Well now .....

It seems we have entered the beginning phase of the upcoming General election in 2008. While it's still way too early to formulate any real opinions about anything ... considering the fact that we still don't know for sure who is running and who is not .... many hopefuls have at least started their exploratory committees to see whether or not it would be feasible to take that leap!!

Senator Hillary Clinton seems to be the only candidate of either party with a definitely intention to become a candidate, although she, too, has merely formed an exploratory committee like everyone else. However, she's had a lot more time to think about it than some of the others, considering her name was mentioned for this before the 2006 Congressional elections even took place! While being named as the "front runner" so far ... I believe she's going to have quite a bit of competition and is not going to just cake walk her way into the Oval Office.

John Kerry, thankfully, went in and took his hat out of the ring today!! Hopefully that's because he realized he probably didn't have a snowball's chance of even getting through the primaries, let alone actually becoming the party choice.

Then there is John Edwards who I do believe will decide to run and who probably has a better chance than most to actually garner support! One reason why is because he is a White male alternative to Hillary! He's got the boyish looks and Southern charm that will attract mostly (Southern) women ... especially those who don't know politics and just vote more out of duty than actually know what they're doing. Not only that, but he's got a pretty good domestic plan and was a Senator for 6 years. He voluntarily resigned for personal reasons before 2004 election. But, he has always wanted to be President. So, I'm pretty sure he will make another stab at it. But, we will see.

Another person I think will follow through and be a strong contender is Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico. Gov. Richardson, in my opinion, is more of an Independent than a true Democrat, and I think he holds on to the Democrat label because that's what gets (and keeps) him elected in his state! He has a long political career dating back to 1983 and has been a U.S. House Representative, a U.S. Secretary of Energy and a state Governor. He tends to side with both Dems and Repubs, depending on the issue, so it's kinda hard to know just where he's gonna stand on any given subject!

In addition to having a lot of clout in Washington circles, he is 1/2 Mexican (mom) and 1/2 White and has a Hispanic wife (from Nicaragua) ... which will probably give him all the Hispanic support he needs, as they tend to stick together and support their own. I often agree with Gov. Richardson's point of view, and will be listening very closely to what he has to say.

Of course, then there's Barak Obama ... and we all already know his story!! I am going to hope that he lets the brass ring pass him by this time, but if not, he's going to make this primary process more than a little interesting!!

Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who ran for president in 2004 probably has little chance of ever getting into the White House, although I think he had the best plan and was able to most comprehensively lay it out to the public than anyone else who was standing on stage with him. Unfortunately, he lacks notoriety, charisma and is a little bitty thing!! All of which will get him looked over by those who aren't really into listening to what someone might have to say. He, too, will probably give it another go, since he hung in there so well the last time. Rep. Kucinich has has a long political career, starting as a City Councilman back in 1969, and has been a House Representative since 1996.

Other Democratic hopefuls, such as Senator Joe Biden of Delaware, Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut and ex-General Wesley Clark, Senator Tom Daschle, and others are long shots at best.

And the Republican situation is even more wide open and scattered and "who the hell knows" than the Dems.

But the Road to the Primaries and the Road to the White House are two different journeys. Many of the names being talked about right now will fall by the wayside one by one, on the way to the party's nomination. And although anyone who says they're in it will getting more than their share of media air time, the real race won't begin in earnest until much later in the year, with the first primary election taking place in January of next year.

So ... stay tuned!! With the possibility of a woman, an African American, or a Mexican as the next President of the United States ... the fun is truly just beginning!

Obama calls for universal health care within six years
Story Highlights


• Sen. Barak Obama calls for universal health care by 2013
• Democratic '08 candidates says it is "wrong" that 46 million are uninsured
• Sen. Hillary Clinton and John Edwards also call for universal health insurance

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Every American should have health care coverage within six years, Democratic Sen. Barack Obama said Thursday as he set an ambitious goal soon after jumping into the 2008 presidential race.

"The time has come for universal health care in America," Obama said at a conference of Families USA, a health care advocacy group.

"I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal health care in this country," the Illinois senator said.

Obama was previewing what is shaping up to be a theme of the 2008 Democratic primary. His chief rivals, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards, also are strong proponents of universal health care and have promised to offer their plans.

Obama said while plans are offered in every campaign season with "much fanfare and promise," they collapse under the weight of Washington politics, leaving citizens to struggle with the skyrocketing costs.

He said it's wrong that 46 million in this country are uninsured when the country spends more than any one else on health care. He said Americans pay $15 billion in taxes to help care for the uninsured.

"We can't afford another disappointing charade in 2008, 2009 and 2010," Obama said. "It's not only tiresome, it's wrong."

Obama's call was an echo of a speech he made last April when he said Democrats "need to cling to the core values that make us Democrats, the belief in universal health care, the belief in universal education, and then we should be agnostic in terms of how to achieve those values."

His argument Thursday not only will be considered through the prism of the presidential campaign, but weighed against rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's ill-fated plan to overhaul the health care insurance system when she was first lady.
Clinton renews call for universal health care

Even after leading that calamitous attempt in 1993, Clinton remains in favor of universal health care and has made it a central theme of her presidential bid.

"One of the goals that I will be presenting ... is health insurance for every child and universal health care for every American," she said at a community health clinic in New York Sunday, the day after entering the 2008 Democratic field. "That's a very major part of my campaign and I want to hear people's ideas about how we can achieve that goal." (Watch Sen. Clinton face the mediaVideo)

On Thursday, she criticized Bush's proposal to make health care more affordable through tax breaks, arguing that it would lead to less funding for hospitals.

Addressing the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Clinton was self-deprecating in describing her own experience in the health care debate and joked that Bush would need some heavy-duty protection as he wades into the fight.

"I welcome his participation in the health care debate. I'm going to send him a suit of armor because I know anybody who puts a foot in the health care debate is gonna need that. I've got the scars and experience to show for it," said the New York senator.

Another candidate, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, also backs universal health care.

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.



Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/25/democrats.healthcare.ap/index.html

Giuliani stresses vision and performance
By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer
Sat Jan 27, 7:01 PM ET



Rudy Giuliani, courting the Republican rank and file in an important state, sought Saturday to make the case that his vision for the future and performance in the past makes him a strong candidate for the GOP presidential nomination.

"The government's got to work in order for the American people to have confidence in it," the former New York City mayor said. "And I believe there is something I can do about that."

"Leadership is about vision and performance," Giuliani told state GOP activists. Voters, he said, should hold each candidate to that standard when deciding where to throw their support. "Who has the vision and who can perform? Because you need both."

"You can ultimately judge whatever I promise you and whatever vision that I have by the things that I've done," Giuliani said.

In his first visit to the state since he formed a presidential exploratory committee late last year, Giuliani sounded and acted very much like a full-fledged White House candidate in 2008 even as he repeatedly insisted he has not made a final decision.

"Every day you get closer, but we don't have a timetable yet," he told reporters. He said there was a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and a lot of people signaling their support. But, he said, he has to decide whether he can make "unique contribution" to help strengthen the country.

In line with his campaign strategy, Giuliani emphasized his tenure as mayor of what was once a crime-ridden city in financial disrepair and his steady hand in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists struck.

He hopes to convince voters that his record of leadership in difficult times trumps any concerns they may have about his moderate stances on social issues such as gun control, abortion and gay rights. Those are potential liabilities in a GOP presidential primary in which hard-core conservatives are a central voting group.

"When I say to you that we should reduce taxes to stimulate an economy, I'll say it to you because I did it — and I saw it work," he said. "When I say to you we have to bring peace and security — whether its in Baghdad, or in other parts of the world, or here at home — I'll say that to you because I saw that happen in New York and I made it happen."

Accompanied by his wife, Giuliani dropped in at a breakfast for state GOP committee members before addressing them at the historic Palace Theater in the heart of Manchester.

An unannounced stop at a nearby restaurant to shake hands capped his visit on a bitterly cold weekend a full year before the state holds its GOP presidential primary, the first in the nation.

The state's Republican faithful greeted Giuliani warmly. They swarmed him to say hello and shake his hand. Some chanted "Rudy. Rudy." They shoved copies of his best-selling book, "Leadership," in front of him for an autograph.

"I was very impressed. He did very well," said Will Infantine of Manchester, a GOP committee member who is not aligned with a candidate.

"His performance was absolutely outstanding," added David Hess, the deputy Republican leader of the New Hampshire House who also is unaffiliated.

"He's very charismatic," agreed Natalie Healy of Exeter, another committee member. State Rep. Mary Griffin of Windham called him "exceptional." Still, they — like many others at the meeting — were unwilling to commit just yet. They said it was too early in the process.

Indeed, in a sign of the accelerated pace of the race, Giuliani's speech collided with visits from other GOP presidential contenders or their surrogates.

Former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore, a long-shot candidate, introduced himself to party faithful at the meeting. Few — if any — people recognized him.

Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado, another dark horse, also was in the state, and a handful of his supporters stood holding signs outside as Giuliani spoke.

Down the street, one of Arizona Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record)'s top backers, Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., hosted a luncheon for activists.

quote:

So ... stay tuned!! With the possibility of a woman, an African American, or a Mexican as the next President of the United States ... the fun is truly just beginning!

indeed!

What is the likelihood of Al Gore jumping in too? And how do you rate his chances?

btw, has anyone read Audacity Of Hope yet? Any comments? One friend (here) has been really impressed with his writing and says it's like reading prose. The few copies on sale keep selling out before I can get my hands on one.

.

No, FF ... I don't think there's much of a chance we'll see Al Gore on the political front very much anymore. He's got bigger fish to fry these days ... trying to stop us from destroying the planet we live on before it comes back to destroy us.

His movie/book are doing very well, even more internationally than here in the U.S. There are at least three countries who have it as required reading for their educational requirements of their children. By the same token, there is a school district (in Seattle, WA, I believe) where a father is suing to have the book/movie banned from his child's curriculum. And people wonder why our kids perform so low educationally.

And no, I haven't read Obama's book(s) yet. I hear they get good reviews though.

I'm glad to hear Inconvenient Truth is doing well. That it's been made required reading is a real achievement. It's selling well here too and I notice that one Sydney University is giving a lecture series discussing the book.

As for parents who try to ban books... they deserve a good -ing.
.

Well, it looks like they're not going to get away with it! The court did put a temporary halt to it ... but only until or unless a competing theory is also taught along with Gore's.

The school district has agree to find one and teach it!

Two-thirds, huh?? Now, that's very interesting!

quote:

Originally posted by ricardomath:

quote:

Originally posted by EbonyRose:
Two-thirds, huh?? Now, that's very interesting!

I'm not really sure what it means. It sounds like people are answering a question about their perceptions of who other people are willing to vote for.

And 66% here is just a starting point for potential votes. If accurate, it means that 34% wouldn't even consider it.

Presumably, a white male candidate starts with 100% potential votes, and tries to cobble together 51% from that. Gathering 51% from a starting point of 66% seems like a much more difficult task. It doesn't mean that it is impossible, just that it is a very uncomfortable place from which to start building a majority.

Okay ... well that would definitely make it a horse of a different color in that case!

It also sounds to me like people's perceptions were based specifically on Hillary, Barak and Richardson ... rather than generally speaking of any woman, or Black or Hispanic male. While Barak is charming and charismatic, and Richardson is unknown, Hillary is totally polarizing ... people either love her or hate her ... there's very little middle ground when it comes to her! And I'm having trouble understanding why!

However, even before last year's elections, Hillary was polled as the favorite. It wasn't until Obama put his thinking cap on and the media propelled the idea did she have any competition. If Obama decides not to run, I'd bet that would place her back up to the top. Then the question would be, do more people love her or hate her?

Based on the number of people who vote by name recognition only ... I think that would then make John Edwards the white male of choice as our next president.

Clinton: Bush shouldn't pass war on to successor
Story Highlights


DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) -- Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday that President Bush has made a mess of Iraq and it is his responsibility to "extricate" the United States from the situation before he leaves office.

It would be "the height of irresponsibility" to pass the war along to the next commander in chief, she said.

"This was his decision to go to war with an ill-conceived plan and an incompetently executed strategy," the Democratic senator from New York said her in initial presidential campaign swing through Iowa.

"We expect him to extricate our country from this before he leaves office" in January 2009, the former first lady said.

The White House said it was disappointing that Clinton was responding to Bush's new war strategy "with a partisan attack that sends the wrong message to our troops, our enemies and the Iraqi people who are working to make this plan succeed."

"The height of irresponsibility," spokesman Rob Saliterman said, "would be to cap our troop numbers at an arbitrary figure and to cut off their funding."

Clinton does not support cutting funding for American troops, but does favor that step for Iraqi forces if the Baghdad government fails to meet certain conditions.

Clinton defended the role that Congress has played, saying newly empowered Democrats are beginning to build pressure on Bush to act, but the public needs to be patient.

"We are at the beginning of a process," Clinton said. "It's a frustrating process, our system is sometimes frustrating."

Giuliani recruits veteran activist

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has recruited a recent New Hampshire Republican chairman to lead his political operations in this first-in-the-nation primary state.

Following his weekend visit to New Hampshire, Giuliani -- who has taken the initial steps in a presidential bid -- announced the appointment Monday of veteran GOP activist Wayne Semprini.

"We picked up a lot of supporters this weekend," Semprini said.

Semprini, who until Saturday was the state Republican Party chairman, has been involved in New Hampshire politics since 1972.

Giuliani has formed an exploratory committee, the first step toward a full presidential campaign. During his visit this weekend, he would not say when he would make a final decision, although his speeches at Bretton Woods and Manchester were campaign-style addresses.

"It appears to me that Mayor Giuliani is not a guy who does anything part way. He's someone who is very, very thorough," Semprini said. "I don't think he'll make his total announcement until he's had an opportunity to look at all those angles and share all those angles with his wife, Judith."

Judith Giuliani accompanied her husband to New Hampshire, his first trip to the state since forming his exploratory committee.

Giuliani has hired other key staff in New Hampshire, including veteran GOP activist David Tille as his political director. Chris Wood, a veteran of Steve Forbes' and Pat Buchanan's campaigns, will lead coalition building.

Lieberman might support Republican

Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 2000 who won re-election as an independent last year, says he is open to supporting any party's White House nominee in 2008.

"I'm going to do what most independents and a lot of Democrats and Republicans in America do, which is to take a look at all the candidates and then in the end, regardless of party, decide who I think will be best for the future of our country," Lieberman said Sunday.

"So I'm open to supporting a Democrat, Republican or even an Independent, if there's a strong one. Stay tuned," said the three-term lawmaker who caucuses with Senate Democrats.

Lieberman is an ally of GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona, a 2008 hopeful, and supports President Bush's new Iraq strategy. Lieberman won re-election as an independent last fall when Democrats backed an anti-war candidate who won the party primary.

Speaking of which politician he may support in 2008, Lieberman said, "Obviously, the positions that some candidates have taken in Iraq troubles me. Obviously, I will be looking at what positions they take in the larger war against Islamist terrorism."

He added, "I am genuinely an independent. I agree more often than not with Democrats on domestic policy. I agree more often than not with Republicans on foreign and defense policy."

The senator said he wanted to select someone "I believe is best for the future of our country. ... Party is important, but more important is the national interest. And that's the basis that I will decide whom to support for president."

Lieberman spoke on "Fox News Sunday."

Biden: A question of money

Even Sen. Joe Biden jokes about the Democrats' crowded White House field for 2008, which he is joining this week.

"I'm the 800th candidate," said Biden, who plans to make it official on Wednesday.

Dominating the early stages of the race are New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Other candidates include former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, the 2004 vice presidential nominee; Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich.

"I am absolutely confident, if I get to stand on a stage, sit in the room with all the candidates you mentioned, I'll do just fine," Biden said in a broadcast interview when Clinton, Obama and Edwards were specifically cited.

"This is a marathon. If people learn my story, learn my record, I think I can compete. The question is, can I raise the money?"

The Delaware senator was interviewed on "This Week" on ABC.


Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/29/2008.trail.ap/index.html

It could all be over after 'Super Duper Tuesday'
By Bill Schneider
CNN Senior Political Analyst

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Tired already of the 2008 presidential campaign? Here's some good news: in one year, it could all be over. February 5, 2008, could end up even bigger than Super Tuesday. It could be .Super Duper Tuesday!

Look at the nominating calendar as it currently stands, nearly a year before the first real votes are cast.

* January 14, 2008: The Iowa caucuses open the race.

* January 19 (Five days later): Nevada Democrats hold their caucuses.

* January 22: The New Hampshire primary.

* January 29: South Carolina Democrats vote

* February 2: South Carolina Republicans vote

Then February 5 could be Super Duper Tuesday. Right now, eight states are scheduled to hold primaries or caucuses that day (Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Missouri, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Utah and West Virginia).

Another twelve states are considering moving their contests to February 5, including big states like Florida, New Jersey, Michigan -- and the biggest one of all, California (also North Carolina, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming).

A three-week primary season?

In other words, February 5 -- Super Duper Tuesday -- could become, essentially, a national primary. The campaign could start on January 14 and end just over three weeks later, with two thirds of the Democratic delegates and over 80 percent of the Republican delegates chosen by February 5.

Those states may move up on the calendar because they want a cut of the action. They want less attention paid to small states like Iowa and New Hampshire and more attention paid to big, diverse states like Florida and California. To run in those big states, you need big money and national name recognition. Obscure contenders need not apply.

Even if an unknown candidate pulls off a surprise win in New Hampshire the way Jimmy Carter did in 1976, there may not be enough time to raise the money you need to compete in, say, California.

Moreover, California, Florida and several other potential Super Duper Tuesday states allow early voting, weeks before the primary. A lot of voters in those states could be casting ballots even before Iowa and New Hampshire. Long before the campaign ever gets to their states.

Ironically, however, the new calendar may make Iowa and New Hampshire more important. You pull off a surprise win in one of the preliminary states and the news coverage propels you to victory in the big states.

In 1984, Gary Hart won an upset over frontrunner Walter Mondale in New Hampshire and then won the Florida primary a week later on sheer momentum. What President Bush's father once called "The Big Mo.''

So the best way to win a national primary may be to concentrate on Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. And ignore California, Florida and New Jersey. With so many voters spread all over the map, and only a week or two of the campaign all to themselves, big state voters may end up seeing almost no campaigning. And very little attention to their concerns.

What are we left with? A nominating campaign that's starting earlier than ever and that could shut down faster than ever.


Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/02/05/schneider.superduper.tuesday/index.html

Ummm ... I'm thinking that nobody knows yet ... the political machine is just barely into the process of changing the rules to suit their best interests ... so, it'll probably be a while before anybody knows the answer to that one!

Democrat Edwards Offers Universal Health Care Plan

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
Mon Feb 5, 3:40 PM ET

Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards on Monday proposed spending up to $120 billion a year to fix a "dysfunctional" health care system by requiring health insurance for all Americans and helping to make it more affordable.

Edwards said his health care plan, the first offered by a 2008 White House candidate, was designed to force private companies, government and individuals to share responsibility for insurance coverage.

The price tag would be covered by eliminating President George W. Bush's tax cuts for those making more than $200,000 a year and by cracking down on unpaid taxes, he said.

He said his plan could succeed where others have failed in part because the political climate has changed. Finding ways to cover nearly 47 million uninsured Americans and make health care more affordable and efficient will be at the center of the 2008 campaign debate, he said.

"Our health care system has grown more dysfunctional in the last few years," Edwards, the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee, said in a Reuters interview.

"The undercurrent for health care reform has become more powerful," he said. "People are concerned, not only about the millions of Americans without health care coverage, but if they have it that they will lose it and the cost is so high."

The plan would create tax credits to subsidize coverage, expand Medicaid and require businesses to offer a comprehensive health care plan to employees or contribute to their coverage through newly created regional non-profit purchasing pools that would offer competing insurance plans and help hold down costs.

Edwards said the plan would allow enough flexibility for consumers to make choices about their insurance without creating extreme burdens on business.

The proposal drew immediate fire from Republican critics, who said Americans would reject any candidate who runs on a platform of higher taxes and more government.

"The 2003 Bush tax cuts produced one of the broadest and strongest economic expansions in the nation's history," said Pat Toomey, president of the anti-tax group Club for Growth.

"It is mind-boggling that John Edwards would seek to derail that expansion for the sake of his big-government, collectivist schemes."

Other Democratic presidential candidates, including Sens. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, support a goal of universal health care but have not offered concrete plans yet on how to get there.

Clinton, the former first lady, presided over the last failed effort to overhaul the health care system in the early 1990s. Edwards proposed increased health insurance coverage for children in the 2004 campaign but stopped short of a universal plan for adults.

He said the problem was worse now and would be one of the top three campaign issues in 2008, along with the war in Iraq and energy dependency.

"We can't make America stronger with incremental changes," he said. "We need significant, transformational change -- it's true in health care, it's true in energy and it's true in how America deals with the world."

Obama, Clinton rivalry flares over donor
By NEDRA PICKLER and BRENDAN RILEY
Associated Press Writers



The rival presidential campaigns of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama traded accusations of nasty politics Wednesday over Hollywood donor David Geffen, who once backed Bill Clinton but now supports his wife's top rival.

The Clinton campaign demanded that Obama denounce comments made by the DreamWorks movie studio founder, who told New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd in Wednesday's editions that while "everybody in politics lies," the former president and his wife "do it with such ease, it's troubling."

The Clinton camp also called on Obama to give back Geffen's $2,300 contribution.

Campaigning in Iowa, Obama refused.

"It's not clear to me why I'd be apologizing for someone else's remark," the Illinois senator said.

For her part, New York Sen. Clinton sidestepped questions, leaving the issue to her aides to discuss.

"I'm just going to stay focused on my campaign and I'm going to run a positive campaign about the issues that affect the people in our country," she told The Associated Press in an interview in Nevada. She was participating a candidate forum in Carson City.

The Clinton team seemed eager to continue the attack. With Obama in Iowa, aides arranged for former Iowa attorney general Bonnie Campbell to criticize him in a conference call with reporters.

In the newspaper interview, Geffen also said Bill Clinton is "a reckless guy" and he does not think Hillary Clinton can bring the country together during a time of war, no matter how smart or ambitious she is.

Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs added another criticism of Clinton.

"It is also ironic that Senator Clinton lavished praise on Monday and is fully willing to accept today the support of South Carolina state Sen. Robert Ford, who said if Barack Obama were to win the nomination, he would drag down the rest of the Democratic Party because 'he's black,'" Gibbs' statement said.

Ford later apologized. The Clinton campaign said it disagreed with Ford, but the senator has embraced his support.

Another Democratic presidential candidate, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, said at the candidate forum that Obama should denounce Geffen's comments. "We Democrats should all sign a pledge that we all be positive," Richardson said.

___

Associated Press writer Brendan Riley reported from Carson City, Nev.

___

On the Net:

Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign site: http://www.hillaryclinton.com

Barack Obama's campaign site: http://www.barackobama.com

This latest dust-up is a win for Clinton. Anthing that takes the "shine" off of Obama as a different kind of politician helps her. In this, they both are seen as contribution-seeking, run of the mill politicians. ho-hum.

That's really interesting, truthseeker ... because the more I hear Hillary talk, the less likely I am becoming willing to give her my vote. She's just not quite saying the right things for me ... and sounding more and more like the typical Washington politician more and more everyday.

To that end, I haven't heard much from Obama, either. It seems that more people are talking about him (or that's what the media's reporting) than I'm seeing him speaking for himself. It's a constant matter of 'trading barbs' or him defending himself from something somebody else has had to say. While this is not unexpected, it's not very helpful for determining where he stands on the issues, either.

Still early though! And there's much more to come ... good, bad and indifferent.

quote:

Originally posted by EbonyRose:
That's really interesting, truthseeker ... because the more I hear Hillary talk, the less likely I am becoming willing to give her my vote. She's just not quite saying the right things for me ... and sounding more and more like the typical Washington politician more and more everyday.

To that end, I haven't heard much from Obama, either. It seems that more people are talking about him (or that's what the media's reporting) than I'm seeing him speaking for himself. It's a constant matter of 'trading barbs' or him defending himself from something somebody else has had to say. While this is not unexpected, it's not very helpful for determining where he stands on the issues, either.

Still early though! And there's much more to come ... good, bad and indifferent.

It's an offshoot of "negative campaigning" theory.

A, through his or her internal polling, knows their vote plateaus at a certain percentage.

A unleashes a barrage of negative ads against B. Not for the purpose of elevating A's vote gaining percentage which is set, but for the purpose of pulling down B's vote percentage.

While this skirmish didn't involve negative campaigning, Hillary is A and Barack is B.

Obama is in an interesting spot. He's gotten a lot of free media love and has ridden it well to his current spot in the polls. But the media will turn on him becuase the media turns on everybody. He'd do well --soon-- to begin getting his policy ideas out there for the media to cover.