Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Go Obama!

Go O Man

still eating my pizza, but watching

Go Hillary and Go Pens

Craig what do you really expect tonight

What is the beverage of choice, Craig? Rolling Rock? Another Pennsylvania microbrew? A fine old zin, and hope KGC shows up?

repost...

I have a general question --

What was the first political group you joined?

Mine was my junior high school's Youth For McCarthy club. Lots of canvassing, helping on phone banks and memorable, rewarding time spent with Allard K. Lowenstein. (And, no, when he asked any of us over for dinner we were a mix of girls and boys and had dinner with his wife and kid.)

Next one was supporting Lowenstein in his winning run for Congress.

Someone mentioned that it was Bobby Kennedy who forced LBJ out of the running in the NH primary.

Not so. It was Eugene McCarthy.

And I started HATING Bobby Kennedy for what he did to all of us who were Clean for Gene and Gene hisself.

That was until the night of the CA primary.

I was almost 13 then.

Once the trauma and guilt resolved... the memory of my anger towards RFK has a life as a recurrent lesson.

RFK was a lot more peccable in his political history than Obama is. But the man who became our junior Senator was different from the AG who was different from the man who sat with Roy Cohn.

I remember how all of that was a major source of resentment in my community.

And then I felt RFK was a coward who simply usurped McCarthy's brave win and momentum.

Now... I cringe when I think of President Eugene McCarthy. But I cry when I yearn -- still -- for President Robert Kennedy.

Do you know if they are going to have opening statements and if so would you go first or last

Rez and vadaryl --

Go away GOP.

what's the set look like this time

Good question 9/11

I was officially a Young Democrat at 16. but I handed out fliers door to door for RFK in San Diego Ca @ 11years old.

I think everyone is allowed to vote their conscience and NO ONE should denegrate them for voting EVER.

Chef been-there-not-been-undone-by-that Sheila --

Jeez. That primary night... came near to home for you.

vadaryl, ;0)

Patience is a virtue.

It's going to be fun

oh 9/11,

I'll never forget it.,...my Daddy allowed me to stay up for the Primary and I saw the whole thing. It was one night of my life I will never forget. My parents even allowed me to stay home the next day, I was soooo tramatized.

vadaryl,

Debates are always soo much fun!

Oh, Sheila... that was my concern.

I stayed up, too. I don't think I slept much until after the train pulled out of Grand Central days later.

Here comes "Bitter" right off the mark!

Cool, he opens with frustration, head on into it!

Obama goes first, how about that

HRC is givin' BHO the "stink eye" already...be afraid, Barack..be very afraid!!! 8~D

American Hunters and Shooters Association endorses Obama

Senator Obama has clearly demonstrated his commitment to the 2nd Amendment by his vote in support of the Vitter amendment to HR 5441, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill of 2007. This amendment prevents the Government from confiscating guns in a time of crisis or emergency.

Imagine how the citizens felt during Hurricane Katrina when government agents kicked in doors to confiscate law abiding citizens' guns at a time when they needed them the most. We know Senator Obama "gets it." To say that he is an elitist is patently ridiculous.

To hunters and shooters everywhere, Senator Obama's vote demonstrated a fundamental understanding of the meaning of the 2nd Amendment which means he recognizes the individual right of all citizens to keep and bear arms. Senator Clinton, on the hand, failed to grasp the importance of this critical issue to hunters and shooters and voted against this Amendment. She turned her back on America's gun owners.

Read the whole endorsement at link below if you really believe in the Second Amendment and the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.

http://leftinaboite.blogspot.com/2008/04/american-hunters-and-shooters.html

This amendment is a very important one and after Kartrina which I saw as a trail run in taking away law abiding citizens guns is exactly why we need the bill which the AHSA fully supports as does Obama.

Good for her,,,,,playing safe. A good way to start.

She seems at ease, he will warm up later

could Hillary have been more un-memorable in that opening statement? i've already forgotten everything she said

vadaryl,

I don't think he was warm, I think he was hot at the starting gate with a very determined opening. just like he needed to be.

She was where she was supposed to be too.

Good for both campaigns

Oh, yeah.

I think Bruuuuce has clearly stayed ignorant of The Political UnImportance of Being Springsteen after 2004.

Unless maybe on Inauguration Day there was a Kerrynation I didn't hear about.

That said... the real political balls in the band has always been Little Steven in about 14000 ways.

I mean... exactly how many people could get the very withdrawn Joey Ramone to make moves on apartheid and Bitburg that totally pissed off Dee Dee and Blessed St. Johnny Of Legend Ramone (yeah -- I canonized him myself)??????

now that's a pregnant pause, HRC smart to let him go first

They have it time delayed on the West Coast. WTF!!!

this is fun for us left coasters.. diiferent than radio days..lol
no live streaming internet either looked everywhere.

blah..blah..blah

What a tricky question on the first round.

next question should be what are their plans for the current gas prices

here comes......BITTER!

ohhhhhhhh..good question, Charlie!!!

anon-p,

They are a very impressive organization on their site.

I am wondering how much of an organization they are off their site.

The NRA despises them and warns its membership against them.

And on their site and on the Wikipedia page... no membership figures are given.

Ever have the feeling you've met a 527?

It could be fun now when Hillary responds

Well done Obama.

We used to live in Scranton 8~)

craig,

How likely is it that ABC can enforce its embargo on all debate video until tmmw morning?

Hillary don't try to make yourself look like one of the people. Bad tact.

did you see that look she just got

ohhhhh..shuttin' BHO down!!

didn't know they had an emargo, 9/11, sounds dicey

Nope, not going to say BHO can beat McCain.

Yippee -- love being wrong there. Good for follow up question.

Because of the 21 age limit. My first active campaign was RFK and of course living in Northern Californian I tuned in for the primary results. It's still an awful memory.

Hillary...Hillary..she's our guy!!!!
H-I-L-L-A-R-Y!!!!!!
GO HILLARY!!!

8~D

She's just been filleted. Staying home baking cookies, fucking genius!

W are time delayed..

9\11...

I really don't know if there a 527 or not, however it would be interesting to know.

Remember the NRA is the one organization who has records on all gun owners and if you think they are not willing to give those records over to the Government if ask then you better think real hard what would happen if they did.

Katrina citizens had their legally owned weapons confiscated by the National Guard which in and of itself was a violation of the Second Amendment.

And it just wasn't hand guns, but rifles and shotguns as well.

So remember that in the coming days when we may very well need our arms to protect ourselves from Our Government.

That's all I'm saying, think about that with an open mind is all I ask.

The ABC News On Line says this is supposed to be live but it's not. They have this locked up and I'm deeply PO'd

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4667108

politicians prefer un-armed peasants.

She does not get that change comes from the bottom up.

sturgeone...

Exactly.

damage control

so obama portrays his bitter remarks as similar to hillary's cookie moment. geez i didn't think it was that bad

craig,

Standing by vs. clinging to -- the next debate.

Keep posting folks. It's all we have. You should see the letter I just wrote to ABC. It may burn up their computer.

Hillary is rattled, I think the baking cookies remark has thrown her.

How much later

anon-p,

Everything that group supports I embrace.

I'm just wondering why they don't show membership totals.

Poor Left Coast....must be horrible

I'm not even watching and I could write Brian's script. As predictable as Turkey on Thanksgiving.

I am sure that BHO has the complete boxed set of Wright's sermons...autographed, no less!!

blah...blah...blah

2001 until a few months ago, I don't believe it

I am sure that BHO has the complete boxed set of Wright's sermons...autographed, no less!!

blah...blah...blah

he lying ....says he never heard those sermons until they appeared on you tube ....the gop will have a picnic with this

OD as many here will attest to, I served fried chicken with cream gravy on Thanksgiving.

BO sure is trying to talk his way around the wright issue

Julie

you'd think barack would have his jeremiah wright patter down to a manageable length by now, he is still rambling like it just came up

The GOP and the press have combed the dates in question and it turns out Obama was in DC for those sermons..

So TZ, he is not lying.

sorry about the double post...I seem to be experiencing technical difficulties.

LOL @ Charlie asking if HRC would like to move on to another question!!!

NO WAY!!

Since i can't watch, I'm going out with my Hillary signs..

Hillary's turn.

HRC: "I said some things that weren't in keeping with what i knew to be the case" -- now that's one way to put it

Boznia explanation up.

craig,

There's a touch of "leave me alone, you should all be convinced by now, anyway I'm entitled..."

Too much ersatz narrative.

He's gotta grow up fast.

These questions are set ups for a good fight

Fried Chicken and Cream Gravy..Aren't you the original one..so unique..I admire that.

Obama is being chivalrous....good for him.

Her, too.

Craig she reminded me of nixon saying he wasn't a crook.

BHO doing the dance of the sugar plum faeries on Bosnia

The commentary on the debate on the ABC site is interesting

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/DemocraticDebate/comments?type=story&id=4666956

sorry shelia he was in chicago in the morning and went to DC in late afternoon for just one of those sermons....the others especially the 9/11 sermon it going to come out that he was there .....he wasnt in DC for all the sermons just one and that was last july ...get your facts straight

Gaffes:

Amen, Senator Obama.

egad....the stupid flag pin.......oy

they both seem terrified of making mistakes tonight, plotting every word as if laying brick -- havent heard an authentic moment yet

he forgot to mention his mom is white...LOL!!!

"I could not be standing here if it were not for this country"..

lol well, yup......yup.

So what if he was there or not the fact is he had to know what was said. He's saying he just learned about it now. I can't believe that for a moment.

Link it tz,

I'll respect your facts more if you link it for me. All I have read doesn't jive with yours.

MaxTrue is ecstatic.

well he's finally on the record -- ayers was merely a "flimsy" relationship -- obama fans better hope that's a supportable claim

Boy Hillary just can't help herself.

The Natives are REvolting over on ABC. The ones watching are practically pounding pitchforks and chanting "WE WANT ISSUES"

Poor ABC

He sure is squirming, and I do no believe him on the Ayers connection.

ANd the single teenage mother thing -- there he goes again.

Loved HRC comment about GOP apologizing and not running anyone. Best line of the night and memorable.

Hed has not seen anything yet.

Craig who won round 1

Nasty questions, nothing to do with anything important, Obama got a good jab in with bringing up Bill's pardons!

typical con artist talk around the question and then change the subject

What does TZ stand for?

i think its important if he has a terrorist as a friend

well, like it or not, the weather underground becomes the story out of this debate unless something else trumps it. nice obama retort on clinton pardons, but that won't work against mccain

Perfect break! Got my ice cream and back at my chair in plenty of time.

shelia
tz are my initials

BHO sat on a board with Ayres....gee that is a tab bit different from " just a guy that lived in my neighborhood"

Despite brutal questions Obama has stayed on msg, Hillary has been all attack, no msg.

Obama is digging a huge hole. Yes Craig, Barak will not be able to support his claim. Ayers had a fund raiser for Obama. The pardon was a deflection. I wonder if Politcheck will flame Obama on that one. And Khalidi never came up or Auchi. Even the Wright issue was not put to rest but made even more troubling. Note the Hamas remark. Obama didn't even have a chance to counter that. Of course, he knew about that article for weeks.

I am amazed Hillary has been able to deliver what Obama clearly did not expect and his distancing over Bosnia was another flub. It was his campaign that attacked her.

Gees, Obama is claiming the issues he shares with Hillary will get him to the WH. I still think she might have told voters what Obama was doing while she was in Bosnia.

Now let's hear Obama refute Power......

I was out of the room so did I hear right that Obama's response to the Ayers answer from Hillary he brought up Bill granting Clemency to members of the FALN who bombed buildings and were Terrorists?

just as, beauty is in the eye of the beholder...

"on message" is in the ear of the listener... 8~D

Hillary's dress is almost a perfect match for the green shirts used in the Army class A uniform

I know some of you really like BHO, I am not there.

I almost can't stand him.

Are they back on? got to run to the other room.

here's 2001 NYT on Clinton weather underground pardon: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D06EED7133CF931A15752C0A9679C8B63

why does the audience look blue? oh yeah, it's the democratic debate. weird lighting, tho

Schumer condemned BC for the Rosenberg pardon.

Rudy did, too... but when questioned he "couldn't remember" why he didn't prosecute he for the Brink's job.

"Couldn't remember"?

I guess those slave collars Judy uses for his leash really do cut off some oxygen to the brain.

craig
they should have tried her not lock her up on an accusation....and all i had to see was bernie kerik and gulianni and i understand the pardon

Flatus

Her jacket is blue to me, not green. All tv have a slight color variation...

Why wouldn't he just say yes to that question about Israel?

she's doing good on this one........

well i gotta split screen american idol, they've got actual balloting results tonight now

Hill's been reading my links....LOL Ahmadinejad now says 9/11 never happened. Think Obama wants to talk to him now? She just made his pitch rather absurd.....

they screwed the ayers conviction ....it got thrown out for illegal survelance

Archuleta should win......

Sturg: David Lee Cook was awesome last night!

I have a split screen too.....I can hear Idol from the next room......

Sounds like 1st hour was all gaffe no issues??

"Archuleta should win......-- Posted by: sturgeone"

well he does have the "close-my-eyes-everytime-i-must-communicate-drama" routine down to a science

just switched back to debate -- those blue lights on the audience are scaring me -- looks like "The Hills Have Eyes III"

back to Idol

Rez: Yup. First hour all non-issues.

Girl comment : I like Hillary's earrings

Carry on...

lol the eyes have it.......

Archuleta reminds me of a Furby. My kids had those things and they really freaked me out.

Yes I noticed them too burrito, nice, they look real, but why shouldn't they be, after all 109 million dollars is a lot of money.

Ed...dude...sit up straight...LMAO!!!

Charlie Gibson must have some stock portfolio, he's really pressing this capitol gains issue.

what was he just looking at

David Cook gets my vote -- would like to see a scruffy rocker win

He's fumfering

take it easy charlie

Brian,
How many years did it take them to make 109Million? It wasn't just one year. At least some $ was put back into the economy on that purchase.

Why didn't ABC have the judges from Dancing with The Stars run this debate?

It's almost over and each is getting ready to be the last person to say something

LOL at the "Sit up Ed" comment, I thought the same thing. lol

ohhhhhhhhhh, she really blew the end of the SSI question with "I have every confidence...." Obama did well on that issue.

speaking of those judges.....it was nice to see Randy playing bass the other night.......

BHO sounded "whiney" saying, "you can't come at me..."

wow, both Idol and the Debate are in commercials now, switching to Family Guy

From Andrew Sullivan;

9.15 pm. The longest section on policy so far, in the age of terror, debt, and torture ... is about the capital gains tax. And Gibson is clearly trying to get both of them to say something that can subsequently be turned into a gaffe or a GOP talking point. There have been almost no clear, substantive policy questions designed to elicit real information

lush he did that when edwards questioned him in a debate

Brian said this afternoon that there should be a bumper sticker for Hillary - saying Hillary can't jump.

A bumper sticker for BHO

BHO has gutter balls ( bowling that is).

Just thought I would lighten it up.

Obama is flubbing the capital gains tax. Notice he has now blamed Wall Street and then the sub-prime lending for the debt. I thought it was the Iraq War.

Raising the capital gain tax does work the way Gibson describes. Obama is revealing his more redistributive logic. Hillary is far more cogent on the economy. I beleive Obama's financial advisor paid 500 billion in penalties for sub-prime lending policies.,,LOL Obama comes across much weaker. Hillary answers the capital gains tax question properly. Obama is getting slammed. Holy crap.

He just called those making more than 97,000 blllionaries! Craig, will someone repeat this statement tomorrow.

Yes....ABC points out his misquote, good for ABC.

Oh, lets have SS save his remarks.........good defelction Barak

And Hillary delivers the final stomp on fiixing SS....I think Obama wants to leave. Ouch...Bipartanism fixes the problems...Bravo Hillary.

No...he's not done....lift the other foot

Slap...Boom

debate takes commercial break so that Jamie Lee Curtis can pitch "irregularity" medicine. that is so depressing on so many levels

I hope when I get really really rich, that I don't worry about my money 24/7, like all the rich @-holes I know. I just want to make sure I spend as much as I can before I die, to cut down on the estate tax for my kids.

I wouldn't want then to have that burden. : P

This $97,500 is such a geographic issue. It's pretty hard to make it on $97,500 on the coasts...I don't care if it is only 6% of the population.

On Hannity & Colmes, Pat Caddell believes a lot of damage has been done to Obama in a GE run - maybe in PA and remaining states. He thinks there is a "hidden" anti-Obama vote.

H&C is replayed at 11 PM - C

waffle alert -- dems and guns

HEY...lay off Jamie Lee! She is a positive role model for women!

Agreed Craig, this is more like shabby reality TV than a debate. The questions are all of a gotcha mentality.

since this segment opened with the Second Amendment, hope they are asked for their position on the current Supreme Court test of DC's handgun ban -- neither has ever said where they stand on that

Jamie Lee was on the cover of the AARP...tryin' to looked nude, in a pool.

The Obamas made 4 mil this year ... most book money. Paid a good chunk in taxes. Cheapskates on the charities again, less than 6% total but better than previous years.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/04/obama_releases.html.

We lost a lot of time on the Read My Lips portion of the debate.

I am a retired CPA, and I have to say that he SS people every single year since 1974 have said SS is going broke is 20 years, in 25 years, 15 years. It is solvent IF they do not use it for the general fund..

Baby boomers are not taking it all out..

Julie

Caddell's just pissed that BHO didn't invite Unity 08 to the prom.

Craig Obama just made a good point equating gun control to zoning laws, he brought it down to a level where it seems reasonable.

I have never even touched a gun, in my entire life.

LushIsLinda --

I have!

Most notably my head touched a gun butt that was pistol whipping it.

"...on the southside of Chicago.."
--BHO

Thanks...now I have the Leroy Brown song, in my head...LOL!!!

Burrito

The kids don't pay estate tax on about the first three million though that figure gets adjusted up or down depending on who's in office.

This whole "death tax" business the Republicans like to scare people with simply doesn't apply to almost everyone except the trust fund babies which is why they have trust funds (so they don't pay much either).

Farms and small business need more exceptions because so much is tied to land, equipment or inventory that isn't easily convertible to cash but gets taxed as if it were which is destroying our small farms.

I nominate Jamie.

Jamie Lee Curtis spoof on SNL last weekend......ewwww

"Baddest man in the whole damn town....."

OMG!!! @ 9/11...ouch!!!

ah, charlie read my mind -- and both punted his DC gun ban question -- you can bet the mccain folks took notes on that segment

I'm with Hillary. My deputy sheriff step father took me out to the country and taught me to shoot. Annie Oakley's reputation is safe, but I know where to point the thing.

wonder why the red popsickles are always the last to go.........

LushIsLinda,

Working retail always goes to your head...

Linda: My husband and I both were raised around guns. My kids have never even seen a gun. Honestly, living in Iowa, I am nervous that my kids might go to a friend's house and be tempted to mess around with a gun because of the curiousity factor. They might not have the level of respect that my husband and I were raised with.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-L0NpaErkk

there's my gas question

UB --

I just remembered -- I won a New York Magazine contest by submitting The New Jim Croce Musical -- "The Brothers Karamazov Go To Harlem".

"Bad, bad Smerdyakov Brown
Baddest cat in old Harlem town..."

mariah carey on idol. ugh! back to the debate

The Pens win 3 - 1 win the series.

lalalalalala..."...Badder than old king kong
And meaner than a junkyard dog.."

I don't really have to worry about it, college tuition will wipe me out. : )

But I'll remember to look at the fine print. Thanks Jamie.

zoning and land use regs are routinely challenged as unconstitutional takings. want to do that with guns, too?

So I wonder how long it will take for First Lady Cindy McCain to start raiding the Medicare Prescription Drug Plan for her mother's little helpers...

9/11: Cindy is too busy cooking those family recipes for those kind of shenanigans!

Luscious,

I hate to confess it with so many people reading here, but Jamie Lee always looks naked to me.

SO I read that ABC will only release 30 second clips of the debate until after the west coast has seen it.

Yes Flatus that is the role of the courts, under our system of govt. Often time the other branches of govt don't do the right thing and the courts can make it right, i.e. Brown v Board of Education, and Roe v Wade.

God Charlie Gibson is awful, no wonder I don't watch ABC News.

Flatus is right.....I would send Bush to Africa. He actually sent a lot of money there. I love the praise Obama spun on Bush 1........He brought back the NEOCONs Reagan tossed...LOL

Obama is getting his ass kicked and Gibson nailed him on the gun questionaire. How many statements is Obama going to spend time explaining?

Here we go again.....

9/11...a retail pistol whipping...yikes!!!!

Ally...there is not much that scares me more than kids with guns.

My guess is Brooke is going to be voted off the island tonight.

Eddddddddddddddddddddddd...my goodness!!

Did you see the AARP cover?

"will only release 30 second clips of the debate until after the west coast has seen it."

If the commentary on the their website and the phone line is any indication, they made a major boo boo with the time delay. That delay puts them opposite Deal or No Deal and criminal minds. So they have upset their news audience and won't get their prime time. Truly dumb programming decision.

yeah, yeah..the woman whispered to BHO that she would vote.....but did she say for whom????

ABC did one thing right: They managed to restrain the applause for the entire debate. CNN was a joke with that Compassion Forum and implementing their no applause rule. Jokers.

well no game changer with that debate -- altho the weather underground stuff will probably get a ride now

Chuck Todd: "Tough night for Obama"... which leads to a stream of remarks about William Ayres.

Lush

Go get Freakonomics. Children getting killed by guns is news because it almost never happens unless you are living in a high crime gang area. Children drowning almost never makes the news .... too many stories, it isn't unusual.

Hillary Won it.

Julie

What is Paula wearing tonight?!

it got down to 2 women to get booted on idol -- and Christie Lee got it -- not a good night for the womenfolk on idol

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/16/philadelphia-democratic-d_n_96936.html

some debate clips for west coasters

Yes, Simon called it.

Lets see how many ways KO and company can twist everything to make Hillary look like a mass murderess, drug queenpin, and treasonous spy out to bring down the western world as we know it.