Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

Oh no a contrary opinion!...KO said she hit it out of the park.
Noron said she detected warming up and Rachael Maddow said she went after McCain "hard."

People said she was even funny!

I think she gave her voters what was needed, a push to remember that they are Democrats first and HIllary supporters second. That message was getting lost in the media whining.

Craig-
I have rarely disagreed with your assessmemts...but I really think you missed on this recap of HRC's speech...did you write that from the prepared test or actual watch the speech?
~Gidget

I can see from the reaction of Obama supporters to her speech that this part of Hillary's plan has been a great success. Don't you understand what she did? It's convoluted. Remember -- there can be no "fingerprints".

Actually , I think the the speech was weak and I agree with Craig. However, it is over, and now and we can move on.

Craig, excellent video coverage of what we don't see at the Conventions. Something like the pin traders at the Olympics.

Hope you're having a great time.

tt

Not much of a personal touch with Kucinich either but wow.
It was 5:00 pm Rocky Mountain Time and my ‘also ran’ delivered a wake–up call to America. Some Dems looked on in shock but many more could not contain their joy. The ushers tried to quell the ovation by bringing out the next speaker, Mr. Chin, but the cheers extended into his remaks. It’s not from right to left that we need to go—it’s from the bottom up. Six and a half minutes of fire. As soon as he finished it rained for two hours here in Gallup—some spirit.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1374481205?bclid=1729306007&bctid=1755362652 or
http://www.c-span.org/Politics/

Craig ,
So there are at least 18 million Americans that need to be told what to do or how to think since they can't do it for themselves. That's reassuring. I suppose she is just the pied piper leading the rats.

Hillary never struck me as 'warm & fuzzy'. Not surprising that her speech was what it was.

tt

Ha - interesting assessment.
I thought it was a great speech. I'm a Hillary fan, but I think its the best I've ever seen her.
But I also couldn't help notice that one of the strongest parts of the speech was her Harriett Tubman story..
Keep going, keep going, don't quit, don't quit.
The unstated follow up could easily be - 2012 isn't that far away.

Am I first? I did not listen to the speech but have heard a lot of comments re it. Many agreed with what you say, Craig, but many others really liked it. Herr Olbermann apparently really liked it, at least tonight.
Either Obama hoped she would fill the air with praises for him as a human being, or he hoped she would speak to the women. His campaign clearly can not win the women over and they might have wanted her to talk to the women. If that's what they hoped for, they had to let her do it her way, cuz she knows how and they don't.

I'll say this: there's no way the women Obama needs would have believed her if she had gushed about him.
They would have seen it as more bullying by him and his people.

I can understand the argument many make re her not saying kind and sweet things about Obama, but I don't think it would have really helped him at all.

Course, I didn't listen to her. I listened to Bret Hume, Fred Barnes, Dina Easton, Bill Kristol, Morton Kondracke, Chris Wallace (whom I do NOT like),Charles Krauthammer,Paul Begala - and saw the derisive look John King gave Begala. I also listened to my sister and what she had to say and what she heard Herr Olbermann say. They were all in dis-agreement.
Some Fox people thought it was great, and some were shocked she didn't vouch for his great character and ability. HO loved it, but someone may change his mind for him by tomorrow.

Talk about seeing things differently.

Sorry Craig, but I thought the speech was great. I wasn't looking for her to say Barack was her best friend. I just wanted her to say that she was behind him. And that's what happened.

The convention and the election are about consequential matters with long-term impact and implications.

Sadly, the Clintons still believe the process is all about what suits their purposes, instead.

Rather than a video montage of Hillary's greatness, a photo of Mr. Bush and Mr. McSame licking frosting off each other's fat little fingers, celebrating the older geezer's birthday while New Orleans drowned, would have been a much better reminder of the issues at hand.

Craig

It was the way it had to be done.
HRC and her supporters had to have a moment to reflect on what they did and accomplished. Then she had to make the case to them for why this election was so important. Then she had to put it in no uncertain terms that you could not support her ideals and vote for McCain She hammered this last one home with a sledge hammer. She walked out Obama's equal but she left no doubt who was the Democrat she was supporting and made it clear to any of her supporters that they can not use her as an excuse to vote for McCain

I think she very effectively did this and that was her job for tonight. Obama has to make the case for himself, nobody else can do it for him.

Jack

Craig, my mouth fell open when she started in on how McCain is her friend. Obama did not need that. The rest of the speech was as you wrote of here.

I can't sleep, and boy Craig are you wrong. Hillary's speech was about calling that 11% of her supporters home to the Democratic Party and that's exactly what she did, brought it back to issues. It's not Hillary's job to vouch for Obama as commander in chief, it's his job to prove he has the stones for the job.

With all due respect Mr.Crawford....Your analysis is simply wrong.

Dexter

You do realize that bipartisanship is an Obama theme.

She hit McCain plenty hard even in the same sentence you mentioned.

Jack

At best, it was a "mixed" speech: some of HRC and some of BHO. The speech probably didn't persuade very many of her followers who are still disappointed to change their votes. The last week or two of the campaign will get the undecideds and the "I supported someone else" voters to weigh in on who they will ultimately support. Most are probably waiting for that "ah ah" moment and then pull the lever. This speech was not a knock out performance but interesting enough to keep the debate about the alleged dispute between HRC and BHO alive.

Time for two or three margaritas. Watch where you're walking, Craig, don't break the other ankle in those potholes outside the convention hall activities.

She did do one thing just a little underhanded. She tied him to universal health care in a way he is not willing to do himself and also in a way he can't back out of if elected. Full coverage is an indisputable Dem goal.

Jack

Clinton Delivers Emphatic Plea for Unity

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/us/politics/27dems.html?hp

Craig (last thread) ""The more that the Clintons talk about themselves and defend the record of their White House years, the more likely they are aiming to nurture and grow a Clinton wing within the Democratic Party."

Go back a reread the speech without the Obama references (or substitute "I" or "we" instead of Obama)...As I said in my first reaction, it was a terrific nomination acceptance speech...The DLC is alive and well and (temporarily) living in Denver. It may be in exile, but it's still alive.

None of you seem to understand what is going to happen to SoetorObama. The purpose of the speech was to help Hillary when he is hit with the truth from his "hidden" past.

"This speech was not a knock out performance"

It is so far the best speech of the convention. and imnsho set a very high bar for those to follow.

Jack

So New Orleans had a Democratic mayor and Louisiana had a Democratic governor and the school buses were sitting in water because the mayor couldn't figure out that they could have been used to evacuate people but it's the Republicans fault. Were was Barack Obama during Katrina?

Spike

A good point about the DLC. This speech is as much about grabbing control of the DLC standard and being seen charging into the fight. It is good for her politically. If he wins she gets credit for helping make it happen. If he loses she is seen as being a loyal supporter. Either way she gets her choice be the next nominee for president or be the king maker from the senate.
Is she up to something? You damn bet you, she is a Clinton. But don't assume it is something petty, she has obviously moved on to the next stage of her career. It shall be interesting to see just what it is. A few senators need to be paying a visit to NY in the next few weeks.

Jack

Considering Ted Kennedy never even endorsed Jimmy Carter, I would say that HRC went above and beyond what was asked of her. And if she didn't give any personal anecdotes about their "friendship" in the Senate or what a great guy she has always found him to be, it is probably because he was in the Senate for about 5 minutes before hitting the road to run for President.

"A few senators need to be paying a visit to NY in the next few weeks."

Weird, you sound like someone who reads Danielle Steel novels.

Wow! Craig. I was all ready to vote for Obama.After months of conflict, listenting to Hillary's speech had me convinced to work to keep McCain out of office. But then you informed to me the speech fell short. HMMM. guess i was wrong again.

Thanks for you insight???

Craig doesn't like Obama, therefore he was bound to find a negative slant to Hillary's speech tonight if it was helpful to Obama in anyway. I think the voices of the Hillary delegates interviewed pretty much said it all, we are Democrats.

"Hillary's speech was about calling that 11% of her supporters home to the Democratic Party"

First, I agree with Brian on this point.

Second and more importantly, as an Obama supporter, it's not real important what anyone thinks or heard tonite in her speech except for that screaming Hillary delegate standing on the police line who changes her mind and decides to vote for him this Fall.

jack, she did not to say McCain is her friend. She needed to throw that punch at McCain right then and there about how McCain is Bush...she did do that later, but after she qualified it by saying McCain is her friend. Biden did that too, last Saturday..now, we all know they are Senators, a very exclusive club,. but she did not need to say it then, and then give a lukewarm slap at McCain with the sing-song "No McCain No Way" ditty.
It wasn't an awful speech by any means; it was a good speech, but as Mr. Crawford led this thread with, she did not use her time to build up Obama, and many folks believe Obama, even with Biden, is not up-to-snuff on foreign policy. Hillary could have done more.
Still, I am glad she spoke. She probably did convince her hardcore suppoters to vote for the Big O...we'll see how those delegates feel after they sleep on it.
Now ...the keynote speech by Warner...WHAT A JOKE ! I could write a thousand words on it, but I trust you saw Rachel Maddow's and Pat Buchanan's takes on that self-glorifying little pipsqueak's campaign for hmself! Who the hell gave him that slot? Doesn't Obama get that privilege, to designate the keynoter?

Craig - I totally disagree with your analysis here. What were you expecting from this speech? The media (and yes, that's you) have been so invested in this whole Clinton/Obama "rift" that nothing short of an all out brawl would have satisfied your perverse desire for political drama.

I can't disagree with your assessment more Craig. I think you missed the mark by a mile on this one. Sure, she wasn't doing jumping jacks .. but it seemed to me, as a devout Clinton supporter, that she nailed the basic message: I don't care whether you like him or not, we're Democrats .. he's one, I'm one, you're Dems .. suck it up!

Obama Lawsuit -- "Hidden Past"
=======================
"Numerous questions raised about Obama’s background have no satisfactory answers:

Where was Obama born? Hawaii; an island off of Hawaii; Kenya; Canada?

School records list Obama as a citizen of Indonesia. Was he a citizen of Kenya, Indonesia and/or Canada?

Explanation of the names he has used: Barack Obama, Barry Soetoro, Barry Obama, Barack Dunham, & Barry Dunham.

Illinois Bar Application – Obama fails to acknowledge use of names other than Barack Hussein Obama, a blatant lie."

http://obamacrimes.com/index.php/component/content/article/1-main/8-obama-citizenship-lawsuit-info-sheet

Spike

A good point about the DLC. This speech is as much about grabbing control of the DLC standard and being seen charging into the fight. It is good for her politically. If he wins she gets credit for helping make it happen. If he loses she is seen as being a loyal supporter. Either way she gets her choice be the next nominee for president or be the king maker from the senate.
Is she up to something? You damn bet you, she is a Clinton. But don't assume it is something petty, she has obviously moved on to the next stage of her career. It shall be interesting to see just what it is. A few senators need to be paying a visit to NY in the next few weeks.

Jack

Posted by: whskyjack | August 27, 2008 12:55 AM

Very very good analysis Jack!

Craig,
The speech was very convincing to me. I had already decided to vote for Obama for exactly the reasons Hillary Clinton said. I do not like Obama, but we are talking about people's health care, a fairer tax system, and most importantly avoiding a judiciary packed with even more members of the Federalist Society.

Her speech helped me get excited about the election, rather than just go through the motions because it is the right thing to do.

My sister from OHIO had the same reaction I did.--loved the speech and more willing to support Obama.

Also, the focus on issues rather than Obama is what is needed to appeal to the larger audience of undecided voters--not just the disgruntled Clinton supporters.

i'll react en masse to disagreements above, then to sleep --

It was a speech designed to (1) meet the apparently minimal requirements set forth by Obama supporters who are desperate for the appearance of unity, and (2) knock one out of the park for herself.

She succeeded on both counts. I mean, she didn't say anything about Obama she hasn't already said since Unity, NH. But it was a knockout performance for her own future, one of her best ever.

Hmmmm

I watched it. I have to say, I have seen HRC better.... wouldn´t specifically disagree with Craig, but I think this was a very tactical speech.

Don´t know yet how to describe my feelings with regard to the speech, but...I wasn´t all happy with it. I think the video presentation of Chelsea was better than HRC´s speech.
The thing is...If HRC´s speech was a bit lackluster, I am wondering what Bill will say tonight.
As reported Bill and Chelsea leave Denver tonight and will not stay for the coronation on Thursday

On overall, I would grade the speech B-

Craig...Ron Fournier of AP favors your analysis, I believe...
"In other words, Clinton seemed to say, even if Obama is everything she said during the campaign, he's still a better candidate than McCain. The speech was as much of an attack on McCain as it was an embrace of Obama. "We don't need four more years of the last eight years," she said."~~~~~~~~Ron Fournier, Associated Press

Mr. Crawford; 1:45 am..... I agree with your am analysis, but watching her made me again realize what a mistake is being made. The way that the Obots and the DNC have disrespected and slimed the only successful presidential couple in the last 50 years is so disgusting that I hate the obama campaign and the dnc for such a crude, and unbelievably stupid thing and I'm not normally emotional, mostly I'm a cynic, but what's been done to Bill and Hillary is despicable. I would never vote for such arrogant ignorance.

Besides, it's not her job to," up," him any more, it's his wife's. Good Luck to these ignoramuses who don't know any better than to dis a very good president and statesman and his FIRST LADY.............

Rita

You know Rita, even we Obama supporters have been complimentary of Hillary tonight (unlike many Clintonites who will go out of their way to talk about what they'll do instead of watch Obama on Thursday). Was there really any need to post that tonight? Just enjoy the speech at least for tonight.

MD,
Anyone should react precisely how they wish.....
Quote:"even we Obama supporters have been complimentary of Hillary tonight". End quote.
That doesn´t mean other should also be or return the favour...

Don´t wanna try to get into heated discussion with you, but aformentioned quote is precisely why the 25% HRC voters will not back BO. Much of the BO supporters want them to fall in line like toy soldiers, because BO is the nominee....Not going to happen.
The movement that is happening now, is one which cannot be stopped and frankly is one of the talking points of your guy...
People will more and more vote for a person NOT a party!
The time for party unity is over. A person who will walk the walk and not only talk the talk, is the one for which I will vote.
This GE I don´t see anyone nearly capable of being POTUS...And that doenst mean that I am hating on Barrack or bruised because of Hillary...It is because the primary has showed me that a party doesn´t give a rats ass about me, they only give about themselves... so it is time for me to do the same, which is what lots of folks are doing now.

No offense bro....

LOL
BBC commentator said this morning, after watching the HRC speech: " America should be ashamed!" LMPO.......

Indeed they should

The party doing something wrong to Hillary is the biggest myth put out there. It's on par with World War I Germany saying that it wasn't defeated, but betrayed.

I suggest you read how incompetent the Clinton campaign was before saying that anyone screwed Hillary out of the party nomination. In reality, she screwed herself by following the Bush model of leadership, which is to hire loyalty over competence.

Check out what her own campaign said about the campaign.

http://www.politico.com/relentless/

It's gonna be a really big show at Invesco Field tomorrow (Thursday) night. The security will be tighter'n' a wet drum.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121971501325271597.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Jason..America should be ashamed. This wonderful woman would be a great President of the United States.

Finally a fun night at the convention. The Gov. of Montanan was everything I thought he could be. Unfortunately, Warner was too...boring. Hillary was a hit with the Obama crowd I hang with but I agree with Craig. I love those Clintons.

MD,
Indeed her campaign made hugh calculation errors. I fully agree with that.
But that wasn´t as near as badly at how she was treated. But no worries, let´s not go back and recycle all that...It is good.
You have an opinion which I fully repsect, hope you can respepct mine. If not...it´s all good.
You need to ficus on the task ahead, getting BO elected POTUS

Just donated another $100 to the HRC campaign to pay off her debt.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it is Montana but you don't know how long it took me to do that post. All these receptions are taking their toll I guess. I am going to get a TUI (typing while drunk). Off to bed.

"Bill Clinton believes the Democratic nominee, far from practicing a unifying, transformational brand of politics, has the political instincts of “a Chicago thug,” one longtime associate said. Clinton has told people that Obama allowed surrogates to try to suppress Hispanic turnout in the Nevada caucuses, and played “the race card” in reverse against the Clintons in South Carolina and other states."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12822_Page3.html
=======================

SoetorObama is a fraud and con man. The most dishonest politician I've ever seen. Makes Nixon look good.

PUMA

Craig was wrong

Gordo..you make a lot of sense

LOL
Warner for keynote speech was the laugh of the day......Sorry....It was hilarious...Keynote? Laugh all the way to obscuruty.....

I love Hillary but Obama will never get my vote.

Hillary 2012

It's almost funny that so many people people have so many different points-of-view re Hillary's speech. Since I didn't listen to it (on purpose), I will say this and think I can safely say it, if she had praised Obama effusively, she would not have been believed. Does anybody think these two like each other? I give him credit for letting her speak, unless she surprised him.

Patsi,
I have new pictures on my blog and some are of Harold Ford, Jr. from Sunday's Hardball.

http://zoeyadventures.blogspot.com/

Musty go to bed...breakfast comes early.

Mark Warner was very boring

good night

Let's hope Zoey doesn't decide to start any random drunk dialing...

Great pictures, Zoey -- thanks for the link!

Clinton was wonderful. She skewered mccain, endorsed Obama unequivocally, and reminded her supporters that her candidacy and her politics are not to advance the cult of personality, but to get important things done for the average American rather than the average billionaire.

Hi Everyone,

Hillary gave a fabulous speech, the best speech of the convention, so far!!
It was powerful and whipped up the attention of the crowd like no one else.
She did exactly what Camp Obama and the Obama supporters have been
pleading for her to do. The speech shows she's a loyal Democrat and set
her up to run again for president in the future.

For her political future, her speech was a home-run!

The video made me cry it was so touching. It was extremely effective, showed
Hillary Clinton as an iconic figure.

As far as Craig's comments, he is right in regard to the lack of personal descriptions about Obama in her address, but to pretend she is pals with Obama would have been disingenuous, since she has no close relationship to the man. She did what she had to do.

Bill and Chelsea looked terrific. I loved how Bill kept mouthing, "I love
you," as Hillary spoke--so romantic and shows that these two people
have a deep and intimate connection.

Unfortunately, the speech had the opposite effect on me from what was intended. It again made me realize what a mistake the Democrats made in not choosing Hillary as the presidential nominee.

Brian,

"he [Obama] must prove he has the stones for the job."

I never thought I'd agree with you on much of anything, but I
agree completely with your 12:31 A.M. post.

It's not Hillary's problem anymore, to convince her supporters
or anyone else to vote for Obama.

By dismissing Clinton's outstanding performance, fox news showed that same old sexist, slanted, totally-unrelated-to-fact way of dealing with the Clintons that it pioneered in the '90s.

I expect that they had their critique already written well before her speech was distributed to the press.

SalG,

The levees and the seawall that failed during Katrina are US Army Corps of Engineers built US government property. People have been publishing about the flood threat to New Orleans for 4 decades. Every year that the US government ignored the problem, the danger got worse, as industrial pollution, drainage of wetlands, and development killed off the mangroves holding the shore together, and distance between the Gulf and the New Orleans shrank.

The bush administration and republican Congress knew about the danger and fiddled for 4 1/2 years before Katrina hit. That's a total of 1,600+ days that they had to act on the matter, but couldn't find the time.

So, yes, it is the republican's responsibility.
The blood of those 1,000 dead New Orleanians is on the heads of republicans. The hundreds of thousands of of people who lost their homes, cars, and other worldly possessions have the republicans to thank. And it would be most appropriate to thank them by voting against every republican on the ballot in November.

I saw her speech as a magic mirror......one looks into it and sees what one most wishes to see....a masterful job of speechifying........ She covered all the bases--- an in the park home run--- and crossed home plate standing up........

I'm looking forward to Bill's speech tonight..... She and Bill are going to be fun to watch in the coming weeks.........

Obama?

Well, he's going to have to prove that he's not a Dukakis-Kerry-Gore redux.......hope he's good with a hoe, cause he's looking down a very long row.

When we are born, we cry, that we are come
To this great stage of fools.
---William Shakespeare

I want ot share this with you
From the woman whom I also call "MOM"

A Rock, A River, A Tree
Hosts to species long since departed,
Marked the mastodon.
The dinosaur, who left dry tokens
Of their sojourn here
On our planet floor,
Any broad alarm of their hastening doom
Is lost in the gloom of dust and ages.

But today, the Rock cries out to us, clearly, forcefully,
Come, you may stand upon my
Back and face your distant destiny,
But seek no haven in my shadow.

I will give you no more hiding place down here.

You, created only a little lower than
The angels, have crouched too long in
The bruising darkness,
Have lain too long
Face down in ignorance.

Your mouths spilling words
Armed for slaughter.

The Rock cries out today, you may stand on me,
But do not hide your face.

Across the wall of the world,
A River sings a beautiful song,
Come rest here by my side.

Each of you a bordered country,
Delicate and strangely made proud,
Yet thrusting perpetually under siege.

Your armed struggles for profit
Have left collars of waste upon
My shore, currents of debris upon my breast.

Yet, today I call you to my riverside,
If you will study war no more. Come,

Clad in peace and I will sing the songs
The Creator gave to me when I and the
Tree and the stone were one.

Before cynicism was a bloody sear across your
Brow and when you yet knew you still
Knew nothing.

The River sings and sings on.

There is a true yearning to respond to
The singing River and the wise Rock.

So say the Asian, the Hispanic, the Jew
The African and Native American, the Sioux,
The Catholic, the Muslim, the French, the Greek
The Irish, the Rabbi, the Priest, the Sheikh,
The Gay, the Straight, the Preacher,
The privileged, the homeless, the Teacher.
They hear. They all hear
The speaking of the Tree.

Today, the first and last of every Tree
Speaks to humankind. Come to me, here beside the River.

Plant yourself beside me, here beside the River.

Each of you, descendant of some passed
On traveller, has been paid for.

You, who gave me my first name, you
Pawnee, Apache and Seneca, you
Cherokee Nation, who rested with me, then
Forced on bloody feet, left me to the employment of
Other seekers--desperate for gain,
Starving for gold.

You, the Turk, the Swede, the German, the Scot ...
You the Ashanti, the Yoruba, the Kru, bought
Sold, stolen, arriving on a nightmare
Praying for a dream.

Here, root yourselves beside me.

I am the Tree planted by the River,
Which will not be moved.

I, the Rock, I the River, I the Tree
I am yours--your Passages have been paid.

Lift up your faces, you have a piercing need
For this bright morning dawning for you.

History, despite its wrenching pain,
Cannot be unlived, and if faced
With courage, need not be lived again.

Lift up your eyes upon
The day breaking for you.

Give birth again
To the dream.

Women, children, men,
Take it into the palms of your hands.

Mold it into the shape of your most
Private need. Sculpt it into
The image of your most public self.
Lift up your hearts
Each new hour holds new chances
For new beginnings.

Do not be wedded forever
To fear, yoked eternally
To brutishness.

The horizon leans forward,
Offering you space to place new steps of change.
Here, on the pulse of this fine day
You may have the courage
To look up and out upon me, the
Rock, the River, the Tree, your country.

No less to Midas than the mendicant.

No less to you now than the mastodon then.

Here on the pulse of this new day
You may have the grace to look up and out
And into your sister's eyes, into
Your brother's face, your country
And say simply
Very simply
With hope
Good morning.

I agree with Craig in some areas. The speach was great and she looked lovely. She certainly however gave no indication of actual warmth for this man. She said she was a friend of McCain and also spoke of Biden being "a good man" She however did as much as any one could ask--- and what a president she would have made!!!

Good morning, Jason.

I like your 'Mom'.

Jason, that is stunning.

Today's thread on the BackChannel Blog

What About Convention Food? Except for Beer, This Is Not The Superbowl, by Chef Sheila

http://clistersbackchannel.wordpress.com/

Finally, Barnacle said something smart: "This is why people hate us. We're nitpickers."

Good Morning Craig-

Your take on Hillary's speech is being discussed on Morning Joe this morning. Why aren't you there?

I don't think it's Hillary's responsibility to convince people to vote for Obama--that's Obama's job and I don't think he'll ever persuade older white women who haven't moved in his direction yet. I'm one of them.

That guy filling in for Tony Reali was Luke Russert? I got worried when Reali was gone recently. I didn't like the other guy. I didn't realize he was Luke Russert.

Well, Craig and Bill Kristol are channeling.

This is the way it is: Had Sen Clinton gone in there extolling his virtues and singing his praises, her supporters would have been searching for Chelsea, fearing that the Obamas had taken her hostage.

It was a magnificent job in helping her supporters etach from this particular campaign.

Before the speech, some moron (perhaps noron) was saying that Hil'ry needed to give the signal to her supporters that it was OK to go to BO now. No, Hil'ry supporters don't roll over on command, that's what the mindless, followers of BO do.

KO also got it wrong. (He has done nothing but be butt ugly to Hil'ry, but now he thinks her speech was a "sock to the jaw"? I wish Tweety would give KO a sock to the jaw when he's blustering away in someone else's time slot.)

Hil'ry could not tell us anything about who BO is because that is something nobody really knows. He tells us he's against FISA and then votes for it. He tells us he is a Christian while his minister (now former minister due to peer pressure) invokes the name of god to damn America. For months he refuses to say he loves America, then once again, caves and says it as if he just smelled something bad...and puts on a flag pin.

He has a lot of fluffy, empty words, more of which he will spout from his throne in Bronco stadium tomorrow night. BO can say anything & who knows if it's true? The Dems are running an enigma for POTUS.

What I heard from Hil'ry: She likes McCain personally & values his presence in public service. Although ideologically BO is a Dem, he is not ready to serve. (She did not say that she thought he was ready to serve, just that he holds Dem values.) The fight continues...to 2012.

ps - Who is this Rachel Maddow person? She is just awful. I can put up with noron on the panel, but man...she's as much of a blowhard as Olbermann.

the missing letter preceding etach is a d.

Hey Jason

My word that poem of your Mom's was lovely. You have such fantastic parents.. I know you are proud of them. Yes, Hillary was fantastic also. But we knew she was going to be , didn't we?

Julie

Hey all.....

Maya is not really my mother. But a close friend of the family, very close..and this poem comes from very deep...
I know her health hasn´t been all swell lately, but still she travelled with Hillary through her home in NC and was shocked at what happend there.

Reading through the blog today, something told me to put "On the pulse of morning" here, for people to think!

good morning gang....

Craig.... I agree with your 1:45 assessment..... both Rick and I LOVED her speech.... and as others have already said...... for her to talk glowingly about Obama as a man would have been phony..... and I agree with Spike.... it was an acceptance speech..... she is more qualified than Obama..... and I will believe that even while I'm blackening the box by his name in the voting booth.....

Mark Warner's speech was ok..... but as the keynote speech it left much to be desired..... not a good choice on the DNC's part.....

I don't know how any of you can watch this convention on MSNBC.... except for comedic relief....

Jason...... THANK YOU!

BO is gonna make an all star extravaganza of his speech tomorrow.

A lot of people are asking themselves if this is not too much celebrity-ish.
Dunno....The repubs can use it again though.....

Super talent (and one of my favourites) Jennifer Hudson will sing the national anthem tomorrow, and it is all over the entertainment pages today in bold letters. One can ask himself, is this the president you wanna have. Full of all star friends and badges.....

p.s.: I am not saying this out of anger, just asking a simple question.

Take Heart, Hillary Fans:
July-August 1972, McGovern & Eagleton become the Dem Pres & VP candidates at the July Convention. 18 Days later Eagleton is replaced on the by Shriver.

If the Biden pick continues to be a drag on the ticket, in another show of political will, pragmatism or Panic, Biden goes under the Bus, replaced by Clinton.

Keep Hope Alive!

Dowd to be on Imus at the half hour. Watching her would have to be an exercise in masochism.

Hillary gave a terrific speech.

She asked this question: "Were you in this campaign just for me"....or for those persons who she mentioned.

I voted for her precisely because of who she is---and her ability to be the person who would be able to provide the leadership to make the issues she championed happen. I do not have the same trust in either of the remaining candidates.

America truly has lost as a result of her not being the Democratic nominee.

Those that whine that Hillary is obligated to some how deliver votes to Obama----sheer nonsense----Obama either stands & delivers himself----if he can not do that---it is his problem alone.

On Imus this morning they played a CNN interview of an HRC supporter who happens to be Afro-American. This woman articulated, more than any person I have ever heard, her hopes and dreams, her vision in a HRC presidency, and now saw those same hopes and dreams shattered. The look of despair on her face and in her voice is something to see and hear. HRC in 2012.

'black boy"???

Can someone explain to me what was Jimmy Carter thinking when he used this phrase in describing BHO?

Jason, I know your parents through you; I'm privileged by that acquaintance.

When you think MSNBC can't suck anymore then they do, they find a way to prove you wrong. Talking about the wheels coming off the cart! Seriously this is why Craig should host that dreadful Morning Joe show, at least he bring back a sense of normalcy.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08272008/gossip/pagesix/brawling_anchors_on_msnbc_126236.htm

Fry, he was thinking about a little boy who was black.

Obama's speech better be really good, or he will look like the weaker candidate. It was a big mistake to not take her as a running mate. He would have won easily in Ohio and Florida.

Stupid Brits should be ashamed of 1000 years of colonialism and creating the cluster____ in the middle east. Damnit, Jason! Too early to get me riled up.

Well I may be mistaken, but the word "boy" when used by a "white" person in describing an Afro-American male of any age has always been seen by the A-A community as a sign of disrespect. You would have though of all people Jimmy Carter, an ex Georgia Governor, could have used a different term in describing BHO in his youth, how about "young man". If this had been an R who said this, this would have found its way above the fold on the NYT, and would have been a week long story on MSNBC.

At some point, Obama has to carry his own water.

Hillary has located the well, primed the pump, pumped the bucket full, wrapped the bucket handle in flannel and carried the bucket to Obama.

It's time for Obama to take charge of the bucket. Can he carry the bucket up the hill? Can we ask anything less of someone who wants to lead the free world?

Flatus,

Aren't you in SC? How much rain have you received in the last 2 days. So far we have been hit with 8 inches.

Champ, Champ, Champ....calm down.....

Everyone has an opinion, and frankly you need to respect that brother.
We also have opinions about them. Right? You also, or else you would no make that statement.

And to be quite honest sir.....I fully underscore the statement made this morning by them.

Jim,

BO´s speeach will be the same old same old.
Putting the fake accent in, doing the eyes with twitch like he is the chosen one.
First he will walk in the Arena slightly hung over to the left, like he is our brother. Will not wear a suit so occasionally he can cuff up his sleeves, like he is about to take on this very hard job....Make reference to MLK and say that the dream can come tue on this truly special day.....Well, we all know the rest right.... YES WE CAN!

Uh Huh!

Patsi,
The people in front of me at Hardball kept yelling at Harold to look at the crowd but he was ignoring them until I yelled "Jr." at him. He looked startled...I must have sounded like his mother.

Another non-stop day starting with the delegation breakfast, Healthcare Forumn, Foreign Policy address by Madeline Albright, Convention speeches, the Governor's reception, followed by an AT&T reception.

The person I credit with winning Iowa for Obama sat her people down yesterday and read them the riot act based on my talking points. The jest of her message was, "This is not a sporting event, we are all Democrats, and we need to work together to accomplish our goals." She has been bending over backwards to make the Clinton delegates and other supporters in our delegation feel welcome. I wish more of the Obama supporters could understand that.

Oh and by the way, the food at the convention hall sucks. I was expecting healthy fare and have found none. It is typical stadium food...yuk.

Obama assasination plot originated with crack heads sitting around a hotel room. Crisis averted. I am surprised they found their way out of the room. Off to breakfast, will check in later.

Well, at least HRC gave the campaign one of their better jokes about McCain and Bush and the Twin Cities. And all of the speeches sound canned when mentioning Barack Obama's name. I am sure the teleprompter has "insert candidate name here.' His name sounded awkward in many a speech -- almost as an after thought with the speech being written first.

And finally, she had a lot more class to deliver a speech when Ted Kennedy could hardly even shake Jimmy Carter's hand at the convention during their primary rift.

Blonde,

"Ted Kennedy could hardly even shake Jimmy Carter's hand at the convention during their primary rift."

As I recall old Jimmy had to chase Teddy down to get that hand shake, and uh hug.

Well, I was just joking, dude. Though of all the things for which the United States should be ashamed, I don't think Hillary's inability to secure the nomination is one of them. Besides, that was decided by the Democratic power elite, not rank-and-file Americans. Silly Brits.

I never disrespected your opinion. You think I would do anything to jeopardize my chances with all those wonderful Dutch women with whom you hold considerable sway? It's all good, brah.

And one last point, I believe HRC's speech was a lot more sincere and poignant than BHO's attempt to help her with her campaign debt. HIs verbal stumbling when trying to help her was terrrible. I believe if the situation were reversed, he would not have done any better. Maybe worse and his is supposedly a much better speaker.

She would be on anyone's short list...such bs.

Must work....early day. Have a safe day, all.

I think , Obama can quit asking the question, what does Hillary want. He delivered , last night, what was needed. It was the measure of respect that was due to anybody that had come close to winning it all. From all the leaks out of the Obama campaign it is obvious there are certain elements within the campaign who didn't want last night to occurr. They have been proved wrong, imo. It is now up to Obama to win over the remaining doubters. Some will never be won over for many and various reasons but they can no longer use HRC as the excuse. They have to define their vote in terms of Obama.

The people who now need to ask "what does Hillary want" are her fellow Senators. She still has ambition and after that obvious show of support last night she made herself into a very powerful figure in the senate. Much to the chagrin of the Clinton hating wing of the party. It's the same old story, the more the Clintons are attacked the stronger they get. They seem to draw strength from their enemies.

Jack

Good Morning everyone --

Hillary's new theme song:

"You Got 99 problems But Barack Ain't One"

Jack,

HRC wants a shot at POTUS again in 2012, and more likely than not she will get that chance.

"But this was an obligatory, boiler-plate endorsement that was devoid of a single personal reference to indicate whether she had ever even met the presumed Democratic nominee." Craig Crawford

Good Craig! Then she didn't completely sell out. I made a point of not watching the speech for that very reason. Do all those so ecstatic about how she brought it home for Obama really think that the voters he needs were even listening? Opinions have already been made, decisions have settled. The cement has set.

Wow. After looking through some photos of the convention on yahoo, I find the theatrics really nauseating. Stage crew picking out pant suits for HRC? Stage hows and American Idols? Sick, sick, sick.

mornin' all.

Can't say whether it was a good or bad speech - I fell asleep just before it and woke up to Terry McAuliff's glowing assessment of it. He did say one thing that is timely, and correct - at some point the Obama campaign has to stop talking about Hillary Clinton and start running against John McCain. Frankly, with no drama, the two candidates having been decided, I see this as little more than the pep rallies they used to have on the quad at the UofAL when I went there. Only at this one there's no Bear Bryant and no bonfire. Even one of the NBC talking heads said that they cover these things too much considering there is no news there.

Fry, Jimmy Carter grew up in plains Georgia and was a lifetime rural Georgia boy. Feigned outrage at the use of the term "boy" by a nonracist rural southerner, suggesting that he used the term in the same sense that the angry racist assholes that still use the term in that way is PC at its finest. He would refer to white men as boys as well, I'd wager. I give Carter a pass on that one - in his heart I believe that he meant no insult, but rather used the term as southern rural guys have used it for longer than my lifetime. I'm sure he'd describe his next door neighbor asa white boy, no matter his age. Normally, the offensive use of the term in my experience is not so much in its use as a general description of a male in casual conversation, but as a dismissive noun of address, used with intent to diminish the black man to whom it is addressed. Still, I agree with you that he could have used the noun Man and escaped your criticism.

2012 ? Could be sooner.

Fry

We have no idea what HRC wants, but if I were Harry Reid I would be worried.

Jack

Source: Bill Clinton will not attend Obama's Invesco speech
"Hillary Clinton will be on hand for Barack Obama's acceptance speech, but according to a source close to former President Bill Clinton, he will not: the source tells CNN that Clinton will not join his wife at Invesco Field Thursday night."
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/26/source-bill-clinton-will-not-attend-obamas-invesco-speech/

Has McCain vetted Christine Todd Whitman, former Governor of New Jersey, Head of the EPA, scion of wealthy politically powerhouse families of New York and New Jersey, etc? The pundits on MOJO were having trouble coming up with Republican Women as McCain VP candidates.

Not sure if this means anything, but I find it interesting as I am convinced there is a secret message hidden somewhere within.

In HRC's speech last night she mentioned BHO's name 11 times,. "I" 17 times. "Me", 13 times. "Women", 10 times. "Men", 4 times. "America", 26 times. "McCain", 6 times. "Bush", 3 times. "Cheney" 0 times. "Iraq", 3 times. "Iran", 1 time. "Afghanistan", 0 times

Jason

"On The Pulse of Morning" is a great Maya Angelou poem written for the Clinton Innaugual. I've always love the use of the old negro spirituals in the imagery.

Alicia--

LOL!!

Craig, I completely agree with your assessment of Hillary's speech. Those Clintons, they are master wordsmiths. Can't wait to hear what Bill has to say tonight!

Christine Todd Whitman??? LMAO, if McCain picked her as his VP, he might as well just end this dog and pony show today. Whitman is the kiss of death in the R party.

Just for additional interest. Gustav expected to be a category 1 hurricane today and a Category 4 on Saturday.

OK, reading the speech post mortems, sounds like Craig's assessment is not so far from the rest of them - here's where I differ with Craig - I don't believe her goal was to convince anyone that contrary to the bitter primary battles, the name calling and the animosity clearly reflected in their respective comments about each other, she and Barack are just good ol' buds or that she could have credibly done that, all those things having transpired - I feel instead that her role was to convince her supporters that she is a Democrat first and foremost, she is not running for president any longer, Barack Obama is the Democrat running for president, she supports his run, and she wants all her supporters to vote for him. Based on what I'm seeing, she did that. At least the NYT saw it that way, sort of.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/us/politics/27dems.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/08/no-personal-touch-in-clintons.html#comment-134276

I don't know if that count means much Fry. It's kinda hard not to say I and me when you're the one talking.

pogo,

Jimmy Carter was and is a fool, but he is not a racist, just a good ole Southern boy himself who had a senior moments. But my only point was, had an R said that exact same phrase "black boy", it would have been headline news for a week. You know it and I know it. It is what it is.

"I feel instead that her role was to convince her supporters that she is a Democrat first and foremost, she is not running for president any longer, Barack Obama is the Democrat running for president, she supports his run, and she wants all her supporters to vote for him."

Yes Pogo, and what more could anyone ask.

For Obama, a Challenge to Clarify His Message
"That blurring of the intended focus on Mr. Obama’s economic message captures a continuing struggle that Mr. Obama is having: With four nights of free prime-time television coverage, he is trying to define himself personally for voters, and to win over holdout Clinton supporters, while at the same time seeking to define himself substantively. Failing at either could cost him the election."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/27/us/politics/27assess.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Good thing everyone is focusing on Hillary's speech this morning. At least that way they're not talking about Mark Warner's speech -- which varied little from his standard stump speech. I wish he'd gotten more personal -- of course I really didn't hear all of it since the convention watchers at the party started talking after the first paragraph of his speech. I think someone may have even turned the sound down. Oration is not his strong suit. Vanilla.

chloe,

Those weren't the words I would have keyed on, "I" or "Me". However I think one could make something of it to illustrate how many time those words were used in support of BHO.

BTW, the word "war", used only 3 times.

It is at times like this that I am sorry I am not living in the States. I used to love watching the convention.

I agree with Craig. It was obvious what she didn't say. I'm already excited about 2012 at which time, Bill will be firmly muzzled and tucked far away out of sight.

I can't remember if Whitman is a blond, but if so and she's wealthy, then she sounds like a good fit for he's sorry ass.

Scarborough just made an interesting comment about the set up for tomorrow's speech. The backdrop is a bunch of roman columns. Probably not the best choice for someone accused of running a Massianic campaign.

Since the roll call is today, I can't help but wonder how many delegates will try to beat a swift retreat out of town and leave the stadium to the fan club.

EuroTom -- C-Span is playing the while thing on their website. You can watch here:

http://www.c-span.org/search.aspx?For=convention

Jason,

I thought it was wonderful of Maya to rewite one of her best poems to change the ending to "Rise Hillary Rise"

Still I Rise


You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.

Maya Angelou

Jamie

either that or set up watch parties at a bar.
That is what I would do let the youngsters take the phones and do the call thing. get me a comfortable place with friends and watch it with friendly discussion afterward.
But I not a party for the hell of it at big venues anyway.

Jack

Craig I can't believe you were watching the same speech as me; HRC did everything she needed to - she endorsed Obama, she spoke warmly of the Obama family - in fact her tribute to Michelle was almost too gushing, and she was glowing about Joe Biden.

She referred to McCain as her friend because that's the way Senate colleagues refer to each other; Biden and McCain both referred to each other as friends over the weekend, but without the hysteria that HRC's comment seems to have aroused.

Put bluntly if HRC supporters are dumb enough to think that McCain is going to be anything like her if he gets to the White House, they deserve what they'll get - the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the end of Medicare/Medicaid, and the deepest recession since Jimmy Carter was in office.

They either vote for four more years of neo-Conservatism, or they vote for the candidate who is barely distinguishable in his policies than HRC.

And not one HRC supporter has actually come up with an example of these so-called "slights" or "insults"; they should grow up and stop acting like spoilt children.

C-SPAN is just starting to replay the HIllary Speech

Craig: I disagree with your assessment. I thought that was the best of Hillary speaking: content and delivery. But I wasn't expecting her to sugercoat her admiration and professing the unique qualities of Barack Obama. The purpose and the highlight of her speech for me was when she made it clear to her supporters that in voting for her, they had to be voting for all the things she believed in and wanted to accomplish for the people and if they believed that -- they would throw their support behind Obama and defeat McCain. That was what she was asked to do and she did it. Anything else would have, could have been perceived as phoney. If she likes McCain better than Obama, then she does -- she knew McCain much longer and apparently had an amiable working relationship with him. With Obama, she had none and shortly thereafter, he began his campaign and was ditching on her. If Obama wanted more from her last night, he should realize that he has to win this on his own, using his attributes to win all the peoples' votes.

Fry, on the point you were trying to make, you may be right. Although I am not seeing all the negative treatment of republicans that GHWB complained of (which after Reagan's presidency, was an interesting complaint). Aside from McCain;s boneheaded referral of the question about how many houses he owns to his staff, what MSM coverage I've seen has been pretty neutral of late.

BTW, I got a huge laugh on the way in this morning - speaking of senior moments, McCain was addressing the VFW yesterday, and was talking about how right Dumya's admin was to go into Iraq and to aggressively fight the war on terra. His had one of those wonderful freudian slips that no one in the media has yet picked up on that i've heard. He was describing the Dumya administration as a decisive one in the context of the GWOT, poointing out that he supported dthe DA's decision to go into Iraq while Obama opposed it, only he said something like "but through the actions of a divisive - decisive government, which action I supported..." correcting himself immediately. Talk about inadvertently blurting out the truth. RFLMFAO.

"BTW, the word "war", used only 3 times."

Fry, people do seem a lot more focused on the economy (gas prices) for the time being as opposed to the war. Is that what you're talking about?

The only "personal" things The Obama's have said about the Clintons have been very insulting.

I think she did just fine. If she had said "personal things" about Obama today all the craptastic media would be talking about what a hypocrite she was

The 527s will define SoetorObama -- they only have to reveal his "hidden" past. No need to lie or distort. It'll be brutal, but honest. It's beginning, two ads about his "hidden" past. The TRUTH about Bill Ayers and his Muslim childhood will show the American people that SoetorObama is a fraud and con man. There is much more.

Obama speech stage resembles ancient Greek temple

http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSN2636979020080826

There's that old saying that Republicans Fall In Line while Democrats Fall In Love.

You don't tell someone who is in love with you to take up with someone else instead. You get them near the other person and encourage whatever happens.

Hillary did what her voters needed: "You fell in love with me. It isn't going to work, but I'd like you to meet someone with similar goals who might appeal to you."

If she had gushed and drooled over "Barrack is just perfect for you", it would have just alienated and irritated her voters. She got them close, now he has to close the conquest.

Did Hillary's speech convince most of the women not currently
planning on voting for Obama to vote for him? I wonder.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/08/no-personal-touch-in-clintons.html#comment-134298

Pogo,
That's not the first (what you could call a) Freudian slip McCain has done. Remember when he said "I'm a proud conservative, liberal Repub -- uh, conservative Republican"

I honestly think that as we get older, the truth of what we think slips out a lot more readily.

chloe,

"Economy", used 6 times.

Gas prices are a sort of odd argument. In 1955 gas was appropriately $.25 a gallon, today I can buy it at $3.59 cent from a BP station around the corner from where I live. Across the street from the BP station is a Shell station, and they are charging $3.61 a gallon. Since 1955 until today, had you invested that $.25 at 5 interest, today it would be worth $3.52. Gas is high because we as American have come to believe we should have cheap gas, but we can't as long as long as we have to import 70% of oil from other friendly and not so friendly countries.

Have to get ready for a luncheon. Bye