Two days ago, I wrote:
The GOP race is turning into a circular firing squad. There are several in-the-hunt contenders, and the dynamics of the race keep shifting. Remember when a guy named John McCain was the favorite? For a while, the main action seemed to be the mudwrestle between the Giuliani and Romney camps. Now Huckabee is fielding the most hits. Last week, the politerati (myself included) wondered how nasty Barack Obama and John Edwards would get in taking on Hillary Clinton. The answer provided by last Thursday's debate: not as nasty as anticipated. Expect the Republicans to get more down and dirty (and desperate) in the days--and debates--ahead.
Well, the Dems, it seems, are trying to keep up. On Tuesday, ABC News and The Washington Post released a poll showing that Barack Obama was ahead of Hillary Clinton in Iowa by 4 points, with John Edwards trailing Clinton by four points. This was the first time the junior senator from Illinois beat Clinton in an Iowa survey--or, as far as I can recall, any survey.
No wonder then at 3:18 p.m. on Tuesday, Clinton's campaign sent out an email to reporters highlighting one brief passage of a speech she had delivered that day:
I have traveled the world on behalf of our country -- first in the White House with my husband and now as a Senator. I've met with countless world leaders and know many of them personally. I went to Beijing in 1995 and stood up to the Chinese government on human rights and women's rights. I have fought for our men and women in uniform to make sure they have the equipment they need in battle and are treated with dignity when they return home.
I believe I have the right kind of experience to be the next President. With a war and a tough economy, we need a President ready on Day One to bring our troops home from Iraq and to handle all of our other tough challenges.
Now voters will judge whether living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next President will face. I think we need a President with more experience than that. Someone the rest of the world knows, looks up to, and has confidence in. I don't think this is the time for on the job training on our economy or on foreign policy.
Ouch. The previous day, Obama, at an Iowa campaign stop, had cited his experience growing up in Asia and his family's Kenyan background as factors that bolstered his foreign policy judgment. Clinton was mocking him.
Fifty-two minutes after the Clinton campaign zapped out its email, John Edwards came rushing to Obama's rescue, with his communications director, Chris Kofinis, issuing a statement defining "mudslinging"--which Hillary Clinton in the last debate had accused John Edwards of engaging in--as when a candidate uses "insults and accusations, esp. unjust ones, with the aim of damaging the reputation of an opponent." Example A: Clinton's ridiculing of Obama. "Now we know what Senator Clinton meant when she talked about 'throwing mud' in the last debate," Kofinis said. "Like so many other things, when it comes to mud, Hillary Clinton says one thing and throws another."
Edwards was both circulating Clinton's slur and excoriating her for it. A twofer? Is he hoping Clinton and Obama will clobber each other, ignore him for a while, and he can slip by? Do his internal polls show that Clinton is still his major obstacle in Iowa? Or does he want to help drive her numbers lower before targeting Obama. This triangle at the top of the Democratic field will lead to interesting and perhaps ever-shifting dynamics in the weeks ahead.
Meanwhile, Obama fired back at Clinton. Referring to her boasting of hobnobbing with global leaders, he quipped, "I was wondering which world leader told her that we needed to invade Iraq." Credit him with half-a-zinger. Problem is, most Democrats have decided not to hold the Iraq vote against prominent Democrats. After all, Democratic voters supported John Kerry in 2004, and he, just like Hillary Clinton, voted to give George W. Bush the authority to invade Iraq whenever Bush wanted. But whatever Obama is doing seems to be working, according to that latest poll. With the freshman senator taking the lead, one can assume the Clinton machine will do more than fight back with sarcasm. This will get rough. Hillary Clinton has made no promises to advance hope or change the bloody, mean-spirited nature of modern-day politics (as Obama has). She has only vowed to fight for you. And before she can do that, she will fight for herself.
Have a good Thanksgiving. I'll see you next week, when the food fight on each side will be approaching Animal House proportions.
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Comments
DC,
I hope HRC does get tough, good and easy times can show ones manners but a good tuss up will show who has what kind of character.
HRC has been pretty darn arrogant and she has some of the bad karma coming back at her.
I wonder which is wise enough to get humble and respectful?
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Posted by: capt
| November 21, 2007 12:26 AM
"...After all, Democratic voters supported John Kerry in 2004, and he, just like Hillary Clinton, voted to give George W. Bush the authority to invade Iraq whenever Bush wanted..."
Yeah, and look how good THAT turned out in November!
Posted by: Hajji
| November 21, 2007 10:08 AM
David, capt, Hajji and all the other cornbloggers,
Best wishes for a healthy and happy thanksgiving.
Neil aka O'Reilly
PS. yea,happy is still a douchb*g.
Posted by: Neil
| November 21, 2007 1:51 PM
From GOP.COM, What are you thankful for?
It looks like someone knocked this off in a hurray before they ran to catch a plane.
Things to be thankful for
- men and women of the United States Armed Forces
- a President who has fought tirelessly for the cause of conservativism.
- now is not the time for demogauging, cynical tactics, and constantly changing policies.
- Republican message of "lower taxes, limited government, and a strong national defense" is resonating.
- the party of Lincoln, that elected Republicans all across the country from Governor to city council in weeks past.
- The National Republican Senatorial Committee, special video to remind all Americans what this holiday is about:
- The Republican National Committee, with you money will remain offensive
Posted by: Neil
| November 21, 2007 2:00 PM
"Now voters will judge whether living in a foreign country at the age of 10 prepares one to face the big, complex international challenges the next President will face."
What a cheap line from Clinton. And with all the talent she has working for her too.
Actually, maybe intimate personal knowledge of the outside world might actually be good for a US president? I mean, we've tried the opposite.
"I was wondering which world leader told her that we needed to invade Iraq."
Nice, I'm quite impressed with Obama for giving that back.
Edwards still has the policies though.
Posted by: Alex Higgins
| November 21, 2007 2:45 PM
I'm preparing celebrations for the worldwide party when Bush stands down...
... but another Clinton administration is already depressing me and taking all the fun out of it.
Still, it could actually be worse, as in President Rudy Giuliani. Imagine another George W Bush but smart and focused.
Posted by: Alex Higgins
| November 21, 2007 2:49 PM
Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.
Let's remember the no-Thanksgiving some will have tomorrow.
If you're not in foreclosure, your unit not being activated, your house didn't burn down, you didn't get flooded out or dumped on - you have more reason to be thankful.
Posted by: capt
| November 21, 2007 5:56 PM
Hiillary was waged a positive campaign. But when she attacks Obama she is accused of mudslinging.
However it is OK for Obama to engage in vicious over the top attacks on Hillary`s character and
honesty. Talk about a double standard.
Posted by: RebaShimansky
| November 22, 2007 9:23 AM
Give us a president who doesn't jog, please
****
A wity one pager.
Posted by: capt
| November 22, 2007 10:44 AM
" But when she attacks Obama she is accused of mudslinging."
I still think it is good for the candidates to "go at it" - I have heard the term mudslinging from many (if not all) camps.
Other than the people that are intentionally uninformed (FOX News fans) most people are smart and will pay attention to the way the candidates handle themselves. Dishing it out or taking it - this melodrama has a purpose and will reveal more about the character than a good stump speech.
Posted by: capt
| November 22, 2007 10:53 AM
I hope everybody had a nice Thanksgiving (or a good day if you don't celebrate the holiday)
We actually got our first dusting of snow last evening - very nice.
Posted by: capt
| November 23, 2007 9:47 AM
It took a while, but amid the usual confusion and intensity of an ER holiday, I got a few of the "Black Friday" shopping hardcores to admit that it wasn't really the great money savings they were after...it was the rush of the crowd, the persuit of the "Doorbuster Deal" and, ultimately the "winning" over the others that they sought.
Due to Julie, an outgoing associate who completely out-did herself, we managed to feed a proper Thanksgiving meal to every ER, x-ray, lab, EMS, county and city police worker who worked yesterday. We had leftovers that went to the many homeless who "live" in the Hospital neighborhood.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
-T
Posted by: Hajji
| November 23, 2007 11:51 AM
Hajji,
You ARE the man.
Thanks for all you do.
Posted by: capt
| November 23, 2007 12:39 PM
David,
HAPPY (post) Thanksgiving!
I guess you don't `hang out' down here much!
Too bad there's not much new or challenging among your `Usual Suspects'!
Posted by: HAPPY
| November 25, 2007 4:14 PM
Happy is still a douchb*g.
Posted by: Neil
| November 26, 2007 9:08 PM
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