The Trail: A Daily Diary of Campaign 2008

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Four Pinocchios for Palin

Sarah Palin claimed over the weekend that an Alaska legislative report cleared her of any "hint of any kind of unethical activity" on the Troopergate controversy. That is untrue. (12:10 PM ET) | More »

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The Hidden Campaign

Analyst: Campaign Ads Sapping Market Confidence

By Matthew Mosk Looking for someone to blame for the global economic crisis? How about...

Posted on October 13, 2008 at 05:04 PM ET | Comments (12)

Ohio Voting Machines Contained Programming Error That Dropped Votes

A voting system used in 34 states contains a critical programming error that can cause votes to be dropped.

Posted on August 21, 2008 at 05:09 PM ET | Comments (121)

McCain Gets a Little Help from Outside Group

By Matthew Mosk When the political group Vets for Freedom bought TV ads in Virginia,...

Posted on July 9, 2008 at 01:57 PM ET | Comments (13)

A Well-Connected Campaign Firm Resurfaces

By Matthew Mosk When Republican Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign hit the financial skids last...

Posted on June 6, 2008 at 04:31 PM ET | Comments (10)

MoveOn Targets McCain Aides

The liberal online advocacy group MoveOn.Org Political Action has sent out a new e-mail that seizes on the weekend purging by Sen. John McCain of two advisers who had registered as lobbyists for the repressive regime of Burma. --Matthew Mosk

Posted on May 13, 2008 at 05:51 PM ET | Comments (10)

Contested Video Spreads Like Wildfire Online

A provocative video clip alleging to show a longtime friend of Hillary Clinton using a racial slur to describe the citizens of Indiana was sent to political reporters this morning by an independent public relations consultant who favors Barack Obama. Both the filmmaker and the subject of the film excerpt are calling the clip a fraud. --Jonathan Weisman

Posted on May 2, 2008 at 01:22 PM ET | Comments (118)

'China Cheats' Ad Targets Candidates

A nonprofit group seeking to energize manufacturing and steel workers has also gotten into the act, waging an unorthodox campaign that appears in subtle ways to be helping Sen. Hillary Clinton. --Matthew Mosk

Posted on April 25, 2008 at 11:35 AM ET | Comments (7)

Progressive Groups Plan Robust 2008 Mobilization

A broad range of interest groups today announced plans for a costly independent drive to mobilize progressive voters for the 2008 election, much of it targeting younger and minority voters. --Matthew Mosk

Posted on March 18, 2008 at 01:38 PM ET | Comments (3)

Ohio Elections Official Questions Obama Tactics

Ohio elections officials received complaints this morning from official poll workers about efforts by supporters of Democrat Barack Obama to serve as "legal poll monitors" who would be allowed to camp inside the voting stations. --Matthew Mosk

Posted on March 4, 2008 at 03:27 PM ET | Comments (68)

MoveOn's Regional Move

When the antiwar group MoveOn.org endorsed Barack Obama recently, that brought the insurgent-turned-front-runner more than just money or the imprimatur of one of the most powerful institutions on the American left. It also brought forth a serious peer-to-peer get out the vote operation designed to bring MoveOn's activist members -- many of whom are intensely civically engaged already -- to the polls. --Garance Franke-Ruta

Posted on February 12, 2008 at 04:36 PM ET | Comments (1)

Labor Money Swings Clinton's Way

Outside players, especially labor unions looking to help Sen. Hillary Clinton, poured more money into the presidential contest this past week. --Matthew Mosk

Posted on February 12, 2008 at 02:44 PM ET | Comments (0)

Group Looks to Boost Black Turnout

By Matthew Mosk and Kevin Merida The leading Democratic candidates for president continue to benefit...

Posted on January 26, 2008 at 06:52 PM ET | Comments (4)

Anti-Clinton Activist Hits SC with Robo-Calls

Nasty automated phone call from "Robert Morrow, on behalf of all of the citizens Bill and Hillary have lied to," have hit the homes of many voters in South Carolina. --Kevin Merida

Posted on January 23, 2008 at 06:52 PM ET | Comments (45)

Obama Campaign Decries Clinton S.C. Ad

Obama's loyal supporters have made him the poll leader in S.C. By Matthew Mosk Barack...

Posted on January 23, 2008 at 11:59 AM ET | Comments (115)

Pro-Obama Labor Group Blasts Clinton in Nevada Radio Ad

While labor unions have played a heavy role supporting Hillary Clinton and John Edwards during the early state contests this month, Barack Obama has largely had to fend for himself. No longer. The group UNITE HERE, which represents 440,000 textile and hotel and restaurant workers, gave Obama his first national labor endorsement last week. And this morning, the group filed reports with the Federal Election Commission that disclosed it was producing more than $34,000 in radio ads to air in Nevada in advance of the caucus there. --Matthew Mosk

Posted on January 17, 2008 at 07:17 PM ET | Comments (22)

Accusations of Dirty Tricks Fly on Final Pre-Caucus Day

A bogus press release emerged Wednesday in Iowa claiming the group was withdrawing an endorsement of Huckabee, the FairTax leaders quickly sprang into action with a press release decrying a "last minute dirty campaign trick." --John Solomon

Posted on January 2, 2008 at 08:12 PM ET | Comments (22)

Romney's Attack Dog

Mailer from Mitt Romney for President sent to Iowan little dog owner. Obtained by...

Posted on January 2, 2008 at 07:52 PM ET | Comments (2)

Romney Accuses Huckabee of Being Soft on Meth

A mailer from the Romney campaign takes a hard line on an opponent.

Posted on December 29, 2007 at 05:24 PM ET | Comments (6)

 

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