Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

beautimous.

MORNING CRAIG!!! Thanks for the video. So happy for Hillary. Great Night.

One question??? Why aren't you a reporter on a network!! You are GREAT.MSNBC should see your knowledge and public appeal.

Waiting for Craig on Imus shortly...

Craig,

I wish I could have been at Hillary's victory celebration. It's so refreshing
to hear a commentator actually give Mrs. Clinton credit for winning by 10 points in PA and not try to crash the party with negative spin.

You seem to fit right in at Hillary's bash.

Good Morning Craig, All:

For me and other Hillary supporters it was a great night indeed.
I made a comparison of the two speeches last night and suffice to say Hillary's speech was terrific, it was about the people the common folk uplifting and full of hope for the future.

Obama's was about....yes, all about Obama, the loss in Pennsylvania did precious little to deter his arrogance nor his hypocrisy, I just watched transfixed as Obama sort of made a comparison of himself with Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy and that he was the one to carry on their legacy. Ha! It was a long flowery speech from him as usual, actually far too long... been there and heard that before. I suppose St. Obama and his handlers do not know the difference between a stump speech and a concession speech.

Just a hint to the Sainted Obama, before comparing or hinting at comparing yourself to Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy you have to have at least accomplished some of what they accomplished, your arrogance is astounding and along with many other flaws will be your ultimate undoing.

Luckily for the St. Obama he will never face a debate with anyone that may say "I knew Roosevelt, Truman and Kennedy...they were friends of mine...and you sir are no Roosevelt, Truman or Kennedy."

I cannot be brainwashed by the Sainted Obama, you are a far left extremist product of the radical left wing moveon.org crowd I do not not buy your centrist speech for a minute. It would have been far better if you kept your speech short sir, congratulated Hillary Clinton on a job well done in Pennsylvania and thanked your supporters.

--Heather

Heather - we hardly know each other but i am falling in love..... with your posts

Craig....
nothing compares to starting my day off with a little bit about the Fabulous Moolah..... or was that Dame Edna..... I forget..... ;0)

watch it Heather..... Ping is a Repub.....
although.... he's our Repub..... which makes him a lovable rascal....

Craig.... while you're in Philly..... there's a wonderful exhibit there at the art museum of the works of Frida Kahlo.... hoping to get down there to see it myself.....

been working hard lately..... getting mucho done..... enjoy your day!

Good Morning Renee ☺

LOL! I guess most people know by now I am a moderate in the middle Democrat loyal to my party, although Obama may be the ultimate test of my loyalty, with good social values. I despise the far right zealot radical neocons as much as I do the moveon.org extremists both do detrimental damage to their respective parties and the ideologues that created and support them make it close to impossible to make and create policy resolutions that would create a greater America that would lead to prosperity, civility, a stronger defense and increased liberty for all of America's citizens.

If both parties would root out its extremist elements perhaps one day it would lead to better government and a better legacy to our children and their children.

--Heather

Three points I would like to make this morning.

First is that the op-ed people seem to be pissed that they just can't control the voters. They just don't seem to be able to finish Clinton off.

Second, last night was one of the first times in a very long time that the MSM said some nice things about Clinton. I have been boycotting the MSM but I tuned in to CNN and Fox and heard some nice things directed to Clinton. I decided I would watch a little Fox. It is much easier for me to hate a network I always hated than to hate a network I used to love, ie. MSNBC.

Third, we have all been saying that it is nice that the young people have become involved in politics. I am not sure that it is a good thing. When they interview these young people they don't have a clue. Do we really want people who don't have a clue making important decisions that affect all of our lives? Not me, I would rather they go back to their Play Stations and beer.

PS, why can't I type in that stupid Captcha the first time?

Carol

Congrats to Hillary and her supporters on the 10 point win last night!

ct said:
Do we really want people who don't have a clue making important decisions that affect all of our lives?

After the last seven years and the current administration I think we can safely just say, "No".

BTW, I am glad you are back Heather. I missed you. I have been reading your website. Nice

Heard your Imus appearance. Darn it, every time you use the three-dollar hotel telephones, they don't go so well as they should or could. Those hotels must have a/v rooms with decent videoconferencing setups.

When the Fabulous Moolah died last November, it was a really big deal here in Columbia--I was surprised at the following she had.

More and more it looks as if they must make a ticket of it with her in the lead position and he as Mr Vice--don't think it would work the other way around. Then, after one term, she retires to enjoy her celebrity and adopt an Eleanor Roosevelt-like presence.

Somehow listening to McCain's hoary old chestnuts about cutting taxes magically making everything ok in cities where heavy industry has left behind blight sounded more tired than usual this morning. Honestly, if we vote for more of the stuff that doesn't work, we're dumber than I thought.

Hate to say it, but it should be fun watching the HIllary-hating pundits try to spin this as a loss.

I have one thing to say...because the networks (except for FOX argh) are so glum that their chosen candidate didn't win.

HILL YEA!!!!

How is it that a guy spends over 11 million and still loses by 10...

I have said this many times and will say it again. People seemed surprised that the Op-Ed people like Today's New York Times bash Hillary and they will continue to do so, because they are far left and had a hatred for the Clintons in general.

America as a whole is centrist-right so it is no big surprise that the way America votes will not be aligned with the Op-Ed beltway mentality of far left liberal elitist Marxism.

Hillary appeals to the mainstream everyday mainstream hardworking Americans, thats why she won Pennsylvania.

At the end of the day if you are a super-delegate you have to ask yourself one question..."What demographic is there more of... liberal extremist elitists or mainstream American centrists"?

--Heather

Renee... You blew my cover.. !!
Once again agree with Heather that we do not need the extremes of the parties. So lets meet in the middle and make something happen.
However I do not agree that I would vote for anyone just because of party, This was the blind manner of my grandparents. One should always consider the options.

More on BHO

http://www.myamericanvalues.com/2008/04/political-process-versus-value.htm

Comments ?

note this site is still under development

Congrats to Hillary's 10% win.. and her 8-9 delegate pickup.

On to NC and IN so the Tar Heels and Hoosiers can register their vote. Two more must-win primaries for HRC ..Good Luck!

Hil’ry’s speech was right on the money. Obama was his usual, arrogant, double-you-ish self. Nothing but self-aggrandizement and unsubstantiated claims of the change he could bring about.

Tweety was much more gracious about her win than KO. He kept trying to spin it Obama’s way, as if spending 3 times as much and losing by 10 points could somehow be considered a victory. (Too many turning points mean you’re going in circles buddy.)

MoJo was right about people connecting Rev. Wright’s words with Michelle Obama’s statement about never being proud of being of her country until now. The GOP would use that to paint them as unpatriotic and unworthy of the WH. The Dems may not have the stomach for that kind of thing, but the Reps do.

Ps – Craig --- I now have to write in Word and paste to your blog….90% of my posts get eaten. (I know that pleases some of you, but my guess is that I’m not the only one with this issue.)

Ping, she gets almost 21-pct more votes than he does and she ends up with a lousy 8/9 delegate bonus when she should be getting 38/39 more than he does.

Hey, Tell me AGAIN why my neighbors that voted in the Florida Dem Priamary do not count?
What has happened to our REPUBLIC?

Flatus, Hope you are doing well...
Seems like bad math... Is that an effect of Gerrys mandering activity? Pun Pun Pun

ct

Get yourself a little blue key from Typekey and you will never have to type capcha again.

More than anything else about Sen. Obama that keeps me from being willing to lean in that direction is the overwhelming ego with little to justify it.

He is either putting out his own publicity or believing the myths produced by others. He is not MLK. He is not Kennedy or Truman or FDR. His accomplishments in his public life are limited. None of this makes him a bad or untalented person, it just makes him inexperienced.

Let him be VP and grow into the role, then maybe he would turn out to be an MLK, Kennedy, Truman, or FDR.

I'll be leaving shortly for the animal hospital, but before I go I'm going to post two link about voting problems in PA.

The first link is from a site you may or may not have read before.

http://www.boomantribune.com/

The other one is the Brad Blog.

http://www.bradblog.com/

Most of the trouble was in precincts that favored Obama and a good majority were tallied from Touch Screen were there is no paper trail and a lot of voters were denied provisional ballots because there names were not on the voter roles.

Including many long time Democrats.

I said last night that I would be skeptical of any votes that were done on Touch Screen no matter where the votes went or to which candidate. I still am.

God Bless.

Obama's speech fell flat last night as did his speech in San Antonio on the night of the Texas primary. Too negative. He needs to stay upbeat, stop the smirking, stay positive and re-establish himself as the candidate of Hope and Change. Frankly, the less availability he has from this point on, the better.

pogo: I'm going to mail a dollar to Hillary. She'll need it as her campaign is bankrupt. (Where are those lobbyists when you need them?)

AP: Best wishes at the animal hospital and meow to Ginger!

Some thoughts...

I have only seen clips from BHO's concession(?) speech last night. I didn't hear BHO congratulate HRC. If he did...good!! ! If not...shame on him!!!

Compared to what MLRO normally wears(her designer suits/dresses)...I thought she looked extremely frumpy...and a bit PO'd.

Chris Obamatthews really needs to stop stirring the "race" pot. He questions why white people admit that race is a factor for them. He doesn't ask black people the same question(or at least he doesn't report on it).

No Mika today.

Ally,

"Frankly, the less availability he has from this point on, the better. "

If he wants to get elected, he should avoid public exposure at all costs.

Hint to Nash:
The lobbyists are contributing to Obama via moveon.org

--Heather

I hate to be a wet blanket (no I don't) but...

Hillary is still losing.

She is behind in pledge delegates and popular vote. The remaining primaries, unless something truly odd happens, will not put her in the lead.

Her ONLY CHANCE is to con the Super-Ds into betraying the majority of Dem primary voters and handing her a stolen victory.

Lush: He did congratulate her and then the crowd booed.

Hmmmmmm

Star Trek The Next Generation had a creature call a "Borg" I think Nash is an "Oborg" half Nash half Obama his Brain is ruled by by a coalition of Obama/Pastor Wright/ moveon.org which totally explains his mentality and behavior.

The Democratic establishment, the GOP, and the MSM are conspiring to weaken the Democratic primary leader. Why?

* The establishment pols are afraid of change. Obama is bringing in new voters that they don't understand. They are afraid of being swept aside.

* The GOP fears Obama and wants to run against Hillary. They've been digging up new dirt on the Clintons for eight years.

* The MSM wants the Dem primary to go on and on to keep ratings up.

pogo,,, actually Cocoa beach is the closest to where I live in Downtown Orlando, in fact you can get to Cocoa Beach some times faster from the Orlando Airport then you can the northern Suburbs.... Catch you up

I will post more agian,, been busy keeping the edge and ahead of economic matters. And of course BIG CONCERN is IF BHO gets office. Watch out. Then sad to say I might have lots of time, but no way to pay.

Jamie said: "If he wants to get elected, he should avoid public exposure at all costs."

OK, once again I spit up my latté all over my keyboard. That was about as good as the McCaskill comments from last night regarding kittens and a swift river.

Ping said: "Flatus, Hope you are doing well...
Seems like bad math... Is that an effect of Gerrys mandering activity? Pun Pun Pun"

I'm hanging in there, Ping, how about you??

My figure is not percentage of the vote, but of how many more votes Mrs Clinton got than Mr Obama.

Here's an example: If you and I are competing for class president and there are 24 people in the class. If you get 16 votes and I get 8, you've earned 100-pct more votes than me. ((16-8)/8=1.00)

Or, you beat me two to one. Or, you beat me by 33-pct.

The most meaningful, to me, is the 100-pct more.

South Carolina is terrible for gerrymandering. Here's a map of our Congressional districts (I'm in the second):
http://www.google.com/search?q=south+carolina+congressional+districts&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_en___US232

played "Slick's" on Cocoa Beach oncet.......

Did I just hear Bill Richardson say the Sainted Obama will win Puerto Rico?
Hmmm seems the facial hair has affected his thinking ☺

--Heather

Top story in today's NYT.

Mrs. Clinton’s margin was probably not sufficient to fundamentally alter the dynamics of the race, which continued to favor an eventual victory for Mr. Obama.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/us/politics/23assess.html?_r=1&hp=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1208955820-CW0pYogbgNjvGSvTzi1x7A

Flatus: I was saying the same thing to my husband last night: How in the world does she get 20% more votes than he does and only end up with a 55% to 45% victory. I am serious here...can you explain?

(Where are those lobbyists when you need them?)
They are and have been supporting Obama you clueless ass

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/obamas-k-street-project-2007-03-28.html

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/08/09/pacs_and_lobbyists_aided_obamas_rise/

Craig, the fact you were at the Clinton victory party shows you are in the "tank' with her ... (ET ducks and laughs).

I haven't read any posts yet, but I thought I'd first say "YIPPEE for Hillary: and then read the negative spin the Obamaniacs are certain to deliver here.

Gee Nash:

We already know about the crazy op-ed bashing of Hillary in the New York Times

Do you plan on filibustering Craig's blog all day with your Hillary Bashing? Nothing better to do Nash?

--Heather

You know, as I always say...I am about as sharp as a marble, when it comes to politics...

I notice many people, with brilliant political minds, keep saying that BHO is bringing in new voters.

Is it possible(keep an open mind here)...just possible, that many of the new voters are signing up so they can vote AGAINST BHO...either by directly voting against him or by voting for him now, so they can vote against him in NOV?

it's just a thought...

OK. Never mind. I did the math again and I get it : )

Quoting the paper of Jason Blair and Judith Miller ...the paper that blew the McCain story
'
\Ofhttp://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/09/23/in_illinois_obama_dealt_with_lobbyists/

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/07/despite-rhetori.html

course a two (or more) faced liar is what you prefer
Suck it up loser

Linda.......Scarborough said as much last night......that Barack could balance the blue collar workers going for Hillary only by switch-over republicans......

There have been more than a few comments about Senator Clinton "blowing" a 20 point lead in PA.

Jerome Armstrong at My DD ddiffers.

That was ONE poll which has been quoted endlessly.

Here are Clinton's monthly poll averages for three months:

February: 47.8 - 38.3, a 9.5% margin for Clinton
March: 51.3 - 38.4, a 12.9% margin for Clinton
April: 45 - 38.6, a 6.4% margin for Clinton

Here is his comment:

The one thing that easy to see is this was never a "20 percent lead" by Clinton [since Super Tuesday on Feb 5th]. Also, despite all the resources Obama has put into PA, he had been stuck at 38 for three months. Now, the final poll of polls shows it a bit closer. The last 10 polls show 50 percent for Clinton and 42.8 percent for Obama.

So... I'd have to say that "20% lead" was an outlier. (Me learn new word!)

"Craig, the fact you were at the Clinton victory party shows you are in the "tank' with her ... (ET ducks and laughs). -- posted by EuroTom"

i know you're kidding around, Euro, but want to get on the record that i came to Philadelphia expecting to cover two election night events, but as it turned out Obama left the state, was instead on a plane to Indiana -- and not even my Trail Mix Jet Pack could put me in both places. HRC was the only game in town last night.

"Frank Luntz loves Hillary Clinton... er ... loves her speech"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_W9paHxmoKc

Huffingtonpost is reporting that many super-Ds are planning to announce support for Obama in the next few days.

WSJ says that Gore is going to back Obama, but not right away.

I predict that Gore and Edwards will both support Nader.

Heather: That was a NYT story from today, not the editorial from yesterday.

no.....wait......I predict that Gore and Edwards and Nader, all three, will endorse John McCain on Aug. 3rd at precisely 3 pm.

The Democratic establishment, the GOP, and the MSM are conspiring to weaken the Democratic primary leader. Why?

Posted by: Nash

Oh really? Aren't Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Patrick Leahy, Bill Richardson et al, part of the "Democratic establishment". Hasn't Donna Brazile threatened to leave the Democrats if the SDs vote against the popular vote? Is SHE not a member of the Democratic establishment? Didn't the DNC and Howard Dean create a divisive fiasco in Michigan and Florida that basically plays into the hands of Obama (ok I'll give them a pass on this as no one thought it would matter because the race would be over now), and then refused to recognize the voters of those two states while Obama is ahead? Aren't THEY part of the Democratic establishment???

Half the GOP seems to think Hillary is the weaker candidate for the general election and half the GOP seems to think that Obama is the weaker candidate for the general election. They're REPUBLICANS. Of course they are going to try to disrupt any Democratic momentum.

The MSM? Are you kidding? They were ON BENDED KNEES for months (before the SNL parody of how pathetic they were as if kissing the toes of royalty when "reporting" on Obama) and have only recently begun doing REAL investigative work into the man, his background and his associates.

So Nash, the real question is WHY? Why did you post such an erroneous assessment of how the current tally leader is being treated?

It also being reported Elizabth Edwards is endorsing Senator Clinton

Craig, I figured as much! Why stick around if you've lost? Any predictions on Indiana? Can Hillary pull out another victory? Or does Barack have it in the "voting booth" (to change an old cliche' a bit).

Thank you (((( ET!))))

Excellent post!

--Heather

Heather thank YOU... :)

Might be of interest to some: Jerusalem Post perspective on PA Primary.

"How Penn's Jewish governor tried to give Clinton a boost"

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208870470180&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Indiana
RCP Average 03/31 - 04/16 - 46.0 43.8 Clinton +2.2

Obama started with a 10% advantage

In PA she split the so called youth vote aka new voters

"Scarborough said as much last night......"
--sturgeone

darn it sturgeone...you didn't have to tell me that!! I was thinking I came up with the theory all on my own...LOLOLOL!!!

I thought, after months of hanging out here(with the brilliant political minds), that maybe my marble was beginning to develop some sharp edges!! 8~D

Does anyone know if someone has analyzed the "voters per delegate" in caucus states versus primary states? I know that the Obama supporters on this blog just LOVE THOSE CAUCUSES but so much of the weight of Obama's victory is tied to caucus states. I cannot believe this is not more of a concern to the DNC.

This isn't a TEN point victory, it's a FIVE point victory. If 5 percent of the voters changed their votes, the outcome shifts in the other direction, so she won by 5 points.

Not a bad night for someone who had a 20 point lead three weeks ago. The more she talks the less people like her.

McCain slept VERY well last night; he's practicing the oath as we speak.

I'd like the Hillary people to point to ONE responsible political analyst who can describe a scenario where Hillary could win without conning the Super-Ds into stealing the nomination for her.

You can't. It's her only strategy.

Some silver lining for Obama:

Obama Improving Among Whites And Seniors, Holding Among Jews

In Ohio, Obama lost to Senator Clinton among white men by a margin of 58 percent to 39 percent. That deficit was reduced to 55 percent to 45 percent, according to Pennsylvania exits polls - a 16-point gap narrowed to ten.

A similar trend held true among seniors. In Ohio, Clinton won this group by a wide margin of 69 percent to 28 percent. Six weeks later, Obama narrowed the gap by more than half, earning 41 percent of support among Pennsylvanian's 60 years and older compared to Clinton's 59 percent.

the only way Obama can win is for Clinton to drop out

Now that's a strategy

Obama cannot close the deal
He's ht the wall--all the money he spent in PA
couldn't close the deal

The more people hear him...the more they walk away
the late deciders all broke for Clinton

Per usual the Obama supporters spew specious bullshit. Factless drivel is their stock in trade

"Do you plan on filibustering Craig's blog all day with your Hillary Bashing? Nothing better to do Nash?"

Actually, some of us prefer it over your rah. rah Hillary messages! No offense

Another comment on Nash's erroneous statement that the Democratic Establishment is against Obama.

From NYTimes: "Mrs. Clinton faces major challenges going forward: her campaign is essentially out of money, with unpaid bills piling up, and she faces growing frustration among some Democratic officials who would prefer her to end her campaign in recognition of Mr. Obama’s lead in the overall popular vote of the primaries and caucuses so far, as well as his continuing edge toward amassing the 2,025 delegates needed to secure the nomination."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/us/politics/23cnd-campaign.html?hp

Details are such pesky things!

Also from today's Jerusalem Post - Clinton's Jewish staffers at Seder: Next year in the White House

"That's the message of Passover. You keep going to get to the other side."

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1208422652758&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

nash, you're an honorable man (and you're right - after last night, Hillary is only flush - and just barely - so she needs your buck), but you're spinning like a top when it comes to the superDs. You want only the rules that favor your candidate to count. Sorry, tell it to Howie. Get rid of caucuses, superDs, proportional delegate apportionment with"bonus" delegates in Dem voting districts, and the other horse shit that the DNC has birthed, and we don't have this argument. Time to put someone in the DNC leadership chair who will shepard a meaningful nomination format in and get rid of all this crap.

sturg - Slick's? Still there as far as you know? Be great to retreat to live music at night to get away from 11 year old basketball players.

Ally, Hillary got 1,258,245 votes (54.7%) to Obama's 1,042,297 (45.3%) of 2,300,542 total votes. The difference is 215,948. The difference is 9.38% of the overall vote, The difference is 20.7% of Obama's vote total and is 17% of Hillary's total. Hillary beat Obama by the difference of the total vote - 10%, not the difference expressed as a percentage of Obama's vote. Any way you cut it, Obama has not won a single large dem state other than his own or a single critical swing state. That is a problem for him.

"Does anyone know if someone has analyzed the "voters per delegate" in caucus states versus primary states? -- Posted by: Ally"

havent seen that particular breakdown yet, Ally. one of the lovely things about caucuses is that many of those states don't even bother to count or report the tally of voters for each candidate, only the numbers of delegates chosen by the voters. BUT i have seen guesstimates that Obama nets another 100,000 in popular vote had those voters been counted in caucus states with no voter count

eurotom, at this juncture i'd give Indiana to Clinton by 2 percentage points and North Carolina to Obama by 10 (subject to change, they are 2 weeks away)

Norah O'Donnell pregnant again??...that cheap slut!!!

Just Kidding!!! I think she is adorable!!! She and her husband must be thrilled!!!

Congrats, Norah!!

"liberal extremist elitists or mainstream American centrists"

Well said Heather!

Clinton's dirty campaign ads might have worked. However, it shows who she really is, a ruthless, unethical, disingenuous, dishonest politician who will try to win at all costs. The womem who so solidly backed her had better evaluate her character because she seems to have none. She doesn't need dirt to make mud. She and her handlers are pros at it. !!!!!!

HAHAHAH Lush, at first I thought you said "Rosie O'Donnell" and my reaction was "WOW now THAT IS NEWS!!!!"

AP allocates 80 PA delegates to Clinton and 66 to Obama: http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/campaign_plus/delegate_tracker/delegate_tracker.swf

we are at mathematical certitude that Clinton cannot catch Obama in elected delegates, and Obama cannot win the nomination in that category alone

behold the superdelegates

Obama's strategy reminds me of Bush & Company's strategy following November 2000 elections..."act as if." Act as if you already won and people will believe you did.

Thank goodness Hillary is not acting as if she's the loser...

"That is a problem for him."

Pogo, that's a problem only if the SDs think so.

ET- each of us has a preference, sorry. Bitter? what's that? :)

The womem who so solidly backed her had better evaluate her character because she seems to have none. She doesn't need dirt to make mud. She and her handlers are pros at it. !!!!!!

Posted by: Skylark | April 23, 2008 9:53 AM

BITTER? Table for ONE?

EuroTom

The "that cheap slut" line is taken from a Christine Lavin song("getting in touch with my inner bitch")...LOLOLOL!!! 8~D

Ally said: "Flatus: I was saying the same thing to my husband last night: How in the world does she get 20% more votes than he does and only end up with a 55% to 45% victory. I am serious here...can you explain?"

Ally, it's kind of an apples and oranges thing. The 55/45 thing refers to the total number of ballots cast. She got 10-pct more of the total votes than did he. That's the apples part.

But, here's the oranges. When you take the number of votes each received and compare those to each other (NOT to the total ballots cast) then you come-up with she having received 20-pct more votes than did he.

Earlier I posted a simple example. Try building your own and working through it a couple of times.

Pogo: Yes, I did the math after I made that post and figured it out. Duh! Thanks though!

Craig: 100,000 might be somewhat accurate but, I can tell you from my experience in Iowa, some of those caucus rooms were a bloody mess and I wouldn't trust any numbers to come out of caucus states as far as I could throw them. It would just be a little strange to have a Democratic nominee who didn't win New York, New Jersey, California, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Florida and Michigan. Just sayin' is all.

And nash, let me provide you with a responsible analyst who sees a way. (btw, I don't accept your premise because your definition of theft is erroneous - the SDs are incapable of stealing anything - their role is defined for them - to exercise their independent judgment. If Obama can't convince them that his wins in little red states are more important than Hillary's in big blue ones and makes him the man for the job, he's given the nomination away).

"With at least a 200,000-vote margin of victory in Pennsylvania, Clinton can edge ahead of Obama in popular vote by the end of the primary season in early June. But to do so, she must hold his leads in North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota and Montana to no more than 10 percentage points, beat him by at least two percentage points in Indiana and post big double-digit wins in West Virginia, Kentucky and Puerto Rico.

That is a tall order, but that’s what it takes for Clinton to impress the remaining 250 undecided superdelegates."

Recognize it? Anyone?

damn you, 9/11 - providing facts instead of bullshit!!! Damn your hide, man. LOLOLOL

LushL wrote: "Chris Obamatthews really needs to stop stirring the "race" pot. He questions why white people admit that race is a factor for them. He doesn't ask black people the same question(or at least he doesn't report on it)."

I thought this was very interesting as well. The exit poll said 16% of voters said race mattered and Matthews immediately assumed all 16% were white...he never made the assumption that those voters or a good chunk of them were black. Given that Obama won 90% of the black vote...I would say it's safe to say a good chunk of that 16% were actually black and not white.

I'd send a comment to MSNBO about it but it's pretty much hopeless at this point so...

ihttp://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/04/clinton-parties-hard-in-pennsy.html#comment-71519

i should have noted above that while at "mathematical" certitude, we are still short of "metaphysical" certitude. they are very different

In a winner-take-all world, here's roughly what the Dem delegate count would be today, addiing in Pennsylvania:

CLINTON--1895
OBAMA--1537

I just think this admittedly academic point is important in the "perception war" that's going on.

Yes, Obama holds a slim lead based on the rules that everyone by now admits defy common sense and walking-around logic.

Yet Hillary would hold a commanding lead under rules that most voters, unti this year, had every reason to believe were how the game was supposed to be played. It's how the GOP sees fit to choose its nominee, after all.

But rank-and-file Dems have been in the dark about their screwed up system, mainly because the arcane, stupid apportionment rules have never really mattered until this year.

Winner-take-all is common sense -- it's how we're accustomed to viewing all contests, from sports to politics. Otherwise, the World Series would be decided each year not according to who won how many games, but instead would follow a complex formula based on who scored how many runs when and under what weather conditions.

Am I trying to change the rules in the middle of the game? Certainly not. But I only hope the superDs will consider this perspective before they start believing spin that voting for Hillary amounts to "Unfairly ripping away the nomination from Obama."

Flatus: Yes, I figured that out after the post. I felt stupid for even saying (typing it). I am a graphic designer...obviously.

Skylark

"Clinton's dirty campaign ads"

What unadulterated spin. There was nothing dirty about those ads. None of them mentioned Obama in any way. It laid out the problems that exist in the world and said, "Who do you trust to fix this mess".

The PA folks decided they wanted the lady to change the diaper on the baby George Bush is leaving on the WH doorstep. They recommended the professor sleep in and then go to work back in the Senate.

He keeps telling us what he will do when he is President. It might be nice if he wasn't so arrogant that he didn't think it was necessary to ask for the job.

Rez - my point exactly. The SDs are precisely why it's a problem for him.

BITTER? Table for ONE?

WHATS THE CODE??????? EURO TOM

Morning,
I thought KO looked like he was sucking lemons last night. He kept trying to spin everything in BHO favor.
Atta Girl, Hillary!

Oh Skylark - please - he is just as negative and has been all along - the difference is that the media narrative is that Hillary is negative and not Barack.

I mean today David Gregory of all people was like - she's going to keep bringing up the flag pin, she's going to keep bringing up Rev. Wright when SHE never brought those things up in the first place. All of that stuff was brought up by Fox and then picked up by others. She commented on Wright once in a press conference and once in the debate. THAT IS IT.

The media has painted the picture and because it suits what you want to believe "Hillary Bad Obomie Good" you go with it.

Nobody here is buying it except for Obamatrons.

Craig, great post! "BEHOLD THE SUPERDELEGATES"... If neither one can mathematically reach the magic required number of delegates to carry the nomination, then how will it go? If I were an undecided SD, I would be torn by two or three competing issues to inform me on which candidate to support.

On the one had I would be extremely excited and thankful that Barack Obama brought so many young and enthusiastic people (first time voters, etc) into the party creating an important bloc come November.

I would also think about the lead in the popular vote and the total number of delegates already allocated and also the historic importance of an African American candidate actually carrying the nomination.

I would also be motivated by Hillary Clinton's analysis of which states she has won (the large, must-have DEMOCRATIC states) to win in the general election. I would also be impressed by the slate of new voters she has garnered: energized women, the historic importance of her candidacy, and her advocacy for the voters in Florida and Michigan.

I would also look back with fondness on her and Bill's years in the White House and ask myself "was life better for me 8 years ago, than it is today?" And I would look at her leadership in the U.S. Senate and her real desire to solve America's national health care fiasco.

I think for me... electability would become the final issue and I would push and urge both candidates to run together as a unity ticket. Barring that, I would probably be most convinced by the big state wins and the disenfranchisement of Michigan and Florida.

This is, of course, assuming she does well in upcoming contests...

This is simply a free thought so do be kind.

As long as people insist on quoting the NYTIMES
I thought MODO was on your side

Is he skittish around her because he knows that she detests him and he’s used to charming everyone? Or does he feel guilty that he cut in line ahead of her? As the husband of Michelle, does he know better than to defy the will of a strong woman? Or is he simply scared of Hillary because she’s scary?

He is frantic to get away from her because he can’t keep carbo-loading to relate to the common people.

"In the final days in Pennsylvania, he dutifully logged time at diners and force-fed himself waffles, pancakes, sausage and a Philly cheese steak. He split the pancakes with Michelle, left some of the waffle and sausage behind, and gave away the French fries that came with the cheese steak.

But this is clearly a man who can’t wait to get back to his organic scrambled egg whites. That was made plain with his cri de coeur at the Glider Diner in Scranton when a reporter asked him about Jimmy Carter and Hamas.

“Why” he pleaded, sounding a bit, dare we say, bitter, “can’t I just eat my waffle?”

His subtext was obvious: Why can’t I just be president? Why do I have to keep eating these gooey waffles and answering these gotcha questions and debating this gonzo woman?"

Lardass, you old pragmatist, you. :-)

Wendy: Excellent post on Tweety's race comment...

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/04/clinton-parties-hard-in-pennsy.html#comment-71525

yes, Ally, i find it tough to think that we should count votes in states that don't even report the popular vote -- seems at least as weird as counting a state like michigan where only one candidate was on the ballot. so that if unreported caucus-state popular votes are estimated for a national total, then count them all, including FL and MI. -- and if you do that, btw, Clinton and Obama are now almost exactly dead even in national popular vote

Hey Heather,

Maybe what you see from "St. Obama" is not arrogance, but confidence. I know as a Hillary supporter, you may not be familiar with that because you've been behind for so long. But when you're ahead in pledged delegates, total delegates and popular vote, you tend not to sweat losing one battle, particularly when you know that in ten days, you'll win back the popular votes you lost. Oh then there's that small thing about Hillary being broke. Tapped out. Hat in hand. Can you spare me some change?

Lard,

I wouldn't even mind "proportional" as long as it were vote for vote equality. This weighted vote depending on location is pure crud.

good one, jamie, that's why i prefer to call it a DISproportional voting sytem

"HRC was the only game in town last night."

NOW AIN'T THAT THE TRUTH!

This isn't a TEN point victory, it's a FIVE point victory. If 5 percent of the voters changed their votes, the outcome shifts in the other direction, so she won by 5 points.

Posted by: Ted | April 23, 2008 9:39 AM

Ted, are you a Weight Watchers member by any chance? We used to say stuff there like "well I'm down 5 lbs, but I could have been up 5 lbs, so I am 10 lbs ahead"...

Just reading your comment reminded me of it :-)

TO WENDY,

PERHAPS YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT ALL THE UNSAVORY ACTS SH COMMITTED THE LAST TIME SHE LIVED IN THE WHITE HOUSE.

REMEMBER White Water, Filegate, Travel gate, hiring private investigators to discredit the women Bill abused and in the case of Juanita Brodderick, raped, stealing Vince Foster;'s papers before she let the police into his office and more and more. She is unethical, no character and unfit to hold any public office period!!!!!

Sorry Craig,

But those vote counts in Michigan and Florida ain't counting. I can make the argument that if my candidate is not on the ballot (Michigan) then I don't show up to vote. Therefore I'm disenfranchised.

In Florida, it doesn't matter if a bunch of people showed up. It's the ones who didn't show up because they were told their vote wouldn't count. Saying that one should count the vote regardless smacks of voter disenfranchisement that used to happen to blacks in the bad old days in the South. A significant section of the population denied their voting rights (because the populace was told one thing, but the rules change after the fact), but the vote validated at the convention.

Craig: I agree on Michigan but Florida should count. I was in an elevator with Florida supporters when I went to pick up my Elton John tickets at HRC Campaign Headquarters and let me tell you, those Floridians are angry, to put it mildly.

Back to the caucuses, at my caucus people just started leaving at a certain point (near the 2-2.5 hour mark). No one could hear anything, it was going on and on and on and on, it was hotter than hell in the room and there was no place to sit. Finally, there was a buzz in the room that it was OK to leave (and, mostly older people, headed for the doors.) There was no way to know what the final count was after everybody was shifted around.

Here's the way I think you should vote for a candidate: Check their name off on a ballot.

" counting a state like michigan where only one candidate was on the ballot. "

What were Kuchinich, Dodd and Gravel? Chopped Liver?
http://www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/pdf/mipp108.pdf

You're right Jamie. And to apply my World Series analogy to that extra layer of absurdity, it would be like counting runs scored by infielders as 1.5 runs, while runs scored by outfielders count as 1 run.

Craig...for the life of me, I can't understand while HRC supporters or honest media brokers don't use the hypothetical "winner-take-all" tally as a talking point. It would be simple for voters/viewers to grasp, and the alternate reality it suggests becomes more and more compelling with each primary.

Right now, under winner-take-all, the headlines and the dynamic would be exactly the opposite as they are. Fo Obama, a victory would be almost mathematically out of reach...he would be under pressure to drop out...and the headlines would be talking about Hillary "closing-the-deal" in Indiana.

All with the same actual vote -- just different rules for counting it.

Why wouldn't the Carvilles of the world use this argument to spin their case to SuperDs?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/04/clinton-parties-hard-in-pennsy.html#comment-71548

nice job of selective argument there, ByeBye -- you only responded to the half of my point that you wanted to address, i guess. my whole point was that if your're going to count popular vote in caucus states that didn't count it themselves, then open the floodgates and count everything. personally, i think i'm disenfranchised if i show up at a caucus and my vote is not registered, counted or reported

Michigan is easy if they don't want to go to the trouble of a revote.

Give her the votes she won. Give him the rest. It is obvious all those people wanted someone else. Simply let him have them.

It's somewhat like Slick said, If you don't like the game or how it's played and scored, then don't suit up. Makes sense to me Bubba

It's somewhat like Slick said, If you don't like the game or how it's played and scored, then don't suit up. Makes sense to me Bubba

Most recent SurveyUSA poll has Hillary closing the gap slightly in NC from 10 points (4/8) to 9 (as of yesterday)

http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=7e1ed059-9ef0-4a2c-a2a6-3cbef8ca9803

Hopefully PA will give her a bump there and she can close the gap even more.

The last Indiana poll was last week - I bet they'll release today but as of the last poll on 4/14 Hillary was ahead by 16

http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReport.aspx?g=d8b46eaa-c463-408e-98d2-b830eb122d39

Oh...by the way...my back-of-the-napkin winner-take-all tally EXCLUDES both Florida and Michigan, just for the record.

Bye Bye, are your John R. by any chance?

sorry about double posts..

Don't sweat the double posts, Rez. It happens to the best of us.

Don't sweat the double posts, Rez. It happens to the best of us.

OK, junkies - as we anticpate the change of the guard at DNC HQ after they f*cked this nominating process up, let's look at two states that point to the problems in the system, with the possibility that the system could be fixed somewhere down the line.

First, PA. Look at the map - count the counties won.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/state/#PA

Next, Missouri.

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/state/#MO

Anything look odd about this to you? Our dear friend Will Rogers was right.

Skylark is screaming again. Those must be right wing talking points. They need to be louder and more repetitive than regular conversation or people won't believe them.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/04/clinton-parties-hard-in-pennsy.html#comment-71552

lardass, based on my chats last night with HRC poobahs, i found them to be much more careful and measured about their spin than i expected (perhaps because so many in the media blow everything they say so wildly out of proportion). but it seemed to me they are trying not to overwhelm SuperDs with too many hypothetical-sounding arguments (even though that's about all theyve got at this point). they are even going slow on the popular-vote possibilities (but that will certainly change if they do somehow manage to edge ahead).

pogo,

My hide comes pre-damned.

sturge,

And AFTER they all endorse McCain...

McCain will in turn endorse Eliot Spitzer.

Okay, thanks for the inside dope Craig.

Now I think I'll just go outside, foaming at the mouth, and strike up a conversation with a telephone pole.

Catch you all later today.

Go Hillary!!!

Craig: If the general population really knew how caucuses worked, they would be gone. When I moved to Iowa I was excited to be part of this exciting thing called a "Caucus." After I attended, I was mortified that this was the system in place to select our nominee. Especially in a state where you are taking your life into your own hands just getting from the house to the car in the dead of winter. My husband had a Dr. Atkins moment about two weeks prior to the caucus. My son found him laying in the driveway. He is 45-years-old and almost died taking out the trash. Don't underestimate how hard it is for some folks to navigate the elements.

Oh skylark - I remember the republicans spending 80 million dollars to get the Clinton's on something and...well...there was NOTHING.

Let me put it in terms you clearly enjoy:

WAIST OF TAX PAYER MONEY

Great...in the end we caught a guy lying about an affair

80 million TAX PAYER DOLLARS

Yippee

Now skylark I hope you took your motion sickness pill this morning because I'd hate for you to up chuck all over the blog after all the spinning you've been doing.

pogo,

My guess is that this is a stalemate, no matter how the individual primaries go.

The only group which can end the race are the Superdelegates who are going to have to stop playing Pontius Pilate and admit they exist to get their hands dirty and do one or the other candidacy in.

What is valuable about the Superdelegate system is that it is NOT a backroom.

For while it may not be a transparent process, the final product has their names on it.

And if anyone here believes the Superdelegate system was designed to honor and protect its citizen voters, well, then -- congratulations!

As you are brilliant at regrowing your virginity.

Also keep in mind about MI that 44% voted uncommitted. Keep in mind, also, that Edwards was still in the race...

I bet out of those 44% Edwards would have gotten most of them and come in second...

But...OK...give him the entire 44% if he's going to be a "typical whiny baby" about it.

Ally,

I felt the same about Washington after living all my life with the California primaries. Washington doesn't really have the weather problems but if you are aged, ill, serving in the military, or working you are out of luck. When you add in the crowds, group intimidation, and arcane mathematical considerations it is laughable to call it democracy.

I still predict this is going to convention. And after seeing the party last night in Philadelphia, why wouldn't the dems want it to? I do not understand why the Obama supporters are so afraid of more debates or a fight on the convention floor. It makes us stronger, not weaker. I still hope for a dream team as that will keep the dems in power for 16 years vs. 8 years. Again, the yin and yang ticket.

Isn't it a wonderful thing that all you can say was they they didn't find anything on the Clintons. She was named unindicted co-conspirator in the White water case. remember she could find the papers requested by the court until ONE WEEK AFTER THE STATUE OF LIMITATIONS HAD RUN.

Some of you people must be living in La La land if you think she would be good for the country. I'm living in New York and we have found her to be a lack luster senator because she was so busy as.... kissing the Republicans to convince them she was a moderate. Her accomplishments consisted of putting some new names on old post offices and having a monument built in Puerto Rico. WOW quite a senator. Face it if she wasn't sort of married to a former president she would be no where and I wish that is where she will be soon.

IT IS A BEAUTIFUL THING TO WATCH HER CAMPAIGN IMPLODING !!!!!!

I have been asking for years who the 52 million voters were that would re-elect George Bush. They are the people that don't really pay attention to politics, but only pick up on the media spin, sound bites and photo ops. I see the same type of mentality in many BHO supporters. The TV/ radio pundits make catty snide remarks about Clinton and it gets repeated over and over.

killfile
Posted by: Skylark | April 23, 2008 10:48 AM

Skylark

I know innocent until proven guilty does not exist in your Clinton lexicon, but may I dare to point out that an "unindicted co-conspirator" is someone suspected but not accused and the people who are actually accused need to be convicted for the second layer of "unindicted" to come into play. Nobody was convicted. It was all right wing accusation.

I could say that you are an unindicted co-conspirator in a murder, but I have to prove that a murder actually took place before I can come after you. As it turned out, someone just got a little ill, so you are off the hook.

Superdelegates shouldn’t ignore the odds
Gene Lyons

"Which brings us to the forbidden issue of electability. Is it realistic to think that a gifted novice like Obama can win enough states to prevail in the Electoral College ? Among Democrats, it’s possible to avoid the question by crying racism, as Obama supporters did early and often.

Let’s talk demographics. Making himself the black candidate has definitely worked for Obama in the primaries. But the unfortunate fact is that most African American voters reside in states that Democrats either can’t win (the Deep South ) or almost can’t lose (New York, Illinois, California )."

http://www.nwanews.com/story.php?paper=adg§ion=Editorial&storyid=223629

I've been getting quite a few fundraising calls lately. I've discovered if I say right off I prefer not to be "recorded or monitored" it pretty much ends the conversation on the spot. One persistent woman attempted to argue with me about "the law," that ANY time you talk on the phone it's subject to being recorded. Well, I said, I guess we just won't be talking, will we?

The Clintons are filled with dirt and don't belong anywhere near the White House. There is something very wrong with these 2 people who are constantly surrounded with scandal and unethical behavior PERIOD !!!!!!

If anyone wants a break from chronic taffypulling...

Fred Kaplan has a heck of a smart piece exploring the NYT article about how the US and Iran wound up have the same goal in Basra...

And how they are but we're not capitalizing on that. (Well, duh!)

http://www.slate.com/id/2189372/

9/11 - RFLMAO at the virginity remark.

Yeah, it's an ugly system, born out of a time of zealotry. 'bout time to dump the system and go to something simple - something like one person, one vote, winner take all perhaps. (I just wish I thougth that is what will happen - but then again, I wasn't born a fool yesterday).

btw, I see that Christie Todd Whitman got off the hook for her comments about the safe air in Manhattan after 9/11.

Skylark, what you don't know aqbout the legal system could fill a law library - in fact, it does.

Wow, Skylark. Try meditation. You sound like you live in a fairytale land. I prefer to live in reality. And BHO is a politician like the rest. Not a messiah. I imagine poeple in your life are concerned that you cannot forgive. Lighten-up.

Ivy - telephone recording laws vary from state to state. Some states require only the consent of one party to the conversation. Others require the consent of both parties. I expect that some require disclosure that the conversaton is being taped, but I haven't looked into all the permutations of telephone recording laws.

It's fun to watch Hillary poeple struggle to come up with dozens of silly and cynical arguments why the candidate who is losing should be given the nomination.

And you all put so much faith in the Super-Ds buying your lame arguments.

I suspect that most of them are FED UP with Hillary and her slime-campaign. If she doesn't win big in Indiana (and no one xpects that) most of them are going to all announce for Obama and put an end to this travesty.

Heather:

"I cannot be brainwashed by the Sainted Obama."

And I could say that I cannot be brainwashed by the Clintons.

I think both camps better start realizing that there are legitimate reasons to support either candidate.

You peeps have your fun.

Posted by: nash | April 23, 2008 11:18 AM

same old same old

the same old load of crap from the Obamaramans

9/11 - thanks for the link to Kaplan. Bright guy. Obviously understands the Iraq ground game better than the US Govenment does.

"Do we really want people who don't have a clue making important decisions that affect all of our lives?

After the last seven years and the current administration I think we can safely just say, "No"."

Wow. You people really are Facists...

First, I hear plenty of smart people say some dumb things - so I would not be so quick to judge.

Second, the goal should be to make such young voters more informed - as opposed to cutting them out of the process.

I am not struggling with HRC and this is a virtual tie. If BHO continues to duck the debates like he did with the revote in Florida and Michigan, he looks bad in my eyes. And BHO supporters are forgetting that it is my right also to believe in HRC. This is what is tearing the party in two, not HRC. Again, I admire the fact the HRC is not a laydown for the dem men. I know the BHO supporters want her to go away like a good girl, but half of the party doesn't want her to go away.

I still like my math the best...if dems would only realize 16 years are better than 8 years in the White House.

Wendy:

"I have one thing to say...because the networks (except for FOX argh) are so glum that their chosen candidate didn't win."

That should tell you something. Who do you think FOx wants to win in the general?

"How is it that a guy spends over 11 million and still loses by 10..."

This argument is total BS. With two historical candidates that have been campaigning for months and who are all over every newspapers and TV show - 30-second ads are not going to move that many votes.

People are basing this notion that money means votes in small congressional or city council races between relative unknowns in elections most people don't pay any attention to. In those type of settings - money is everything.

In the current race - establishment ties and demographics are dictating the results a heck of a lot more than money.

establishment ties = organization

nash, so far, more SDs have bought into the argument than have not. Pesky facts.

Ah, Warren....do you really think I am a fascist? Or is that one of the talking points the BHO campaign gives out to supporters to use when their back is against the wall?

Warren--

"You peeps", "You people" "You people are really fascists", "Your group", etc.

Please, identify specific individuals or phalanges.

bad morning, warren? LOLOL

i've noticed a trend on this blog that Clinton supporters tend to get up earlier than Obama supporters. What's the deal with that? Anyhow, it's been fun playing PA politics with everyone, but now must trolley to the train for the trip back to DC.

the same old load of crap from the Obamaramans

Posted by: yada yada yada | April 23, 2008 11:23 AM

Katherine Graham Cracker! I thought you said you weren't coming back! You're sharing the Hillary love!

Hey Y'all! Yes I'm bummed about the results last night.

What I don't get is all the hypotheticals some will use to try give Sen. Clinton the edge. It's y'all's party's rules. If people don't like them why isn't there a movement in states to change the rules?

Hey Y'all! Yes I'm bummed about the results last night.

What I don't get is all the hypotheticals some will use to try give Sen. Clinton the edge. It's y'all's party's rules. If people don't like them why isn't there a movement in states to change the rules?

Wow - nice to see everyone on this blog has picked up on Karl Rove's plan to paint Obama as a Marxist.

(Heather - I thought you said you can't be brainwashed?).

Wake up people - the GOP is using you to do their dirty work.

OOps, sorry for the double post, having trouble posting this morning.

Warren...you need one of those label maker machines. Fascist, Marxist? You are watching too much cable tv.

I suspect that most of them are FED UP with Hillary and her slime-campaign. If she doesn't win big in Indiana (and no one xpects that) most of them are going to all announce for Obama and put an end to this travesty.

Posted by: nash | April 23, 2008 11:18 AM

So Nash, are you going to reply to my response of your claims that the MSM, the Democratic Establishment and the GOP being in tandem against Barack Obama?

I mean you were so off there, why should I believe anything you say?

Dick Morris (who used to be Bill Clinton's top political advisor) on why PA was an anomally and Hillary can't win.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/04232008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/too_little__too_late_107751.htm

ET: You can believe what Dick Morris says. (He helped the Clintons swiftboat Monica.)

Dick Morris (who used to be Bill Clinton's top political advisor) on why PA was an anomally and Hillary can't win.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/04232008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/too_little__too_late_107751.htm

Posted by: nash | April 23, 2008 11:45 AM

And now Nash, you previously stated that the GOP are against Barack, which is basically true (I still say 50/50% and then you quote Dick Morris who crossed the isle BRIEFLY to work for President Clinton) and is a REPUBLICAN. Aren't you contradicting yourself again?

Curious: since you are a professor what is your academic speciality?

Dick Morris
quoting the lying toesucker and tax evader

Karl Rove and Lee Atwater would be so proud.

Speaking of watching too much cable tv...here's one I do not want to miss...Carville and Richardson on Larry King tonight.

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/larry.king.live/

i've noticed a trend on this blog that Clinton supporters tend to get up earlier than Obama supporters. What's the deal with that? Anyhow, it's been fun playing PA politics with everyone, but now must trolley to the train for the trip back to DC.

Posted by: Craig Crawford Author Profile Page | April 23, 2008 11:38 AM

Craig, the elderly tend to get up early. That's Hillary's demo.

The party goes on...have a great day people!

Craig, the elderly tend to get up early. That's Hillary's demo.

Posted by: old and in the way | April 23, 2008 11:51 AM

First of all, I'm not an ageist...

But the first reaction I had was that the Clinton supporters are hard workers and productive... and they live by the old adage "early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise"...

Thanks Ben!

"metaphysical certitude"???

Craig is trying to change us into The McLaughlin Group.

Pogo,

I think we have to keep repeating it. Each super-delegate OWNS his or her own vote. Casting that vote for the candidate of the SD's choice is not stealing anything from anyone.

Is it a flawed system? That's a separate question.

I find Craig's comment on Michigan and Florida interesting. If those votes were counted, Hillary and Barack's popular vote would be 50% - 50% ... I think I got that right...

ET: I didn't hire Dick Morris. The Clintons did. He had to go when he got caught with a hooker. If not for that, he'd be running Hillary's campaign.

You should read his article. It's a dead-on analysis of why Hillary is losing, and can't win.

You guys won't look at the delegate totals, the popular vote, the analysts, or anything else that might count as rational evidence. All you do is repeat Hillary's is repeat swiftboat lines.

"That's not an argument; it's just repitition."
-Monty Python

If you are going to continue to watch Fox news (which I thought used to be the enemy) perhaps a refresher course in the dialect they use over there is in order:

Marxist = Populist

Working class white voters = racists or sexists

Liberal elitist that is out of touch with real Americans = any Democratic candidate that appears to be the nominee

Surrender or Retreat = any plan to change the Bush policy in Iraq

Now of course I do not agree with these definitions. But I do know the danger in politics that perception often become reality.

(And like I said - with 30% of the Country for Obama, 30% for Clinton and 40% for McCain - any time Clintonites take up a GOP attack - it means 70% of the Country is making that attack against Obama - which are pretty tough odds.)

Finally, most working class white voters are voting for Hillary because they like her - not because they are racist.

(I am off to do some work for the "evil corporations"...that was the Democratic dialect.)

HEY Flautus..
To clear up.. When I said bad math, I should have been more clear. I AGREE with you !! I was refering to the outcomes and could it be an effect of Gerrymandering the districts?

Wow this blog has grown and hard to keep up with now a days.....

To Blonde who....

How can you forgive the 2 Clintons who keep exhibiting the same OWE ME ATTITUDE? They are sleaze!!!!!!

Oh - one more thing. if Obama wins by 10 points in NC - Clinton will not be able to overtake Obama in the popular vote - and all the arguments her campaign (and the GOP) are making will be worthless.

And Harold Ford Jr. set the bar even lower - he said whoever wins NC - wins the nomination.

Carry on...

Nothing has changed....boy howdy ain't that the truth

The Obama trolls were wrong AGAIN

ET: Michigan & Florida? IF they were counted?
Obama wasn't on the ballot in Michigan. Did you forget that, or does it just fit so well with your non-democratic steal-the-nomination-in-any-way-possible mindset?

Craig: I get up early to make my kids breakfast, pack their lunches, do the dishes, make the beds, do the laundry and then WORK. I guess I am just a typical, working-class HRC supporter.

"In the current race - establishment ties and demographics are dictating the results a heck of a lot more than money."

Posted by warren - 11:32 a.m.

Apparently establishment ties and demographics aren't enough - they both are drawing establishment supporters that aren't able to deliver their states, and both have gotten significant proportions of all demos - except racial demos. And according to the exit polls, I fall into a few of the demos that Obama is attracting - gender, income, education (I do miss out on the age and race demos) religion. Demographics and establishment ties are always important, as is money and advertising.

Which is of course why Obama spent $3 to every $1 of Hillary's - because Axelrod knows that spending the money doesn't move the votes - and is also why you and Obama supporters here continue to focus on the funds Hillary doesn't have and bitch about "negative" ads. If they don't move votes, why do you care?

Lunch.

You guys won't look at the delegate totals, the popular vote, the analysts, or anything else that might count as rational evidence.

Posted by: nash | April 23, 2008 11:56 AM

Thank you Nash, but I don't think the popular vote as currently counted is accurate. When you cut-off two major states from the process, both important to the Democratic victory in November, and then say Obama has the most popular votes, well I disagree. Because, as Craig has informed us, with those tallies included, they are TIED in popular votes, and I believe how the SDs have fallen recently is on the basis of flawed Popvote totals.

We are political junkies. We follow our beliefs and instincts, and we are fighters to the end. But when there IS an end, I hope all the Dems will rally around the candidate that has the nomination. I am not Anti-Obama, I am PRO-Hillary. It would be nice if some Obamaniacs would make the same statement in reverse.

Nash says Clinton has run a slime campaign, but the first actual negative commercial in North Carolina comes from Obama. Virtually ALL of the negative statements have come from and have been constantly repeated by the media. Then Sen. Clinton gets slammed for being negative and Pres. Clinton gets slammed for being racist.

The story line has been created and KO and Matthews last night showed just how upset they get when reality intrudes on the story being told.

ET: Michigan & Florida? IF they were counted?
Obama wasn't on the ballot in Michigan. Did you forget that, or does it just fit so well with your non-democratic steal-the-nomination-in-any-way-possible mindset?

Posted by: nash | April 23, 2008 12:02 PM

Well BOO HOO HOO, he's the dummy who decided to take his name OFF the ballot. Hardly a friendly gesture toward the good people in Michigan! Why should Hillary be blamed for that???

With MI and FLA, she's now up by nearly 122K in the popular vote.

http:// www.realclearpolitics.com...vote_count.html

If she wins the majority of the last primaries, and MI and FLA are included, she may just pull this off.

I'd wager the Obama* camp is seriously rethinking the revotes in those 2 states as they may be the only way to win this outright.

*FLA and MI not included.

Why would you support someone who thought it was a winning idea to take his name off the ballot. Especially since it was pandering to Iowa.

and before I am slaughtered and quartered, I am not really saying Barack is a "dummy", just that HE decided to take his name off the ballot...

"Carville and Richardson on Larry King tonight"

St. James and Judas? Bet they are phoning in the interview. The same room could be hazardous to Larry's health just trying to dodge the fists.

nash

why wasnt obama on the ballot in MI?
he took it off to appease the iowa voters who were upset that MI moved their primary up
why iowa and NH dicttate to the DNC when a primary can be held is beyond me ...id either iowa or NH voted dem we wouldnt have GWB for eight years

also 5 states broke the rules and 3 were given waivers
he made a decision to remove himself from the ballot in MI but his state leaders campaigned for the uncommited slot and got beat by 15 points ....so check out the facts before you spout your propaganda for obama ....and finally the DNC rules allow revotes but of course obama rejected that

Nash

"You should read his article. It's a dead-on analysis of why Hillary is losing, and can't win."

There is only one problem. Morris has literally NEVER been right about any of his predictions. Fox keeps him around to stir up noisy interest not for any attempt at accuracy.

Okay.

May I distract you all from High School Musical IV?

Defense Secretary Gates just announced that Bush will nominate Petraeus to run Centcom for the Middle East, Central Asia and the Horn of Africa.

Intrade Indiana

http://www.intrade.com/jsp/intrade/contractSearch/index.jsp?query=Indiana

If Elizebeth Edwards endorses Clinton
it will change the factos in NC

pogo:

Here is a good restuarant in Cocoa Beach (two places adjoined - Bernard's is "fancy" - which by Cocoa Beach standards is not a high hurdle and Fischer's is more flip-flops and beer):
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/cocoabeach/D40943.html

(I used to work on Bernard's making table-side ceasar salads, which are excellent, and flaming Banana's Fosters using a little 151....imagine that!).

I also recommend the "Mango Tree" and going out to Port Canaveral as there are a lot of good places out there.

http://www.cocoabeach.com/dining.html

The Pier is where the dregs of society hang out (i.e., my old stomping grounds ; )

Best laugh of the morning so far...for me, anyway...skylark mistaking blonde wino for blonde WHO...don't know why, but that really struck me as funny....

Guess you had to be here....

...and speaking of Intrade, where did we lose Spike?

To me all the speculation about a John Edwards endorsement -- and/or an Elizabeth Edwards endorsement -- could have one specific area where it has some influence.

It isn't the economy.

It's healthcare.

The most lasting effect of Edwards' candidacy is that his is regarded as having been the best of the plans in its content and its proposed execution.

Add to that the reality of Elizabeth Edward's incurable cancer...

And that endorsement could create a NEW on/off switch for which candidate represents what (which is in a stalemate now).

It could really throw a light that draws people to make up or change their minds.

Hi harborwoman!

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/us/23prison.html?hp

"The United States has less than 5 percent of the world’s population. But it has almost a quarter of the world’s prisoners."

I think that's a terrific vise to tighten around any citizen's brain.

JennBe...re your 11:40 a.m. post: "What I don't get is all the hypotheticals some will use to try give Sen. Clinton the edge. "

That's a good point you raise. But the purpose of the hypotheticals I've discussed this morning (ie., that Hillary would be way ahead in a 'winner-take-all' system, even without FL or MI) is not to "give her an edge."

My purpose is simply to dispel the perception that Obama's advantage under the current rules is some sort of unassailable, universal, Platonic ideal that we all must acknowledge as objectively just and flawlessly fair. And it is to question the false notion that were superdelegates to "overturn" that lead or "rip the nomination away" , it would represent an assault on justice and fair play. When Obama campaign uses this spin, it's just spin and that's fine. That's their prerogative in a battle of perception.

But this is also the interpretation being promoted by pro-Obama forces in the media, who are supposed to be objective information brokers. And when they do this, it becomes worse than spin. It becomes a lie. If they're doing their jobs right, they should cast light on the data from all angles -- including the "hypothetical" angles such as I raise. And when any dataset is lit from all sides, we better understand what it means. That's just Journalism 101.

I'm also just saying if we're going to stick to the rules, let's stick to ALL the rules. And that means let the superdelegates have a meaningful role -- they should vote their will, not simply toe the politically correct line being promoted by cable screechers. And they should be able to vote their will without being hystrionically accused of "stealing the nomination."

Here's my original post:

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/04/clinton-parties-hard-in-pennsy.html#comment-71529

Craig, Older people often are earlier risers for any variety of reasons. They are also more concerned about healthcare than most other age groups (not just for themselves, but for their children and grandchildren as well). Because of the importance of healthcare, they tend to support Mrs Clinton. So...

The Obama supporters just don't understand what is going to be done to him. Hillary will force Obama to become even more negative in his attacks on her - that will drive up his negatives. If necessary, Team Clinton will escalate their attacks on Obama using his attacks as a justification. Hillary needs to "destroy" Obama before he really does destroy the Dem Party. She is trying to save the Dems. Obama canNOT win the GE - look at the demographics he is losing - they will not come home in Nov. Hillary is at war with many of the Big Name Dems because they would rather lose the GE than see her as POTUS. Obama is controllable, she is not. Hillary represents real change - Obama is a fraud.

Never heard of that distinction nick - but I definitely did not mean Italians. I like Italians a lot more than Clintonites (at least right now ; )

And Gordo - you must be so upset at today's news:

McCain demands withdrawal of anti-Obama ad

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080423/pl_nm/usa_politics_mccain_ad_dc

(Hey at least the Clintonites will still appeciate your slime machine - even if some forward-thinking Republicans realize it is time to move past that stuff.)

Never heard of that distinction nick -

Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

Harborwoman...at first I though skylark was asking "who" was that blonde? (I have that affect on people. : )) Now I realize skylark was shouting so much that it caused blurry vision.

I love when this blog makes me laugh.

"George S"

I think not injecting racist undertones into terms such as Facism - that should have nothing to do with race - is something I am quite comfortable not repeating...

Craig isn't the one who made the comment about older people getting up early... Someone else suggested the reason, in response to Craig's question why the Hillary people were up earlier was because we were old...

And to add insult to injury here is the nickname s/he used:

Posted by: old and in the way | April 23, 2008 11:51 AM

"George S"

I think not injecting racist undertones into terms such as Facism - that should have nothing to do with race - is something I am quite comfortable not repeating...

what?????????????????
Your pride in your ignorance is breathtaking

Ping, That's interesting. Because gerrymandering lumped like people into identifiable districts it made it very easy to tweak the size of each group's vote. Wow, does that suck.

I didn't like having one person's vote being worth more than another's on philosophical grounds; I like it even less, now.

Thanks for spotting the link.

Warren--------------------------------

From your link: " INEZ, Kentucky (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Wednesday demanded the North Carolina Republican Party withdraw an advertisement critical of Democrat Barack Obama over his controversial pastor.

"I'm sending them an e-mail as we speak asking them to take it down. I don't know why they do it. Obviously, I don't control them."

(It's the old "bad/good cop" routine. McCain gets to be the good guy.)

warren, thanks for the restaurant links. I'm creating a favorites folder to store interesting stuff in anticipatio of a week there.

Lardass, you be one articulate fella.

Hi ET....time to bring out the Wild in the Streets movie again. I guess if Obama supporters kill all of the old poeple, they figure their candidate will finally have the numbers to win. It amazes me how the spinmeisters are trying to make half of the democratic party "go away."

(It's the old "bad/good cop" routine. McCain gets to be the good guy.)

Yes - and HRC gets to be the "bad cop" - wonderful strategy by the GOP (not so much for the Dems).

Why some of us rise early... courtesy of Duke Ellington --

I like the sunrise 'cause it brings a new day,
I like a new day, it brings new hope, they say.
I like the sunrise blazing in the new start,
Night time is weary, oh and so am I.
Every evening I wish upon a star
That my brand new bright tomorrow isn't very far.
When that heavy blue curtain of night is raised up high,
Out of sight, I like the sunrise, oh heavenly day,
I like the sunrise, I hope it lights for me

Every evening I wish upon a star
That my brand new bright tomorrow isn't very far.
When that heavy blue curtain of night is raised up high,
Way out of sight, I like the sunrise, so heavenly to see,
I like the sunrise, I hope it lights for me.
I hope it lights for me.

This is one Clinton supporter who was up all night...it sure improved my mood to have a win. CNN had a great analysis (I cannot find a link) that Pennsylvania, Ohio, NJ and NY were won by HRC by 10%. It has been like that since the beginning of the primary season. Pennsylvania was a closed primary and the super delegates cannot ignore that. If the same number of people vote for HRC in November, JMc can't win.

And do you think Fox news and Pat B. are singing HRC's praises and providing her with talking points because they want her to be the next President of the United States?

(or because they want the Democratic race to go on as long as possible in the hopes that the Clintonites will do all of their dirty work for them....)

Think about it.

Thanks for the shout out Pogo. Tis certainly a compliment coming from you.

warren - show me or anyone else where Clinton's "bad cop" fingerprints or any Clintonite influence is on the ad in NC. And get ready - the RNC and its many tentacles don't give a crap about being perceived as slimy. As we've been warning you, you ain't seen nuthin' yet.

Warren,

Maybe we can all agree that neither candidate has proven to be a slam-dunk winner, and that's why the party needs to step up and sort it out...either before the convention or at the convention. I don't care.

But part of that agreement would mean to stipulate that we stop spinning Obama as some sort of "people's choice" and stop spinning Hillary as some sort of spoiler. Because neither is the case.

Blondie:

The general election is not a "closed primary" and I think that is a big factor to the Super D's.

Since the purpose of the SD's is to ensure that the
dem. nominee is the individual who provides the party
the best opportunity to win the presidential election,
and since there is no requirement that a SD base a
choice of a candidate on any particular factor, it would
seem that all potential hypotheticals should be considered.

In addition to LaLi' s citing the winner take all scenario,
the likelihood of which states the dem nominee would carry (electoral votes do matter), as well as the final popular vote after all states have voted, including FL & MI ( vital to Dems chances), and the pledged delegates should be weighed against which candidate provides the best chance to win.

After all, isn't winning the election the only goal of this entire process.

In addition, it would serve the dems best to consider which candidate is expanding their base votes. It would seem that Clinton has successfully reached into the white male/blue collar voter ranks, as well as maintaining her base of white women, older voters

In the states that Dems need to win Obama has failed to add to his base voters--well off whites, african american & young voters.

Warren...I know that, but you are ignoring the numbers. If the same numbers of democratic voters turn out for the GE, she will win. My reference to the closed primary is that it is the will of the democratics...now you don't want us to select our own candidate? Too much spin today by BHO campaign. It has been my contention all along that the demcore wants HRC. BHO really needs some seasoning.

I'm sure it was just a typo, but Skylark's earlier "STATUE OF LIMITATIONS" had me thinking of Venus de Milo as she stands today.

Obama supporters:
Your insult other’s intelligence, motivation, grasp and fundamental human decency, while holding yourself to be a model of moral rectitude, all-encompassing knowledge and, always, right.
Whatever interest you may profess in rational discussion seems to take a back seat to your short-sighted polemics.
Have you no respect for others OR their analysis?
Can you even hear anyone else?
You have just about convinced me that, like your candidate, you’ve no interest in anything which does not serve your ends, whatever they may be.
You been asked numerous thoughtful questions, as have many others, you pick and chose, cherry-pick, what you respond to, ignoring context and perspective.
Basically, you articulate a ’scorched-earth’ attitude regarding your candidate, the rest of us, truth, and any attempt at honest discourse

warren, there's an old saying that apparently has escaped your notice - The enemy of my enemy is not necessarily my friend. The fact that the NCRP (for whatever reason - and I suspect that keeping the Dem processgoingis one of their reasons) is flinging crap at Obama does not mean that Clinton's campaign has anything whatsoever to do with it, even if it benefits her primary run there. That fact certainly didn't prevent you from making the allegation, though, which given the ad's content, I find incredibly hypocritical. And just to be clear - the hypocrisy is objecting to an ad that damns your candidate because of his associations by damning the other candidate by suggesting an association (that you can't back up factually, btw).

Flatus,

Gerrymandering to protect certain seats (or eliminate certain politicians) is always interesting. We will have the next stab at the practice after the 2010 census, so the politicians elected in 2008 are essential as it can mean party control of a state for the next decade.

Californians have attempted to pass law after law stating that some variation of just put a grid on the state and draw squares that contain 250,000 people each. Every single time both parties go to the courts to get bits and pieces of it thrown out until they are back in control of deciding all the protected groups and representatives.

If the Reps are in power the protect the seats of current Dems to get them to vote for the map the Reps submit. So you have oriental districts, black districts, hispanic districts, farm districts ... all variations of divide and conquer. Some of them have known to wiggle down two block wide strips over half the state.

"you Clintonites had a nice victory last night, why do you all sound so angry?"

You always say that and it's never true. In fact nobody believes or cares much about what you say anymore.

Ginger is no longer with us.

For those who wish to they can see the update on Ginger and the original post at link below.

http://america-weeps.blogspot.com/2008/04/ginger-thanks-all-her-friends.html

I am going to catch up on the above comments then take a short break away from my computer. I need some quiet time.

Thank all of you for your prayers, thoughts and kind words.

God Bless.

lardass, it was meant to be a compliment - and a well deserved one. (Of course coming from me, you should take it for what it's worth).

pogo:

The fingerprints will be months from now - when people say such ads are nonsense - and the GOP argues - "No way - they are totally legitimate - even HRC brought up these issues."

I did not say - and did not mean to imply - that Clinton had anything to do with the RNC ad in NC.

LL:

The argument about Obama being the "people's choice" is supported - so far - by the results of the contests thus far.

I will certainly admit that it is not by a large margin. And I have said over and over again that the reason this thing is close - is because we have two great candidates with loyal supporters who are not going to quit fighting for what they believe in.

So let's just stop with these BS arguments about which candidate has the most "problems" and start seeing which candidate is better at attacking John McCain.

AP.so sorry about Ginger. Like I said yesterday - It's very hard to lose a pet.

AP

So sorry about Ginger. There used to be this email floating around several years ago about the 'strong heart.' An old man was comparing his heart to a young man. The young man bragged his heart was so much better because of his youth. And when the old man showed the young man his heart it indeed was a patchwork of flesh...like bandaids of tissue over open wounds. And the old man told the young man his heart was superior because everytime a loss had caused a tear in his heart he pasted over the hole with the flesh of love and caring. And the young man saw that the old man's heart was truly superior to his...even with its age and patchwork texture.

I know you have had a lot of loss in your life, AP, but I also know you have a strong heart. A good heart.

AnonP....
I did go and read your blog..... so sorry it was such a difficult decision for you....
but I think you made the correct one....

you and Ginger are in my prayers.....

Flatus,

Thanks for the reference early this morning to the SC Congressional District map. Your districts make New York's look almost sane. If you happen to look at the NY districts, please keep in mind that those bears and deer in the Adirondacks (District 23) don't get a vote.

AP

Sorry for your loss of Ginger. The poem Rainbow's Bridge was sent to me when I lost one of my siamese. I offer it in the hope it may provide a bit of comfort

https://www.rainbowsbridge.com/Poem.htm

Does anyone know the status of Edwards' delegates? Last I read is that he had 23 or 26 pledged to him. Will that make a difference in Denver?

And do you think Fox news and Pat B. are singing HRC's praises and providing her with talking points because they want her to be the next President of the United States?

Posted by: warren

Pat B. has been one of only four Pundits I think have any objectivity, the others are David Gergen, Jeff Greenfield and Craig Crawford who is responsible for my interest in this blog. Pat B. didn't give Hillary a pass recently when asked about her debate comments about a nuclear umbrella for certain mideast countries in lieu of going nuclear. I thought her idea courageous and politically dangerous in a primary.

I find it hard to defend Pat B., a man I detest who i believe is a closet anti-semite.

toast

Anon: I read your blog. I left some comments there. May your memories of Ginger keep you strong.

God Bless Both of You.

Toast: Pat B. doesn't even bother to keep the closet door closed anymore!

I've done a lot of head-shaking during this primary when I constantly find myself agreeing with him. It is very scary for a liberal Jew from Chicago.

Haven't been following much of what Gergen or Greenfield have been saying lately, but Craig certainly is the class of the group! It is rather painful to mention him in the same sentence as Pat B.

Toast:

You forgot about the rest of Fox news.

And I would agree that Pat B. is often objective - but it seems clear that amongst the GOP - the general election has already began.

GAKaren

I agree with you that it's almost a crime to group him with Craig C, but there are so few unbiased sources.

toast

Toast: Got that right! LOL

Alas Obama-nation - I have found the "silver lining"...

Despite record turn-outs for the Democrats, unprecedented fundraising numbers and a year in which "the Democrats cannot lose"....

(and of course the ever-popular BS argument "he is lucky is he is a black guy" argument)

Obama will win the Democratic nomination and STILL be the underdog for the general election.

And we all know how America loves an underdog...

I prefer my silver linings without the tarnish.

This morning I heard Bill PRess talk about the "green" Chevy Malibu he is driving - green because although it is a "gas only" vehicle it has variable valve timing - that gets 30 mph hwy. per the EPA. I drive a 10 year old full size european car that gets 27 mph highway - actually measured. (And I am sure that when it was designed and built, not a lot of thought went into making it "green"). No wonder GM is falling behind Toyota - they don't have a clue about what a green vehicle is.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/business/worldbusiness/23auto-web.html?ref=business

Your candidate has no shortage of "tarnish" my friend....

Realizing I was being obtuse, warren, the tarnish I was referring to was the being behind part.

EProf2

Technically Edwards has not released his delegates which means they are committed to voting for him or anyone he endorses (if he endorses) at the convention. In reality, they are probably now free to vote for anyone they want, but still might feel obligated to follow his lead unless he releases them.

The "new John Edwards"?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080423/pl_bloomberg/a5d4rqyixmww

Does anyone think the people in Selma and Kentucky are confusing McCain with MLK and LBJ? AL is a gimme for him, Appalachian KY isn't reachable for him unless the UMWA endorses him, so I guess that is all for the benefit of voters elsewhere? I hope our independent voters aren't so easily hoodwinked.

See, warren, my comment (admittedly poorly stated) was taken as a shot at Obama when that was not the intent.

Toast and GAK

There is only the barest smidgen of a doubt that Pat B is both a racist and anti semite so I am with you that it is very uncomfortable when you agree with him for any reason. Unfortunately, he seems to analyze politics well even when his obvious prejudices are glaringly on display.

Pogo

Our dearly beloved President has now set "green" standards to be achieved within 17 years that are now in effect in Europe ... so much for progress.

Some of the best political analysts are the ones whose personal and political beliefs I do not share...

Warren,

You forgot about the rest of Fox news.
Posted by: warren .

I freely admit that until 6 weeks ago I NEVER watched Fox, but the other networks made this migration a horrid necessity. Frequenting this cauldron of joy are pundits Rove and Dick Morris and they are excessively talented in their ability to savage Hillary and Obama. Nightly a maniacal Morris takes pleasure in destroying Hillary at every opportunity and on Fox he is given that opportunity with a frequency that is obscene.

toast

pogo, am I allowed to reference Rove and Morris?

jamie, that's not fast enough for you? You lib'rals expect too much. Conservatives don't like to hurry into anything, unless it involves turning someone else's country into rubble.

Blonde wino....
yes.... I lost a cat last month....
she died while we were on vacation.... she crawled under the floor boards of a room in my studio that was supposed to be a bathroom, but is now a storage place..... the only way we could get to her body was for Rick to take a skill saw to the floor.....

but I have this thing where I must have at least 3 cats..... so I went to the shelter and got another one a couple weeks ago..... our little Paris has wormed her way into our hearts very quickly.....

I'm glad to see you back on this blog....

and did you see the story about Jacoby Ellsbury in the lastest New Mexico magazine..... he is well loved by Red Sox nation!

toast, moi? Why in hell not?

pogo, thank you. I coveted your approbation.

toast

I can't get the image out of my head of Rev. Wright's delivering vitriolic sermons to groups in which children (probably including Obama's) were present. Maybe because I am as pediatrician I think this is a form of child abuse that will perpetuate paranoia and violence in the upcoming teens. I think this may very well relate to the gun deaths among young people so common in Chicago and also wonder why Obama hasn't tried to improve the outlook for youngsters in his home area.
The embrace of Obama by the various ministers who spew hatred (Meek, Wright, Eric Lee) seems to be a mutual embrace. Obama is not for children.

Jeez jean - talk about perpetuating paranoia...

I would guess that most people responsible for gun deaths in Chicago - probably are not spending their Sundays in church.

btw, Rev. Wright is not the only pastor that has said some hateful things during the course of his career...

"The Catholic League today issued a statement -- entitled "McCain Embraces Bigot" -- which pointed out that Hagee:

has waged an unrelenting war against the Catholic Church. For example, he likes calling it "The Great Whore," an "apostate church," the "anti-Christ," and a "false cult system.""

http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/2/29/85058/6284

Hey, toast - it's easy to get - I'm just not sure why you sought it. I don't like to see constant drive-by ad hominem postings, but that hasn't stopped anyone. After all, who am I other than just another blogger?

http://www.npr.org/blogs/news/2008/02/mccain_has_his_own_pastor_prob.html

In an interview with Terri Gross on Fresh Air in 2006. Hagge said " ... those who live by the Koran have a scriptural mandate to kill Christians and Jews."

In the same interview he also said "All hurricanes are acts of God, because God controls the heavens. I believe that New Orleans had a level of sin that was offensive to God, and they were recipients of the judgment of God for that. The newspaper carried the story in our local area that was not carried nationally, that there was to be a homosexual parade there on the Monday that the Katrina came. And the promise of that parade was that it would was going to reach a level of sexuality never demonstrated before in any of the other gay pride parades."

Hoping I'm not stepping on too many toes too hard, accepting the endorsement of an evangelical leader can be dangerous. Those guys scare me, and what little direct experience I've had with evangelicals leads me to believe that in general, they pretty intolerant of most mainstream religions, Catholocism being at the top of the list.

Warren,

I never could understand why God drowned the family homes most of which were inhabited by church going folk and left the sinful part where the Gays were going to be marching high and dry.

Bad aim?

Ping, Jamie, Ed

I think the textbook example of gerrymandering is the Tennessee 7th:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee's_7th_congressional_district

And I suppose Hagge has some explanation for drought and famine in Africa. God's mad at the heathens, perhaps? And god must really hate the inhabitants of Mexico and all the Caribbean islands - his storms pound hell out of them yearly. Despicable bastard (Hagge, that is).

Perhaps those preachers like to just ignore the fact that church going folk are just as capable of sin as anyone else....

(And some of the real zealots - who already think their ticket to Heaven is punched merely because they go to church all the time and make regular donations - are capable of some of the worst atrocities...)

"also wonder why Obama hasn't tried to improve the outlook for youngsters in his home area."

Jean

Obama has been involved with organizations for years that do just that.
The one in the news lately is the Woods Fund of Chicago, who's mission is to promote quality education, low income housing and community organizing.
Reverend Wrights church also works with the poor in the community, with numerous out reach programs aimed at innercity youth.

Jack

Jean: While I don't disagree that Obama has embraced some pastors that have made controversial comments, I cannot in good conscience agree that Obama is damaging to children. He has two very lovely daughters that seem to be quite happy and well-adjusted.

I don't like outlandish comments about Dem candidates that plays right into the hands of the Republicans.

However, I am no Pollyanna, I understand that politics is nasty business. I just wish we would reserve the real nasty stuff for the Republicans, not fellow Dems.

It sickens me to see right-wing overheated leftover excrement from the 90's about the Clintons bantered about like it's something new while a significant number of Americans truly believe that Obama is a Muslim.

Why do Democrats constantly fall into the trap of allowing the right-wing media to set the tone for OUR (Democrats) primary campaign?

Ping Pong,

With regards to your adoring post about Heather this morning...it's taking all my willpower not to channel my inner Bill Clinton and put some moves on her...hot, smart and the ability to cook is the way to go through life...lol

Jamie, with regards to your last question, perhaps God is a union or government worker who needs to create calamity for the sake of job security.

As a Catholic I will make a simple contrast of my religion and that of Pastor Wright and Pastor Hagee.

When Pope Benedict XVI came to visit us He spoke "God Bless America with love and reverence... Pastor Wright said "God **** America with hate and animosity. Pastor Hagee Condemned Catholicism Pope Benedict preached love and respect for other religions.

That pretty much sums up my religion and theirs.

--Heather

Heather

Is that really your picture on your blog?

(I decided to track it down after Bear's post)

And did I tell you that I just decided to support Hillary Clinton ; )

Go Hillary Go!!

Jean,

Please accept my apology in advance. Your comments were serious and this statement is not.

It must have been my three years in the tenth grade that makes me so sophomoric, but in reading Jean's legitimate concerns about Reverend Wright's vitriol being spewed on young ears, I had one over-riding thought, which I'm blaming on Renee:

At least he's not teaching them to be Red Sox fans.

Heather,
I wonder if any of the clergy in Obama's church have been found guilty of molesting children in their parish.

As Jesus said: "let he who has not sinned cast the first stone"

Dear Warren:

You have me slightly confused, if you like...my email is on my TypeKey acct. you may explain in more detail

--Heather

Heather:

No it doesn't. I am sure even Pope Benedict has some "off-color" remarks in his past.

The point is that you should not judge people by their worst moments. And you should not judge an entire religion based on some of the people that practice it.

It you want to learn about a religion - read its great books.

Heather, I think warren is smitten.

To clarify:

"you should not judge people [solely] by their worst moments."

Heather - I was referring back to your post that I would be the "perfect man" if I only supported HRC...

Dear Cardinal Clinton:

It seems as though you threw the first stone and used Jesus Holy name to justify it
Thats to be expected from one afraid to use their own name

--Heather

Heather,

While I knew individual priests or Xavarian Brothers who were honorable, I lived in an area where the priest took it upon themselves to molest every kid that worked a mass with them.

Plus I have seen priests that embezzled from their parishes too...you would think the Jaguar in the rectory driveway would have been a tip off.

While I know Bennedict wasn't doing so, I can't help but wonder how many of his priests are abusing their positions...

I did not judge Warren I made a contrast and secondly asking God to condemn America is not an off color remark, it is calling upon God to curse America and it is breaking the second commandment "You shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. hardly off color... it is considered a mortal sin

--Heather

Question:

Why can't Clinton win African American votes in North Carolina?

Heather,
You didn't answer my question. You just responded with an ad homenim attack. I was quoting scripture to demonstrate that the attacks on Rev. Wright by Christians don't jibe with the teachings of Jesus.

And is Heather your real name?

Please People!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am aware of the sins of Catholic Priests they are flawed and human and I am well aware as a catholic of molestion of the innocent I can give theological lessons of bad popes throughout the dark and middle ages that engaged in adulterous affairs,had illegitimate children out of wedlock and some families that bought the papacy I KNOW ALL THIS some of the biggest sinners are catholic saints, Peter the first Catholic Pope betrayed Christ, St Paul killed Christians, St. Augustine was A pagan and engaged in orgies we can go on with this all day people so please respect my intelligence and stop lecturing me on the sins and sinners of my own religion, you have not educated me on anything I am not already aware of.

--Heather

Bye Bye: Why do Obamabots keep saying that Hillary is the one interjecting race into the campaign?

mortal sin!! Thank God for contrition!!

(but I do remember being a kid in Catholic school and thinking that I would absolutely go to Hell if I "swore to God" and was actually lying.)

Heather...

I'm really not up to this but let me try.

Hitler said he spoke to God. He was an evil person and even though he often said God was on Germany's side as well as his God helped destroy him.

GWB has said God wanted him to be President besides saying God talked to him.

We all know what evil our country has done under GWB I'm sure.

Please show me in the Bible were God doesn't damn Nations who do evil and then explain to me why God wouldn't damn America for all the evil it has done under GWB or previous administrations that have done evil around the world.

And please tell me the difference between Rev. Wright and preachers like Pat Robertson, John Hagee, Jerry Falwall, Jim Baker, Ted Haggart, Jimmy Swaggart and many others who have preached hated, bigotry and hypocrisy.

I don't defend what Rev Wright said, but you should take the comment in its entirety of the sermon he gave and not just focus on the couple sentences that are being played over and over again.

And if the Bible is true like many of us believe it to be than we are indeed Damned for the actions of our government through the years.

God Bless

PS: Thank you for your kind thoughts and prayers for Ginger. I need to take a nap as I am totally drained after this morning.

Take care all and ...

God Bless.

"Why do Obamabots keep saying that Hillary is the one interjecting race into the campaign?"

Cause she's white.

just so I am clear, Heather do you as a practicing Catholic support Bill Donohue and the Catholic League?

yo soy Horsedooty!

Disturbing GOP Vid Targets Obama on Wright

"We now know that Obama’s Philadelphia speech on race in which he refused to disown Wright was not as the media touted a fabulous success but instead a crashing disaster. Obama’s Wright relationship has permanently alienated white working class voters, Catholics and Jews, among others. And the Republicans know it and are preparing for it.

A new 30 second video produced by a shadowy Republican group, which only contains factual footage, no commentary at all, is headed like a torpedo toward the Democratic Party is it nominates Obama. Every superdelegate should watch this video and explain why they would want every Democrat to bear this burden."

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/04/23/disturbing-gop-vid-targets-obama-on-wright/

Heather,
Let me ask you this. Would Jesus support the attacks on Rev. Wright, one of the greatest Christian living theologians, who has done so much for his community and all of those who believe in Christ, who was in fact supported by Hillary's pastor.

Would not Jesus forgive Rev. Wright's comments?

Warren: So what you are saying is that Hillary Clinton can never address any issues concerning race because she isn't black.

Who is the racist now?

One more thought on my previous comment.

Like all those I've mentioned they have all also done good deeds for many. And when they face the Lord they will answer for their sins.

That includes the Rev Wright as well.

Enough of Religion.

Take care and ...

God Bless.

I am a fan of St. Augustine. He wrote a good book.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confessions_%28St._Augustine%29

(and imagine this - the day after the PA primary and we have taken a break from obsessing about politics to talk about religion ; )

Bye Bye: Why do Obamabots keep saying that Hillary is the one interjecting race into the campaign?

Posted by: GAKaren Author Profile Page | April 23, 2008 4:44 PM

She isn't. Her husband is.

"Could Jesus microwave a burrito so hot , that even Jesus , himself could not eat it?" - Homer Simpson

Cardinal Clinton - interesting target of your selective scripture application. Render unto Caesar and all that.

Later, all.

RR

Yes, I read the article and it just made me sad about Jacoby's grandmother being ill. It reminded me of my Mom as I am still closing out her estate (almost there). The Navajo nation is for HRC...Chief Joe endorsed her.

I am glad you did get another cat...3 is a good number.

By the way, my husband was so inspired by the article on growing corn, beans and squash together (3 sisters), he is starting another garden. Given the state of the economy, we may need it!

GAKaren:

it was a joke.

Bye Bye: Why do Obamabots keep saying that Hillary is the one interjecting race into the campaign?

Posted by: GAKaren Author Profile Page | April 23, 2008 4:44 PM

She isn't. Her husband is.

ROFL

Wow ... that's original. Yes, Bill Clinton is as big a racist as David Duke, thanks for reminding me. Now I know why you're using a troll name.

Question:

Why can't Clinton win African American votes in North Carolina?

Posted by: Bye Bye Billary | April 23, 2008 4:36 PM

It;s hard to compete with someone in black face

pogo,
You for got the rest "and unto God the things that are God’s"

Matthew 22:21

HRC may pull in $10 million within the last 24hours.

Warren: Sorry, didn't see the humor in it . Forgive me, eating this much matzo has dulled my comedic senses for the time being. : )

It isn't a question of who can or cannot address the issue of race, or anything else for that matter. I think it's up to every individual to judge for themselves, the sincerity of said address.

Some may not take to well to her Republican upbringing, her 7 sisters education and other things that could be perceived as hoity toity...

Heather

Heather, your morning posts were a wonderful read. I have been remiss in not expressing sooner how i missed your winning posts.

toast

My favorite bible passage is Ezekial 25:17.

HRC may pull in $10 million within the last 24hours. -
Blonde Wino

Too bad she owes most of it to that moron Mark Penn. Not much of an investment if you ask me. Glad she's getting some $$ though. Think I'll swing by and throw some cash her way.

Wow ... that's original. Yes, Bill Clinton is as big a racist as David Duke, thanks for reminding me. Now I know why you're using a troll name.

Posted by: GAKaren Author Profile Page | April 23, 2008 4:58 PM

Sorry, it's on the youtubes.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gxsrGUTcEUc

followed up by

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kWf9WpQEZqI&feature=related

On a serious note. My best friends work for the University of Michigan. He said that Bob Woodruff is going to be the speaker at the school's commencement cermony this Saturday.

Dear AP
My heart goes out to you yes God curses nations in the old testament in the new testament Jesus does not want us to ask God to condemn nations something Barrabas could not grasp.

I suspect you are not familiar with the Letters of Fatima, no matter, all good Catholics are to pray for the consecration of Russia.
Asking for nations to be condemned is the work of evil

--Heather

Corey...wow, you are getting serious now quoting Homer Simpson.

Dear Warren:
I am glad you enjoy the Confessions of St Augustine, I suggest you read the book with the "imprimatur" on it rather than the constantly edited and error prone wikipedia.

--Heather

Corey...and you quote Homer Simpson, how could anyone not like you?

Excuse me I'll bbl

I am enjoying Michael Smerconish eat crow on Chris Matthews

--Heather

Maybe HRC should stiff Mark Penn, however, his Columbian deal did fall apart.

Heather:

Not sure what an "imprimatur" is - but I read the Confessions in college.

(the Wiki was just a summary in case anybody else thought about checking it out.)

Corey

http://www.satansrapture.com/ezekwheel.htm

I read today the mysterious lights over Phoenix were a hoax...I remember Nightly News (Tom Brokaw) even ran a piece on the lights. Really disappointing.

Alright I'll try again and than hit the sack for a nap.

"Countless voters were unable to cast a vote yesterday in PA. The overwhelming majority of those who succeeded in doing so, will never be able to determine whether or not their vote was counted accurately, or even at all, given that some 85% of those votes were cast on machines in which it is literally impossible for anyone, ever, to verify that a single vote was recorded accurately as per the voter's intent. We explained all of that here Monday night, prior to the election, in our article "The Pennsylvania Primary: Democracy of the Gods"."

There was disfranchised voters in PA and 85 percent of votes were on E-Voting machines with no paper trail.

Please go read the numerous items and links at the Brad Blog on the problems with the voting machines in PA. A story which is not getting any air time on the MSM.

http://www.bradblog.com/

Catch you all later.

God Bless.

Since we are tossing favorite biblical quotes, mine are as follows:

As found in the liner notes to Faith, Hope and Love by King's X... 1 Corinthians 13

As sung by Alpha Blondy, 23 Psalm.

If you have never heard it, it is sung in French and when done, it segues to his great song Jerusalem. I highly recommend you find it on youtube.

Warren

And he had a lot of fun before he got around to confession.

BTW , Anon , sorry for your loss. A friend of mine was going through something similar with her cat. It left her with tough decisions as to whether or not she wanted to spend the money to have exploratory surgery done on her cat. It would cost a lot of money. But , my friend has a 4 year-old daughter and she also recently had to put their dog to sleep as well. So, she has been struggling with what to do with her cat.

Bear

"Some may not take to well to her Republican upbringing, her 7 sisters education and other things that could be perceived as hoity toity..." She needed loans to do it.

Not sure about Obama's grandparents political position, but they were Kansans. He attended a private school from age 10 to H. S. graduation and then graduated from Harvard through law school. He needed loans as well.

Do Punahou and Ivy League count as privileged?

Bear

Alpha Blondy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar9p-3ZzJn8

Warren,

"Imprimatur" is the official vatican stamp authorizing printing. You will find it on bibles, missles, and any documents relating to the church, its saints etc.

It has come to coloquially mean any official sanction of a document or statement.

NEW THREAD

Hello Craig, I just found your site, I'm a big fan. You are one of the few political pundits I'll listen to, it may make you as lonely as the maytag repairman at times, but I'll bet you sleep better at night than say..........Andrea 'I'll say anything tweety wants me to" Mitchell, or David "I read bathroom walls" Schuster. I swear some of these yappers like Matthews, Russet and "plastic man" Olberman have the journalistic intregity of lawn ho's. Keep up the good work buddy, if you're ever in my neck of the woods give a hollar, and I'll russle up some home brew.