The Trail: A Daily Diary of Campaign 2008

Let's break away from the Bush-Clinton monarchy of the past 20 years. Vote for hope and empowerment, vote Obama!

Here's the nightmare scenario: Vote for a Clinton, a Bush will follow:
1988-1992 George HW Bush
1992-2000 Bill Clinton
2000-2008 George W Bush
2008-2012 Hillary Clinton
2012-2020 Jeb Bush

Obama is a Fraud!

If you vote for Clinton, and you are "RACIST"
If you don't like Obama, and you are "RACIST"
If you criticize Obama, and you are "RACIST

Obama gets away with everything. This proves that an egocentric man is greater than a genius woman. I love it that the media doesn't cover this detail until someone brings it up.

"Obama's plan today is the most shameless piece of potential plagiarism that I have ever seen," McCain economic advisor Kevin Hassett said.

"He basically took Clinton's words and Clinton's policies and called them his own," Hassett said. "If I were a professor I'd give him an F and try to get him kicked out of school for something this terrible ... I remember Mrs. Clinton saying shared prosperity and I remember the bill that she introduced in August for infrastructure. The fact is these are things Obama has taken as his own without crediting the source of the ideas which was Mrs. Clinton."

lumi21us, Hillary won the debate, Obama is just good sweet speaker, he has sharp tongue, his brain is not as brilliant as Hillary's. His speech is made by the advisors, that's why Hillary answered way better and clear than Obama. Obama supporters are just like Obama, not honest and not trustworthy.

What's so disappointing about all this is that Hillary is better equipped to be a great president than Obama. She's got a grasp of the issues and the knowledge on how to make change happen. She is far smarter than Obama AND experienced dealing with Republicans. He is a freshman, come on people. If there is one job job in America that requires previous experience is the Presidency.

I listen to his speeches waiting for him to say something. All he seems to say is, "We are the one" "It is our time" "we will not be denied". OK, that's nice. But where's the beef what changes???

I'm a Democrat and want us to win but I think voting for Obama is a big mistake because he can't win againt McCain and another Republican in office is a terrible thought.

In addition, he has funding from the big "O" and is out spending Hillary in every facet. Money should not be the factor that makes a candidate win. I hate hearing that "He" is bringing in $1M a day and my question is from who? Again, money should not be the key to winning an election.

I'm so sick of hearing about "Obama" that it now sounds like Osama. Barak Hussein Obama doesn't even sound like an American name. PLAAAAAAALESE!!!

As a former Clinton supporter, I can tell you her campaigns constant attacks prompted me to check Obama out for myself.

The more of him I got to know, the more I liked his goals and proposals: technology stance, health care focus on affordability and subsidies and not solely mandates, college affordability through more lucrative teaching opps, middle class tax structure improvements, infrastructure project funding for job growth and more. Aproaches that will PASS the House and Senate and not head for Hillary Clinton deadlock part II. I like Hill but what more are seeing is that her my-way-or-the-highway, hyperwonk approach is not as effective as Obama's or Edwards -- like bullheaded Decider Bush with a few more book smarts.

That's why so many different types of people are voting for Obama's more sensible, inclusive approach to leadership. Barack has plenty substance in his policy papers, speeches, as do many candidates. Yet so many of us here are LAZY, going by soundbites as to what candidates are all about. Google, YouTube, barackobama.com, are all at our disposal to learn about people before you trash them. That just makes the rest of us dig for and confirm the who are best choices are.

So sitting back ranting that you're sick of the change message? Or not being able to look past his tan skin color at his 12 years of state/fed elected service, that he's got solid Ivy League credentials like the rest of our Presidents and candidate?

You sound more like morons -- thinking every bit of info should be spoonfed to you in soundbites, when the major broadcast and cable newsers are there to entertain far more than inform. Wise up and lose the snark folks. Helps no one.

Least of all your candidate(s) of choice.

Hillary believe's in loyalty above all else. Even when her campaign staff are complete screw ups. If they are loyal, she will keep them. This has created a tremendous amount of infighting in the campaign itself.

Hillary choosing loyalty over competency at eerily similar to the current president in the white house.

Check out the article by Josh Green in The Atlantic. It is really EYE OPENING
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200802u/patti-solis-doyle

Why is the Clinton online operation so poor? They seemed to have a lot of good people on the team and in the states but for some reason the old campaign hacks just don't understand how to use the internet.

For example, you go to Barack Obama's site and you can find polling locations, etc. Clinton's site is bare and has basic language content for each of the states. Perhaps if the Clinton campaign had invested more heavily in their state to state online operation instead of another phonebanker, they would have not only rallied support but rallied donors online who have little to go to motivate themselves to contribute more---and hire more phonebankers.

Out with the old, in with the new. Cleary Kevin and Crystal were frustrated with the way things were being operated. In a job like that you need to be able to communicate inter-departmentally and I doubt either of them were given access or had the ability to work well with people, which probably made things worse.

Lessons for those overpaid political consultants and for those setting up internet teams. Perhaps the Clinton team should have had more people on the internet team who actually had recent on the ground experience instead of DC hacks. Lessons: (1) Being able to work interdepartmentally. (2) Online teams must be given the freedom to use their own discretion instead of going through normal campaign channels.
(3) Hiring well rounded staffers so campaign staff can trust the online team to act on their own---quickly.

I suspect that some of these Hillary attackers are actually Hillary supporters trying to get her the sympathy vote.

Leave Hillary Alone!!!

tumultuous - You just don't get it! Think outside the box. Our country has been taken down to the sewer. The Clinton's will not be able to change a thing. You notice it is always "The Clinton's.? Where is Hillary's backbone?

I am glad that Obama is winning as I am one of his greatest suporters. I wish that all of us who are for Obama would ease up on all the bad stuff that is going on with Mrs. Clinton's campain. Let's just make sure we keep our eye on the prize. The Whitehouse. Let them throw the dirt and the arrows and we just keep on trucking.

msginn

Krafty,

You just proved the point that you were trying to counter.

Hillary is a great human being. She is a great mother and an above average faithful wife. This woman is a hero to many women like myself. She is probably smarter than Obama, Bill, and McCain combined but she won't be president because she is a woman and people like you will spin anything any way you want to prevent it.

A woman is always criticized for being too soft and not tough enough. When she is tough, you have to come up with something new.

Great spinmasters, you are.

If you repeat a false line long enough everyone will start to believe it. Good job.

If it hadn't been for people like you she would not have had to wait in line this long before running. In my opinion, she would make a better president than any man. We need a mother to run this country. Haven't we had enough of chromosome XY, I think XX deserves a chance. I know it won't happen but we women will continue dreaming for a real change.

Spin, spin, spin. Ready from day one?? For what, to fire her own people?

Next announcement: "We are replacing our dog Spot with three more puppies because Spot has done a wonderful job, we´ll all miss him; Spot will continue to serve as a senior advisor and will travel with us from time to time".

A WOMAN will be President in America. The fact is that there are so many qualified female executives and political leaders (Governors, Senators & Congresswomen) who have risen up through the ranks without standing in the shadows of power behind a corrupt President, Bill Clinton. Hillary stood in the shadows doing all that she could to preserve her political viability in the face of RAPE, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, WOMANIZING, COCAINE (Google: Clinton Bush Cocaine Mena Arkansas). HRC is morally compromised and lacks the integrity, character and honor to be THE LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD. This will NOT be the last time Americans have an opportunity to vote for a FEMALE PRESIDENT. Even while the Board of the National Organization of Women (N.O.W.) have endorsed Hillary and slandered OBAMA in a SEXIST fashion, illustrating only blind loyalty to the Clintons, select leaders from N.O.W. have switched their endorsement from HILLARY to OBAMA. HRC: NOT THIS WOMAN. NOT NOW. NOT EVER.

I am an Obama supporter. I think it strange that so many of you say he has no subtance in his speeches. Perhaps you are listening to soundbits. I listen to Clinton and her "specifics" are not very specific or honest. She talks about universal health care, but doesn't mention that she will garnish your "$9.50/hr minimum wage" if you do not comply with her mandate to "buy the same kind of insurance I have". What kind of insurance is that specifically you Hillary Heads? Do you relish the thought of loosing your job in this post-NAFTA economy and being forced to buy health insurance with you unemployment check? And what happens after your 26 weeks of benefits run out and you have no income. Remember Billary eradicated that social safety net called "welfare". I guess when you are jobless, homeless and still mandated to buy health insurance, your sorry, stupid, non-complying butt goes to jail. Mandates must have a punitive enforcement clause to work.
Before I gobble the carrot called HillaryCare, universal or not, I want to know what her stick(s) is(are).
Before I vote for a health care mandate, I'd vote for the status quo - John McCain!!

"People will do anything and say anything to prevent a woman from winning the presidency."
I have NO problem with a woman being president. In fact I think it would be a great change and some very important issues would stop being overlooked. I just can't stand Hillary Clinton. She's insincere, cold and unlikeable. I like lot's of other woman politicians. And even though I don't like her, I'd support her if I thought she would make a better president, but she wouldn't. She would TEAR THIS COUNTRY APART.

patrizia,

It seems to me that these main reasons that we have 'stump speeches' are because this is a time that is used to introduce yourself to members of of your own party and get them interested in you and the time to go into detail is when you are the nominee and debating your opponent. The only reason that so many of us are asking for specifics is because we now live in an age of instant information/gratification and we're spoiled rotton.LOL!

A few short years ago, we never would have asked this question and I for one am very happy that I can go look up all the candidates information on their websites to be able to better educate myself. I think it more forces accountability to have all this stuff written down because we can really tell when a candidate isn't saying what they mean.

Having been lucky enough to have attended an Obama,Hillary and Edwards event in my journey to decide who to back, I can safely say that there are not enough hours in a week for the candidates to get specific about whatever issues matter to each of us, especially during the primary season.

Part of the problem this year as I see it, is that this year the candidates announced so early, it seems like this process is going on forever. Add to that all the news channels,c-span and the internet, it really does feel like we are hearing the same thing over and over again. We are. But we need to keep in mind that when all the candidates are speaking at these events, a good number of the people there are hearing it in its entirety for the first time, hard as that is for us politics junkies to believe! : )

Take care.

"The girl you want to go out with isn't necessarily the one you want to marry."

Geez, rick699. I understand your point, but it's rooted in neanderthal thinking. And in light of Bill Clinton's personal history, well... ouch! What a cruel way to express support for your candidate.

So, Hillary says she will be ready on day one. Day one for her was when she she voted for the war in Iraq. Not a good start. Obama's day one was when he voted against the war. Enough said. Being a Texan and knowing what the outcome of the primary means for the delegate count I would like to suggest to our President-in-waiting that Obama turn that "Day One" phrase on its head and focus on the real day one.

Wait a minute. Barack Obama is a Democrat?

Who knew?

People will do anything and say anything to prevent a woman from winning the presidency. I have never seen this many groups lining up together. Amazing. Her husband who she stood by and honored her vows now becomes the scapegoat. Good try, but we all know what is going on here.

I am so proud of Hillary. She has already made history. She is clearly the smartest and wins every debate with her opponents and yet the forces of ignorance will push her back no matter what it takes. Any and all attacks are fair game.

Our country makes me sad sometimes.

No matter if she loses I thank her because she has still won by making us all winners and giving hope that a woman can do anything.

My daughter is a big fan of Hillarys. I hope that she can grow up and follow in her footsteps. Hillary is a trailblazer.

In the meantime,

VOTERS--How's YOUR judgement????

http://youtube.com/watch?v=vjg6_KXYLEI

These and other changes to the campaign team are probably long overdue. It has looked to me like the Clinton team, with a huge early lead, was just trying to sit on their lead, playing preventative defense, not being aggressive enough, and not building a grassroots organization. Hopefully, there is still time to make the changes necessary to win this election. We need a "real" Democrat as our nominee.

hmmm...

this is the ready day one "A" team?...not so ready are we...?

...the very best staffers that Hillary could pick?...made a few mistakes did we?

...is this the type of comptent, effective ready to go team that Hillary plans for the country?! ... are you KIDDING!!!@#$!

...that maybe ok for running a village but NOT good enough for this country.

fegedabahdit!

Hey, Kevin & Crystal! If you're the ones responsible for the Clintonistas, you're doing a great job . . . fund raising for the Obama campaign!!

Keep up the good work!!

And don't worry about your next paycheck -- the uranium deal that Bill brokered is coming in handy, now that donors are drying up.

Cheryl,
don't you think that there is something wrong in Obama's message if after spending $100 million (maybe more by this stage?) in his primary, there are still so many democrats asking him to give more specifics in his speeches? After such a long campaign, so much money spent and so much positive media on his side, the voters should not need to go to his website to understand what he is about....If he is not changing his message, I am afraid it's becuase he has nothing to change it into...

Hillary Clinton, as president, would be as focused on polishing and righting Bill Clinton's reputation, just as much as George W. Bush tried (unsuccessfully) to polish and right George H.W. Bush's reputation. All this polishing is about costly repair of the past instead of investment in a solid future agenda.

Next to go will be Hillary's hairdresser and then her masseur. LOL!

By the way, I thought John Glenn had Alzheimer's. The Clinton campaign probably forged his endorsement.

GO OBAMA!!!

I am a political junkie but cannot tolerate listening to Obama. I consider him to be little more than a college debating type who is using TV evangelist techniques. I can sympathize with the Afro-Americans who vote for him uncritically, but I have a fine contempt for all those upper income so-called educated whites who are eating out of his hand like so many frenetic cult followers.

I have never voted Republican in my life but would if he got the nomination. I just could not stomach 4 years - let alone 8 - having to listen to this sanctimonious snake-oil salesman. His tatty MLK and JFK act is an insult to the intelligence of us all.

I think Cintons have to finally leave.Despite his problems Bill Clinton was a popular President and perhaps knew very well how to handle people. Hillary has really nothing to call her own. Her First Lady-hood did not amount to much, nor was her performance in the US Senate. What comes through again and again is that she is Mrs Clinton first and Hillary later, as a political person and she had to put up with an awful lot with Bill, especially while at the White House. And of course semantics.There is really no promise of anything new. It is time then for the final valediction

Hillary is the first to combine masochism and narcissism. Wake up and smell the coffee! And for Heaven's sake, FIND A MAN!!

I am sick of this guy's message of hope and change! I think we must open our eyes and look more closely at these candidates. I hardly see any substance and I truly believe we are heading for "false hopes"

P to the D

OMG -

My life is going no place. I just thought I would vent.

RI is just full of hopeful people today, as every one else has given up.

Trade Betts - Its like I am in week 4 hell

Hey mul, how goes it over here?

Then these obvious Hillary campaign surrogates--like rick699--whose function as a part of an "online team" posing like passionate supporters but use the same talking points over and over...it's desperate, transparent, and condescending view of genuine readers leaves little wonder why the Clinton campaign's rearranging deck chairs on the Titantic.

Posted by: eunomian | February 13, 2008 01:07 AM

You should see the Snyder guys on Redskins Insider.

Then these obvious Hillary campaign surrogates--like rick699--whose function as a part of an "online team" posing like passionate supporters but use the same talking points over and over...it's desperate, transparent, and condescending view of genuine readers leaves little wonder why the Clinton campaign's rearranging deck chairs on the Titantic.

Posted by: eunomian | February 13, 2008 01:07 AM

You should see the Snyder guy on Redskins Insider.

I am a Clinton guy. Virginia is hard to figure out because 30% of the vote was independents and Republicans. In theory, no real race on the other side. I do think some people came out to screw Clinton which does not bode well either.

The Maryland brake down is the key and that did not look too good. I am shocked that my region would go for someone who has almost no record save as the state legislator. Obama is a talented no doubt. I though after Bush we would go for more substance.

Another thing every so often I ask young women/girls what they think of Clinton. Witch, scary and other anti women comments are the rule. Makes MSNBC look like objective reporters.

Anyway my impression of the East cost as cynical and worldly is gone. We are just as goofy as Iowa.

Taxes please save us!!! OMG

Hillary is bad! She's cooked. Fried. Toasted!!!

But, the more I read these, the more I start to wonder all what skeletons is in Obama's closet. Love him all you want guys, but I promise you, by the time the Republicans start digging and finding s**t then we'll all forget Hillary-Hating comments.

Hillary is now an underdog and Obama the interim front runner. I think you should be more concerned about Obama now than Hillary, really. You are just wasting your time.

Obama is not perfect and the more I see these Hillary remarks, I can't help but wonder and ask myself "what about Obama?" Believe me, there is more negatives to him yet to be dugged out than just the drug use.

Cheryl-- EXACTLY!! great response.

here for those who can't google:

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/ObamaBlueprintForChange.pdf

To add to the previous comment, I do have to say that I have developed profound hatred for Obama. Many of my friends like Obama. Why? Because, as rick699 suggested, he has this well rehearsed circus act. "We are ready!" "Change is coming"

WHAT CHANGE?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

A bunch of incompetent idiots parading around with signs calling for change. Mr. Obama, what have you changed since you've been elected to the Senate?

"But I keep listening to his speeches waiting for him to say something. I've watched four or five speeches."

You've watched four or five speeches? Oh my, give this man a round of applause! Seriously, Obama has made HUNDREDS of speeches -- have you ever read his floor statements? He also wrote a very good book, The Audacity of Hope. His website has a very well-rounded collection of his positions on many, many issues. I don't know which speeches you watched, how much time he had to speak at the time, or what the setting was. But if you really want to find his substance, it's just a URL away.

~~Cheryl

So much hate and misoginy. You all hate her because she is a successful, outspoken woman. She is not Michelle Obama or Barabara Bush. She is no nice, motherly, bake cookies and love being oppressed by men kind of woman.

Well, I hope you get your wonderful Obama presidency. I'm a progressive, a leftist, a liberal, a gay man, and I am all about Hillary Clinton. Barack Obama and his campaign are one huge fairy tale. Yes, I love Bill for calling it a FAIRY TALE. Cause it is.

Enough of this nonsense. He's black - and that's the only change he's bringing with him. And the fact that he has about the amount of experience in life and politics equivalent to a college graduate.

Other than that, you will learn that he is a cocky, arrogant, egocentric 'Messiah of change'. The man has a God complex. I sincerely, with all my heart, hope that he loses the national election if elected the Democratic nominee. Although I hate McCain and see the Republicans as the Anti-Christ, I'd rather have McCain be president than a man who should be in acting and not politics. Hey - I actually think Obama should be making commercials. They're fake anyways. And a new one comes out every day. They're all 'CHANGE' from before.

Finally, one last thing - why do all these independents who voted for Bush in 2004 go for Obama, I have yet to find out. I think, deep down, we all know that Hillary is much more liberal than Obama and all his black baptist ministers who preach against abortion and gay marriage and who helped Bush get elected in 2004.

One part incompetence, one part transparent dishonesty, and mix in some denial of reality. Sounds like a recipe for an imploding campaign. Coincidentally, it also sounds like the Bush administration.

Then these obvious Hillary campaign surrogates--like rick699--whose function as a part of an "online team" posing like passionate supporters but use the same talking points over and over...it's desperate, transparent, and condescending view of genuine readers leaves little wonder why the Clinton campaign's rearranging deck chairs on the Titantic.

Hilary sucks ... she is a typical woman who doesnt even have the courtesy to recognize her competitor ... Hilary go to hell ...

Well, you can't blame the caucus system for THESE decisions.

Mark your calendar for March 12th: The day after yet another blowout in Mississippi, and staring a long month of hopeless campaigning in PA while broke, Clinton will call it quits.

The Clinton campaign now exhibits more turnovers than the pancake griddle at IHOP.

What a fiasco. Ready from Day One...yeah, right. What's clear is if she had a free run to the White House, and had the next 275 days to prepare, she'd somehow still end up at the corner of Dimwit and FUBAR.

Boy, did we ever dodge a bullet.

Maybe now she can go back to being an undistinguished Senator, and Bill can attempt to find the Presidential dignity he misplaced when he morphed into a low-rent, lying political hack.

John Glenn is still alive? Wow....congratulations?

What's so disappointing about all this is that Hillary is better equipped to be a great president than Sen. Obama. She's got a lock-down grasp of the issues and the knowledge on how to make change happen.

The problem is, she's run a horrible campaign since day one.

Politics is like dating. The girl you want to go out with isn't necessarily the one you want to marry. Different qualities apply to each. Sen. Obama has all the glamor and charisma. But I keep listening to his speeches waiting for him to say something. I've watched four or five speeches. All he seems to say is, "We are the one" "It is our time" "Change is hard but we will not be denied." OK, that's nice. But where's the beef?

Bill Clinton will be attacked for suggesting that Obama is all "smoke and mirrors." But please. Tell me what Obama is about if you look behind the smoke and mirrors. I'm a Democrat. But nothing has convinced me so far that behind the smoke and mirrors is only more smoke and mirrors.

All this Hillary firing of campaign workers is really something. Don't this people have families, how will they feed their familes now that they have no jobs? Hillary shouldn't blame are bad campaign management on those who are less fortunate on her team. She should take responsibilty for a awful campaign that as been run so far. But that will be asking too much of her.

No surprise, with reports like these:

Barack vs. Hillary- The Google Effect:

http://newsusa.myfeedportal.com/viewarticle.php?articleid=47

May be a day late and a dollar short though...

Does this mean we won't have to suffer the pro-Clinton pap and swill from SVreader, et. al.?

Free the "MSNBC 1" !!!

Return David Shuster to the airwaves !!!

In Virginia today, Barack Obama got substantially more votes than Hillary and John McCain -- COMBINED. No wonder McCain took several blatant pot shots at Obama in his speech tonight. I sort of like McCain, but he is going to be "Bob Dole" in this race if he has the misfortune of running against the O-man(and Barack is a full 7" taller).

How many rightwing crackheads voted for obama in VA and Maryland and not because they will vote for him in the general?

http://robertbluey.com/blog/2008/02/12/why-i-voted-for-obama/

This is a great dedication by Alicia Keys

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cySK6q2P_Nw

Seriously, they are now a parody of themselves. Sending a press release out about BLOGGERS being reassigned? It doesn't get more ridiculous. I seriously doubt if the announcement of these two will help take the sting out of PSD's firing for the Latino leaders who are angry.

Next up: those who take minutes at the meetings have decided to spend more time with their families.

Sheeeee's done! Stick a fork in her!

And SHE doesn't even the grace or courtesy to congratulate Obamma on his victory. The woman is self-centred and without class.

Perfect time for the Hillary team to re-tool and gear up for Texas and Ohio :)

The John Glenn endorsement today was nice, too.

SHE is done like dinner. Kaputt. Finito. SHE"s Toast!!

Trying a different metaphor - losing altitude and the no field in sight.

Bigtime.

The wheels are coming off the wagon....

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