The Trail: A Daily Diary of Campaign 2008

ralphdaughtery: You are right about Hillary being reverent to Martin Luther King. I don't know anyone who isn't. For the Obama camp to try to "own" MLK, is ludicrous.

Obama should have aligned himself with Martin Luther King, not Ronald Reagan. That was the stupidest political move I have ever seen any candidate make. What was he thinking?????

Centaurca. You can't say anything bad about Magic Johnson that will stick. People have always loved Magic Johnson. If Magic loves the Clintons, so be it.

I don't like the Clintons because Magic says to, I like them because they work hard for ordinary citizens. And they are smart while they are doing it. They aren't dreaming, they are doing. gw.

Magic should listen again to his "captain" Kareem Abdul Jabbar who is for Obama and perhaps he will help him understand why. Magic, you're still a rookie when it comes to picking a candidate.

Hillary didn't disrespect MLK. She said he spoke after years of marching, being gassed, being suppressed, and his words of greatness are amidst that titanic struggle he and other blacks waged. People saying she disrespected MLK obviously have no clue what she said.

rd

Darren12000, if you are truly an african american, then you are a disgrace for supporting someone who disrespected MLK. As an African-American myself, I will be voting replublican in Maryland if Hilary wins the nomination.

And they are many blacks here who would not vote democratic if Hilary wins the election. Which might swing Maryland RED. Bcos the democrats cannot win maryland without the black vote.

The Clintons are so manipulative. They are LIARS. Are these the values we want to base our systems and futures upon. No more Bush/Clinton

LIES & TEARS.

Senator Obama also has Kareem, Baron Davis, Bruce Bowen, Charles Barkley, Dominque Wilkins, Alonzo Mourning, Bill Russell. Magic donated the max to Obama back in the spring. What did the Clintons do to bring him over to their side? Rookie mistake Magic. Should have stuck with the winner.

As I recall, when Bill was the Prez., the republicans kept telling us that Hillary was the one who was really in charge and calling the shots. Now, they say she was not involved in any meaningful way. Which is it?

In the early '70's, was not Hillary involved in the Watergate hearings? That is some kind of experience. I am really surprised that her years of experience are doubted by so many.

Relax, Hillary will make a great president.

The original Goldwater girl blasts Obama for mentioning Reagan to illustrate the point that 2008 is another "change" election just like 1980 was. If Hillary wants to smear Obama about his comments, then let her explain giving her heart to Goldwater in the 60's.

After it is all over, Obama does need to thank the Clinton campaign for toughening him up for the battles ahead against the republicans. They go for the jugular in their single-minded focus to capture the presidency.

In a time like this, Americans will choose not the one who craves it the most, but the one with vision and leadership skills.

As much as I respect Magic Johnson for what he has done with his life in recent years, I find it ironic that Hilary/Bill would choose him as a surrogate, given his admission that he slept with more than 200 women. Birds of a feather . . .

You can fool only some of the people some of the time. Hillary is finding out you can't fool all the people all the time

Whenever I hear Senator Clinton talk about "35 years of experience" I wonder what experience she is talking about. Is it her experience as a wife of a politician who became a governor and president? she is just starting her second term as senator. Is it her experience as partner in a law firm? Obama has a longer legislative experience than Mrs Clinton. Her only attempt to have a major legislation passed failed miserably and led to electoral disasters for Democrats. I'm a great admirer of the Clinton presidency but any time she talks about her "35 years of experience" she completely puts me off. She has never held an executive office. She has only 6 years of legislative experience.

More and more people are tired and turned off by staged polititcians - like the answers given the other night at the deabe--Hillary's greatest weakness is how much she cares for the people. Edwards also gave a phony answer which seemed more about his compassion than a weakness. GIVE ME A BREAK! Politicians who give these contrived and phony answers are more concerned about them and not about you, the people. They are not trying to connect with you in any meaningful way, but trying to manipulate you -- by staged and phony answers, Washingtonian Answers.

In this era of the Greening of America, people are moving toward a more holistic way of living: organic foods and household items free of pesticides and chemicals, more effecient appliances to aid in the cleaning up of greenhouse gases among other things, solar and wind -- clean energy. However, we also want more Efficient and Cleaner Politicians. Ones we can believe in and ones we know are speaking to us, not at us, who are not trying to control and manipulate the us, the masses, for their own personal gains. That's how we get into wars by politicians who go along to get along for their OWN PERSONAL GAIN and not concerned about the degradation of what will happen to You, the Planet, and -- to the PEOPLE! I guess you could say being honest is the difference between being a seasoned Washingtonian or being an honest Abe -- Rookie!

i am so tired of the "dynasty" argument...this country loves its dynasties -- vast inequalities in income and wealth, racial disparities across every measure of social and physical well being, heterosexism, sexism.....you name it. why the concern over dynasties now?

errolam -- vote republican or stay home ? i hope you live in a blue state where it won't matter...the events of the last few days are just political bickering. nothing to get all depressed about. sometimes i wonder whether people in these blogs have experienced any difficult times in their lives. this stuff is nothing to get exorcised about.....

i support hillary clinton and i am a black man too...

Considering Magic Johnson's past errr, indiscretions does anyone here find it ironic that Magic is doing a spot for Team Clinton?

Once again, these are the dynasties:
Bush--Clinton--Clinton--Bush--Bush.
This election is about the Clinton dynasty.
Any questions?

Folks give Magic a break. Does anyone really believe that MJ's heart is in supporting Hillary? Of course MJ remembers possibly his greatest career achievement..MVP in his rookie year.
That was precisely why he choose that statement for his ad. He knows Barack an avid fan of basketball will have a ready made response.

Sometimes you have to read into the subtleties of these statements. Even from Bill Clinton. Do you really believe even if Bill thought Obama was the best candidate he could come out and say it? Better do it as a badly mannered loose canon who is most likely to piss-off voters and drive them away than outright support which would leave him crucified at the alter of feminist!

Please do not support Hillary in the expectation that Barack Obama will be her VP. That will NEVER happen. Hillary hates Barack with a passion for attempting, as sh e believes in denying her her entitlement. I doubt that Barack will even contemplate such a move. The man is building a movement. And I tell you this, whoever is the next President Republican or Democrat will need Barack Obama to get things done. Such is his incredible human appeal.

When you hear GOP Presidential candidates start talking about change and adopting the stomp stands of the so called "rookie", you know there is a new kid on the blocks. A new kind of Politics.

Message vs. manuver is what this race is all about.
For Dems the danger with a manuver candidate is another big loss in the general election.

Mondale Dukakis and Gore machined and manuvered the nomination and lost. The Republicans know how to beat this type of nominee. They have proven better at machine politics at the presidential level, in election after election.
Its the message and movement type that keeps them off balance, looking small mean and petty as they attack. Message candidates 'gin up' the turnout and give hope, support and momentum to local candidates. This feeds upon itself and adds to a team approach to party victory.
A talented rookie can go very far with an experienced team inspired to new heights of performance by the new guy's drive. Look at Magic's first year.
A manuver candidate will slice and dice in various gambles to win the general, leaving local house and state candidates to fend for themslves, at best.
Some will be thrown to the wolves, by those facinated by the power of the presidency and winning it at all cost.
This leads to party demorilization and general election defeat.

Relax, people. Don't lose sight of the real issue here: a new Administration that will support and defend the Constitution, restore the credibility of America in the world, do something positive about education and health care, and deal with the economic problems created by its predecessor. Let's encourage our candidates not to practice Swiftboat tactics on each other. Rest assured: we'll see plenty of that after the primaries are over.

Besides - Barack Obama has Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson and Bill Bradley. That's a pretty good team, don't you think?

You have to wonder if Magic Johnson wasn't thinking about his rookie year when he made that commercial for Clinton....

Not only was Magic Johnson named the series MVP after scoring 42 points in the sixth and deciding game of the NBA finals, but the veteran Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was not even at the game. He stayed behind in Los Angeles to rest his ankle as the rest of the team went to play game 6 in Philly. If Magic stopped to think about it, he would probably realize that sometimes you just don't need those old folks around any more.

I'm so tired of Hillary and Bill's nonsense at this point in the campaign that I've come to the conclusion if we Democrats nominate this woman as our candidate I'll leave the democratic party for good and register as an independent. It so shameful how the Clintons have run their campaign during this election that I'll never vote for such a fraud of a woman. Everyday I get on my knees and pray that democrats will realize nominating Hillary will destroy the democratic party for many years to come. The woman as no chance in november. She's poison to this country, no more division.

Obama probably has a better jumpshot than Hillary does...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daH0ltD20A0

I THINK HILLARY TELL LIES

Hillary goes about talking about her many years of experience. She should be honest enough to say my husband's experience.Take away Bill's experience and everyone will see Obama is a better candidate by a country mile.

I'm a Hillary supporter, but I would say the following:

- Obama is a rookie, but that's what he's running on. To say he's a rookie is supposed to make people think twice about putting a rookie in charge, but that's sort of the point for Obama backers. You'll get nowhere with them saying that.

- To have Magic Johnson in your corner is a good thing in reaching out to his fellow African Americans with sports themed ads. But Hillary's campaign should be much cleverer in making Hillary's case than stating the obvious concerning Obama, however cleverly sports themed.

- The number of years of one candidate versus the other is not that imnportant, and is basically insulting. I'm tired of hearing it, and I thought Hillary moved on from that theme after the NH win, but she didn't. Hillary, you made your point, move on to the specifics you're going to do with that experience without saying 35 years again. Ever. Lifetime of work was working for you, I would stick with that.

- You have a double whammy against you when African Americans have a first in a lifetime opportunity to vote for a fellow person of color and you tell them he's not experienced enough to vote for. Many already know that, but no one figured it out based on somneone pointing it out to them.

I would basically congratulate Democrats for this historic opportunity and tell people no matter which one of you they vote for, it will be historic, and you respect their choice. Then give them reasoning on what you will do in office on day one and some sense of the enormity facing our next President after these disastrous neocons leave office, assuming they don't declare martial law instead, which is not a safe bet, and let people make their choice without chump table talk like we're in a card game on Friday night or something.

- I love Hillary Clinton, and I'm making this year's first quarter campaign donation this weekend. But don't fall into the trap that idiotic media ads like this substitute for something from the heart from you on what you will do with your experience. That's what people want to hear, and they will make the right decision for them and our country.

rd

As black professional who for years have supported the Clintons and originally plan to support Hillary for reason that she by virtue of being around Washington politics for so many years may be better prepared to be president despite Obama's formidable skills. I believe he would make a great VP and spend the next eight years polishing his awesome talents under no one less than the great Bill Clinton. After Hillary completes two terms, Obama, who would be 54 at that time, would be next in line and give the Democratic party an additional eight years of control of the white house before the political pendulum sung back to the GOP. After the events over the past couples of weeks, I am totally disconcerted as it is obvious that the Clintons only care about themselves and would do anything to achieve their political ambitions at the detriment of everyone else. At this time, I plan to support Obama for the primary... win or lose...If he is not the candidate, I will either go with John McCain if he is the Republican candidate or stay home...

comeaukir, the difference is one has integrity and the other does not. One is electable and one is not. One will bring the country together and one will destroy the Democratic party!

The assertion that Obama's stances and proposals are thin, or are incomplete, is not really accurate. For example, his healthcare plan is more aggressive when it comes to controlling costs (i.e. limiting corp. handouts), and it doesn't contain mandates *for now*, which makes it less of a political liability in the general election. Just wait until the republicans start screaming over and over about how you're going to be "forced" to pay for insurance that'll bankrupt you. But that's not the real point.

The real point is that Obama, unlike Clinton, or Bush, is capable convincing moderate and slightly conservative people toward progressive ideals. Although his and Clinton's policies are similar in many ways, his ability to sway people makes it likely he will be more effective as president, and his lack of lobbyist support (in sharp contrast to Clinton) makes it more likely he will be able to do it without giving out barrels of pork.

The Clinton talking point that Obama=Clinton is cynical and dishonest. Why don't the Clinton supporters defend taking money from lobbyists instead of dodging the issues? There's no accusation the Clinton camp as leveled against Obama that's indefensible (or true) in the same way as that.

And repeating the assertion that Obama's unification talk and personal appeal is parallel to Bush's will not make it true or valid. For one thing, Obama has huge cross-party appeal, which Bush never had. And supreme-court-decision whining aside, Bush's personal appeal won him the election. I mean maybe winning elections isn't important to you, but come on...

Correction:

Did you say that "rookie" went on to become the MVP and win the Championship?

Did you say that "rooke" went on to become the MVP?

Hillary has expressly laid out her policies. Barack has not. When he says change- he probably means it, but he has not put out the type of detailed plans she has. So for now, it is just rhetoric. Especially since what he has put out has been a carbon copy of what she has out there. So what is the reason you are really not voting for her? If you like his policies (her policies) and think they are what it takes to change- then perhaps rethink her. If you think that it is just about a guy saying it will be different when he is elected I would like to introduce you to the 2000 version of the "Uniter, not the Divider" and now he is the "Decider"...

Sen. Clinton is always touting her "35 years of experience"....35 years ago she was a student in Yale Law School.

relax. it's just a stupid campaign ad. if you vote based on ads, you are a moron...i mean, american.

Here is the video of Obama making fun of Hillary Clinton and John Edwards..
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2008/01/18/so t.obama.hillary.experience.cnn

http://youtube.com/watch?v=QQY_9ZcsjpQ

Typical political mumbo-jumbo, particularly for the Clintons. Tell half the story and let that stand as fact, even though you are missing the main point. I have to say I see that more and more with the Clintons. While Obama doesn't seem to be immune to half truths, they are fewer and farther between and are rarely blatant attacks.
Lord help us if the Clintons win the primary.