The Note: Summer Slam

 

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Outside the combat ring, former senator John Edwards, D-N.C., unveiled his tax plan yesterday -- higher taxes on capital gains, hedge funds, and corporations, to pay for new tax cuts for middle- and lower-income families. "Edwards' proposal may be a crowd-pleaser for Democratic primary voters who object to Bush's big tax cuts," writes Janet Hook of the Los Angeles Times. "But it may be a politically risky position for anyone heading into a general election contest against Republicans, who portray Democrats as incorrigible tax raisers."

The Clinton-Obama duel was a big enough story to get other candidates involved in the action. Former governor Mitt Romney, R-Mass., joined McCain, R-Ariz., on Clinton's side (here's guessing Obama's OK with thta): "It's absolutely extraordinary that someone could be so out of touch with the nature of our world. It's a bit like Chamberlain. It's more Chamberlain than it is Churchill," Romney said of Obama's position, per Dan Gearino of the Quad City Times (big week in that newsroom).

Andrew Marks/Retna

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., recovered her frontrunner status during a Democratic debate in Las Vegas Thursday night. (File photo).

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Meanwhile, Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., joined Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del., in advising their junior colleagues to sit down and shut up. "There is nothing new about this kind of politics, and it certainly doesn't demonstrate a readiness to lead the nation when our reputation around the world is in tatters," Dodd said in a statement. (The fight overshadowed Dodd's plan for universal healthcare -- and as the Dodd campaign pointed out yesterday, we're all still waiting for that Clinton plan.)

The kicker:

"I think the presidency ought to be held at a higher level than having to answer questions from a snowman." -- Romney, saying he may not be part of the CNN/YouTube debate scheduled for Sept. 17 in Florida. Former mayor Rudolph Giuliani, R-N.Y., has also discovered a "scheduling conflict" (he has to raise money) after the Democrats endured the unconventional format, and only McCain and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, are confirmed for the forum.

"I'm sorry, who's this?" -- Obama, on a conference call with reporters held to tout his endorsement by Rep. Paul Hodes, D-N.H. The voice Obama didn't recognize belonged to Hodes.

Next up: The Republican presidential debate August 5 in Des Moines, to be broadcast as a special edition of ABC's "This Week." Submit your questions for the candidates here.