Just as an FYI for everyone, Carolyn Washburn is on C-SPAN now talking about the Des Moines Register endorsement.
(and I just realized some folks might not recognize Washburn's name so thought I'd update this diary's title)
I'll post a full recap of this for the people who are sleeping through this right now, but just wanted to start a thread for discussion of people watching this now.
UPDATE 1
Here's a recap of some of the main points:
Basically Washburn said that they really really liked Obama and thought long and hard about whether to endorse him but in the end the Clinton campaign convinced them not to do it.
Washburn said they think Obama will be a good president some day and if the climate in the world was different (basically if we weren't at war, in a post-9/11 world) he probably would have got the endorsement.
The host mentioned the NY Times piece by Jeff Zeleny and asked her about all the candidates pursuing her and she mentioned calls from Obama and Edwards, but then talked about the Clinton surrogates who she took calls from on Hillary's behalf too. As in the Times piece she insisted they didn't get starstruck, but then she said she took calls from people like Madeliene Albright because they had known Hillary for a long time and wanted to ask her questions about her policies "and how that was different from Barack Obama"
She said in the end they decided to endorse Hillary because they think she is best at navigating the Washington power structure and making change work as they came to the conclusion about that insider sort of experience is more helpful than being outside the establishment.
She was asked why Edwards didn't get an endorsement and mentioned something Joe Biden had said about how each time demands a different leader and they thought Edwards was right for 2004 and that set of candidates but wasn't the best one now.
-Mentioned few ideological issues separate candidates
-Acknowledged Hillary will have to push back on "dynasty question"
-Mentioned criticism of Obama on college students from Illinois caucusing in Iowa
Angry caller was upset about global warming and her not letting Fred Thompson explain opposition to that in the debate, and railing against silent cars as a menace to blind society (gosh I love C-Span crazy callers)
-Independent caller who supports Barack Obama said they've seen Hillary at events writing down things when she is campaign and on some issues she has changed positions during the campaign and not sure if she trusts her at all and doesn't want her back in office. Washburn responded some have said Hillary was only one who answered her questions directly and all candidates adapt messages during the campaign. Talked about Edwards and Clinton losing poll numbers during times of attacking other candidates.
-Someone mentioned McCain as "principled" isn't serious because of savings and loan scandal and another said he was turncoat and ringkisser for sidling up to Bush after what happened in 2000. Washburn said the loan scandal led to campaign finance reform so he did demonstrate he learned something and she doesn't view him as ringkisser.
-Edwards caller noting he is not Republican foot soldier is upset about Clinton talking about her experience as part of the White House yet while she was there looked the other way during all of the controversies and "rape allegations" He said he doesn't think she has any principles. Washburn said they've spent four or five hours with her in the course of the campaign and said while her relationship with Bill may come up later in the campaign they decided it's a personal issue between her and voters.
-When asked about ground game Washburn said the Clinton machine definitely is a machine and in looking at Ames straw poll the Romney had buses of supporters so they may really know how to get people out. She said the organizations are still building though.
-Caller asked why they endorsed the two most hawkish people in the race on each side as people in Iowa want out of Iraq. Washburn said they didn't look at either of them as two most hawkish candidates but how they would conduct military affairs going forward. Washburn said HRC talks about new diplomacy and new outreach and has experience traveling around the world as First Lady that was pretty persuasive. She said John McCain has been proponent of surge and going to war with as many troops as needed but that he knows war more personally or painfully than other candidates and he feels a lot of responsibility and care and caution in going to war.
UPDATE 2
Caller railed against editor being too left-wing and then also complained about Hillary Clinton and the Bush-Clinton dynasty and how that relates to banana republics in other countries. Washburn said that will be up to voters and that their endorsement is their opinion based on interviews and research and voters will do that if she wishes.
Washburn acknowledged said not all of the three of them started in thinking they would support Hillary. She said Carol and her (Carolyn) said process needed to be open and not gravitate to favorites and they would change their minds so many times and leave several meetings thinking they were persuaded and this continued up until Friday. Washburn said they were aware of the flak they'd get being so many women on the edit board of course if it was an all-male board endorsing a man no one would say anything.
Someone railed against Hillary's vote to war, ties to lobbyists and Bushes and Clintons and asked how Hillary is going to bring change. Washburn said that's something Hillary will have to acknowledge.
Another Edwards supporter called saying she is first-time caucus-goer and was shocked they supported most hawkish candidates who supported the war. Washburn said even before they started talking about candidates they discussed what they need in a president at this time and THIS TIME was a key ingredient. She said they think many people in the field could make good presidents but they are what is needed at this time to run government and "hit the ground running" both domestically and in foreign policy that's what we came down to the most.
Obama's commercial from J/J dinner is aired and Washburn is asked about it and his J/J appearance. Washburn said his two most important speeches of his career was the DNC speech and the one in the J/J dinner. He said his message has been consistent throughout campaign but his presentation but been mixed, sometimes even-tempered or low-key or low-energy and in the J/J dinner that's when the Barack Obama people remembered from the convention resurfaced.
Republican caller railed against Washburn's debate was the worst example of political journalism he'd ever seen because it was all about her show without letting other candidates question each other and raising hands is for kindergarten. Caller also said Iowa doesn't speak for him and wishes debate was in Texas where issues are free trade and immigration. Washburn said the number of candidates made giving everyone equal time was a challenge and it was the candidates choices not to attack each other and there may have been more back and forth that they noticed. She said the immigration talk wasn't cut off but there were polls done asked what the issues were they still wanted to know about and needed more information and when it came to the war in Iraq and immigration those numbers were low.
UPDATE 3
Caller asked about David Yepsen and what is the problem the Des Moines Register has with college students caucusing there and asks her what the law is and if it's legal or not for them to vote. Washburn said she doesn't know the precise information on that to be honest and after the election there will be a lot of review about it because there's a lot of concern about it because Obama is putting so much effort and emphasis on getting college students back for the caucus that wouldn't have been done otherwise. Washburn said she hopes it doesn't in the end become an issue, but Yepsen says and she agrees with the fact that the Obama people need to go back and make sure they are following the law.
Washburn talks about intimacy of civic life that is different in Iowa and why it was so important for them to move up caucus date and stay first.
Republican caller talks about how he doesn't like Democrats in campaign focusing on health care but in his particular experience its Republican politicians in Georgia that helped him get the right forms for his disability (again, love the crazy C-Span callers). Washburn went into general discussion of healthcare debate.
Dennis Kucinich supporter says how dare she go on tv and talk about the debate after barring him from the forum. Washburn says they've heard from thousands of supporters of him but they had basic criteria in October that Kucinich didn't meet - being registered nationally, having an office and staff in Iowa and polling of at least 1 percent. She said they published the candidates that would be appearing on debate but didn't hear from Kucinich campaign until 3 days before and they asked if they could set up an office in Iowa he'd be allowed in debate. The newspaper didn't think that was right. Washburn says to their surprise Keyes did qualify but for their own credibility they were not going to go back and let one person in and kick another out. She also said most of the reaction they got was from people outside of Iowa upset about Kucinich not being included.
Caller says he actually liked the debate Washburn ran and her penetrating questions but Hillary's answer to a question on secrecy convinced him to support Obama because he found her answer to be mechanical and he didn't want to go through what they've had with Bush. Washburn said they talked about that with her and her reputation that she's controlling of information but that's just something she'll have to deal with voters about.
Washburn said she hopes that the process they went through and the information they gave people and thought process they revealed will help people think about endorsements. Washburn says she isn't sure how much the affect people and probably have more influence when not expected. She said the fact that Manchester and Boston papers along with theirs have endorsed McCain may do something for him but she's not sure how it will affect Clinton campaign.
FINAL THOUGHTS OF MY OWN
Washburn, nor the host, nor any of the callers ever said Richardson's or Dodd's name once that I recall during this segment. Biden only came up once or twice, and one of those times was on the one question about Edwards. For all of the support it seems like Edwards has in the polls and how much attention he has given to Iowa, I was surprised how little discussion he got in this.
Almost all focus of callers and the discussion was about Democratic side showing once again how clearly the enthusiasm is on this side. I don't think Romney got mentioned more than once, if at all. Nor did Giuliani really. Huckabee had a mention but it wasn't really memorable.
In my opinion, it sounds like the Clintonistas spun Washburn and their editorial board pretty well to their point of view and setting this all up as a contrast between Clinton and Obama.
Full disclosure: I am an Obama supporter, but I hope supporters of all campaigns found this info helpful.