David Corn

The M$M are the ones pushing a narrative that BHO is sinking fast and HRC is rising in stellar fashion.

The problem is back to the math, there is no way HRC can overcome the numbers, she would have to win 70/30 to overcome.

The rest is all just talk.

No way are the SD's going to change the outcome.

Congratulations to you, your staff and everybody at MoJo!

Well deserved.

Congratulations, Mother Jones!

**

Do you think if Hillary pulls ahead of Obama in the popular vote by June 3, the Super D's will then vote to "overturn the will of the people?"

Especially if she continues to be stronger in the polls against McCain and in state-by-state analyses of the Electoral College matchup...

What is a tiny "pledged delegate" lead matter in the face of those facts?

I wonder if John Edwards is now sorry he got out of the race?

Is there any doubt that Senator Clinton's only chance is for a major gaffe on Senator Obama's part, either self or outwardly induced?

Of course, given the mercurial current state of American politics ((1)Mr. Inevitable Nominee McCain to Doesn't Have a Prayer McCain back to Inevitable Nominee McCain and (2) Inevitable Nominee Clinton to Inevitable Nominee Obama to Inevitable Let's Wait and See), perhaps Senator Clinton thinks her odds are pretty good for an upset.

Only the Shadow knows!! (That's old radio talk for you babies out there.)

Tom

Tom,

Feel free to hold your breath.

(you will be blue)

What kind of an upset will give HRC the 70/30 she needs? The numbers aren't there for her to even match Barack on popular vote, delegates and now not even superdelegates.

Possible but nothing short of Barack being eaten by a bear will change his being the nominee.

"Nothing is impossible. Some things are just less likely than others."
~ Jonathan Winters

Of course, I am no soothsayer - I never though Bush would ever be electable nor elected. The second term was beyond the posible from my POV.

So much for my psychic ability.

The popular vote is actually very close. The "rules" may govern the delegates from Florida and Michigan, but there are no rules governing the laws of mathematics when you count how many actual voters went to the polls to express their choice in those states.

Even if you count all the Michigan "uncommitteds" as Obama votes (a not-unreasonable assumption....approx. 235,000), the current totals are still less than one percentage point apart.

And if Democratic primary voter preference continue to shift Hillary's way in the next few contests, she could easily end up with more popular votes at the end of the process.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html

I'm just asking...in that hypothetical event... should the superdelegates overturn the "will of the people?"

More importantly, the fact is that this race is essentially a tie. While a winner may be ultimately chosen by a razor-thin criteria, I think some humility is in order on both sides. We're two very-equal halves of one family, and we actually share the same agenda... It's time to stop the name calling and start treating one another as essential allies.

P. S. In yesterday's comments, a Hillary quote from her O'Reilly interview was egregiously truncated to create a 180 degree false representation of what she actually said... That kind of behavior is utterly childish and embarassing.

Whatever the rules WERE when the election started stand. Doesn’t matter if the outcome if effected nor if people don’t like it. Rules are rules, no changing in the middle of the game. That is a sense of fair play, no?

The "will of the people" is paramount except that isn't in the rules, right? I don't think anybody should "over turn" the "will of the people" - that is just what I think, the insanity that might come from inside the Democratic party will never surprise me one bit. That being said - I might be supporting stupid and silly rules. I think the idea of superdelegate is an insult and the idea that some "connected" or even elected D's have more input than I do is an insult. Still not insulting enough to convince me to vote GOP.

I can say I never supported Bush, nor any GOP politician after the "moral majority" and the crazy Christians took over the party. Not because I have any loyalty to the Democratic party but because the insane anti-abortion, deficit spending, pro-war BS will never have any support from me. So I can either stay home or vote non-GOP, I have to vote so . . .

Will you vote for Barack as the nominee?

AND:

Oh my, taking things out of context? If you take any “clip” seriously you are in trouble my friend, clips are all short, truncated and never deceptive unless strung together into a 20 second spot played non-stop on Faux. (think Wright)

Barack out classes both McSame and Hillary, he has yet to devolve onto the low-road.

Where are the anti-HRC ads using her Bosnia gaffe? Her hubby's gaffes? Mark Penn, Columbia, etc?

Clips are clips.

If you didn't get the sarcasm - play it again, I got it the first time I saw it.

It is a good clip and funny, not issue oriented - a sense of humor comes in handy with such things.

Clips are always parts of interviews or larger recordings, if you think something is deceptive get your hands on the whole interview and you’ll always be better informed. At least that works for me.

PS - name calling and such is petty and unnecessary. I didn't make the clip, I am not adult enough to know how. HA! Not up to you to decide what the quality of my behavior is, so no reason for you to be embarrassed.

Go to:

http://www.slate.com/id/2185278

Scroll down and plug in any numbers you think are viable.

Just to tie HRC has to have 69/31~70/30 in every contest from here in. She has not changed the landscape even with her marginal win in PA.

So, unless Barack gets eaten by a bear or hit by a train - he is the nominee.

Barack has run a well organized campaign from the beginning. Hillary didn't do as well. Barack has run and continues to run a 50 state plan while Hillary claims some states just don't matter? Who supports that kind of thinking?

Barack will have 115 more than HRC even if she wins every contest from here in at the 55/45 she won PA.

I learn a lot from your posts. I do appreciate it. No sarcasm.

It's a whopping big if, I admit it, but I'm just posing a hypothetical...

If Hillary pulls ahead in the popular vote, and public opinion polling shows her ahead in both Democratic preference AND in state-by-state Electoral College calculations...

That delegate stuff isn't going to matter a whit. ALL delegates have the option of changing their votes... Nothing's carved in stone until the roll call in Denver.

I've heard uncommitted super D's say they're waiting to see the final popular vote totals... And neither Obama or Hillary can win without Super D's.

(The Super D's are part of the "rules" too, of course.)

As for states "not mattering." That's a painful fact. Any state that hasn't gone for a Democrat in more than 20-30+ years really doesn't matter. That's why the General Election candidates will spend 90% of their time and 90% of their money in the 13 "battleground" states.

The Electoral College is a ridiculous anachronism, but it's still the "rule," and that means a lot of states really don't count. I voted for years in Arizona...and was simply flabbergasted when the state went for Clinton in '96.

There are some 150-200 electoral votes that no Democrat is ever going to win. (And those are, in fact, a bunch of the states where Obama won his "insurmountable" lead in pledged deledates. Hillary's won more of her delegates in those crucial "swing" states. That's not "spin," that's reality.)

And, of course, I will certainly vote for Obama if he's the nominee. I'll even volunteer for him. I promise.

P. S. The negative campaigning I'm talking about is the despicable crap I've been reading on the internet posted by Obama supporters. Pure character assassination, hyperbole and distortion from one end of the blogosphere to the other. Not a trace of respect for someone who's devoted 35 years of their life to public service (fighting for universal health care every step of the way), and putting up with an amazing amount of abuse.

(And Mr. Corn is full of it when he implies that Hillary's failed effort in '93 was all somehow her own arrogant fault...She faced a full-court press by Republicans who just wanted to deny the Clintons any kind of victory, no matter what, millions of dollars in mendacious insurance industry propaganda... much of it echoed recently by the Obama campaign.... The Clintons were also abandoned by lots of self-serving and corporate-appeasing Democrats in Congress too...)

**

You know, Bush himself NEVER said anything about Kerry's military career himself, other than that he "respected it" and "honored it."

He just let his surrogates bucket out the slime, while he stayed on the "high road."

Obama's certainly a very classy candidate.... I wish I could say the same for all his supporters.

But again... Bygones are bygones... May the best candidate win, and let's pull together for the election that really matters, the one in November.

"The Electoral College is a ridiculous anachronism, but it's still the "rule," "

I agree, but I do believe there was a time when states floored everybody, some guy - not even favored won like 49 of 50?

Nothing is carved in stone, when is the last time 81% wanted a change? (that is across party lines)

We are in uncharted waters. Still HRC will not move beyond the most strained efforts and misguided miscalculations. The electoral college has nothing to do with the primary and even "electability" has nothing to do with the primary. The winner of the primary has the "electability" as the party is behind them.

If she was going to win - Barack would have never had a chance, that was where she went off the rails. Ex-pres hubby, money, connections, name recognition, even GOP hatred towards her was in her favor. She lost it all on a gamble - that is a judgement issue and her temperment is also something I question.

Superdelegates are for the most past also on the ballot, not likely they can overturn anything and feel safe in their own campaign.

70/30 in every state to lead by only a few delegates - I'd have better chances with a lotto ticket.

Then again, get the right hungry bear and Barack in the same room . . .

"Obama's certainly a very classy candidate.... I wish I could say the same for all his supporters."

Interesting, I can say the exact thing about some HRC supporters. Although I only see a few comments as I read the topmost stuff and seldom the comments - why should those effect you? It is the internet and we can find 50 examples of anything (including a goat).

Go by the candidate not the supporters, they are just regular folks, many well meaning but confused, others can't even communicate what the voices in their head is saying.

Did you read the piece about Sidney? (I'll post it next)

The whole "no specifics" and whatnot was a concerted effort from the right and HRC using the right talking points?

Sidney Blumenthal Uses Former Right-Wing Foes To Attack Obama

[...]

Earlier this year, one theme pushed by Clinton supporters and buoyed by Blumenthal's efforts, was that Obama's appeal was similar to that of a messianic cult leader. Obama's capacity to inspire people was reframed as a kind of malevolent force, as though his followers would somehow willingly drink poisoned Kool-Aid if Obama so demanded. In his February 7 Time magazine column, "Inspiration vs. Substance," writer Joe Klein, who, like Blumenthal, worked on the Boston alternative paper, The Real Paper, in the 1970s, wrote: "There was something just a wee bit creepy about the mass messianism -- 'We are the ones we've been waiting for' -- of the Super Tuesday speech and the recent turn of the Obama campaign." That same morning, Blumenthal sent the Klein column to his email list. Later that day, in his Political Punch blog, ABC News reporter Jake Tapper wrote, "The Holy Season of Lent is upon us. Can Obama worshippers try to give up their Helter-Skelter cultish qualities for a few weeks?" (Update: In response to OffTheBus, Tapper is categorical in denying that he in any way relied upon Blumenthal or was influenced by Blumenthal in the production or in the writing of this story or his reports on William Ayers or the Obama "cult")

The following day, in the Los Angeles Times, columnist Joel Stein wrote: "Obamaphilia has gotten creepy. What the Cult of Obama doesn't realize is that he is a politician."

After this idea had bounced around the media echo chamber for a few days, the liberal watchdog group Media Matters for America, run by David Brock, posted a summary on February 8 of the sudden outbreak of "cult" references about Obama. It was headlined: "Media figures call Obama supporters' behavior 'creepy,' compare them to Hare Krishna and Manson followers." The next day, Blumenthal sent the Media Matters piece to his email list. A few days later, the New York Times' Paul Krugman, a Clinton supporter, weighed in with a column, "Hate Springs Eternal," in which he wrote, "I'm not the first to point out that the Obama campaign seems dangerously close to a cult of personality." Nor would he be the last. Four days later, Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer, an arch conservative, penned a column entitled, "The Audacity of Selling Hope" in which he simply quoted Klein, Tapper, Stein, and Krugman

http://tinyurl.com/4j2puw

*****

This is the kind of thing that has kept me from warming up to Hillary, The whole triangulation thing with Bill bugged me, he never had much of my support or interest until they went after him for a BJ. (I am militant pro-BJ).

Her Healthcare plan failed on some of her words too, go back you will find where she said "one in five businesses might go under" (paraphrased) and she did try to dictate (or made some folks mad) because she didn't talk to those congresscritters from whom she needed support - so they didn't support her plan (out of spite).

She might have gotten better at the game but if so, how did she manage to lose to Barack? The fact that she is not ahead speaks volumes (to me)

She's losing to Barack because of the "cult of personaltiy".... his "magic"... His messianic "it's my time" baloney...

It's ironic you criticize Bill Clinton for being a triangulator. Triangulating is just another name for Obama's "post-partisan new politics." If you read his original position papers on the economy (Austan Goolsbee, adviser), they WAY to the right of Hillary. I don't want to "build bridges" to the other party, I want to kick their asses!

Obama just threw the Republicans a ridiculous sop on Fox the other night... giving them credit for "cap and trade" as one of their "good ideas..." BS!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/02/opinion/02krugman.html?hp

It's infuriating! As bad as his insurance-friendly health care plan and his using Republican talking points against universal coverage.

The only reason Obama doesn't have the Edwards' endorsement is because Elizabeth Edwards thinks his health care plan sucks!

She is losing because she he has more vote, more money and more delegates.

His other qualities are just a plus.

If you read the piece about Sidney you would know that meme is a Reich-wingnuttia talking point sold to an eager Hill-shill audience.

Poor kids never knew what hit them, eh?

Cult of personality would never be a majority, cults are alway the minority, a cult of Ron Paul as an example.

Who cares what healthcare plan or policy is best - the choice left the station on Super Tuesday when HRC didn't plow over the newbie.

How is it she didn't use all the money, name recognition, connections, party leaders and political peers to squish the new guy?

She is an empty pantsuit and an old school politician.

That is why she has fewer votes, fewer states, fewer delegates and will soon be blessed with her old job back.

She was going to create a dynasty instead just just got nasty - her loss.

Obama picks up 3 more Illinois superdelegates: Daley, Currie and Stroger.
WASHINGTON--When the Democratic Party of Illinois meet next week to finish filling out the delegate slate, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) will pick up three more superdelegates, according to Steve Brown, a spokesman for state party chair Michael Madigan, who is also the speaker of the Illinois House.

That's because the three appointments are all pledged to Obama: Mayor Daley --he shares strategist David Axelrod with Obama and brother Bill, the former Commerce Secetary is on the Obama team; Illinois House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), a Hyde Parker who lives near the Obamas'; and Cook County Board President Todd Stroger.

(suntimes)

*****

Three more for Barack.

Mark Udall's denunciation of this idea and Hillary's "with us or against us" framing:

"Senator Clinton claimed yesterday that I either stand with her on this proposal or stand with the oil companies. To that I say: I stand with the families of Colorado, who aren't looking for bumper sticker fixes that don't fix anything, but for meaningful change that brings real relief and a new direction for our energy policy. We can't afford more Washington-style pandering while families keep getting squeezed.

"It is exactly the kind of short-sighted Washington game that keeps us from getting real results to our energy problem."

*****

"With us or against us?" Hmmmm where have I heard that before?

I cringed when I heard HRC say that. I think the desperation is getting palpable, more than hypothetically.

BHO's Closing at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner

That's the choice that you have North Carolina. You know during the course of this campaign, I was very proud to say we were running a positive campaign. We didn't want to get caught up in the bickering, the back and forth, and the tit for tat. But you know, I wanna just say this publicly, that there were times where we slipped into the old habits; there're times we have been less than perfect. I'm reminded every day of my life, by events or by my wife, that I'm not a perfect man. And I had to tell my staff just a couple weeks ago that let's remember what this campaign started with--the spirit with which we began. Because, ultimately this election is not about Barack Obama; it's not about Hillary Clinton; it's not about John McCain. It's about you; it's about the American people; it's about your hopes, and your struggles and your dreams. I noticed that, over the last couple of weeks, there's been an attempt to make it about me. He doesn't wear a flag pin. He's gotta funny name. That ex-pastor of his, that's a problem. I understand this.

And so, I just wanna close by saying a little bit of something about my values, my character, why I'm here. You know I was born to a teenage mother. My father left when I was two. So I was raised by a single mom and my grandparents, grandparents who were born in a small town in Kansas, during the Great Depression. They didn't have a lot. And when Pearl Harbor was bombed, my grandfather joined the army and left my grandmother with a new baby and she worked on an bomber assembly line while he fought in Europe in Patton's army. And when he came back, part of that arsenal of democracy--there was a government there who understood that if we invest in these young GI's coming home, we might build the middle class. So he got a GI bill that allowed him go to college. And there was a government that understood that if we loan families enough money to buy their own home, that will boost the economy, and it won't just be good for the economy, it will be good for families. And so they bought their first home with the help of an FHA loan. And as that little baby, my mother, got bigger, and she was ready for college, there was financial aid there to make sure that even though they didn't have a lot of money, she could get a good education. And when I got a little bit older, even though my mother didn't have a lot of money herself, she was able to provide me with the best education possible. And when after school I met my wife, it turned out she had the same story--a father who worked as a shift worker for the city and never went to college. A mother who worked as a secretary for the city and never went to college. And yet somehow they were able to support two children and buy a home and send their kids to college and retire with some dignity and respect.

And so I understand that I am here before you today, just as my wife would be, as the beneficiary of everything that is good about this country. My story is not possible except in the United States of America. I could not be here were it not for the fact that somebody, somewhere stood up for me. And because one person stood up, a few more stood up, and then a thousand stood up, and then a million stood up. That's why Hillary Clinton can run for president. That's why I can run for president. Because somebody stood up, and the question now is, will the Democratic party stand up for the next generation? That's my patriotism. That's why I'm running for President. Those are my values; those are your values, North Carolina. That's what we're fighting for in this election, and if you'll stand with me, if you'll vote for me, I promise you, we will not just win this nomination, we will win this general election. And you and I together will change this country and change this world. God bless you. God bless America.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYmtgO7Hx3I

*****

But I can't help but wonder was he wearing a flag pin?

Reading the words not "personality" can be imposed and yet the words are inspiring.

He is not going to be a perfect president or person, I bet when he is elected he will so some dumb things, smart things, some good things and some bad. That is the nature of things.

He has the potential to be a truly great leader - I hope he lives up to a fraction of his potential.

Since Hillary tried healthcare previous and failed, I suspect her second chnace to be far superior. She must have analyzed what she did that pissed off the corportaions and cofused the public. I bet she spent many a sleepless night mulling it over.

I have no particular affection for her or Barack but I truly abhor that political whore McCain. His straight talk is crooked and so are he and his party. I am still looking for any instances in the past half century where the GOP went even slightly out of its way to help the poor and middle class at the expense of the overprivileged who are their only truly beloved base.

Gas tax holiday is DOA

The gas tax holiday supported by presidential candidates Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) will be dead on arrival in the House, Democrats made plain Thursday.

http://tinyurl.com/68qbwt

******

HRC might have the levers of government in hand but she seems to always forget to actuially talk to the people from whom she needs support. Worse - she give the congresscritters an ultimatum so they refuse in spite of her.

How is she suppose to get anything done "on day one" if she can't get support for her political pandering from her own party?

Did she bother to talk to any of them or did she just demand their support? There might be a whole story in that.

"First of all, there is no reason to believe that any moratorium on the gas tax will be passed on to the consumer," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., told reporters on Thursday.

"... This has not been the history of a lower gas tax being passed on to the consumer. Second of all, it would defeat everything that we have been trying to do to lower the cost of oil."

In the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said recently that rank-and-file Democrats are divided on the issue. A spokesman said during the day there will be no gasoline tax holiday in legislation Democrats intend to unveil next week.

(huffpo)

McCain must explain his Iraq vigil

How long is he willing to keep U.S. forces in a front-line combat role?

[...]

First, if McCain doesn't envision a 100-year American front-line combat presence in Iraq, how long is he willing to keep U.S. forces in that role? So far, all he has said is that the United States should withdraw only if it concludes that the Iraq mission is unachievable or when it has achieved success, which he defines as the establishment of "a peaceful, stable, prosperous, democratic state."

McCain hasn't said how long he would keep fighting to reach that demanding goal. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., one of McCain's closest Senate allies, recently said he thinks that McCain would maintain current U.S. troop levels in Iraq through his entire four-year presidential term if military commanders recommended that course to maintain stability there.

(msnbc)

*****

Seems obvious enough the 100 or however many years would be in four year presidential term increments.

Not a very good answer. Maybe people will vote for that. Imagine some kind of terror attack over the summer (bank on it).

Maybe people are better informed. Harder to use fear as a tactic on informed people. It will work all too well on far too many.

Hillary May Have Lost The Entire Black Vote...FOREVER !!!

(kos)

*****

This kind of thing is just silly. It starts with a false premise - "entire black vote" - as if that is even possible?

What does that mean? All the (so-called) blacks vote the same? That they all got together and decided?

Worse, it is people trying to extort votes, it is rank intimidation - the same goes for HRC supporters that threaten to vote McSame or stay home when Barack is the nominee.

AP:
That comment that you made in the town hall meeting which is why you came back to talk to us. That was, what was in your mind, was you were thinking about the first Gulf War?

McCain:
No, I was thinking about, it’s not hard to, we will not, by eliminating our dependency on foreign oil, we will not have to have our national security threatened by a cut off of that oil. Because we will be dependent, because we won’t be dependent, we will no longer be dependent on foreign oil. That’s what my remarks were.

*****

I understand someone thought it was a good idea to have this guy run for president - people make mistakes.

PARRISH: This question goes to mental health and mental health care. Previously, I’ve been married to a woman that was verbally abusive to me. Is it true that you called your wife a (expletive)?

MCCAIN: Now, now. You don’t want to … Um, you know that’s the great thing about town hall meetings, sir, but we really don’t, there’s people here who don’t respect that kind of language. So I’ll move on to the next questioner in the back.

*****

He said it or he would have said "no" - why can't he say no?

NEW MEXICO PARTY CHAIR ENDORSES BARACK OBAMA

Superdelegate Brian Colon backs Obama’s movement for change

Albuquerque, NM – Today, New Mexico State Party Chair and superdelegate Brian S. Colón endorsed Senator Barack Obama, citing Obama’s ability to bring new voters into the process as well as the positive campaign Obama has run.

The endorsement brings the total number of superdelegates to endorse Barack Obama to 255. Senator Obama is 277 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

State Party Chair Brian Colón said, “Barack Obama has proven to inspire a movement that has brought a record number of people into the process. He’s proven to be a candidate who can compete and will fight hard to expand the Democratic Party’s reach and put Western states in play in the general election. His message of change is resonating across all ages, races and economic backgrounds in New Mexico.

“As I talk to Democrats all over New Mexico they are increasingly concerned with the negative tone that the campaign has taken. I believe that Senator Obama has presented a positive message of change while continuing to focus on our real opponent; a John McCain presidency and another four year term of failed Bush policies.

“Barack Obama has run a different kind of campaign – one that goes beyond the things that divide us and is driven by a commitment to real change that starts at the grassroots level. Here in New Mexico, where we had a very close election on February 5th, the excitement I saw throughout the state is good for our Party and good for our State. While there are two very talented candidates in this race, I am proud to make this announcement today because I want to see Barack Obama’s positive movement for change continue to transform the Democratic Party and this country.”

A Point of Clarification

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Recently I was part of a group of women who filmed public service announcements for an organization called Women's Voices. Women Vote. The goal of the PSA campaign is to encourage high voter turn-out amongst women, especially single women, 20 million of whom have been known to stay home on Election Day. It is an issue about which I am deeply passionate. However, there have been reports about WVWV which questioned the intention behind my PSA and which candidate I am endorsing for president. For the record, I am proudly supporting Senator Barack Obama.

Obama has picked up 5 superdelegates today and at least 2 pledged delegates from Guam.

So far today, Obama has been endorsed by Brian Colon, the Democratic Party Chairman in New Mexico.

Obama also received an endorsement from the South Carolina add-on, former State Education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum.

He gained support from Maryland add-on, former Gov. Parris Glendening.

He is also about to pick up:
Pilar Lujan (Guam) - an Obama supporter
Jaime Paulino (Guam) - undecided but on record stating he will support the popular vote winner in Guam.

Team Hillary: It's not us, it's those other guys!

[...]

Here's how the story opened in the Washington Post:

"Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) today praised Sen. Barack Obama for denouncing his former pastor, but warned that Republicans will use the association to try to 'Swift Boat' the Illinois senator if he becomes the Democratic presidential nominee this fall."

Not the Clinton campaign, mind you -- the Republicans. The Republicans will use it.

"'You're running for president and people want to get a sense of who you are, and when you're new to the public stage you're a little more susceptible to having the canvas painted in by your political opponents.'"

The Republicans, that is. Those "political opponents" Bayh is talking about -- the ones so ready to paint Obama's canvas in the most unflattering colors -- are the Republicans.

http://tinyurl.com/66ngvu

Right after the Super Tuesday presidential primaries on Feb. 5, Barack Obama's campaign strategists projected the outcome of every subsequent election. Of the 17 primaries and caucuses held since then, they were right on 16, missing only Maine, where Obama won a squeaker.>

These strategists were so good that they even correctly called the vast majority of the 128 congressional districts that were in play within the states. The internal document - whose lead author was the chief delegate hunter, Jeff Berman - also shows they have been almost dead-on in delegate counts. They have run circles around Hillary Rodham Clinton's team.

http://tinyurl.com/3juwbh

Who will tell the people? We are not who we think we are. We are living on borrowed time and borrowed dimes. We still have all the potential for greatness, but only if we get back to work on our country.

I don’t know if Barack Obama can lead that, but the notion that the idealism he has inspired in so many young people doesn’t matter is dead wrong. “Of course, hope alone is not enough,” says Tim Shriver, chairman of Special Olympics, “but it’s not trivial. It’s not trivial to inspire people to want to get up and do something with someone else.”

It is especially not trivial now, because millions of Americans are dying to be enlisted — enlisted to fix education, enlisted to research renewable energy, enlisted to repair our infrastructure, enlisted to help others. Look at the kids lining up to join Teach for America. They want our country to matter again. They want it to be about building wealth and dignity — big profits and big purposes. When we just do one, we are less than the sum of our parts. When we do both, said Shriver, “no one can touch us.”

http://tinyurl.com/6bkzn2

CBS Poll: Support For Obama Rebounds

(CBS) Democrat Barack Obama appears to have rebounded from some of the damage caused by the controversy surrounding his former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright, according to the latest CBS News/New York Times poll.

On one key measure, Obama has seen a big reversal since his denunciation of Wright’s remarks on Tuesday. He now leads presumptive Republican nominee John McCain in the hypothetical fall contest by eleven points, 51 percent to 40 percent. That compares to a tied match-up in a CBS News/New York Times poll that was released last Wednesday.

Positive assessments of how Obama has handled the situation with Wright are also reflected by a continued lead over fellow Democrat Hillary Clinton in his battle for their party’s nomination. Among Democratic primary voters (those who have voted or plan to vote in a Democratic primary) Obama’s lead over Clinton has increased -- he now leads Clinton by twelve points, 50 percent to 38 percent. That’s up from his eight point lead in the poll released just a few days ago.

Hillary Clinton has re-opened her sharp attack on Barack Obama's position on guns, with a mailer in Indiana that seeks to raise questions about him with both supporters and opponents of gun rights.

The mailing -- perhaps the sharpest-edged of Clinton's five negative mail pieces in Indiana -- casts him as a typical politician, saying different things to different audiences. It also revives his damaging comments in San Francisco that small town people cling to guns.

Then, making the harsh case more broadly, the mailer asks: "What does Barack Obama really believe?"

The piece is particularly striking coming from Clinton, who has been seen for most of her career as a firm advocate of gun control, but more recently has emerged -- without dramatically shifting her stance on specific issues -- as a defender of the Second Amendment who fondly recalled being taught to shoot by her grandfather in Scranton.

(politico)

My brother lost his battle with cancer on Thursday. He was my twin brother. Please, do whatever you can to get universal health care implemented in this country, including mental health care. My brother was committed at the tender age of 17, after my parents insurance ran out. They were told that they could go into bankruptcy and that they needed to think about there nine other children. This was 32 years ago. Nothing has changed.

Flan,

I am very sorry for your loss.