RUSH: The Democrats are flooding the zone with Christmas ads, ladies and gentlemen. Up first, Michelle Obama.
MICHELLE OBAMA: We would like to take a moment to thank you and your family for the warmth and friendship that you have shown ours, for sharing your hospitality and your stories.
BARACK OBAMA: In this holiday season, we’re reminded that the things that unite us as a people are more powerful and enduring than anything that sets us apart, and we all have a stake in each other, in something larger than ourselves. So, from our family to yours, I’m Barack Obama, and I approve this message.
MALIA OBAMA: Merry Christmas.
SASHA OBAMA: Happy holidays.
RUSH: Those are the two Obama crumbcrunchers, along with Obama’s wife, who led it off. Hillary’s ad features her giving handouts: universal this, comprehensive that, mandated other things — and finally she finds a present that she lost.
RUSH: I don’t know. That’s her Christmas ad. Now, a lot of these people are trying to make humorous ads, like Rudy did a parody on the Huckster’s ad, sitting there talking to ‘Sandy’ Claus. But Hillary’s not funny. It is what it is. Here is the Breck Girl.
THE BRECK GIRL: One out of every four homeless people on our streets is a veteran. Thirty-seven million Americans live in poverty. Who speaks for them? We do. This is the season of miracles, of faith and love. So, let us promise together: You will never be forgotten again. We see you, we hear you, and we will speak for you. In America, the chance to build a better life is a promise made to each of us — and the obligation to keep it rests with us all. I’m John Edwards, and I approved this message.
RUSH: So that’s the Merry Christmas, soup line America ad from the Breck Girl. Jeffrey Toobin, the legal analyst over at the Clinton News Network, was on with Anderson Cooper ‘180’ last night, also with New Hampshire Institute of Politics’ Jennifer Donahue, and Anderson Cooper says to Toobin — the LEGAL reporter! — ‘Are these ads effective?’
TOOBIN: Those ads are so revolting I can’t even stand it.
COOPER: (laughing)
DONAHUE: (laughing)
TOOBIN: Please, do you think any of those candidates care whether you have a merry Christmas or not? No! They don’t care. They want your vote. That’s why those ads are on the air. This is a new low.
DONOHUE: Ohhhhh come on! Are you so low?
TOOBIN: They’re a bunch of phony baloneys. What about an ad that says, ‘I won’t raise your taxes,’ or, ‘Huckabee’s a bum,’ or ‘Huckabee’s great.’
DONAHUE: (laughing)
TOOBIN: This is what politics is. It’s not totally phoniness about Christmas. It’s bad enough that Christmas has been commercialized; now it’s being politicized as well.
RUSH: Okay, Jeffrey. Well, maybe you should have been watching the CBS Evening News with the perky one Katie Couric, because she is asking the candidates about infidelity. Here’s what she said to Mrs. Clinton, who has some experience with this. Couric said, ‘Harry Truman once said, ‘A man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other.’ Some voters say they don’t feel comfortable supporting someone who’s not remained faithful to his or her spouse. Can you understand or appreciate their point of view?’
RUSH: Mmm-hmm.
HILLARY: — and that is their perfect right to do so.
RUSH: Mmm-hmm.
HILLARY: But I think — that would be a tough standard for most of, um, American history to be able to meet, when we look at people who have made a big difference in our country. I think there’s more to someone’s honor and integrity, and to their public service. I think sometimes we confuse the private and the public in ways that are not necessarily, uh, useful. So, of course, it’s a deeply personal matter that I take personally.
RUSH: Not too personally!
HILLARY: But I think on the public stage there are a number of people who have, uh, represented our country, led our country, um, accomplished great achievements on behalf of our country who might have some, uh, challenges in their personal life, but have made a great contribution.
RUSH: What else is she going to say? What is she going to say, ‘Absolutely, Katie! I don’t think anybody who’s run around on anybody could be trusted to do anything.’ Mrs. Clinton, maybe there could have been a better question: ‘Do you have any regrets believing your husband when he lied to you about the blue dress, the stained dress, and the vast right-wing conspiracy? If you’re going to believe your husband when he lies to you, are you going to believe Kim Jong Il when he lies to you?’ There are any number of ways to go about this, but the way Katie asked the question. What else she going to say? Can she say, ‘Have you ever heard of JFK, Katie?’ (interruption) Well, JFK had a very, very tough personal challenge there. Bill Clinton had many, many, many personal challenges in his private life.