Saturday Morning Cartoon

Happy Saturday morning! Enjoy your cereal.

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The McClellan Interview

Where to begin?

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised when I found out Scott McClellan - the former White House Press Secretary to President Bush - was giving an exclusive interview to Keith Olbermann. Yes, the same Keith Olbermann who regularly lambastes the Bush Administration on everything from 9/11, to the Iraq war, to Hurricane Katrina.

Regardless of Olbermann's political leanings, McClellan agreed to appear on the anti-O'Reilly show to air his grievances with the Bush administration - oh, and to plug his new book.


The entire conversation was informative, to say the least. The mere fact of just who Scott McClellan is, and the access that his knowledge grants us - the generally uninformed public - in nothing short of remarkable. As Olbermann said:

[I]t seems [What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception] is the Rosetta Stone for understanding the last seven years of American history.

Rosetta Stone indeed. For, as it turns out, we as Americans now need something to decipher the last several years of incompetency that has occupied the West Wing.

As the conversation progressed, I was surprised to find that McClellan seemed to be relatively comfortable in talking with Olbermann. This is a guy who used to parrot the talking points of the Bush White house - and receive some fairly harsh, daily chastisement from people like Olbermann. And yet, McClellan seemed to be at peace, both with himself and his former - and current critics (of which there are now MANY).

Of course the irony in this interview (and McClellan's subsequent book) is that there really are not any revelatory surprises. While McClellan does indeed confirm some long-held suspicions about dishonesty and lack-of-transparency in the administration for which he used to work, there was not any 'bombshell' factoid that was revealed. McClellan confirmed that the Bush White House did indeed use the attacks of September 11th, 2001 as a political tool to promote their own domestic and foreign agendas - particularly as they related to Iraq and Saddam Hussein.

In flipping around the cable news channels, and reading both both conservative and progressive commentary in the blogosphere, there seem to be two basic criticisms for Scott McClellan and his book:

1:: from the left - 'Why did McClellan wait until now to write this book/talk about his experiences?'
2:: from the right - 'Scott McClellan should be ashamed for making some disparaging remarks about a sitting president. He should have waited until George W. Bush had finished serving his term.'

Since I consider myself to be a relative Independent (despite this), I feel that I can safely say that both of these criticisms are wrong - or at least unfounded in basic principle. Here is what I mean...

1:: Whistle-blowers hardly ever get the chance to stand-up for what the believe in the 'heat of the moment'. McClellan himself said:

I went into this very much believing that the president was somewhat committed to being a bipartisan leader and that he was going to reach across the aisle and that he was going to change the way things worked in Washington, D.C. And I had hopes that he would be able to do that.

I was deputy press secretary during the buildup to the war. Like a lot of Americans, I wasn't certain about the rush to war, that it was the right thing to do. From a moral standpoint, I believe we should not be going to war unless it is absolutely necessary. And we now know that it was not absolutely necessary with regards to Iraq. It was not the grave and gathering danger that we portrayed it as.
...
But I also, like a lot of Americans, was in that post-9/11 mind-set and gave the president and his foreign policy team the benefit of the doubt.
...
And then when I left the White House, I think I needed time to step back and take off that partisan hat and really reflect on this. I wanted to think through, why did things get so badly off track?

The idea that McClellan would have just stood up against the President of the United States at a time when those who did were branded as 'traitors' and 'wanting the terrorists to win' is simply ludicrous. It's also worth noting that Scott McClellan was well-known for his loyalty to the president, and I'm sure that played as a factor as well.

2:: The right-wingers are coming out in droves saying that McClellan should have waited until W was out of office. I think that there is a wee-bit of validity to this argument, but the rational side of me thinks that he wrote this book and made his opinions public at just the right time. Had he waited any longer, they might not have had as lasting an impact. Had he come out with his thoughts any earlier, he may have been branded a traitor and sent to Guantanamo Bay. Yikes.

My thought is that there is NEVER a bad time to blow the whistle on evil-doers. Bush, Cheney, Rove, Libby, et al - they all needed a big slap-in-the-face: Even your most loyal drones might someday turn on you. You had better get with the program and start to do some good for our country instead of slowly grinding everything that we hold dear into the f**king ground.

I for one applaud Scott McClellan. I likely disagree with him on a whole host of issues, but the fact that he had the testicular fortitude to stand up for what he believes in makes him A-OK in my book... which will be coming out next year.

Okay, not really. I'm not smart enough to write an entire book.

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Photo: Tim Sloan/AFP/Getty Images

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McClellan For Obama?

I just finished watching Keith Olbermann's interview with Scott McClellan.

To say that McClellan has enormous cojones would be a huge understatement. I want to talk more about his book and the interview with Olbermann, but I'm tired and I want to go to bed.

However, I will be addressing these issues and much, much more in the coming days. For now, I'll leave you with the most glaring part of the interview (in my opinion), the fact that Scott McClellan is considering voting for Barack Obama [forward to 4:30 if you want to get right to it]:



I would have thought that the name John McCain would have come flying out of McClellan's mouth. Interesting...

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I Actually Agree With Bill O'Reilly

I can't believe it.



O'Reilly says that opponents of gay marriage are going to have to come up with a more secular reason as to why gay people shouldn't be allowed to get married. He's completely right.

Oh, and the opponents aren't going to be able to come up with that reason either.

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Experience Vs. Judgment

As John McCain levels attacks on Barack Obama for not visiting Iraq with enough frequency (ugh), the Illinois senator's chief strategist hits back. Hard.

What does all his experience get us? What do all those visits [to Iraq] get us? The fact that [Senator John McCain] goes to Iraq and gets a tour apparently does little to provoke the kinds of questions that should be asked, and what Sen. Obama has been asking since the beginning. So it is not a question of longevity in government. It is a question of judgment, it is a question of a willingness to challenge policies that have failed. And he seems just dug in.

David Axelrod has a great point here. What makes a candidate qualified to be elected president is not how many visits to Iraq are under their belt. Rather, what qualifies a candidate is the judgment that they have used in the past - and their vision for the future of our great Republic.

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Hillary Clinton's Flimsy Argument

Look, I may be in the tank for Obama - but will someone PLEASE explain this to me?

Hillary Clinton is taking her argument to the DNC Rules Committee this weekend in the hopes that every vote will count in the Michigan and Florida primaries. Here is my take on that debacle. Ick.

Moreover, Clinton's main argument to the SuperDelegates (this week) is that she is more 'electable'. According to her campaign, Hillary has won the popular vote - but only if you count the states that held primary elections (as opposed to caucus elections). Never mind the fact that the Democratic party nominates their presidential candidate via a delegate system. Is your head spinning yet?


What is she thinking? Does Hillary actually believe that she has a winning argument? Really?

It would be different if Hillary Clinton had more pledged delegates than Barack Obama - or even if she had more SuperDelegates. Ah, I remember the good'ole'days of six to eight weeks ago when Senator Clinton did have more SuperDs than Obama. That was the time when she was constantly saying, 'the SuperDelegates will ultimately decide the nomination'. My how the times have changed in the last couple of weeks.

I have to admit that, as much as I do not care for (that's putting it diplomatically) the Clinton Brand, even I am surprised at the gall that Hillary is displaying by taking the nomination fight this far. Please do not misunderstand - I am not calling for her to drop out of the race.

I am merely saying that she could have campaigned quietly into June, without threatening to take her firght to the floor of the Democratic Convention in August. She could have used the stump to voice her concerns for the issues that are affecting Americans on a day-to-day basis (a la Mike Huckabee earlier in this seemingly endless primary season). She could have used more of her breath to bolster party unity with her supporters, encouraging them to get behind Barack Obama (who, let's face it, has essentially been the presumptive Democratic nominee since his blow-out victory in North Carolina).

Not that I'm overly concerned with the idea, but hasn't it occurred to Hillary Clinton (and more importantly Bill Clinton) that taking this primary fight to the floor of the Democratic Convention in August could will likely damage the legacy of the junior senator from New York - and by proxy her husband, the 41st President of the United States of America? [longest run-on sentence... ever]

Oh well, at least Hillary has the support of a (former?) pop-star and alumnus of Menudo. Yikes.

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Photo: Ana Martinez/Reuters

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McCain Vs. Obama: Visiting Iraq

I'm not sure exactly what to make of John McCain's recent remarks.

To say that we failed in Iraq and we're not succeeding does not comport with the facts on the ground, so we've got to show him the facts on the ground.

Okay...

Somebody please explain to me how visiting Iraq would enlighten Senator Obama's opinion on the war there. Honestly. I just don't get it.


Sure, you could argue that by visiting with soldiers and commanders-on-the-ground in Iraq, Senator Obama might gain some valuable insight into the fight that occurs on a day-to-day basis. However, you could also argue that by sitting down with anti-war former commanders or soldiers and their families, Senator John McCain might have to re-evaluate his staunch 'hawk' position.

Moreover, to criticize Senator Obama for aggressively opposing the war in Iraq, John McCain is being somewhat hypocritical. The way that I see it, John McCain was for the war in the beginning, and continues to be for the war despite it's huge costs - both in lives and in money - until the United States can claim 'victory' (and what is the definition of victory in Iraq again?).

One of the reasons that I respect Senator McCain so much is that he does not always side with the popular opinion on a position (I'm looking at you, immigration reform). The war in Iraq is no different. If John McCain were calling for immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq, this year's presidential election would have a completely different look. I appreciate McCain's opinion on the war - and I believe that he raises valid questions about a precipitous withdrawal of troops - but I still think that he is wrong. That said, what I respect is the tenacity with which he makes his argument. He will not back down - despite the unpopularity of his stance.

McCain thinks that Senator Obama will change his mind if he visits Iraq:

...I’m confident that when he goes he will then change his position on the conflict in Iraq because he will see the success that has been achieved on the ground.

For John McCain to claim that Obama would change his position entirely is ludicrous. Barack Obama opposed the war from the start. Regardless of supposed 'progress on the ground'(that is an issue that I'll address in a future post perhaps), there is still really no justification for this war - in Afghanistan yes - in Iraq, no.

The bottom line is that I would love to hear John McCain debate Barack Obama (on this and many other issues) - and I think in a few months I will see that debate come to fruition. John McCain needs to focus his attacks on why Obama is wrong in opposing the war - not if or when Obama might change his mind on the war. Likewise, Senator Obama needs to focus on why McCain is wrong in his continued support of fighting the war in Iraq.

As I've said before, my hope is that, going forward in the presidential campaign, both senators McCain and Obama will have a respectful discourse based solely on the issues at hand (Iraq, the economy, education, et al) and not stupid quibbles about personal things or pipe dreams about getting the other candidate to change their mind on a key issue.

Plus, if Senator Obama changed his mind on Iraq (bear with me here), wouldn't the Right-Wing-Attack-Machine simply go after Obama as a 'flip-flopper' anyway? Yeah, they totally would.

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Photo: Jeff Chiu/AP

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Ron Paul Hanging Around

In the Idaho Republican primary on Tuesday, Congressman Ron Paul had his best showing in a primary election yet:

24% of the vote

Wow. So, these results beg at least two very important questions:

1:: Is the GOP really happy with John McCain as their nominee?
2:: Are the so-called 'Paulites' still out to make some mischief?

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Photo: Evan Vucci/AP

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Grandpa McCain, Er, Simpson

I'd love to have a bumper sticker made - and send it to B-Diddy. That'd be rad.

Head nod: Alternate Brain

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Rude On Racism

Rudeness has been absent my blog for a while. I still read the impolite rantings of the Rude Pundit - daily. I came across a post last week that had me in stitches - but makes a great point that I think has largely been overlooked by the mainstream media.

The reason that Hillary Clinton beat Barack Obama so badly in West Virginia and Kentucky was not because of the "white working-class vote" as all of the analysts proposed. No, rather it was the "white working-class racist vote". The Rude Pundit explains:

This morning, the Rude Pundit was watching the "best political team" on CNN contort themselves like Miss Julian in the sawdust in Barnum's tent in order to avoid saying that the reason Clinton blew Obama out of the blue grass in the Kentucky primary is because racist crackers hate black people. They said every fuckin' thing they could, comparing how Obama more or less split the "white people without college education" vote in Oregon with Clinton, yet Clinton overwhelmingly won that demographic in Kentucky. How can that be? they puzzled. It was kind of sadly hilarious, how they tried so desperately to not offend their white racist viewers. But sometimes, yes, sometimes you have to state plainly that motherfuckers fuck their mothers.

Can you imagine the on-air staff at CNN actually saying things like this? T'would be some interesting television for sure. The entire post is that blunt - and right on the money. Read it.

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And The Beat Goes On

I've always loved beat-boxing. For those of you who are unfamiliar, this is a reasonable demonstration:



Head nod: Jon Dyer

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McClellan Turns On Bush, Cheney, Et Al

If you haven't read Politico's exclusive, you should go there now. Definitely worth your time.

Notable (one of many):

One of the worst disasters in our nation’s history became one of the biggest disasters in Bush’s presidency. Katrina and the botched federal response to it would largely come to define Bush’s second term... And the perception of this catastrophe was made worse by previous decisions President Bush had made, including, first and foremost, the failure to be open and forthright on Iraq and rushing to war with inadequate planning and preparation for its aftermath.

Wow. What can I add to a statement like that?


The reaction to McClellan's memoir has been earth-shattering. As I was watching cable news yesterday afternoon, all of the talking heads were a-twitter with the news of the former Bush administration press secretary effectively placing a large, sharp utensil into the collective back of Bush and his cronies.

The coverage that I have seen seems to be more focused on the fact that McClellan is levying some pretty heavy accusations. While this is true (see his comments on hurricane Katrina and the Iraq war), I think that there is more to the story than 'Bush lied', 'Karl Rove gave bad advice', etc.

While it is important that information like this gets out to the public, is anyone reading this Politico story really surprised? Personally, I have suspected that George W. Bush and his band of not-so-merry-men have been fleecing our nation's trust for at least six years - if not longer. Bearing that in mind, to hear someone say that the Bush administration was telling untruths is not newsworthy (to me). Conversely, hearing Scott McClellan charge that the administration in which he served was blatantly deceiving the public on a regular basis - now that is news.

The way that I see it, Scott McClellan is was a Bushie, tried and true. McClellan struck me as the type of loyalist who constantly had to have his handkerchief on hand to wipe up the drips of Kool-Aid that dribbled down his chin. So, when a loyalist of this magnitude comes forward with a tell-all about the goings-on behind the scenes in the White House, his story is lent that much more credence. The only member of the President's circle that would be more shocking to write a book this way would be the First Lady. Or perhaps Barney...

So, what is next?

There will be skeptics who say that 'oh please - McClellan is just trying to sell a book with sensationalism' or 'he's been harboring a grudge because he was fired'. I even saw the Prince of Darkness himself, Karl Rove on Fox News saying that McClellan sounds more like a "left-wing blogger" than his former co-worker. Rrrright.

I don't think that much will come of this memoir and it's contents. My guess is that there will be some in Congress who want to subpoena McClellan to appear, but the White House won't let him testify to anything on account of 'Executive Privilege'. McClellan's book will simply be more fodder for bloggers like me to say - 'YOU SEE! I TOLD YOU SO!'

I told you so indeed.

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Photo: Jason Reed/Reuters

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Sullivan On Obama

How a conservative feels about supporting a liberal:

His candidacy is about renewing what America means to the world and to itself. It is about a collective cultural healing - especially on race. It is about representing the next generation and America's less domineering but more inspiring place among nations. It is about transparency in government. It is about getting past this brutal cultural polarization for a while. It is about putting reason back into our discourse after the emotional manipulation of the Morris-Rove era. It is about ending torture, restoring Constitutional balance, and adding the power of words, of great words, to restore hope again.

This may sound lofty, but I do not think it is lofty in the way utopian liberalism suggests. It is lofty the way Reagan was lofty and Kennedy was lofty, which transcends ideology. Set apart from their actual achievements in office (on which scale Reagan dwarfs Kennedy), they both recast this country's self-understanding - and the world's understanding of America. This shift occurs in the heart, and it is not about promising heaven on earth. It is about being all we can be at this moment in history. It is about us - not policy; our self-understanding - not self-recreation.

This is why even as I disagree with him, I want him to win. My heart says so. And the conservative part of my head has a few months to talk me out of it.

It's no wonder that I read Andrew Sullivan every day. He gets it. My support of Obama is similar in that I am not a 'DailyKos Liberal' by any stretch of the imagination. Rather, I feel that Obama is the cure for what ails America right now.

Four years ago, the junior senator from Illinois would literally have been laughed out of the race with his anti-Iraq war stance. But now... now he is the medicine that we all need to take, whether it tastes good or not. Come November, I'm sure that there will be other conservatives like Sullivan who will willingly hold their nose and vote for Obama.

They may not like the way the medicine tastes sometimes, but at least they know it will help to heal the country.

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Photo: Chris Carlson/AP

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Still Viral

I hope everyone had a great weekend. The weather here in the 'T' of Pennsylvania was superb.

My computer is still in the 'shop' and I am unsure of it's ETA back on my desk. Until then, I will post as the Pajama Wife's work laptop allows.

Happy Monday!

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Memorial Day

A humble tribute to all those who have laid down their lives in the defense of our republic. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Continual thanks to those who have served - and continue to serve - in our nation's military.

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Saturday Morning Cartoon

Somewhat obscure - but I remember it. What was the deal with Sawboss?

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Keith Olbermann Chastises Hillary Clinton

Olbermann's 'special comment' from this evening. He really lays into Hillary for her reckless comments about RFK's assassination in 1968.



Man. He is pissed. For good reason.

I'm no fan of Hillary Clinton - in case you hadn't noticed - but I'm still trying to wrap my mind around what she said.

...or WHY she said it.

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Hillary Clinton Plays The 'Assassination' Card

I'm speechless. More thoughts tomorrow later this week. Damn computer virus...

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John McCain's Health

I have to admit it - this is completely a non-issue for me.

Even if Senator McCain releases his medical records and we find out that he has a severe case of PTSD, I will still defend his right to run for the presidency.

However, I will say that it is vital to McCain's campaign that he picks a strong running-mate. I still think it's going to be Mitt Romney, but Charlie Crist wouldn't be too bad either. Both are relatively young, quasi-handsome politicians. A Romney nod would quiet the right-winger-radio-host crowd as well.

We'll see. My point is that McCain's health is not a debatable election issue for me.

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That West Virginia Primary

This video has been making the rounds on the web. Truly frightening:

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Hillary Clinton And Florida Redux

It's always nice when I find a more credible blogger who agrees with me:

[Hillary Clinton] agreed that Michigan and Florida should be punished for moving up their primaries. Obama took his name off the ballot in deference to their agreement and the rules of the party. That he should now be punished for playing by the rules and she should be rewarded for skirting them is unconscionable.

I think she has now made it very important that Obama not ask her to be the veep. The way she is losing is so ugly, so feckless, so riddled with narcissism and pathology that this kind of person should never be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

I couldn't have said it better myself. Literally.

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Hillary Clinton: Rehashing Florida

I just don't get it.

Sure, the presidential election in 2000 was a travesty. The system in Florida was grossly mismanaged. The Supreme Court was quick to act, when action was not necessarily required (yet).

But why on Earth is Hillary Clinton invoking the 2000 election and the subsequent re-count in Florida during her campaign speeches? How is that relevant right now?

I suppose that one could argue that Hillary wants to make sure that all of the votes in Florida count - that people who voted are allowed to express their democratic voices. An honorable argument, but flawed in it's basis.


In 2000, the big hullabaloo in Florida was over people's ballots not being counted. Literally. Not getting tallied in the grand vote total. The idea that in our country, someone could go to a polling place, cast a ballot, and then have that ballot essentially ignored by the state is a sad situation.

But, in 2008 it is a different situation altogether.

This year, no ballots were missed. No voter was prohibited from voicing their electoral opinion. Rather, the politicians in Florida (and let's not forget Michigan) decided that the rules set forth by the Democratic party weren't meant to be followed. The state legislature decided to move the primary date earlier in the year - in spite of the DNC's clear warnings against such action. Now we have Hillary Clinton on stages and stumps all across the United States saying that Floridians will be disenfranchised - which may be true - but I believe that she's pointing her fingers at the wrong people.

Throughout the prolonged debate surrounding the delegates in Florida (and Michigan), Hillary's position has changed. It is well documented that she was 'for it before she was against it' - 'it' being the idea that states that do not adhere to DNC rules would be punished. In fact, Hillary Clinton is on record - and on tape - saying that if Florida and Michigan moved their primary dates up, that they would not count in the final vote tallies and their delegates would not be seated at the convention in August. Not surprisingly, her position has changed.

I guess that my biggest problem with this whole kerfluffle is that Hillary Clinton seems hell-bent on blaming two groups for the 'situation' in Florida (and Michigan): Howard Dean and the DNC, and the Obama campaign. In truth, the DNC and the Obama campaign want to resolve the situation so that the Democratic candidate for president has a shot at winning Florida in November. If Florida voters feel like they were 'left out' or 'ignored' in the primary, there is a good chance that they will either stay home - or vote for John McCain. But you see, the thing is... the politicians in Florida and Michigan broke the rules. They. Broke. The. Rules. To allow that to go unpunished is problematic for the party because in the next primary season, every state will be clamoring for a January 1st (or earlier) election date.

My guess is that there will be some deal brokered where a partial seating of the delegates in Florida and Michigan. That seems to be the only viable solution right now.

The bottom line is that Hillary needs to cool it with the comparisons between this primary battle and the 2000 presidential election re-count in Florida. While on the surface they appear to be similar, in reality they are two very different situations.

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Photo: Elise Amendola/AP

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Lanny Davis *Hearts* Fox News

Frightening.



Lanny Davis scares me.

Head nod: TPM

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Sometimes It's Not That Complicated

Last night, as I sat in rapt attention watching the Kentucky Democratic primary results trickle in there was one question that kept repeating over and over again in my mind.

With the possible exception of Chris Matthews, none of the media outlets were really talking about the elephant in the room. With nearly 20% of exit poll respondents saying that race was a factor in their voting decision, nobody was asking 'Why?'.


Look, I'm not suggesting that voters in Kentucky are racist - but look at the results. Steven Waldman at BeliefNet raises a good point:

[T]he first number is the percent of white voters who said race was important; the second number is Obama’s margin of victory or defeat:

Oregon: 7% -- Obama +16
North Carolina – 8% -- Obama +14
Indiana – 10% -- Obama -2
Kentucky – 18% -- Obama -35
West Virginia – 21% -- Obama -41

The more white voters who think the candidate’s race matters, the better Clinton does. Sometimes it's not that complicated.

According to these numbers, there is a direct correlation between the number of voters who consider race as an important factor in voting, and the margin of victory/defeat for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. I don't think that it is happenstance that as the percentage of 'race-based' voters increase, Barack Obama's margin of victory (drastically) decreases.

Sometimes, it really is not that complicated. How sad.

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Savage A**hole

So, the big news yesterday was the diagnosis of Senator Ted Kennedy's (D-Mass.) malignant brain tumor. It's sad, and I would never ever make light of a situation like that. But then again, I'm not Michael Savage.

I've never been a huge fan of Ted Kennedy. It's not that I don't like him, he seems cool enough, I've just never been a huge liberal - and Ted Kennedy is like the top-of-the-pedestal guy for liberals. Hence his nickname, "The Liberal Lion".

That said, nobody deserves to be disrespected the way that Kennedy was yesterday.


Michael Savage is a right-wing-hack in the same vein as Limbaugh, Hannity and Coulter. He says things on his radio program that are meant to provoke and to offend - thus he gets higher ratings (see: Howard Stern).

But it takes a special kind of douchebag to make light of someone being diagnosed with cancer - let alone an inoperable malignant brain tumor.

Audio:



Notable highlight:

Unfairly he's been accused of alcoholism, but we see now that it was something much more deep-seated. And so, to cut this out in some respect for Ted Kennedy, here's a tune coming at you from the Dead Kennedys.

Really classy Savage. Really classy.

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Chuck Todd Explains

A clear explanation of the Democratic 'situation':

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He Should Have Gone

Josh Marshall at TPM agrees with me. Barack Obama should have campaigned in Kentucky.

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Obama's Iowa Speech

Worth a listen.

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About Last Night

I'm feeling better this morning.

Maybe I just needed a good-night's sleep - but when I got up today and turned on the Idiot Box and saw the numbers (a 16-point-lead) for Obama in Oregon, I felt a lot better.

I still question the Obama campaign' judgment in dismissing the Kentucky primary altogether. Then again, I'm not working for the campaign - so I don't know what other strategies they may have been employing. We'll see.

Either way, I have some web-access today, so you'll be seeing more activity than in the last couple of days.

Ahhh... I love coffee.

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Obama Takes Oregon And Money

Barack Obama is the projected winner of the Oregon Democratic primary.

In the month of April, Obama also bested Hillary Clinton on the fundraising front:

Clinton: $22 million
Obama: $31.3 million

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Be Still My Breaking Heart

Unbelievable. 35 point spread. Just unbelievable.

I can't help but think that had Senator Obama done some actual campaigning in Kentucky, the thumping that he has taken there tonight wouldn't be quite as harsh. Oh sure, he sunk a pile of money into television and radio ads in the Bluegrass State - but nothing can really compare to a candidate showing up in person to shake hands and listen to the people's concerns.


Alas, t'was not meant to be.

The biggest problem that I have with this lack-of-Kentucky visitation is that it lends credence to the meme that Barack Obama is 'elitist'. I wholeheartedly believe that he is not elitist - given his life's story, I find it difficult to believe that he would have an elitist bone in his body. But, because Obama did not visit Kentucky or West Virginia, effectively giving both states the metaphorical 'finger', the right-wing-talking-point about elitism starts to appear to have some weight - on the surface anyway.

The good news that comes out of this evening is that Barack Obama now has (according to CNN and the Obama campaign) a majority of pledged delegates - essentially shutting Hillary Clinton out of the nomination race. Sure, she can keep on fighting, but it is mathematically impossible for her to reach the 2,026 delegates needed to win the Democratic party nomination for the presidency.

Tomorrow's headlines should be interesting...

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Photo: Chris Carlson/AP

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Bill Kristol: Continuing To Hack

A while back, I wrote a couple of posts on Bill Kristol, the right-wing-hack who got his facts wrong in his column in the New York Times.

Apparently, he's at it again.


Kristol's column notes that:

On Tuesday night, while the G.O.P. Congressional candidate was losing in a Mississippi district George Bush carried in 2004 by 25 points, Barack Obama was being trounced in the West Virginia Democratic primary -- by 41 points. I can't find a single recent instance of a candidate who ultimately became his party's nominee losing a primary by this kind of margin.

Fair enough. That sounds like a good argument, especially since Kristol took the time to look for "a single recent instance of a candidate who ultimately became his party's nominee losing a primary by this kind of margin".

Well, you see folks, this is why I (and many others) believe that Bill Kristol is indeed a right-wing-hack. As Jerry Skurnik at Room Eight points out:

It took me all of 2 minutes to find what Kristol couldn’t find -

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

Utah Updated 11:02 a.m. EST, Feb 14, 2008

Romney 255,218 90%

McCain 15,264 5%

Paul 8,295 3%

Huckabee 4,054 2%

Now, if you'll please direct your attention to the difference in vote percentages between former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and current Arizona senator and Republican presidential nominee presumptive John McCain. That's right folks. Romney BEAT McCain by a whopping 85% and has still gone on to be the party's nominee.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't that statistic alone completely destroy Kristol's twisted logic? Also of note, I think that Mr. Kristol either needs to learn how to use Google, or hire a better research assistant. This type of glaring error is simply making him look moronic.

Right-wing-hackery I tells ya. Why is Bill Kristol still employed at the NYT?

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Warren Buffett For Obama

... and the endorsements continue to pile-up.

Even if he is not a politician, I'm sure that Barack Obama welcomes the support of a figure like Warren Buffett.

Oh, and Larry Gates, the Kansas Democratic Party chair has thrown his SuperDelegate support to Obama as well.

Drip, drip, drip...

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Why I Watch Chris Matthews

Or: Why I Love Hardball. Well worth your time:



I saw this happen live on MSNBC last week. I watched with rapt attention. It was like watching a car-wreck: I couldn't remove my gaze from the television screen.

Awesome.

Oh, and Kevin James is clearly a douchebag.

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Patti Solis Doyle For Obama?

For those not in 'the know', Patti Solis Doyle is the former campaign manager for Hillary Clinton's bid for the White House. She 'left' the campaign back in February 'to spend more time with her family'. Rrrright. And Hillary's tanking numbers had nothing to do with it.

Now there is news that Solis Doyle may be going to work for the Obama campaign.


More:

Solis Doyle’s possible hiring is a major breach not just in Clinton’s campaign but in the political universe known as “Hillaryland,” a term Solis Doyle reportedly coined after joining the Clintons in 1991 as the first lady's personal scheduler. She was forced out of Hillary Clinton’s campaign in February amid internal criticism about her spending practices and preparation for upcoming contests.

If that is the case, then this is a monstrous victory for the Obama camp. To pick up an endorsement is one thing - to poach a former adviser to the rival campaign? Simply huge.

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There Can Only Be One

In case you haven't seen the clips all over the cable networks, SNL delivered another great political sketch this weekend:

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Obama: I'm Liked By Byrd

[Sung to the tune of "I'm Like A Bird" by Nelly Furtado]

I'm liked by Byrd
I will fly away
Chicago is where my soul is
The White House is where my home is

Okay, so it's a little corny, but you get the point. I just think that it's simply ama-za-zing that Obama could lose West Virginia so badly - and yet one of the state's most respected politicians still endorses him.

Interesting... to say the least.

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Trojan Man

Ugh. It has happened again.

Yesterday, while my dear mother was browsing eBay, something happened. Something bad.

I'm not sure how it happened, but when I went to check my e-mail there were bugs crawling on my monitor. Literally, there were digital representations of insects on my screen. Ick.

Ever since my first infection last November, my computer just hasn't been 'right'. For example, I've been dealing with pop-ups despite the fact that I have a pop-up blocker enabled.

At my wits end, I have decided that something drastic needs to be done. I'm going to take my tower to a 'shop' and actually spend some money to make things right.

While this is happening, my only real connection to the blog will be through my wife's laptop (from work) and her Palm Treo (also from work). (I am typing this post on her Treo and the keyboard is entirely too small for my fingers) Posts will be less frequent and likely only in the evenings.

I will keep everyone posted on the progress.

I leave you all with this question: Why in the world would someone intentionally ruin a complete stranger's computer? I simply do not understand.

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Nerd Alert!

Nerd-alert! This looks pretty sweet!

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Saturday Morning Cartoon

Heroes in a half-shell.

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The Waiting Room Results

Thanks to those who were concerned for the Pajama Wife's health - she's doing fine.

Routine procedure. She and her docs were suspicious of a lump and wanted to check it out. Better safe than sorry.

The doc said that he's 99.99% certain that it's benign, simply a fatty growth, but he's sending it to be checked, just to make sure.

I'm taking the weekend off of the blog because I'll be helping the Wife tend to her recovery. She's can't pick up heavy things - like children - so I'll be doing the 'heavy' lifting this weekend. :)

Oh, and yes, I did do a redesign on the blog and thank you to those who noticed and complimented.

Have a great weekend and I'll return on Monday.

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The Waiting Room

Going out of my mind. Why can't waiting rooms play better music? My new goal (if I ever get out of here) is to start a music station that plays upbeat music for waiting rooms. Ugh.

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Headed To The Hospital

I won't be around much more this afternoon. I'm headed to the hospital with the Pajama Wife. She has a minor procedure to undergo which requires her to take a sedative. Therefore, I will be acting as her chauffeur and shoulder-to-lean-on before, during and mostly after said procedure.

I'll be back with more tomorrow - or maybe later tonight.

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Lapel Pin Politics

Unreal.

You'd think that people would start focusing on real issues that face the American people everyday. And yet, the Grey Lady, the Paper of Record, the New York Times is perpetuating the faulty meme that this is an issue that matters.

Blech.


According to Obama:Sometimes I wear it, sometimes I don’t.Great. End of story, right? Wrong.

I think that because there are still people out there in La-La-Land who believe the other right-wing false talking-points that Obama is Muslim, Obama is un-American, et al, that the MSM still thinks that stories like the lapel-pin are viable news.

They are not.

How is commentary on a man's lapel accessories going to help find an alternative to fossil fuels? How is worrying about a man's religion going to fix all of the crumbling schools (both figuratively and literally) in our nation? How is questioning a man's patriotism going to solve the economic woes that Americans are facing right now?

It doesn't.

Now, I do see the irony in my commentary on this exact topic, but I had to get my opinion out there. The flag-pin is a non-issue to me. However, the media trying to make it an issue IS an issue to me. Confusing, I know - but frustrating nonetheless.

Please. No more talk of flag-pins, allegations of non-patriotism or attacks on religion. Let's stick to the aforementioned issues that face Americans right this very second.

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That John Edwards Endorsement Redux

Video of John Edwards' endorsement of Barack Obama:

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The Lapel Pin Is Back (Ugh)

- M.Wuerker, Wuerking Drawings

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McCain: Out Of Iraq By 2013

I'm not kidding. He has said it:

By January 2013, America has welcomed home most of the servicemen and women who have sacrificed terribly so that America might be secure in her freedom. The Iraq War has been won. Iraq is a functioning democracy, although still suffering from the lingering effects of decades of tyranny and centuries of sectarian tension. Violence still occurs, but it is spasmodic and much reduced...The United States maintains a military presence there, but a much smaller one, and it does not play a direct combat role.But wait,

I'm confused.

Didn't George W. Bush say in an interview with the Politico that pulling out of Iraq 'prematurely' (whatever that means) would lead to more terrorist attacks on the U.S.?

Yeah. He totally did.

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K.O. Punch

I mentioned this yesterday - the Bush quit playing golf to support the troops story - and Olbermann ran with it last night:



Wow. He's pissed.

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Really? He Said 'Tar Baby'?

It sucks to be Representative Tom Davis (R-Va) and his press-relations people today:

Hispanic voters are a swing group in this election and future elections. John McCain, being from a border state, may be out of sync with many Republicans but he has standing among Hispanics. Barrack Obama has not made the sale to Hispanic voters. Thus, this issue is a tar baby for anyone who touches it, with land mines everywhere.

Whether or not you believe this is a racially charged statement - the media is going to have a FIELD DAY with it. To mention Barack Obama and 'tar baby' in the same breath? Yikes.

Oh, and he also misspelled Barack Obama's first name. Insult, meet Injury.

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The First Edwards Delegate Goes To Obama

The first of John Edwards' 18 pledged delegates has made his choice - and his choice is Barack Obama.

Joshua Denton of Portsmouth, 26, an Iraq war veteran, says he thinks that both Obama and Hillary Clinton would be a better president than Republican nominee John McCain. He thinks that Obama is the change the country needs, along with having the best chance of beating McCain in the general election.

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Barack Obama Is No Better Than Nazis Appeasers

You've GOT to be kidding me.

George W. Bush actually thinks that, by talking with Iran and other enemy states, Barack Obama is no different than those who would have appeased the Nazis.

"Some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along," said Bush, in what White House aides privately acknowledged was a reference to calls by Obama and other Democrats for the U.S. president to sit down for talks with leaders like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"We have heard this foolish delusion before," Bush said in remarks to the Israeli Knesset. "As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American Senator declared: 'Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is -- the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history."

Unbelievable. I truly am speechless - which is a rarity.

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That John Edwards Endorsement

Yeah. In case you missed it, former Democratic presidential contender John Edwards endorsed Barack Obama yesterday. I was busy with all of the re-formatting goodness that you see around you, and didn't get the chance to post on this.

While some people are predicting that Edwards' decision to climb down off of the fence in Barack Obama's yard is 'too little, too late', I believe that there are some harsh truths for the Clinton campaign to face as a result of the endorsement.


1:: Those 'hard-working Americans. White Americans.' John Edwards had that sub-group's support when he was still in the nomination race. I believe that many blue-collar workers/voters will look at Edwards' endorsement and at the very least give Obama a second look.

2:: The West Virginia factor. Edwards' endorsement was all over the networks all afternoon and evening yesterday. It was almost as if the West Virginia Democratic primary never happened. In a few short hours, any momentum that Hillary had gotten from the Mountaineer State was gone. Blown away by the news that Edwards would be endorsing Barack Obama. The Obama campaign, whether intentionally or not, timed the endorsement just right because that is what everyone is talking about today. Not Clinton. It's also worth noting that John Edwards has 18 pledged delegates. If all 18 of those delegates swing their support to Obama, then Hillary's gains in West Virginia will be completely erased.

Does this mean that the race is over? No. The race will be over when Hillary decides to step-down. My guess is that will be on Tuesday night, after she narrowly wins Kentucky - and gets blown-out in Oregon. She will be able to 'go out on a win', gracefully.

Then, the Democratic party will coalesce around Barack Obama - their nominee.

... at least, that's what they're hoping for ...

------
Photo: Adam Bird/AP

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Conservative Frustration

Via my conservative, uber-McCain supporter friend at B-Diddy's Digs & Dialogue:

I'm sorry...I just don't get it. A guy who has been in the Senate for 24 years...in the military for many years before that...he has over an 80% conservative rating...and because of Limbaugh and Hannity there are many conservatives who won't rally around him. When Obama becomes President...I have a big THANK YOU to Sean Hannity.

Apparently Sean thinks Romney has a better show of drawing independents into the mix than McCain to beat Obama. I thought he was smarter than that. Limbaugh and his Operation Chaos (while I love the theory) just blew up in his face and I wish there weren't so many "kool aid drinkers" out there who follow these guys blindly.

Indeed. Get used to it my friend.

The right-wing-radio hacks are going to continue to pick apart Senator McCain.

I'm not saying that they are going to lift Obama up on a pedestal - quite the contrary I'm sure. I'm just saying that the likes of Rush, Hannity, Coulter, et al, are going to make ba-zillions of dollars by bashing everyone.

...and people will continue to drink their bitter Kool-Aid.

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Re-Birth Of The Not-So-Cool

Happy Blogiversary! Weeeee!

Yes folks, it's that time of year again, when those April showers have now transformed into May flowers (and apparently weeds). The time of year when I can take my kids outside to play and at the end of the day not feel like I've been a prisoner in my own house.

It's has also been one year to-the-day since my first blog post as [the Pajama Pundit]. Wow.


A lot has indeed changed with the passing of these last 12 months - both here on my blog, and in the world outside of the blogosphere. (yes, there is life outside of my online political punditry)

For instance: on May 15, 2007, if you would have told me that John McCain would be the (presumptive) nominee for the Republican party's bid for the presidency, I would have said, "What the f**k are you smoking? Crack?!" But alas, you would have been correct.

Along the same lines, if you would have told me that a black dude named Barack Obama who is a freshman United States Senator was going to be the nominee for the Democratic party's bid for the White House - AND he beat the Clinton machine to do it - AND I would step out of my Independent stance and endorse the guy because he is just that inspiring...

... well, I probably would have slapped you in the face. Or something.

Just a couple of months ago, I purchased the http://thepajamapundit.com/ and have since seen a fairly large increase in the number of visitors to this den of political thought. Yesterday I clocked just over 500 visitors alone. Nice.

Well, it is indeed past my bedtime - but I thought that I'd wish you all a collective happy blogiversary now that I've worked most of the bugs out of the new format. I'll be re-applying my banner and logo, as well as some other tid-bits in the coming days. An extra-special thank-you goes out to the regulars who read every day. I know you are out there, i really appreciate the fact that you are reading.

For now, have a look around - and keep coming back!

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All Apologies

My apologies if you are experiencing technical difficulties.

I'm working out some bugs...

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Colbert Vs. O'Reilly

Yesterday, I posted a clip of Bill O'Reilly losing it.

Last night, Stephen Colbert made fun of the aforementioned clip:



Awesome.

[sorry B-Diddy]

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West Virginians Are (Not) Racist

Interesting commentary:

West Virginians aren’t irredeemably racist as some commentators portray them, they just don’t like any politician who is not a white male, and despite her lopsided 41-point victory there yesterday Clinton is no Mountain Mama, merely their version of sloppy seconds.

Graphic.

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Meltdown By A Clinton Surrogate

Some genuinely entertaining video.

Terry McAuliffe: I'll argue with anybody:



Geez dude. Let it go.

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November Rain

Things are not looking good for the Republicans this fall.

If you thought that the thumping during the mid-term elections in 2006 was bad, I think that we're going to see a tsunami of GOP rejection this November.

I mean come on! Bush won this district 62 to 38 in 2004. It was in Republican hands since 1995. And yet, a Democrat won the seat.

There is a storm a-comin'... [sorry B-Diddy]

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No Golf For George

Politico's Mike Allen interviews President Bush.

Here's the sad part. While the president said things like the Democrats will 'embolden' the terrorists, leaving Iraq would cause another attack on the United States, our country is dependent on foreign oil and "we got a housing crisis", there is another aspect of this interview which intrigued me.

President Bush no longer plays golf.

That's right kids. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (and the war in Iran, coming soon to a military near you) are this presidents version of Lent. Mr. Bush has given up golf for this extended version of 40 days and nights.

FORE:

For the first time, Bush revealed a personal way in which he has tried to acknowledge the sacrifice of soldiers and their families.

“I don't want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the commander in chief playing golf,” he said. “I feel I owe it to the families to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal.”

Bush said he made that decision after the August 2003 bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, which killed Sergio Vieira de Mello, the top U.N. official in Iraq and the organization’s high commissioner for human rights.

“I remember when de Mello, who was at the U.N., got killed in Baghdad as a result of these murderers taking this good man's life,” he said. “I was playing golf — I think I was in central Texas — and they pulled me off the golf course and I said, ‘It's just not worth it anymore to do.’"

He gave up playing golf. I can't help but think that he (and the ENTIRE COUNTRY) could be doing a little bit more in support of our military men and women. More than giving up golf anyway.

For instance, after September 11th, 2001, the president could have SHOULD have told the country that we are now at war with an enemy the likes of which we have never faced. Everyone will be asked to make sacrifices. Gasoline consumption. Energy consumption. Enlistment in the military. Support of the military in any way possible. The list goes on and on...

But instead, the president told us to 'go live your lives'. We weren't asked to sacrifice much, if anything.

And he gave up golf.

Oh well. I guess it's better than seeing this clip 24/7:

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The Real Deal

Amazing impression.
Motions = 10.0
Body language = 9.8
Vocal inflection = 9.9
Fabrication of populist persona = 10.0
Overall = 9.925

Head nod: Sullivan

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Dead Candidate Walking

It's a metaphor, of course.

Dana Milbank's column today is quite telling. An ex-candidate (Hillary Clinton) who hasn't quite realized yet that she's an EX-candidate. The Meat:

Exhibit A: There are two press buses waiting at the hotel here for Clinton's trip to her victory rally in West Virginia, but the entire press contingent doesn't quite fill one. It isn't until the entourage arrives at Dulles Airport that Clinton aides learn that the second bus is still idling, empty, at the hotel.

Warm up the bus. Warm up the bus.

Plus, there are some great Monty Python references peppered in throughout the piece.

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My View: West Virginia

There is a lot of chatter this morning on the talk shows and on-line about whether or not West Viriginia's Democratic primary 'matters'.

As someone who supports Barack Obama, I'd love to say, 'hey, it's a bunch of red-neck racists who support Clinton and her win there did almost nothing to Obama's delegate and popular vote lead.'

While some of that may be true (I'll leave it to you to decide what parts are and are not true), I think that there is more to the story than rednecks in Appalachia.

West Virginia matters. For starters, over half of respondents in the exit polling said that they believe that Barack Obama shares the views of his former (nut-job) pastor Jeremiah Wright. What does this mean? Simple answer: Obama should have spent more time in West Virginia. If he had taken the time to allow the voters to 'get to know' him, those polling numbers would not be so highly negative.

Also, I think that it's notable that a majority of respondents in exit polling also think that the so-called 'gas-tax-holiday' is a great idea.

I guess that my biggest criticism is not with West Virginians (although I must admit that I find it peculiar that in a state that is comprised of 95% white voters that the white candidate won overwhelmingly - but I suppose that could be a coincidence), rather I think that it was a fatal mistake for Obama to simply write-off the Mountain State.

Traditionally, West Virginia has voted Democratic in national elections. However, in 2000 and 2004, voters in West Virginia lined up behind George W. Bush in very large numbers. Barack Obama will have a very difficult battle to win West Virginia in the fall - and should be starting that campaign for the state's voters now.

That's my view.

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Clinton Wins West Virginia

Blech.

Although, I can take solace in the fact that Obama has garnered endorsements from 27 SuperDelegates in the past week alone. This cancels out the 19 (approximately) pledged delegates that Hillary wins today in West Virginia.

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The rEVOLution Continues...

McCain's candidacy has been - and will continue to be - dogged by a lack-of-support from the Paulites.

Now I understand that an actual revolution is planned to take place at the Republican convention late this summer:

[I]n the meantime, quietly, largely under the radar of most people, the forces of Rep. Ron Paul have been organizing across the country to stage an embarrassing public revolt against Sen. John McCain when Republicans gather for their national convention in Minnesota at the beginning of September.

Watch out Senator McCain. Watch out.

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Hagee The Horrible

The Catholic hatin' megachurch pastor has apologized. Kind of.

John Hagee, pastor of San Antonio's Cornerstone Church, will send a letter to Catholic League President William Donahue expressing "deep regret for any comments that Catholics have found hurtful."

Yeah, it's always a good apology when you 'regret' saying words that somone 'found hurtful'.

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SNL Hits Hillary Clinton

You've probably already seen this clip - but I wanted to share since I was out yesterday.

So much for Saturday Night Live being 'in the tank' for Hillary:



I strongly dislike Senator Clinton and even I think that was pretty harsh.

Nice.

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Carville For Obama?

Wow. The Ragin' Cajun himself is beginning to see the writing on the wall:

I'm for Senator Clinton, but I think the great likelihood is that Obama will be the nominee.

As soon as I determine when that is, I'll send him a check.

And perhaps issue an apology to Bill Richardson? Probably not.

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Kennedy? Really?

You must forgive me Senator Clinton, but you are not John F. Kennedy.

And, in my opinion, you should not be comparing yourself to him.

Blech.

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Off-The-Tracks

- M. Wuerker, Wuerking Drawings

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The Conservative Argument For Obama

In sum:

When my conservative friends ask me how I came to like Obama, despite his liberal policies, I really only have one response. On spending, war, debt, torture, executive power, federalism, individual liberty and the size of government: how much worse could it get? Would any far left liberal have done the damage that the Bush Republicans have? And with so little conservative resistance?

It could not, would not, and CAN NOT get any worse. In my humble opinion, Dennis Kucinich or Mike Gravel could take our country in a better direction.

Okay, not Mike Gravel - but you know what I mean.

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Another SuperD For Obama

Drip, drip, drip.

Add another.

UPDATE :::

...and another.

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Racism On The Campaign Trail

Question: Why haven't we heard more about incidents like this?

I'm just asking.

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Bill-O Comes Undone

It's making the rounds on the Internets and I have to admit that I smile every time I see it:

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The Deathwatch

I'm not sure if you watch the Deathwatch like I do, but things are really not looking good for Hillary.

We've believed for some time that the day Obama overtakes Clinton in the pledged delegate count is the day Clinton throws in the towel. But Friday was that day, and the towel is still there, mopping up the Clinton campaign's blood, sweat, and tears by the bucketful. According to the Associated Press' count, Obama now has 277 supers to Clinton's 271. It was the last metric in which Clinton was leading, and Obama's momentum isn't slowing any: Over the weekend, he got seven supers to Clinton's one.

One-point-six percent chance of winning the nomination. Yowza.

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Happy Mother's Day!

A belated Mother's Day wish for all of the beautiful moms out there.

I have been away from the blog and the world in general over the last four days - and I couldn't be happier about it. While I do love the thing that I do here, it's always nice to get away, spend time with family and take stock in what things are truly important to you. I had a great weekend.

First, I must say that the weather could have been better. It was rainy and dreary all weekend long. Despite that downer, we still had a good time. I spent a lot of hours with my family, just hanging out at my parent's house. On Saturday afternoon, my son, my brother, my dad and myself spent some time outside raking my parents' lawn. Because there are so many shade trees on their property, they have had a buildup of moss growing where there should be grass. Good stuff.

On Sunday, the Pajama Wife, kids and myself headed to the Pajama In-Laws' for a day of visiting. I would up helping my father-in-law build a workshed in his backyard. In the process, I re-discovered something about myself; I am completely out-of-shape. I need to do something about that...

Oh, and I should also mention that on Saturday night, my brother and I went to see Ironman. It. Was. Awesome. If you haven't seen it yet (and there are probably very few people who fit into that category), I highly recommend that you do. Excellent movie all-around.

So, I'm back. For those of you who haven't been reading the Pajama Pundit from the beginning, this week marks the one-year-anniversary of this blog.

Back to politics...

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Saturday Morning Cartoon

... and knowing is half the battle.

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SuperDelegates Galore

Per FirstRead:

* Since the Indiana and North Carolina primaries on Tuesday, it's a net of Obama 13-1 in superdelegates.

* Obama has picked up 99 since Super Tuesday to Clinton's 13.5.

Those are great numbers - but not for Hillary Clinton. However, I must say that I still think that it's really a sad state of affairs that the Democratic party puts so much stock in the idea of 'super' people in their party. What's wrong with just counting the votes and picking a nominee a la the GOP? (see: McGovern)

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Off The Cheney

This can't be good if you are a candidate for ANY office.

My guess is that with a 15% approval rating, Dick Cheney stumping for you is akin to walking up to a potential voter and punching them in the face.

They probably won't vote for you either way.

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McCain Vs. Obama

It has begun.

By now, you have likely heard of the back-and-forth between the McCain campaign and the Obama campaign. The first shot was fired by John McCain himself who said, "[I]t's very clear who Hamas wants to be our next President of the United State."

McCain goes on to say:I think that people should understand that I will be Hamas's worst nightmare....If senator Obama is favored by Hamas I think people can make judgments accordingly.Rrright. So, Senator McCain - didn't you pledge last month that you were going to run a "respectful campaign"? Yeah. You did.

So anyway...

Of course the Obama campaign hit back. Barack Obama, in a interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer (the most German name in cable news), said:

I’ve said it’s a terrorist organization and we should not negotiate with them unless they recognize Israel, renounce violence, and unless they are willing to abide by previous accords between the Palestinians and the Israelis. So for him to toss out comments like that I think is an example of him losing his bearings as he pursues this nomination.

And while it may seem ludicrous, the McCain campaign fired back saying that Obama was attacking Senator McCain and playing the "age card":

[L]et us be clear about the nature of Senator Obama's attack today: He used the words 'losing his bearings' intentionally, a not particularly clever way of raising John McCain's age as an issue. This is typical of the Obama style of campaigning.

The "AGE CARD"? Are you kidding?

Folks, listen up. 'Losing one's bearings' has absolutely nothing to do with age. It's a term that typically applies to somebody who is using a compass. To 'lose your bearings' means that you have become confused and disoriented for some reason. That is precisely what Obama was saying. Age does not play into that statement at all.

SO, naturally, Obama's spokeperson Bill Burton sent a statement out in response:

Clearly losing one's bearings has no relation to age, given this bizarre rant that Mark Salter just sent out. It's clear why a candidate offering a third term of George Bush's disastrous economic policies and failed strategy in Iraq would want to distract and attack, but it's not the kind of campaign John McCain has promised the American people that he would run.

Indeed.

I have to say friends that I'm worried. In my great many discussions with fellow politico and uber-McCain supporter B-Diddy, we have both found solace in predicting that a campaign between Barack Obama and John McCain would be a civil one. A campaign that sticks to the issues.

This exchange between the two presumptive nominees has give me pause. I'm starting to wonder if civility in politics is even a possibility...

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