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Obama's Super-Del Whip: Wright Makes Super-Dels More Eager To Back Obama
As noted below, after interviewing Rep. Melissa Bean, one of Obama's chief super-delegate whip-counters, I contacted her office with a follow-up question:
How often do super-dels raise concerns about Reverend Wright, or about Hillary's claim that Obama struggles with blue collar whites?
Here's the answer that was sent back, from Bean herself:
"I have not heard that as a reservation from anybody. I only heard about Reverend Wright in the context of people saying it made them decide to step forward sooner to declare their support for Senator Obama."
This seems like a reference to Obama's handling of the Wright affair. Either way, it's a striking claim indeed from Bean, who talks to the super-dels every day, and obviously runs counter to virtually all of the roar of punditry we've heard on the topic.
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Did she use that article from The Hill on that matter about how the Wright ads failed in the Democratic races? Many superdelegates read The Hill and the Roll Call.
May 8, 2008 6:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for posting this, Greg. As I said in the last thread, it's important to know because it puts to rest once and for all whether or not this is a dead horse Hillary should still be beating.
May 8, 2008 6:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
It does put it to rest from the SuperD point of view.
May 8, 2008 6:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Did she use that article from The Hill on that matter about how the Wright ads failed in the Democratic races? Many superdelegates read The Hill and the Roll Call.
May 8, 2008 6:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's actually the way I felt when the Rev. junk came out, and definately after the Press Club debacle. Obama has been unfairly victimized, handled it in the classiest way possible, and gave us a glimpse of our future President. I just wish he could start now!
May 8, 2008 6:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yesterday, George Stephanopoulos reported that Seantor Obama was within three Super Delegates of Hillary.
Tonight he reported that Senator Obama picked up two more super delegates today, and is now just one behind Hillary.
Is he correct?
May 8, 2008 7:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.politico.com/superdelegates/
May 8, 2008 7:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
O noes! Pundits don't agree with her! Since when has their conventional wisdom been right about this primary?
May 8, 2008 7:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really like what Bean had to say in response to your question, Greg, i.e., that SD's moved INTO his column after the Wright business. The superdelegates who back Obama are separating themselves from the 'old style' considerations.
It seems to me that the SD's understand the whole thing about swiftboating. They appreciated Obama's abilities to handle what was a guilt-by-association attack manufactured from selected clips and drummed up repeatedly by whomever wanted to take him down [Hillary and Republicans], or wanted to get wider viewer ship [MSM] by airing a tantalizing scandal type focus.
May 8, 2008 7:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. But what strikes me as amusing is the openly head-scratching tone of this article; as if its author were too devoted to form to say outright, "But . . . but why didn't the Rev. Wright strategy torpedo Obama the way it was supposed to?? He should have been down for the count by now. How can he violate the process . . . the very order of the universe . . . in this way. It's no fair!"
May 8, 2008 7:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah. Our politicians are obsessed with triangulation, dirty tricks, gotcha, and bloody street fights. The fabled "politics as usual." The DLC epitomizes it and is often referred to as Republican lite.
As Obama says, they've learned the wrong lessons.
And to make the problem worse, much of our media takes it's cue directly and uncritically from the politician spin machine which shares their interests.
Many political consultants and lobbyists are embedded in the media as experts, media executives themselves are often prominent political donors and strategists, and access to power depends on regurgitating propaganda when news is for profit and quota driven.
The overall effect is that many "independent journalists" including lesser bloggers tend to orbit around the MSM hacks, who orbit their executive's agenda, who are inbred with politicians.
May 8, 2008 9:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
I've believed all along that the Wright scandal would ultimately be good for Obama if he handled it correctly. He did. He showed excellent leadership, confidence, calm under fire, strength, and resilience.
Hillary and McCain double teamed Obama on two issues, Wright and gas tax, and Obama flipped them both on their backs. It was a test and Obama passed, solidifying his base and winning indies.
Now, when Republicans attempt to use Wright it will be old history to Indies, and remind of Hillary and a political gotcha Obama already defeated. Both Hillary and McCain damaged their credibility with Indies by demonstrating they'll pander politically with lousy economic policy.
I've often referred to it as Obama's Akido skills vs. most politicians' and the media's obsession with street fights. Hillary attacks like a street fighter, and gets flipped onto her back, again and again. As Obama says, she's learned bad lessons and made some bad judgments. McCain has the same problems.
***
However, the fear among some was that Obama's Aikido might not work against Republican style scorched earth tactics, or that it wouldn't work with Independents beyond the Democratic "activist" base.
Yet, Obama parried Wright, and importantly severed ties showing a new strength and edge when needed. Obama emerges nearly unscathed, actually gaining in some areas, while Hillary stumbles and finds herself on her back again, losing credibility and favorability.
Obama then retorts by taking on both Hillary and McCain over the Gas Tax, where again he's supposedly sure to lose against the mighty pander. Yet, again, he comes out ahead with Indies and Democrats, with Hilary and McCain landing on their backs.
Wright and the gas tax double teams were a test and Obama aced it.
May 8, 2008 9:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't think it's counterintuitive at all. Obama weathered the storm, and the superdelegates wanted to get behind him and get this over with before Hillary tried to use it again.
This race needs to end. Wright didn't drive him out. That's what they needed to know.
May 8, 2008 7:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
yep yep.
May 8, 2008 9:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Bill Richardson stated point blank that he joined based on Obama's handling of Wright I, Joe Andrew cited Wright II as a reason.
Obama has disposed of Wright with NO impact in the polling boothes of Indiana and North Carolina during the 24/7 coverage of Wright for the week prior.
Sure the Republicans will try to use Wright in the fall, then they have to expalin Hagee and that other dude.
Why is the concept that known risk and controlled risk is better than the unknown?
May 8, 2008 7:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
The MSM will leave Hagee alone in the general election. He's White, Wright isn't; his message resonates with a large segment of White voters; Wright's doesn't. That's all the difference anyone in this system ever requires.
May 8, 2008 7:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
wow
May 8, 2008 7:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, I think Hagee is real fair game, especially with Catholics. Hagee may appeal to the rednecks, but he offends Catholics big time, and gives Obama an opportunity to peel some of them away from McBush.
May 8, 2008 8:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
This recovering Catholic (and current United Church of Christ member) says: Bingo.
Hagee is fair game. Why else do you think Hagee tried to retract his nonsense on a recent slow news Friday? "Er, um, guess I was mistaken. Turns out NONE of us know God's plan." McCain recognizes this danger and essentially told him to STFU.
May 9, 2008 1:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
So this is the best the dems have to offer.
A radical liberal that has not led on a single issue and will not count two big States vs a RWingnut and the same bush policies that has us in this mess.
Lord help us.
Geez.
May 8, 2008 7:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
A radical liberal that has not led on a single issue and will not count two big States vs a RWingnut and the same bush policies that has us in this mess.
But for the characterization of Sen. Obama as a radical (only a right wing cretin could think him even close to that standard; and frankly, he's not radical enough for me), that's a very comprehensive summation of the Democratic primary contest.
Of course, I would have added 'crypto-racist' to your description of Sen. Clinton, but you can't cover everything.
May 8, 2008 7:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Once again - GL - right next to you on this one - people should seriously consider sitting November out - that way none of it's on us - right?
Btw - how do you find the time to post so much? It's like you're getting paid for it or something!
May 8, 2008 7:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I doubt if the Clinton campaign is paying this clown. At this point, how could they afford even him?
May 8, 2008 7:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Classic.
May 8, 2008 8:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Double ouch is right.
May 8, 2008 8:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
ouch!
May 8, 2008 7:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
ouch!
May 8, 2008 7:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whiny insufferable thickheaded twit
May 8, 2008 8:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Didn't you promise to leave gotalife?
And yet you're still here, making friends.
But as long as you're accusing Obama of being a radical liberal, go ahead and post same on this thread,
http://www.sadlyno.com/archives/9403.html
which is full of Hillary supporters accusing "Obamabots" of supporting the right-winger.
~
May 8, 2008 8:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
He'd leave if he could just - you know - GET A LIFE!
May 8, 2008 11:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Uh, would it kill you to be on-topic once in a while. There's plenty to whine about in this article if you really want to, but it'd be more helpful to everyone if you'd just stay on topic.
May 8, 2008 10:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Baa-aaa - the sheep have spoken!
May 8, 2008 11:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
How much is Hillary willing to lose of her own personal fortune. Read the following article. It explains why she can only get her loans to her campaign up to the convention date. After that she her campaign can only recover $250K from her campaign funds.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/05/08/why-clinton-stands-to-lose-millions.html
Why Clinton Stands to Lose Millions
The struggling candidate must act quickly if she wants her campaign debts repaid
By Bret Schulte
Posted May 8, 2008
With rounds to fight running out, the self-described Rocky Balboa of politics will soon be forced to assess the damage sustained by the most expensive primary bout in history. Sen. Hillary Clinton doled out $6.4 million of her own money to her campaign since April, her campaign told reporters this week. That brings her total cash outlay to more than $11 million since January. And she's not ruling out spending more as she plans to compete in the six remaining contests. If she plans to knock out heavyweight fundraising champ, Sen. Barack Obama, she may have no other choice.
Related News
Experts disagree on whether or not Clinton will actually stick in the fight until the Democratic National Convention in August. But the date looms large for another reason—at least, if she hopes to recoup any of the millions she has sunk into the campaign. Thanks to a little-known provision in 2002's McCain-Feingold campaign-finance reform bill, a campaign must repay the loan to a candidate before Election Day. In this case, that's the nominating convention. After the election has passed, a bankrupt campaign is limited to gathering just $250,000 from contributors, which means that modest sum is all it can give back to a candidate. In short, Clinton stands to lose $11,150,000. "If she wants to be repaid, she'd have to move on that between now and the national convention," says former Federal Election Commission chairman Michael Toner. "Otherwise, it just becomes another contribution."
May 8, 2008 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
At least when Rocky was out of money he could make another crappy movie.
May 8, 2008 8:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Poor Hillary and Bill. They might lose $11,000,000. Cry me a frickin river. That'll mean that if they live to their 90's they'll only have 3 million dollars to spend each and every year until they move on to the great stump box in the sky.
How will they ever survive?
Bye bye Hillary, it's been real, it's been fun, but it ain't been real fun.
May 8, 2008 7:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
What really bothers me is that both the Clintons and McCain are skirting the campaign finance laws. Using personal fortune gained from political speeches, favors, etc, is not in the spirit of the law. the law was intended to give more voice to individual voters. At what point does the millionaire clause kick in, allowing all supporters of Senator Obama to donate double the amount.
What McCain did last fall is even worse. As a "champion" of campaign finance, he subverted the system buy taking loans on fed matching funds and even on a life insurance policy. had he not cheated the system, Gov. Romney or Mike Huckabee would be the GOP nominee, both of whom are better candidates than the old, flipflopping, senile McCain.
May 8, 2008 8:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Which law?
The constitution protects the freedom of speech no mater how much money you have to amplify it.
If we want to change that, it will require a new law or maybe even a constitutional amendment.
But for the moment it is legal and only violates our sense of decency.
May 9, 2008 12:03 AM | Reply | Permalink
ABC News This Week host George Stephanopoulos said that sources tell him that Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign debt could be as high as $20 million -- more than double earlier reports.
May 8, 2008 7:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
You know she still hasn't paid Penn, so his debt is probably up to $5-6 million. Add her personal debt of $11.4 and there is $16-$17 before you even begin to count the venue, travel, and other debts they have racked up since April 1, the date of their last availabe statement.
I would not be surprised if it is really $25-30 mil.
May 8, 2008 8:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does anyone know when the millionaire clause kicks in, allowing Obama supporters to double the federal limit?
May 8, 2008 8:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
As does the polling on the issue. Imagine that. The pundicks don't know their asses from their elbows.
They need to get out of Washington more.
May 8, 2008 7:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Angry Bill is back.
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/05/bill-angrily-de.html
May 08, 2008 5:51 PM
ABC News' Sarah Amos reports: While speaking at Fayetteville High School in Fayetteville, West Virginia, former President Bill Clinton was interrupted by a woman who said he and Hillary Clinton promised to fix healthcare when he was president and then did nothing.
Clinton got angry during the exchange, clearly upset by the woman's claim.
"And do you know why it was defeated? Clinton asked, "I can't believe you are saying this. There are, there are millions of pages of documents that we have released. Showing the exhausting work that was done, the tens of thousands of people who were consulted, the rallies and movements we had all over the country."
The former president then added: "This is, one of the problems, one of the problems of this whole presidential campaign is how many things that people have said that are flat untrue."
Bill Clinton angrily defended his wife, telling the woman Hillary's first universal healthcare plan failed because of Republican opposition.
"She worked her, she worked her fingers to the bone, I worked my fingers to the bone," He said. "We got beat because [Former Senate Majority Leader] Robert Dole, who promised to work with me on it, got a memo which said, you will never be elected president and the Republicans can't win a majority unless you keep them from adopting anything and they filibustered my healthcare bill. That's what happened."
May 8, 2008 7:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes.... the guy is a problem!
Birds of a feather, folks! Birds of a feather!
♪♪♪
May 8, 2008 8:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, and run a radical liberal that has done nothing.
He is not in the same league and should not even be in the Senate.
May 8, 2008 8:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Once again - GL with the 110% turth!
Seriously - Obama has absolutely no right to be in the Senate - or the front runner in the Dem (Democratic) primary - or to have raised more money than any political candidate in American history through a revolutionary grassroots movement that's poised to change the face of American politics! It's disgusting!
I'm certain Gotalife would agree with me that anyone who supports Obama is secretly trying to destroy our American. 'Nuff said.
May 8, 2008 8:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I agree with gotalife and gotalifefan!!!!!! It's like they let ANYONE run for office in this country!! Geez.
May 8, 2008 9:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
A love fest. ☺
♫ ♪ ♬
Get a room!! ♫ ♪
♬ ♫ ♪ ♬
May 9, 2008 12:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Turthiness!!
May 9, 2008 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, he's at least telling the partial truth there.
The bigger truth was that he couldn't even corral members of his own party to support it. Bobdole didn't kill it all by his lonesome; he had significant help from the Democrats.
May 8, 2008 8:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
In fairness, he's partially correct. The Republican powers that be decided that passing health care reform would be political suicide and that defeating it would bring them majority status, so there was no opportunity for serious negotiation or bipartisanship. That said, Hillary botched the process and came up with a needlessly convoluted plan. And the giant insurance companies did their part to kill it. Plenty of blame to go around.
More relevant, Bill's periodic red-faced tirades merely serve to remind millions of Americans that the last place we want to see him now is anywhere near the White House. A potentially great political leader undone by lack of discipline and narcissism.
May 8, 2008 8:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Odd, when Hillary screwed the pooch on Healthcare reform, the Democrats still held Congress. It was before the Newt Gincrich take-over, Bill. Oooops.
May 8, 2008 8:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
bingo.
and apart from hill/bill failures, it's a grim reminder of how worthless a dem congress can be. we had the presidency and the congress and they all cowered to the health industry lobby. so much could have been done, on that and other fronts
it was a huge disappointment after 12 years of reagan/bush
May 8, 2008 9:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exactly. It wasn't the Republicans that were the problem. It was the fact that she couldn't even work with members of her own party. And I still don't believe she learned a damn thing from that experience.
May 9, 2008 3:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
lima misquoting me:
Here is what I really said:
By the way: We are entitled to our millions.
And yes Obami... he really should pay off our campaign debts.
After all, if it wasn't for our civil rights efforts... that little black prick wouldn't even be in this race.
Shame on you Barack Obama for not realizing that you are beholden to us. Shame on you!
May 8, 2008 8:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Goatlife has transformed into a dying HAL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xOEJ-VuvLM
"Stop Dave. I'm afraid Dave. Dave, My mind is going. I can feel it, I can feel it...."
May 8, 2008 8:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL. I've just stopped responding to this right-wing moron.
EVERYONE should.
May 8, 2008 8:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Such has been the sage advice from Troll Critic 3000
May 8, 2008 10:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
lima = liam
Sorry. Don't want to lose your donation after Hillary steals the election.
May 8, 2008 8:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
PS: Here is the link for your donation:
https://contribute.hillaryclinton.com/donate-b.html?sc=a724
Say ahhhhhhh...
And give all you can give
May 8, 2008 8:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, right....
And if you believe that, I've got some Enron stock to sell you.
May 8, 2008 8:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
You selling any of your old hoods and lynchin' rope memorabilia from your glory days as well?
You might be able to get some cash for it on eBay to some good ol' boys and help Hillary retire her cmaapign debt.
May 8, 2008 8:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sexist bloodsucker!
May 8, 2008 10:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Baaaaaa-Baaaaaa
Taylor Marsh told you to come over here.
Tell her and your fellow Hillbots that it will all soon be over, and you can stop hating Obama then.
Baaaaaaa-Baaaaaaa
May 8, 2008 8:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why is MSM acting like we have to be nice to Hillary, she burned her own bridge and now she shall reap what she's sow. No VP, and a loss of her NY Senate seat.
Obama / Sebelius '08 **==
**Imagine this folks ^, the first woman to be VPOTUS, she will have achieved father path than any woman ever have gained before. Not Hillary Clinton, not even Geraldine Ferraro.
May 8, 2008 8:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
It sounds like the Obama camp wants to bring out 3 or 4 new superdelegates every day until May 20th and see if they can get a flood more at that point to go over the top.
But I wonder if the racial talk from the Clinton camp continues if there will be a flood before then just to get this over with.
May 8, 2008 8:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
It makes me wonder to what extent, and in what manner, she's going to pay for this within the Party once the nomination race is finally finished. I mean, does she really expect to be reelected Senator from New York in large numbers after essentially reworking the 1968 George Wallace campaign in this Presidential contest?
At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if Sen. Clinton didn't turn down an endorsement from the Ku Klux Klan (Wolfson: "We're always happy to receive the support of hard-working White Americans . . . but we don't agree on all issues").
May 8, 2008 9:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
After Obliteration, she will not be offered any Senate leadership position. That ship has sailed. Re-election is going to be nightmare, because all the lies she has told will remain thus. NY is getting a black eye as their power structure ends up on the wrong side of this nomination battle. The backlash will be just as severe when it's all over.
May 8, 2008 10:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
this country messed up... too many white ppl didnt go out to vote...alot of black people go out to vote and support for this black dude... Also alot of white ppl go over vote for b.o event he is a BIG RACIST person ...hillary is not...this race is NOT OVER...GO HILLARY
May 8, 2008 8:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
you're a shining example of Hillary's core supporters.
No wonder she's lost and is about to come history.
Obama/Sebelius '08 **==
May 8, 2008 8:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't recall a demographic that was below high school educated...but I guess they'd go for Hillary too - bunch of elitists.
May 9, 2008 12:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
It is this exact level of denial that cost her the nomination, and will eventually cost her her Senate seat as well.
May 8, 2008 10:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
How many weeks have you been ranting that "Oilbama" is in the pockets of corporations? Yet now now he is a "radical liberal"...?
You should let the assgaskates over at LGF decide on which nonsensical rants and talking points yo run with, i.e. whether he is a Muslim or a radical Christian that believes in helping the poor, and also whether he is a radical liberal or in the tank for big business... before you come here and try and catapult it.
May 8, 2008 8:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Shit.. when will TPM get a real commenting system that actually works correctly?
This was posted as a reply to gotalife's nonsense upthread that now Obama has in less than a day morphed from "oilbama" in the pocket of big corps to radical liberal.
May 8, 2008 8:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
We need your money.
We must stop Oilbama.
He is an elitist...
And even worse he is black.
He can't win.
Give all you can afford.
Give! Give! Give!
We need your hard-earned!
Stop the black liberal elitist:
https://contribute.hillaryclinton.com/donate-b.html?sc=a724
May 8, 2008 8:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hope this was snark?
May 8, 2008 8:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe so.
But it's gotten so hard to tell. The diehards are turning out posts like obsessive-compulsive Aspergers teens.
May 8, 2008 9:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought they were Obsessive-cumpulsive, Aspergers teens.
(rimshot)
May 8, 2008 9:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, it is. The link is what threw me. Thanks.
May 8, 2008 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm pretty sure it's Grade A snark.
May 8, 2008 9:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
okie dokie
May 8, 2008 9:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
The sad part of it is that the Clinton campaign is THIS close to articulating their spiel exactly in those terms.
They'd be a disgrace if there weren't so many in the Democratic party just like them.
May 8, 2008 8:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Fab performance, First Fornicator!!!
May 9, 2008 12:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Check out Hillary's open letter to Obama:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/m.s.-bellows/clintons-open-letter-to-o_b_100861.html
May 8, 2008 8:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
I bet she had to send it: Postage Due.
May 8, 2008 9:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
God, she absolutely has no shame. When has he ever said he didn't want them seated? She is so disingenuous it's breathtaking.
I actually heard Diana Dingell (John Dingell's wife) today on Ed Schultz' show (she is one of the people trying to work on the Michigan agreement) say that Michigan decided to move up their election, in violation of the DNC rules, "as an act of civil disobedience". They KNEW that they were in violation and they knew what the consequences were. She said that they never thought it would get this far - I say, tough shit. What a stupid, ridiculous argument she put forth today.
I think that the deal that they came up with is MORE than fair to Hillary and someone better convince her to accept it (I think I read earlier that she's rejected it). You could, I suppose, make an argument for Florida, but no way should she get all her delegates in Michigan and he get none. That is absolute and utter bullshit. In addition to the 45% of people that came out and voted AGAINST HILLARY CLINTON, how many people stayed home because their votes didn't count? She is really a piece of work.
May 8, 2008 9:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Michigan isn't about just the pledged delegates, seating MI unlocks her 6 point advantage in the superdelegates form MI. Same reason she is on about Florida as well. It is a dual track game. She uses the "voter disenfranchisement" hoo-haw to get the fight going and she wants those pledged delegates to be sure, but the overlooked game is that she bags another 15 supers if MI and FL are seated which is the overlooked sucker punch she is trying to throw as well. SO even if the pledged delegates in MI are split 50/50 she nets those overlooked hanging SDs chads in FL and MI
May 8, 2008 9:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
If the Michigan party always planned to fight the rules all the way to Denver, it sure would have been nice if they'd told more than one candidate. The way they did it, it's hard to tell a principled struggle from a Clinton dirty trick.
May 8, 2008 10:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
"How many people stayed home because their votes didn't count?"
That is they key. Obama has to just keep hammering home that their chance to vote matters too. It is perfectly understandable why the Florida and Michigan residents would stay home if they were told the primary would not matter.
*****
Sen. Hillary Clinton, New Hampshire Public Radio, Thursday, October 11, 2007:
NHPR's Laura Knoy: "So, if you value the DNC calendar, why not just pull out of Michigan? Why not just say, Hey Michigan, I'm off the ballot?"
Hillary Clinton: "Well, you know, It's clear, this election they're having is not going to count for anything"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULxxBz-PAjg
May 9, 2008 1:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
if she had money, maybe she could run TV ads along these lines. an "open letter" is a cheap way to get out her weak-assed ploy
it'd be shameful, but we all know now she has no shame
May 8, 2008 9:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I remember Mayor Frank Rizzo of Philadelphia exhorting his followers at a rally to "Vote White". Is that so much different from what Senator Clinton said?
May 8, 2008 9:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not a ha'pence of difference. I have a feeling the resilience this line of attack has assumed of late is solely for morality-challenged voters in West Virginia and Kentucky, but that doesn't make it less odious.
May 8, 2008 9:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, I agree with your theory. It makes perfect sense - she is tailoring her pandering and race-baiting depending on what primaries are coming up. WV and Kentucky are the "we can't let the colored boy take it from us" primaries; hence, the "hard working white Americans" meme.
May 8, 2008 9:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
You mean "I believe the Philadelphia Police Department is strong enough to invade Cuba and win" Mayor Rizzo?
Fuckin' A. Now there was a real Nazi racist asshole. They don't make 'em like they used to.
May 8, 2008 9:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Was he the guy under who's tenure the police dropped a C4 bomb out of the helicopter on the MOVE headquarters in a police standoff, live on television back in early/mid 80s?
May 8, 2008 9:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, I believe that was a later administration's epic clusterf*ck.
May 8, 2008 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, Rizzo attacked the Move Compound the first time, but with just a hail of bullets. Not to be outdown, it was the African-American Mayor Goode who burnt down and entier city block after dropping C4 on the building. If you can find video on that day it is quite amazing. I remember it pretty well as I was in High School in the area at the time(SE PA suburbs). There seems to be some stuff on yutube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xOEJ-VuvLM
They intitially fired so many rounds that the ran out of bullets and then the whole front of the building collapase. It was surreal. Of course John Africa and his gang were way, way out there. It was just a bad situation all around. I remember the Fire Chief during the hearings afterwards actually breaking down into tears during testimony when he admitted that it was probably a bad decision to let the fire burn. Eventually an entire city block in West Philly burnt down. I drove by it one day long after it had happened, it was unbelievable. A sad chapter in Philly history to be sure.
May 8, 2008 9:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
I remember the incident and watching it burn on television and going WTF as they showed it over and over, but wasn't paying attention to the names/can't recall who the police chief was.
May 8, 2008 9:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Anyone know the deal with Rep. Ellsworth? Did he or did he not endorse Clinton?
May 8, 2008 9:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's a particularly ham-handed way of keeping his options open.
I mean, if he'd literally covered his rear before a mob of photographers he wouldn't have made it more obvious.
May 8, 2008 9:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe he cast his lot with HRC as his district went for Hillary.
May 8, 2008 9:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mea Culpa. Tom Sutpen is right on this one. He is waffling.
May 8, 2008 9:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, on DemConWatch they don't have him listed, so he probably isn't being counted at this point...of course, her campaign is probably counting him.
http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html
May 8, 2008 9:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama only needs 52 superdelegates to deny Hillary a chance to ever reach 2025 mark. This is based on the assumption that Hillary will win W.Virginia (60%), Kenturky (60%), and PR (58%) and Obama picking the rest of the states by 53-55%. Mark this estimates!!!!!
May 8, 2008 9:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Didn't you hear? The magic number is now 3945 or something.
May 8, 2008 9:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
The magic number is now a secret. Obama will just have to guess.
May 8, 2008 11:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
If that's true, it offers yet another basis for abolishing the superdelegate process, and I say that as Obama supporter.
Everyone's goal should be to beat McBush rather than loyalty to a particular candidate. If Wright or anything else made Obama or Clinton or any other candidate unelectable, the smart thing to do is to find a candidate who can win.
May 8, 2008 9:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ugh, how anybody trust Melissa Bean as a credible source of anything is beyond me. She is squarely within the worst elements of the party politically and far from a beacon of truth.
Does anyone think she was going to say "there has been all sorts of defection because of wright." I mean, i dont think it has had much, if any effect on the superdels, but a Bean comment is as about as worthwhile as Pat Buchanan on the matter.
May 8, 2008 9:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
It also runs counter to common sense. The only way supers would step forward earlier because of Jeremiah Wright would be if they were already Obama supporters, and they were trying to counter any impression that Wright hurt Obama. There have been plenty of reliable polls that show he did indeed hurt Obama. And how could he not?
May 8, 2008 10:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hurting Obama in the public's eyes and hurting him in the superdelegates' eyes could be completely different things. They might just be looking to see if he can handle the situation, which he showed he could.
May 8, 2008 10:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
October surprise may come in June or July!
Hahaha
May 8, 2008 10:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
*yawn*
She lost. Deal.
May 8, 2008 10:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Baa, baa, black sheep,
Why're you such a troll?
Yes sir, yes sir,
Hillary's lost her soul.
One for the pander,
One for McSame,
And one for her husband
Who's become really lame.
Baa, baa, black sheep,
You are such a troll!
Yes sir, yes sir,
You are full of bull.
May 9, 2008 12:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
LOLLOLLOL
May 9, 2008 3:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think all these trolls are infected with that virus from that stupid 28 Days Later movie.
May 8, 2008 10:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I need to plan my Summer time expenses. Has Hillary arranged my Gas Tax Holiday yet?.
May 9, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
I have to disagree with you. I think both Hagee and Parsley will be issues in the GE. The evangelicals are redirecting their priorities away from only gay issues and abortion to issues like poverty and climate change. These two guys do not represent most evangelicals. These guys are even more nuts than Falwell and Robertson and I think the fact that McCain sought them out is going to make for an extended news cycle. Robert Greenwald has a good piece on these two with McCain sucking up to them.
May 12, 2008 1:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Michelle Obama’s Writings Display Disturbing Racism
Americans must ask: ‘Do we really want this woman in the White House’?
By Pat Shannan
Just what kind of “change” is Barack Obama offering and just how much influence has his wife, Michelle had over him in their married life the past two decades? It appears that Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama does not look into a crowd of Obama supporters and see Americans. She sees black people and white people, eternally conflicted with one another.
In her senior thesis at Princeton University, Michelle LaVaughn, the future wife of the Democratic presidential candidate, stated that America was a nation founded on “crime and hatred.” Moreover, she stated that whites in America were “ineradicably racist.”
The 1985 thesis, entitled Princeton-Educated Blacks and the Black Community, was written under her maiden name, Michelle LaVaughn. Michelle Obama writes that the path she chose by attending Princeton would likely lead to her “further integration and/or assimilation into a white cultural and social structure that will only allow me to remain on the periphery of society, never becoming a full participant.”
Not only does she see separate black and white societies in America, but emphatically elevates black over white in her world. As first lady, would she insist the White House be painted black? That’s been a standard joke in this venue since the civil rights movement of the 1960s, but this next ominous quote from her thesis suggests that she would in fact urge her husband toward just such an extreme position.
“There was no doubt in my mind that as a member of the black community, I am obligated to this community and will utilize all of my present and future resources to benefit the black community first and foremost.”
She seems to justify those feelings with what she claims to see on the other side of the issue: “Predominantly white universities like Princeton are socially and academically designed to cater to the needs of the white students, comprising the bulk of their enrollments.”
Michelle added in her thesis that to “whites at Princeton, it often seems as if, to them, [I] will always be black first.” However, it was reported by a fellow black classmate, “if those ‘whites at Princeton ‘ really saw Michelle as one who always would ‘be black first,’ it seems that she gave them that impression.”
Michelle Obama’s poll of black alumni concludes that other black former students at Princeton do not share her obsession with blackness. But rather than celebrate, she is horrified that black alumni identify with our common American culture more than they value the color of their skins.
“I hoped that these findings would help me conclude that despite the high degree of identification with whites as a result of the educational and occupational path that black Princeton alumni follow, the alumni would still maintain a certain level of identification with the black community. However, these findings do not support this possibility,” she wrote.
Most black alumni ignored her racist questionnaire. Only 89 students responded, out of 400 who were asked for input.
The thesis provides a trove of Mrs. Obama’s thoughts and world view seen through a race-based prism. For a potential first lady, this is a very divisive view that would do untold damage to race relations in this country in a Barack Hussein Obama administration.
During this presidential election year in which the term “transparency” has been frequently bandied about, candidates have buried a number of potentially revealing documents and papers. In Hillary Rodham Clinton’s case, there’s been a clamoring for tax records, White House memos and other material the candidate’s team has chosen to keep from release.
The 96-page, 1985 Princeton thesis, restricted from release by the school’s Mudd Library, has also been the subject of recent scrutiny. Commentator Jonah Goldberg remarked on National Review Online, “A
reader in the know informs me that Michelle Obama’s thesis is unavailable until Nov. 5, 2008, at the Princeton library. I wonder why.”
“Why a restricted thesis?” asked Pastor Louis Lapides on his website,
Thinking Outside the Blog. “Is the concern based on what’s in the thesis? Will Michelle Obama appear to be too black for white America or not black enough for black America?”
Will an Obama administration really offer constructive “change” or just an intellectually refined racism?
May 14, 2008 11:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
They DID say that was one of the most important speeches of the last 40 years, n'est pas?
August 24, 2008 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink