Kirk Watson on his grilling by Tweety

[RamboLiberal]

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“That wasn’t just a bad dream?” Watson said this morning. “That really happened?”

Watson said he knew right away that he had screwed up.

“I know when I don’t perform well,” he said, wishing a day later that he’d been primed to talk about Obama’s past proposals regarding officeholder ethics, homeland security and nuclear warheads, among topics.

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Reminded that Mathews said on the air that Watson obviously had nothing to say, Watson laughed. “Can you imagine Kirk Watson with nothing to say? And you wonder why I think it was just a dream.”

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Funny thing is, Watson’s appearance on the show was delayed several times during the evening, with a program representative repeatedly asking the state senator if he wanted to back out because of the delay. Watson said he owed it to Obama’s campaign to stick around.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2008/02/20/redfaced_watson.html

Kirk Watson update
By Jason Embry | Wednesday, February 20, 2008, 10:03 AM


Both the Republican National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign have pounced on state Sen. Kirk Watson’s less-than-stellar appearance last night touting Barack Obama. Watson could not name one of Obama’s legislative accomplishments when pressed by host Chris Matthews.

Clinton said in a statement, referring to the showdown between Watson and U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones of Ohio, who stumped for Clinton, “She was on against someone representing my opponent and for the first time, actually, the host, asked the representative of my opponent to name one accomplishment. That is all we’re asking. We’re asking to compare our records.”

The Republican committee, sensing that Obama could well be the Democratic nominee, e-mailed reporters a transcript of Watson’s appearance.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/washington/washington/entries/2008/02/20/kirk_watson_upd.html

I think Tweety ought to man up and let this guy come back after he bone's up on Obama's record! IMHO from what I've read here Watson owned up to his mistake and didn't go after Tweety. IMHO Tweety was a bastard last night to this guy and thanks for nothing for giving Clinton and the RNC another talking point. I'm betting the Obama campaign doesn't repeat this mistake again and I'll be the first to smack them if they do.

Later today when I have time I'm firing off a nasty email to Capus on Tweety being a rude jerk and KO being the pro in this one.

[Egnever]

1. Tweety was a dick but....

The guy came to the table with nothing. Not real smart from a "suporter". I dont particularly like the way tweety handled it. The guy was asking for it though. He certainly didnt help Obama last night.

[Political Heretic]

11. Agree on all points.

Tweety dick? Check. Clueless, unprepared guy? Check.

[displacedtexan]

2. While I detest Tweety, FOX started this crap.

Check out the DU Video forum: Sean Hannity asked a focus group the same
question on Feb. 12th.

Tweety was just playing the FOX in the MSNBC henhouse.

Note: You'd think by now, Obama spokespeople would know his record of accomplishments.

[K Gardner]

3. Tubbs is back on MSNBC right now, lol, attacking Obama

Saying that because Watson couldn't name an accomplishment, Obama is NOT READY on DAY ONE

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

6. Yet she wasn't asked the same question.

Hmmm.

[K Gardner]

7. STILL not asked the same question. Nope.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

10. I'm sure she's prepped now.

No point in asking anymore.

[redqueen]

23. I'm shocked. Shocked!

:sarcasm:

[TwilightGardener]

4. Watson should have had his talking points ready, and he knows that---

he's handling this with self-deprecating humor and class. He sounds like a good guy who just wasn't prepped for prime-time, bless his heart.

[Johnny__Motown]

5. Hopefully everyone learned from this and it won't happen again. Hopefully

[grantcart]

8. To quote a DUer "Blowback is a bitch"

Once Tweety had his point he should have left it there but to return back again and again to humiliate him when it wasn't even his show is going to get his knuckles wrapped hard. It was highly professional.

[maximusveritas]

9. The guy screwed up. Why would the Obama campaign put him back on?

Tweety will just ask him a different question to stump him and he'll look like an idiot again.

[RamboLiberal]

15. Sounds to me like the guy could hold his own if ready

Sen. Barack Obama’s health care plan and forthrightness will push Texas Democrats to choose him over Sen. Hillary Clinton in the fight to be the Democratic U.S. presidential nominee, said state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, in a conference call with reporters this afternoon.

“Texans think we need to shoot straight down here and we need to talk about specific issues that mean a lot to us,” the former Austin mayor said.

Texas has the highest percentage of uninsured people in the country, Watson said. As a result, one of the most important issues for Texas Democrats will be “fixing the broken health care system,” he said.

Clinton’s health care plan, which would require everyone to have health insurance, inherently asks the question, “What happens when they don’t get it?” Watson said.

Obama’s plan, which would provide government subsidies to encourage more Americans to buy health care but wouldn’t make it mandatory, is more appropriate, he said.

http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2008/02/15/watson_says_obamas_health_care.html

[Political Heretic]

12. Kirk forgot the CARDINAL RULE of talking to the Media:

The guy forgot the cardinal rule of media message discipline: you're not there to answer journalist's questions - you're there to deliver YOUR message....


"Name one legislative accomplishment..."

"You know Chris, I'm not here to get into a tit for tat with you, I support Obama because I believe hes the one who will restore open government in Washington, he's the one who will get us back on track in war on terror, his proposals for health care are the ones that will help real Americans, and he is the person to bring a new day and fresh change in Washington."

That's called a pivot and bridge, and you don't have to have "specifics" to do it. And you hit:

-- security (I said he's tough on terror)
-- Health care (top domestic issue)
-- Open government (head fake at civil liberties and rule of law issues)
-- Vision / Change message of the campaign.

....all in about 10 seconds.


Politics is fun. :)

[Kali]

18. good points

[RoadRage]

13. Tweety's an idiot.. but a political supporter should know better too.

NT

[HughMoran]

14. With friends like this, who needs an enema?

:rofl:

[Kali]

16. This is actually good for Obama's campaign

because now the discussion can be on what the guy couldn't say - the accomplishments the campaign might like to highlight.

I have no tv and very slow dial-up but from what I'm reading the person was clearly unprepared or truly flabbergasted (been there!) so has to accept some responsibility no matter how much of a dick Tweety was. But in the long run rather than act like victims there is a great opportunity to get some facts out.

[BeyondGeography]

17. I was screaming "ethics reform," the Obama-Coburn transparency bill

Obama-Lugar non-proliferation act...all to no avail.

Hopefully, Watson gets a do-over. I've seen Tweety be gracious in these situations before.

[bigtree]

19. If he was a Clinton supporter, and, gave the same response to the same question . . .

. . . it's cute how nice and gentle y'all are with Watson. Almost human-like.

[RamboLiberal]

20. I'd feel the same damn way - I hate when Tweety goes off like this

There are times I turn him off for weeks at a time for his man-crushes on Repukes and for the crap he spouts about some Dems including Hillary. I was glad a few weeks ago when he had to do that squirming semi-apology to Hillary. And while I think the Shuster suspension was just I had the feeling he was the sacrificial lamb and it was Tweety who should be serving a suspension as well.

IMHO Tweety is damn jealous of KO who has double the ratings of Hardball and is the new star of MSNBC in what was once Tweety's position.

[reality based]

21. Kirk Watson is, surprisingly, a lightweight.

He represents Texas' liberal Capital city, Austin, which is full of bright people. He has been its mayor and once ran as the Democratic nominee for Attorney General. He has served one session in the State Senate, but his weekly emails to me during the session were incredibly sophomoric and light on the issues. The one policy position that sticks in my mind is his support of toll roads- not a position traditionally aligned with the party of the people. Normally, this screw up by a surrogate would be ignored but unfortunately it reinforces an emerging theme about Obama- the he himself is a policy lightweight.

[Independent-Voter]

22. This will hopefully help Watson in the long run (Hint: get your shit in gear b4 talking to reporters

I remember getting my butt handed to me back in my young-and-dumb days by trying to bullshit my way through a meeting. The folks I deal with don't play that game, and blistered my ass for it. One of the best lessons I ever learned was to come prepared or don't come at all.