That would be watching the new variant of "blue on blue" friendly fire unfolding before our eyes. Who would have thought even a few months ago we'd see direct mail from Hillary Clinton bashing Barack Obama (with some punch!) on the topic of guns?
While that issue gets some obvious attention given the "bitter" quotes, it seems Clinton's shots at Obama on the topic of energy are leaving a mark too. If there is one topic that can reliably and successfully turned into a populist issue with the American public - whatever the intellectual merits - it is oil companies and gas prices.
Thus, her direct mail and TV ads on the topic have done much to soil his general reputation as a post-partisan, new politics, man of all people. This TV ad in particular should in all fairness be considered part of a number of substantive reasons why Clinton closed so well in Pennsylvania:
Sure, Republicans aren't going to run on the same theme. But one of the lessons of this election cycle is that once voters develop a firm view of an individual, they stick to it, regardless of events that get politicos excited (see McCain, John). Accordingly, the still-forming opinion many in the voting populace have of Barack Obama is not exactly on the upswing.
All of which to say: more, please.
UPDATE: headline fixed.
Posted by Eric Earling at May 05, 2008 07:28 AM | Email ThisEver notice Obama's resume and in particular, "Community Activist" or "Community Organizer"? What do those terms mean anyway? I hope my introduction shades your answers.
With that in mind, is it any wonder that the underbelly of Obama has been exposed by Clinton?
Posted by: swatter on May 5, 2008 07:24 AMRepublicans are just humoring Hillary. She has strongly stated over the weekend that she will support the nominee. With her supporting the nominee, her backers will support the nominee. My guess the final piece will be an Obama-Clinton ticket of accommondation. Hillary has already proven to be a very effective attack dog. At this point, while Webb from Indiana might be a better VP, Barack will most likely be forced to take Hillary as his #2, for party unity sake. The only question is who will be McCain's attack dog. I do think McCain will get a chance to decide after the Democratic ticket is announced because the Unity ticket will most likely be announced in June as the final solution to the Party's mess this year.
Posted by: tc on May 5, 2008 07:40 AMJim Webb is from Virginia, not Indiana.
"The only question is who will be McCain's attack dog."
Actually, McCain is the only candidate so far that has not employed an "attack dog" in this 3 ring circus. Can't say the same for your messiah Barry Hussein or her nemesis Hillary can you? When Bill Cunningham used BHO's middle name at a McCain rally, John McCain roundly criticized him for it and did not invite him back.
If you want a real agent of change (like not accepting ear marks or PORK for his constituents), the real agent of change from the status Quo in Washington D.C. is clear. John Sydney McCain. I'm sure you'll agree tc.
Posted by: Rick D. on May 5, 2008 08:17 AMThe problem is, he's not left enough for much of your party. He's Bill Clinton withought the baggage. A moderate by most standards.
Posted by: Rick D. on May 5, 2008 08:56 AMIf you think like Barack Obama, that WORKING CLASS PEOPLE are just a bunch of "BITTER"!, STUPID, PEASANTS, Cash COWS!, and CANNON FODDER. :-(
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think Barack Obama with little or no experience would be better than Hillary Clinton with 35 years experience.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience can fix an economy on the verge of collapse better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) led the greatest economic expansion, and prosperity in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience fighting for universal health care can get it for you better than Hillary Clinton. Who anticipated this current health care crisis back in 1993, and fought a pitched battle against overwhelming odds to get universal health care for all the American people.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience can manage, and get us out of two wars better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) went to war only when he was convinced that he absolutely had to. Then completed the mission in record time against a nuclear power. AND DID NOT LOSE THE LIFE OF A SINGLE AMERICAN SOLDIER. NOT ONE!
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience saving the environment is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) left office with the greatest amount of environmental cleanup, and protections in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with little or no education experience is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) made higher education affordable for every American. And created higher job demand and starting salary’s than they had ever been before or since.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience will be better than Hillary Clinton who spent 8 years at the right hand of President Bill Clinton. Who is already on record as one of the greatest Presidents in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think that you can change the way Washington works with pretty speeches from Obama, rather than with the experience, and political expertise of two master politicians ON YOUR SIDE like Hillary and Bill Clinton..
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you think all those Republicans voting for Obama in the Democratic primaries, and caucuses are doing so because they think he is a stronger Democratic candidate than Hillary Clinton. :-)
Best regards
jacksmith... Working Class :-)
p.s. You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
If you don't know that the huge amounts of money funding the Obama campaign to try and defeat Hillary Clinton is coming in from the insurance, and medical industry, that has been ripping you off, and killing you and your children. And denying you, and your loved ones the life saving medical care you needed. All just so they can make more huge immoral profits for them-selves off of your suffering...
You see, back in 1993 Hillary Clinton had the audacity, and nerve to try and get quality, affordable universal health care for everyone to prevent the suffering and needless deaths of hundreds of thousands of you each year. :-)
Approx. 100,000 of you die each year from medical accidents from a rush to profit by the insurance, and medical industry. Another 120,000 of you die each year from treatable illness that people in other developed countries don’t die from. And I could go on, and on...
OBAMA AIDE: "WORKING-CLASS VOTERS NOT KEY FOR DEMOCRATS" :o
Posted by: jacksmith on May 5, 2008 10:21 AMIt's time for everyone to face the truth. Barack Obama has no real chance of winning the national election in November at this time. His crushing defeat in Pennsylvania makes that fact crystal clear. His best, and only real chance of winning in November is on a ticket with Hillary Clinton as her VP.
Hillary Clinton seemed almost somber at her Pennsylvania victory speech. As if part of her was hoping Obama could have proved he had some chance of winning against the republican attack machine, and their unlimited money, and resources.
But it is absolutely essential that the democrats take back the Whitehouse in November. America, and the American people are in a very desperate condition now. And the whole World has been doing all that they can to help keep us propped up.
Hillary Clinton say's that the heat, and decisions in the Whitehouse are much tougher than the ones on the campaign trail. But I think Mr. Obama faces a test of whether he has what it takes to be a commander and chief by facing the difficult facts, and the truth before him. And by doing what is best for the American people by dropping out of the race, and offering his whole hearted assistance to Hillary Clinton to help her take back the Whitehouse for the American people, and the World.
Mr. Obama is a great speaker. And I am confident he can explain to the American people the need, and wisdom of such a personal sacrifice for them. It should be clear to everyone by now that Hillary Clinton is fighting her heart out for the American people. She has known for a long time that Mr. Obama can not win this November. You have to remember that the Clinton's have won the Whitehouse twice before. They know what it takes.
If Mr. Obama fails his test of commander and chief we can only hope that Hillary Clinton can continue her heroic fight for the American people. And that she prevails. She will need all the continual support and help we can give her. She may fight like a superhuman. But she is only human.
Sen. Hillary Clinton: "You know, more people have now voted for me than have voted for my opponent. In fact, I now have more votes than anybody has ever had in a primary contest for a nomination. And it's also clear that we've got nine more important contests to go."
Sincerely
Jacksmith... Working Class :-)
Posted by: jacksmith on May 5, 2008 10:36 AMPolitickerMD reports that State Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor and Vice Chairwoman Lauren Dugas Glover will endorse Illinois Senator Barack Obama this afternoon.
OBTW: Repeat after me Rick, Obama is not a Muslim.
This repeated trying to tie Obama to Islam due to his name is insulting and childish.
Re: Evan Bayh
Yes, Bayh would be good. I personally like Webb better because I worked (as a civilian) for the Department of Navy when Webb was Secretary of the Navy. He was a very good Secretary of the Navy. Additionally, Webb is a true Southerner with Appalachia roots. If you look at the county map across state lines from the Ohio and Pennsylvania primaries, where Obama was the weakest was the line of counties that follow the Appalachia Mountains.
Unkl Witz@12
I saw that. The additional SD brings Obama two closer. Only 279 delegates (per RCP) away now.
My prediction is the Obama campaign will time the SD announcements so that come June 3rd, Montana and SD put him over the top. There will be no need to worry about a SD Primary.
Posted by: tc on May 5, 2008 01:15 PMMeanwhile, the Dems are registering a gazillion new voters who are excited by the horserace and will no doubt vote their for their party's nominee come this fall, regardless of how they feel about it now.
By the way, the only poll extant in South Dakota has Obama up 12 points.
Don't recall saying he was.
"This repeated trying to tie Obama to Islam due to his name is insulting and childish."
You'll notice I corrected my post @7 to what it should read @ 5. You'll also see that I used John McCain's middle name of Sydney......does that mean I'm trying to tie him to the continent of Australia?
Me think thou doth protesteth too much.
Barack Obama chose to go by his given name rather than "Barry" which is what he went by through his school years. If he's ashamed of his given middle name of Hussein (which is muslim), why is he not also ashamed of his first name of Barack (which is muslim)? Seems a little inconsistent to me.
Evan Bayh would likely be Hillary's running mate should she get the nomination, so an Obama/Bayh ticket is not likely.
You Might Be An Idiot! :-)
Posted by: Cato on May 5, 2008 04:24 PMYou don't? Politics has far too long been attaching riders to bills in order to siphon US taxpayers money to some pork barrel projects in Crapville,USA where the bill's sponsor is the Senator. You wonder where all the corruption begins in D.C.? It begins with earmarks...again, McCain is your guy if you want "demonstrated change" in D.C."
"Change, to me, means changing our way of thinking...It is opening up politics for everyone through transparency. It is seeking first to understand and then be understood."
tc~ what exactly does all that gobbledeygook mean? You sound like Obama with no specifics, just a bunch of "feel good" semantic language. We are adults, we are voters and we deserve specifics, not crap like what you just regurgitated above. If you ask me, Obama has demonstrated that he is exactly the same ol' politician we are used to getting, he's just putting a new and improved packaging on it.
"Change/Hope/ Yes we can" = all empty rhetoric
Posted by: Rick D. on May 5, 2008 04:26 PMThat's why I liked him the fist time. Too bad he's flip-flopped on that issue so many times (much like everything else).
We are adults, we are voters and we deserve specifics, not crap like what you just regurgitated above.
I concur...we've still got 182 days left of this election, McCain & Obama still have to pick running mates. Will McCain pander to the religious Huckabee wing of the GOP or the fiscally conservative Romney wing of the GOP? Will Obama pick a moderate to balance out his leftiness? This will tell you a lot about where they plan to go.
Sadly no one seems to care about specifics which is why Clinton and McCain are talking about a gas tax holiday while doing very little to make it happen. Specifics don't matter when you can tie the other candidate to some religious nut.
"Change/Hope/ Yes we can" = all empty rhetoric
Hope is what kept McCain alive in that Prison Cell for those six long years. You saying that Hope is a bad thing? =)
Oh yeah, I'm really enjoying the fact this site has warranted it's own paid pro-Hillary blogger Jacksmith. Maybe he'll end up on the SP Hall of Fame with his buddy Dave Mathews. =)
Brother can you spare $845 Billion to cure poverty worldwide? I know I can't- But Senator Fauxbama doesn't mind stealing money out of your wallet to do so.
Who's the biggest pig at the trough?? * Hillary is number one and the "waffle" eater is #2........McCain? not one cent spent on pork. The agent for change is here folks, but his name isn't Hillary or Barack.......it's John.
* study done by the non partisan group "citizens against government waste"
Posted by: Rick D. on May 5, 2008 06:28 PMAl Capone was a "community activist". V.I. Lenin was a community activists. So, too, were Pol Pot, Ho Chi Minh, Mao, Castro, Stalin, Il Duce and Hitler.
Matt? Tim? I guess all us white guys look the same to Senator Obama.
Posted by: Rick D. on May 5, 2008 08:59 PMIf you think Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton would be better.
You Might Be A Socialist! :-)
If you think that Obama with no experience can fix an economy or that Hillary Clinton, whose husband (Bill Clinton), led the greatest economic expansion, and prosperity in American history (which is not true the economy has grown more dueing the Bush Admin than over the past 20 years).
You Might Be A Socialist! :-)
If you think that fighting for universal health care is good for America regardless of whether Clinton or Obam is fighting for it.
You Might Be A Socialist! :-)
If you think that Obama or Clinton will get us out of two wars and that is better for America.
You Might Be A Socialist! :-)
If you think that Obama or Clinton will make public education better.
You Might Be A Socialist! :-)
If you think that President Bill Clinton is one of the greatest Presidents in American history.
You Might Be A Socialist! :-)
If you think that you can change the way Washington works with pretty speeches from Obama or attack dog tactics like Clinton, rather than with the experience.
You Might Be A Socialist! :-)
There now it is much closer to the truth than it was before.
Posted by: TrueSoldier on May 6, 2008 01:49 AM