Howard is FF.

9:26 AM EST

FF ? 

First and Foremost 

9:26 AM EST

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080212/pl_bloomberg/a_ydne3gtwga_1

Obama's Students, Independents Erode Clinton's Wisconsin Base

Indira Lakshmanan

Tue Feb 12, 12:05 AM ET

Feb. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Wisconsin has lots of blue-collar, older and female voters who form the backbone of Hillary Clinton's base. It also has plenty of college students, progressives and upper-income independents who favor Barack Obama.

With an earlier start and more support from the state's political establishment, including the governor, Obama may have the edge in Wisconsin's Feb. 19 contest for the Democratic presidential nomination.

``Obama's got the momentum in this state, but I never rule out a Clinton,'' said Wisconsin Democratic Party Chairman Joe Wineke, who supported North Carolina Senator John Edwards.

..

Edwards' Backers

Cieslewicz, who had endorsed Edwards, said he believes most Edwards supporters will migrate to Obama, as some political and labor leaders already have.

Independents can vote in Wisconsin's primary, and according to exit polls from last week's Super Tuesday contests, these voters prefer Obama over Clinton by a 23-point margin. Even some Republicans said they would cross over.

``This is the first time I'll vote Democratic in my life,'' said Timothy Baldwin, 37, a Milwaukee lawyer. Four years ago, Baldwin attended the Republican National Convention; last week, he offered a nightclub he owns for a Super Tuesday party for Obama supporters.

...

Congressman Dave Obey, a former Edwards loyalist who endorsed Obama last week, said his rural and blue-collar constituents in northern Wisconsin hold anti-Nafta and anti-war views that could favor Obama.

...

9:27 AM EST

and speaking of the other Edwards, good luck today Donna with your election ! Go Donna ! :

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/annapolis/2008/02/edwards_endorses_obama_too.html

Late this afternoon, congressional candidate Donna F. Edwards endorsed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.) for president, referring to him as a "fellow agent of change."

...

Let the education of Barrack commence.................maybe, somebody can run this one by him when everybody is mesmerized by visions of hope, change, Mom and apple pie....................

Mccain and the right are gonna go after him him with such strong cases of weakness, Neville Chamberlin, appeasement, Islamo fasicists under our beds(maybe even in them!), no flag lapel pin, no hand over the heart, etc etc etc................

Barrack..............just fire a few salvos of the TRUTH...........that will shut em up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJRcOF7rEfQ

Last Updated: Tuesday, 12 February 2008, 13:52 GMT BBC Printable version Deadline looms in Ukraine gas row Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko is in Moscow to try to persuade Russia not to cut gas supplies to his country in a dispute over an unpaid bill.

10:06 AM EST

breadbasket Ukraine's president has two choices:

1.) 1 877 call joe 4 oil;

2.) pay up for the Russian gas (so your own citizens don't freeze to death) and start getting those fields of amber grain in east Ukraine into bio-fuel production.

10:09 AM EST 

Obama loves Obama:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080212/lf_afp/usvoteobamajapan_080212065653

Obama, Japan, roots for accidental namesake

by Shaun Tandon

Tue Feb 12, 2:18 AM ET

OBAMA, Japan (AFP) - Barack Obama, who has been credited with tapping support in unlikely places, is enjoying a groundswell of enthusiasm in a small city in western Japan, which is delighted to share his name.

Obama, Japan, is rooting for candidate Obama, hoping that if he becomes the US president he will put this ancient fishing town of 32,000 people firmly on the tourist map and, just maybe, choose it for an international summit.

Supporters in Obama -- which means "small shore" in Japanese -- have held parties to watch election results, put up posters wishing the senator luck and plan a special batch of the town's "manju" sweets bearing his likeness.

"At first we were more low-key as Hillary Clinton looked to be ahead, but now we see he is getting more popular," Obama Mayor Toshio Murakami said.

"I give him an 80 percent chance of becoming president," the 75-year-old said with a proud grin.

Murakami sent a letter last year to Obama, enclosing a set of lacquer chopsticks, a famous product of this town on the Sea of Japan (East Sea) in Fukui prefecture's Wakasa region.

"I will present you the chopsticks of Wakasa paint and I am glad if you use it habitually," Murakami said in the English-language letter. "I wish you the best of health and success."

Murakami noted that Barack Obama's birthday, August 4, happens to be "Chopsticks Day" in the city.

...

Mccain and the right are gonna go after him him with such strong cases of weakness, Neville Chamberlin, appeasement, Islamo fasicists under our beds(maybe even in them!), no flag lapel pin, no hand over the heart, etc etc etc................

"All I hear from you people is 'Bobby Lee is going to this, Bobby Lee is going to do that'. To listen to you, you'd think General Lee was going to do a triple somersault and land behind our lines. Stop worrying about what General Lee is going to do to you and start thinking about what you're going to do to General Lee."

- U.S. Grant to his staff, 1864

Actually, Mike, I think Hillary is the weaker candidate plus she has the added baggage of Bill. Just from my caucus experience I can assure you that there will be people turning out in droves voting anti-Hillary if she is the nominee. That may not be fair but it seems to be the reality.

8.

rd

Boy, I'm glad you straightened that FF out and fast:))

10:17 AM EST

Joan -

Attention getting isn't it ? [smile]

and I beat Michael to the new blog (not an easy thing to do)

mary vb
Tue, 02/12/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And that may be a good thing.........but if Barrack wants to be truthful to the people, next gatheirng have him pass out several thousand history books along with US foregn policy since 1945 and maybe even my own, "The Decline of The US 1980-2008"(revised edition)..........

The truth is out there for those willing to search for it..............if change is gonna happen, it neds to start with a refreshing look at ourselves first.............

Wisconsin, Wisconsin, Wisconsin

It might bring back bad memories on the Blog, but it seems to me it is all about Wisconsin.  After winning 8 in a row (assuming Obama wins tthree today) it seems like Wisconsin would be the straw that breaks Clinton's back, if she loses.  Her wait until Texas and Ohio strategy is starting to sound like Rudy in Florida.  Wisconsin should be a good state for her and if she loses her campaign will start crumbling.

mary vb
Tue, 02/12/08

IMO in this election cycle either Clinton or Obama should win.  I would argue that Clinton is a low risk approach to a narrow margin while Obama has a better opportunity for a large margin but more risk (although low) of losing.

114.

FRED from Ashland OR
Tue, 02/12/08

Reply to this

99.

DANIEL ROONEY
Tue, 02/12/08

peace brother,we can disagree but let us be more civil

============
You as phoney as a three dollar bill. How can one be civil with a neo nazi like you. well i try to be nice fred but your full of hate your not going to get me down to your level are you that miserable? Definitions of miserable at Dictionary.com. ... Causing or accompanied by great discomfort or distress: a miserable climate. ... thats you fredy have you though about prozac? love ya man! lol high hitler!!!!ps my voteing card is dem. so i must be a fool!!!!

Morning Folks,

Some scattered thoughts: This is almost Shakespearean. Bill Clinton looks exhausted, like he has run out of fuel.  Hillary is determined to be the first woman president, gritted teeth, fixed smile, persistent endurance.  Is it hubris?  Her press conference about her campaign manager resigning because of family; no, it had nothing to do with the losses she said.  Come on, Hillary.

The young prince coming up, like Fortinabras after Hamlet's death, a new generation, more determined, more innocent, clear headed.  

Michael Ellis, I've thought of your objections to Obama's palliatives as I interpret your calls for the truth. There is a conservative theme in him, one I find reassuring.  For instance, while he insists on the right to broadcast what producers want, he is also in favor of the V Chip? allowing parents to control what their children watch. 

As someone who has grown up in many inner cities: Indonesia, Hawaii, and as a young man in Chicago, he affirms the necessity of strong families because he has seen the deterioration of families and the terrible costs the children pay.  

A quick anecdote from his book: he takes Michelle to Kenya to visit his family.  She is thrilled, but soon realizes how American she is. Here we have the right to choose our lives, our right to privacy, our right to opportunities without paying bribes, the right to say what we believe without punishment.  She sees the demands tribal peoples put on those that achieve. That kind of mindset is crucial for understanding the peoples of this planet in the 21st Century.

I taught American Studies at Boulder HIgh.  We came up with five premises we thought that defined Americans.  Some of them: Americans believe in the perfectability of humans (from our Puritan ancestors); We believe in the efficacy of technology, that it will make our lives better; We believe in the vision of the artist to predict ten years in advance what will occur in society.

I didn't know what it was to be an American until I lived in American Samoa as the only American family in a village.  I found new insights everyday, and realized that we think according to our culture.  Americans want justice, and often it is retributive justice.  Quick anecdote: we were robbed.  Kids came into the house while we slept.  The chiefs wanted to make sure that we the victims were satisfied. They offered us money, apologies.  We wanted the perpetrators punished. But, the kids were chiefs' sons and that would have caused great dissention within the village.  We finally realized what was happening, accepted the money, the food, and then donated it back to the village.

Barack Obama has that kind of understanding that you can't learn in textbooks, even when you teach it as I did.

My generation was hardwired for prejudice and many of us grew up in all white communities.  I was shocked when my New York roommate was picketing Kresge's Dime Store in Ann Arbor in 1960, I had no idea of the denial of Civil Rights to fellow citizens. The new generations are different.  Laws have made a difference.  They have grown up with the concept of Civill Rights, multi-ethnic peoples, and Americans as a people who are fair, who expect and demand that all people will have Civil Rights.

Given the certainty that lies and vicious accusations will be leveled about Obama, we have to be Demothenes bringing the lanterns out, scrutinizing what is being said and challenging them with the truth.  Maybe that's what my generation can offer. 

10:26 AM EST

Idaho --

-- it's more than just potato country:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-ames/obamas-idaho-awakening_b_86189.html

Michael Ames

Posted February 12, 2008 | 09:09 AM (EST)

Hailey, Idaho - Overflow voters fill the Blaine County Caucus site
Photo by Willy Cook, Courtesy Idaho Mountain Express

Ketchum, Idaho--Idaho isn't accustomed to this much positive attention. A week has passed since our very white, very conservative state went whole hog (ok, 80% hog) for Barack Obama. In the afterglow of a blowout Boise rally and landslide victories here, Obama's Idaho awakening is still being felt, if not entirely understood.

First, let's consider the record shattering voter turnout.

...

 Canyon County's caucus was 700 percent larger than its last. Boise's caucus filled the 10-year old Qwest Arena with its largest crowd ever as hundreds more voted on scrap paper outside.

...

It's as if someone touched down in our funny little Republican oligarchy and personally asked everyone to get involved in the democratic process.

...

"It's the pent up frustration of living in a red state finally finding an outlet," said Jerry Brady, Obama's state co-chair and a fifth generation Idahoan who, despite his moderate, pro-gun, unity-advocating views, was successfully branded a wolf-snuggling, tax-freak liberal by Republican foes in a tight 2006 gubernatorial bid. Obama, Brady said, found in Idaho the "geothermal energy of politics, untapped but powerful once harnessed."

Idaho Democratic Party spokesman Chuck Oxley phrased it differently: "This is the political equivalent of throwing up in your mouth a little bit," Oxley said in the grizzled parlance of a veteran in the long fight against one-party rule. In 2004, Idaho gave George Bush Jr. 68 percent, his second largest plurality nationwide (second fiddle, again, to Utah's adorable groupthink). Idaho swallowed W. whole, and last week's uprising was a sign of the acidic Bush administration repeating on us, Oxley said.

Armchair pundits point to the state's rapidly changing demographics. Idaho has grown by half since 1990. Six cities became metropolitan zones in the past decade. Canyon County is the epicenter, gaining a third of its population in the last four years. The state's make-up is changing, they say. Change begets change.

...

Maybe what happened here was about more than demographics or Bush-spite. Maybe Idaho Dems, maligned in unfriendly territory and forced to make the best of it, saw a bit of themselves in Barack Obama. They saw a man who can do one better than fight the eternal Republican machine, a man who can work together with adversaries to get something done.

...

Clinton presents unmatched policy acumen. Her proposals are sweeping and detailed. But people don't walk two snowy miles to vote for a proposal. They don't stand for hours in a stuffy room to show their solidarity with a policy. They did it because they felt, deep within them, that this time was different, that there is an enduring truth in his message of uplift and unity.

The disparity of feeling between these candidates is akin to that which separates a painting of a sunrise and the thing itself. From the former you get a sense of grandeur, a thin notion of possibility. From the latter, we awake, warmed and stirred to rise in response.

We have a lot of friends in WI who supported Howard last time around who are supporting Barack this time around.

Last week in my daughter's AP Gov't class they voted for their presidential preference. Barack - 29, Hillary - 1 and McCain - 1.

Barack is 20 not 29.

Hey Mike - Check out this voting in Vienna for Barack and Hillary (Dems Abroad) --

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=2...

Obama won every single county in Washington state on Saturday. That is a rout.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/lo...

Finally, Michael Ellis, he does examine American foreign policy and is particularly critical about it.  He relates how we supported the dictator Suharto in Indonesia, and collaborated  with him, causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people through our CIA revealing the names of protestors and supporters of democracy. (See the film The Year of Living Dangerously with Mel Gibson).

He analyzes foreign policy and points out the extremes and why we are where we are.  He says that there is no foreign policy under Bush and shows why.

We''ve got to read.  Internet rantings, paragraphs taken out of context, inferences that depict ideology are simply not sufficient to understanding anything, least of all our candidates.  

Frankly, pundits have the power they do because people don't read anything longer than headlines, sound bytes, and 800 word editorials. 

Nonetheless, blogs are lively, have lots of people with integrity who want truth and are willing to challenge what they see as cant, deception, and propaganda.  I'm grateful for them. 

 off soon, but after Samoa I've lost my abiity to know where prepositions go.  Obama is particularly critical of  (not about) American foreign polity.  I also can't distinguish between b and p, which weren't differentiated there either. 

With deep contacts in another culture we change as well, understanding more, becoming more capable of understanding others, I think.  That's one of the things that I think makes Obama extraordinary and I believe we need him and the talents he can bring to this broken government. He will be able to bring diversity of thinking and experience and the best minds and character among us. 

If you want to be free, then you don't let other people decide who your friends are and who you can vote for.

10:51 AM EST

Morning Folks,

Some scattered thoughts

..

+++

Pat -

Well, if those well-constructed, well-composed thoughts of yours are "scattered", than mine are blown to the four corners of the earth [smile].

Your's is one of the best write-ups I've seen on this blog. 

Pat in Colorado
Tue, 02/12/08
___________________________________________________________________________

Interesting and thanks.......Obama has a BIG problem on his hands if he knows as much as you say he does........conveying to an American public that their foreign policy since 1945 is mostly responsible for many of the ill feeling towards them.....not to mention the vietnam war was wrong (Gulf of tonkin) and the Iraq war was wrong and still is (wmds)....................

1/2 the country (at least) thinks otherwise.............."Mirrors are often ugly and mean."

Obama has a BIG problem on his hands

Yeah....people are turning out in droves to vote for him. 

linda b, if you're voting today, please bring us back a polling place report.

Jim Webb suggests legal action against Bush. He has started talking to people about it.
It's a matter of separation of powers. He fears that the administration will engage in an agreement with Iraq concerning long term occupation while the Dems are busy in August with the convention. huff.post..du

rich, if you're voting today, please bring us back a polling place report, too.

sitka,

"Tomorrow will be like today, and the day after tomorrow will be like the day before yesterday. I see your future as a tedious collection of hours full of useless criticisms and critiques.. You will think no new thoughts. You will forget what little you have known. Older you will become, but not wiser. Stiffer, but not more dignified."    Dr Lao 

Pat wrote "I was shocked when my New York roommate was picketing Kresge's Dime Store in Ann Arbor in 1960, I had no idea of the denial of Civil Rights to fellow citizens. The new generations are different."

Astounding piece of history.  I remember that place, too.  I bought a knife called "Granny's Parer" there, my inaugural purchase as a student living off campus.  The Kresge's is long, long gone, but I still have the knife.  You couldn't cut a stick of butter with it now.

My daughter called this morning and the precinct she votes in in Arlington, Va. had a 2 hour wait to vote. She has to go back tonite to vote.

She had to be a work so she couldn't wait. How many places is that going on?

Op-Ed Columnist
Hate Springs Eternal
E-Mail
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By PAUL KRUGMAN
Published: February 11, 2008

In 1956 Adlai Stevenson, running against Dwight Eisenhower, tried to make the political style of his opponent’s vice president, a man by the name of Richard Nixon, an issue. The nation, he warned, was in danger of becoming “a land of slander and scare; the land of sly innuendo, the poison pen, the anonymous phone call and hustling, pushing, shoving; the land of smash and grab and anything to win. This is Nixonland.�


Paul Krugman.
Go to Columnist Page » Blog: The Conscience of a Liberal

The quote comes from “Nixonland,� a soon-to-be-published political history of the years from 1964 to 1972 written by Rick Perlstein, the author of “Before the Storm.� As Mr. Perlstein shows, Stevenson warned in vain: during those years America did indeed become the land of slander and scare, of the politics of hatred.

And it still is. In fact, these days even the Democratic Party seems to be turning into Nixonland.

The bitterness of the fight for the Democratic nomination is, on the face of it, bizarre. Both candidates still standing are smart and appealing. Both have progressive agendas (although I believe that Hillary Clinton is more serious about achieving universal health care, and that Barack Obama has staked out positions that will undermine his own efforts). Both have broad support among the party’s grass roots and are favorably viewed by Democratic voters.

Supporters of each candidate should have no trouble rallying behind the other if he or she gets the nod.

Why, then, is there so much venom out there?

I won’t try for fake evenhandedness here: most of the venom I see is coming from supporters of Mr. Obama, who want their hero or nobody. I’m not the first to point out that the Obama campaign seems dangerously close to becoming a cult of personality. We’ve already had that from the Bush administration — remember Operation Flight Suit? We really don’t want to go there again.

What’s particularly saddening is the way many Obama supporters seem happy with the application of “Clinton rules� — the term a number of observers use for the way pundits and some news organizations treat any action or statement by the Clintons, no matter how innocuous, as proof of evil intent.

The prime example of Clinton rules in the 1990s was the way the press covered Whitewater. A small, failed land deal became the basis of a multiyear, multimillion-dollar investigation, which never found any evidence of wrongdoing on the Clintons’ part, yet the “scandal� became a symbol of the Clinton administration’s alleged corruption.

During the current campaign, Mrs. Clinton’s entirely reasonable remark that it took L.B.J.’s political courage and skills to bring Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream to fruition was cast as some kind of outrageous denigration of Dr. King.

And the latest prominent example came when David Shuster of MSNBC, after pointing out that Chelsea Clinton was working for her mother’s campaign — as adult children of presidential aspirants often do — asked, “doesn’t it seem like Chelsea’s sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?� Mr. Shuster has been suspended, but as the Clinton campaign rightly points out, his remark was part of a broader pattern at the network.

I call it Clinton rules, but it’s a pattern that goes well beyond the Clintons. For example, Al Gore was subjected to Clinton rules during the 2000 campaign: anything he said, and some things he didn’t say (no, he never claimed to have invented the Internet), was held up as proof of his alleged character flaws.

For now, Clinton rules are working in Mr. Obama’s favor. But his supporters should not take comfort in that fact.

For one thing, Mrs. Clinton may yet be the nominee — and if Obama supporters care about anything beyond hero worship, they should want to see her win in November.

For another, if history is any guide, if Mr. Obama wins the nomination, he will quickly find himself being subjected to Clinton rules. Democrats always do.

But most of all, progressives should realize that Nixonland is not the country we want to be. Racism, misogyny and character assassination are all ways of distracting voters from the issues, and people who care about the issues have a shared interest in making the politics of hatred unacceptable.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/opinio...

Hi Tom,

Were we there at the same time? I enetered as a freshman in 1960 and graduated in 1965.  SDS was founded there in those years; Robert Frost recited poetry ( I remember his poem about Dalmatian Gus who comes to visit him at night), there were 10,000 in my class.  I worked at Slater's Book Store. Wow.

Thanks for the connection.

And Rdorgan, thanks for the compliment.  

Michael Ellis, the thing about Barack Obma is that he doesn't insult, belittle, or bring angry words to people, something I could learn.  He criticizes, points out what has gone wrong and why, but he has a cool, calm temperament that doesn't engage in hand to hand or mouth to mouth combat.  

Really have to work now. Thanks good friends for the feedback.  It's really a good feeling. 

Thanks to Jim Dean for supporting Donna Edwards in Maryland. I hope she wins the primary and that sends a message to these dems who call themselves progressive, take our money and then vote with the putz.

Good luck Donna. but kind of late to be endorsing Obama. Where were you?

linda b, if you're voting today, please bring us back a polling place report.  

I will and I have already talked to friends who have voted and they say it was the hardest decision ever.

go to www.raisingkaine.com, it is a virginia blog. they are for obama but you can see the speeches from our JJ and get precinct reports from those on the ground all over the state.

The interesting thing...playing politics.

Isn't it funny how all the Female Democratic Governors are endorsing Obama, except the one who cannot be Vice President, Grahnolm of Michigan. She endorsed Hillary.

It seems they are hoping to be the female running mate that he will most likely be looking for to balance the ticket should he win the nomination.

audrey.nc
Tue, 02/12/08

Reply to this

Jim Webb suggests legal action against Bush. He has started talking to people about it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Obama/Webb

obama/webb would be great. and we have a dem governor who could appoint another dem to take his place.

I found out why webb wasn't at our JJ dinner. He had prior family commitments or something like that.

I swear this screwed up blog ranking is just like when I had the problem with "arrange by subject" outlook express inbox and blew the borders and didn't know how to find the right file to fix it coming at it without being able to click on something.

11:55 AM EST

Michelle Obama interviewed on Larry King:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyBc33UjvDU

The interesting thing...playing politics.

Isn't it funny how all the Female Democratic Governors are endorsing Obama, except the one who cannot be Vice President, Grahnolm of Michigan. She endorsed Hillary.

...

+++

Linda in NM -

Gov. Ruth Ann Miner of Delaware, also endorsed Hillary, besides Gov. Jennifer Granholm of Michigan.

linda b

raisingkaine is run by a guy that used to be a regular blogger here and branched out after getting the messsage of "you have the power"

that is how I keep up with Virginia politics in addition to your reports and rich's ....  rounds things out so I have a pretty good feel (enough to catch tthe currents that might help in Iowa anyway)

11:59 AM EST

typo - Gov. Ruth Ann Miner of Delaware

s/b - Gov. Ruth Ann Minner of Delaware

12:07 PM EST

http://www.wtopnews.com/?nid=25&sid=1343551

WASHINGTON (AP) - D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton says she's backing Illinois Senator Barack Obama in Tuesday's Democratic presidential primary.

The city's nonvoting House member says Obama co-sponsored the D.C. voting rights bill, and she believes he'll work to give the district more home rule authority.

...

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty has already endorsed Obama.

You are waxing poetic today, Pat in Colorado.  I agree with everything you said and if I had ever had your experience of living in Samoa, I certainly would have agreed with that too. ;-)

Linda quoted Krugman who wrote "Supporters of each candidate should have no trouble rallying behind the other if he or she gets the nod."

Absolutely.  I'm sure we can all agree on that point.

we elected one of the founders of SDS to the state legislature , but it wasn't something we put in the campaign literature lol

 shutting down the draft board office with a sit-in with a guy that got in real trouble with the Feds after breaking windows on State Street during the "Days of Rage" after the radical fringe morphed into the Weathermen was when we were getting death threats on local talk radio

probably just googling on some reference to that will get you on one of Daniel Rooney's terrorist watch lists now

Nixonland was a very mild version of cheneyville

the hoot for me was FBI guys working for Hoover with regulation hair cuts and black shoes and ties hanging around peace marches with cameras and trying to fit in

now there are surveillance cameras taking it all in

12:13 AM EST

CNN video is punking Obama (watch the video at the 2:00 to 2:05 minute segment and you'll see how CNN is implying something that is disturbing, that is Rovian):

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/offbeat/2008/02/11/moos.pointed.gestures.cnn

I'm not working my tail off for a War Party candidate like I normally do for the nominee. I owed Kerry for when he organized the vets against the war.

Barbara Boxer is the most qualified woman in the nation to be President if you insist on ticket gender balance.

typo - 12:13 AM EST

s/b - 12:13 PM EST

(bring back the timestamp, please)

just in case the NSA needs a wedgie  ...   "caliphate"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GgWrV8Tc...://www.infowars.com/?p=205Upload Videos Channels balimore cops V.S. skateboarder this is out of line, hope you all like our new polic state?

Pat wrote "Tom, Were we there at the same time? I enetered as a freshman in 1960 and graduated in 1965.  SDS was founded there in those years; Robert Frost recited poetry ( I remember his poem about Dalmatian Gus who comes to visit him at night), there were 10,000 in my class.  I worked at Slater's Book Store. Wow."

No, Class of 1975.  You saw much more history than I did, although Tom Hayden did visit campus with Jane Fonda to lecture at Hill Auditorium.  I also had the pleasure of hearing Hunter Thompson's lecture, given under heavy medication, and I covered an adress to students by Ralph Nader for WCBN, the campus broadcast network, which was a gas.  I stood on the lip of the stage at Hill, where a UAW production company member let me plug into the union's recording system to get audio for my report.  The speech was also videotaped for a television special being produced by ABC News, so Peter Jennings actually came out to the podium to talk to us before Nader's remarks.  He hobbled out on crutches because he had broken his leg and was in a cast. 

More trivia: the bookstores were Ulrich's, Follett's and the U Cellar, the University bookstore in the basement of the student union, which took over the second floor ballroom during the first week of classes.  I worked two book rushes there.  I don't recall a Slater's. Your post is making me sickeningly nastalgic.

Phil....

Yes, Webb would be the one to help balance the ticket. Strong on the foreign front, and expresses a concern for the middle class and the unfair distribution of wealth.

I don't always agree with Webb's votes, but I think he posesses more Dean-like qualities than any other.

If we have to swallow the ticket, Webb would definitely make it go down easier.

Obama up (significantly) in WI. Must be Phil helping out there. ;-)

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/pdf/P...

115.

Monica Smith
Tue, 02/12/08

Reply to this

Good morning, everybody

Well, that's an unfriendly opening to this thread. It's customary to provide a salutation including Dean.

Can you actually read that, Fred ? I take it it's telling us that Obama is leading in the number of delegates. And it's a political drama. LOL
====================

Hello Monica, good to see you.

I am trying to learn Swedish. I have many book and software. I found a Swedish political blog,

http://www.politikerbloggen.se/

and try to translate the lines. If you think French has difficult pronunciation, Swedish makes French look easy. The spelling seldom tells you how to pronoun a word, and to make the situation even worse, there's only one little pocket dictionary, by Berlitz, that has easy-to-read phonetic pronunciation guidance for every word.

I do have a Swedish friend I can call, one of the few people I know whose house and person is not toxic for me (literally) :-)

________________________________________________


118.

Phil Specht
Tue, 02/12/08

Reply to this
Daniel Rooney is poisoning the well for our friend former
================

If that was for me thanks. I hate to make a spectacle, but Rooney has no right, no privelege, to run down this digital neighborhood with his proverbial cockroaches.

His political philosophy, candy-coated with some valid criticism, represents the mindset that ruined this country and turns good people into slaves, while glorifying the insidious oligarchy.

It is the direct antithesis of what all Dean followers stand for. I respond to his shit with the same venom that his political philosophy procribes.

54.

Phil Specht
Tue, 02/12/08

Reply to this
Barbara Boxer is the most qualified woman in the nation to be President if you insist on ticket gender balance.
==============

Amen. And she has enough political bloopers to qualify as VP :)

Must be Phil helping out there.

~~~~~~~~

took over a load of yard signs anyway

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

thanks for that video Daniel

linda b

raisingkaine is run by a guy that used to be a regular blogger here and branched out after getting the messsage of "you have the power"

who is the guy and who did he post as.

If folks want to convince folks to vote for Hillary, at least be truthful about the facts...
One more female Governor is for Obama....

Janet Napolitino of Arizona.

The list of Clinton supporters is dwindling fast.

The Senate is voting on FISA amendments, all of which so far have been rejected.

Clinton is NOT VOTING, which

The Senate is voting on FISA amendments, all of which so far have been rejected.

Clinton is NOT VOTING, which

My only concern with Obama with (Boxer/Webb) is down two seats in the Senate.
We gotta get more seats!

12:44 PM EST

FYI - both Senators Barbara Boxer and Jim Webb have not endorsed any candidate, yet:

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegates-who-havent-endorsed.html

From: Mayor Sheila Dixon (mayor@baltimorecity.gov

Drop in, this from a friend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gwqEneBKUs

 It's the McCain version of Yes We Can set to music.  It's great!

Hi Tom,

It would be fun to compare times.  Slaters went out of business a couple of years after I graduated.

Professors were fired for speaking out against the Vietnam War.  There was also a loyalty statement that they had to sign when they were hired.  We called the hallway between Angel Hall and ? The Gaza Strip, and SNIC was recruiting Freedom Riders to take buses down South. I was working my way through school then and pretty naive, but remember being intrigued by that and wanting to be an activist.  

Hi Donna,

I gather we librarians would agree on lots, and what fun to talk it would be.   

There's a diary up on KOS saying Webb just defected to the 'immunity' side on FISA - no time to link -- see y'all in a few.

"Tomorrow will be like today, and the day after tomorrow will be like the day before yesterday. I see your future as a tedious collection of hours full of useless criticisms and critiques.. You will think no new thoughts. You will forget what little you have known. Older you will become, but not wiser. Stiffer, but not more dignified."    Dr Lao

Michael is projecting again. 

I don't always agree with Webb's votes, but I think he posesses more Dean-like qualities than any other.

I see him as a younger McCain. 

NPR host thinks GOP 'agenda' is to help Obama win Dem nom
David Edwards and Ron Brynaert
Published: Sunday February 10, 2008



Many political insiders and pundits seem to be more interested in whom the Republicans want to win the Democratic presidential nomination than anyone else.

Talk show host Rush Limbaugh recently said he wants to raise money for Senator Hillary Clinton in order to "unite the party," while Ann Coulter dislikes Republican frontrunner John McCain so much that she - seriously or not - said she may vote for Clinton. However, the New York Post, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corps. empire, endorsed Obama in the New York primary.

On Fox News Sunday, NPR's Juan Williams told The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol that he thought Republican analysts want Senator Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee because they actually believe he will be easier to defeat than Clinton.

"I think Bill Kristol is being very supportive of Mr. Obama, but you have an agenda," Williams charged. "You guys think it's easy to beat Barack Obama going forward."

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/Juan_Willi...

My only concern with Obama with (Boxer/Webb) is down two seats in the Senate.
We gotta get more seats!

We don't need more seats -- We need more RealDems.

SNCC Student Nonviolence Coordinating Committee.  Memory connections just get slower with age.  Darn.

linda b

Todd Smyth

Bloggie acting really weird for my puter this morning.

The Senate if voting on FISA amendments this morning, so far all have been rejected, giving Bush whatever he wants.

I note that a Senator Clinton is NOT VOTING today, meaning it is more important for her to campaign than to vote on FISA.

Obama is there voting yea on the amendments as he should.

Obama/Webb sounds good, if Webb and Obama are compatible -- that will mean a lot in choosing a VP.

John Glenn endorses Hillary. As BAM often says, "Same ol' cast of characters doing the same ol' thing."

Webb would guarantee an electoral victory and the Governor could appoint himself to the seat.

is this series of votes a 51 needed set or 60?

1:01 PM EST

ok, it's VDCM Day (voting in Virginia, District of Columbia and Maryland) -- where's Hillary ?

http://www.nbc4.com/politics/15281230/detail.html?rss=dc&psp=news

IMO 

 If Obama wins:

 Obama/Webb is an excellent choice

I would not be surprised though if it is the Arizona Govenor

 ____________

If Clinton wins she has only 1 choice, Obama 

I recognize Boxer's credentials to be VP, and I like her. I was just very disappointed in her support of Lieberman in Ct., and then not campaigning for the Dem, in the General.

I don't know of any such support of Lieberman's positions on Iraq by Jim Webb. If I were to hear of any, it would be a tough choice.

Sitka
Tue, 02/12/08
___________________________________________________________________________

LOL....actually that is a quote(with my own personal edits) from the 1964 movie "The 7 faces of Dr Lao" starring Tony Randall............a simple movoe in simpler times but still carries much wisdom..........a good movie for young people to see.  Heres a clip..........

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTRA-7jox0E

Does Clinton have Lamontitus? 

Clinton Not Ready to Release Tax Returns

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080212/D8UOJTLG0.html

host thinks GOP 'agenda' is to help Obama win Dem nom
David Edwards and Ron Brynaert
Published: Sunday February 10, 2008

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

that is kind of minimizing Obama's margins by claiming Republican interference, not unlike pre-empting a Gore endorsement by claiming Gore hates the Clintons, both discredit Obama without coming right out and doing it

statistical analysts could determine the GOP "help" by comparing open and closed contests' margins

why waste your time who backing who? its going to be bilary if I'm wrong i will never post here again! you are all being brainwash its funny how you all think the system is still working lol god help us all even bfa, its stage it a bad movie there all actors and you all keep playing along obama isnt going to be pres, and ron paul wont either,CFR pick not us! well dont let me spoil your fun keep posting all the bullshit you want,cause they dont give a rat ass about you. more war less jobs, open borders fake war on terror fake global warming there a suck born ever minute pt barnum was right.

audrey

Boxer even backs Clinton I think so would make a good party unity pick without Bill's baggage

1:09 PM EST

http://www.nypost.com/seven/02122008/news/nationalnews/super_latino_slams_clinton_97237.htm

February 12, 2008 -- A prominent member of the national Democratic Party has circulated a sharp e-mail saying the removal of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle was disloyal to Hispanics and should give "pause" to superdelegates and voters.

The e-mail from, Steven Ybarra, a California superdelegate who heads the voting-rights committee of the DNC Hispanic Caucus, was sent to fellow caucus members in the hours after word broke that Solis Doyle - the most prominent Latina in Clinton's campaign - would be replaced by another close Clinton loyalist, Maggie Williams, who is black.

The e-mail noted that Clinton, who is looking to Latino voters for a boost in the Texas and Ohio primaries on March 4, scored heavily with Hispanics in her California win.

"Apparently, loyalty is not a two-way street," he wrote. "Latino superdelegates like myself . . . will have cause to pause."

Ybarra told The Post yesterday that the loss of Solis Doyle, a child of Mexican immigrants, just weeks before the Texas primary, where 36 percent of the population is Hispanic, was "dumb as a stump."

...

its going to be bilary if I'm wrong i will never post here again!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daniel just pushed all his chips to the center of the table. I'll bet Obama has some concern about voting machines in Ohio right now too about a fix being in. I'll be here pushing for Tom Harkin to win re-election and I hope it is with Obama on the ticket but not because I'd hate to see you go Rooney. I'll call.

Steve Ybarra gave one of the best sessions at Deanfest Number one

It is the direct antithesis of what all Dean followers stand for. I respond to his shit with the same venom that his political philosophy proscribes. is that why you call me a mother fucker it show your lack of expressing your self and a weakness in your argument, its sound more like a school yard fight first grade level. keep it up fred your my best defense lol 58.

FRED from Ashland OR
Tue, 02/12/08

Daniel - go stand with the others in the doom and gloom corner of the blog, please.

Steve Ybarra has a point with his "dumb as a stump" statement. If Clinton loses Texas it's over.

Principal Electrical Engineer for WTC: “Fuel and Planes Alone Did NOT Bring the Towers Down”

911 Blogger
February 12, 2008

Richard F. Humenn, PE was the Senior Project Design Engineer for electrical systems for the entire World Trade Center, and he had 60 people working under him. In other words, he was the guy in charge of all electrical at the WTC. A retired licensed professional engineer, he was certified by the States of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Washington, D.C.

Humenn stated to Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth:

On September 11, I watched the live TV broadcast of the progressive collapse of the World Trade Towers with disbelief, as the mass and strength of the structure should have survived the localized damage caused by the planes and burning jet fuel.

I viewed the presentation of Richard Gage and other related material, which compels me to believe that the fuel and planes alone did not bring the Towers down. I, therefore, support the proposal to form an international group of professionals to investigate all plausible causes for the virtual freefall and the almost total destruction of the WTC structures.

Humenn also recently gave a two-hour recorded interview to an attorney and former law school professor (a transcript of the interview will soon be posted to AE911Truth.org). In that interview, Humenn expressed his opinion that the Twin Towers were intentionally demolished. (He stated that he could not believe the U.S. government could have done such a thing; however, he was not asked about rogue elements within the government).

Few engineers have as much first-hand knowledge of the Twin Towers as Humenn, so his opinion carries some weight. As he explains, "Though an electrical engineer by trade, I was also very familiar with the structures and their conceptual design parameters."

1:27 PM EST

Steve Ybarra gave one of the best sessions at Deanfest Number one  

+++

Phil -

So far, California's DNC Ybarra has not endorsed anyone yet (   http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegates-who-havent-endorsed.html ).  He is pissed though about the removal of Doyle as Clinton's campaign manager.  Sounds like he's feeling that Hispanics are starting to be taken for granted by the Clinton campaign.

Ralph Miller and Steve Ybarra made a great team at Latinos for Dean.

and kimmi cash  ... love at ya

bbl

Steve Ybarra has one of the best political minds in America. Him badmouthing Clinton is not a good sign.

1:39 PM EST

Steve Ybarra has a point with his "dumb as a stump" statement. If Clinton loses Texas it's over.  

+++

Phil -

Regarding Texas, where Hillary is headed now, well just outside Dallas, a relative of my wife had long indicated her support for Hillary and how she was going to vote for her on March 4. 

Well, it took a number of phone conversations between the two of them (her trying to convince my wife to vote for Hillary, my wife in return trying to coax her to vote for Obama) but in the end, my wife still voted for Obama in MA this past Feb 5 and the relative in Texas said that she is now supporting Obama and will vote for him on March 4.

95.

DANIEL ROONEY

is that why you call me a mother fucker

=============

no - because your posts are as convoluted as incest and your posts cause cancer

Rooney wrote: its going to be bilary if I'm wrong i will never post here again!

Ok, we'll hold you to it.

DANIEL ROONEY
Tue, 02/12/08

You are perilously close to time out, my friend. Cool it with the outrageous language. you too, Fred. Any more name-calling will be reported to HQ and they WILL enforce the blog rules.

Every time I start to warm up to Obama, I start to get skittish with the true believer cult quality of his supporters. Not here so much, but I'm tired of the slogans.

He has an inspiring personal narrative, decent stands on the war, energy (except coal) but is weak on health care, and gives inspiring speeches to motivate people. Then the Obama-mania raises its perplexing head. Wish his supporters would deal with substance and tone down the rhetoric.

Webb has been a disappointment in the Senate, and he's a Reagan-supporter. Just don't trust him. 

I really think it will be Obama/Richardson. He gives Obama foreign policy experience, is aligned with the Iraq position and shores up the Hispanic vote. It would be nice to have New Mexico and the Southwest in play too. Richardson would be a great ambassador around the world too.

But it's too early to be talking VP.

Every time I start to warm up to Obama, I start to get skittish with the true believer cult quality of his supporters.

A lot of people seemed to have had that same trouble with Deaniacs back in 2004. But in neither case would the supporters be in the WH. 

Stick to records and issues and you'll make the wisest decision you can. 

WEBB voted to give telcoms immunity (amnesty) today. He has blown any remaining hope I had for him being a progressive. NEVER again.

WEBB voted to give telcoms immunity (amnesty) today. He has blown any remaining hope I had for him being a progressive. NEVER again.

It took a lot of liberals a long time to wake up to McCain too. 

Sitka wrote: A lot of people seemed to have had that same trouble with Deaniacs back in 2004.

I didn't like that about the Dean group, either. He is not perfect and neither is Obama. So we need to intelligently discuss the pros/cons without getting into spats. Obama seems to be falling into the fawning crowd and even whipping it up in places. I sure hope he keeps his head on straight about it. Could be VERY fickle crowd.

2:33 PM EST

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00019

Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture Re. S. 2248 ) Vote Number: 19Vote Date: February 12, 2008, 12:18 PMRequired For Majority: 3/5Vote Result: Cloture Motion Agreed toMeasure Number: S. 2248 (FISA Amendments Act of 2007 )Measure Title: An original bill to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, to modernize and streamline the provisions of that Act, and for other purposes.Vote Counts:YEAs69NAYs29Not Voting2

++++

Indy Steve -

yep, Webb voted with the YEAS to invoke cloture; Obama voted in the minority with the NAYS; Clinton and Graham were the sole ones not voting 

Obama seems to be falling into the fawning crowd and even whipping it up in places.

You're actually describing Dean falling into the trap of his own personna. I haven't noticed Obama doing that at all.

Sitka wrote: You're actually describing Dean falling into the trap of his own personna. I haven't noticed Obama doing that at all.

Have you been watching? Like any good orator, he whips it up and plays into it. That's ok as long as he doesn't start believing it himself. And that his close advisors don't as well.

107.
* rdorgan
Tue, 02/12/08

I was glad to see Obama take the time to be there to cast a nay vote today. That means something. Clinton AWOL---again.

+++

Indy Steve -

Thanks for the response.

From what I heard, Hillary has high-tailed it to Texas and Bill to Ohio, to build up firewalls, for those states's respective March 4 primaries.

Well, I think that in spending time with Obama's supporters over time, especially since new Hampshire, and even since Super Tuesday, there's more of a discipline now amongst them and less swooning (it's still there and when I access the Obama '08 website blog, I end up toggling through a lot of posts to get to pertinent posts -- it appears to me, though, that Obama's online and real world support is huge and rapidly growing and the blog software there is tremendous to be able to take all those comments and lurking hits -- it's rarely ever down).

So, in Texas IMO is where the showdown will be, between Hillary and Barack.  Maybe she thinks she can rally around some old Texan rally of  "remember the Alamo?" but the Obama folks will be rallying around "remember New Hampshire, remember Nevada" and will stay viligent right up until the voting there is over.  Obama's supporters were stung and humbled by those two losses and don't want to see a repeat of it.

I expect that much of the Obama "cult" cr*p in comments today is because MSNBC is pushing this as just another way to attack Obama for their own bottom $$ line. It is always profitable for them to keep on serving up competition than to have a winner. MSNBC seems to be on a real conspiracy selfish mission.

Fortunately, these cable news shows have become somewhat irrelevent. You can see that by the very long lines voting today. When we see the results, the cable news will have cooked their own goose and credibility.

But of course MS will never stop. They will continue to sell McCain and Clinton to the unwary. If Keith was not a part of them, I would wipe them off my satellite menu and make them unavailable.

Listen, I'm over in the doom and gloom corner with Daniel and I want everyone to click on this link:

http://www.infragard.net/

and tell me what you think.

we elected one of the founders of SDS to the state legislature , but it wasn't something we put in the campaign literature lol
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had a date last October with the founder of his campus chapter, lol! He was present at The Days of Rage planning meeting, after which he decided he wasn't crazy enough to be a radical. . . . Now a nice suburban soccer dad.

The times they are a changing ~~

Just got back from voting at the Riverview Precinct in Newport News, Va.

At 1:30 pm. there were 161 Democrats who had voted.

There were 111 Rethugs who had voted.

This is a high Rethug area of the city. Are they crossing over and voting for clinton or are the rethugs just staying home.

102.

Indy Steve
Tue, 02/12/08

Reply to this
98.


DANIEL ROONEY
Tue, 02/12/08

You are perilously close to time out, my friend. Cool it with the outrageous language. you too, Fred. Any more name-calling will be reported to HQ and they WILL enforce the blog rules.


your barking at the wrong tree dog just posting fred dirty mouth! i dont need to lower my self to that level so dont bring it here.

Annilow: Found this on page 21 of google for infragard. . . .

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2008/02/i...

Results 1 - 10 of about 65,300 for infragard. (0.10 seconds)

http://www.google.com/search?q=infragard...:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Ya. I'd be a bit worried. . . .

my unscientific poll.

of the five people I talked to this afternoon while shopping. 4 for obama, 1 for hillary.

Since you asked,

 I voted this morning at the polling place I work during general elections.  Nobody was working the polling place.  There were just five signs - two Hillary, two Huckabee and a Ron Paul.  Normally we cover the place with signs.  Even four years ago, when Virginia was effectively meaningless, there were more signs from the campaigns.  Make of that what you will :-).

Compared to a general election it was very quiet, but it was much busier than four years ago.  A couple of folks were having trouble because they weren't on the voter rolls.  I have a gut feel, and a little anecdotal evidence beyond what I've see, that many folks either didn't register, haven't voted in a while so their registration lapsed or their precinct changed, and we'll have a larger than usual number of provisional votes this time around.

While I was there, more people asked for Democratic ballots than Republican, but that's meaningless, the sample is too small.

Loudoun County may be a bellwether.  It;s one of the "exurb" counties that everyone sees as a swing district. If it goes Obama, he's on the way to a big win in Virginia.  If it goes Hillary, look for something in the single digits, but probably still an Obama win.  If it goes Hillary big, she may pull an upset. 

I just talked to one of Webb's leg. assist.

He said he voted for the immunity because he thought the telecoms did it in "good faith".

He said that Webb offered numerous ammendments to ensure citizens safety and privacy and was voted down.

The vote is on NOW. If they don't get 60 votes, it is dead. 

We can only hope.

While rockers Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi may be closet curlers, they're not alone.

There's a pretty long list of those who might qualify along with Springsteen and Bon Jovi to be part of the new American curling reality show Rockstar Curling.

The brainchild of Toronto's mktgpartners Canada, the show is expected to air on Saturday afternoons on NBC leading up to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games.

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/302642 

IN Harrisonburg, Va.

guess we can't put utube up. sorry.

While rockers Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi may be closet curlers, they're not alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rich, that is *really* cute, lol!

Just to let you know that Senator Chris Dodd will fillibust the FISA bill if it is approved by the House.

Support Chris Dodd.

127.

Dodd is a great democratic Democrat. He filibustered yesterday as well for more than 20 hours.

Speaking to a conference call of reporters this afternoon, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) said that, reflecting on the string of defeats in the Senate today, he thought the House was the best hope for stripping retroactive immunity from the final surveillance bill.

"We've lost every single battle we had on this bill [in the Senate].... We're not getting anywhere at all" he said. "The question now is can the House do better." After the bill passes in the Senate, as is expected late today or tomorrow, the bill would head to a conference. There, conferees from both houses will try to hash out the significant differences between the House and Senate versions, the issue of retroactive immunity chief among them.

However, Dodd said, if the final bill emerging from that powwow does contain retroactive immunity, he said he'd "absolutely" filibuster that bill; he'd use "whatever vehicles we can" to stop it.

The Senate had "just sanctioned" the "single largest invasion of privacy in the history of the country," he said. When asked why he thought so many Dem senators had crossed over, he replied: "Unfortunately, those who are advocating this notion that you have to give up liberties in order to be more secure are apparently prevailing. They seem to be convincing people that you're at risk politically or we're at risk as a nation if we don't give up rights."

Classy

Via TPM Election Central, I see that Governor Ed Rendell is back to embarrassing a presidential candidate he ostensibly supports. Here's an account of how Rendell, a Hillary supporter, recently sized up Obama's chances in Pennsylviania:

Gov. Ed "Don't Call Me 'Fast Eddie' " Rendell met with the editorial board of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette last week to talk about his latest budget. But before turning the meeting over to his number-crunchers, our voluble governor weighed in on the primary fight between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama and what the Illinois senator could expect from the good people of Pennsylvania at the polls:

"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," he said bluntly. Our eyes only met briefly, perhaps because the governor wanted to spare the only black guy in the room from feeling self-conscious for backing an obvious loser. "I believe, looking at the returns in my election, that had Lynn Swann [2006 Republican gubernatorial candidate] been the identical candidate that he was -- well-spoken [note: Mr. Rendell did not call the brother "articulate"], charismatic, good-looking -- but white instead of black, instead of winning by 22 points, I would have won by 17 or so."

CNN poll
Who do you like best for president?
John McCain 23% 46887
Mike Huckabee 12% 23890
Hillary Clinton 24% 49209
Barack Obama 42% 85810
Total Votes: 205796

read related article
Obama beats McCain and Huckabee added together.
Does anyone know if Huckabee supporters will back McCain? Probably because their robot masters will tell them to.

If Hillary is the candidate, we cannot say if Obama candidates will back her enough to beat the more solid Republican voting block although the numbers look good for both Dem candidates. But right now, this snapshot in time has Obama winning big time, and even bigger if he gets the bulk of Clinton's supporters.

where did everyone go? I hope to vote.

New thread.