David Corn

Wait just a cotton-pickin' minute!

There's a pre-party, a PARTY PARTY, and a myridad of AFTER Party Parties!!!?

...and at all of 'em the WH media drones are continuously romanced by the folks they're supposed to be keeping in line?

Little wonder, the sorry state of the M$M, then, eh?

-T

"...So all done by June 15? You won't contend the nomination contest beyond then? I asked.

"Oh, I'm confident we'll be the nominee," he said, smiling..."

Uh Oh! Get ready for some SERIOUS back-room Hanky-Panky kids!

I think what McAuliffe just admitted to was IF Obama is not the nominee by the day after the other primaries - THEN the HRC campaign will obviously be the candidate.

I think the 15th is being realistic. In Terry's eye's but in his heart of hearts he knows better.

There is the possibility that Barack might be eaten by a bear - so . . .

I'm more interested in reading about Ben Affleck's impression of the dinner. He may not be a great actor but he doesn't trade his journalistic integrity and accuracy for access like so many of our DC journalists.

Isakoff, Corn's co-author, has been one of Rove's favorite journalists leak partners and as such Isakoff enables Rove's lies and treachery. Complicit like Judith Miller, complicit like Robert Novak, complicit like etc. Part of the problem, not the solution.

Wright Warns Obama: I'm Coming After You If You're Elected
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All I can say is~~ Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!

Obama Focusing on McCain, Not Clinton
(CNSNews.com) - Sen. Barack Obama, in his first appearance on "Fox News Sunday," said there will be no more debates before the two May 6 primaries, despite repeated challenges from Sen. Hillary Clinton to meet him face-to-face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Obama is chicken sheeeit!

Rev. Wright: U.S. Marines Like Romans who Persecuted Jesus
Sen. John McCain this weekend slammed Sen. Obama for his relationship with Rev. Wright, and noted some new comments surfacing about Obama's former pastor. Hear Rev. Wright in his own words:

Wright: U.S. Gov't Lied About Pearl Harbor, AIDS
Wright: U.S. Is a Terrorist Nation
Wright: U.S. the Same as al-Qaida

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yikes! This guy is a nut job. Hope Obama can pick a VP ( who knows a lot of stuff) better than picking a mentor.

Poll: Clinton Better Chance Than Obama to Beat McCain

Monday, April 28, 2008 10:50 AM

Hillary Rodham Clinton has a better chance than Barack Obama of beating Republican John McCain, according to a new Associated Press-Ipsos poll that bolsters her argument that she is more electable in the fall than her rival for the Democratic nomination.

The survey released Monday gives Clinton a fresh talking point as she works to convince pivotal undecided superdelegates to side with her in the drawn-out Democratic primary fight.

Clinton, who won the Pennsylvania primary last week, has gained ground this month in a hypothetical head-to-head match up with the GOP nominee-in-waiting; she now leads McCain, 50 percent to 41 percent, while Obama remains virtually tied with McCain, 46 percent to 44 percent.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Obummer has peaked or petered out~

None of this is to be taken seriously. Karl Rove's army, including those in the media who revere him, aren't objectively evaluating each Democratic candidate to decide which one is strongest, which one is best, what they ought to do to win, etc. Their goal, instead, is to demonize and weaken whomever the nominee is going to be. There's a preexisting media narrative that will be fulfilled no matter who the nominee is; it's the same one that is applied in every national election.

Praising whomever appears to be the loser at the expense of the winner -- while issuing "advice" designed to exacerbate tensions and wedges -- is one prong in that strategy. Why would anyone take any of that seriously, as though it's some sort of serious political analysis being offered in good faith?

-- Glenn Greenwald

Obummers Charles Keating?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OBAMA'S SUBPRIME PAL

Chicago Sun-Times ^ | April 28, 2008 | ABDON M. PALLASCH

Obama's subprime pal

PENNY PRITZKER Finance chief's bank failed in 2001, costing 1,400 customers some of their savings

April 28, 2008

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter/apallasch@suntimes.com

White House hopeful Barack Obama talks a lot on the campaign trail about how failing banks have used subprime loans to victimize customers.

"Part of the reason we got a current mortgage crisis has to do with the fact that people got suckered in to loans that they could not pay," he told a crowd in Reading, Pa., last week. "There were a lot of predatory loans that were given out, a lot of teaser rates. Banks and financial institutions making these loans were making money hand over fist."

At the helm of Superior Bank was Obama's national finance chairwoman, Penny Pritzker, an heiress to the Pritzker fortune.

One of the banks that went under after making a lot of subprime loans -- leaving 1,400 of its customers without part of their savings -- was Chicago's Superior Bank.

At the helm of Superior Bank at least some of the time was Obama's national finance chairwoman, Penny Pritzker, an heiress to the Pritzker fortune.

Obama's campaign notes that Pritzker stepped down as chairwoman of the bank's board in 1994, seven years before it failed. She then went on the board of the bank's holding company.

But a letter obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times shows that until the end, Pritzker appeared to be taking a leadership role in trying to revive the bank with an expanded push into subprime loans.

Pritzker wrote in May 2001 that her family was recapitalizing the bank, and she pledged to "once again restore Superior's leadership position in subprime lending." The bank shut down in July 2001.

Pritzker's attorney Kevin Poorman and Obama's campaign spokesman emphasized that not all "subprime lending" is the "predatory" kind that Obama and White House rival Hillary Clinton rail against. The kind of subprime lending Superior was doing in 2001 was not predatory, Poorman said.

But at least some of the 1,400 victims who are still owed money seven years after the bank failed say Pritzker is the wrong person for Obama to put in charge of the campaign's finances when part of his campaign is about reforming the banking industry.

"They still owe me $113,000," said Fran Sweet, 63, of Downers Grove, who deposited her $480,000 retirement account at Superior a month before it collapsed. "To the Pritzkers, this is nothing. They probably think, 'Why pay her back?' That's nothing. But we're all upset that someone who made these decisions could be in that position."

Judging from the record-breaking job Pritzker has done raising money for Obama's campaign, her fund-raising skills do not appear to be in question, but Sweet said it sends the wrong message.

All three major candidates for president have high advisers embarrassed by banking scandals. Republican candidate John McCain himself got caught up in the Charles Keating savings and loan scandal in the '80s. Hillary Clinton's campaign manager Maggie Williams was paid about $200,000 to sit on the board of Delta Financial, which did subprime lending of the type Clinton and Obama have complained about on the stump. Pritzker's brother J.B. Pritzker, part of the trust that owned Superior, though he had no management role, is a national co-chairman of Clinton's campaign.

The Pritzker family bought the former Clyde Savings and Loan with partner Alan Dworman in 1988. Clyde had failed, and federal regulators asked the Pritzkers to take it over. Crain's Chicago Business reported that the FDIC gave the Pritzkers "cash, tax incentives and promissory notes" worth $645 million to take Clyde.

Critics, including private bank watchdogs Bert Ely of Virginia and Tim Anderson of Chicago, say it was a "sweetheart deal" for the Pritzkers in which they pledged far more money than they put up. The thrift was renamed Superior.

For just $15 million, the Pritzkers could pay back the 1,400 customers still owed money, Ely and Anderson said.

The Pritzkers put up $460 million, which federal regulators said absolved them of any further liability in the collapse.

That's less than the $645 million the Pritzkers got to take the thrift, Ely and Anderson note.

Penny Pritzker posted a statement on Obama's Web site saying she regrets Superior's failure but noted it achieved high ratings from regulators when she was chairwoman from 1991-94.

"Superior's failure was complex," she wrote. "In short, the bank failed in 2001 because regulators concluded that the valuation of certain assets in Superior's financial statements, which had been audited by Ernst & Young for many years and previously approved by regulators, was overstated and as a result the bank was not capitalized sufficiently.

"My family voluntarily agreed to pay the FDIC $460 M[illion] to help defray costs incurred by the government and other losses in connection with the bank's closure. ... I am proud of how my family responded to this situation."

John McCain Was Never in Solitary Confinement

From John McCain's Faith of My Fathers, discussing his imprisonment by the North Vietnamese:

"It's an awful thing, solitary. It crushes your spirit and weakens your resistance more effectively than any other form of mistreatment.... There is little doubt that solitary confinement causes some mental deterioration in even the most resilient of personalities.... Through flashed hand signals when we were moved about, tap codes on the wall, notes hidden in washroom drains, and holding out enamel drinking cups up to the wall with our shirts wrapped around them and speaking through them, we were able to communicate with one another. "

The government's argument that Gitmo detainees imprisoned in isolation are not in solitary confinement, according to the New York Times:

"The prosecutors argued that the way that Mr. Hamdan was being held did not constitute solitary confinement in part because "detainees can communicate through the walls."

So. Either John McCain, who's been campaigning on his mistreatment at the hands of the North Vietnamese for more than a quarter of a century, did not experience solitary confinement. Or the government's position is wrong. And he will condemn it, loudly and publicly.

****

That'd be IF McSame had any character or integrity.

It's not technically "backroom Hanky-Panky" if the superdelegates choose Hillary over Obama after June 3 because...

1. Neither candidate has enough pledged delegates to claim the nomination outright.

2. The popular vote is a virtual tie (i.e. a fraction of a percent divides the totals like it does now)

3. The current nationwide preference polls among Democrats show a virtual tie (as they do now)

4. HIllary continues to show greater Electoral College strength in state-by-state polling (http://www.electoral-vote.com)

They will choose her openly because she's the stronger candidate. Nothing "back room" about it.

Sorry. This is the link:

http://www.electoral-vote.com/

Uhm,

A quick count of the votes on the map linked above shows BHO with about 50 more (likely) electoral votes than HRC...

Am I missing something...I used ALL my fingers and toes!

Senator Bingaman said, “Today, I am announcing my support for Barack Obama for president and declaring my intention to vote for him at the Democratic convention.

http://tinyurl.com/64q4w8

(abqjournal)

rasmussenreports.com

Thu Apr 24, 9:22 AM ET

While Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton still struggling for the nomination, both Democrats have gained ground on John McCain in Minnesota. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state shows that Barack Obama leads McCain by double-digits, 52% to 38%. A month ago, the Democratic frontrunner's lead over McCain was just four points. However, the current results for an Obama-McCain are virtually identical to results from February.

Bad news for Democrats in Indiana, how the hell are they going to register all those dead people, illegal immigrants and convicted felons now with new law?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Supreme Court says states can demand photo ID for voting By MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press Writer
26 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - States can require voters to produce photo identification, the Supreme Court ruled Monday, upholding a Republican-inspired law that Democrats say will keep some poor, older and minority voters from casting ballots.

Losing Ground

After losing Pennsylvania and a difficult month of scandals, Barack Obama's double-digit lead over Hillary Clinton has dropped to 7 points in the latest NEWSWEEK Poll.

looks like OBUMMER IS THE ONLY CANIDATE OUT OF THE THREE WHO DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE POOR~~~

Clinton backs suspending fuel taxes
Presidential hopeful highlights rival Obama's objection to gas tax holiday

Presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., say she would make up for the loss of federal gas taxes by imposing a "windfall profits tax" on oil companies.

updated 9:53 a.m. PT, Mon., April. 28, 2008

GRAHAM, N.C. - Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday criticized Barack Obama for opposing the concept of suspending the gas tax during the peak summer driving months, a plan both she and Republican John McCain have endorsed.

Egomaniac Rev. Wright Drives Stake in Heart of Obama Campaign

Monday, April 28, 2008 11:56:51 AM · by
Capitol Hill ^ | April 28, 2008 | JB Williams

Just when it looked like Obama might actually survive the firestorm surrounding his connection to the racist pastor Wright, the good Reverend comes out of hiding to pour more fuel on the fire. The good Reverend is becoming about as helpful to Obama as Bill is to Hillary… With friends like this, who needs enemies? Well-known leftist ABC news commentator Bill Moyers set the stage for Wright’s National Press Club début by tossing Wright softballs to hit out of the park unchallenged. For a man who isn’t running for office, Wright sure has his campaign strategy down pat. Like an...

Re: http://www.electoral-vote.com

You don't have to use your fingers and toes. Click past the main page and you get the Electoral College trial heats...

Clinton beats McCain 291 to 237 (Ties 10)

Obama trails McCain 243 to 267 (Ties 26)

(based on averages of all recent state polls)

Oh, so the prominent map linked, which shows BHO likely beating Hillary in States that give a 50+ electoral vote advantage over her, bringing Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana, North Carolina, SOUTH CAROLINA!!! AND Texas into play where she doesn't... doesn't really mean anything?

Oh...

And I was all..."what can BROWN do for YOU?"

-HA!

Obama currently leads Clinton by 1488-1338 in pledged delegates.

On Feb. 20, Clinton led Obama by 81 super delegates (246-165). Her lead has been cut to 24 (262-238).

For Clinton to catch Obama in pledged delegates, she needs to win 69% of the vote in the remaining primaries.

If Obama wins 50% of the remaining pledged delegates, he will need just 32% of the 295 uncommitted super delegates to clinch the nomination.

http://www.geocities.com/electionmodel/DelegateCalculator427.htm

With Bingaman Endorsement, Obama Takes Senate Support Lead

Sen. Barack Obama officially pulled ahead today in the scramble for endorsements from colleagues in the U.S. Senate, thanks to Sen. Jeff Bingaman of New Mexico.

Never one of the Senate's most high-profile members, Bingaman now has a claim to political fame: He put Obama over the top after his long slog to catch Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who had a head start in winning the support of her peers. Obama now has 14 endorsements to Clinton's 13.

http://tinyurl.com/5dwkes

A vote for Obama is a vote for McCain since the only states he's won are red states~

Nice work cornnuts~ keep it up! LOL

Why supers won't go for Clinton

Below is another cut at the math. Although superdelegate endorsements have slowed, I think as we get closer to the end, we should see an acceleration. There are at least 3 factors.

1 Add-ons are being selected and they usually have been endorsing immediately upon selection.

2 Uncommitted supers from the 9 remaining contests are likely to commit after their primaries are complete.

3 Supers from other states will likely continue to endorse Obama on May 20th when he passes the 1627 halfway mark of pledged delegates, just as we saw Sen Bingaman from NM do today.

The goal of this is for you to put yourself in the super’s shoes on June 4th after SD and MT (and PR). Look at the numbers forecasted below, and try to imagine how difficult it would be to vote for Clinton.

[...]

There are 301 remaining Supers and Carter has said he WILL NOT ENDORSE. So that leaves 300. We give Obama and Clinton 55 each up to June 4th. And we forecast Obama’s remaining Add-on’s (15), and we come up with 125 SDs. Subtract 125 from 300, and voila, we have 175 SDs remaining, with Obama needing less than 10% (15), and Clinton needing 99+% (174) to close the deal.

Put yourself in the super’s shoes. You are communicating with all the other supers, and reviewing this math with them. This math is all over the media.

So how would you vote?

http://tinyurl.com/4d47jy

It is time for the Republican-controlled Media to give this Wright controversy some fairness and balance and to enquire of Hillary Clinton and her surrogates the following:

Is it true that, (1) Hillary surrogate, Congresswoman Shiela Jackson Lee, is also a devotee of Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright; that he's been preaching at her home church, where she is actively involved, annually for the past 15 years and has an open invitation to return, and, that she sat in the pews for his visits and did not bat an eye? AND

Is it true that (2) Hillary surrogate, Rev. Marcia Dyson was not only a longtime member of Trinity United Church of Christ but also still considers Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright her pastor? That Rev. Marcia Dyson's seminary education, in part, was sponsored by Trinity UCC and encouraged by Rev. Wright? And was it not at Trinity were she first met her husband, Rev. Dr. Michael Dyson, who's been very vocal in his defense of Rev. Wright.?

And, lastly to Hillary Clinton, that if Rev. Wright would not have been her Pastor, then why did she and Bill when going through Impeachment, turn to Rev. Wright for Prayer and Support and invite him to the White House? These things should be asked and answered.

And, finally, why would a Republican-controlled Media give a "retired" Rev. Wright all this attention and air time, if not to try to destroy Barack Obama!? -- Their true Fear! That is why "daily" 24/7, the Republican-controlled media and talking heads are build-up Hillary, tear/smear down Obama, while McCain courts African-Americans that Clintons have ailenated by their "kitchen sink strategy, hoping all the while that she will become the Democratic nominee, so they can unleash the "arsenol" of weapons they have against her. Something they have been planning for years!

I submit, the Media is not our friend!

And, it is now time for the Parting of the Ways. I now understand why Barack thinks some people are bitter -- he has been conditioned to that by his Pastor to think that some people are bitter, although Barack was not subject himself to this bitterness!

So I ate lunch at the barbeque place by my work. Fox "News" is all the ever have on the tv. For the 1/2 hour I was there Rev. Wright was all they talked about. It's pathetic, exploiting fear of the angry black man is all they have.

“The Pastor Casts a Shadow” by Bob Herbert
(NYTimes, 4/29/08)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/opinion/29herbert.html?hp

The Reich-wingnuttia are going nuts with the Rev. Wright BS, as are the neocons supporting HRC.

It seems a bit telling when a person is caught spewing the Reich-wingnuttia talking points while claiming to be a Democrat, progressive or left-leaning Indy.

Odd the HRC bunch would fall in line and lock-step with Faux and the neocons.

Do they not see it?

Hmmmmmmmm

All the supers have the option of changing their minds at the last minute. If Obama's candidacy has melted down by then, helpless in the face of the loose cannon Rev. Wright.... If state by state polls continue to show the Electoral College math moving even further against him.... No amount of "inevitable" delegate calculating is going to be able save him.

Mark Shields: "The question is, will Obama actually WIN the nomination, or will he just corner it..."

The Super D's may in fact prefer to come out of the convention with a fighting "comeback kid" narrative, rather than that of a wounded candidate just squeaking by....

The one with the most delegates wins. Not a hard concept, that?

The question is: does parroting and supporting the Reich-wingnuttia narrative help or hurt the eventual candidate?

Barack has already won the nomination. The numbers will not change unless he is eaten by a bear.

HRC and her supporters have to face reality and make their decision as to whom and where that support will go when she drops out, but the facts are thus.

Only 42 (or less) to deny HRC any chance of making 2025.

HRC is no come-back kid, she was far ahead and has been waxed by a new-comer. She will also pull some numbers from the next primaries but unless she can win all of them at 70% - there is no hope the SD's will overturn the people's choice.

Sure is could happen, but not very likely.

Time will tell.

No reason to spew Reich-wing talking points - playing the race card or support McSame in his efforts to demean and discount all democrats. HRC doesn't think so but that is why she has not retained her lead.

Lest we forget she started off with all the money, all the name recognition, and all the support from her and her ex-president friends.

If she is such a string candidate why didn't she keep her advantage? Why is she now having to get creative and manipulative with the numbers to portray herself as a come-back? Come back from losing her lead?

Maybe she can find support by doing so but it will be far too little and a bit too late. She lost it, the only real question is why?