The Trail: A Daily Diary of Campaign 2008

Why won't anyone talk about the Corruption of the Clinton Administration?!!!

Desperation breeds bad decisions, as this ad clearly shows. Frankly, I believe that IF Hillary is elected, the war on terror will move from the streets of Bagdad or Tikrit to the streets of Houston, Chicago, LA and most of all Washington, DC. If she can't control Bill, how is she going to control this country? We cannot afford to have another "Billary" White House.
Another post mentioned Condi Rice. She would make a most excellent VP or if we were lucky enough to lure Colin Powell back into service.

Here's how Hillary should reply to Obama's reply to "a phone is ringing" ad: Would you want the guy who voted PRESENT over one hundred times on various issues in the Illinois legislature to answer that phone? When problems are present BEING PRESENT IS NOT ENOUGH TO BE PRESIDENT.

Obama is the Rorschach Blot Candidate--What you get is what you see. What do you get when you hear "Change we can believe in"? "Yes we can"? Did you get THAT from Obama?

Obviously, there are many Democrats who are torn and soul searching over whether Billary or Obasama are the right Candidate.

GREAT NEWS! :-)

Ralph Nader has come to your rescue!

Think of a Vote for Ralph, as a Vote against all the Venom being spent by Barack Hussein, and the Clintons!

Nader 08! ;~)

Michelle Obama chastises us for our fear of her husband. Should we fear him? What should we do about these feelings of fear? What about this feeling, fear.

Fear is useful. It causes us to pause or even stop what we are doing and attend to the object that evokes this feeling. A fearful reaction may be a result of past experience or insufficient knowledge. We may have good reason to react with fear to past experiences.

But, what about fear resulting from insufficient knowledge. What should we do or how should we react when dealing with fear resulting from insufficient knowledge?

When dealing with fear resulting from insufficient knowledge we can either draw upon our unique experiences to evaluate our proper reaction or response. We can seek to gain additional information to add to our body of knowledge by looking outwardly to our environment.

In the case of Michelle's husband we can look to others who have come in contact with him or who have knowledge of him. We may speak to them or read what they have written about him. The NY Times has written some about him but, all the articles are oddly superficial. The Chicago Tribune has a walled garden around its archives that make research by the average citizen impractical due to cost. The Sun-Times has its problems too.

We can also even speak to her husband or listen to him speak or even read what he has written.

In Michelle's husband's case we don't have a lot to go on. He's only been speaking to us publicly since he began to run for President, a year or so. His history as an Illinois State legislator is difficult to get at as the web site for the Illinois state legislature does not offer a convenient summary of his voting record for us to easily evaluate. He has not written much and what he has written is not easily available.

He does not have a long legislative history with either the Illinois state legislature or the U.S. Senate. With respect to his U.S. Senate history he has been campaigning for most of that time. So what should we do when certain aspects of his background evoke feelings of fear?

What we do is rely on our own understanding of the world around us, talk to those with whom we're comfortable and look to the resources around us for as much information as reasonably possible. If the feeling persist then we should avoid the cause of our fears. If Michelle's husband evokes fear we should avoid him.

Here's how the Obama campaign ought to respond to Hillary's ad:

We see children sleeping peacefully in bed, the voice over says, "It's 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep. But there's a phone in the White House and it's ringing. Something's happening in the world. Your vote will decide who answers that call." Then we see Hillary answering the phone. She says, "Med...Um...Med-Medvedova -- whatever."

See also:

http://hillaryspeaksforme.com/

First, I am not a Clinton supporter. Second, you are comparing the ENTIRE country of Iraq to individual U.S. cities. Last, there are more ways to be killed in American cities than just "murder". My point still stands.

First, I am not a Clinton supporter. Second, you are comparing the ENTIRE country of Iraq to individual U.S. cities. Last, there are more ways to be killed in American cities than just "murder". My point still stands.

Question...What has Obama done and what results have been achieved to "secure loose nuclear weapons around the globe", as mentioned in Clinton's new ad, Children?

More Americans were killed in plenty of U.S. cities last year than in Baghdad.

Posted by: JakeD | February 29, 2008 09:04 PM
_____________________________________________

That's simply not true. (What a surprise from a Clinton backer.)

Looking at 2006 stats (if you can get 2007, please let me know), 822 Americans died in the Iraq War in 2006 (901 died in 2007). New York led the nation with murders at 539; LA had 489 and Chicago had 448. Last I looked, 822 is more than 539, agree?

Overall, as of 2006, about 500,000 Americans had served in Iraq. 3003 died. New York has 8.1 million people. Over the four year period 2003-2006, 2201 people living in NYC were murdered. So serving in Iraq is three times more deadly than living in NYC -- not the most dangerous of US cities, to be sure, but still -- New York City.

More Americans were killed in plenty of U.S. cities last year than in Baghdad.

Again, there are 33,000 casualties. Some of those people would have been killed or injured walking down the street. But no rational person would argue that an American city or town is as dangerous as Iraq.

Statistically, at least some of those 4000 Americans -- if not more -- would still be dead had Obama been President.

I was starting to soften, then the Obama-nuts showed their true colors by attacking me.
I also checked with my washington contacts and they're more dead-set against Obama than ever.
Posted by: svreader | February 29, 2008 06:19 PM
______________________________________

Let me get this straight -- your Washington contacts (I though Howard Hunt died) are "more dead-set against Obama than ever" because YOU got "attacked" in the WaPo comments? Dude, score better drugs. I hear they have good drugs at Berkeley.

Does saying someone is lying every time their lips move constitute an attack? Because that's what you said about me -- IMMEDIATELY after I cited the post you said was total BS to say you said. Now you try to pass it off as a "lighthearted" comment. Was the total BS part lighthearted? Was calling me a liar lighthearted?

You got caught in a lie. The Obama campaign doesn't want liars, and the Hillary campaign is chock full of them.

OscarMayer 2 makes an excellent point. It is hard to imagine that with the presidential and congressional performance of the past 8 years, which both Hillary and McCain have been an entrenched and influential part of, that anyone in the US wouldn't be ready for a substantive change. While Obama is, when it comes down to it, an unknown it terms of national leadership, the current "known" entities of Hillary and McCain are wholly unacceptable.

It is time to clean house in Washington. The Clinton's these days are part of the establishment, not the breath of fresh air that swept D.C in 1992.

gbooksdc --
It was a light hearted commment.
You, on the otherhand do nothing but spew hatred.
You do nothing but bring pain and suffering to others.
I pitty you.
Posted by: svreader | February 29, 2008 06:14 PM
__________________________________

What was the light-hearted comment? The "God is a Democrat" part, or the part where you said it was total BS?

Oh, and please cite the posts where I "spewed hatred" or brought "pain and suffering" to others. Snarky about Hillary, I'll plead guilty. But the rest, beats me.

If you like, I can cite YOUR hateful posts.

Oh, and BTW -- you're a proven liar.

This is completely off topic, but on point for these comments: it is hard to accept the validity of your thought process when your writing is so bad! I have seen "loosing" instead of "losing" more times than I care to count. It's the "throes" of death, not the "throws", for God's sake! I could go on and on, but I already wasted an hour and a half proving svreader's a liar, I don't waste more time. Can't we agree AT LEAST to not use words we can't define or spell? If you haven't read the word _in a book_, please don't use it, words often don't spell like they sound. (And if you've never read a book, we know who you are, seedofchange and ebubuk2004.)

Also, many of the comments here were pasted in The Fix. Most of them were pro-Clinton (Guess they think they can fool the less-observant into thinking she's more popular than she is.) C'mon people, be original. Don't use Hillary and Howard Wolfson's talking points as your template. Try thinking for yourself!

And every now and then, in between all the lies and insults and the spammers, I actually get something out of these comments. Today's prize goes to ablackstormy: "There were only two copies of the 300-page "briefing" supporting Bush's case for war with Iraq--one for the House and one for the senate. These were both kept under guard in viewing rooms for the two legislative bodies. Lawmakers were not allowed to bring cameras, voice recorders or even notepads into the viewing rooms. Staffers were not allowed into the viewing rooms. This last point is really important, as HRC claims she was briefed by her staff on the document though she didn't actually read it herself--not possible, ergo she's lying. ... Posted by: ablackstormy | February 29, 2008 01:02 PM"

All you Clinton supporters channeling Nixon with your "the press hates us" BS -- why hasn't THIS point been hammered home? If you have time to split hairs over Farrakhan ("denounce isn't tough enough! You must reject him! No, repudiate! That's the word!") you have time to make Clinton answer inconsistencies in her public statements.

Obama scares me! He can talk the talk but he cannot walk the walk! He is acting like he is god and the savior Well I have news for him he is not. After so many years of being a democrate He will force me to vote for McCain. His wife stirs so much badness. As a BORN in the USA American and proud of my heritage and strong committment to peace.........she finally being proud..... makes me sick. This is a racial comment I pray that people and the media wake up before its too late. Oprah what have you done? I have deleted you from my choices to watch....

Based on her vote in October 2002 to give George Bush a blank check to wage a preemptive war, we have a good idea what Hillary will do when that phone rings: Make a reckless and trigger happy decision if she thinks it will preserve her political viability in the next election.

Less than two weeks ago, Hillary accused the Obama campaign of borrowing from the "Karl Rove Playbook"...well this ad is nothing short of Rove-like fearmongering. Perhaps this is appropriate however, as whenever the red phone has rung her "experience" has shown her to be Bush-like, consistently failing to act when humanity demanded it (Rwanda, Balkans), escalating fear and violence when it was unnecessary and against our interests(Iraq and Iran), and pandering to wealthy and special interests instead of the interests (and principles) of Americans (NAFTA, Occupied Palestinian Territories, attorney general nomination, etc.).

The more the two candidates go back and forth, the less I like both of them. I'm not voting for McCain or Nader (not a chance in heck of that) but I just don't see the point in this pettiness any more.

P.S. SVReader - how to I get to my page from here on this kind of board.

I really dislike this kind of board, do you? gw.

Obama-nuts are the new "Hitler Yammen"
They viciously attack anyone who questions their furer.

PutDown and gbooks act like cheap thugs.

It says a lot about Obama.

Hillary's commercial is right.

If Obama's the candidate, McCain's the President.

Say no to Cocaine. Say no to Obama.

Posted by: svreader | February 29, 2008 06:17 PM
------------------------------------------
Now you sound like the svreader I know. Go to your personal page and patch me back in, please. gw.

mha31353 | : You could be wrong. Just before I came to this board, the newest poll shows Hillary ahead in Texas, Ohio, and Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

You know, kind of like a NH thing. gw.

There are at least 4000 Americans who would have been a _lot_ safer had Obama been president.

Posted by: gbooksdc
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

If you dumb butts had gotten behind Gore in 2000 like you have Obama in 2008 they would almost all (4000 killed and thousand maimed) would be alive. I say almost all because some would have been killed by accidents ans such). Where were you then? Shame on you

Nearly everyone covering the McCain-Obama Iraq salvos, particularly those instanty critical of Obama, fail to note that both Obama and Clinton were simply responding to a series of hypothetical questions about Iraqi sovereignty. The assumptions were those of the questioner, Tim Russert, not the candidates.

Russert's first question assumes that US residual forces are ordered out of Iraq, by Iraq, not by Clinton or Obama.

MR. RUSSERT: ...You both have pledged the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. You both have said you'd keep a residual force there to protect our embassy, to seek out al Qaeda, to neutralize Iran. If the Iraqi government said, ... No. Get out. Get out now. If you don't want to stay and protect us, we're a sovereign nation. Go home now." Will you leave?

Subsequent hypothetical scenarios built upon that.

MR. RUSSERT: ... If we -- if this scenario plays out and the Americans get out in total [because the residual force is ordered out by Iraq ] and al Qaeda resurges and Iraq goes to hell, do you hold the right, ... as American president, to re-invade, ...?

I was starting to soften, then the Obama-nuts showed their true colors by attacking me.

I also checked with my washington contacts and they're more dead-set against Obama than ever.

With the prostitutes (some people call them journalists) on the payrolls of WaPo, NYT, MSNBC, and other media outlets such as Rich, Robinson, Russert, Dowd, and Matthews so brazenly pimping for Obama and trashing Hillary about her daughter, her husband, her selection of clothes, her smile, her eyes, and son, I think unfortunately, Obama WILL be the nominee of the democratic party.

However, not even the collective pimping of this media harlotdom can save Obama from the swiftboating that is coming. If Obama had an affair, it will be dug up. If he did n't, there will still be "Barack, call me" videos by former playmates, who cares if it is true or not. If Barack smoked coke, it will be dug up. If not, some one will make up a photo, which looks real enough, and enough people wil buy it. As the article said in NYT today, every single vote, talk, position will be scrutinized, weaknesses found, and Obama will be crucified.

By the end of October, dems will be wondering how they lost this election. But then, dems are losers, are n't we? Most of the establishment is solidly behind Obama, Kerry, Kennedy to Dodd and Pelosi, and they have their daggers out for the only successful democratic couple since FDR; the 5th column in the Dem party, coupled with Trojan horses like the Dowds, Riches, and Colbys is exactly what Mr Atwater prescribed for this country.

And I will be rooting for it. At least at the end of this, we will get a democratic party that has been purged of the traitors.

Obama-nuts are the new "Hitler Yammen"
They viciously attack anyone who questions their furer.

PutDown and gbooks act like cheap thugs.

It says a lot about Obama.

Hillary's commercial is right.

If Obama's the candidate, McCain's the President.

Say no to Cocaine. Say no to Obama.

svreader wrote: I'm starting to like Obama,

Wait...WHAT?!?! Is this the same svreader that haunts the WaPo bulletin boards everyday?! Dude, are you high?

Posted by: svreader | February 29, 2008 12:51

Ignore this person. She is a Clinton campaign worker. She just harps on the same lame talking points over and over.

gbooksdc --

It was a light hearted commment.

You, on the otherhand do nothing but spew hatred.

You do nothing but bring pain and suffering to others.

I pitty you.

"The war in Irag was wrong, we should have attacked Iran."

Why Iran? The 9/11 attackers were mostly from Saudi Arabia. Not a single one was from Iran.

Obama supporters are making a mistake harping on the war vote.
Its not a valid critcism.
Does Obama have any original ideas of his own?
I'm really starting to wonder.
His whole campaign has been to blame the war on Hillary to remove the focus from him and his lack of experience.

Posted by: svreader | February 29, 2008 12:51 PM
_____________________________________________________

Soo -- you want Obama to focus on the issues, just not the ones that make Hillary look bad, like her vote for George Bush's Iraq War. Or the enactment of NAFTA while she was, in HER words, part of the Clinton Administration, which used all its power to get NAFTA enacted. Or failing to release her tax returns.

Oh, and you're the last person to call ANYONE "a bald-faced liar." I guess I have to play your greatest hit again:

gbooksdc --
I never said "God is a Democrat"
That's pure BS.
Posted by: svreader | February 26, 2008 09:43 PM

Comment on: The Magnetism of a Message at 1/5/2008 2:35 PM EST

... If Superman existed, he'd be a Democrat.

God exists, and is.

Barack Obama said, "We've seen these ads before. They're the kind that play on people's fears to scare up votes."

--------------------------------------------
Shortly thereafter, Obama released that same ad that he said would "play on people's fears to scare up votes."

Go figure. gw.

I am very supportive of both parties and frankly i am thorn as to whom I should support.
This is what is in my mind.
The terrorist murdered more than 3 thousand people in Sept. 11 , 2001 in New York. What would the response be if the terrorist had murdered 3 thousand people in Illionis on that day.
The war in Irag was wrong, we should have attacked Iran.

Bill doesnt seem to like the add either...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGW38Zy4bJo

How can Obama say he has always been against the war in Iraq? According to the Atlantic Monthly, "In 2004, Sen. Obama said he was willing to support more troops in Iraq, said withdrawal from Iraq would be 'a slap in the face' to the troops fighting there." Democratic Senate candidate Barack Obama said Saturday he would be willing to send more soldiers to Iraq if it is part of a strategy that the president and military leaders believe will stabilize the country ...'A quick withdrawal would add to the chaos there and make it 'an extraordinary hotbed of terrorist activity,' [Obama] said. It would also damage America's international prestige and amount to 'a slap in the face' to the troops fighting there, he said." [Christopher Wills, "Obama Willing To Support More Troops In Iraq," The Associated Press, 9/19/04]

In 2005, Sen. Obama said that 'U.S. forces are still a part of the solution.' "I believe that U.S. forces are still a part of the solution in Iraq....First and foremost, after the December 15 elections and during the course of next year, we need to focus our attention on how reduce the U.S. military footprint in Iraq. Notice that I say "reduce," and not "fully withdraw." [Obama speech to the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations, 11/22/05]"

The "last throws" of the Clinton campaign?--for all the phrase's rich political double entendres, it is without a doubt a fitting way to define the end of HRC.

gbooksdc:

Statistically, at least some of those 4000 Americans would still be dead had Obama been President.

Mrs. Clinton,
Just when I thought you and your PR flacks couldn't sink any lower, you've done it. Don't you see what this new ad says about you? You can't win on your own merits. So instead you try to smear your opponent. But the smear is so clumsy and untoward that it hurts you more than it hurts him. We feel sorry for you and we want you to go home before you hurt yourself even more. zPlease, just go.

It's 3 a.m. and the phone rings. It's the CIA saying we have located bin Laden in Pakistan and we can't get permission from their government to go get him. Obama has already said it: He'd go get him.

Hillary answers that phone and we may or may not go get him.

McCain might go get him, but he won't tell us or Congress that he's going to war with Pakistan to get bin Laden.

Obama has already put the cards on the table: If Pakistan's leaders don't want the US to invade their country, they will invite us in to get bin Laden when he's located. Warning has been given. Pakistan's leaders know the score. Was it wrong from him to give that warning? Why? Because years of screwed up foreign policy says it is? Forget that. Change is what's needed. Competence is what's needed. Some resemblance of morality is needed in he White House and in our foreign policy.

Is Obama flawed? Oh yes. Name a politician who isn't. Heck. Name a person who isn't. But he's far less flawed that HRC or McCain.

Obama wants to talk to Raoul Castro. Talk. Without conditions. Is that naive foreign policy? Considering that Cuba has lasted under our embargo for five decades and Fidel has outlasted our assassination attempts and the venom of the Florda Cubans, I'd say we should have talked to Cuba long ago. After all, we talk to China, Russia, and North Korea. So Obama's inexperience is hurting him how?

Obama is the right person for the job at the right time. But I fear that he'll end up disappointing us in the end. They all do. I just hope he doesn't disappoint us as deeply as Hillary and Bill have.

Rational Thinker is correct.

Obama partisans need to stop bashing Hillary NOW!

The primary party is over, turn out the lights. Hillary will be headed home soon -probably next week - so let's start the reconciliation and start hammering Ol'Mac.

There are at least 4000 Americans who would have been a _lot_ safer had Obama been president.

jj2000

Please, no Caps Lock. Ignore Iowatreasures, just another desperate Clinton employee.

We need to start generating the right tone for the general election. How will Barak Obama work with the rest of the world to restore peace and American prosperity?

Barak is properly focused on the day to day attacks. He has no choice. But to the extent anyone cares about what we type here, his supporters need to put together what it is Barak needs to do after McCain dissolves.

A few months ago a Democratic leader in my County told me that if we get Hillary Clinton, we still have to vote for her and then it all becomes making her respond to the will of the party.

Now that she is history, lets get busy making sure Barak Obama survives, first of all and second, gets really serious about undoing the damage of the Bush/Clinton axis.

Listening to Gonzalez the VP candidate for Nader this afternoon was instructive. Lets demand what we need.

How ironic that Hillary Clinton has taken a page right out the GOP Playbook - spread fear and uncertainty. And she had the nerve to implicate Karl Rove-type tactics in the Obama camp??

Here's how the Obama campaign can counter that ad: do their own "3 a.m. phone call" ad:

SCENE: Bedroom, 50-ish mother and father in bed, sleeping. Digital clock shows 2:30 a.m. The phone rings twice. The mother switches on the nightstand light and picks up the phone.

Mother: "Hello?" (long pause) "Oh, no.... oh, no!!!" (breaks down into sobs)

Father, quickly awakening: "What's wrong, honey? What's wrong?"

Mother, sobbing: "It's Justin... they..."

Father, looking gravely sad: "Oh, boy..."

VOICEOVER: "Is this the kind of phone call you'd like to get? Hillary Clinton claims that she can protect our national security at any time of the day or night. But can she accept responsibility for making the kind of decisions, the kind of judgment that would prevent phone calls like this in the first place? Barack Obama never voted for the Iraq war in the first place. Hillary Clinton did, and thanks to her and the GOP, this scene has been played out in American homes almost four thousand times in the last four years. That's not sound judgment. That's not safety. When you go to the polls this Tuesday, vote for Barack Obama."

(Voice of Obama, approving the message)

That's how I'd do it, anyway. And I don't even work in advertising...

First of all the reason Obama continually beats Hillary over the head with the Iraq vote is that she had been so stubborn (at least until the last debate on MSNBC) in refusing to admit it was the wrong move. John Edwards did the exact same thing to her before he left the race after he apologized for his vote.

Secondly, attacking Obama for voting to fund the war proves that most people are very incompetent as to the drastic effect that would have on our military. I suggest finding the original video on the speech Obama gave about the consequences of going into Iraq. You will find that he makes it quite clear that once we were in there we would have no choice but to continue to support the troops. Cutting off funding would be like going against our men and women in uniform (so lets face it this is a none issue). Further proof of this comes from Senator Jim Webb who also said in an interview with MSNBC that while he was against the war in Iraq, it would be a tragedy to go ahead and cut off the funding because we wouldn't be hurting Bush but rather our troops.

Thirdly, Please get over the experience nonsense! This woman has only held elected office 7 years as the senator from NY. Obama was on IL legislature for 8 years before serving on the US Senate for 3 more years. I think that is 4 more years than her (but of course that's just silly calculus).
The experience trains have already left the race (Bill Richardson, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd).Its just silly to be talking about it anymore now. Just take some time to check out the resumes of those three guys. Hillary's includes years as first lady of US and first lady of Arkansas (Highly overstated)!
The true reality is that nothing anybody does can prepare them for the presidency (Well except actually being president). Richard Nixon had significant years of experience including serving as Eisenhower's VP (How did that work out)?, same as George H.W. Bush plus serving as Regan's VP but wait he was defeated by a young man from Hope, Arkansas in 1992, who never had any foreign policy experience either. But offered change as an alternative to Senior Bush's experience ("You can have the right kind of experience and you can have the wrong kind of experience"). Now what was his name again?

"It was the right thing to do based on all the data avalable at the time. Nobody expected Bush to be a bald-faced liar."

sv, this just isn't true. Check out Bill Moyers "Selling the War" which you can watch online at pbs.org. There were plenty of leaders in this country and throughout the world who were arguing that the evidence wasn't there to support Bush's claims. It was ignored by most, but not by all. People have to be held accountable for their votes, including Hillary, especially when she is claiming that her experience better suits her to be the next Commander-in-Chief. Before we hire her, we'ree ntitled to verify the claims that she's making on her resume.

Some answers to questions;
1. Why has Obama continued to vote to fund the war if he was against it in the beginning? Answer: To protect our troops by insuring the have what is necessary to be engage with the enemy. You can not cut the leggs out from under our troops because the wrong decision to go there in the first place was made.
2. Why does Obama keep bringing the Iraq decision to go to war up? Amswer: Because it goes to the judgement of the candidate. Judgement not experience is the most crucial determiation of a President in the time of crisis.
3. And last concerning the children ad that the Clinton campaign is running about who should answer the phone at 3:00 A.M. to make a crucial decision. Answer: I want the candidate who has 2 small children of his own to think about to make that call!!! Oh my gosh! That would be Barack Obama!!!

Phone rings at 3AM.

"Hi, I'd like to order a pizza to go with no anchovies"?

"No anchovies? I spell my name DANGER!"

Iowatreasures:

It's one thing to support a candidate of your choice but another thing to just post lies. Obama has 160 pledged delegates gap with Hillary. Also, it was Obama who has a huge lead running in several hundred thousands on popular vote too. Verify it with various news networks before writing garbage.

"David Axelrod and David Plouffe should read Hillary's speech from the Senate floor, about her Iraq vote, before they start running their mouths. In fact, this speech should be required reading for any reporter covering this campaign, too:

http://clinton.senate.gov/speeches/iraq_101002.html"

I read it, and she clearly was trying to cover her a** in case the prevailing political winds shifted, which they did. Do you think that she should be congratulated for trying to have it both ways?

I don't mean to be insulting but I am getting pretty sick of all these "questions" about Obama's upbring and "background."

All you folks have to do is read his autobiography "Dreams of My Father." Hopefully you are literate. If you have no money, you can check it out at the library.

The two men with Muslim backgrounds who Obama's mother married were Secular Humanists. Obama remained a fairly non-religious man until he found God and Jesus in his later years. It is not uncommon -- and I fail to understand why so many "good" Christians do not rejoice that the son of Atheists chose to become a Christian after a sophisticated education.

You should be PROUD instead of sneering, suspicious and bigoted. And who cares if any of these people were Muslim? Or if Obama were a Muslim?

Who cares as long as they are also good and moral people? Muslims are considered one of the Three groups of religions of "The Book," in any case. Did you know that?

I am starting to despair about the moral and religious bigotry -- and just pain ignorance of many of my fellow Americans. Do you have to be a right-wing Republican for your Christianity to count?

Do you have to support one specific candidate to be a moral person?

Do you have to be a Christian to be a decent human being?

Read the parable of the Good Samaritan! Go back to reading your Bible, period. You have a lot of learning, growing and praying for grace and understanding to do. You shouldn't be judging other people, that's for certain!

One more powerful endorsement for Obama. Shut up Hillary. Just close your campaign and watch Bill 24/7.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/sen.-rockefeller-endorses-obama-2008-02-29.html

It's 3 a.m. ... And the pink phone is ringing. Fun to be had, for only 59 cents a minute.

I'm starting to like Obama, but he's wrong to keep torturing Hillary about her vote.

It was the right thing to do based on all the data avalable at the time.

Nobody expected Bush to be a bald-faced liar.

Posted by: svreader | February 29, 2008 12:20 PM
--------------------------------------------

I am surprised, and disappointed. gw.

HILLARY IS JUST DISGUSTING. PLAIN AND SIMPLE. INSTEAD OF ACCEPTING THE FACT THAT SHE NEEDS TO WIN OH & TX BY HUGE MARGINS TO STAY IN THE RACE, NOW SHE SAYS OBAMA NEED TO WIN ALL THE FOUR STATES TO STAY IN THE RACE. SO THE 11 STRAIGHT WIN BY OBAMA ISN'T SHAMEFUL ENOUGH FOR HER. NOW OBAMA NEEDS 4 MORE STRAIGHT WINS. INFACT SHE INDRECTLY SAYS THAT BEING BLACK, HE NEEDS TO DO MORE TO CONVINCE THE PARTY MEMBERS.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/clinton-camp-seeks-to-transfer-must-win-label-2008-02-29.html

It's 3 a.m. .... And Bill's not home yet.

"The whole world thought Saddam had WMDs"

Oh REALLY? So I guess the 133 members of Congress who voted against the Iraq war resolution were on the planet Neptune.

How come WaPo puts a link to Hillary's AD and doen't add the one from Gen. McPeak supporting Obama? A little free publicity for a dying campaign perhaps?

Posted by: AverageJane | February 29, 2008 02:14 PM

---------------------------------------------

Dying campaign, eh? I don't think so. After all the hubbub, ads, pundits,
"fixing" by Obama, etc., Hillary is 66 delegates behind Obama. Hillary is also a million votes AHEAD of Obama as far as Democrat voters.

Take a break, and let the voters and super delegates decide. This race is too close to call. gw.

When Hillary's supporters kept saying she got real experience, may be I didn't catch their point. Now I do.

On one side, she is releasing the ads to scare people and just to make sure she has a fall back option, now she is threatening to file a law suit in TX. REMEMBER, BILL CLINTON WONS TEXAS WITH THE SAME PRIMARY AND CAUCUS SYSTSM. NOW MADAM CLINTON SAYS IT NEED TO BE CHANGED BECAUSE IT ISN'T WORKING FOR HER. AS I SAID, SHE IS HERE NOT TO SERVE THE PEOPLE BUT TO BE SERVED.

http://www.miamiherald.com/692/story/438309.html

Unless, my monitor is broken, the phone she answered was white. Just thought I'd have some fun.

Hillary is the right candidate for those in favor of this war, when it comes to foreign policy.

I did not have any of the un-intelligence they had and I knew the war was wrong. As did most Americans and nearly all of the rest of the world.

The name-calling isn't working. I am not concerned about next Tuesday or Nov. Hillary cannot win because of the decisions she has made. John McCain is working for the democrats. First, "100 yrs of war". Just yesterday, "Im a liberal".

And one more thing:
Look at the way these two campaigns have been run. The Clintons had no plan B - they figured they'd win Super Tuesday and that would be it -i.e. no exit strategy.
The Obama campaign went to grass roots from the get go and got every day people involved. They used the internet to deliver their message to hundreds of thousands of disenfranchisd voters. And then Barack was everywhere he could be, and everywhere he went, he won over "hearts and minds." Gee, he might actually be able to do that on a global basis. Oooo, we don't want a leader like THAT do we? Gotta keep that fear and hate going - we may end up cleaning bathrooms in China.
Obama's stratgey has been flawless. The Clinton strategy was flawed from the beginning.
I don't know about you, but I have no doubt that someone with this kind of organization can galvanize the American people and stop all you CYNICS from having these cows over his middle name.
And you think the Republican "attack" machine can eat him alive? HA! They need a winning candidate for that. McCain was a hero, to be sure. But his white lies about funding and his inappropriate humorare not what I want in a leader.
OBAMA 08!

Abraham Lincoln served less time than Barrack Obama before being elected president.

What's the worst that could happen?

100 more years of war? a government whose agencies care most about profits for corporations? A shattered economy where ordinary people lose their homes? Billions of taxpayers dollars disappearing over seas in the name of security?
Millions of American jobs lost to cheaper labor overseas?

Well, that's already happened.

Out with the old and in with the new!!!

Hillary. Maybe it's the caterer calling for the money you owe him.

What exactly is Hillarys experience? Wife of Bill Clinton and a few years in the senate. She is a policy wonk who can recite meaningless details and regurgitate a list of current events but she lacks leadership...she botched the 3 biggest events in her life during the last 20 years...Healthcare..botched! Vote on IRAQ..botched!..Presidential campaign..botched!...I dont want her answering the phone at 3am...Ready on Day One? No Thanks!

Apparently the Clinton campaign chose this particular ad because the mushroom cloud had already been taken by Lyndon Johnson and Willie Horton was taken by Bush I. From the tone of many of these comments there is clearly a big group of Haters for Hilary.

The article about the "children" ad says:

Barack Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said on a conference call with reporters that the "Children" ad released by the Hillary Clinton campaign today would likely not have its intended effect because many voters had already determined that Obama had shown superior judgment on national security by opposing the war in Iraq.

"We don't think the ad's going to be effective at all.
-------------------------------------------

Obviously the Obama camp thinks this ad will be significant or they wouldn't have all jumped all over it as soon as it was released. I helped pay for that ad and I think it and the other ads will be effective. gw.

To listen to every response Obama gives anytime anyone brings up foreign policy, you would think the only foreign experience he has is "he was against the war from the beginning." He needs to come up with something more to prove his foreign experience.

Posted by: badger3 | February 29, 2008 04:23 PM-------------------------------------------

One of the best comments of the day. gw.

It's 3 a.m. ... And I'm wondering why is Hillary fully dressed and wearing those glasses.

ooops I forgot to mention that it is also important to scroll past people who use Caps Lock and leave their finger on the exclamation point key.

For some reason these people appear to have been employed by the Clintons to annoy people who are interested in what other people think.

And now the "Tear BAG" wants to steal Texas by filing suit. She ought instead to file her pantsuits. Enough, America, of this disgusting individual and the husband, of whom Texans say, "Sind a hillbilly to town and he goes ape!" (Ohioans say, "Send ...!")

SeedofChange

Go somewhere and play with yourself. You are so frustrated.

>>>If Obama was against the war, why did he vote to fund it, every time, once he got elected to the Senate?>>>

Okay, "my friend" (love that McCain - when he answers the phone he will probably sing bomb bomb bom, bomb bomb Iran) -

Say you're a Senator and you even VOTED against the war. Your vote was superceeded by the likes of Hillary Clinton and John McCain. Now the troops are THERE. Are you going to vote NO on sending them the helmets, tanks, body armor, etc that they need now that they have been sent in recklessly on false information?

Obama was against the war, but once we were there, he voted to "support the troops." Isn't that the phrase you guys love?

If Obama answers the "red" phone at 3 AM, I rest assured he will LISTEN to what is said to him, make a well informed decision, let the American people know what he is doing, and he won't be reading My Pet Goat!

svreader:

You don't want Obama to keep talking about the past but it is ok for you if Clinton talks about experience coming from the past? This cult of Hillary is simply arrogant and stupid too.

The video is clearly a scaring tactic and some idiots here think it is an effective message that needs to be analyzed. Looks like the rascists in the Democratic party are going to hand the white house to the GOP for a third term. For the first time a black man stands for nomination and look how the klan members in the party are out of the closet, writing the most silly excuses ever heard to oppose a black man. Bill Clinton campaigned on the exact same theme when he ran for the white house the first time. Nobody had any problem then. None questioned his experience. Somehow for Obama, despite a 11 straight win, he is still forced to campaign against a looser. Racism and rational thinking doesn't go hand in hand. That is what many of the anti-Obama people are showing here.

If I have to choose between an experienced candidate who repeatedly excercised poor judgment and someone with good experience and sound judgment, I would go for the later. On national security matters, a President needs sound judgment more than experience. It is the generals who need the experience to plot things in the battle field once the President gives the order.

HalimaAhmed

There are lots and lots of crazy people in the world. Lately many of them appear to have adopted Mrs. Clinton's failed attempt to become the President of the United States.

Best thing to do when they "expose themselves" on the internet is to scroll past. Never respond.

Peace

Mrs. Clinton is used to 3 a.m. phone calls from strange women demanding to speak to her husband. And she knows very well they wern't heads of state because they hung up when she asked "Who is this?"

Shhhhh... Do I hear whining from Mr. Obi??? I do!!! Music to my ears. The phony who wasn't even in the Senate when the vote was taken on the war in Iraq? He was in Illinois - not doing his job there either! Passing on votes to protect his political future.
Dashel, Kennedy and Kerry were in the Senate at the time - and they all voted FOR the same thing Hillary did and for the same reasons. We never dreamed this nutcake Bush would abuse his power. So stop talking about Hillary. Do it today, while you're thinking of it. Seems like an addition. And a denial. This whole country went marching in with saber rattling and flags waving.

Anyway -

THE AD IS PERFECT

3AM: MICHELE OBAMA ANSWERS THE PHONE
"Well, we're not feeling particularly proud of America today - so just let it go to heck. But there are a ton of lapel flag pins in our house that Barack would never use. Send a few of those over to the dangerous person. Better yet, call Hillary - that's our first choice for answers. I'm sure she can help you, too.

NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
Michelle Obama said that the experience that Barack does not have he will acquire - because "most of it is not rocket science".
Whew. Wow. I feel safer already.

THIS AD ISN'T ABOUT FEAR -- IT'S ABOUT YOU MR. OBAMA
AND INCOMPETENCE IN A SCARY WORLD
MAYBE YOU CAN QUICKLY CALL ONE OF THE WHITE HAIRED TROLLS THAT ENDORSED YOU -- OH, RIGHT THEY NEVER WERE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, SO THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HELP YOU
OBAMA BAMBI

THE AUDACITY OF COMING TO THIS JOB INTERVIEW WITHOUT A PROPER RESUME.

3AM - PUT THAT CALL THROUGH TO HILLARY
ABSOLUTELY ! SHE'LL EVEN KNOW WHO IT IS THAT'S CALLING

Exactly what foreign policy work did Hillary Clinton do when she was First Lady? Seriously - Was she negotiating with foreign leaders? Was she an official policy representative of the United States? Was she directing the diplomatic corps? All those jobs fall to the President and Secretary of State.
Wouldn't it put the Secretary of State and National Security Adviser in a difficult position to disagree with the President's wife on a policy issue? Who is going to risk angering the President by questioning the First Lady's point of view? That's a no-win situation.
Why wasn't Hillary Clinton's foreign policy role made public at the time?

Senator Obama is a bipartisan leader in the Senate who is seeking to to round up stolen nukes and fissionable material. He is the author of Senate bill S 1977 "A bill to provide for sustained United States leadership in a cooperative global effort to prevent nuclear terrorism, reduce global nuclear arsenals, stop the spread of nuclear weapons and related material and technology, and support the responsible and peaceful use of nuclear technology". Senators Hagel and Durbin are co-sponsors. This is an excellent and important bill currently in committee and likely to be signed into law by the next President.

With his forward thinking leadership, one kind of "3 a.m. red phone moment" that is less likely to happen with Obama in office is this one:

"Mr. President, a nuclear device has been set off by terrorists in one of our great cities."

God Help us from ebubuk2004

Where's the report abuse button when you need it.

ebubuk2004, this blog is about Sentaor Obama's Response to Sentator Clinton's 'Children' Ad, what are you talking about?

Midwestreader1 said: For some reason, Hillary's vote on the initial resolution bothers him, but he is not bothered by the "yea" votes of Kerry, Daschle, Dorgan, and Dodd, whose endorsements he holds. I can't figure that out.

* * *

The answer is simple: Kerry, Daschle, Dorgan and Dodd have likely figured out they made the wrong call on the war too. They finally have a Democrat who leads and doesn't parrot.

Hillary's recent blank screen comment about Obama should be volleyed back and morphed into the missing Clinton tax returns. As was said in Watergate, follow the money. It's a a long way to Tipperary and even a longer way from Kazakhstan via Canada to the Clinton joint account. We could also look at the blank screen in her sticking up for worker's rights while on the Wal Mart board. She didn't have a security clearance while Bill was President and wasn't in on cabinet meetings. In short, there was a whole lot of nothing going on as far as her foreign policy experience.

ebubuk2004: is this what happens when you stop taking your meds?

ebubuk, what a stretch...good monkey..Oliver Stone should contact you for his next conspiracy movie.

svreader:

Don't worry too much. Obama is going to pick a woman running-mate with REAL experience, someone who has integrity and who is not divisive like Hillary is.

When I saw that ad today I thought for sure it must have been working up to McCain as being the one to get the call at 3 am. When I saw the ad was referring to Hillary I was shocked and had to laugh because it seemed a complete contradiction! It would make a great Saturday night live skit. I think the ad is also meant to take an early aim at McCain and challenge him on defense issues (Hillary always plans things ahead of time) even though to me all it does is bring the issue of home security to light. Now the media keeps saying that Obama response is that she is trying to scare the American people into voting for her. If anything it will scare the American people into voting for McCain!

God Help us From

Racist Farrkhan

Racist Pastor Wright

Racist and Homley Michelle

And

SULTAN Obama Hussien

Obama's pastor disses Natalee Holloway

'White girl goes off and gives it up' in Aruba, preacher pal says

'White girl goes off and gives it up' in Aruba, preacher pal says

Posted: January 27, 2008

Natalee Holloway

Sen. Barack Obama's longtime friend and spiritual adviser trashed the memory of a missing and presumed dead American teenage girl, according to church publications reviewed by WND.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the controversial minister of Obama's church in Chicago, cited the case of Natalee Holloway's disappearance in Aruba in complaining about what he sees as the media's bias in covering white victims of crime over black victims.

"Black women are being raped daily in Darfur, Sudan, in the Congo and in Sub-Saharan Africa. That doesn't make news," Wright said in the August 2005 edition of Trumpet Magazine, a publication of his Trinity United Church of Christ.

But, "One 18-year-old white girl from Alabama gets drunk on a graduation trip to Aruba, goes off and 'gives it up' while in a foreign country, and that stays in the news for months!" he added. "Maybe I am missing something!"

(Story continues below)

The circumstances involving the coed's disappearance remain unclear, and the case remains unsolved. Holloway left Mountain Brook, Ala., on a May 2005 senior class trip to Aruba.

Barack Obama

Attempts to reach her family for comment were unsuccessful. But her mother, Beth Holloway, has written a book, "Loving Natalee," in which she reveals her daughter named Jesus Christ as one of the most influential people in her life in a trove of writings she found in her bedroom.

In the same 2005 church publication, Wright suggested "white America" had the 9/11 attacks coming, while calling for business "divestment from Israel," which he refers to as a "racist" state along with America.

"In the 21st century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01," he wrote on page 7. "White America and the Western world came to realize that people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just 'disappeared,' as the Great White West kept on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns."

Obama says he is "proud" of Wright and values their 20-year friendship.

Though Wright has nurtured Obama's political career as a close adviser and mentor, the Democrat presidential hopeful says they don't agree on everything. Wright married Obama and baptized his daughters.

Louis Farrakhan

In the November/December 2007 issue of Trumpet, Wright sang the praises of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, who has described whites as "blue-eyed devils" and Jews as "bloodsuckers."

"He brings a perspective that is helpful and honest," Wright said. "Minister Farrakhan will be remembered as one of the 20th and 21st century giants of the African-American religious experience."

Wright then held Farrakhan up as a pillar of "integrity."

"His integrity and honesty have secured him a place in history as one of the nation's most powerful critics," he continued. "His love for Africa and African-American people has made him an unforgettable force, a catalyst for change and a religious leader who is sincere about his faith and his purpose."

Farrakhan's photo is splashed across the cover of the church magazine, which gushes "the Minister truly epitomized greatness."

On Nov. 2, 2007, Wright presented Farrakhan with a "lifetime achievement" award during a Trumpet gala held at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The tribute included a three-and-a-half minute video lionizing "the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan."

"For his commitment to truth, education and leadership, we honor Minister Louis Farrakhan with the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award," the video announces

Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration
Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration
Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration
Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration
Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration
Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration

To listen to every response Obama gives anytime anyone brings up foreign policy, you would think the only foreign experience he has is "he was against the war from the beginning." He needs to come up with something more to prove his foreign experience.

Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration
Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration
Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration
Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration
Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration
Farrakhan pray at Obama's inauguration

Wait till Hillary, Rosie & Ellen get their paws on that nuclear briefcase! First one's for Bill, right up the wazzoo!

Seriously, have any of the supporters of the Congressional Lawyers ever considered what being the Commander in Chief is about?

It is about being a REAL Fighter. One who understands DEATH, and what is actually involved in a Life/ Death scenario. I am not saying the Job has to be filled by a "Grunt". But, I believe at the bare minimum by someone who has actually handled Firearms, and understands the concept of "Death" by action.

Hunters learn at early ages that when they shoot an animal, they are dealing "Death", and learn the Finality of said action. It gets very "Real" real quick!

I laugh at the thought of Billary or Obasama handling a Gun, or shooting an animal! :-0

The thought of either of them trying to "Play" Commander in Chief, is very scary, not Funny! :-(

Then, aside from wanting to make INSURANCE COMPANIES Rich, what do they know about Economics? Slick's De-Regulation of the Banks, is Blowing up in our Faces as I write this! :-(

johnycheng1

You mentioned that Obama doesn't mention his father's side of the family and tries to avoid any connection to this father. Obama wrote an entire book about his father, of which he includes all the details of his father and step-father pictures and all. It seems that the people who are anti-Obama, specifically the ones who constantly bring up his middle name and whatever else they can find from Daniel Pipes and his group of friends don't know much about him because they have not done their homework on the candidate. They base their negative view of Senator Obama on their prejudice of other ethnicies and/or religions.

That is quite clear.

I'm almost positive I saw that ad in the Bush/Kerry campaign. David Gergen said that it's been used many times - even Jesse Helms when he was running against a black candidate used it. Talk about "taking one from Karl Rove's playbook". Obama's campaign should put together all the clips where it's been used before - and put ad together that says "Been there, heard that." Hillary wasn't only ready to vote for Iraq, but she was starting to get convinced that we needed to be "tough on Iran" before they had new intelligence on that situation. I'm not positive about what I think about Iran. But one thing we should have learned from the 60 minutes interview with the man who interrogated Saddam is that he actually had no WMD - they had dismantled the program- but he wanted the world to think that he had them so Iran would back off. It certainly wouldn't surprise me if they're doing the same thing.

In any case - after watching Hillary under stress - her unwillingness to listen, the way she ran over people, and her notorious temper and vindictiveness - there's no way I'd want her answering the phone. Also, with Bill in the wings - he ignored the call that they were ready to attack Osama bin Laden - he kept putting them off because he was golfing - I can't say that they showed good judgement either. We suffered a bombing at the WTC in 93, two embassies, and the Cole under their administration. I'd say the Clintons (since Hillary wants Bill's resume to be rolled into hers) don't really have a good record either when it comes to answering that red phone.

kmcnyasha, don't worry so much.

McCain's candidacy is a joke.

By the time Bush issues him a bunch of fake security threats (so as to make him look on top of things and Obama looking like an unprepared reactionary) we will all be so ready for it the country will burst out laughing.

Just like Bill Clinton's quote anticipating his wife's final ploy, we have seen too much of the same steaming pile of compost from these people.

The Bush/Clinton false dichotomy is