Late Night Thoughts on the Argus Leader Endorsement
By Truthteller on May 31, 2008 at 12:10 AM in Bamboozling, Barack Obama, Cult, Democrats, Hillary Clinton, Hoodwinking, Obamedia, South Dakota
How odd it is that we would have to wait until the end of the primary cycle in order to read a substantive endorsement. I guess there is a glimmer of hope in what has become an increasingly bleak empyrean for those of us who are true Democrats, not the recent arrivals who have jumped on our bandwagon for purposes I can only describe as selfish and apolitical. For when all is said and done, everyone will understand that what defines our Party is not a marketing strategy orchestrated to dupe the masses but policies and convictions aimed to ameliorate the plight of an economically beleaguered citizenry.
Remarkable about the Argus Leader’s 30 MAY 2008 editorial on Hillary Clinton is the Editorial Board’s refusal to acquiesce to all the blackmail distributed by the media and the Obama campaign. Or perhaps it was penned with all that blackmail in mind. For one does not encounter manufactured controversies, character assessments or platitudes of “hope” or “change” in the South Dakota newspaper’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton. Instead, one find a rigorous discussion of policies and solutions. I quote:
Her truly universal health care plan would be welcomed by thousands of South Dakotans. Even on reservations, where health care is nominally universal already, such a plan would be welcome. The federal government would never be allowed to subject everyday Americans to the kind of care Native Americans living on reservations routinely receive.
The endorsement covers more than just Hillary’s truly universal health care, however; the Editorial Board also discusses her solutions to our energy crisis and to our country’s regrettable treatment of Native Americans. I quote again:
Clinton’s energy policy is forward thinking and wise. She advocates a broad federal research initiative to help solve our looming oil crisis. It’s a plan that would join university researchers, private industry and individual inventors behind a common goal.
Is ethanol part of the answer? Clinton believes it is but not necessarily corn ethanol.
That is not precisely the answer South Dakota wants to hear. Corn-based ethanol has been a boon for farmers here. But the simple fact is that she probably is correct. Advances in cellulosic ethanol technologies could render corn ethanol obsolete and wasteful. Happily, South Dakota is poised to be a major player in the push to experiment with other kinds of ethanol.
Clinton has demonstrated a real commitment to Native American issues and will have visited several South Dakota reservations before the race is over. Clinton is precisely correct when she says that people outside the region have a poor understanding of the troubling trends on our reservations. Federal attention could help. That includes but is not limited to higher-ranking posts in the federal bureaucracy.
Imagine how different this primary would be if other newspapers asked readers to assess candidates not by their personalities and retroactively formulated autobiographies but by their policies. Imagine how informed the electorate would have been if all the following palaver found its rightful place in the trash receptacle and not in the Opinions Section:
“Similarly, his exposure to foreign lands as a child and his own complex racial identity have made him at ease with diversity - of point of view as well as race or religion. ‘I’ve had to negotiate through different cultures my whole life,’ he says. He speaks with clarity and directness, and he is also a listener, a lost art in our politics.”
- The Boston Globe, “For Democrats: Barack Obama,” 16 DEC 2007
“He has made missteps in his first national campaign, such as failing to quickly and firmly reject radical statements by his former pastor. But in the campaign, as in the Senate, he has shown the ability to learn.
“Nominating Sen. Obama would send a powerful message to the world. He’s the son of a white mother from Kansas and an absent father from Kenya. His personal story would make it plain that America is changing for the better….
“Early in the campaign, Sen. Obama said, ‘We want a politics that reflects our best values. We want a politics that reflects our core decency, a politics that is based on a simple premise that we stand and fall together.’
“Yes, we do.”
- Charlotte Observer, “Time for a Change in the Democratic Primary, [sic] We Recommend Obama,” 4 MAY 2008
“In Clinton, we see the past; in Obama, we see a fresh start. Clinton is a divisive political figure; Obama’s appeal transcends racial and party lines. She exudes competence; he radiates optimism. She came to the campaign with a sense of entitlement; he came to it with a sense of possibilities. She can be evasive, even misleading; he can be refreshingly candid about his own shortcomings and his political mistakes. She represents business as usual in politics; he at least offers the hope of something better.”
- St. Petersburg Times, “Obama for Democrats,” 20 JAN 2008
“At the same time, he has leadership qualities beyond his years. He is a brilliant and persuasive speaker. He is a unifier who honestly hopes to break the capital’s partisan gridlock. And while some of his rivals for the nomination have more years of experience, Obama has quickly learned the territory in his relatively short time in Washington.”
- Tuscaloosa News, “We Endorse McCain, Obama as Party Nominees,” 20 JAN 2008
“Although Obama stands on the precipice of a historic breakthrough, his personal story is a classic only-in-America saga: A white mother from Kansas. A black father from Kenya. A childhood in multi-ethnic Hawaii. Scholarships to Ivy League schools. Work as a community organizer and later a law professor in Chicago. Two terms in the Illinois Senate, then a landslide election to the U.S. Senate. An electrifying keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention.
“That speech laid out the template for this campaign. He has challenged America to move beyond rigid racial, religious or partisan divides to focus instead on shared, national goals. It’s a message that appeals to young voters and independents, to disillusioned Democrats eager to regain a sense of possibility and, yes, hope.”
-The Cleveland Plain Dealer, “For the Democrats: Obama,” 10 FEB 2008
“The U.S. senator from Illinois distinguishes himself as an inspiring leader who cuts through typical internecine campaign bickering and appeals to Americans long weary of divisive and destructive politics. He electrifies young voters, not because he is young but because he embodies the desire to move to the next chapter of the American story.”
- The Los Angeles Times, “Barack Obama for Democratic Nominee,” 3 FEB 2008
“Obama is right on the issues, right in daring us to believe in a goodness greater than ourselves, and right in having the confidence to appeal to all of us as one America.
“Obama has the power of a celebrity’s charisma and the grounding of a common man’s birth.
“There’s been talk of Camelot in the last few days. Back then, that young president said to us:
“‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.’
“And once, we had another great leader, who said, ‘I have a dream.’
“Americans took them at their word. They joined the Peace Corps. They marched on Selma. They protested a pointless war.
“We need a president and a leader like that again.
- The Chicago Sun-Times, “Why Obama Gets Our Vote,” 1 FEB 2008
Bilge may sell newspapers, but it sinks ships. It can also sink a political Party.
At l(e)ast the Argus Leader understands what is truly important: not the ego of a political candidate but the citizens of South Dakota. I quote again:
Win or lose, she’s also the best Democratic candidate for South Dakota.
Although refreshing to those of us who have cast or plan to cast informed votes in the Democratic Primary, the peroration of the Argus Leader’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton has exasperated all those venal politicians and news anchors who have foisted and continue to foist the empty vessel that is Barack Obama upon the American public. And yes, the frown that surely chiseled itself on the wizened face of Former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota amuses us.
Let the Obamabots declare the race finished. Try they will to shroud us with their darkness, but genuine hope, not spurious hope, will always shimmer on the horizon. This is why we fight and wait.
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I wonder if any of those newspapers would like to print retractions. I doubt it. They will just pretend they never supported him, just like they did when the WAR was the IN thing.
I was wondering the same thing. Thoughts = “Do they REALLY believe all that hype they typed up NOW?”
::try-ING to PLUCK their heads outta the sand:: ::pant-pant:: SIGH Seems they may be skuck (as my toddler grandson would say).
Also wondering just how many have a much better understanding of the broad strokes coming out of the marketing industry nowadays, too.
What ridiculous endorsements those were.
Go Hillary!
I have one comment about the Obama endorsements printed above: Breathtakingly Stupid.
I never thought I’d say this….umm….But Reagan had more substance than Obama….gag….sigh….but true !
“On MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Mr. Obama’s strategist, David Axelrod, called Father Pfleger’s comments “outrageous and wrong,” adding that the priest had had only a small role in the campaign.
Whatever that role was, the archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Francis George, has demanded that it be over, the cardinal said in a statement released Friday.”\
Um, “whatever that role was?” Why don’t you FIND OUT, YOU LAZY NYT WRITER.
These were Obama’s “best” supporters for his assertion that he’s Christian.
Pretty dang lame, but most of his platform is lame.
What else is new?
Very nice Truthteller !!! I confess that I couldn’t stomach to read more than 2 of the Obama endorsements above: they are so insipid, so ephemeral… They are about nothing really, certainly nothing real that matters to the lives of people.
Wow Andy. Ephemeral. Now there is a word I haven`t seen in a while. Should keep the Bots thinking for a spell. lol
Add vapid to that list.
Ephemeral - good one - great word to describe Obama’s political career after November when he loses in a landslide to McCain, vanish into the desolate waste that is McGovern, Dukakis, Gore, and Kerry.
I wish the media could see past rhetoric and personalities. Heck, GWB was inspiring to many people. But he wasn’t ready/fit for the job. We’re living the results of that now.
I’m glad Obama has the ability to learn. Most people do so he’s not unique in that.
But the country is in crisis. What are we supposed to do while he’s learning?
Hopefully there will be enough of those “tipping point” vote(s) in so we don’t have to find out.
This is not an apprenticeship…It is POTUS…
” Mediocrities will choose mediocrities because they do not have sufficient sense of quality….and because they fear comparison which will be invidious to themselves…” Edward Shils. Jefferson Lectures
I hate that Obama will fool a majority of the people all the time.
I hate that he will probably win in a landslide because the people are too stupid to see what we see.
I hate that for years from now when we are out of Iraq Obama will run for re-election (and probably win again) claiming some kind of credit that the terrorists are just helping him get reelected which is when he plans to really screw us anyway.
Larry thank god for your site, I think we had better get started making sure history remembers the Obama presidency for what it was.
Maybe in 8yrs ‘they’ will be ready to hear us.
I’m not sure why you think Obama will win in a landslide. I think just the opposite is true.
“It’s the economy stupid” and people find McCain more trustworthy on that issue.
I agree I dont think he is going to win by a landslide in fact I think that rather the race is two people Obama and McCain the Republicians are going to have an October surprise on Obama and will insure victory I think he keeps Hawaii and Il with McCain now with Hillary in the race as an independent He may only win Hawaii because she will take Ill thanks to all the problems he will really exhibit once he has the nomination actually the only good thing about him winning the nomination is he gets no more chances
I used to be a fan of Americablog. What the hell has happened to Aravosis? Every day he prints some new slimy rumor about Hillary and links to Drudge or Politico. Doesn’t he realize that by aligning with the Right-Wing extremists just because they too despise Hillary is going to backfire on him? The GOP is going to dirty up Obama with everything they have. And how are Aravosis and the others going to suddenly discredit Drudge and Politico then? The whole thing is so disgusting. Aravosis fell right into the GOP trap and he eagerly used their exact playbook from the 90’s to call the Clintons every name in the book. How are these Obama fools going to now ask Hillary supporters to join them after they called them evil, racist slime?
I read earlier the Argus endorsed Hillary. Coming from the Argus I think it is a big deal. The Argus is NOT a liberal newspaper. I hope people in Sioux Falls and the rest of the state will pay attention and vote for Hillary.
“Larry thank god for your site, I think we had better get started making sure history remembers the Obama presidency for what it was.”
Anyone notice that on the most rabid Obamaniac sites they are already laying the groundwork to blame any Obama loss on evil Hillary? They have it all worked out so they won’t have to deal with any of the consequences of their vile hate speech against Hillary. If Obama loses big time to McCain, they will use every excuse in the book to scapegoat Hillary. Good job you freaks, you’ve destroyed the Democratic Party by falling for every lie the GOP used back in the 90’s.
I could wretch right now after reading these editorial endorsements. Who the hell are they kidding? This is just plain idol worship something which makes me feel extremely uneasy and embarrassed. We must be watching too much television in American for why else would it be so easy to package such a paper persona like Obama. He’s just another media creation without any substance.
Excuse me while I puke!
Could their love affair for Obama be any more empty? Obama has so little to recommend himself that they have to use OTHER people’s accomplishments or great works and meld this somehow into Obama’s greatness (see statements about FDR and MLK,Jr).
Message to idiots: You can’t steal other people’s great works or words (as much as Obama has done) - try it on a resume and see how far it gets ya. The media’s love for Obama is superficial - like that of pure lust, constant remarks on your love’s beauty, but nothing of substantial significance - such as their character, beliefs, actions, and life accomplishments. Wake up to reality idiots - beauty fades and the truth is ugly.
Those endorsements for Obama don’t tell us anything that can be used to make a practical decision on the issues. What a bunch of fluff.
I hate that about so many newspapers and other “sources” of the positions of politicians. Either it says nothing, or it’s so convoluted that no one can figure out what they are saying. How can a person be an informed voter if they can’t readily get the information in plain language?
Great read! Excellent.
Why are we afraid BO’s loss in the GE be blamed on Hillary? First, Hillary doesn’t own our votes. We support her because we think she is the most qualified for the position, and if she is not the nominee then we will go for the second best option. And that is any thing but Obama.
Second, to me by caving in and voting to obama we are basically rewarding all criminal, fraudlaent,maipulative and other wise unethical behaviors that plagued our political system. We delacred loud and clear to every one that is how things work; the better you are at it that what is we want.
Third, if the DNC ‘the power that be to’ manipulated their rules and allowed the loud mouthed,thugs and the rich to determine the out come of this primaries, then the implications of this will be more sinister than anything happened so far.
Poeple we have to let them know we are not going to go down easily. We are the majority. we have the right to assemble and form whatever group or party we want.
I was and am very surprised and impressed with this endorsement. That it has substance is the most striking fact about it.
Thank God for newspapers like the Argus Leader. how many people who voted for Obama in the primaries are going to have buyers remorse? I bet tens of thousands.
“Although Obama stands on the precipice of a historic breakthrough, his personal story is a classic only-in-America saga: A white mother from Kansas. A black father from Kenya. A childhood in multi-ethnic Hawaii. Scholarships to Ivy League schools. Work as a community organizer and later a law professor in Chicago. Two terms in the Illinois Senate, then a landslide election to the U.S. Senate. An electrifying keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic Nat’l Convention.”
Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner? HAMAS!
I find it interesting that the democratic party is going through the same process as the Republican party went through in the 80’s. The Republican party was taken over by the neocons with the religious right wing nuts adding the “emotionalism” resulting in the implosion of the party. The Democrats are now taking their turn at this disastrous trip off the edge of the cliff. The difference being that rank and file democrats will not fall in line and will not put up with the freak show that has been put before us. I am a liberal and disgusted by the means in which Obama’s campaign has conducted itself as well as the comments by the “leadership”.
America is now gasping for air. She needs to be liberated soon from GWB’s rule of deception that cause misery to the nation and the world.America needs Senator Hillary Clinton, as the next US President.
Scott McClellan, Bush’s former trusted mouthpiece, released his guilt, by writing a book, “What Happened: Inside the WHite House and Washington’s Culture of Deception”.
He BLAMES THE NATIONAL MEDIA that served as ” complicit enablers” of the Bush strategy.He wrote:”The liberal media did not live up to its reputation. If it had, the country would have been better served.”
Isn’t that the sad truth? The media failed the people and the country.We are losing precious blood because of GWB,Congress and the media.America is in DANGER and once again, the national media is ignoring its duty to report the honest TRUTH. There are many RED FLAGS about Barack Obama but the media refuses to do its constituional duty. Money is their boss.Forget the country. IF OBAMA IS THE DNC UNQUALIFIED NOMINEE, I WILL VOTE FOR HIS OPPONENT.
GOD SAVE AMERICA!!
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