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Iowa, A Pimple on the Gnat’s Ass

By Larry Johnson on January 3, 2008 at 9:41 PM in Current Affairs

I’m glad the folks in Iowa caucus and have a very hands on approach to picking delegates. But last time I checked it is not a winner take all state. Obama, Edwards, and Clinton come out of Iowa with Clinton, by virtue of the super delegate votes, holding the lead. But Iowa, in terms of the delegate votes at the National Conventions, for both Republicans and Dems, means diddly.

But you would not know that if you happened to listen to the ravings of Chris Matthews. Jesus Christ!! The guy is doing everything but foaming at the mouth and having a full blown gran mal seizure. Bet you didn’t know that what happened tonight in Iowa is the equivalent of the shots fired at Lexington and Concord to torch off America’s War of Independence? Yep. It is so because Matthews said so. Of course, people died back in April of 1775. As far as I know Obama, Edwards, and Hillary are all still alive–literally and politically.

If the mood strikes you, send a little note to NBC noting that to call Chris Matthews a pig’s ass would be an insult to every pig in Iowa with an ugly, hairy, mud-stained ass.

Cee

I enjoyed the look on his face when he mentioned that Huckabee won.

I’m watching C-SPAN now. Worth listening to what caucus members are saying live.

Also, slash and burn tactics against fellow Democrats DON’T WORK.
TeakWoodKite

There is nothing that “pimple” said that was not for emo ratings. I saw him go to break a few days ago with the look of disgust at the copy he was reading…The look was one of,”How can I read this crap and drink coolaid at the same time?”
TeakWoodKite

Chris Matthews: “Here is Hillary giving her consession speech.” I ask anyone who will listen. How is it a guy with his backround not know the party is just getting started.
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/ Leslie

I have a simple solution regarding Chris Matthews: change the channel!

I’ve never been able to listen to that guy, although sometimes he can be comedic. For example: “Can you smell the Aqua Velva?” LOL. Seriously, Matthews has a thing for manly men and a neverending interest in the Clenis. LOL.

The primaries aren’t over yet. The top three Dems could drag this out until Super Tuesday, with no one a clear winner. That might be ideal?

Shirin

Needless to say, I have avoided Chris Matthews like the plague ever since that first encounter. Whenever he comes on I do change the channel or turn off the TV/radio/whatever.

That’s also what I do whenever Bush, Thomas Friedman, or any of a number of other odious morons appear.

TeakwoodKite

Bush is so much fun to watch Shirin, best “rubbernecking” on TV! Looking at the faces of the Press core when he speaks is a comics dream.

Shirin

Well, I have to admit that one of my favourite videos is the one of him – just him – that shows his reaction to Steven Colbert’s speech at the WH Correspondents’ dinner three years or so ago. Other than that, though, I cannot bear to look at him, and can bear even less to listen to him.

But I gotta tell you a funny (well, I think it’s funny) about Thomas Friedman. One day when I was home sick, and kinda drugged up with some medicine or other I fell asleep in front of the TV, and I dreamed I was in some kind of school or government building, and I heard some guy saying the stupidest most moronic stuff about the Middle East, then I noticed this guy standing with a crowd around him and they were listening intently. I was thinking, my god, those people ar actually listening to this jackass carrying on when he clearly has no clue what he is blabbering about. So, I went over and started to challenge everything he said. When I slowly started to wake up, I had been debating Thomas Friedman in my sleep. So, when I say that guy is so idiotic and clueless that I can debate him in my sleep, I am not joking!

TeakWoodKite

Good thing you woke up. Sometimes you get stuck in Dreamland and can’t get out.

Shirin

Eternally debating with Thomas Friedman – that would have been nightmareland!

I’m trying to remember what TV show he was on while I was debating him in my sleep, and Oprah keeps coming to mind. I don’t even watch Oprah when I am home sick, though. On the other hand, it probably started while I was asleep. Interesting that even in my drugged state Friedman’s nonsense managed to bore its way into my consciousness enough to cause that dream!

chris

well I can say the comments recently about Clinton and Obama on this blog have shown me how much I respect Larry, because I really like Obama. I am led to dislike Clinton, until….I read the comments here and am snapped back to my senses about experience.

I admit I’m in a quandry because I don’t like being locked out of a process simply because of a perceived merit system. There are some very accomplished asshole idiots in this world and some genius neverheardofs. I hope the elite politicos in the Democratic party can understand how smug their caste seems to the average caste of my peoples, and realize that is why some states seem purple.

I respect critical thinking over impulse because impulse led me to vote for GHBW, aka 41. I thought he looked more statesman than Dukakis. I was 18. First vote. It worked. I had already been involved in protesting against Apartheid by then and yet still thought Bush had more ganas to stand up in the big political world than the guy who strapped on a helmet and drove a tank around like a dope.

And now we have some idea of where the shake down is…but I DON’T CARE YET.
I want one thing this year, just one…well, maybe 3.

Incarceration of Richard Cheney
This cannot end in a whimper in Congress. Wexler and crew might have some traction in the Judiciary Committee, and we should make sure all members of that cmte support hearing about impeachment and get this moving.

the other…could be to incarcerate Bush and Rumsfeld for the appropriate outcome.

I don’t want to see this criminal administration capitalize on Election Mania. QUICK FORGET.

What’s Paris Hilton Doing? What’s Britney’s latest debacle? What am I not hearing about by Gonzales? Where is that trial?

Happy New Year Folks, we have 365 days to get this done.

TeakWoodKite

It’s funny you should ask. Not two asprins later and a call her in the morning, she is being hauled away in an ambulence from her house and losses all access to her children. That’s one of the four…if I had my choice I was hoping for Gonzales….

graywolf

“Iowa, A Pimple on the Gnat’s Ass”

If your girl had won, would you use this healine?

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/ Leslie

No, Graywolf,
Iowa is a pimple on a gnat’s ass because little Iowa is hardly representative of the entire USA. But Iowa may end up selecting the GOP and Dem nominees before anyone else gets a chance to vote. That’s why they’re a pimple on a gnat’s ass.

And just so you don’t accuse me of being a Hillary supporter, if the NYC primary were held today, I’d probably have voted for Edwards. By the way, New Hampshire is also a pimple on a gnat’s ass. [Nothing personal Iowa and New Hampshire!]
http://NoQuarterUSA.net Larry Johnson

yes, it means nothing. Just ask John Dean and Tom Harkin.

http://cujo359.blogspot.com Cujo359

At the risk of being contrarian, I really don’t mind that Iowa and New Hampshire are up first. The one-to-one politics that go on there are actually a nice counterpoint to the big TV market state primaries that come later. What I mind is that after those two, we have three more primaries in January, and then Super-Mega-Frickin’ Tuesday when half the states vote. After that, the rest of us are usually stuck with whoever they pick.

The parties seem to have done this so that the establishment candidates are more likely to get nominated. So far, that’s worked like a charm for the Democrats. Great system.

Iowa and New Hampshire should be nice previews before a long primary season gets started, not the dress rehearsal for the big event that at least half of us don’t get to participate in.
http://www.everythingswank.com Andrew

C’mon Larry. I cannot let this one pass. Call Howard Dean.

Iowa may be a pimple on a Gnat’s ass, but it still knocked him off his block.

chris

“your girl”
I know there is some solid support for Clinton on this blog and it has me thinkin, but this is calls into question Larry and other’s political integrity. Accuses them basically of sour grapes… que no?

Give me something better than that if you’re gonna write, don’t rob me of your creativity, if there is some.

Yeah, Iowa not a perfect model, lets see this play out. I love hearing Brutt Slackjaw Hume go on last night about “growing numbers of unregistered voters signing up to be Republican”….
wow

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/ Leslie

Just turned on MSNBC’s Iowa Caucus…oh geez…
Matthews: “How can Hillary Clinton be the agent for change, blah, blah…regarding Iraq, blah, blah….

Hey Matthews, Obama keeps voting to fund the Iraq war [as do all the other candidates], he skips votes on the Iraq war [as do all the other candidates], as far as I’m concerned the only significant difference between Obama and Clinton on Iraq is that Obama isn’t a Clinton. Both of them would maintain a US presence in Iraq and both have given Bush everything he wants again and again. It was refreshing to hear Edwards belatedly say he’d call for a full withdrawal. That may have contributed to Edwards’s pulling ahead of Clinton. [Plus, I like Edwards's campaign for the little guy, which is sincere and so overdue.]

Frankly, however, I don’t see that much difference between the Dems…I just want one of them to win against the likes of Huckabee, Romney or McCain. Because the GOP is a lot worse on all of the issues and they’ll continue the Bush legacy, or lack of.

Shirin

Leslie, you are are so right that there is not a significant difference between Obama and Clinton on Iraq. In fact, I don’t see a whole lot of difference between then on Middle East/South Asian policy, except for Obama’s absolutely embarrassingly ludicrous, ignorant (and very Bush-like) take on “why they hate us” and his plan for changing that.

But you know, Edwards has really not changed his position on Iraq significantly. Unlike Hillary and Obama, who clearly plan to keep those permanent bases well populated for the foreseeable future*, Edwards has said he will withdraw all but a token force of a few thousand within ten months. That is not nearly good enough for me, but he is the only one of the three viable candidates who does not plan to keep tens of thousands of troops – including combat troops, despite their claims that they will withdraw combat units – indefinitely. That is why I said a few days ago that if someone held a gun to my head and forced me to vote for one of the three, I could force myself to vote for Edwards in order to save my life.

*Obama has pledged that he will not build permanent bases, which means he is either abysmally ignorant of what has been going on in Iraq, or else he is engaging in some shamefully deceptive verbal sleight of hand. Of COURSE he would not build permanent bases. He doesn’t have to because they are already there. And since they are already there, what the hell? Can’t let ‘em go to waste, can he?!

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/ Leslie

The Left Coaster had a great post up today, cutting Obama’s centrist strategy to the quick. Here’s an excerpt:

According to Sen. Obama, the biggest problem in Washington is that Democrats have shown themselves to be so unwilling to work with the Republicans and opposing interest groups that they, um, have happily passed Bill after Bill after Bill that the Republicans and those interest groups wanted them to pass from 2001-2006 and have allowed the Republican minority to block Bill after Bill after Bill (without even a real filibuster) even after the Democrats took over Congress….

If Sen. Obama’s supporters want to argue that he is more progressive than any Republican running for President – I agree wholeheartedly. Will he be a better President than any of the Republicans? Absolutely. What I have a problem with is that he is systematically undermining the foundations and icons of the progressive movement using Republican talking points – just like his mentor Joe Lieberman. There will be a high cost to pay if he continues down this trajectory and it’ll be too late to change this trajectory once he is in office.

Because, Chris Matthews, it’s really tough to be a voice for change when you’re using GOP talking points for crikey’s sake!

http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

This is why I am so turned off by Obama. I’m not at all interested in any more squeamish, mewling Democrats pledging to “work with Republicans.”

The Republicans have been screwing us for the last seven years and the constitution is tattered and lying in the sewer.

No thanks Obama. You aren’t the agent of change at all. You’re the agent of more-of-the-same, and we don’t need any more of that.

The Washington State Caucus doesn’t happen until Feb. 9 when, as Cujo points out, the die may already have been cast. But I will still show up to vote for Edwards because I’m not voting for a rock star. I’m voting for a president.

oldtree

Did you notice him degrading Keith by the goalpost and scoreboard comment? That twit really thinks he is a gift. Perhaps he ended his tenure by showing himself for the feeble drooler he is.
http://cujo359.blogspot.com Cujo359

So, Larry, don’t hold back.

Matthews is a moron. If he were the only one, then changing the channels would be a solution. Unfortunately, there are so many others like him. Novak, Carlson, McLaughlin, Beck, the list just goes on and on.

I’d suggest that if you’re getting cable mostly for news, just drop it and get a better Internet connection. The overall quality of your news consumption will go up considerably.

http://NoQuarterUSA.net Larry Johnson

I get it for Law and Order and the NFL Channel. OK, the military channel and HBO also.

Shirin

I have satellite. That way I can get Arabic news channels, which, though they are yielding more and more to American pressure, still provide a fuller picture than any of the American channels for news.

Or Democracy Now on FSTV or Link TV – real actual in-depth reporting, no sound bites, no government spin.

But TV is mostly for mindless entertainment in my house. Sometimes you just need relief from reality, and Ugly Betty or Desperate Housewives is a welcome diversion.

http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

Ah, another DISH subscriber, I see. I love DISH for Free Speech TV and LINK — as well as UCTV (Univ of Calif), etc. Those channels in the 9000s.

‘sides DirectTV, the other satellite choice, is owned by Rupert Murdoch. But I have progressive friends who buy it anyway because it has more sports. Ugh.

Diversions are okay. My favs are Amazing Race (damn, the Goths are out of the race) and such fare. But I am really missing the fine dramas of the summer, like AMC’s “Mad Men,” FX’s “Damages,” and USA’s quirky, fun “Burn Notice.” (The critics loved all three, especially Mad Men and Burn Notice.) The network dramas pale in comparison, and I can’t watch most of them.

SHIRIN: Every time I call DISH for something, I ask them to add Al Jazeera English. I envy your getting the Arabic news channels. Another wish list item for DISH: Get a package of UK and Canadian programming. That’d be worth the price of an extra dish.

Shirin

Speaking of Al Jazeera English, I know a few Americans who got so fed up with the American MSM coverage on Iraq that they subscribed to Al Jazeera. They said even though they couldn’t understand what people were saying, they could see that the coverage was a lot fuller and more balanced than what they were seeing on US TV.

PS When it comes to diversion, I DO enjoy Dancing With The Stars, although I JUST HATE how they make it all phonily dramatic at the end. It’s really annoying! Just announce it and have done with it.

TeakwoodKite

I am “forced” to watch it. Just announce it and have done with it. Ditto…LOL
Centrocitta

I get al-Jazeera English, al-Jazeera Arabic and all the other Arabic news channels as well. These channels come with basic SKY Satellite proramming. This means our allies, the Brits, get the same news from the same sources. Might this have something to do with the respect British forces have always maintained in places like Basra? Perhaps the Brits better understand the issues because they receive truthful news reports out of Iraq.

http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

No mention of the Animal Planet…

_^..^_

Cee

Flower died on Meerkat Manor!
http://noquarterusa.net/ SusanUnPC

Ahhhhhh. Animal Planet is cool. My veterinarian plays it in her office. (And I wish the local doctors were half as smart as my cats’ veterinarian.)

I cut back on my package to save $, and am missing National Geographic — love “The Dog Whisperer.”

Cee

I bought his book and gave it to my vet.
http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

I’m still annoyed they took “Zig Zag” (the dog game show!) off their schedule. Used to love it — watched it on my lunch break from painting. (So glad all my clients have cable). But then “Emergency Vets” came on and that was too too sad to watch.

hope4usa

I would have taken you for a History or Discovery channel buff.

Shirin

I may have told this story here, so skip it if you have heard it before and don’t want to hear it again.

My introduction to Chris Matthews came when he was interviewed for an hour on a local ABC affiliate, which happens to be one of the biggest – and in my view one of the best – talk stations in the country. They were talking about the impending attack on Afghanistan, and he was going on and on about how those lousy Afghan women and children were going to ruin everything by running out of their tents when the U.S. bombed them, waving their blood-stained hands and their dead babies at the TV cameras and creating a P.R. nightmare for the United States. I absolutely could not believe my ears, and what shocked me even more was that the host, who I had always thought was a pretty reasonable, intelligent guy, didn’t indicate the slightest discomfort with this inhuman, ignorant (Afghans do not live in tents), unspeakably racist outrage.

From that day on I have carefully avoided anything to do with Chris Matthews, even when he has voiced his opposition to Bush’s Iraq debacle. As far as I am concerned even when he is right, there has to be something wrong with it.

http://www.food4humanity.org HoosierHoops

Shirin: Chris is nothing more than a blowhard that will say anything to gain listeners..
I could care less about anything he says..
Kathleen

Give me the link so that I can watch and listen Matthews stating trash like that. Matthews often pisses me off, but so what his job is not to please me his job is to shed the light on issues with accurate information. Does he always do this. Hell no! I also find him a slobbering idiot(when he oogles over some of the women on his program) being led by his dick hiding behind his Catholic religion (I was raised Catholic so I recognize the signs) at times.

But I do know he came to his senses after he realized he was duped by the Bush administration in the run up to the invasion of Iraq. He has consistently asked hard questions of the “cakewalk in Iraq” zealots over the last four years. I believe to the point that the Bill Kristols and David Frums will not even come on his program. He has had Amy Goodman (wish he would have her on more) on as a pundit and Rachel Maddow.

Matthews was the very first corporate owned MSMer to shed some light on soldiers returning from Iraq and reported from Walter Reed. He was visibly moved by the loyalty that these soldiers feel and pissed that their loyalty to their country had been betrayed and manipulated by the Bush administration.

I question what you have said about Matthews saying such gruesome, slanderous words about the Afghani people. Proof please

Shirin

Kathleen, I heard it with my own ears. It was in 2001 shortly before Bush attacked Afghanistan. I had never heard of Chris Matthews before then and liked the host who was interviewing him (I have never felt the same since about that host).

Not everything is online, Kathleen. This was on KGO radio, the Ron Owens show. There is no link. They only recently started archiving programs online, and I believe they only keep them for a week or so. The only way you could hear it for yourself is to contact the radio station and hope they would find it, dig it out of the archives, and make it available to you.

Personally, I don’t give a damn whether you or anyone else believes me. I heard it, and I know what I know. I was shocked, horrified, and disgusted that it would occur to ANYONE to say or even think such a hideous thing, and I was even more shocked and disappointed that Ron Owens seemed to think that was perfectly OK. And it matters not one iota how moved Matthews was by American soldiers’ misplaced loyalty if all he cares about when it comes to the victims of those soldiers is that they should stay out of sight in their tents and die quietly so as not to give bad P.R. to the ones who killed them and their babies so brutally.

TeakWoodKite

Bye Chris Dodd and Joe Biden.
jharp

Mt first choice is Edwards. Though I think Clinton or Obama would be OK.

Looking at the electoral votes from 2004 I wonder which candidate is the most likely to win Ohio or Florida and become President.

I see Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada as somewhat likely wins but the badly needed Ohio and Florida scare the hell out of me.
Fred C. Dobbs

Matthews has spent so much time in the rarefied air of the nation’s capital that to remove him to, say Kansas City for a month would cause him to deflate to a much smaller size.

Or, as Barry Golwater is reported to have said about some Bible-thumper: “Give this guy an enema and you could bury him in a matchbox.”
Centrocitta

Most people with relatively good eyesight can see that Bill Clinton has aged faster than any other baby-boomer alive, plus he’s already had major heart surgery. This means Bill would not likely finish his, er his wife’s term anyway, so who needs them? On her own merits, I wouldn’t expect Hillary to win any additional primaries. Obviously, she doesn’t realize how unattractive she is when she makes expressions with that big, gaping mouth of hers or forces us to cover our ears due to her unlady-like laugh. She’s finished.

rjj

I really like her laugh. AND her wit.

Are you saying you refuse to vote for people you wouldn’t want to fuck?

Centrocitta

You’d probably fuck anything that walked — whether or not they were running for president.

TeakwoodKite

EWWWW…now..now…LOL

kenoshaMarge

Unladylike laugh? You have got to be kidding or else you are stuck in a time warp and are living in 1865. I don’t particularly like Hillary Clinton as a candidate for president but remarks like yours make me wonder if I shouldn’t vote for her in the primary simply to nullify votes of twits like you.

But after I take a couple of deep breaths I remember why I like John Edwards and the feeling passes except for the bad taste at the back of my throat from having been in contact, however slightly with a mind like yours. Ugh, Yuck and eeouu!

http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

Ditto that.

Sounds to me like you are hoping Bill Clinton is not well — which is just creepy.

Mitchman

Obama/Biden
Obama/Richardson
Obama/Dodd

All of them sound really good to me. :^)
Centrocitta

…..John Michael Granville, 33, who worked for the US Agency for International Development shot five times at close range…..Foley? Busy, busy Larry. Tsk. Tsk…..

Oh, no! Perhaps Mr. Granville approved a tourist visa for another aspiring accountant — specificially one that doesn’t understand the US Tax Code.
http://www.food4humanity.org HoosierHoops

The Corn And Pig Farmers have Spoken!!
All what? 277,000 of them?
I think Super Tuesday is more representative of America as a whole..To watch the news you’d think the race is over already.. The first play of last years Super Bowl Devon went for 7..Did we Colts fans curl up in the corner and cry that the game was lost?
No, We kicked the Bears ass..
The first horse out of the gate usually doesn’t win the race..
This is where the fight begins..
( The reason I can wax poetic about this is because i like all the Dem Canadates..One of them is going to kick some huckleberry/Romney/Guillani butt in Nov. )
Kathleen

Larry really like the image “Iowa a pimple on a Gnat’s ass.” I have been hammering on Msnbc’s Chris Matthews coverage of the campaign over the last year everywhere I can. (got on Diane Rehm once again several days ago bringing up Matthews lack of coverage and how he plays it). I am wondering if Matthews bosses have said leave Edwards out? We can’t buy him.

I have been pissed off by corporate media’s obvious efforts to ignore Edwards. I have wondered if Matthews bosses have told him to leave Edwards out? You know the we can’t buy him factor. We should be hearing all over the place that he is not taking PAC MONIES! Ok it is obvious that I support Edwards…would I have loved to be supporting a Hillary or Obama? Hell yes! Would I like to witness a woman or an African American take that seat. Hell Yes! When Hillary voted for the Kyl Lieberman amendment and then maniacally laughed at Gravel when he challenged her warmongering vote…she lost me once and for all. Obama happened to be out of town the day of the Kyl Lieberman vote. This confirmed once again that Obama is a fence sitter (watched too many Senate hearings where he sat on the fence while Biden, Dodd and others put up their dukes) with his “finger in the wind” (as you, Susan and others have pointed out)

I am surprised by the Iowa voters described as “kicking the tires and looking under the hood” voting for Obama. If they really look under the hood they will find out he is a fence sitter.

What the hell….why does the fact that Edwards is not taking PAC MONIES not all over the place?

Larry I am obviously not an expert on crafting a sentence. But I think you should drop the “and” in that first sentence.

Shirin

Kathleen, I am glad to see that someone else is bothered by that laugh, which she has unleashed on Obama at least once, as well as Gravel. That shows it wasn’t just a one-time slip, but apparently is a regular part of her repertoire. It’s a red flag. And yes! Maniacal is the adjective I have been searching for – thanks.

And no, Larry’s use of “and” in that first sentence is correct, but it looks wrong until you realize he was using the word caucus as a verb, not a noun.

Kathleen

Thanks. As I said I am obviously not even close to knowing how to set up a sentence correctly.

Shirin I often respect what you have to say. Could you provide me with proof that Matthews said such horrible things about the Afghani people. There are a lot of things that I do not like about Matthews, but I have never heard am say anything this gruesome. Have I heard him ignore the value of the lives in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and other places around the world by not even mentioning them as many Mainstreamers and most Americans are quilty of? Yes!
But I have never heard him go as low as you have stated.

Shirin

KGO radio, Ron Owens show, 2001 after 9/11. I think it was shortly before or perhaps shortly after the attack on Afghanistan began. I wrote a very strong letter to the station and to Ron Owens, and got zero response, of course.

TeakwoodKite

I heard it too, Kathleen.

kenoshaMarge

I’m with you all the way! Edwards has the message that I want to hear. Obama may be a “Rock Star” but we are voting for President of The United States not the Grammys. I love Keith Olbermann but last night I turned MSNBC off because I cannot, I will not watch Chris Matthews. I think you lose I.Q. points just for hearing the sound of his inane and irritating voice.

http://jdurward.blogspot.com Jamie

If you put lipstick on that pig’s ass it would still be a better political commentator than Matthews. His screeds and bias, not to mention the man crushes and disdain for anything female have become so blatant as to make any opinion totally useless. At least I can now totally ignore NBC and MSNBC except when KO is on.
Kathleen

No Quarter Usa’s SusanUnPc wrote one of the better pieces on the web about Obama.

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/12/12/obama-talks-the-talk-but-wheres-the-walk/
Franco

Larry I love you, but this is sour-grapes.
CLINTON LOST and lost big.
According to all the live bloggers, if the Obama turn-out was counted on just a vote turnout basis, Obama would have won by about 15 or 16%.
I know you are in the tank for Hillary, but Obama’s win is sugnificant. Now tweety’s behavior is another story, WHY does that surprise anyone!

Fred C. Dobbs

Hmmm…let’s see.

In 1968, Eugene McCarthy won 20 of 24 New Hampshire delegates to the Democratic convention.

Anybody here remember McCarthy?

Bueller? Bueller?

Iowa/NH/Nevada are starting points for the trend lines. Florida is usually Make or Break for Democrats (see: Jimmy Carter, 1976), South Carolina for Republicans.

Kathleen

Is there a question about the Judicial Watch’s link that I posted about their Ten Most Wanted list?
rjj

I think that laugh is tactical. Being laughed at triggers a limbic response >> howling beserker in a lot of guys. Mastering the reaction consumes a lot of resources and throws them off their game.

OTOH, it may arouse sympathy from other men who are equally vulnerable. Jay Leno featured a Hillary nutcracker on his show.

Shirin

If it IS tactical, it is a lousy tactic. It does not make her look good or clever or in control on any level. AND it tends to confirm the “Hillary as bitch” claims.

lester

I hope this teaches larry johnson a lesson not to use his influence to push a garbage warmonger candidate on people who trust him in order to advance his own career.

thank you democrats for picking obama instead of Hillary,who we all hate, or Jimmy Carter with an attitude Edwards.

double for you Joe Wilson, get on the right side of your party with Obama. or bettter yet join the LOVE revolution. You and your lovely wife won’t have to ferret out bizarre phony intel because there won’t be any wars!!

kenoshaMarge

You need serious help lester. Sour grapes? Is the election over? Did Obama win? Or was it just the Iowa Caucus?

Funny how when Reid and Pelosi want to reach across the aisle and try to work with the Republicans they get excoriated. (Not to mention that you can’t work with a Republican. You can capitulate or you can fight. No other options exist. And only John Edwards wants to fight.)

If Joe Wilson and Valerie Plame Wilson have chosen to support Senator Clinton who in the hell are you to tell them to do otherwise?

And finally are you seriously suggesting that if Obama is president there won’t be any wars? Like I said at the beginning, you need serious help lester.
Kathleen

Please show us where Obama has taken a “bold” stance on anything. Waiting for some examples some facts.

I can not vote for someone based on the word “hope” or “change”
http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

Maybe you are consumed with hate, but don’t lump the rest of us in with you.
TeakwoodKite

there won’t be any wars!!

Name me one time on this planet that man has not been at War.
http://OUTRAGEDBUTNOTSURPRISED bama_barrron

lester i certainly hope we dont have to listen to the likes of you throughout this election … might i suggest you try huffpo which is the offical on line obama site. dont hang around this blog … take you hate elsewhere.

Sally

Lester probably luvs Matthews. Nice guys.
alohaleezy

A little bit off topic but does anyone know exactly what Rove is up to these days? Did he go to work for Diebold?

I am all about Edwards and I still feel he has a slight chance if he continues to beat Hillary. What I have found disgusting is that the MSM keeps saying Hill has the “older women’s” vote. I am a boomer and am in no way shape or form in the Hillary camp. Sorry Larry. I usually agree with you on most things but she is just too much of an insider for me. Haven’t we had enough of the Clintons and The Bushs?

Kathleen

We need to encourage folks to send money to Edwards, and keep repeating that he is not taking PAC MONEY…Walking the talk

http://www.food4humanity.org HoosierHoops

Kath:
We need to encourage folks to send money to Edwards, and keep repeating that he is not taking PAC MONEY

I don’t understand..Why is there a problem with PAC money? sorry i don’t get it..please explain..
Regards,

Shirin

She is just too much of an interventionist and a hawk for me! And it’s clear that she has no intention of withdrawing from Iraq.
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/ Leslie

Aloha,
What’s Rove up to these days: Dirty Deeds.

Bill Keyes

I fail to understand why Chris Matthews is getting so much coverage on this thread. His opinion and very existence has absolutely no bearing on anything. Who gives a rats ass what he or any of the news commentators say. Its television ppl, its entertainment its about making money, ratings profits etc.

If you want facts try reading what’s left of the print media, which the FCC’s recent decision will now reduce to nothing except more paper to line bird cages with or go to the last bastion of free press and that is the Internet.

I think Obama’s victory in Iowa is really a victory for democracy, because it shows that no matter what the press, the pundits, the pollsters or anyone else
says, people will ultimately vote for whom ever they want. That is what democracy is all about. Democracy is not a flawed system, it is a messy system but it ultimately delivers what the majority of the people want.

I also believe that the ppl of Iowa spoke to the issue which I have said is the most important and that is who can best unify the Democratic party and win the WH in November. It is obviously NOT Hillary.

http://www.food4humanity.org HoosierHoops

Hi Bill:
fail to understand why Chris Matthews is getting so much coverage on this thread. His opinion and very existence has absolutely no bearing on anything
________________
It hasn’t been very good remarks if you ask me..
Hey NQ..Anybody here like Chris Matthews?
( sounds of silence )
Pin dropping in background..

Nope Bill..think we’re all good..

Mr.Murder

Turnout is always more for Dems. Republicans don’t count the caucus anyways, the party regulars cast their votes at later appearances.

Dems have more plural a model, but the GOP almsot always helps shape it by crossing people over in caucus.
The easiest way to do so is make a Dem with high negatives your second choice in a caucus you don’t expect your first choice to do well in.

Thus Guiliani’s four percent, etc. He knows that Hillary would beat him sensless because he couldn;t run against her Senate seat. So let’s see a low turnout and have your people work the way of shaping the opposition. Florida is a bigger state than NH or Iowa and he placed all his chips there.

Dems outnumbered the Republican’s all time turnout(from 1980) in 2004 by seven thousand votes.

Kerry lost the state by just over ten thousand votes.

If we take the numbers to account on overall turnout at the general election, the turnout would indicate that we could expect an additional quarter million voters in the state. It’s doubtful two thirds of the citizens vote this time but the projections would have to reflect the same high numbers.

Kerry won the 2004 caucus by almost the margin of error that two other candidates had(Edwards and Gephart). Gephart needed a promise that he would be taken care of, had his son appear with him on stage for most of his final rallies as a way of starting his career to the same aims.

Edwards siphoned votes Kerry’s way as a predetermined arrangement to becoming the VP.

All of the insider dealing was for naught on election day, Iowa rarely plays out the same way nationally. The times it most likely will is during incumbent races.

That said, Edwards paid his dues in the previous Iowa contests. He speaks more the truth to power these days.

Barack’s been a plausible excuse, his entire campaign to this point is about being the anti Hillary. He’d need her on the other ticket to win nationally at this time.

His ideas for change actually mirror a lot of GWB policies. Continuation of occupation, overhaul of social security, limiting reform for healthcare, limited discussion of how to address serious revenue shortfalls and the impact of the deficit.

Nobody’s going to pay for it, superman will just solve it all with good feeling and by asking the GOP that put us in the pit to dig us out…

Larry notes that Hillary won more super delegates anyways, which would play hard in a brokered convention. Pity the kewl club of journalists who marginalize her. She could still have the last laugh, errr, cackle.
http://www.ronpaul2008.com lester

kenosha- I am a republican. why would i have a problem with someone reaching across the aisle to me? I don’t support the war.

Yes, i think Obama is less of a neo lib warmonger than Hillary. I think just abuot anyone besides the lieberman is.

and I can tell joe Wilson and his lovely wife who to vote for the same as they can try and tell me who to vote for. except I have the correct choice and not the out of touch beltway one.

No Quarter is one the blogs that shaped my personal views on foreign policy and it has been effective in showing me the way forward which is not embodied in their bizarre choice for a candidate.

Kathleen

ON one of the talk shows or maybe at Firedoglakes visit from Valerie Plame/Wilson Valerie or Joe said that Hillary and Sidney Blumenthal had really stood by their sides during the aftermath of the Bush administrations and Robert Novaks criminal outing of
Valerie’s identity. This explained (somewhat) Joe Wilsons early support for Hillary.

http://firedoglake.com/2007/10/19/fdl-book-salon-welcomes-valerie-plame-wilson/

Shirin

Personal loyalty is a good thing, but not as a criterion for choosing a national president.

http://www.food4humanity.org HoosierHoops

Lester:
you said..
kenosha- I am a republican. why would i have a problem with someone reaching across the aisle to me? I don’t support the war..

I guessing you supported the war till just after the mission accomplished threshhold..
Then you repub’s just jumped ship by the millions soon afterwards..Left your boy holding the bag..
Stay on your own side of the aisle.. you’re smelling up the room over here..
A GOP boy that didn’t support going to war in Iraq 4 years ago? I guess those pigs can fly..

TeakWoodKite

Forgive them HoosierHoops, They know not what they’ve done. (pin drop):)

Taters

Hey if any of you ever want to go a few rounds with some real bona fide droolin’ knuckle draggin’ cliche ridden reactionary bedwetters at the Detroit Free Press. Here it is. I’m taters there. They really deserve being smacked around.

http://forums.freep.com/viewforum.php?f=91

http://www.food4humanity.org HoosierHoops

Taters:
I talked to the boys last night..They freaked about Etta James..We are flying to Nashville to see you all at the wild horse saloon..Last time I was in Nashville we spent the night on printers alley hitting all the bars..
Crap..When I mentioned Etta they all freaked out cause i guess she is really good..who knew?
You must be something else cause my boys are all about her..
Guess i’d better order the CD and get up to speed.
( last night, they made me feel like an idiot..they know her songs and stuff..)

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/ Leslie

Hoosier,
You’ll love Etta!!!

Hoosier & Taters,
Have fun in Nashville you guys!

Taters

Leslie,
Pardon the delay, best wishes for the upcoming year. We’ll be at @ BB King’s when we come to NY, we’ve got a couple nights there, I’ll let you know.
HoosierHoops,
Too cool! We’ll have good ole time. I don’t drink anymore but I’m no wallflower either. We can go honky tonkin’ after the show. btw – The Celtics are at the Palace tonight. We squeaked by the last time in Boston.
Larry,
“Pimple on a Gnat’s Ass” would be one helluva song title.

lester

hoosier hoops- you need to expand your horizons a little bit because Ron Paul, Pat Buchanan, and most of the columnists at right/ libertarian cites like lewrockwell.com and antiwar.com were against he invasion of iraq.

check out pats column “who’s war?” from march 18 2003, the eve of the iraq war.

this is in almost total contrast to the democrats you and others are supporting here such as Hillary and edwards. Hillary also supported israels bombing of lebanon and the kyl -lieberman amendment. needless to say Ron Paul was against both of those as well. the democrats have sold out the anti war movement at every turn. have yuo been to a protest? You will see as many or more ron paul signs as ones for democrats and you won’t see ANY for hillary. that has been my experience anyway
lester

http://www.amconmag.com/2003/03_24_03/cover.html
lester

http://antiwar.com/paul/?articleid=5660

ron paul “opposing the use of military force in iraq” from october 2002.

buchana and paul were virtually ALONE in speaking out against this disasterous invasion. name another prominent critic of this war who was on television arguing against it besides Pat on MSNBC. you probably can’t because there were none.
lester1/2jr

well?
NYC Voter

I used to watch harball all the time. I had to turn it off during this election because of the viciousness he showed to HRC and the love over Obama. I don’t know how he can consider himself to be a journalist. But I also don’t know how to break through the media’s love affair and annointing of Obama. I was out in Iowa and I have to tell you even the 12% of the population that showed up for he caucuses where not proportionally more informed than the voters you meet elsewhere from all the opportunities they had to meet the candidates. It’s obscene that they get the attention and then show up caucus night with average information. It’s all well and good that these positions are here online, but they don’t reach people and the mass media is basically telling everyone to hate Clinton and if you want hope of anything good vote for Obama. What happens when we lose because everyone starts talking about how he doesn’t have experience? What happens when the Obama supporter’s comments come back to haunt us when Hillary’s the nominee. We have a very good chance of losing this one because we’ve beat up a great candidate and have elevated one not ready for a reality show but a scripted pulpit like performance.
http://www.food4humanity.org HoosierHoops

Lester: I think Larry likes Edwards..But either way since this is still America..( Well Bush still has a year to do his dirty work )
Larry can support anybody he wants on his Blog at anytime…
Dumbass..
( sorry to curse folks..It’s strickly an observational notation )
Shirin

Well, Larry SAYS he supports Edwards, but for an Edwards supporter he sure does devote a lot of space to promoting Hillary and virtually none to his supposedly chosen candidate.

And yes, it’s his blog and he can support or not support anyone he likes.