Obama Knows He Has an Electability Problem [UPDATE! x2]
By SusanUnPC on March 20, 2008 at 11:04 AM in Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton
UPDATE: A great memo from Clinton Chief Strategist Mark Penn. Don’t miss it! (Below the fold.)
UPDATE x2: Obama’s Wright Problem Is an Electoral Disaster: Rasmussen observes that Obama and McCain were even in match-ups before the Wright dust-up, but now Obama trails McCain by seven points.
FIRST, look at these polls (more details below the fold):
- GALLUP national daily tracking poll: Clinton 49% / Obama 42%
- Pennsylvania: Clinton 51 % / Obama 35%
- West Virginia: Clinton 55% / Obama 27% (that’s a 28 point lead)
File this under “what a rookie,” from FactHub: In an interview slated to air on CNN tonight, Sen. Obama says Hillary is more electable:
In some ways this, this controversy has actually shaken me up a little bit and gotten me back into remembering that the odds of me getting elected have always been lower than some of the other conventional candidates.
Throughout the interview, he refers to Hillary as a conventional candidate.
New polls from key swing states like Ohio and Missouri show that Hillary outperforms Sen. Obama against Sen. McCain.
“The March 14-18 national survey of 1,209 Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters gave Clinton, a New York senator, a 49 percent to 42 percent”
“Gallup said the poll lead was the first statistically significant one for Clinton since a tracking poll conducted February 7-9, just after the Super Tuesday primaries. The two candidates had largely been locked in a statistical tie since then, with Obama last holding a lead over Clinton in a March 11-13 poll.”
Jerome Armstrong has much more on the polls at MyDD.
:::::::::::::::::::::
From: Mark Penn , Chief Strategist
Date: Thursday, March 20, 2008
Re: Polling Memo – The Shift to Hillary
There are some pretty big changes happening out there with the voters. Barack Obama recently declared himself the frontrunner in the race, although there are 10 contests remaining and MI and FL have not yet been decided. But a look at the polls shows that Sen. Obama’s lead nationally with Democrats has been evaporating. The Gallup daily tracking poll shows Hillary leading Sen. Obama among Democrats by 7 points, and the latest Zogby/Reuters poll has Sen. Obama’s lead down from 14 points last month to just 3 points now. This suggests a strong swing in momentum in the race to Hillary since the Texas and Ohio primaries earlier this month.
The more that the voters learn about Barack Obama, the more his ability to beat John McCain is declining compared to Hillary. For a long time we have explained that poll numbers for a candidate who has not yet been vetted or tested are not firm numbers, and we are beginning to see that clearly. Just a month ago, the Obama campaign claimed that the polls showed Barack Obama doing better than Hillary against Sen. McCain. Now such numbers are a lot harder to find.
In the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, Hillary leads John McCain by 5 points (Hillary 51 / McCain 46) while Sen. Obama is only 2 points ahead of Sen. McCain (Obama 49 / McCain 47). This is a reversal from February, when Sen. McCain led Hillary by 4 points. The latest CNN poll also shows that Hillary leads Sen. McCain by a bigger margin than Barack Obama.
In several key states, Hillary is a stronger general election candidate than Barack Obama against John McCain. For example, the latest Survey USA poll has Hillary leading Sen. McCain by 6 points in Ohio while Sen. Obama trails Sen. McCain by 7 points. In Kentucky , Hillary’s margin against Sen. McCain is 26 points better than Barack Obama’s. In Missouri , Sen. Obama lags John McCain by 14 points while Hillary comes within 2 points of Sen. McCain. In Florida , the latest PPP poll shows Barack Obama losing to John McCain by 11 points while Hillary comes within 4 points of Sen. McCain. Last week’s University of Central Arkansas poll showed Hillary leading Sen. Sen. McCain by 15 points in that state while Sen. Obama trails Sen. McCain by 16 points. And the latest Rasmussen poll showed Hillary leading Sen. McCain by 11 points in New Jersey while Sen. Obama trails Sen. McCain by 2 points.
Moreover, 24 percent of Florida Democrats say that if Florida ’s delegates are not counted at the Democratic convention in August, they are less likely to vote for a Democrat in November, according to the latest St. Petersburg Times/Bay News 9/Miami Herald poll. Since Florida is the single largest and most important swing state in the country and nearly 1.8 million Florida Democrats voted in the January primary, Democrats must find a solution to allow Florida ’s delegates to count if we are to have any hope of winning in November.
And in the crucial state of Pennsylvania – the next Democratic primary battleground and the biggest state which has not yet voted – the latest Quinnipiac poll shows Hillary doubling her Democratic primary lead over Barack Obama from 6 points to 12 points. In Pennsylvania , Hillary improved among men, maintained her 24 point advantage among women, and improved among younger, older, more educated and less educated voters. She leads in every region across the state (NE, SE, NW, SW, Central, Alleghany) with the exception of Philadelphia .
Ultimately, this Democratic nominating process is meant to select the candidate who will: a) be the best president – the best commander-in-chief, steward of the economy, and exercise leadership; b) defeat John McCain; and c) promote and defend core Democratic principles such as universal health care. On all three fronts, Hillary is the best choice for the Democratic Party.
Hillary is the runaway leader on most qualified to be commander-in-chief. In the Ohio exit poll, 60 percent of Democratic primary voters said Hillary was most qualified to be commander-in-chief, compared with 37 percent for Barack Obama. In Texas , she led by 16 points, and in most other states, she led by 10 points or more. She also won among those who said the economy was the most important issue – by 12 points in Ohio , for example. And in the latest CNN poll, more voters say Hillary would do a good job on the economy than Barack Obama or John McCain. Finally, in the latest USA Today/Gallup poll, Hillary leads Barack Obama on strong and decisive leadership, managing the government effectively and having a clear plan for solving the country’s problems.
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By Sarah Palin (Release date: November 17. 2009)
Hillary is the best candidate that is why she will prevail and win the nomination and the general election. Hillary has the intelligence, the experience and the ideas that this country needs to move forward. And she is a fighter!!! The Democratic party needs a candidate who will fight back and she has proven through the years that she can take any hit that comes her way. I think that is why she is still standing and why people are realizing that she is the best candidate to run against McCain. I think the old thought that the Republicans want to run against Clinton is now being re-thought. Republicans are looking at Obama now and thinking “maybe he will be the one easiest to beat in the fall.”
Yeah, Hillary is a totally conventional candidate. That is why people are going crazy in Indiana this morning to get to meet her. Waiting 5 hours in the pre-light hours to see. Yep, a totally bland conventional candidate.
There’s a cherry on top of all good news today.
Scooter got disbarred.
Cool.
I hope Fitz can still find a way to throw his corrupt butt in jail.
great news. by the by, I think she’s going up in polls because she came out with the exit Iraq speech that Fox called left of Obama. The difference, although maybe we’ll learn more in the upcoming debate, is that she’ll ban private armies while he’ll bring them under law. He’ll bring out military and she’ll bring out everyone, end those no-bid contracts so there’s no reason for American contractors to stay, and bring back Iraqi’s who’ve helped us. Now she’s got a comprehensive plan to take care of our troops when we get them home. If this is conventional, I say bring it on.
I was watching Mika the Obama groupie this morning and she was trying to make the argument this morning about being careful how quickly we pull the troops out. Now I know why. That woman ties herself in pretzels to defend Obama. Then she says every day “I am not in the tank for Obama.”
Please Mika, you must think we are all as stupid as you are.
I won’t express my happiness too much - Let’s just say I will not be shedding any tears. Being cautious so as not to pull in bad Karma myself.
Thanks for the News - cherry on top indeed.
for those of you who are so offended by Obama being backed by nut case preachers or Louis “white devil” Farakan ( something he has no control over, due to free speech) , enjoy this wing nut charlatan who endorsed Mad Mac McCain and who McCain is actually PROUD of the endorsement.
who’s nuts now????
http://firedoglake.com/2008/02/29/stirring-mccains-hagee-pot/
John McCain, the unbeatable republican?????? I beg to differ
Hillary or Obama will mop the floor with him IF they don’t devour each other first…
You only think that because you’re reading leftie blogs…. if you’re out in “real” America, the opposite is true. Regular Americans will flock to McCain in droves if Obama is the nominee.
Susan, you are absolutely right. People should get out of the Liberal Ghettos more often and discover the real world. The Democratic party wins nationally
only when it appeals to the average American. Ever veer to the Far Left only loses national elections.
If Obama is the nominee, I fear make the impossible happen, the GOP will recapture the US Senate.
Nothing is impossible when you nominate a man: whose grandfather was a “commie” sympathizer, whose father-figure/spiritual mentor for 20 years hates America, whose wife can only be proud of America if her husband becomes president, who has strong connections to crooked politicians and has lied about those ties, and whose names just happens to sound like America’s #1 Enemy (whose rhetoric sounds much like his spiritual mentor’s).
It’s the Perfect Storm.
Is Hagee McCain’s spiritual mentor for 20 years?
Did Hagee baptize McCain, and his children?
Did Hagee officiate McCain’s weddings?
Did McCain wrote a book that’s inspired by Hagee’s sermon?
Don’t get me wrong, I am bothered by this Hagee endorsement because I despise religious extremes from both left and right.
The media like both McCain and Obama, but you probably can see by now, between these two men, which one the media like a little bit more.
Many of Hillary’s backers have long understood that Obama is trying to win. He’s probably made valuable political contacts in that church. I’m sure he likes the fellow too and he knows he’s a nut job on conspiracy theories. It is more troubling that he took his kids to hear the guy preach (did he, maybe he didn’t). He’d have had to explain to the kids why what the reverend said was retro and wrong. Like having a racist uncle at Thanksgiving dinner, who you have to explain away. He was going down in polls before this happened, and I certainly hope she wins on the issues and not because he is loyal to Wright. It’s his stand on universal health care and social security and the fact that he has so little experience and seems to have policy advisors who have academic experience over political experience that makes him less electable. Those things tend to come out.
You don’t get it. White nutcakes are acceptable as long as they don’t shoot abortionists or picket the funerals of soldiers with anti-sodomy signs.
Go Hillary!
Since some people need color and spice, why not George Clooney, Don Cheadle, Ben Affleck, Angelina Jolie?
I personally find Obama pretty bland, but more important, not even on par experience wise as some of the above-mentioned celebrities who have at least had more than a stopover in Europe and have been involved with some major socially conscious causes and have shown commitment.
Right now, the US needs a capable president. People voted for the popular more likeable guy instead of the bland, boring guy in 2000. And look where we are now.
Can you impagine what the country might be like after 8 years of Gore? Boring politically, maybe, but not at war with Iraq, no trillion dollar deficit and just maybe a continuation of the Clinton surplus and perhaps well on our way to alternative energy.
Sorry, like in 2000, I’m voting bland. I’ve seen the alternative and it ain’t pretty.
Most likely, the timbre of the RNC attack machine would have continued, derailing any progress Gore would have tried to initiate.
(As with Obama, that same crew ripped Clinton, too, those calling themselves democrats, remember?)
The AVERAGE American is now a little bit more aware of the right wing bias, and able to counter it.
We certainly know Republicans, and their ilk, their moles, if you will, the corrupt ones, can’t govern, I hope it sticks.
bloggers don’t’ represent real people. we have grown more sophisticated, but real people don’t have time to blog, they’re working two jobs to support their kids. Real Democrats want a Democrat to win and will vote on electability. A friend in Minnesota voted for Obama because at that time he polled ahead of HIllary in beating the Republican. I don’t think the Wright problem is the reason they’ll want her, but he had been getting those independents who also liked McCain while she’s done better with core Democrats, who like experience, and recall her husband’s administration as having been not so bad. Some of those independent McCain/Obama preferers seem to be switching to McCain?
She’ll be so much better than Bill, she isn’t him and she also, thanks to his presidency, has a real understanding of how things work in Washington. She knows people personally and can work to bridge divides, figure out what people need in order to work together and get results. And the more she’s known the more she’s liked and trusted. It’s funny how people still can claim she has ethics problems given that she was investigated and found innocent. I’d say she has an ethics advantage.
Part of my emails to H. Dean and N. Pelosi:
Add to that his meeting with young people where he dissed Older Women saying–I cannot worry about them they’ve had their turn. Then there was Donnie McClurkin and the Gay bashing. Lest we not forget Obama called the First Black President Bill Clinton and Hillary racists.
Now the chickens are coming home to roost. Obama spends 20 years with Reverend Hate and now calls his grandmother a typical white person.
Karma’s a bitch.
Today, Rasmussen came out with a series of new polls regarding the beautiful purple state of Colorado.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/colorado/colorado_2008_presidential_election
Now let’s take a closer look at a few things.
1. Rasmussen data shows Colorado to be a toss-up state at this time, with both parties given a roughly equal chance of victory (Democrats 48.0% Republicans 50.0%).
- HARRIS SIDENOTE: Despite the fact that there are significantly more registered Repuglys than Dems, Colorado Dems have been able to win the Governorship, a U.S. Senate Seat, and the majority in both the state House and Senate. Also, the more rural areas have been willing to vote Dem, thanks to the retardedness of our current President and Theif and the fantasticness of our current state Democratic leadership. But still, the Repuglys remain powerful. They have won a couple of seats themselves, including the Secretary of State race and despite being such a GOP brown-noser that her head is completely shoved up President Bush’s ass, Marilyn Musgrave is fucking undefeatable, it seems.
2. Fifty-three percent (53%) of Colorado voters say that the U.S. and its allies are winning the War on Terror. That’s slightly more optimistic than the nation-at-large. Forty-two percent (42%) believe the situation in Iraq will get better over the next six months while 31% expect it to get worse. Only 18% consider the war in Iraq their top priority.
-HARRIS SIDENOTE: There is a HUGE military/defense industry population in Colorado. In fact, the defense industry is the 2nd largest economic boon to the state, falling just short of tourism. This clearly points to the fact that our state is more likely to not really care that Sen. Obama was against the war from the start. In fact, his serious lack of foreign policy and/or military support may really hurt him here.
3. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in Colorado shows McCain tied with Barack Obama at 46% while enjoying a 52% to 38% advantage over Hillary Clinton. Compared to polling from a month ago, McCain has gained ground on Obama while retaining a consistent lead over Clinton. McCain is viewed favorably by 61% of Colorado voters, up from 55% a month ago. Just 36% have an unfavorable opinion of the presumptive Republican nominee.
-HARRIS SIDENOTE: The longer this goes on, the more people seem to like McCain. While both campaigns trade attacks, teflon John just rises higher and higher in approval ratings. Probably because he isn’t really the subject of most of these so-called campaign controversies. I think those numbers will come down significantly during the GE. Hillary’s numbers don’t seem to be changing much, but I think that is because Coloradans have a good idea of who she is and what she stands for and they don’t seem to be influenced by any attacks on her, one way or the other. But Sen. Obama is not so well known. The more people find out about him, the less they like him. Or so the polls seem to say. How much farther down will those numbers go once 527 ads start airing??? This poll was taken on 3/17/08. Which means that the Rev. Wright shit hadn’t even really hit the fan yet, but still Sen. Obama’s favorables are fading. I am very interested to know if the downward spiral trend continues after The Speech.
4. Seventy-one percent (71%) believe that American society is generally fair and decent while 21% say it is unfair and discriminatory.
-HARRIS SIDENOTE: Rev. Wright will NOT go over well here. Period. If Sen. Obama wins the Dem. nomination, John McCain will win Colorado
I think these polls are totally fluid and most of these numbers will obviously change over the next few months, but I am posting this today really just as a snapshot of what the political frontier looks like out here. And also as plea on behalf of my state. We really need Mark Udall in the Senate and if Barack Obama is the Dem candidate, I truly believe he will drag Mark Udall and all the other Dems down with him.
I am sure the same is true in other purple states like Ohio, Florida, New Mexico etc.
He has some nerve calling her a conventional candidate. Or does he think that women have been elected President in proportion to their demographics. Sheesh…he turns me off every time he opens his mouth.
My question to Senator Obama is, besides this crazy uncle, does he have other relatives that we don’t know. Maybe a couple of month down the road, Rezko will turn out to be a brother he couldn’t disown.
He has a very large family in fact and we don’t know any of them right now. His family is a perfect picture of globalization, in fact.
It could be really great for him….or it could very
well be the kiss of death.
Like Barack himself, we don’t know them, yet.
Well there is that cousin in Kenya called Odinga, who has tried to overthrow the elected president.
That cousin also wants sharia law imposed. You know that will mean skavery for the women. I heard that Obama went to Kenya and campaigned for this guy before he lost the election!!!!Obama’s problem is that he is not a candidate that can be trusted!!!!And Given this connection to his misognistic cousin, I could never support him!!!
Rezko will turn out to be a brother he couldn’t disown
Yes, he will. If Sen. Obama will not release his tax records for the time he was holding state office, there are reasons for it. What crazy “uncle” accountant did his return?
Dan Baltz today: (Emphasis supplied)
I think it comes down to this: if they allow Obama to take the nomination by blocking revotes, we will lose in November. I predict he will win Illinois and D.C. and that’s it.
I don’t understand how a person can take the office of the President of the United States, knowing that they won by circumventing the will of the people. George W. Bush did it, but we’re supposed to be better than that. To have this happen again damages the party and the country beyond repair.
It adds to the “who gives a f*** feeling of cynicism and hopelessness that people have now. It is a big mistake and Howard Dean should show some leadership and stop this Democratic train wreck from happening.
If Obama is the nominee, i predict my state (Washington) will go to McCain — which is highly unusual.
The common sense factor re national security + the horror over Wright will be enough to do it.
In response to Andy’s comment:
Obama can’t “walk away from Wright” because that church probably raised a ton of campaign cash for Obama, and the members more than likely beat the streets campaigning for him in those State senate races and his US Senate race. How angry would they be if Obama denounced Wright?
Obama’s between the proverbial rock and a hard place, and what does he do? He tries to guilt the country into ignoring his preacher’s divisiveness. Subsequently, Obama has thrown away any moral authority he might have had in countering the religious hate speech pervasive in the rightwing.
What’s really sad today: McCain may have no idea what’s going on, but right now he’s winning.
Delilah:
Of course, I couldn’t agree more.
Write to the DNC (Dean) and to Speaker Pelosi (as the Speaker of the house unless you are in her district).
I hope he picks a good vp if we have to McCain in the
White House. He certainly is appearing, to use Barack’s word, “bone-headed” right now.
Additionally, THE HYPOCRISY is killing me. Especially after watching the video where Obama completely slams Imus. Obama cut Imus ZERO slack, was adamant in his denounciation and said he could not support that type of person. Yet, HE DID. If you watch that video, it’s almost the EXACT situation and Obama did the right thing with Imus and the EXACT opposite with Wright.
He certainly didn’t toss in his Grandma to mitigate Imus’ transgressions.
Exactly–first Obama mentions his two daughters who go with him to Wright’s Church and says he has no problem with what they hear there.
Then he attacks Imus and says — I have two daughters and I can’t let them hear these kind of things.
Hypocrisy thy name is Obama.
One terrible thing about this race is that at the end of the day, either Mark Penn or David Axelrod will be
a “genius”. That’s difficult to swallow.
Lance those boils off the back of the beast that is politics. MP and DA both need to be out of the dialog.
This is all very excellent news. We need to keep the pressure on though and not let this snapshot hoodwink us that things are over for Obama. Much more work to do. But I feel GREAT!
In addition he is aggresively pressing for the disenfranchisements of all of FL & MI voters.
The cynisim of his attitude is unbelievable:
TL has a good post on this citing Detrot newspapers’s devastating notes on Obama’s undemocratic tactics.
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/3/20/103946/736
I wonder whether Ovbam can say this with a straight face:
Obama Again Asks for 50/50 Delegate Split in Michigan
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/3/20/13130/8225
(good post)
more electability problems
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Obama on WIP: My grandmother’s a “typical white person”
We thought we heard this, but we wanted to go back and listen to the clip of Sen. Barack Obama on 610 WIP this morning to be sure.
610 WIP host Angelo Cataldi asked Obama about his Tuesday morning speech on race at the National Constitution Center in which he referenced his own white grandmother and her prejudice. Obama told Cataldi that “The point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity, but that she is a typical white person. If she sees somebody on the street that she doesn’t know (pause) there’s a reaction in her that doesn’t go away and it comes out in the wrong way.”
We doubt this story will have legs, but wonder if Hillary Clinton referred to a “typical black person,” would we ever hear the end of it?
Posted by Dan Gross @ 11:37 AM Permalink | 1 comment
http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillygossip/Obama_on_WIP_My_grandmothers_a_typical_white_person.html
The “typical white person” ? WTH is he talking about.
This guy has no shame….
20 years with Rev Hate rubs off on your thinking.
That is simply called racial stereo-typing. Further evidence that Obama listened to Wright’s rantings because he AGREED with them.
BINGO! You nailed it! Wonder if anyone else will notice?
“typical white person”… HUH? Even in context this is a comment is a real “nub”.
But Obama doesn’t think before speaking does he?
He should leave this stuff to Chris Rock…coming from him it isn’t funny.
I think Obama is trying to say that whites are natural born racists.
Earlier today I took a peek at the opposition (ie; wingnut blogs) and some of them already noticed Obama’s latest bigoted comments and are running with them.
I bet that talk radio will glom on to them as well.
Now these comments may not raise any eyebrows among his college kiddie and progressive supporters but among ordinary Americans his comments come across as a profoundly insulting and divisive.
But his grandam’s “typical white person” reaction is THE standard reaction to a stranger of any sort in a neighborhood: “Who is this and is he/she doing here?” The reaction is always expressed in terms of the otherness of the intruder.
Obama’s a bright lad. He ought to have figured that out.
Ed Schultz, on his radio show a few moments ago:
“We are having the most intense debate about race that we’ve ever had in this country, ,and it’s thanks to Sen. Obama. He didn’t have to give this speech- he could have just outspent Hillary and kept running up the delegate total (that worked SO WELL in Ohio and Texas, didn’t it, Big Eddie?) but that’s not the way he works. He WANTED to talk about race.”
“Did he convince me? You better believe he did.”
Um, here’s the problem, Big Ed: You were not one of the people demanding an explanation. Hell, Barack could have been caught stumbling out of a room filled with headless children with blood all over his hands, and YOU would not have demanded an explanation. So don’t tell me you were “convinced” by his speech. You were convinced before he stepped up to the mike, and nothing he does or says is going to make you waver. You probably didnt even listen to the speech. Why bother?
And “he didnt’ have to give this speech, he could have just run the string out…” jesus, where have you been, Eddie?
Caller: “for some people, Obama’s speeches are like a dog whistle. They just can’t hear what the man is saying.”
Good analogy. Obama’s speeches ARE like a dog whistle. And every time he blows it, so many of you morons just keep running with your tongues hanging out, eager for more of whatever kibble he’s delivering that day.
Hey Eddie…”You know to whistle don’t ya?…You just put your lips together and blow”.
His agenda is getting a TV gig.
Let’s be reasonable about this. I want ANY Democrat over ANY Republican. However, Obama has a delegate lead that cannot be surpassed unless Clinton carries on aerage 65% of the delegates for the rest of the primaries. Clinton put her name on the ballot in Michigan after agreeing not to. Florida moved up their primary because the Republican legislature tied the primary to a bill that guarateed other voting provisions that were VERY important and that screwed over the Florida voters AGAIN. But, unfortunately, it has already been agreed to that those delegates do not count.
We want the war over. We want universal health care. We want NAFTA to be restructured, etc. I understand that campaigns can get dirty, but let’s not fracture the party in the process. If you don’t like Clinton, don’t vote for her in the primary. If you don’t like Obama, don’t vote for her in the primary. However, the number of people who are claiming they will vote for McCain if their Democratic candidate doesn’t get elected is amazing to me. We have two great candidates. Both have positives and both have negatives. It makes NO sense to destroy one of the Democrats by promoting McCain, because it will just be used as fodder for the months leading up to the election. McCain’s poll numbers have been rising while he has been sitting on the sidelines during all of this crap, he can’t even get Iran and al Qaida straight, and NO ONE IS CALLING HIM ON IT!
We have one good candidate. And we have a race-hustling phony with shady, sleazy supporters trying to bamboozle his way into the White House on the strength of his silver tongue and “Democrat for a Day” voters in caucus states.
Sorry, winning isnt’ everything. I fear for the future of my country if Barack Obama is elected President. I’ve never voted Republican in my twenty-four years of casting a ballot, and I won’t vote for McCain, but I will not cast a vote for this fraud just because he calls himself a Democrat.
I’m not the only Democrat out there who thinks that four years of McCain is a price worth paying if it means saving the party and the country from Barack Obama. This man should NOT be President. And if he thinks I’ll vote for him because he has a “D” after his name on the ballot, he’s as delusional as he is shallow.
Ouch, your petulance hurts, John and PMS.
I understand that it is upsetting to not have the person you believe is the best candidate running in an election (I thought Dean was a better candidate than Kerry in 04), but don’t think that holding a gun to the heads of those who disagree with you (by saying you’ll vote Republican before you vote Obama) will change people’s minds. Your first two sentences could just as easily describe Clinton.
And “saving the party and the country” by four more years of Republican hegemony is like, well an apt metaphor escapes me, but it just doesn’t make sense to me as someone who reviles the principles of the republican party. You’d rather have more war with McCain than consider the possibility that Obama become president? Obama who has a degree in international relations in addition to being a lawyer and having taught constitutional law? The hatred for Obama found on this blog is stupefying.
Ouch, your arrogance hurts.
He can’t win the general election.
So, if you’re interested in the PARTY and not your OWN candidate, you’ll rethink your condescending post.
I wish you “Unity Over All” guys would save a little of your fury- just a LITTLE- for calling Randi Rhodes, Rachel Maddow, Ed Schultz, and all the other “liberal” radio hosts, plus Keith Olbermann, who spend at least as much time trashing Hillary as they do slamming McCain (and usually more) hour after hour, on a day by day basis. My bet is that you have absolutely NO problem listening to these guys “damage the party” because they are pushing Obama. Never mind that they are hell-bent on beating up Hillary so badly that if she was to win the nomination, she’d be in poor shape to win in the general.
But no, I’m sure that’s fine with you. “Unity” is code for “step aside and let Obama win.” Again- sorry, I’m not buying in. Because its Hypocricy squared. When I hear wave after wave of callers to Air Obama Radio demand that their hosts back off from bashing Hillary, I’ll buy your “For the Good of the Party” outrage.
And Hillary enough delegates that Obama can’t win the nomination.
Not true.
Agreed by whom? The people of Florida? Do you think they have gotten used to not having their votes count?
Obama doesn’t. He wants 85% coverage.
Hoodwinked again.
I believe it’s too late. Obama’s “divide and conquer” strategy isn’t going to heal soon.
You talkin’ about me?!
I would quibble with you about “two great” candidates. Obama has never won a contested election in his life. he has never faced true opposition in his political life. Chicago, Manhattan, Cambridge, Bay Area, Madison, and Austin are not representative of America. Obama doesn’t have any idea of the shit storm blowing his way IF he becomes the nominee.
True. We’re screwed thanks to Obama, Dean, and Pelosi.
The names were all on the ballots. Obama and some other Democrats took their names off the ballot. I heard that Obama was going to lose the black vote and was happy to take his name off the ballot. Chris Dodd and Mike Gravel and Hillary left their names on the ballot. Hillary was heavily favored. She did nothing untoward by leaving her name on the ballot. There was no requirement to do so.
In Florida, they all had to leave their names on the ballot. They were not to camlaign but could fundraise. Only Obama, in buying a national ad buy before the Fl primary skirted the agreement by running ads in Florida. Obama criticized Hillary because she met with supporters after the primary. He violated the agreement not to campaign and she merely met with supporters AFTER the polls closed. Yet Keith and others went ballistic because she gave a speech after the polls closed and never mentioned Obama breaking the rules.
No, you are wrong. I don’t know if you are being willfully ignorant or no one has told you. So I will tell you and hope you retain the facts.
All the candidates names were on the ballot in MI. They simply agreed not to campaign there. But that was not enough for O’drama. He talked the others in to removing their names because it was clear she was going to win big there. His purpose was to make sure that there was no way those votes would be counted later.
His delegate lead means NOTHING. This has to be decided by the Super Delegates.
Once again, that is bs. Clinton neevr agreed not to put her name on the ballot in MI. in fact, all teh candidates’ names were on, until Obama,Edwards and Richardson witdrew theirs beause he weren’tgoing to win.The agreement was not to campaign in MI and Fl, and all candidates exept Obama adhered to that. And who the hell “agreed” to disenfranhise two stats?Not the voters of those state, and not clinton. Sorry, bu a partytha makes undemocratic power grabs is not a party I signed up for. The superdelegates should all declare that they’re casting their votes on behalf of teh disenfranchised people of FL and MI
Oh and on the Bill Press show, a caller hit a two-fer, actually making me laugh out loud twice with two comments inside the span of one minute:
“I think Barack’s lack of experience will HELP him if he gets to Washington, because unlike Hillary and McCain, he doesn’t think he knows everything. I’m excited at the idea of a Dream Team of advisors…”
Gee, where have we heard THIS “logic” before? And “Dream Team?” Um, got any names you want to throw at us before we just assume that Barack has the judgement to put together a good group of advisors? Because we are lacking that right now.
“What I really like about Obama is that he doesn’t seem to have the same Ego problem that the other candidates have. He doesn’t seem to have that obsessive drive to succeed….”
I almost drove off the road at hearing this one. Un-fricking-believable.
It’s like some kind of mass hysteria, or a 3rd remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”.
The obsessive and reckless drive of Barack and Michelle Obama:
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/03/17/michelle-obama-give-us-something-here/
Add his stance on MI and FL as more reasons for why he is unelectable in GE.
Barack Obama’s latest misstatement on HRC being a “conventional candidate” denigrates the quest for the highest office of the land into a mere competitive sport - with degrees of difficulty for the “athletes”. Unfortunately, he is not even a good role model for sportsmanship given his unique ability to cheat his opponents via his masterful doublespeak. A thug with a penchant for rambling speeches, that’s what he is. Fortunately, this is the age of Youtube and TiVo, and he cannot always backtrack from his previous declaration of carefully-parsed half-truths.
Just a side note, I was pleasantly surprised to read my comment posted in John Kerry’s official blog. No surprises, I was the only non-Kool Aid drinker.
http://www.johnkerry.com/2008/3/18/race-and-the-speech#comments
I want conventional. I want a president whose pal isn’t a former member of the Weather Underground who bombed buildings in the 60’s. Conventional good unconventional scary. I used to be a flower child who wanted peace and love — now I just want my Social Security and Medicare to be left in tact.
I’m with you sister.
Someone needs to counsel with Senator Obama to lay off of his grandmother and the “typical white person” comments. This is not doing any of us who want interracial justice and peace any good.
“Electability”?
Please, that is such a crock of horserace crap. You know how other people are going to vote? And we should fear the wrath of Florida voters, according to Clinton’s loser manager?
That’s right - don’t think you are voting for the president, think about the high school elections and vote not for who you like but who you think OTHER PEOPLE are going to vote for. Vote with fear. Vote by reading people’s mind. Vote by divining the will of “the real people” who live elsewhere but who pundits “know” well enough to know what they will do in the future. It’s not about what you want or who you like - it’s all about what you are told and what you think everyone else will do. Be sure to be on the right side, not on your own side with your own thoughts.
Susan, WA state voted 2:1 for Obama with record turnout in not only liberal but republican areas too - they’re not going to decide McCain is a better choice, that’s just disingenuous and you can’t pretend that you know what will happen.
Arkansas,
Are you from Arkansas, where Hillary garnered 70% of the vote? And did you consult the results of the Washington state primary?
“disingenuous” is believing that Obama would have had the same number of votes if that election were held now instead. The fact is that we have finally found out who Obama really is by his associations and his lack of good judgment.
The super delegates will have to decide if this man is electable and if he is not then they will have to side with Hillary.
This Reverend, Obama’s admitted association with him, and his ill-advise speech have done in his campaign and it will only get worse.
Actually you’re speculating that past votes would be different today, which is a waste of time since past votes are in the past.
But Washington state’s caucus isn’t over yet so we will see in a few weeks if the caucus delegate counts for Obama:Hillary (2:1 in the first round of caucusing) hold that way or if delegates switch sides at the next level caucus meeting. We’ll see who Edwards’ “undecided” delegates decide to pledge to. We’ll see if this speculation about “how damaging Obama’s speech was” has any truth to it for caucus delegates and if all the pundit-speculation on who-will-vote-how is right or wrong like the flip of a coin such guesswork always is.
The caucuses were inherently unfair and exclusive to upper-class white people who can take three to four hours off on a Saturday to sit around. In the statewide absentee ballot, Obama barely got 50% — and that was before he started to trend down in Ohio/Texas, and before Rev. Wright.
I agree caucuses are unfair and not everyone can vote in them. But that doesn’t invalidate the vote. That’s the stupid way the WA Dem Party decided to do it and hence that is how WA’s delegates to the DNC Denver convention will be allocated.
The WA Dem Party “primary vote” (which I think you’re referring to when you say “absentee ballot”) did not count towards anything (again, stupidly decide upon by the WA Dem Party) and many people did not “vote” in the primary because they read in advance that it would not affect the WA Dem Party’s presidential nomination decision, so the WA primary ballot vote isn’t a good indicator.
General Elections in November are not caucuses.
Also the purpose of the convention is to nominate a candidate, particularly if one does not have sufficient number of delegates, which Obama will not have.
I do not think th party leaders want another McGovern or Mondale to win only one state which may not even be likely for a candidate Obama.
Heh, funny.
You think a guy like Obama who supports that anti-American, racist and hatemongering pastor of his is going to win? you’re delusional.
All the GOP 527’s have to do show clips of Wright condemning the United States and gloating over 9/11 and Obama can forget about winning.
“Vote by reading people’s mind” ….?
Do you see anybody saying that he or she finds Obama appealing and yet isn’t voting for him because he’s unelectable? I voted against Obama because I think he’s a transparent phony with no policy expertise and no plan, and no qualms about not having any expertise, and I also think he’s unelectable.
It all depends on what those folks from those very conservative republican areas hear from the pulpits after Obama gets the nomination. Their pastors and leaders (the recipients of Republican bounty) can easily claim they were temporarily seduced by his silver-tongued oratory and cover their asses with passages from scripture on false prophets.
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