In an interview on Tuesday with ABC and some website, Hillary Clinton laid out her
I think that anyone who goes through the Republican attack machine, which I have for a number of years, will have their negatives driven up. That's just the way politics works. . . . And I think it's rather shortsighted of Senator Obama and his supporters to assume or think that won't happen to him. . . .
Somebody told me today that Senator Obama has never had a negative ad run against him. Well, get ready, because if he's the nominee we will see a lot of that.
I'm surprised that Hillary & Co. didn't take this angle before, because to me this has alway been the true value of her experience. She didn't polarize herself, after all -- she had tens of millions of dollars of help from right-wing interests. As I wrote last August:
Has Obama forgotten that Bill Clinton himself ran as an anti-ideological, anti-partisan candidate (criticizing the "false choices" of existing policy debates), and that the divisions during his presidency stemmed not from a failure to reach across partisan lines, but from a solid wall of Republican opposition created purely for the sake of denying him success?
That's why it's important for Obama not to become so infatuated with his success that he's afraid to tie his high-flying rhetoric to specific policy goals. Kevin Drum puts it well today:
Obama obviously has the talent to move people, and at some point he's going to have to decide whether he's willing to use that talent to start persuading the American public of the value of liberal policies, not merely the value of coming together and "making change." The latter might get him elected, but it won't get him elected with a tailwind of public opinion actively in favor of implementing a liberal agenda.
Perhaps more importantly, connecting his candidacy with the specific agenda of problems America needs solved will make it harder for the Republican sludge machine to win by eviscerating him personally. As I said to some friends over dinner the other night about the Obama-is-Muslim email smear, as far as I'm concerned, Barack could get away with saying, "Hey, yeah, I'm Muslim -- but the other guy wants to stay in Iraq for a hundred years! Your call, America."
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We are supporters of Obama. And I am continuing to refrain from attacking Sen. Clinton. But it’s difficult.
Hey Swopa!!
You probably won’t be able to respond to this right now, but I just wanted to say hi and happy trails…
Great post!
We, in this house, think Obama will move quickly to get out of Iraq. And we don’t give a damn about his, or anyone’s religion.
If it’s a matter of trust, we trust Obama to make changes. Rapidly.
“Four More Years!”
Barack Has overcome and overcome and overcome on his way to Head of Harvard Law review. Top of his class, and considered to be the most brilliant law student to graduate Harvard.
He can handle it. We Don’t need to worry our pretty little heads.
Btw, the startling good news is that PAA expires because the house is in recess until after Pres day.
No telco immunity folks….(for now)
Victory is where and when it happens
More substansive comment: I worry about how Obama will handle it when the GOP attack machine gears up.
If they find true or true enough dirt, they’ll feed it to McBush’s folks. If they can’t prove it, but like the sound of it anyway it’ll still slither out. Just in a manner to keep the GOPs hands nominally clean.
I haven’t seen anyone associated with Obama who’d be expert in preparing for this, though those folks tend to work in the background. I hope he has someone.
He could defuse a lot of the upcoming attacks by choosing a Sec Defense and a Sec State early on. If he picks well, that’ll help a lot.
Boxturtle (Bill Clinton for UN!)
Romney and McCain at their news conference today in unison, “The democrats want to surrender, the Democrats want to surrender in Iraq. The Democrats are fighting!” Do they think this is really going to work for them this time around?
Breathless Blitz saying they’ll announce the NM results shortly….
I’m starting to take you literally! *g
We think Obama can handle McCain.
I know I will get beaten up for this, but here goes, IMHO the Obama adulation reminds me of the starry eyed fans of David Cassidy in the 70’s.
16 years of Democrats. Beginning next January.
I’m late, I’m late, for this very important date, no time to say hello, goodbye, I’m late, I’m late, I’m late.
Okay. Lunch with political friend. Wired. She’s one of the very few HC supporters I know personally. I sat through a long monologue about Obama’s feel-good speechifying. And though I am supporting him (by default, given Edwards’ decision, and now Edwards is thinking of endorsing HC, wtf???), I agree that it’s time for Obama to launch some specifics.
I’m sure he’s been waiting for my blessing to do so.
it is a question of image, but I think putting the two of them next to each other on tv will settle a lot of the question. McCain is just gonna look like the has-been …
Or maybe the Bill Clinton supporters in 1992.
-G
I wouldn’t dream of beating you up. ;0)
Of course they’re saying that now. What else do they have?
lol! well said.
Or Ned Lamont supporters in 2006.
-G
One thing missing here is that Hillary, for all her experience and history has so much more out there that she can be attacked with, so already there is a disequilbrium. Frankly I have been very impressed with how Obama has handled it so far. After Jewish criticism of him he spoke out publicly in church to a largely black audience condemning anti-Semitism -and homophobia, largely dissipating this issue (Jewish leaders came out in turn to condemn the emails being circulated). In the aftermath of the racist innuendo by people in the Clinton camp (and Bill himself), Obama said, that as far as he was concerned there had been no racism, essentially mitigating that. I short, Obama seems to have responded to things not just quickly (or through counter attack) but in ways that show character, strength, and the moral high ground.
Kiddo, your forebearance becomes you; no sense wasting breath and insight.
However, it might serve the country well should you begin to address Obama, leading him into the righteousness of an FDR-like appreciation of what Democrats once stood for and, in future, must needs become.
You are truly most-effective when positively asserting your humane and compelling sense of justice, decency, compassion and truth.
For which attributes, you are greatly here esteemed.
NM caucus results pending.
Northern Illinois University, outside of Chicago — 18 shot, sketchy details
ADD: DeKalb Campus
and to that there is PERFECT response and I give full rights to whoever wants to use it;
“what is McCain talking about, there is no surrender here, this is not our war, this is the war of George bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney and the rest of the neo cons
we can’t possibly surrender in Iraq because there is no war there, there is an occupation that has been perpetrated on us by this administration and it will be those people that failed, America cannot surrender in Iraq and we REFUSE to commit the lives of our young in the armed forces to a war that was contrived from lies and deception”
now, that could use an edit because I put it together as I typed but that is the method to get right back at these murdering morons
Or McGovern supporters in 1972.
-G
McCain is perhaps the new leader of the ‘over the hill gangsters’. He does appear a trifle dated. To us in this home.
Oh, no. No, no, no.
Good God. This is now happening weekly.
-G
Excerpt from ABC News:
DeKalb, IL (WLS) — Several people were taken by ambulance from NIU after reports of a shooting on the Dekalb campus. The extent of injuries is not known.
An alert was posted on the website of Northern Illinois University Thursday afternoon indicating a report of a possible gunman on campus.
Unconfirmed initial reports indicate that three people were shot, one of whom appears to be the gunman. According to the school newspaper’s website, the gunman is dead.
There are also reports that others may have been injured by flying glass during the shooting. Several were taken away by ambulances.
I intend to do just what you suggest. We are not only in the same library, in the same book, on the same page, but we seem to be moving around in the same sentence. I have been waiting for the right moment to begin this task. ;0)
Not incidentally, my lady has read your comment too. And she approves. okk
Hello DW
L.
NM caucus announcement:
Accuracy more important than speed, thanking campaign reps for Obama and Clinton. Chair of Democratic party of New Mexico seizing the moment to prattle on a bit… 17,000 provisional votes… including Republicans, Independents and Greens and… Bull Moose Party…. Our message, we welcome you to participate on November 4. Sending a message of historic proportions…. regardless of your background, you too can grow up to be President of the United States. Largest voter turnout in decades…. over 158,000 people. One of slimmest margins of victory.
Winner is: Total votes cast: 149,779
Obama– 71,396 / Edwards–2157 / Dodd–81 / Kuchinich 574 / Richardson — 1305 / Biden–122 / Clinton 73,105
So much of our society needs repair after so many years of Republic rule.
Gunman at NIU armed with pistol and shotgun is dead. No details.
shouldn’t that be “versus a bush load
…reminds me of the starry eyed fans of David Cassidy in the 70’s.
now there’s an idea for running mate…
And, It’s Not a Truck!
OT, but when they try to shoot down this satellite and miss, how will they spin that? not like the anti-missile tests where they can fake it …
Stevens will never live down that “series of tubes” comment, will he? But then, that’s the least of his worries now…
”…Perhaps more importantly, connecting his candidacy with the specific agenda of problems America needs solved…”
Didn’t he offer a bunch of that in his Janesville speech yesterday?
And he has been offering a specific agenda for months, but the press hasn’t been paying attention. Everyone seems more interested in those ”lofty words,”
Bob in HI
O/t -
Keith has a special comment planned for tonite…..ENJOY!
Ah, released from the ether myths of time, and back on ‘track’.
Hello, Lahoma.
Always a pleasure to ’see’ you.
And Kiddo, I’m verra pleased to wander around in the same vicinity. Looking forward to your Obama-directed comments and encouragements.
I, for one, am very glad he made that speech. :)
On this very subject (tho I don’t think this is a permanent link; if so look on left sidebar for this title):
Clinton’s past is not through haunting her
“Goopers have LEFT the building”
Gooper congresscritters stage a walkout in protest of the contempt of congress charges and leveled against Clusterfuck enablers- they’re also pissed that the house won’t pass their amnesty bill.
Clinton -channeling Edwards…?
How did he vote on FISA and immunity?
*hands pie to peanut*
Teh funny.
It was Obama supporters who, after Iowa, charged his opponents with being racist. He never came out against that. He stayed silent. No character whatsoever.
No question Obama is brilliant. I also don’t really doubt that his heart’s in the right place. But accomplishing anything remotely approximating change is going to be a slug-fest.
Imagine that you’re a party in a lawsuit. The lawyer on the other side is a no-holds barred asshole of the first degree with a raft of tricks up his sleeve and a client with an open checkbook. Who do you choose to represent you? - The battle-tested, savvy and fully competent veteran who has dealt with this guy before - and knows all his tricks. Or the brilliant scholar and orator who is above the fray. For me, that’s no contest.
Obama hasn’t had to handle anything yet. I really wish there were more elbows thrown to toughen him up before he is picked to be the Democratic nominee. The media has been doing him no favors by sheltering him from criticism. This could turn out very badly.
Perhaps the big money behind the media decided he might be beatable (?)
No black man raised in America is above the fray.
If Hillary is so skilled at handling the BigMedia, why was she so terrible at handling Legz Couric last week on 60 Minutes? She allowed Legz to make her talk about Obama…A LOT…and never turned it back around to herself during those moments. When asked the unbelieveable question about being called “Ms. Fridgedaire” in high school, Hillary laughs and tries to actually answer that question seriously.
This is interviewing 101! She should’ve immediately turned those questions about Barack into why she’s the better choice, and Hillary shoudl’ve told Legz that the other question was completely out of line and sexist, and that she would expect better of someone in Katie’s position, or something to that effect.
From interviews I’ve seen, Obama is much better at thinking on his feet than Hillary (I will say they’ve been pretty even in debates though…)
Here is how I see the Republican Machine vs Obama
“Clinton -channeling Edwards…?”
This really would be headlines if she means it. After all, the DLC line and Clinton’s campaign have always been aligned with Big Business, haven’t they?
And if this new approach is real, why wasn’t she present and voting to strip Telcom immunity from the Senate’s lousy FISA-gutting bill?
Color me skeptical.
Bob in HI
As a kayaker that picture really scares me.
I was disappointed at the no-show myself, it was a failure to display her convictions on the matter. Realistically, though, would it have changed anything in the actual result?
Shhhhhhhhh…
Yer not supposed to notice that!
Perhaps the big money have noticed that the economy does badly under Republics and decided to regrow the value of their dollars by getting Obama elected.
I would guess this is the result of micro-demographic polling …
the good thing about Clinton is that she’s poll driven and that means we can control her just by winning the public argument. the bad thing about her is that she’s poll driven …
i’ll take either of ‘em.
If Obama had been asked questions that parallel the impertinence and disrespect of the questions leveled at Clinton, it would be interesting to see how he would have handled them.
If Clinton had answered the “fridgedaire” question with anything other than laughter, she would have been accused of having no sense of humor - proving her supposed coldness.
frayed not.
Obama is not wet behind the ears. He is streetwise and brilliant. They will throw crap at him, but he’s more than up to it.
Wasn’t he there for the preliminary votes and the last vote wouldn’t have made a difference?
Great photos. We all live in(?) a yellow sea going kayak, right now.
Hope the sharks remain ‘friendly’…
Thanks for the pics, daughter, aged seven, loved them!
“… it’s important for Obama not to become so infatuated with his success that he’s afraid to tie his high-flying rhetoric to specific policy goals.”
Obama’s been more specific lately. See for example this from Matt Yglesias.
Would be nice to think they have that much foresight, but I think they would rather keep their tax cuts…
Yee Haw! It’s Springer time at Clinton HQ Between Mandy Daddy was Time Magazine Gruenwald and Marky the Pig Penn
I told you today that Clinton ran a negative ad against him starting a couple days ago. It is wasted money she doesn’t have. I’m enjoying the fight between Mandy Gruenwald and Mark Penn though. I never watch Springer, but Clinton is providing a Spring show a day for me. The theme song is that manic hand clapping she does on the stage for several minutes.
Let the fingerpointing begin in the Clinton campaign. She ain’t gonna win by 60-40 in Houston, Dallas, and Austen.
With apologies to Madonna:
Don’t cry for me Argintexas, and Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
The truth is, I never left you.
I eat hot peppers.
I clap my hands.
I do both manically.
All through my wild days
My mad existence
I kept my promise
Don’t keep your distance
And as for fortune, and as for fame
I never invited them in
Though it seemed to the world they were all I desired
I’ve seen him answer all kinds of sticky questions. This is the guy that over a year ago shut out Fox Newz after their ridiculous “madrassa” stuff (just recently did an interview there again). He was brilliant in handling the flag lapel pin nonsense. Even as Bill O’Loofah was trying to bully he was into an interview, Obama just brushed him off.
People should’ve been doing this stuff years ago. This is how to handle the Noize Machine. Call them out on how ridiculous they are, and do not give them legitimacy. Very refreshing to see someone finally doing it. Hillary is still trying to get Obama to debate on Fox.
i’d disaagree … i don’t think the big money is stupid.
if they’re feeding at the eternal-war, haliburton gravy train, then they’ll keep supporting mcbushain.
if they’re actually trying to compete in the global market, they know more of the same is the end for them.
My choice to be the next president should understand that I am expecting action. I am very much in accord with style, presence and charisma. But I value substance over public relations. I expect a new, ‘new deal’ in the Franklin Delano Roosevelt tradition. I hope this is a clear conceptual perception. I am not looking for another Reid or Pelosi. Or continuation of the “Third Way/DLC”, anti Democratic principles. I am seeking a leader and a doer. A progressive doer, that is. If the job doesn’t get done, I think I can fairly well assure you, that the American voter will determine you to be a ‘one-termer’. You have an historic opportunity Senator Obama. To make peace, to lift up the poor, to help the environment, to sully the propaganda of racism, gender bias, and religious bigotry. You will be given a chance to help people with health care and to provide a new and progressive meaning to ‘education’. And many other fundamental Democratic ideals. Don’t let us down. Don’t blow it. Please.
wildly off topic, but check out watertiger’s brilliant McCain Valentine graphic.
Newest Bush Surrogate Talking Point:
US soldiers need a ‘troop manual’ because they are just a bunch of ignorant 18 year olds who can’t even drink.
CIA torturers are mature, well trained 40 year olds who know how to use Nazi tactics appropriately.
ThinkProgress reporting.
-GSD
Bill Clinton the Bubbah Eruption can swing as mean a Loofah on the Burkle jet with the babes as O’Reilly can any day.
Maybe this is paranoia - but I feel as if we’re being baited into taking a knife to a gun fight. However, shiny, sharp and beautiful the knife might be, it isn’t good enough.
You might be correct…but for a guy who claims such great ‘leadership’ he’s been absent or quiet on many issues which I consider important.
His recent speech against ‘free trade’ was a step in the right direction but….
If he doesn’t start defining himself to the American people clearly, definitely, forthrightly…. McCain will do it for him.
The ‘change’ mantra will not fly in the GE. Not without specifics.
hear hear!
David Cassidy, huh?
As I watch Hillary’s campaign getting close to end (yes, I think she can still win it), I’ve been reminded of another 70s phenomenon, since they’re starting to throw everything they got out there, and it’s the same old song and dance…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
Who is “we”?
I think the change mantra will fly
GE won’t be about specifics, it’ll be about framing.
“Change” changes the terms of the debate. New vs. Old. Hope vs. endless War.
*we* should care about specifics. And we need to work to hold whoever is the nominee to liberal policies.
But the GE will be decided on image, not specifics.
Woaah! The Mittster is giving his full support to McBush, and his little boys are sturdy Chickenhawks like daddy supporting McCain’s son on his way to Iraq.
Jack is in Iraq; and Jimmy is at the naval academy. And Mittsters sons are contributing to the war that is painted on the streets and walls of America by signing daddies American Express Gold.
HAHA!
The other Dr. Rice…Susan Rice, Obama’s foreign-policy adviser is on Tucker now. Quite articulate. She was Undersecretary of State for African Affairs in the Big Dawg’s two administration. No Condi she..
What leads you to think that the American People™ want specifics?
What gets me is that they study Great White Sharks in kayaks ON PURPOSE!
the Bog Dawg’s two administrations…
…the Big Dog’s…
My wife and I.
That depiction goes to the ‘heart’ of St. Valentine McCain; when coupled to the ‘Snuggles’ series, we’ve some images for the ages…
All hail watertiger!!!
Obama’s campaign has spent 25% more on polling than Clinton’s campaign has. Another RW talking point.
So, they must know what they are doing.
The problem with Clinton’s harping on her resiliency w/r/t the Republican Attack Machine is that she hasn’t exactly stood firm. She voted for the war. What they are going to say about the Republicans in a few years is what they are going to say about the (football) Patriots: they were pretty good until somebody punched them in the mouth.
I am sorry to use a violent analogy, but I haven’t found another that expresses my feelings precisely. Yeah, Hillary is still a viable politician in the face of a torrent of unfounded hatred. Neat, and probably someone we needed over the course of these dark years, but that doesn’t put her at the front of the charge now, because the game is not the same now.
Meanwhile, Tucker has it that Nancy Pelosi is thinking about endorsing Obama…Hm…
Give most american voters a specific and they’ll throw up. Wanna hand out a 400 page policy paper on health care? Don’t think so. They just want to have confidence that whichever criminal idiot they vote for “has his/her heart in the right place- and doesn’t get any strange blow jobs or anything kinky.
lmao, u funny, com’mon step it up!
Truly a case of ‘up close, and personal’ for certain.
seriously, think beer.
Too funny, mon vieux…
I think the GE will be framed in the manner that the MSM chooses to frame it. Up to the point the real race begins, they’re willing to have it be all about change. At the point the real race begins, the agenda changes. Suddenly, it’s all about national security again - and tax-cutting. Perhaps people will rebel against that this time and it won’t work. We’ll soon see.
At least Obama is attempting to change things… America could help him out by electing more senators and congressmen along the lines of Wisconsin’s Russ Feingold and Connecticut’s Chris Dodd.
President Obama. Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your country is to turn this nation back to a country ruled by the rule of law. If you fall short in this endeavor, your presidency will be judged a failure.
still about framing and image, not specifics.
We believe that Senator Obama will be our next president.
Lahoma and okk.
No body’s beating you up. In this era of attempted SuperDelegate Stealing, and attempted Michigan and Florida stealing, as we get bent like a pretzel as Jane says.
I always am reminded of this:
Clap Clap Point Point
That has been my stance. Congress is much more important, imho.
One hopes that Clinton does not disgrace herself so badly that she becomes an embarrassment in the Senate, later on.
To be fair; the same may be said of Obama …
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton finally won the popular vote in New Mexico’s Democratic caucus and picked up one extra delegate Thursday, nine days after Super Tuesday voting ended
There’s some news. ONE DELEGATE!
fixed your typo tw3k
Say President Obama pulls the troops out of Iraq immediately upon taking office. Iraq falls into uncontrolled war and splits into three fighting territories. Turkey invades Kurdistan; Syria grabs a chunk along its border; the Shiite territories become a client of Iran, along with all their oil. Republicans hang the whole thing around President Obama’s neck — “We were winning, then Obama and the Democrat Party surrender-monkeys lost the war.” What will he do then, besides trot out some finger-pointing rhetoric? I’m curious.
I haven’t seen her anywhere near the Senate.
We are pleased with these endorsements of Sen. Obama:
http://www.mahalo.com/Obama_Endorsements
http://youdecide08.foxnews.com.....s-senator/
Conservative bloggers put on their ‘Offended’ hats Thursday when actress Jane Fonda quoted a crass word for the female anatomy from a monologue she is set to perform on the subject.
The 70-year-old actress is set to perform “a monologue called ‘C$%^’” in an upcoming staging of The Vagina Monologues, she told the Today Show’s Meredith Vieira Thursday. That NBC censors failed to bleep the offending word provoked some think-of-the-children handwringing, especially among conservative commentators.
“Besides her left wing activism, famous North Vietnamese propagandist Jane Fonda spouts foul language on morning network television, when some children almost certainly saw it,” Justin McCarty tsk-tsked on conservative media blog NewsBusters. The blog also ran an uncensored clip of Fonda’s offending dialogue.
Right-wing blogger Michele Malkin didn’t want to miss out on the fun.
“The woman has no class,” Malkin said of Fonda. “You already knew that. But here’s more confirmation. Another reason not to let your children watch TV in the morning.”
[Mod Note; edited. There are some words we just don’t use here. FWIW, links are always helpful.]