Current Article

Getting Obama Supporters in Touch with Reality

By Larry Johnson on January 6, 2008 at 8:24 PM in Current Affairs

Honestly, I was not thinking about Obama’s previous admission that he used drugs as a teenager. But, now that I am reminded of it, I wish I had used it earlier. The fucking kid glove treatment for Barack has got to come to an end. Otherwise, if he is the nominee, he will not be ready for the big leagues. The full body contact that is the hallmark of national elections has not even begun.

We know this much about Hillary and John Edwards–both have been involved in national presidential campaigns and both have been scrutinized to the nth degree. Barack has not. And so far, he has received very little attention. And if his wimpy disciples believe that their whining complaining about “unfair” references to drug use will matter a rat’s ass come the general election, then they are guilty of major LSD experimentation.

Wake the fuck up boys and girls!!

John Kerry, who actually had a record and experience, who actually was a war hero, got his ass handed to him in the general election. Last time I checked Karl Rove and the republican hordes are not in jail. They are building their oppo file on Obama. They would much rather run against Obama. More shit to dish. Hell, he share’s a name with an executed dictator, his first name rhymes with Osama (who murdered 3000 Americans), and he has no significant experience to point to. Oh, and let’s not forget that he has not faced a major competitive race in Illinois.

Sorry, but if he is the nominee he will not be elected President. The Repugs won’t have to steal this one. They’ll beat him the old fashioned way. And all of this current feel-good, worship the Messiah nonsense will evaporate. Remember what comes after the triumphant parade into Jerusalem (the Palm Sunday parade that greeted Jesus for you non-Christians)? One of his friends betrayed him and the Romans crucified him. This messiah gig can be tough. Especially if you’re the black Jesus.

JerryJohnson

I can just see the ad if McCain is the nominee against Obama:

While Barack Hussein Obama was snorting cocaine, John McCain was fighting for his country. Etc. Etc.

http://cujo359.blogspot.com Cujo359

If that were true, Obama would have gotten an early start – he’d have been about eight years old.

In a sane world, I’d say “go ahead and run that ad”. In this world, though, it will be the rare person who notices that it doesn’t make any sense.

susanunpc

The crap they pull doesn’t have to make sense. John McCain’s adopted Indian child wasn’t a black love child, but did that matter in South Carolina?

And people have sent me stuff they get from others. In one e-mail that’s going around, they’re saying that Obama’s middle name is Mohammed. Another person told me that his middle name is Osama.

It should be silly but it’s not because in those “whispers” around the country, that misinformation, with its racist and ethnic prejudices will spread far, wide and deep.

Most of us won’t hear it much because we probably consort with people who don’t think or talk like that. But millions of Americans — who vote — do talk like that to each other.

It could get brutal.

[I am NOT saying that's a reason to oppose Obama's nomination. In fact, that kind of crap makes me feel inclined to support him. I just think he's not ready. He hasn't done the hard work. He doesn't have enough experience. He hasn't dedicated himself to his Senate job -- chaired his committee like he should have, or even bothered to learn the Senate rules. If he ran in eight years, and he's done that work, I'd be thrilled to support him.]

TeakWoodKite

SusanUnPC:

It ~~could~~ will get brutal.
Mr. Gibson, with his insistance that “the surge is working”, proves that people who “talk” like that are going to get an earful. The fabric of civility in the US is frayed and worn thin. Any of number of events have the potential of opening up the abyss.
As an example, last year we priced out getting solar power and getting of the grid. The contractor doing the bid said “If you go off grid, I hope you can repel invaders in an earthquake, they will take your panels or worse.” It was like someone kicked me.

Note to Obama:
Inspiring the American people is not the solution or the problem.

Edwards : “You can’t nice them to death”…nor do I want a president that thinks that you can!

JerryJohnson

John McCain was elected to the House when Obama was 21. When Obama was 18, McCain was a captain in the Navy. I don’t like McCain, but that’s the story and the commercial would be true. Oh wait, if you’ve been in public service that doesn’t count because Obama said so.

http://cujo359.blogspot.com Cujo359

You need to learn how to read. McCain was fighting for his country up until 1973. At the time, Obama was thirteen years old. McCain’s last combat mission occured when Obama was no more than eight years old.

That he had a career in the Navy afterward is admirable, but it’s not fighting in any sense of the word that I understand.

You also need to check my opinions of Obama. To say that I’m enthralled with him is, well, for lack of a better expression, fucking stupid.

Like I said, in a sane world, lots of people would be able to figure all this out. We don’t live in such a world, though. Thanks for confirming my point.
Mitchman

An Obama vs. McCain race would be sooo easy..

Youth vs. Old Guard, McCain would be crushed.. Remember there’s a ton of Conservatives who can’t stand McCain. Obama would win in a landslide vs. McCain – I really hope he is the Rep. Nominee. Visually there could not be a bigger contrast for the country to compare.

Hope

Oh so true! And then what? One hundred more years in Iraq! Obama is a big, big problem. This is going to be one horribly, ugly election process.
CognitiveDissonance

Yes. Or they’ll run an ad with Kumbaya playing in the background, bombs blowing up all over the place, and Obama’s voice in the background talking up his silly hope/unity/bipartisan crap! With this guy, they won’t even have to make anything up. It will all be so easy.
Donovan Fraser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf7HYoh9YMM

this add would be more effective

machiavelli

Obama is a blank creen. People project their hopes on to him. But Republicans will as easily project their own pictures onto him.

And what does a blank screen stand for? Hilary should attack from the left: Obama as a callow tool of corporate interests.

Cee

Darn…lost my post. Hillary can’t use this tactic

Mrs. Clinton has brought in $304,000 in PAC money from the business sector, which makes up for a total of 56% of the total PAC money she has netted. She has also received over $500,000 from lobbyists, $935,000 from banks, $269,000 from pharmaceuticals, $4.7 million from securities, and $2.2 million from the TV and movie industry.

mkolb

Please get your money facts straight and compare the candidates – both Sen. Obama and Gov Romney have received similar amounts from those same sectors.

A good place to follow the money for all is open secrets: http://opensecrets.org/pres08/select.asp?Ind=H04

Their comparisons are first-rate.

neilario

thanks so much for saying this and Susan’s great posts also. I agree with you that for the reasons you laid out -if obama is the nominee it is the only possible way the dem would loose. I really want another explanation then for why Bill kristol AND George Will AND Karl Rove all think he’s the best nominee. Doesn’t that set off warning lights for others too?

Not to mention the fact that a number of repugs declared that they caucused for obama to stop hillary only. ONLY.
honestly, if he is the nominee I dont know what to do.

TeakWoodKite

Hope the GIECO Gekco does not get invited to the WH and vote Dem.

Cee

Larry,

This wasn’t about drug USE for me. It was about the speculation that he SOLD drugs. This coming from his Democratic opponent isn’t acceptable.

I’m wide awake and hardly a wimp.

All that experience you speak of has brought us to the precipice.
I’m not impressed. Neither are people who are looking elsewhere for a candidate. Hillary isn’t going to be it.

touchet

larry, how old are you anyway. Do you have any idea the amount of change the clintons brought to us?

Cee

Another thing…

Are you Hillary supporters going to vote for Obama if he’s the nominee?

http://NoQuarterUSA.net Larry Johnson

No. He’s not qualified to be President. Other than get elected to the State Senate and the U.S. Senate, he has managed nothing and knows squat about foreign policy.

I’ve voted for one likable bozo who I hoped, would surround himself with seasoned advisors, and would be a uniter, not a divider. I’m not making that mistake again.

I want someone who has been through a national presidential campaign, and someone who has done more than vote present for two years in the Senate.

Shirin

So, who are you all going to vote for? Huckabee?! Romney?! Giuliani?! Wow! What choices.

http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

Larry – I second this.

What will you do if Obama (not my preference either) wins the nomination? Is Obama any less qualified than Huckabee or Romney? Would McCain — with his latest recommendation that we stay in Iraq for a hundred more years — be acceptable to you?

s. hall

I love the Democratic Party too but I will not vote for someone who imports Republicans to vote for him because he can’t win Democratic votes. A Democratic Primary and a Democratic Caucus should be reserved for Democrats and not used by a candidate to bus in kids from Illinois. Obama ain’t Jesus Christ Superstar. He is a little nobody who saw a chance to make a killing by selling out the Democratic Party. The fact is he is not a Democrat at all just an opportunist. I don’t vote for traitors to my party.

neilario

I completely agree. nothing is more infuriating to me than a leader who is unwilling to really work hard in the trenches for me and deal with the insane state of our country. Massive recession coming, Iraq, they are still trying to start a war in iran, Nolo is still drowning, global warming [ its going to 60 this week in jan in BOSTON!] — We cannot take 4 or8 years of talk. I will never vote for obama – for glbt people the donnie mc -whatever event was too much, and the kyl lieberman skipped vote and litany of present votes does not show me he is willing to work hard for me. He is not showing leadership in his current role and has not…. there is no reason to believe he will and the issues are too urgent to trust in a massive personality change.
I will vote an independent ticket if it came up. i like edwards/ i like hillary – i would prefer bllomberg hagel – hagel showed serious leadership when it was needed.

mkolb

I don’t think any of those guys will be the Republican nominee. I think we’ll see a brokered convention and that Newt Gingrich will emerge the choice.

Each of the current Republicans has a major sector against them and they are much better at playing together than Democrats, so Newt I think it will be.

And he will slaughter Obama. Remember that when Newt was asked why he pushed impeachment over such a non-government issue, his response was “because we can”.

Sen. Obama and his well-meaning supporters just won’t know what hit them.

RalphB

Amen to that. Count me out as a democratic voter as well. I’d much rather have McCain as president. At least, he’s no newbie.

silver

No way will I support Obama or John Edwards if they are the nominee! And no way will I give another dime to any other Democratic blog or Move On when I see the way they crucified Hillary for the most trivial things. They’re like a hungry wolf pack—which disgustingly includes the female bloggers as well. I’ve been a Democrat for thirty-five years, and I’d prefer to vote Republican that support a party who stood by and let the pundits, Republicans, and fellow Democrats give a woman a public lynching. Every teeny thing she did was plastered on the blogs and news shows in a negative light—even defending herself! Obama got a free pass on practically everything. Believe me, I’d rather vote for Rudy or McCain. I’ve discovered that Democrats are truly just as shitty as Republicans.

http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

See Shirin’s comment above.

So, who are you going to vote for? Any of the Republicans? Are you really that obsessed with Hillary Clinton that you can’t even begin to deal with the fact that she might not be the nominee? You’re going to smear ALL Democrats just because your gal isn’t looking too good in the polls right now? Have you always been a quitter, or is this newly acquired behavior, adopted specially for the 2008 election?

Do you give a damn about our civil liberties? If so, you’d better get a fucking clue and think about what happens to the federal courts, the circuit courts and the Supreme Court if any of the Republicans take the White House.

Think hard about what throwing your little tantrum and throwing in the towel will mean for this country.

s. hall

We Democrats who will not vote for Obama are not quitters. We love the Democratic Party and all it stands for. But Obama is working hand in hand with the Republicans. Have you listened to him trash Gore, Kennedy, Kerry, Seniors, Boomers, Unions and Gays? Obama is a defacto Republican. So voting against him will be easy. I didn’t want it this way. I was marking off the days until Bush left office. But the Republican Party always has to cheat their way in. This time they triangulated a Democrat. There is no limit to their talents for everything except governing this country. Politics is a game to them. How to fool the American people. Its not a game to us however, ITS OUR LIVES.

http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

Read Silver’s comment again. He said he wouldn’t vote for anyone but Clinton. Wouldn’t vote for Edwards either.

And the obsessed Hillary supporters still haven’t addressed the question of which Republican would be better than Obama or Edwards.

You people are starting to remind me of the Nader supporters.

mkolb

which Republican would be better than Obama or Edwards.

Chuck Hagel

Victor

I’m not exactly thrilled to vote for Senator Clinton, but I have to say that she is the most experienced democratic candidate remaining. There are others I’d be willing to vote for. For example, I like John Edwards, but he is inexperienced, and it is highly doubtful that he can get the nomination.

Senator Obama, on the other hand has proven that he can do well in the primaries, but his track record at both the state and national level is pathetic. As a politician, he has never won a hard fought campaign. His electoral victories have all been handed to him by weak opponents. As an elected official, he has shown no capacity or inclination for leadership. He has not championed any causes or pushed through any legislation. In essence, he stands for nothing and cares only about his next career move. That is what I find most disturbing about him.

If Senator Obama wins the primaries he will face a very critical press, and a mudslinging republican campaign machine. He won’t have the experience to deal with that, and blaming his staff for his mistakes will not cut it.

If he somehow does become the next president, then he will be at best ineffective. Unable or unwilling to push his agenda through congress. My guess is that that won’t matter to him. He’ll probably just want to leave the White House as quickly as he has tried to leave every other office he’s held. Hell we’d be lucky if he finished his first term.
Percy

Not a tantrum….!!! Consider what your vote for Obama really means!!! He will not win the election. If so, we have to really wonder who is behind the Obama curtain. THat is what is really scary. Someone is, he didn’t make it this far on his own…gauranteed! He is the bobble head. He is related to Dick Cheney, he get a memo from Karl Rove on how to beat Hillary, and LOOK at his voting record closely! Repubs knew it was going to be hard to beat the Dems this time so why not join them.. and control them. OR…. they are feeding Obama so they can mutilate him in the general election. He cries foul now? Oh my.

So wake up Obama supporters! At LEAST show me all the reasons, subsance reasons why we should jump on the bandwagon?

I want a Democrat who can actually make change and keep us safe..!! And I want us to KEEP THE WHITE HOUSE THIS TIME! Not make a mess of things and loose it.

Please convince me of what I am not yet seeing in Obama?

Kathleen

I agree HRC has been endlessly targeted, Obama has had a free ride with the MSM and Edwards has been ignored. Fair and balanced? I don’t think so!

Percy

This Hillary supporter is not going to vote for Obama. And it is not becuase I am a Hillary supporter. Obama just doesn’t have the resume nor maturity to lead this country. I would support any democrat outside of Obama. Edwards is starting to wear on my last nerve though….

I am willing for the first time in my life to jump my party fence, and will. Too much is riding for our country and it scares me that peopole will follow Obama like Jim Jones.

I am looking forward to the potential true Independent party launch! I am in! No Obama vote for me…and many others too. We deserve substance.

Stephen

When Obama defeats a well funded Clinton Machine, he will have no problem defeating a not-so-well funded republican. People want change, and want a leader they can look up too, the Republicans have no one of that stature, that can be blamed on Bush.

Michael Lafferty

Not so well funded Republican candidate? Are you kidding?

While Governor Dean has done a masterful job of attempting to close the gap, the Republican National Committee still has TWICE the cash on hand than the Democratic National Committee has, and will have no problem raising gobs more in the general election cycle.

Think again.
Marjorie

I agree the Republicans support Obama because their candidate will win handily against him. Compared to Senator Clinton, Obama is a political child.

But why are some people so happy with him? Could it be they want to feel so above prejudice-almost redeemed, by showing the world they can vote for an African-American man? And all the while being supported by political commentators talking breathlessly about what a proud day this is for America-a Black man a serious presidential candidate?

And perhaps that is why they can dismiss Hillary, with all of her experience and wisdom, so easily. They don’t have to deny being misogynist when they ignore her, because they have already proven they are not racist. And not being a racist trumps not being a misogynist.
kenoshaMarge

And if Obama does win, what then? How is his message any different than what Reid and Pelosi have been doing? Work with Republicans? Like shaking hands with a scorpion and expecting that it won’t sting you. I want a fighter. And that is NOT Barack Obama.

MPinSC

Cee, wake the fuck up. Obama’s largest contributor is Goldman Sachs. The money boys like him.

TeakWoodKite

That is a pocket to be in is it not?
Cee

She and Obama are taking money from the same trough

Hillary donors

Goldman Sachs $350,050
Morgan Stanley $323,550
Citigroup Inc $307,350

Obama

Goldman Sachs $369,078
Lehman Brothers $229,090
JP Morgan Chase & Co $216,759

Yawn.

Next?

Cee

Everyone can look up funding

http://opensecrets.org/pres08/select.asp?cycle=2008

http://cujo359.blogspot.com Cujo359

Cool. Let’s see:

John Edwards:

Health Professionals $419,326 (6th)
Pharmaceuticals/Health Products $15,000 (10th – Ron Paul is 9th)

looks pretty clear as to who big pharma isn’t supporting…

Regarding a story at NQ from yesterday:

Commercial banks:

Hillary Clinton $935,658 (1st)
Barack Obama $865,856 (2nd)
John Edwards $153,650 (8th)

I guess money won’t buy you love at least 50% of the time.

Lawyers/Law firms:

Hillary Clinton $9,596,748 (1st)
John Edwards $8,161,150 (2nd)
Barack Obama $7,940,424 (3rd)

looks like that “tort reform” thing is a bust in at least one industry

Cee

I had posted that Hillary is also in that Sachs pocket.

http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

Of course she is. Bob Rubin, Bill’s Treasury Secretary, was the head of Goldman Sachs.

TeakWoodKite

From that site Obama and Hillary are neck and neck in donations from the Health Care industry.

Hillary Clinton (D)
$269,436

Barack Obama (D)
$261,784

Mitt Romney (R)
$260,535

Interseting site Cee, Thanks

JerryJohnson

Didn’t you know its OK if Obama does it? Also, when Hillary sneezes, its because she’s a devil woman.

http://OUTRAGEDBUTNOTSURPRISED bama_barrron

larry … i agree with your remarks and i would like to add a couple points that i think are salient. many of the obama supporters claim obama will be able and willing to work with the gop and unite this great country. well excuse me, how can anyone assume the republicans will be willing to work with a democrat in the white house. what possible evidence do you have that could bolster this argument … lets not forget … the last democrat elected president was attacked viciously from day one by the right wing nut jobs. clinton never got the so called honeymoon and you can bet obama wont either. simply stated, the neocons, movement republicans and even the evangelicals arent interested in unity.

finally, i will bet you almost anything that if obama does get the nomination … bloomberg will enter the race in a heart beat. as much as it pains me to say this, i might consider voting for him over obama for many of the reasons larry has explained. this country simply can not afford another president so woefully inexperienced on so many issues. we need a person with vision and who is also capable when it comes to the political process.

kenoshaMarge

Or woefully ignorant enough to think that the Republicans have any interest in working with the Democrats. Might want to check in with Reid and Pelosi and see how well that little plan is working. Isn’t is up to something like 63 filibusters now?

silver

Stephen,

I’ve voted straight Democrat my entire life. I’m in my fifties. I’m not voting for Obama!! You’re gonna lose a LOT of people because of his inexperience. He’s getting a lot of votes from the young people. Good! I was hoping the Clintons would take office so they could clean up the debt and the economy like they did years before. Now all the guilt is gone about the financial debt the young people will have to incur. If the young people prefer an inexperienced George Bush with a Democrat label, fine with me. I’m pretty much set retirement wise, so hopefully I won’t have to suffer the consequences from an inept leader’s mistakes. (Oprah, doesn’t have anything to lose either, she hasn’t pumped her own gas in ten years) Yet again, I live in a state where the majority of people always vote against themselves over and over again. (They’re poor, but they vote for a Senator who is against raising minimum wage.) Now I see it at the national level–people voting against their own welfare. Well, suffer the consequences. I’m set for retirement, and don’t have any family members that can be drafted. And by the way, John Edwards talks a good game, but he never came up with any strategy while he was in Congress to over-ride the Republican obstacles, did he? How’s he gonna implement all his grandiose ideas. He quit the game real quick in Congress to run for president, and then quit Congress altogether.

http://cujo359.blogspot.com Cujo359

I think it’s awfully tough to get around Republican obstructionism when your party isn’t even in power and you’re a junior Senator.

The one reservation I have about Edwards is his lack of experience. The reason I support him, though, it that he’s actually interested in doing something about the economic schism that is happening in this country. Neither Clinton nor Obama have given that idea more than lip service, despite having numerous opportunities to vote on it. If we have a President who isn’t interested, it’s quite clear that nothing’s going to get done. At least if he is interested, he might figure out a way.

Victor

I agree with you to a point. Edwards is talking about a serious problem for this nation, and I do think he is sincere. Where I disagree is that I don’t think the others are disinterested. I don’t know what Senator Obama has done to alleviate poverty, but Senator Clinton does have a record to helping to enact positive change in this regard. If we assume that her policies would not be that different from those of her husband’s, then I think poor and working class Americans will do well under another President Clinton.

http://cujo359.blogspot.com Cujo359

The ironic thing about all this talk about Obama’s drug using days is that to me it’s one of the few things that actually recommend him. He was savvy and tough enough not to get hooked, clearly didn’t get involved in the sales end of the business, and he is one politician who can actually talk from experience about our drug policies.

Victor

Sorry, but snorting coke doesn’t make you experienced with regards to drug policy. Being involved in interdiction efforts or doing social work makes you experience. Snorting coke just makes you high.

http://cujo359.blogspot.com Cujo359

Sorry Victor, but BS. Snorting coke gives you personal perspective on how dangerous it can be, and why. Surviving it gives you some insight into how others can.

You can write dismissive slogans all day, but the fact is that there are lots of people making drug policy whose only real connection to the phenomenon is vicarious.

TeakWoodKite

Finally got around to watching the NH Dem debate.

Hillary was only candidate to use the word “execute” in the context of implementing required policy changes.
Taters

From Larry’s link to Sen.Obama’s website

“Let me be clear, I do not begrudge businesses for trying to make a profit, and I do not begrudge them for hiring lobbyists to plead their case before Congress. It is protected political speech, and we appreciate that there are many lobbyists who represent their clients well and fairly. But it’s time we had a Congress that tells the drug companies and the oil companies and the insurance industry that while they may get a seat at the table in Washington, they don’t get to buy every chair.” (emphasis mine)

cont’d http://obama.senate.gov/speech/070821-obama_culture_i_1/

Unless it’s the chair of your NH campaign, Sen. Obama…

This guy missed 36 per cent of the votes in the senate. And being the classy guy he is – knocks those that at least had the moral courage to make a stand.
http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/o000167/votes/missed/

http://cujo359.blogspot.com Cujo359

In fairness, none of the Presidential candidates in the Senate has a good record here. These are the top eight “vote missers”, according to the WaPo for the 110th Congress:

Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD) 70.4% (he has a brain hemorrage)
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) 55.9% (as far as we know, he doesn’t)
Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE) 39.1%
Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT) 37.6%
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) 37.6%
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) 30.5%
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) 23.3%
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) 9.7%

Notice the dropoff? I seem to remember that Inouye has some health issues, too. Under the circumstances, I’d say Clinton did very well to make so many votes. She’s been in the campaign substantially longer than Brownback, and lives about as far from DC as Dodd.

As for the knocking of those who at least made a stand, I agree. He’s not winning me over with that kind of rhetoric.

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/110/senate/vote-missers/

BTW, the WaPo’s individual lawmakers pages all seem to have that URL screwed up. Add “110″ between the two slashes if they don’t work for you.
mkolb

Unless it’s the chair of your NH campaign, Sen. Obama…

As well as Jim Hodges, former gov of SC now lobbyist and one of his national co-chairs.

Taters

Hey, I admire his honesty. And a smart move, better from him than the Enquirer.
That must be some wicked shit his supporters are taking though.

Cee

His wife said they were able to pay off their law school loans after he wrote his book.
Confession is good for the soul and the bank account.
I’m glad I was wired up enough to be up to see her speak on C-SPAN this morning.
Catch her if you can.

susanunpc

McCain: I Can Beat Obama
Says he won’t retreat from a campaign centered around change, argues he’s battled status quo for decades in Washington.

Also says he doesn’t regret tone of attacks against Romney in Saturday debates. The Page, 4:25 PM

Damn straight he can. And he’ll be our next president.

Donovan Fraser

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf7HYoh9YMM

McCain’s gonna run on a “I don’t care if we’re in Iraq for 100 years platform?

if I were his opponent, i would run this on a loop for the next 8 months.

he’ll be toast…

wethornet

this is an awesome youtube clip on what a real democrat thought of working with nasty rethugs.

jfk in 1960. 01.13 (h/t digby)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAGyT-z9SlA
Porgee

Has anyone else noticed of the ten article threads on Mr. Johnson’s site today only one is not dealing with trashing Sen. Oboma or how terrible Sen. Clinton has been treated? Sheesh it looks like someone is having an identity crisis, get a grip, take several deep breath!
It was only a Primary contest not the national election! I thought the screed from the republicans favorite democratic candidate (and you know she is) was suppose to be National Security and be very afraid… not attack the midwesterner.

kenoshaMarge

Excuse me but if you look at who the Repugnant Republicans on television are showering with kisses it ain’t Hillary Clinton. They all just love Barak Obama.

s. hall

I am a Hillary Clinton supporter who will not vote for Obama under any circumstances. When Obama did coke he admitted in his book that he bought it whenever he had the money. So he was not just a user but he broke the law. A law which as Larry knows could keep you from getting into the CIA. Also, Obama admits to being an alcoholic in College. Now we find that while a State Senator in Illinois he had Thursday Night poker parties with lobbiests who helped him write his bills.

There is no subtlety when it comes to stealing this election. The Repugs and the fatcats own the media and the government and now they can force their will on this country and complete the destruction.

http://www.evergreenpolitics.com shoephone

Yeah, and as I recall GWB was an alcoholic too. It didn’t prevent him from taking the White House.

Wow — Obama did drugs 30 years ago?? Heaven forfend. Let’s all quake in our boots. This topic is being used for convenience. You are not opposed to Obama because he inhaled. You’re just bitter about Hillary’s loss to him in Iowa, and possible bigger losses down the road.

But hey, if you want to help turn the Supreme Court into what GWB and Cheney have been salivating about for the last seven years, go right ahead and withhold your vote from the Democratic nominee.

But don’t expect us to believe that Huckabee or Romney or McCain would be better for this country than Obama. Because that’s nothing but a crock.
http://www.food4humanity.org hoosierHoops

When Obama did coke …
Nope..he never snorted
Obama admits to being an alcoholic..
Nope.. He never swallowed..
When Obama smoked..
(this is way to easy)
Nope..He never inhaled..

http://papertigertail.blogspot.com otherlisa

I will vote for the Democratic nominee. My degree of enthusiasm and active support will vary!

Cee

Yes. I may even be in tears.LOL!

LuigiDaMan

I love the way the liberal blogosphere (HuffPo, TPM, Kos) have, for months, been railing at Hillary. Well, the MSM has fashioned a story of her defeat and the liberal blogers, Marshall, kos, atrios, Yglesias, have gotten there way — only there way was mostly Edwards who clearly doesn’t have a chance. So, if it is Obama in 08, then I guess, this old Dem will have to hold his nose and vote Repug, assuming it ain’t Huckabee.
LuigiDaMan

By the way, if Obama continues to look ubbeatable, I see Bloomberg coming in as a third party. He would split the vote and a Repug would take the cheese. I have to admit, he’d get my attention.
kenoshaMarge

It will be difficult, if not impossible, to get Obama supporters to get in touch with reality. Many are old Hillary haters from way back and there is no reasoning with those folks. Their irrational hatred leaves no room for reality or rationality. Many Obama supporters are so imbued with their own little message of “hope” and “change” that they are delusional enough to think that if Obama is president the Republicans will just jump on his bandwagon and we’ll all ride off into a glorious sunset singing Kumbaya. Not much you can say to people like that. If their hero does win, they are in for a really nasty awakening.

My only glimmer of hope is that McCain will boast so much of his desire to bomb the whole world into compliance with the United States that even the Republicans will find enough rational people to swing the vote towards Obama. (Not in the South though, never in the South.) If the Republican candidate is Romney then Obama could win. If the candidate is Huckabee Obama could win. Now I’ll just go put my crystal ball away and get another cup of coffee and quit bothering you folks with my silly and useless predictions.
bob h

“The full body contact that is the hallmark of national elections has not even begun.”

The Republicans are thugs with no regard for our electoral institutions who are unfit to participate in our democratic process. They will Swift Boat Obama on the subject of race in a really vile, disgusting manner. Has he got what it takes to deal with this?
That is the big risk we are taking.

Cee

His wife said he was always told about what he couldn’t do, wasn’t ready for and was in rough and tumble Chicago politics and prevailed.
I think he has what it takes.
Do WE have what it takes to keep the GOP out of the White House again?

BernieO

I agree that Karl Rove and his gang will have their knives out. Obama admitted this yesterday, which is a good sign, but I doubt that he can imagine what kinds of vicious smears and dirty tricks he will face.
The big factor will be whether journalists and pundits go along with these tactics the way they did with Gore and Clinton, and whether Democrats will let it happen. The media perpetuated false stories about Gore. They kept repeating the lie that Gore had claimed to invent the internet long after they knew it was false. They seem so enamored of him that this may not happen, but I wouldn’t bet on it. They love to build up candidates then tear them down. And many of them openly admit this. They also go for the macho type, so if McCain were the nominee, I would bet they would turn on Obama.
Republicans – both leaders and rank and file – don’t let their people be treated this way. They raise a huge stink, which is intimidating to the media. Democrats just whine, or worse, buy into the lies. Look how many Dems believed the rap against Gore and voted for Nader! And look how many still believe lies about Clinton that were spread by the right wing. We never learn.
BernieO

A follow up to my post about how Dems let their candidates get smeared. This quote is from Friday’s (1/4) dailyhowler.com:

“In October 1999, 300 reporters “howled,” jeered” and “laughed at” Candidate Gore for the full hour during the first Gore-Bradley debate. (They watched the debate in a separate press room.) But very few voters have ever heard about that, because—for reasons only psychiatrists could hope to explain—liberals and Democrats, nicely house-trained, have agreed not to discuss it.

Let me tell you something simple about that remarkable event.

If the fraternal order we describe as a “press corps” had ever done that to a major Republican, the public would have heard about it endlessly—just as they should have. It would still be cited on cable, each night. It would be the subject of endless books; Rush would talk about it daily. It would be engraved in each citizen’s mind. And oh yes: In insisting that citizens know what happened, conservatives would have done the right thing! The press corps’ conduct that night was stunning—and voters deserve to know about it. But uh-oh! House-broken, muted and toilet-trained, we have agreed not to tell them. (As Grover Norquist accurately said, certain animals are more comfortable once they’ve been “fixed.”)”

What isn’t mentionede is that, in addition to Republican leaders and pundits raising a stink, rank-and-file Republicans would flook media outlets with calls, emails, threats to boycott sponsors, etc. Journalists admit that this is very intimidating. We need to do the same. And that includes when a Dem we don’t support gets treated this way. I have been emailing complaints about the Obama Osama crap as well as the blatantly sexist comments made about Hillary. (For example, Chris Matthews and Tucker Carlson talking about how castrating she is.) I urge everyone to do the same.

Cee

We need to do the same. And that includes when a Dem we don’t support gets treated this way. I have been emailing complaints about the Obama Osama crap as well as the blatantly sexist comments made about Hillary. (

I totally agree but some people are going to tear each other apart and give the GOP a gift.

Taters

Well said BernieO.
Your point on Matthews and Tucker is not lost on me.
They are castrati – what would they know about that subject?

http://www.food4humanity.org hoosierhoops

Thought for the day..

“It’s not what you look at, it’s what’s you see.”

Henry David Thoreau.

Hey Taters..I’m thinking the Pistons are really hot right now and have a deep bench..You guys may win it all this year.

Sally

BernieO, I am asking former Vice President Gore via Taylor Marsh’s site to speak out about the media’s actions during this important campaign. He’s the expert on how destructive it is, and we need his voice for the record. I do not ask that he endorse any candidate and think he should not in this context.

BO is not running as a Democrat. I will not vote for him or for his lapdog. By default my vote will go to McCain who I consider in the same camp as BO. BO will lose the election to McCain but be embraced by the Rs in the Lieberman manner until he is no longer of use to them. The lobbyists will be there for him so we need not worry about his future.

If Lieberman had not jumped on the McCain bandwagon, he would be a worthy VP for BO. Because he has no moral compass, he can still go with either of the Rs–McCain or BO.
neilario

The MSM is not a progressive place but a repub propaganda machine. They can have less money since they own a very powerful mouthpiece.

My support for Hillary, which has some intellectual and some emotional grounding, is strong from my experience as a woman running various businesses. I have spent 25 years having to show power and yet never raise my voice, never be argumenttive… yadda yadda. the ginger rogers analogy works. The treatment of HRC has not been fair. period. The last debate had edwards way more on the attack, and Obama substanceless, making false claims unchallanged. And yet the headlines since the moment out of Iowa have been about Clinton’s attack machine… HRC on the attack in the debate. The bulk of the debate she was actually defending herself…. which is an impossible position. You are attacked, but if you defend yourself in any kind of forceful way the headlines are about you attacking… the clips are about you and not the original question.
This rings so deeply for me, personally. I know that she will fight harder than anyone for me because i know she has been fighting her whole life. This country is not ready for a woman. Misogyny is far deeper than anyone wants to admit. And that is sad, for me to have to admit.
mudkitty

What’s really crazy is to think that Obama is running for president. This is just a test run for later election cycle. The guy is green. He knows it. We all know it. And you guys are getting your panties in a bunch. It’s a test run, not the real thing.

Wake the fuck up boys and girls. It’s seems your falling for the rightwing myth that Obama even stands a chance this cycle. You are being diverted from the path.

neilario

well, this may have started as a ‘test run’ but i believe obama now really believes he will and can win. He has fallen victim to the rampant oprah-paganda and is in this for real. so, no, it is not a test run any more for him….. tragically.

And BTW if anyone watched post debate msnbc [ i am a KO and RMaddow fan] chri matthews massive man-crush on obama [ of africa?? via hawaii i guess] mde me definitely need a shower. God, he slobbered on himself….
I guess its over for fred the aqua velva man…

Sally

Obama’s “test run” will cost the Democrats big-time whether he wins or loses. If he wins, it’s because he cut the soul and heart out of the Democratic party and will govern to please the repugs. If he loses, as I think he surely will, we have a permanent repug presidency.
Marty

Just a wealth of attackers for almost all the Democratic contenders. Are you kidding…compared to the failed buffoons on the Republican side, my poodle looks terrific. McCain gave up the straight talk 5 years ago. He has flip-flopped on the tax cuts for the millionairs, on the war…first opposing now wanting to stay for a hundred years. There is a winning policy…%75 of the voters want us out of that quagmire, and he wants to put more troops in. We AINT GOT more troops. We will be pulling them out starting this spring….and all hell is already breaking loose. This civil war and disaster of an Iraqi government can’t be repaired. And McCain wants to keep fighting until “victory”…no “surrender”… If you want to lose an election, ally up with GWBush and his 30% favourable rating. McCain also kissed Bush and campaigned with him AFTER the atrocious swiftboating he received in the primaries in 00. THAT shows JUDGEMENT??or SELF-RESPECT?? His head was up GW’s butt…go ahead and vote for that.He also has the hatred of his own base…for campaign reform, for opposing the Republican love of torture, for opposing Bush’s tax cuts, and worst of all…for wanting to offer a comprehensive immigrant reform….called lustily by those hate-mongers as “amnesty”. So…McCain will have no base. The people who mswiftboated Kerry, his friend and fellow vietnam vet, are now financing McCain…..he takes their money. How sleazy is that.

Also for those who think Bloomberg is an option, as I initially did, read Glen Greenwald’s expose of this creep. He is just another billionaire neocon who wants war, war and more war.
Grandmother

No question about it – I will never vote for Obama. And like a couple of previous posters who are “of a certain age” that Obama has so much contempt for – I have been voting as a Democrat since 1972. If Obama becomes the nominee I will switch my registeration to Independent.

As to who I would vote for if not Obama, I too will hold my nose and vote for the Republican candidate. I have spent these past 40 years voting and working and giving money as a loyal Democrat to the party, to the candidate. No more. If the Obama people don’t want to do a little fact checking on the history of presidential campaigns then they get what they deserve.

I know Obama and his groupies think that he is immune from Republican attacks but do you think that any of the past Democrats thought they were vulnerable and everyone of them, including Jimmy Carter, had more experience than Barak Obama.

But here is something that I rarely see anyone talking about: If Obama is a true Democrat (something I don’t believe), then why is he willing to throw his fellow dems under the bus. As noted by Victor above, what has Obama accomplished as a US senator. The Dems won the 2006 elections because of their promise to do something about ending the war. Harry Reid has taken a lot of heat (as well as Nancy Peolosi) for their apparent inability to get the sides to come together and pass meaningful legislation in that respect.

Why hasn’t Mr. Bring Us Together, I can work with the other side, Let’s all hold hands Obama done that. Last time I checked he was still a member of the Senate and the last time I checked the Dems were still getting hammered and last time I checked Bush was still vetoing bills that Dems are trying to pass.And the last time I checked Reid and Pelosi were getting creamed by the liberal bloggers.

The legislation that he should be able to get passed, if he had the pixie dust and if what he says about himself is true, is the SCHIP expansion. This is legislation that already exists. It is supported by the majority of the Senate, including many Republicans. Why isn’t Ophrah’s chosen one working across the aisle to get a few Republicans to cross over and vote against their lame duck president and pass legislation that is at the core of the real Democratic Party. Why – because 1)he hasn’t tried; 2) he doesn’t care; 3) he’s more interested in talking than doing; 3)he can’t do it because he isn’t able to – he’s just a man.
Kathleen

Larry no need to mince words. Sure like your style.

The Lovefest for Obama has been amazing. You have to wonder if Chris Matthews and others want the Republicans to win. I know some of the young marketing techno smart asses who worked on developing Obama’s on line , cell phone spin machine. I wondered if it would work and it has. This “agent of change” horseshit is working. The Obama spin machine experts learned a great deal from the Republican Bush machine. Sell what you want people will buy it without checking the goods, the facts. Sounds good I’ll buy it. Obama was so “bold” he has been absent for hundreds of pieces of legislation the last few years. He is such an “agent of change” he skipped town so he did not have have to take a stand on the warmongering Kyl LIeberman amendment which Senator Webb called “tantamount to declaring war on Iran”. Real anti war actions out of Obama…HOG FUCKING WASH!

Edwards is the only one who is actually “walking his talk” not taking PAC money! Edwards actually brought up the right wing neocons up during the debates. The only one to call them out by name.

Edwards is committed to not having any lobbyist in his administration. He is the only one promising to not allow people who have lobbied for a foreign nation (Hello Wolfowitz, Perle, Feith, Bolton, Cheney) in an Edwards administration.

Aipac must be gunning for Edwards. I would love to have a woman or African American who is anti unnecessary war for President. Hillary voted for the Kyl LIeberman amendment OBama skipped town.

I refuse to hold the fact that Edwards is a white male against him. He is walking the talk!

Edwards for President!
Sandy

Excellent points, Kathleen. I’m convinced. It’s Edwards. Yes!
Titus Pullo

Last time I took LSD was in the late 50′s, it was strange because I don’t remember taking it. I was at a brothel in San Fran next thing you know, I’m w/ a prosti in a room w/ a big mirror and it almost seemed as if there was someone inside the mirror watching me.

Which reminds of all the really good heroin I used to get in the early 80′s. It was cheap and really, really good, someone said it was because it was from Afghanistan, not sure why that is though. I preferred cocaine in those days though, and lucky for me there was tons of high quality coke then, which came in rock form. The guy I got from said it was coming through in huge quantities from Nicaragua, not sure why that is though.

But, yeah CIA guy, drugs are bad, mmmmmkay, don’t be bad, mmmmmkay.
http://joyhollywood.blogspot.com Connie L

Larry, You are scaring me. I think the media is doing a better hit job than the right wing could ever do with Hillary. The old question Democrats need to ask themselves is if the candidate seems to good to be true, he probably is. I wonder if Rove is behind this whole mess, whispering sweet nothings into reporters ears.
Silver

If Obama is the nominee, I won’t be voting Democrat either. As Joe Wilson says, “We’ve been down that road before.” I’ve voted the Dem ticket for over thirty years, but not this time. Not only have I seen Hillary slimed in the media, but what was worse, watching her get such an unfair shake in the Democratic blogs. I can’t figure out if all the folks at Huffington have Hillary-envy or Bill-envy. And since sexism isn’t really a gay issue, Americablog has remained silent. And I finally had my fill at Crooks and Liars when I saw a picture of Hillary’s face morphed into half Hillary and half Mitt Romney. I thought, “Gee, try doing that to Obama’s face but twist it with Strom Thurmond’s. Better yet, how about a Ku Klux Klan member, tee-hee, isn’t that funny. Or let’s make John Edwards face morph into half Edwards and half Laura Bush. That would support Anne Coulters “fag” comment. Dailykos thinks Iowa was so great and that the Democratic process is so great, and we’ll all come together as Democrats. Bullshit.
Bloomberg has hinted at a run for the Independent ticket if Hillary isn’t the nominee on the Democratic side. It’s almost a sure bet if Huckabee makes it on the Republican side. Hopefully, I’ll get to vote for Bloomberg. If not, then I’ll have to figure out which I dislike the least on the Republican ticket. If Bloomberg DOES run, then my guess is that there will be an exodus of Independents who will run in his direction. They’re fickle that way. They think they’re Independent, but they’re really just crowd followers. They gave us Bush in 2004. Since the Independent numbers are the ones pushing Obama over the top, then the Obama fan club will probably deflate. That will leave the Dems all dressed up for a party but nowhere to go.
rugger9

Larry’s right about many things, and I can add this to the list (full disclosure, I’m for Edwards now that Dodd dropped out). I’d prefer Richardson to Obama, given his real experience, but am concerned with whether the close HRC triangulation exposure rubbed off or his NM duties have reset his inner compass.

Obama talks in generalities, not specifics. While that leaves a lot of wiggle room for policy realities later (see what happened to 41 on “no new taxes”), I question the lack of even an outline as a starting point. Combine that with who Obama has chosen as his friends in this and the resulting picture isn’t pretty.

In addition to the oppo research Rove [who is far more trouble outside of government than in it] and his swiftie allies (who are quietly building their war chests again – DBA Swift Boat Vets of Vietnam) are certainly doing, doesn’t anyone find it curious that the states where crossovers are permitted (like Iowa and NH) the “independent” vote breaks for Obama? It’s not like Rove would send his minions to tilt an election, would he? It’s why I would consider the higher D turnout to be part-real but part-political shenanigans by the Rs. The press desertion of the formerly inevitable Clinton juggernaut for Obama reeks of gamesmanship of this kind.

While totally unscientific, the Thom Hartman show does weekly straw polls from their DFL base, and consistently Edwards wins by wide margins, which tells me that the progressives prefer Edwards over Obama or HRC of the “big three”, and this is without the press attention Obama and HRC have had.

The test therefore will be when no-crossover states vote, like CA. We’ll know by Feb 7 if this is real. IMHO, the best outcome would be a convention fight.
touchet

I agree with the above poster and article. He will be torn a part in a general election. Why? Because his arguement are flagrantly illusional. Is he all of sudden gonna change from the canidate of hope and love, walking through the tulips, to refuting arguements based on the same type of thinking?

The press is so blatantly playing obama to get him nominated by manipulating idealistic young and ignorant voters, its disgusting. After the primary, when obama emerges, you will see him fall like a hot patato.

All I am asking, is too ask yourself one question. Why would multi-million dollar corporations like news medias and campaign supporter, give a revolutionary idealistic canidate their support when he has openly said that he will fight them? Do you think all his money comes from all those young people who are poor and can’t afford college? He is being used to give the reublicans a fighting chance in the next election.