Progress.

The natives were restless in Denver today in anticipation of what the former President Bill Clinton. Fear no more because Bill Clinton HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK!!!!   The audience went wild during several point sin his speech.  Congressman Meeks introduced President Bill Clinton. The former president expressed his honor to be appearing at the convention.  He then said that he is here first to support Barack Obama and second to warm up the crowd for Joe Biden.  President Clinton then said that he will do everything he can to elect Barack Obama for president.  The former president reiterated that the nation is in trouble and that our position in the world has been weakened.  President Clinton then said that the job of the next president is to rebuild the American dream and restore our leadership in the world Clinton then stated with conviction that Barack Obama is the man for this job.  The former  President said that Barack Obama is ready to lead and honor the oath to preserve, honor, and defend the Constitution of the United States.  The President received a standing ovation several times during his speech.  And the coupe de gras, Clinton stated indisputably that “Barack Obama is ready to be the President of the United States.”  President Clinton emphasized the importance of diplomacy first in this new world.  It was a great performance by President Clinton.  The torch has been passed. 

There was quite a bit of anticipation for Sen. Hillary Clinton’s speech last night amongst the chattering class.  Punditville was falling all over themselves hoping for something, something unexpected to happen so that they would be able to chatter about it for a few weeks.  We can tell you that the mood on the floor of the convention was not as a buzz as the chattering class is reporting.  As a matter of fact there is really no drama at all.  The mood on the streets and in the Convention hall is excitment and gratitude that the democratic party has such a great candidate.  There have been a few protests but they are usually par for the course at any party convention.  Anyway, back to Sen. Clinton’s speech.  Chelsea Clinton introduced her mother, and Sen Clinton came out to thundering applause.  The speech was well received by the delegates and all the other attendees lucky enough to secure credentials.  We stood just behind Governor of Virgina Tim Kaine and Virginia Congressman Jim Moran.  Both of whom seemed pleased by the speech.  We also interviewed a few Clinton delegates afterwards to get their opinion.  Most of whom said that they are democrats first and will be voting for Sen. Barack Obama in the fall.  One said that she will be voting for Sen. Obama but needs a little more time to come to terms with the idea that her 92 year old mother might not see the first female president.  This particular delegate also said that she would not be able to vote for John McCain given his position on several key issues that are deal breakers for her.  We also spoke with Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York who said that the speech was great.  He also said that he thought that Clinton’s speech hit just the right note because it gave people reasons to be for Sen. Obama rather than to simply vote for Sen. Obama.  Sen. Schumer went on to say that the speech had substance and stressed the importance of helping the middle class.  He said that the speech was “well done, well thought out, and given with real conviction.”  Finally the Senator of New York concluded that “it wasn’t easy to do.” We also spoke briefly with Gov. Bll Richardson of New Mexico who said that the speech was “well done.” 

There were a few celebrities in attendance including Richard Dreyfuss and Jane Seymour.

The Obama and Clinton campaigns released a joint statement announcing that the former president, Bill Clinton, will be speaking on Wednesday night at the Democratic convention in Denver.  President Clinton will speak before the vice presidential pick on Wednesday.  The role of the former president would play at the convention has been a subject of speculation for a few weeks and in the last week its reached a fever pitch.  Up until yesterday, the Democratic party was deciding whether John Edwards would speak at all in light of some tabloid stories alleging a scandal involving infidelity.  As a matter of fact, the Party is reported to have told the former North Carolina senator that he would need to clear up the scandal before he would be invited to speak.  Now it appears that Bill Clinton has been given that open spot and Edwards is out.

Last week, we reported that CBS distorted Sen. McCain’s answer in an interview that aired a couple of weeks ago.  Well, it appears that the third place network is still at it.   Many of the news outlets have been reporting on former President Bill Clinton’s lukewarm response to a reporter’s question about whether Sen. Obama “is ready to be president.”  It has been discovered by Media Matters that CBS edited out a significant portion of Clinton’s answer so that it gave a different impression than that of the unedited tape.  This is the entire exchange unedited:

SNOW: Is he ready to be president?

CLINTON: Well, in the — you could argue that no one is ever ready to be president.  I mean, I certainly learned a lot about the job in my first year. He’s shown a keen strategic sense and his ability to run an effective campaign. He clearly can inspire people and motivate people and energize them, which is a very important part of being president, and he’s smart as a whip so there’s nothing he can’t learn.

This is what ABC reported:

begin video clip]

SNOW: Is he ready to be president?

BILL CLINTON: Well, in the — you could argue that no one’s ever ready to be president.

[end video clip]

One wonders what else was left out of that interview?

DISTRACTION ALERT:  The McCain campaign is up in arms about a comment made by Sen. Barack Obama yesterday regarding the “scare” campaign tactics of the other side. The exact quote from Sen. Obama: 

Nobody thinks that Bush and McCain have a real answer to the challenges we face. So what they’re going to try to do is make you scared of me,” Obama said. “You know, ‘he’s not patriotic enough, he’s got a funny name,’ you know, ‘he doesn’t look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills.” 

This is completely ridiculous! Obama was preempting what is to come. Something McCain is very aware of since he has done the same thing many times over with respect to his age.  How many times have John McCain referred to the fact that he is “old” in an attempt to take it off the table.  The gander certainly cannot accuse the goose for something that it has been doing in the hen house for months prior.  How many times has John McCain alluded to Obama’s alleged “inexperience” or “arrogance” for doing things that he himself has done except that Obama is perceived as having done them better.  The trip to the Middle East for example.  McCain made the exact same trip but perceived not to have been as successful.  What Obama completed brilliantly yesterday was a preemptive strike against the “race card.”  No one can deny, not even the main stream pundits, that there has been several right-wing pundits, whisper campaigns, talk radio shock jocks, right-wing bloggers,  527 groups etc., who have used race left, right, sideways, and center in ”their” attempt to punt the Illinois senator.  So with this knowledge, why is the McCain campaign so up in arms about Obama comment?  With all the right-wing lunatic fringe groups focusing at every opportunity on the fact that Obama is different because he is black, how else do you combat such distracting noise but mention the fact that you have been very upfront about the fact that Obama is different because he is black. So it’s dumbfounding how the campaign can conclude that Obama is playing the race card.  It seems that the double standard in the McCain campaign is in full force. This is a stretch beyond elasticity and the main stream media is jumping all over it.  Remember folks, CNN, NBC, CBS, ABC, all have a very big horse in this race….RATINGS.  The greater the perception of a horse race, the more advertising dollars.  And by the way, Obama has made the same comment many times prior to yesterday. This is an extreme and disproportionate reaction from the McCain campaign.  It’s called the politics of destraction and deflection….deflect from the positive press from Obama’s overseas trip and distract from the weaknesses of McCain, economy, gas prices, EXXON Mobil record profits (11.68 billion), mortgage crisis, etc.  Karl Rove tactics on full blast. 

Yesterday the Senate voted to override the President’s veto on a Medicare bill that would protect doctors from cuts in Medicare payments.  This is the fourth bill to become law over President Bush’s veto.  This is a huge bit of good news for seniors, veterans, and the disabled.  Cuts in physicians Medicare payments would have resulted in an inability of physicians to continue to treat Medicare patients who are made up primarily of seniors and low income.  Has anyone mentioned to McCain that Arizona has a huge senior population that rely heavily on Medicare for obtaining healthcare?  In addition, another significant group that stands to benefit enormously are veterans.  Yet Sen. McCain was nowhere to be found.  What does McCain have against veterans?  This is the second vote significantly affecting veterans that the Arizona senator has failed to support.  He did not support the GI bill and now he did not show up to support this one.  This bill is important to veterans because of Tricare.  Tricare payouts are indexed to Medicare, therefore, if Medicare payments are cut so are Tricare payments.  If the bill had not passed, it would be much more difficult for military families to find doctors that will treat them.  I have said this before but this is still shameful.  Why would McCain not support such an important bill you ask?  Well, it seems that the opposition opposed the bill because it decreases insurance company payouts that were being used by such companies to bankroll increasing physician fees.  This is the reason why Obama is leading McCain in McCain’s home state of Arizona.  The Zogby poll has Obama leading McCain in Arizona 42% to 39%.  McCain actually had to campaign in his own home state this past weekend.

Sen. John McCain has been MIA for three very important votes; FISA, Medicare, and the GI bill.  Is it possible that the Senator has decided that he has much more important things to do than his job as a United States Senator?  The Arizona senator was in Ohio yesterday doing a town hall meeting while 90 of his colleagues, including Sen. Ted Kennedy and Sen. Barack Obama, made it to the senate floor to vote on the Medicare bill.  All three previously mentioned bills have serious implications to his Arizonan constituents as well as to the American people. It is perplexing as to why McCain didn’t show up.  Just to put this in perspective, McCain has a history of missing votes.  According to the Washington Post, in 2007 McCain missed 374votes which represents 62 percent of the total votes.  To be fair, Obama missed 263 votes or 43 percent of the total votes.  Still, McCain has missed more votes than a Senator who suffered from a brain hemmorage and spent several months in 2007 recovering.  It’s not just that he missed a significant amount of votes, what is significant is the votes that he missed.  The Senator from Arizona not voting for the Medicare bill????  Where is the focus on the people?  Where is the courage of convictions?

Yesterday, the Senate reversed course and voted to pass a Medicare bill that would avoid deep cuts in Medicare reimbursements for physicians.   McCain not showing up for this vote, when even Sen. Ted Kennedy showed up, is absolutely shameful.  Yes, Sen. Kennedy left his post-surgical sick bed to vote for the reversal of medicare cuts.  McCain’s absenteeism is even more shameful because he is the senator of a state, Arizona, where a significant portion of his constituents (seniors) would be negatively affected by the medicare cuts.  If this bill had not passed, it would have massively decreased medicare benefits for veterans, seniors, and the disabled.  My question to you Sen. McCain is….are you so busy seeking a promotion that you can’t be bothered to do the job that your constituents elected you to do??  Let us know.  McCain’s absence lead many to conclude that he sided with the insurance companies instead of with senior citizens and the military. If the bill had not passed, Medicare fees to physicians would  have been drastically cut and physicians would have lost so much money treating Medicare patients that they would have stopped taking new Medicare patients.  This bill affects real people in their daily lives.  It is a bill that can put the lives and quality of life of  ordinary Americans at risk.  Is this a lower priority to you Sen. McCain?  I guess I can understand how your 200th town hall meeting would be more important.

One of McCain’s colleagues, Pete Stark (D-CA 13), had this to say:

“Senator Kennedy managed to make it back from treatment for cancer, but Senator McCain couldn’t be bothered. Senator McCain, who wants to be our next President, has skipped this vote three times now. Clearly, he’d rather hide than face up to the insurance industry. You can do that when you’re in the U.S. Senate, maybe voters should leave him there.” 

Sen McCain’s position and lack of support for the GI bill is also very disturbing.  The bill increased educational benefits for veterans.  Why on earth would the most famous veteran in America not bother to vote on such an important bill?  And, even though McCain missed the vote on this bill …..he and Pres. Bush took full credit for its passing.  Sen. Jim Webb worked tirelessly to get this bill passed and was THE person responsible for getting it passed.  McCain and Bush did their best to obviate its passing.  McCain was recently called on the carpet for his record of non support of veterans by a fellow Vietnam veteran at a town hall meeting in Denver.  The flustered senator cited a number of veterans organizations that support him in an attempt to dodge the question of why he did not support or vote for three different vet bills.  The derailed talk express.  Oh…and by the way, it turns out that none of the organizations that McCain rattled off support him at all.  Not sure why the Senator continues to make false claims even when confronted with easily verifiable contradictory evidence. 

One other tidbit, when the vote for the Immigration bill came up in May, McCain did deem the Senate with his presence…..for the photo ops!!  Yes, McCain showed up to Capitol Hill, spoke with the press, and left without voting yay or nay on the bill.  Prorities people!! 

After weeks of silence, presumptive democratic nominee Barack Obama and former president Bill Clinton finally had a 20 minute conversation yesterday.  Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna gave this statement regarding the conversation.

President Clinton continues to be impressed by Senator Obama and the campaign he has run, and looks forward to campaigning for and with him in the months to come,” McKenna said.

So Bill is looking forward to campaigning for Obama.  Hmmmm. One word to the Obama campaign, beware of a very bruised ego.  My question: what will Bill Clinton’s response be the first time he is confronted with a criticism leveled against his administration by the Obama campaign during the primary process?  Lets see, will he be more concerned with electing the democratic nominee to the White House?  OR, will he be more concerned with redeeming his legacy and respond in a way that benefits him and perhaps his wife in 2012?  My advice to the Obama campaign, keep Bill Clinton on a very short leash.  It is evident that an intense rivalry exists between the two alpha males and Clinton’s motives may not always be pure. This is not meant to be offensive to the Clintons because they are brilliant politicians and would be assets to any campaign under the right circumstances.  Bill and Hill’s significant contributions to this country cannot be denied.  However, the democratic primary was a bitterly fought battle between two formidable candidates with hurt feelings all around, not to mention unbridled ambition.  The Obama campaign should not expect a Huckabee like ally in the Clintons, even less so because she will not be Obama’s veep pick.  The Clintons and Obama can help each other as long as everyone is clear on the target end.  Obama can help Bill Clinton rehabilitate himself within the African-American community and the national stage; Bill Clinton can help Obama in states that Hillary did well in like Pennsylvania, West Virginia, etc.   This can work as long as everyone knows who the candidate is and both are clear on the end goal.  Somehow I don’t think that Obama will have any problem making clear who the candidate is, consensus with respect to the end goal may be a bit more challenging. Ding, ding, ding……let the battle of the alpha males begin.

WASHINGTON — Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was gracious in her full-throated endorsement of Senator Barack Obama. But that does not mean all is forgiven by others in the Clinton universe.

For proof, look no further than Doug Band, chief gatekeeper to former President Bill Clinton.

Mr. Band keeps close track of the past allies and beneficiaries of the Clintons who supported Mr. Obama’s campaign, three Clinton associates and campaign officials said. Indeed, he is widely known as a member of the Clinton inner circle whose memory is particularly acute on the matter of who has been there for the couple — and who has not.

“The Clintons get hundreds of requests for favors every week,” said Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of Mrs. Clinton’s presidential campaign. “Clearly, the people you’re going to do stuff for in the future are the people who have been there for you.”

Mr. McAuliffe, who knows of Mr. Band’s diligent scorekeeping, emphasized that “revenge is not what the Clintons are about.” The accounting is more about being practical, he said, adding, “You have to keep track of this.”  Read article for those at the top of list.

A total of 330,714 people voted in Virginia yesterday, 76,000 of which voted in early voting.  Clinton pulled out a substantial win of 67% to Obama’s 26%.   Given the fact that Obama did not campaign in West Virginia, such a wide margin was expected.  A total of 28 delegates will be awarded.  Pundits are asking why did West Virginians vote for Clinton knowing that most have proclaimed the race over and Obama as the nominee?  To that question I have a different question, why did 7% of West Virginians vote for John Edwards even though he has been out of the race since January?  A notable percentage of West Virginians appear to be saying we don’t like the woman or the black guy.  This bolsters an argument that I make later in this article.  The exit polls revealed that 20% of West Virginia voters thought race an important factor in their decision.  That is a pretty high number to overcome.  However, it is not insurmountable with a few more visits to the state.  Many of the pundits are punditing that Obama may have an issue in the general if he is unable to connect with the type of working class voters that make up West Virginia.  My question is, are the pundits overstating the importance of carrying the white vote?  Why is it only republican stategist and pundits like Pat Buchannan, Joe Scaborough, Tucker Carlson, and Lou Dobbs that insist that Obama has a problem because he is not winning every single identity group?  Also, why is it only the republican strategists and pundits who continue to promote the idea of a “Dream Ticket?”  It seems to me that if the conservative right cannot get Clinton on the top of the ticket, they will accept her in the VP spot just to get her on the ticket. As I’ve mentioned before, nothing rallies the conservative base like the potential of the Clintons back in the White House.  Just as background, West Virginia voted for Bush twice and traditionally is a very conservative state.  My guess is that if Clinton expects to hold such voters in a general election, she is miscaculating.  Pundits say that Clinton has been able to connect with working class voters in West Virginia, I say that the connection is fleeting when John “maverick” McCain enters the picture.  A Quinnipiac national poll released today makes my point.  McCain is leading Obama among white voters 47% to 40% but McCain is also leading Clinton 48% to 41% among white voters.  This really undercuts Clinton’s argument that she appeals more to whit voters.  If there was no Obama on the ticket in Westy Virginia, chances are that such voters would not be supporting Clinton in the numbers that they did yesterday.  Simply because of the Clinton’s history and identity-politics.  One problem evidenced by the West Virginia exit polls is that 50% of West Virginians believe that Obama shares Rev. Wright’s views.  This is clearly a result of not campaigning in the state, something that can be remedied in the general election.  Obama won neighboring Virginia by 29 percentage points so it is very probable that he will bring West Virginians into the fold.  Finally, a bit of historical perspective.  The last democrat that carried the white vote in a presidential election was Lyndon Johnson in 1964.  Bob Dole carried the white vote in his presidential bid against Bill Clinton in 1996 and as most of you know, Dole lost.  It seems to be more important to build a coalition that is a cross-section of all of America.  What does the West Virginia win mean….it does not change the race in any way but does give the pundits something to talk about for the next week until the Kentucky and Oregon primaries on May 20th.

The defections from the Clinton campaign have begun.  George McGovern, who endorsed Clinton back in 2007, has just endorsed Barack Obama!  McGovern is also urging Clinton to get out of the race.  The former Iowa Senator has been a long time friend of the Clintons since the then unmarried couple were instrumental in the Texas effort of McGovern’s 1972 presidential campaign bid. McGovern says that he will call Bill Clinton to inform him of his decision.  UPDATE:  McGovern says that he has talked to President Clinton and informed him of his decision.  The former Senator also said that he and Bill had a pleasant conversation with no voices being raised.  McGovern gives as his reason for endorsing Barack Obama the following; ”the time has come for democrats to unite and get ready for a tough race against John McCain.”  He says that he is “hopeful that Sen. Clinton will see fit fairly soon.” 

Kantor: “Look at Indiana – 42-40. It doesn’t matter if we win; those people are shit.” The original video also alleges that Kantor said “How would you like to be a worthless white ni***r?” UPDATE:  Kantor and the director of the film dispute the video’s authenticity.   Kantor denies that he has ever used the N word. However, it does appear, at least in the documentary “The War Room,” that Kantor did refer to Indianans as “sh*t.”  Judge for yourself.

The Washington Post printed this story in 1993

“War Room” is shot in the nonscripted, cinema-verite style by D. A. Pennebaker (whose follow-around films on President Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey and Bob Dylan are documentary classics) and Chris Hegedus. Whether Carville and company are play-acting somewhat for the cameras becomes less important as the film progresses. One can only keep up an act for so long — especially in the throes of a campaign. Carville’s tearful farewell speech to his staff as they close up just before the election, Stephanopoulos’s frank talk with a potential blackmailer and a Mickey Kantor comment about the people of Indiana (when it looks as though Clinton’s ahead in Dan Quayle’s state) attest to this. Read the remainder of the story.

Joe Andrew, who Bill Clinton appointed Chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 1999, has just switched his support from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama.   Andrew has been a supporter of Sen. Clinton since she first announced her bid for the presidency.  Andrew made is announcement at a press conference in his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana Thursday morning.   During the press conference Andrew encouraged his fellow Democrats and Hoosiers to end this madness and unite behind Barack Obama for Tuesdays primary.  In his telephone interview with the Associated Press Andrew said “I am convinced that the primary process has devolved to the point that it’s now bad for the Democratic Party.”  Andrew also cited additional reasons for his switch in a letter to superdelegates.  In the letter the former DNC Chairman says ”a vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue this process, and a vote to continue this process is a vote that assists (Republican) John McCain.”  Andrew went on to say  “[w]hile I was hopeful that a long, contested primary season would invigorate our party, the polls show that the tone and temperature of the race is now hurting us,” Andrew continued. “John McCain, without doing much of anything, is now competitive against both of our remaining candidates. We are doing his work for him and distracting Americans from the issues that really affect all of our lives.”  Andrew said that teh Obama campaign never asked him to switch his support but he did so after witnessing the principled way that Obama has handled two recent issues that have challenged his campaign.  The Wright controversy and the gas tax holiday qestion.  Andrew praised the fact that Obama stuck to his guns with respect to the gas tax holiday even though the politically expedient thing to do would have been to go along with Clinton and McCain on this issue.  And, he also praised Obama’s handling of the Jeremiah Wright controversy saying that Obama “has shown such mettle under fire.”  Andrew’s decision also increases Obama’s superdelegate count thereby clossing in on Clinton’s current lead.  The current count for superdelegates 247-263 Clinton.  However, Obama leads in the delegate count overall 1735.5 to 1597.5 for Clinton.  Last count, 230 superdelegates remain undecided, and about 60 more will be selected at state party conventions and meetings throughout the spring

Iowa Rep. Bruce Braley announced today that he would be supporting Barack Obama.   Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) also announced her support for Obama today.  Indiana Rep. Baron Hill will endorse Obama tonight.  One Senator also says that Obama has dozens of superdelegates lined up.  Hillary Clinton recently received superdelegate and North Carolina Governor Mark Easley’s endorsement yesterday.   Bill George of Pennsylvania also just announced his support for Clinton.  Obama is leading among committed superdelegates in the Senate 18-13, while Clinton leads in House superdelegates 77-74.

Former 2008 presidential candidate and current New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson endorses Barack Obama for President!!  Bill Richardson is the nations only Hispanic governor.  Richardson was also appointed U.S. Ambassador of the United Nations and Secretary of Energy by Bill Clinton during Clinton’s administration.  This is a real coo for Obama.  Hillary and Bill Clinton really pursued this endorsement.  Bill Clinton pursued it so hard that he showed up in New Mexico, unannouced, to watch the Super Bowl with Richardson.  In his statement released last night, Richardson said, “I believe he is the kind of once-in-a-lifetime leader that can bring our nation together and restore America’s moral leadership in the world,”  Richardson further said, “[a]s a presidential candidate, I know full well Sen. Obama’s unique moral ability to inspire the American people to confront our urgent challenges at home and abroad in a spirit of bipartisanship and reconciliation.”  The New Mexico Governor will be making the official announcement later today.

Top Clinton campaign surrogate and Governor of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell, said yesterday on Meet the Press with Tim Russert, that even if Obama is ahead in the popular vote, ahead in elected delegates, and ahead in states won, Clinton should still win the nomination.  In other words, okay kids (electorate),…go play in the romper room and let the grown ups take it from here.  Russert asked Rendell again…even if Obama is ahead in ELECTED delegates, should Obama win the nomination?  Rendell answered…no, Clinton should still be the nominee.  Rendell then said something to the effect of,  the voters don’t really understand what is going on so it’s up to us to make their decision for them..i.e. thank you kids….the big boys will take over from here.  It is the height of insult and condescension to the American people, who are more informed and engaged and have come out and participated in greater numbers than any other election in history.  That inescapable fact seems to be irrelevant to the Clinton campaign.  According to Campaign Clinton, the will of the voters is immaterial.  The campaign’s attitude appears to be that the voters don’t matter….us politicians (meaning the Clinton campaign and its surrogates), know what is best for America.  The campaign also continues to make the disingenuous argument that because Clinton won some of the big states that she somehow has an edge over Obama in a general election.  Does the Clinton campaign really expect the American people to believe that because she won a few LARGE states, by a small margin, that are ALWAYS won, with the exception of Ohio, by the democratic candidate in the general election, that hers is a stronger case than Obama’s double digit wins in both LARGE states and red states, therefore putting in play such republican states as Virginia, Missouri, Minnesota and Iowa for the general election???  Obama’s wins effectively enlarge the democratic electorate/base dramatically and demonstrably thereby significantly increasing the party’s chances of victory in the fall.  Just to put things in perspective, John Kerry won PENNSYLVANIA, New York, Rhode Island, New Jersey, California, and Massachusetts in the 2004 election against George W. Bush.  So all the states that the Clinton campaign claims as ”better” wins than Obama’s, are solid blue states that have been won by the democratic candidate in the general election for the last several decades.  Therefore, it stands to reason and logic that Obama will also win such states in the fall.   Enough with the empty and false arguments.  The latest Clinton campaign strategy, at least in Mississippi, is the Jedi mind-trick strategy.  Clinton, behind in the popular vote, behind in states won, and behind in elected delegates, is attempting to offer Barack Obama the vice president position.  In other words, the person in the number two position, is offering the person in the number one position, the number two spot.  The Clinton campaign pushes this option in hopes of gaining votes by, what can only be described as, hoodwinking the American people into believing that such a ticket is possible.  Obama has flat out said that we will not see him as a vice presidential candidate on any ticket.  The offer is also illogical and inconsistent with Clinton’s assertion that Obama is not ready to be President.  Because every vice president has to be ready on “day one” to assume the presidential role, how then can you argue out of one side of your mouth that Obama is not ready to be President and out of the other side endorse him as vice president?  Either you believe that he is ready to be President or you do not.  We the voters are not so easily fooled as to accept both arguments as valid.  Luucy…you got some splaining to do.  Obviously, the campaign did not think either strategy through before putting it out there. To top it off, Clinton essentially said that John McCain is ready to be President, she is ready to be President, but Barack Obama is not.  Clinton actually argues that the republican candidate is a better option than the leading candidate in her own party.  In this writers opinion, Clinton has officially become the suicide candidate.  As she detonates herself, she plans to detonate the entire Democratic party along with her, thereby gifting the White House to the republicans in the fall.  It seems that Clinton’s loyalty is to herself first, to the Democratic party second, and to the the voters….a very distant last.  Viva Clinton!!!

Well here we are……Michigan and Florida as states of confusion within the Democratic Party.  The Clinton campaign, Michigan governor and Clinton supporter Jennifer Granholm, republican governor of Florida who is a staunch supporter of John McCain and serious contender for the VP spot on the McCain ticket,  Bill Crist,  and Clinton supporter Bill Nelson, are all pushing for Florida and Michigan to be seated at the convention in Denver.  As mentioned in earlier writing, a decision as to how to deal with this issue should have been released long ago.  Further, there is no way that Michigan and Florida can be seated without it being patently unfair not only to the Obama campaign but to all the voters of other states that worked within the rules of the DNC.  Regarding Michigan, Clinton’s name was the only one on the ballot and there is no way that anyone can legitimately argue that it was a fair race, end of story.  As for Florida, millions of voters did not vote and thereby will be disenfranchised because they were informed by the DNC, and the state government, that their vote will not count.  Therefore, the Florida result does not represent the will of all the citizens of Florida.  To seat Florida according to the primary that was held in January would be patently unfair to citizens who did not vote based on incorrect information.  How can anyone argue that it would be fair?  How is that the democratic process?  This is not a situation were voters made an informed decision and decided not to vote. If Florida is seated, the voters of Florida were essentially lied to, the voters relied on that lie when they did not show up at the polls and will be severely damaged as a result.  Last I heard we are suppose to trust that our government will not punish us for listening to the rules and making decisions based on such rules.  Howard Dean said yesterday that the rules will not be changed in the middle of the game.  The DNC Chairman went on to say that to change the rules in the middle of the game would not be fair to either candidate.  Further, Dean said that the candidates agreed to or were aware of the rules with respect to Michigan and Florida before each of them began their run for the presidency. Dean concluded by saying that if Michigan and Florida wants to be seated at the convention in Denver, both states will have to work within the rules that were in place at the beginning of the 2008 presidential campaign.  What that means is that the states will either have to host another primary or appeal to the credentials committee at the Denver  Convention.   Dean also said that there is no way that Florida and Michigan can break the rules and then be rewarded by being given the power to decide this election.  I agree.  All the other states were aware of the rules and worked within them.  The official statement from DNC Chairman Howard Dean went as follows:

The rules, which were agreed to by the full DNC including representatives from Florida and Michigan over 18 months ago, allow for two options. First, either state can choose to resubmit a plan and run a process to select delegates to the convention [another primary or caucus]; second, they can wait until this summer and appeal to the Convention Credentials Committee, which determines and resolves any outstanding questions about the seating of delegates. We look forward to receiving their proposals should they decide to submit new delegate selection plans and will review those plans at that time. The Democratic Nominee will be determined in accordance with party rules, and out of respect for the presidential campaigns and the states that did not violate party rules, we are not going to change the rules in the middle of the game.  “Through all the speculation, we should also remember the overwhelming enthusiasm and turnout that we have already seen, and respect the voters of the twelve states and territories who have yet to have their say. 

Most are estimating that the cost of hosting another primary will be $25 million dollars for each state.  The Florida and Michigan governors are pushing for the DNC to pay for new primaries.  So the republican governor, and John McCain supporter, Bill Crist would like the DNC to go into it’s war chest for the general election and fix a problem that such governor and the republican controlled legislature created.  I am quite sure that the Republican Party of Florida is an a back room chuckling hysterically at the pickle that they have put the democratic party in.  Whatever money the democratic party throws at the Florida and Michigan situation is money that cannot be used in the general election race against John McCain.  Because Florida and Michigan violated the rules, each state should be financially responsible for for hosting a re-do in its respective states.  I am sure that all the voters who have donated funds to the DNC from all over the “United States” are not interested in encouraging the temper-tantrum bad behavior of Michigan and Florida by financing a do-over. 

There is a question that should be answered with respect to recent results in the Ohio and Texas primaries.  Rush Limbaugh who broadcasts to a national audience urged his listeners in Ohio and Texas to influence the democratic primaries on March 4th by voting for Hillary Clinton.  Limbaugh’s motivation?  To drag out the democratic race and get Obama all “bloodied” up from Clinton attacks for the general election against John McCain.  Apparently, the Clinton campaign doesn’t care how it wins because Bill Clinton went on the Rush Limbaugh show (Bill Clinton on Rush Limbaugh?????) the day of the primaries in an effort to, what can only be interpreted as, encourage such strategy.  A little back story for those who have lived in Siberia during and since the Clinton administration.  Rush Limbaugh hates Bill and Hillary Clinton.  Limbaugh has done nothing but insult, rail, disparage, and spew vitriolic attacks against the Clintons since Bill Clinton was elected in 1992.  So the fact that Bill Clinton went on the radio show of his most vehement public enemy tells me that he endorses this republican manipulation. In Texas, it turns out that Obama did win the republican vote 53-46, however, of the conservative republicans who voted, Clinton won them 52-45 for the first time since Super Tuesday.  Republican turnout in the Texas and Ohio primaries was up overall by 3-5 points from previous open democratic primaries.  Not to mention that conservative republicans voting in the democratic primary was up by at least 7% from previous contests.  Side note: the conservative wing of the republican party sole mission is to keep the Clintons out of the White House, the Senate, and any other public office.  However, Clinton won an additional 16% of the conservative republicans voting in the Texas democratic primary who said that Obama is the most electable candidate.  Coinkydink? probably not.  One can conclude from such a contradiction that the 16% are voting for who would be the weakest candidate in the general election so that their candidate, John McCain, has the best chance of winning.  Considering that the Texas primary was won by Clinton with only a 2.8% margin, and republican turnout in the Texas primary was up from previous state contests by at least 3% and in some states as much as 5%, chances are that such tainted votes played a significant part in Clinton’s win in Texas, and to a lesser extent, Ohio.  I have said this before, the longer the democrats drag this out, the increased likelihood of mischief by the Republican Party thereby allowing the conservative right wing of that party to choose the democratic nominee rather than the choice being made by true affiliates of the party.   As mentioned in an earlier post, even republican governor and staunch John McCain supporter,  Bill Crist is trying to influence the choice of democratic nominee.  Those who think that a long drawn out fight is good for the Democratic Party should respond to the points in this post.  This is not the way to get more voters involved in the process especially if such process is ripe for and can so easily be manipulated thereby making all the voter enthusiasm, dedication, and commitment, moot.

Looks like the Governor of Florida is offering his support for a repeat democratic primary.  Because taxpayers pay for primaries in Florida, this would help with the financing portion of the repeat.  How kind of the the Governor to help out the democrats…(sarcasm intended).  Newsflash: if the REPUBLICAN Governor of Florida, who endorses his party’s nominee for his governing state’s primary, offers assistance to the opposing party……beware of true motives.  I’ll just point out the obvious.  It is in Crist’s interest to drag out the democratic primary with the two democratic candidates slinging as much mud as possible so that his party has ample necessary opposition research.  Democrats can be sure that all the negatives asserted between the two democratic candidates during this primary will show up in the general election in the form of republican ammunition.  I know that the media wants to drag this out because it translates into millions of advertising dollars, but it is really time for the democrats to UNITE behind a single nominee or face a serious risk of losing the general election in the fall.  We also now have conservative republican talk radio hosts encouraging their listeners to vote for Clinton because McCain has pretty much locked down the republican nomination.  The shock jocks are asking their listeners to use their vote in Ohio and Texas to sabotage the democrats for the general election by way of voting for the candidate that they have railed against for the last 20 years.  The longer this is drawn out the more susceptibility to mischief by the opposing party.  Democrats, its time to choose a candidate and make a decision before you shoot yourself in the foot.  Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who has not endorsed either democratic candidate, has also said whomever is ahead in delegates on Wednesday Oct 5th, should be the nominee and the other candidate should drop out of the race.  This should be about who can best lead and unite the democratic party as a whole, as well as who can beat the opposing party in November.  This should be less about supporting an entitlement theory.  Those who are backing the theory that Clinton should wait it out in hopes of Obama making a mistake is based on an underlying false premise that somehow Clinton is entitled to the nomination.  Or, there is some sort of financial gain involved for the person/industry supporting the strategy.  I have heard a couple of pundits pushing this approach.  I wholeheartedly disagree.  Democrats need to be DECISIVE on March 4th and start preparing  for the general election uphill battle in November.

The latest Reuters/CSPAN/Zogby poll released today show a tightening race in Ohio.  Clinton is slightly leading, but is within the margin of error, with 44% to Obama’s 42%.  Update:  new polls released on March 1st,  show that Obama has essentially closed the gap on Clinton’s lead in Ohio.  Cleveland Plain Dealer, Zogby, Rasmussen, Survey USA, and Real Clear Politics polls, all show the two candidates tied or within the margin of error.  Less than two weeks ago, Clinton was leading in Ohio by double digits. The latest Reuters/CSPAN/Houston Chronicle poll for Texas shows Obama leading with 48% to Clinton’s 42% where again, two weeks ago, Clinton was leading by double digits.  The rolling poll questions were asked to likely democratic primary voters.  The breakdown of the candidates voting blocks are somewhat similar to voter breakdowns of previous contests.  Obama leads in Ohio among cross-over republicans, independents, young voters, higher income voters, and blacks.  Clinton leads among women, older voters, Catholics, union households and voters living outside of Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati.  Of voters who decided in the last month, Obama is significantly ahead of Clinton.  Whereas Clinton is ahead with voters who made their decision over a month ago.  It seems that Obama’s momentum continues despite what appears to be a pile-on from all directions.  Clinton, McCain, and now even George Bush has joined in by telling Obama that he should be concentrating on winning the Democratic nomination instead of what is going on in the current White House.  Can someone tell George Bush that he should be worrying about what is going on with gas prices in the United States rather than who said what in the Democratic primary.  A reporter asked Bush yesterday, during a White House press conference, about analysts recent predictions of a potential increase of gas prices to $4 a gallon.  Bush responded by saying that “he had not heard that.”  Uhhh…..but you do know the latest tit-for-tat between the primary candidates.  President Bush, please concentrate on your job, which is, in case you failed to read the job description, addressing several pressing issues facing our country, e.g.,  skyrocketing gasoline prices, the economy, foreign affairs, the Iraq war, etc…. We do not care about your punditry with respect to our next president.  In case you haven’t noticed Mr. President, your approval rating is at 30%.  It may be because you are watching too much television and not tending to the job that you were sent to Washington, DC to do.  Anyway, back to the current candidates.  Most say that Clinton has to win both Texas and Ohio, including her husband, to remain relevant in this race.  Two weeks ago, most were saying that she not only has to win but has to win by large margins.  Now they’re saying that even if she wins by a small margin as long as she wins.  And the absolute latest from the pundits and the from some in the Clinton campaign is that she only has to win either Texas or Ohio to remain in the race. Whoops…I spoke too soon, the absolute absolute latest is that Obama must win all four contests on Jr. Tuesday for Clinton to be no longer viable.  Unbelievable!! The goal post keeps moving for Clinton, and she accuses Obama of receiving special treatment from the press.  It really is time to choose a nominee, regardless of how much enjoyment the media is getting out of this long protracted primary season.  The longer this stretches out, the less time voters have to really weigh the positions of the general election candidates and make an informed decision about our next leader. 

An enlightening article in the New York Times regarding Obama’s “present” votes in the New York Senate.  The Op-Ed piece was written by Abner Mikva, an informal contributor to the Obama campaign, as well as a former Illinois state legislator, Unites States Congressman, and former White House counsel for the Clinton administration. 

February 16, 2008  Op-Ed Contributor

SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON should probably be forgiven for not remembering the course on the state Constitution that she would have had to take as an eighth grader in Illinois. But had she remembered it, she would have known that Senator Barack Obama was not ducking his responsibility in the Illinois Senate when he voted “present” on many issues.  Unlike Congress and the legislatures of most other states, each chamber of the Illinois Legislature requires a “constitutional majority” to pass a bill. The state Senate has 59 members, so it takes 30 affirmative votes. This makes a “present” vote the same as a no. If a bill receives 29 votes, but the rest of the senators vote “present,” it fails.   In Congress, in contrast, a bill can pass in either the House or the Senate as long as more people vote for it than against it. If 10 people vote in favor and nine against, and the rest either vote “present” or don’t vote at all, the bill passes. It can actually pass with just one vote, as long as no one votes no.  In the Illinois Senate, there can be strategic reasons for voting “present” rather than simply no. Read the rest of this entry »

Expect your refund checks in the mail.  Many believe that this may be too little too late.  However, I wonder if the government expects many of us to spend the refund check long before we receive it in the mail. Therefore, the effect of the Stimulus Package will be felt immediately or at least much sooner than the media is predicting.  The bill is now expected to go the Senate for it’s approval tomorrow.  The Senate has hinted that it may have issues with the current version of the bill.