First up: the pic was taken by a friend in NYC. The graffiti goes with today's post. I particularly like placing the "...or else" below the alphabet for effect.
More than likely Obama will not choose Hillary Clinton as his running mate. The foolish and mindless contempt his hardcore base has for the Clintons goes right to the top - as we saw in the primaries. Still if he's as smart as some say....here's why he might...
Reasons why Hillary Clinton is the politically right choice for VP and reasons why BHO may want her:
1. Some are insisting BHO is a Communist. Some say he's a corporate stooge. (They are only mutually exclusive after he gains power.) I favor corporate stooge born of the Chicago machine myself. But one thing is certain: Obama looks out for Obama. If the socialist organisation ACORN helps him - he's their man. If Goldman Sacks writes checks - he's their man. If the black theology church helps him - he's their man. This is the one distinctive pattern of his public life. With rare exceptions (the infants born alive act) , if there is no definable benefit and he must act - he punts. This year, the Left wing of the Democratic Party has had it's best run since 1972. But the party remains Clinton based. Hillary proved this over and over again in the primaries. With a big assist from the media and the DNC - BHO pulled off the "win." But it is an unnatural fit. BHO's poll numbers may actually be high at this point. A strange inversion is occurring - the more people look at BHO the less they like him, the more people look at McCain the more they like him. Many factors remain that favor BHO in the general. But one by one McCain is picking them off. The past 2 months have been very good for McCain. I have no idea if he can keep it up. But it is savvy so far. This brings me back to Clinton. Obama the opportunist knows Hillary commands a large audience. He knows this is the best ticket. Webb would have been great. Nunn is a strong choice. At this moment in time though Clinton brings in exactly who he needs - and he knows it. Why do I think he knows it?
2. Both Clintons have been given a strong presence in Denver. Over and above what is perfunctory. I don't think Obama "blinked" in a battle with the Clintons - I think he opened his eyes.
3. Clinton delivers states.
Ohio is now in the McCain column by a whisker. Biden or Bayh do not change that. Clinton does.
Arkansas is certainly a McCain state- unless a certain ex-President is sent home to do some heavy lifting for his wife. Bill Clinton can deliver Arkansas.
Now Florida - again we have McCain winning in a close race. Unless he chooses Crist - Clinton can switch that state to blue - by a whisker...
New Mexico should go to Obama- barely - Clinton can solidify New Mexico.
Now to my home state: California. Is it loco to think California is winnable for McCain? No. California is strongly DEM in voter registration. But unless a Clinton is on the ballot there is no certainty a Dem wins. For all our "blue" credentials there has been only 5 years in which a DEM has been governor since 1982. That's 21 years GOP - 5 DEM. Since 1889 there have only been 22 years of DEM gubernatorial rule total. 16 of those are from the Brown family exclusively. Gore and Kerry won the state. I would argue for the former - that the landslide for Gore here had everything to do with Clinton. As for the latter - his landslide here was a no to Bush more than a yes to Kerry. California likes moderate GOPs. "Moderate" and "Maverick" are labels that appeal here. Ask Arnold. "Effete" and "Out of Touch" are damning here. Ask recalled Governor Grey Davis. McCain may put his best efforts elsewhere. But California is do-able if he continues degrade the Obama brand. A Clinton on the ballot in California makes a GOP win here impossible. Additionally, gay marriage is on the ballot - which will bring the GOP base out in force. Some moderate voters - esp women - will vote no on gay marriage and FOR VP Clinton. They won't "split" for Obama/Biden. BHO and Axelrod have to be looking across the landscape and see some scary stuff. Clinton can deliver where he's weak.
4. Party Unity. Much has been written about "deadender" PUMAs. This is nonsense. PUMAs are a force. BHO knows this. 2 months of insults and attempted marginalization have only solidified PUMAs against Obama. This amounts to 20-25% of Democratic voters. Hillary can't bring them all back. But she CAN bring 5-10% back. That's more than enough in a close race. And the Democrats can leave Denver with a legitimate claim to unity. Hardcore PUMAs may be right - but they will be marginalized.
5. Experience. This is important to me so I hammer at it a lot. But from a purely political stand point Obama had better watch his back on this GOP talking point. Anyone on BHO's short list has more experience than him - so they help. Clinton is the only person who can make begin to deflate what will be the main problem Obama has against McCain. Hillary did an amazing thing during the primaries - other than winning the majority of votes - she re-created herself. In political speech "experience " is often code for "tough". Hillary's brand now is "tough fighter". Even in the Clinton hating media, even among Clinton hating conservatives. Obama will never win the toughness argument with McCain. But he can accent his strengths with a "tough" team. Here's an example: Kerry needed to appear more "tough". Edwards made his convention speech and looked like a boy scout. Where as Bush negated the experience question in 2000 by choosing Cheney. We've all grown to hate him - but in 2000 he added much needed ballast to the GOP ticket.
Even if he chose Attila the Hun the attack on Obama's experience is inevitable - and justified. Biden, Nunn and Hillary Clinton ALL add to Obama's toughness factor - not hard to do - but only Clinton adds toughness and a base and is a known quantity.
Clinton is the best choice he has.
2 Caveats: much depends on McCain's choice. If he goes too far Right he blows the election. Conservatives can squeal all they want - but in this case they will pony up. Obama scares the Right too much.
Also- Sam Nunn brings much of Clinton's strengths to the ticket. It is a politically sound choice. However, he is an unknown to most of America. He adds no sparkle. no pizazz.
As for the eruption a Clinton pick would cause on the Daily Kos, Huffington, Arugula chewing, Dum-Dum Left - they will get over it by the second day of the GOP convention. They'll scream and make offensive and actionable remarks - and then settle down and focus on their DEAR LEADER.
Finally, BHO loves to be compared to Lincoln and Kennedy. Both made seemingly contradictory choices VP because the politics of the moment demanded it. Lincoln chose a Democrat during the civil war. JFK chose a Texan he did not like and no one in his family liked because he knew a Catholic from the Northeast was a tough sell in the South, and he needed at least some of the South.
I still can't quite see the Obama Resentment Express getting over itself enough to choose Clinton - but he does want to win. Either is ego is so big he won't choose her or his ambition is so voracious that he will.
Listening to NPR yesterday (as all conversations on the East Coast should start) there was a report on new progressive groups. As a throw away the reporter ended with:
But Huttner says there's also little evidence that the Progress groups are suffering financially — despite the fact that Democratic candidate Barack Obama told his donors last month not to give money to independent groups.
You'd think that maybe someone would want to cover the story of Obama's consolidation of Power. Does anyone else hear echos of Nixon?
While Humphrey ran a fighting, slashing campaign, Nixon's campaign was carefully managed and controlled. Nixon often held "town hall" meetings in cities he visited, where he answered questions from voters who had been carefully screened in advance by his aides. Nixon also implied that he had a "solution" to the war in Vietnam, but was vague in providing the details of his plan
Obama's is the first presidential campaign since Nixon to not use public financing. He's moved the DNC to Chicago. He wants all the money to go to him so that Howard will have to beg for crumbs off the table. Maybe he'll finance the convention and as part of the deal Senator Clinton's name will be off the ballot.
He shuts down all criticism with one word - RACISM. The press is too politically correct to get past that.
Obama is a less experienced Nixon with a happy face. All the same dirty tactics under the umbrella of "HOPE".
And the Pod Squad is along for the ride.
Senator Obama stated in writing that he would accept public financing if his opponent did the same.
Senator Obama stated in writing that he would not support any FISA bill that included Telecom immunity.
Were there some who woke up from their stupor? Sure. Were there more who made excuses? Of course. The Obamanation believes they know what he really means. They are fools.
Senator Obama I'm telling you that that words don't matter because you can't keep yours.
Will the DNC demand the nomination back the way the Recording Academy took back their Grammy for "Best New Artist"?
The problem with falling in love with someone you know nothing about is there is no where to go but down. That's why it's called infatuation. It's not based on anything but an ideal. To be fair to Senator Obama no one could possibly measure up and stay on the pedestal.
The teeny-boppers who adore Obama have discovered his feet of clay.
He's a liar.
He'll do anything to win.
There were other comments on the Obamapost and Kosco from still rabid supporters that said that he had to say he'd vote for the bill or else get labeled as soft on terror. He doesn't really mean it. They know what "Barack" really means.
Kids, what "Barack" really means is anything to get ahead with the least amount of work. Throw old friends and commrades under the bus, roll back and forth until completely crushed. Steal other people's work and take credit for it. Play the dirtiest politics, trash other people's reputations and claim to be NEW!
And in spite of Howard Dean's 48 state strategy, Senator Obama's 57 state strategy and the Obama supporters state of denial strategy the momentum is going towards Senator Clinton. It's too late for Clinton but it's also too late for Obama.
When you check out Real Clear Politics and look at the reader's articles the majority are anti-Obama. They are also the ones with the most votes. Our little blog has grown like crazy once we went All Anti Obama All the Time. Other anti-Obama sites are popping up. Readership of pro-bama blogs like Kos-Co. and Avorisis have gone down. If anyone has access to the ratings of Olbermann please post in the comments but I don't know anyone who watches anymore.
People are angry. Angry that we have an antequated primary system that sets us up to lose. Angry that Dean and Brazille unilaterally dismissed two states from the country. Angry that the same press who should have learned the lesson of the consequences of going along and not questioning from Iraq have done the same thing with an untested, unvetted, unexperienced guy from Illinois.
Post Wright what has Obama won? North Carolina, although in recent polls he loses to McCain in the general and Senator Clinton wins, Oregon, latte all the way, and perhaps we can count Mississippi.
Go over to Mydd.com and look at the two electoral maps. See who wins. It sure ain't Obama.
Snobama is melting. When Clinton lost Iowa gleeful posters at the Obamington Post announced that "inevitability" was all she had and now that was gone. Well, after winning every major contest since - including, always including, Florida and Michigan - she has a lot more than inevitability. I commend BHO for his smashing victories in Utah and Kansas and the like. When those states matter to the Democratic nominee he will matter again. Until then he's the guy who won Democratic contests in Republican states. Axelrod glibly stated that working class whites haven't voted for the Democratic nominee in a long time anyway. True enough. Then again, Democrats usually lose national elections, too - so David's point was??? Since 1968 Democrats are 3-8. That doesn't even get you invited to the half time show at the Papajohns.com bowl.
All Obama had was his "transformational aura". That is now gone. Now he's now a guy who makes you queasy because he hangs out with a lose confederation of terrorists, slumlords and loco preachers. As I've said six zillion times before on this blog - Obama has had ample chance to fill in his blank spots for voters. He is unwilling to do so. I happen to believe that he believes he should not have to. Grand speeches that lead to nowhere and back again are all he thinks he should have to do. To hear him is to love him. That should be enough for us ruffians. Let him eat his waffle. He answered "like 6 questions" about Rezko! Golly! He doesn't have to debate in North Carolina because debates are so common. Sometime after Wright exploded Obama's aura transformed into soot.
He wasn't defeated in Pennsylvania. He was destroyed. Philly was the only reason he stayed within 10% of her. Rural Democrats and Democrats in Pittsburgh walked off the Obama bus in droves. Those numbers are worse then they appear. In many counties Clinton won 70-30%. Pennsylvania is not only needed by a Democrat in a general election - it is almost an assumption going in, just this side of D.C.
A Democrat who can't convince Ohio and Pennsylvania in a primary is a Democrat who is going to lose in November. Period.
The DNC and the media are hell bent to shove Obama down our throats. Other than a certain rabies like quality emanating from Howard Dean and Donna Brazile there is no reason Michigan and Florida can't be enfranchised right now. Obama took his own name off the Michigan ballot. No one forced him. Florida had a free and open election. (Odd as that may seem...) Dean just has to quote Dr. Rice and say "mistakes were made", seat the delegations and move on.
The super delegates are being blackmailed with the race card. It really is as simple as that. If our guy is not your choice we will... fill in the blank with real or vague threats. Caving to this blackmail will be the end of the Democratic Party. Obama's campaign is poisonous.
In case you forgot why the GOP is aching for Obama in the fall:
Oh and weenie Barry can't handle any more debates.... he cancelled the one in N.C.
hmm wonder why cuz- the Little Prince got his ass kicked in by Hillary during the last one. He even got his cult members to chant "No more debates" - for no other reason than it seemed to make their LORD and GOD pleased. Next they'll be sacrificing a virgin from the village for him. A mob is a mob is a mob....
I know I am correct on this assumption: the Obamites are just this side of violence. I bet we'll see a violent eruption from their side before this is over. They are not committed to a candidate, they are worshipping a false God. They just don't know he's false yet.
RSVP for the flag-pin protest against ABC on Friday from 4-7 p.m. in Burbank!
Did you watch ABC's prime-time character assassination of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton?
Americans are still shaking their heads in disbelief at what they witnessed, sarcastically speculating whether ABC News decided to launch an early roll-out of the Republican "swift boat" campaign.
First off, BULL SHIT adding Senator Clinton to your header. Bull Shit. You never cared that she was attacked on every other debate.
Second - what the FUCK? For people who complained that the debate wasn't about issues how about protesting the fucking war? How about protesting the erosion of our civil liberties? No, your man's feelings were hurt so, whah, let's protest.
Third - what do you think the great messiah is running to become? President of the Oprah Fan Club? My GOD, if getting "grilled" for forty-five minutes is the worst thing you can imagine wait until he meets with the leader of countries who hate us. What are you going to do then? Hand out cookies at the fucking Russian embassy because Putin was mean to the great one?
Fourth - don't you people have jobs? Who can get off on Friday on short notice to go and protest someone not inviting you to their birthday party? Oh, that's right, I forgot, it's just Clinton supporters who work regular jobs, you are sooooo much better than us.
Finally - FUCK YOU.
Really, FUCK YOU.
Senator Clinton won the debate; Senator Obama did not. Get over it.
During the first 867 debates when Senator Clinton was tag teamed and piled on there was no outcry that it wasn't "fair." Well, that's not exactly true since we who support Senator Clinton were talking about it but it never got any traction.
Senator Obama was actually questioned on the only thing he's running on - his character - and ABC News is the devil. The Probama crowd screamed and howled until they got everyone's attention to change the subject from, wow, Senator Obama hangs out with a terrorist to poor Senator Obama, that's trivial, we need to talk about issues.
Move on means nano-seconds. I read that Senator Obama had answered questions adnauseam on Reverend Wright. Really? Has he ever answered why he sat there for twenty years? More importantly, has he ever been asked? Do we know why he canned Wright for his coming out party - what the statements were that he never heard but made the good Reverend too dangerous to be there for his announcement?
That's in the past - move on.
His arrogance, his house, his "present" and non votes on controversial issues, his association with Hamas, legitimate questions for a man who wants to be leader of our country must not be asked.
How do the Barackis think they are going to win the general when they continue to alienate people who support Senator Clinton? Sure, he told them and us that he had our votes but she wouldn't get his votes. But at least 28% will not vote for him and that was back in March, I'm sure the number is much higher now.
It certainly doesn't help Obama to continually denigrate President Clinton's tenure in the White House. If you're under twenty-five perhaps the only thing you remember is the blow job but if you're over thirty-five you remember a pretty great economy, the first two term Democratic President since Truman and a man who was smart, had a handle on the issues and worked with Congress. President Clinton went through EIGHT YEARS of what Senator Obama couldn't handle for forty-five minutes.
Obama is like buying a home during the hot market on interest only. The assumption that the value will always go up and that you'll be able to refinance has lead to foreclosure now that the bubble has burst. You could have gotten a lovely fixed rate mortgage with under 6% interest but you got caught up in the game. And now you have no equity and no house.
As a former Democrat - it's official - I'm Independent - I've seen this guy before. Mike Dukakis, John Kerry, George McGovern. Granted, the marketing is better, but the outcome will be the same.
He will be eviscerated in the General because a man who wilts under forty-five minutes of tough questions is not qualified to be President
First things first. There is a man out there (hardly a gentleman)who has been writing me since last week asking if he can grab MY bags. To quote the immortal words of Senator Ted Stevens
"NO!"
Isn't Ted a charmer?
Now that that is off my chest on to business:
Darlings, I am so glad L.R. is proving to be a refuge for Real Democrats. I am afraid we may be tasked with heaving the Barackarazzi overboard when this election is over. The Arugulas are so annoying. They just don't understand real Democrats. Now we are being called Jacksonian Democrats. Hmmm? Is this for Michael Jackson? Action Jackson? Of that darling who splattered all the paint on the floor? Another good thing about this election: I am over Oprah for good. Bye. Bye. What a relief! She was getting tiresome anyway. Glad she showed her true colors.
For any of you dears who eat: there is a problem with the foods.
Are you Lonely? Confused? Lost and all alone? Pathetic? Needy? Overbearing? Trapped between your dishonest self image and your brittle, yet still fat, ego? You need advice. Send me any questions or concerns you may have. Post them in the comments. I answer on Thursdays with love, compassion, and a hatchet. Darlings.
First up: the pic was taken by a friend in NYC. The graffiti goes with today's post. I particularly like placing the "...or else" below the alphabet for effect.
