in line with McCain's thinking: "Well, and it's not just this part of the world, but Senator McCain has been to so many exotic places like Waziristan and South Ossetia, and he's very comfortable with these issues. He knows what he thinks. He's been ... involved in these places for many, many years. And so it's just sort of a perfect thing for him. And so the question is each time something like this pops up randomly, we may see a cautiousness on the one hand by Senator Obama, who has not been dealing with these things for years, and maybe a little more aggressive voice from Senator McCain."

Weekly Standard's Kristol: "McCain, it's not just that he's experienced. McCain was right about Putin. He warned about Russia under Putin's ambitions. He wanted Russia excluded from the G-8. Bush went with the mainstream, I guess of, 'Let's be nicer to them.' No, it's a big problem. To cross international borders with a massive armed assault, which has not stopped, which has now gone way beyond South Ossetia -- they're bombing the capital of Georgia, airfields. The fleet's moving into the Black Sea. There's a possible showdown with Ukraine coming. ... If Russia gets away with this, the precedent will be awful. And this is a very big moment, I think, for Russia to invade a neighboring nation" ("Fox News Sunday," 8/10).

The "Meet the Press" roundtable discussed John Edwards' affair.

Wall Street Journal's Gigot, on the fact that Edwards could have been the Dem nominee: "[I] have to congratulate the Democratic electorate on their wisdom in not nominating him. If they had, they would be in desperate straits right now. I agree with , John Edwards former campaign manager, saying he betrayed us, he betrayed all the people who supported him."

Washington Post's Dionne: "I don't know where we would be right now if John Edwards had upon the Democratic nomination. We would be sitting here talking about an open convention. We would be talking about rebellions among Edwards' delegates. It would be an absolute mess."

Washington Post's Broder, on whether the Edwards affair will have an effect on the WH ’08 race: "Yes, because he is not really very important in American politics now, but I'm afraid this will just deepen the cynicism that the American people feel toward politics and politician. And that is going to be a terrible problem for the next president, who is going to have to ask for sacrifice from the the American people" (NBC, 8/10).