Atrocious Debate

Just gotten a chance to see what other's think of the debate, and it looks like I am not alone. The general consesus is this is one of the worst Presidential debates in recent memory, totally lacking in substance. I honestly don't think that a voter watching the candidates debate for the first time came a way with a substantiative understanding of their stand on issues. Instead we were treated to an embarassing analysis of non-issues. Truly a sad day for democracy!

Shame on you George Stephanopoulos!

I was willing to give George Stephanopoulos the benefit of the doubt when I heard he would moderate tonight's debate. Even though he was Bill Clinton's former Chief of Staff.He has proved himself to be relatively fair during this campaign cycle. But tonight, he certainly did not do himself any favors by raising William Ayers. For some reason it all seemed to be a calculated ambush co-ordinated with his former boss. For almost 45 minutes he chose to hammer away at gaffes, pins and an innocous relationship with a 70's radical. In future all future moderators should be vetted for being former employees of the candidates.

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

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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"