Tucker Eskew

Fox in Box

Tune your box to Fox for “The Big Story” at 5:10pm EST. I’ll be on today, talking about the presidential campaign and the War on Terror.

Headline ripper

The Other Side reads this Times story and decides, "That's our topline message of the day."

Our team reads it and predicts (accurately) that those guys will assume the worst (about our military), ignore the reality (that Saddam had lots of weapons and was a threat), and sidestep their own previous sidesteps (around their convoluted position on the War).

So, the Stentorian Senator wants to talk about Iraq, Saddam's weapons, and our safety in the world.

Ok, fine by us at the campaign.

[Meanwhile, inside the US government, I know that hard-working military, intelligence and homeland security experts will continue to bust their tail-ends in the daily struggle to make us safer. They're succeeding, folks, because we're on offense and we're fighting the worst of them over there, on their turf.]

But most of you are focused on the election and I gotta say we're on offense at the campaign, too. Lots of positive signs in states that went for the Other Side last time.

More later. Sorry I don't have time to respond to most of the input and commentary.

Noted: I'm on GMA in the Morn'

I'll face off with a counterpart from the Other Side Sunday morning on Good Morning America. Looks like we've had a good day in the news cycle, and I know the grassroots operations are cookin' out there. Thanks to all of you doing so much for the campaign.

IS KERRY'S GOOSE COOKED ?

That's what one of you asked in a post...Is his goose cooked? Well, no, but he did himself no favors with that phony-baloney hunting trip.

He must've thought that what's good for the goose is good for the pander.

My instincts are that the Massachusetts Senator is too late trying to prove he lives in Guyville (ignore the apparent obscure Chicago music scene reference - I'm referring to Mike McCurry's comment about Kerry still needing prove what kind of guy he is).

Someone asked about Michigan - I've been asking those same questions, given the good polls, plus our visits, all in the face of Johnny Apple's NY Times semi-obituary of our Michigan campaign. Folks, it's real. We've got to boost our margins in a few places, but we have a real shot at winning there.

OH ho ho and a barrel of ads

Lots of comments - thanks. Since I'm new to the blogosphere (as a producer, that is), I'll feel my way through the early give-n-take and unfortunately just won't be able to respond to all posts.

A couple of common threads: how are we doing/why are we not doing enough in Ohio and comments on our TV spots. Lots of good substantive input on rebuttals to Kerry, too.

Our OH team is dyno-mite - I spent some time there last month doing Paula Zahn's town hall meeting in Canton. That's a town where Democrats have exploited the changing (and yes, difficult) local economy, but I feel good about our turnout efforts. You'll see us aggressively closing the deal in the Buckeye State and putting together a win, IMHO.

I like the wolves ad - it's not just a good spot for those who do 'get it' - it has chatter-appeal. Buzz is one way to get more bang for your (highly fragmented) advertising buck.

Gotta run - hope you saw Liz Cheney on the tube this morning (if you're so reclined). If I remember correctly, we'll have some good people out on the Sunday talkers, too.

Bush-Backer Blog-Launch

Welcome to my newly launched blog.

I just wrapped up a TV appearance for the Bush-Cheney campaign.

Went on Fox News, opposite Michael Meehan of the Other Side. Glad the host, Rick Folbaum, made light of our standing in today’s discussion: The topic was the women’s vote. I resisted temptation to say something “funny” (the scare-quotes are inspired by my wife – a big fan of yours truly but also a Fair and Balanced voice when it comes to my attempts at humor). I echoed the basics from the President’s message today and took a poke at the Other Guy’s camo jacket. My cohorts and I think the Other Side gave us a little present with his last-minute effort to Goose Up the Guy Vote.

Anyway, I’m a “senior advisor” to the President’s re-election. That means I give ‘em some strategic advice. And then they ask me to cinch up my tie and go on the tube to represent for the president. It’s fun – most of the time.

I’m a big consumer of news and info, so come back here for some commentary on same.

I’m a former White House aide and a businessman. A music fan (more on that in a little while). A family man (passing-references-only is the plan). A proud Southerner with a taste for the city. And so on.

Thanks for checking in. I’ll blog you into some behind-the-scenes stuff and generate a little discussion on topics like politics, public diplomacy and pop culture, to mention a few.

A National Treasure

Some fellow Bush-backers and I joined a couple hundred great Americans at the State Theater in Falls Church, VA last night for an evening with Billy Joe Shaver. This underappreciated Texas troubadour premiered a new documentary on his life and then took the stage with a crack band for two solid hours of rockin'-country-the-way-it-was-meant-to-be.

I had Billy Joe and some friends over to the White House back when I was director of media affairs (early 2001) - I'll save that story for later...

Needless to say, Billy Joe's in a industry where politics is basically a excuse for the exercise of intolerance by self-proclaimed liberals (supposedly tolerant folk). I don't know much about Billy Joe's politics. I just know he was proud to sing "Freedom's Choice" last night and dedicate to our troops, "folks just doing their jobs for our country," as he put it.

Shaver is a national treasure - not just because he's a patriot, but because he's a mostly unheralded genius of the heart and soul.