The McCarthy label did go too far-but Bill Clinton is as you know, famously careful with his public wordings, and by not including Obama in the list there is by implication a lack of patriotism in Obama. He is by this carefully worded statement allowing people to paint in their own minds the image of the missing lapel pin and lack of a hand over the chest during the national anthem.

Posted at March 24, 2008 10:43 AM in response to Obama Campaign Manager Hints Clinton Camp Has "Pattern" Of Questioning Obama's Patriotism

YES, THAT IS WHAT ED RENDELL IS UP TO!!!

Check out this site.

It shows what Obama and Clinton have won JUST THROUGH CAUCUSES, INCLUDING FL and MI!!!!! (AND NOT UPDATED TO INCLUDE MS.)

Here is the answer:

Candidate Obama Clinton
TOTAL 12,838,762 13,084,646
Florida 569,041 857,208
Michigan 0 328,151
Tot-MI/FL 12,269,721 11,899,287
Mississippi 255,809 155,686
Tot-FL/MI+MS 12,525,530 12,054,973

Clearly they are preparing to put forward the following argument:

1) Caucuses are undemocratic - we should focus on popular vote from primaries and there Hillary Clinton has a 100K lead over Obama (including MS).
2) Hillary Clinton has a good chance to extend that lead with a big win in PA.
3) The FL and MI primary votes should stand AS IS because it is not the voters fault that the DNC said they broke the rules and that Obama (in deference to the DNC) did not run.

That is what the Clinton camp is holding on to.

Sheesh!

Posted at March 13, 2008 6:25 PM in response to Rendell: Isn't Popular Vote As Important As Pledged Del Count?

EXACTLY! Almost surely Rendell is working with the equation

PRIMARY VOTE = POPULAR VOTE

I don't know the math here - but I am assuming that if you look at primary only states Clinton may have the lead on votes.

I don't really believe many superdelegates are stupid enough to line up behind that argument, but surely some are or they would not float it.

It does, as you suggest, have the effect of alienating caucus states.

Posted at March 13, 2008 4:00 PM in response to Rendell: Isn't Popular Vote As Important As Pledged Del Count?

The upside: Obama has quickly dispatched a problem so that it does not dog his campaign.

The downside: He has lost a wonderfully strong voice in his campaign, and looks weak and reactive. It might have been better to say that she apologized and that was enough, just like MSNBC suspended Schuster and left it at that.

To illustrate the point: Last night on the local (San Francisco) news they showed Hillary repeating the McCain line. It was disgusting, but she looked confident and in command. They then showed Obama looking passive and the clip did not directly address what Hillary said but more spoke to his years of experience vs. hers.

The trouble is that there is a large segment of the population that does not respond to the words but to the visual and visceral. Viscerally, that made Hillary look like a strong warrior, and Obama like a passive intellectual. Kerry lost a lot in 2004 because he was perceived as too passive in hitting back on the swift boaters. Dukakis and Bernard Shaw and the hypothetical rape of Kitty--well you get the point.

Obama has to stand up here and show a little backbone, a little fierceness. It is not his style, and it does not have to be done with maliciousness or harshness, but it has to come across as forceful and tough. Dropping Power, not hitting back hard enough on NAFTA-that doesn't cut it.

My two bits.

Posted at March 7, 2008 2:33 PM in response to Power Hour (Open Thread)

If true, this was a mistake for Edwards. I agree with you, Dr. Lippin, about the health of shedding tears, and to paraphrase many a poet or the Bard (I am thinking of Henry V surveying the scene of battle with the Gauls) a warrior who does not know tears is truly a tragic figure.

I am on record saying that I believe it to be genuine, because I think Hillary is suffering right now as her campaign hits rough water, and I think it would take an extraordinary actress to convincingly call on those emotions on cue. I feel empathy for her now, because while I may disagree with some of her positions and her generally centrist and cautious approach to policy, I do believe she sincerely wants to help and serve.

This said, I cannot help but believe that this is a net loss for Hillary. I can envision it being a plus with many people who have `worked' on themselves and possibly with the women's vote, but I cannot see it helping her reach the many who are uncomfortable with tears and view it as unseemly in a candidate.

But for Edwards to jump on that? Mistake.

``...Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.''

from `Lost' by David Wagoner

Posted at January 7, 2008 2:50 PM in response to Hillary Teared--and Edwards Blinked

Centrist? No. I wholeheartedly disagree. If you look at his voting record, his policy details, and his record in the Illinois legislature you will see is not centrist. What he is able to do from the left is real in independents and some conservatives. As noted elsewhere, that is something of a mirror image of Reagan, and a welcome one at this time.

``...Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.''

from `Lost' by David Wagoner

Posted at January 5, 2008 10:29 PM in response to Obama: Race Matters

OK, I get the fear, but the secret service is pretty good, and getting better. The last POTUS shot at was Reagan. Bad, yes, but that was 27 years ago.

And look how they dealt with Falafel man today!

``...Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.''

from `Lost' by David Wagoner

Posted at January 5, 2008 10:21 PM in response to Obama: Race Matters

Apropos of the FDR reference: I realized I had some ignorance about FDR's political life prior to winning in 1932. There was not much! His DC experience consisted of being an assistant secretary of the Navy in the WWI era. He did run for veep on the famed Cox/Roosevelt ticket that had the ignominy of losing to Harding/Coolidge, an administration among the worst in American history. Then, of course, just prior to running for pres he was a one term governor of NY, which does count for quite a bit. Against this Obama's record as community organizer, state legislator, and senator does not seem so pale, and let us recall that Edwards had just one term in office and Hillary has just one full term under her belt, the rather debunked First Lady experience notwithstanding (as Chris Rock says, to paraphrase, `My wife watches me all the time but that doesn't mean she can get up on the stage here!').

``...Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.''

from `Lost' by David Wagoner

Posted at January 4, 2008 11:25 PM in response to From Concord, NH: Obama's Music

MoDo is a character assassin, but definitely Jekyl and Hyde. I like her Jekyl side and dislike her Hyde side (who can forget her invented ``Who among us does not like NASCAR'' attribution to Kerry in 2004?)

``...Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.''

from `Lost' by David Wagoner

Posted at January 4, 2008 11:06 PM in response to From Concord, NH: Obama's Music

I do share concerns about the injection of social security into the debate, but note two features of this which I have not seen discussed widely here.

1) It is a major concern of young people. I have talked to plenty of reasonable people 30 and under who just assume (without having looked deeply at the evidence) that social security will be gone when they come of age. Hence, as a political strategy, it is about appealing to the young, who have anxiety about health care but not obviously as much as older American or those with families. I could be wrong about this, but I think that this could be a component of his strategy. I note that Bush tried this as well, but his transparent effort to raid the coffers was quickly recognized as theft and abandoned.

2) Obama is expressing concern about social security without offering privatization (rather, he focuses simply upon maintaining solvency through increased limits on payroll deductions). This is easily explained and understood, I believe.

OK, if the republican congress was in power and Barack was espressing this, it would be a ``Danger Will Robinson'' moment. Instead we are facing a democratic congress with a likely increased majority. Hence, as a simply explained exercise in upping the cap on deductions to render the system solvent, he can a) actually solve a problem, albeit one that is down the road, and (b) ensure that the public understands no coffer raiding is required.

Moreover, he pulls in the youth.

I have concerns, but think that the generic response of Krugman and left blogistan are a bit overblown.

``...Stand still. The forest knows
Where you are. You must let it find you.''

from `Lost' by David Wagoner

Posted at January 4, 2008 10:48 PM in response to From Concord, NH: Obama's Music