Shame on You Hillary

On a weekend that Hillary attacked Obama for pointing out the truth, Hillary should be ashamed of carrying out such a dastardly campaign. I guess this is an issue of cost versus reward. That is, run the risk of continuing the narrative of "Hillary is part of the negative old-style Washington politics" versus hoping that the photo will plant a seed of doubt in any undecided who will be gullible enough to believe this.

How Much Lower can Hillary Clinton Sink? - Campaign Circulates Obama Photo

As a self-proclaimed political neophyte, I have always wondered why intense hatred is often directed at Hillary. Well today I see why. The Drudge report is reporting that Hillary Clinton is circulating a photo of Barack Obama dressed in Somali garb during his visit to Kenya about two years ago, an obvious attempt to link him to being a Muslim (a false rumor that has frequently circulated on the internet)



What is even more remarkable is that they do not deny it and are responding as if this is a classic "Gotcha!" moment. Sample this from Hillary's chief campaign strategist- Maggie Williams :

If Barack Obama's campaign wants to suggest that a photo of him wearing traditional Somali clothing is divisive, they should be ashamed.

Then why or why are then sending out a mailer if it is such an insignificant photo!!! This is clearly a mark of total desperation that I did not expect this from the vaunted Clinton machine. Frankly, this is bordering on childishness. First there was the Obama's kindergaten essay that supposedly highlighted Obama's presidential ambitions, now this. Looks like if Hillary is going to loose, she is going to take the Democratic party down with her as well as any dignity she has left.

Politics Imititates Sport - What do JohnMcCain and Roger Clemens have in Common

Following John Mccain's sex scandal, I am left to muse on the similarities that politics and sports(specifically baseball) have.

Roger Clemens recently had to fend off allegations that he used steroids to boost his performance. Brian McNamee, a long time friend, told the Mitchell Commission during their year-long investigation that he began injecting Clemens with steroids during the 1998 season and that he continued to provide these steroids through 2001. Mcnamee then astonishingly came up with hard evidence including syringes that he alleges he used on Clemens. Like Marion Jones before him, Clemens vehemently denied these allegations and even demanded to be heard in Congress. In the court of public opinion, it looks like Clemens has already been declared guilty.

We then have John Mccain, who like Bill Clinton before him has had to vehemently deny that he had romantic relations with that woman - Vicki Iseman. However, one wonders, like in Clemens case, if there is any truth to the New York Times report. Is there some fire behind this smoke screen? Expect Mccain like Clemens to deny, deny, deny. But it remains to be seen how the Conservative leading voices like Rush Limbaugh, the New York Times, and most importantly the public will react to this story.

How Lucky Can Obama Get - John Mccain Caught in a Scandal

How lucky can Obama get?!! MSNBC's Keith Olbermann has just announced some breaking news on an alleged love affair involving John McCain. Based on a New York Times report, John McCain's close advisors in his 2000 campaign run took measures to protect him from a female lobbyist - Vicki Iseman - who was thirty years his junior, and with whom they believed he had developed a romantic relationship. Shades of Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky. For more, go here

Early in Senator John McCain’s first run for the White House eight years ago, waves of anxiety swept through his small circle of advisers.

A female lobbyist had been turning up with him at fund-raisers, in his offices and aboard a client’s corporate jet. Convinced the relationship had become romantic, some of his top advisers intervened to protect the candidate from himself — instructing staff members to block the woman’s access, privately warning her away and repeatedly confronting him, several people involved in the campaign said on the condition of anonymity.

When news organizations reported that Mr. McCain had written letters to government regulators on behalf of the lobbyist’s clients, the former campaign associates said, some aides feared for a time that attention would fall on her involvement.

Mr. McCain, 71, and the lobbyist, Vicki Iseman, 40, both say they never had a romantic relationship. But to his advisers, even the appearance of a close bond with a lobbyist whose clients often had business before the Senate committee Mr. McCain led threatened the story of redemption and rectitude that defined his political identity

.

So how is Obama lucky? Well, during his senate campaign run, Obama benefited from the misery of two male rivals who ended up in embarrassing scandals with their spouses; one a Democrat, the other a Republican. Blair Hull was a billionaire who had been the Democratic front runner and had widespread name recognition resulting from a well-financed advertisement effort. He contributed over $28 million of his personal wealth for the campaign. When allegations that Hull had abused his ex-wife were made by the media, Hull's poll numbers dropped and he failed to win the nomination. Obama as a result easily won the Democrat's primary.

Jack Ryan won the Republican primary, thus pairing him against Obama. However, after allegations from his ex-wife, actress Jeri Ryan of a sexual scandal, he withdrew his candidacy. The Republicans were then forced to ship in firebrand Alan Keyes who was easily beaten.

If Obama ends up winning the Democratic primary and then beats Sen. Mccain based on this scandal, he will have earned the Presidency thanks to the sexual impropriety of his 3 rivals. And that is not counting Bill Clinton!

Just Words

Here is the video clip. Expect the Black Eyed Peas to release another video entitled "Just Words"

Obama's Fire in the Belly - Obama Ups The Ante at the Democratic Party dinner in Milwaukee

Before Sen. Obama got into this race, skeptics doubted that he had enough fire to take him the distance. But as the campaign has gone along, Obama has matured into a fiery speaker. His speech at tonight's Democratic Party dinner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Obama lashed out at opponents who criticized his hope mongering: for giving false hopes. "I have a Dream - just words?!", "Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country - just words?!". There was clear irritation and fire as he rattled off rhetorically. It was delightful to watch!

Clintonistas Did It Again - Pulling Up the Race Card - Will Obama Bite?

The Clintons injected race into the campaign again in the face of Obama's mounting momementum. This time, they did it through one of their main supporters - Gov. Ed Rendell.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Gov. Ed Rendell, one of Hillary Rodham Clinton's most visible supporters, said some white Pennsylvanians are likely to vote against her rival Barack Obama because he is black.

"You've got conservative whites here, and I think there are some whites who are probably not ready to vote for an African-American candidate," Rendell told the editorial board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in remarks that appeared in Tuesday's paper.

To buttress his point, Rendell cited his 2006 re-election campaign, in which he defeated Republican challenger Lynn Swann, the former Pittsburgh Steelers star, by a margin of more than 60 percent to less than 40 percent.

"I believe, looking at the returns in my election, that had Lynn Swann been the identical candidate that he was — well-spoken, charismatic, good-looking — but white instead of black, instead of winning by 22 points, I would have won by 17 or so," he said. "And that (attitude) exists. But on the other hand, that is counterbalanced by Obama's ability to bring new voters into the electoral pool."

Rendell, chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2000 and previously Philadelphia's mayor, endorsed Clinton on Jan. 23.

Pennsylvania holds its primary April 22.

Several figures in Clinton's campaign, including her husband, the former president, have been criticized in recent weeks for raising Obama's race. In response, Bill Clinton has said he will stick to promoting his wife, rather than defending her.

Later Tuesday, Rendell's spokesman said the governor did not mean to offend anyone.

"He was simply making an observation about the unfortunate nature of some parts of American society," said spokesman Chuck Ardo. "He wasn't being critical, he wasn't making accusations, but just being realistic."

Now, Clintonistas may claim that he is just being REAL. Nevertheless, I cannot help seeing this for what it is, another vain attempt at stopping an opponent, at all costs, including pulling up the race card. The question is, will Obama be drawn into another tit-for-tat mudslinging match similar to what happened prior to the South Carolina primary? Watch this space!

Obama's Humor - I’m skinny but I’m tough

Obama continues to confound me with his endless supply of humorous one-liners. Witness the latest one.

Hillary Clinton's Love Affair - With The Main Stream Media

I am simply fascinated by the love-hate relationship that Sen. Clinton and the MSM have had over this campaign season. The Clintons have a long rocky history with media stretching back to Bill's Monica Lewinsky scandal. As a result of the investigation's that followed, they both went us far as to lump the MSM together with the Republicans as a Right Wing conspiracy.

MSNBC's Dan Abrams will also be happy to point out how the MSM has been incredibly infatuated with Hillary's chief Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama. He will also point out their rush to - on several occasions- declare her White House campaign dead after every Obama success. Part of this is comes from Obama's extraoridinary background but the real reason, as Abrams would say - is the rough treatment the press corps have received from the Clintonista. David Shuster and Chris Matthews have recently attested to that.

But what makes me amused most is how carefully the media now treads in covering Obama's perceived momentum. They were burned once prior to the New Hampshire primary by gleefuly proclaiming that the race was now over. Now, they tentatively cover every Obama's success with a qualifier - dont' count out the Clintons, after all they are the powerful comeback kids!

David Shuster - You Had to go There Didn't You!

Oh Shuster, Shuster, Shuster - you had to go there. You had stir up the hornet's nest didn't you. Didn't you learn from your colleague's debacle! Surely Chris Matthews spoke to you about the hazards of being critical in any way of the Clintons. It is as good as kissing your career goodbye. Well, you only have to blame yourself for the suspension. Thank you though for extending my vocubalary - prejorative - very nice.

John Mccain - A Case for the War on Terror

As those in the political circles continue to recover from the after effects of Mitt Romney's withdrawal, one cannot help but ruminate on his main reason of giving up the race for the White House. This is what he said:

If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror.

Now this statement is outrageous on two fronts. First it is obvious to everyone that Romney withdrew for one reason, and one reason alone - he realized that there was no way he was going to beat Mccain! Furthermore, no serious business man would continue to throw away millions into an investment that is destined not to yield any returns. So Romney basically calculated that to save face, and position himself for a future run, now was the best time to withdraw.

Secondly, on the issue of aiding a surrender to terror - yeesh! Where do I start. This is exactly the same Bush-Rove rhetoric that has served to divide a country and isolate us from the rest of the world. Romney expects us to believe that if we stay in Iraq for a hundred years that that will be a victory! Please!

If that is going to be the Republicans main campaign issue, and if Mccain does win, I will hazard to say that we will have surrendered to ourselves, our own morbid fears! The same fears that have served to divide us and isolate us from the rest of the world. In the meantime as trillions of dollars are spent abroad, lives are lost, we make no headway in solving domestic issues like the economy - which Mccain will no doubt choose to conveniently avoid in the campaign.

Having said that, Mccains case for war is the strongest issue they can harp on to help them win against the Democrats. Hey it worked for Bush. Will wait and see if Americans are hoodwinked again this Fall into caving it to their fears instead of facing head on the issues that confront us domestically.

Say It Ain't So Romney! Say It Ain't So!

In somewhat of a surprise, Mitt Romney dropped out of the Republican Primary race, after it became abundantly clear he was not going to win. This came us a shock , though, to his supporters as well as the conservative wing of the party. Conservatives have only themselves to blame for coalescing late around their preferred candidate. This means that Mccain can now start to focus his campaign against the Democrats.

Who'da thunk it?! A few months ago, we expected the DNC would have chosen their candidate by now and the Republicans would see not clear candidate at this point. Shows how incredibly unpredictable this campaign season has been.

Why Does Obama Make Them Cry!!

A few days ago, I noted the strange movement that is taking place in the Obama campaign. Well, on Super Duper Tuesday, I saw something that really takes the cake! Fox news camera's at the Obama's speech caught a woman who was overcome by Obama's words. She literally hung on his every word and at one point, had to be comforted by her neighbor as she struggled to hold back tears. Take a look. She is the white blonde lady on the extreme right. Watch out for the moment he starts to speak about his community organizing days.





This is so eerie. It speaks to the insipirational quality of Obama, but at the same time, you wonder if his supporters are setting themselves for a massive disappointment if he actually does win the presidency! ABC's Jake Tapper has an interesting piece - And Obama Wept - that explores this phenomena in detail!

Whatever happened to the John Edwards -Rielle Hunter Story

I am not one to follow the latest gossip stories from the National Enquirer. But I could not help but be intrigued by a story that broke out late last year. It alleged that the former presidential candidate, John Edwards, had an affair with a former campaign consultant - Rielle Hunter. She is even rumored to be pregnant. What is even more intriguing, is the blackout that the main stream media gave to this story? How Edwards escaped the media scrutiny of such a scandal escapes me. One wonders why? Was it one of those rare occassions that the media chose not to tear down a media darling? Mondoreb explores the likely reasons why in this interesting post.

The Obama Experience

I just got over watching an emotional California campaing rally, headlined by Oprah, Caroline Kennedy and Michelle Obama. There was even the suprise appreance of Stevie Wonder and Maria Shriver! What struck me was the emotional chord that this event brought out of the audience. Michelle suprisingly outshined Oprah in making a strong forceful case as to why Californians should consider voting for Obama. It was enough to bring a tears to a grown old man. Shriver's argument was the icing on the cake! My favorite quote was:

"The more I thought about it, I thought you know if Barack Obama was a state, he'd be California," Shriver said to fierce applause. "I mean, think about it - diverse, open, smart, independent, bucks tradition, innovative, inspiring, dreamer, leader. And the thing I like the best ... he's not about himself. He's about us."

Now will these passionate arguments make a difference for Obama? It may be a little too late to make a difference. But there is a trend that is beginning to take place nationwide as noted in this article:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-cooper/can-obama-beat-the-clock_b_84707.html

Latest polls indicate that the more people get to know Obama, the more they tend to decide to vote for him. Indeed his dead even in some polls nationally. But make no mistake, Obama is a huge underdog to win substantially on Super Tuesday. The one thing he has against him is time and little name recognition compared to Hillary Clinton.

Even if Obama ends up losing, this has truly been a memorable Obama experience!