Barack Obama won the Wyoming caucuses
today, 61% to 38%, taking 7 delegates to
Clinton's 4. This Rolling Stone cover, by
the way, comes with a feature story and
an endorsement.
1 week ago
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Obama Wins Wyoming
Barack Obama won the Wyoming caucuses
today, 61% to 38%, taking 7 delegates to
Clinton's 4. This Rolling Stone cover, by
the way, comes with a feature story and
an endorsement.
Obama Won Texas
Though Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by
about 3% in Texas, Obama now has an insurmountable
lead in Texas caucus votes still being counted and certified,
and he will win more total delegates from Texas than Hillary.
And he got 4 additional delegates from the just certified
California primary results, while Hillary lost 4. Plus he got
a half dozen super-delegates (Hillary lost one), so it looks like
he's actually ending the week with a bigger lead in delegates--before the Wyoming caucus results.
Friday, March 07, 2008
Hey, PA--Here's your 3AM
This is who you want answering the red phone in
the White House at 3AM? Props to Larry David
for finding this collage. The original site is very
Republican--but if Hillary prefers McBush to Obama
as she's been saying, turnabout is fair play. Think
about it, Pennsylvania.
Hillary or McBush: Which Monster Do You Want in the White House?
Hillary Clinton has said many times now that she and John McCain are fit to be commander in chief, but Barack Obama is not. And she says that the national security issue will dominate the general election campaign.
This is not just traitorous to the Democratic party and incredibly insulting to Obama, it's stupid politics. If by some miraculous misfortune Clinton became the nominee, she will have given away her chief issue.
By now stipulating that John McCain is fit to be commander in chief, how is she going to argue that he isn't later?
And she's doing it at precisely the time that the media is discovering: hey, this guy may not actually be a fit commander-in chief.
It's coming out in this story. It's already come out in this story. McCain's Republican colleagues in the Senate and high ranking military officers are telling reporters that McCain isn't temperamentally fit to have his finger poised over the button--or to be answering the red phone. He goes nuts. He loses judgment.
And one of these story appeared on the same day that McBush lost his temper with a reporter asking him a fairly simple question.
But Clinton can't say a word about it, now or later, because she's too busy trying to destroy Obama, a fellow Democrat, so she can face Republican McCain, who she has now insulated from the most important charges possible. Not only politically, but in terms of being a trustworthy commander in chief and president of the United States.
What did Samantha Powers say, that prompted Clinton to demand she be fired? Oh yeah, she said Hillary would stoop to do anything to win.
This is not just traitorous to the Democratic party and incredibly insulting to Obama, it's stupid politics. If by some miraculous misfortune Clinton became the nominee, she will have given away her chief issue.
By now stipulating that John McCain is fit to be commander in chief, how is she going to argue that he isn't later?
And she's doing it at precisely the time that the media is discovering: hey, this guy may not actually be a fit commander-in chief.
It's coming out in this story. It's already come out in this story. McCain's Republican colleagues in the Senate and high ranking military officers are telling reporters that McCain isn't temperamentally fit to have his finger poised over the button--or to be answering the red phone. He goes nuts. He loses judgment.
And one of these story appeared on the same day that McBush lost his temper with a reporter asking him a fairly simple question.
But Clinton can't say a word about it, now or later, because she's too busy trying to destroy Obama, a fellow Democrat, so she can face Republican McCain, who she has now insulated from the most important charges possible. Not only politically, but in terms of being a trustworthy commander in chief and president of the United States.
What did Samantha Powers say, that prompted Clinton to demand she be fired? Oh yeah, she said Hillary would stoop to do anything to win.
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
Focus
I hardly had time to get thoroughly depressed before this arrived in my inbox:
We may not know the final outcome of today's voting until morning, but the results so far make one thing clear. When the dust settles from today's contests, we will maintain our substantial lead in delegates. And thanks to millions of people standing for change, we will keep adding delegates and capture the Democratic nomination.
We knew from the day we began this journey that the road would be long. And we knew what we were up against. We knew that the closer we got to the change we seek, the more we'd see of the politics we're trying to end -- the attacks and distortions that try to distract us from the issues that matter to people's lives, the stunts and the tactics that ask us to fear instead of hope.
But this time -- this year -- it will not work. The challenges are too great. The stakes are too high.
Americans need real change.
In the coming weeks, we will begin a great debate about the future of this country with a man who has served it bravely and loves it dearly. And we will offer two very different visions of the America we see in the twenty-first century.
John McCain has already dismissed our call for change as eloquent but empty.
But he should know that it's a call that did not begin with my words. It's the resounding call from every corner of this country, from first-time voters and lifelong cynics, from Democrats and Republicans alike.
And together you and I are going to grow this movement to deliver that change in November.
Thank you,
Barack
We may not know the final outcome of today's voting until morning, but the results so far make one thing clear. When the dust settles from today's contests, we will maintain our substantial lead in delegates. And thanks to millions of people standing for change, we will keep adding delegates and capture the Democratic nomination.
We knew from the day we began this journey that the road would be long. And we knew what we were up against. We knew that the closer we got to the change we seek, the more we'd see of the politics we're trying to end -- the attacks and distortions that try to distract us from the issues that matter to people's lives, the stunts and the tactics that ask us to fear instead of hope.
But this time -- this year -- it will not work. The challenges are too great. The stakes are too high.
Americans need real change.
In the coming weeks, we will begin a great debate about the future of this country with a man who has served it bravely and loves it dearly. And we will offer two very different visions of the America we see in the twenty-first century.
John McCain has already dismissed our call for change as eloquent but empty.
But he should know that it's a call that did not begin with my words. It's the resounding call from every corner of this country, from first-time voters and lifelong cynics, from Democrats and Republicans alike.
And together you and I are going to grow this movement to deliver that change in November.
Thank you,
Barack
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
The Dreaming Up Daily Image
I caught some of the American Masters portrait of Pete Seeger on
PBS Sunday night. What a man, what a life! That's him with Woody
Guthrie, and then with Bob Dylan. His singing and activism continued,
and was instrumental (okay, bit of a pun) in getting the Hudson River
cleaned up. "Surround hate until it surrenders" is the motto on his
banjo. In his mid-80s he's still at it, and it looks like he has a wonderful
life.
Day of Hope and Heart and the Young
Update: Young voters and campaigners did their part, it appears, but people of my generation didn't. Once again Americans voted their fears, succumbed to the regression that brought us Bush the Dad, and now Hillary the hectoring Mom who will protect you as long as you give up dreaming of a better world, and daring to work for it. The future took a hit today, but not a fatal one--let's hope.
Ever since my generation reached 21 (which was the legal voting age then), the power of youth has been highly touted but in the end not enough. George McGovern got huge crowds of young people in 1972, and lost every state but Massachusetts. The young early Internet adopters were the hope of the Howard Dean campaign in 2004, but they weren't enough. Though young voters came out at a higher percentage for John Kerry in November, not enough of them did for clear victory. Or so it's said.
This year we've seen young voters and young people working for the Obama campaign make a real difference, and really come out in large numbers to vote. That phenomenon will be put to its biggest test today, when four states vote in what Keith Olbermann calls the VOTR primaries (Vermont, Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island.)
The only reason that Rhode Island is still considered a possibility for Obama are these numbers: 20,000 newly registered voters, mostly young, and a crowd of 10,000 that came out to hear Obama, one of the largest crowds ever assembled in that state.
Young voters and Obama get out the vote workers along with union supporters and a larger than expected outpouring from black communities are the keys for Obama in Ohio. But nowhere are they more important than in Texas.
As the Obama ground game, they are up against the older, more experienced party regulars for Clinton. They are the key to getting Obama voters to the polls, and to expanding the voting base that's necessary for him to win.
Nowhere are young people more important in Texas than in the Latino communities. Several seasoned observers noted weeks ago that an age split was developing, with younger Latinos moving to Obama, but such has not shown up in the polls so far. Yet there are those who believe it has been happening, and is happening right now. In fact, this is one of the key groups that Al Giordano at The Field now sees giving Obama a big victory in Texas.
Al is really sticking his neck out in predicting Obama will get 53% of the vote, though he insists that's a conservative estimate. He is in Texas, and sees real movement towards Obama in two key groups: the aforementioned young Latinos, and among white men (who he says are responding to Clinton's 3 a.m. phone call fear mongering ad in exactly the opposite way as her campaign intends.)
White men in East Texas have been considered the group that could swing the results either way in the popular vote. Al makes his case that Obama is winning more white male voters, particularly crossover Independents and Republicans, in rural areas as well as cities.
But young people have another task in Texas. The election there is more than the popular vote. The caucuses in the evening are as least as important, and probably more so. That's where young people have come through for Obama best in previous elections, and they will have to come through this time, big time. A lot of rumors are floating around about planned dirty tricks and voter suppression by the older Clinton people. This will be a big test for those young Obama enthusiasts. And their big opportunity to show the power of heart and hope.
All of this demographic theory is speculation and to some extent conventional wisdom--there is no single group that is likely to make the difference. But this certainly is going to be a test, and an opportunity, for young voters to make a very big difference for the future.
They will be the ones who must come out to vote, and must get out the vote, even in rain or snow in Ohio, and ice storms in Rhode Island. But perhaps most of all in Texas. If Obama wins Texas, it will be a repudiation of Clinton's negative campaigning, and will move Obama much closer to the nomination, before there's any further damage to the Democratic party's chances in November.
Ever since my generation reached 21 (which was the legal voting age then), the power of youth has been highly touted but in the end not enough. George McGovern got huge crowds of young people in 1972, and lost every state but Massachusetts. The young early Internet adopters were the hope of the Howard Dean campaign in 2004, but they weren't enough. Though young voters came out at a higher percentage for John Kerry in November, not enough of them did for clear victory. Or so it's said.
This year we've seen young voters and young people working for the Obama campaign make a real difference, and really come out in large numbers to vote. That phenomenon will be put to its biggest test today, when four states vote in what Keith Olbermann calls the VOTR primaries (Vermont, Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island.)
The only reason that Rhode Island is still considered a possibility for Obama are these numbers: 20,000 newly registered voters, mostly young, and a crowd of 10,000 that came out to hear Obama, one of the largest crowds ever assembled in that state.
Young voters and Obama get out the vote workers along with union supporters and a larger than expected outpouring from black communities are the keys for Obama in Ohio. But nowhere are they more important than in Texas.
As the Obama ground game, they are up against the older, more experienced party regulars for Clinton. They are the key to getting Obama voters to the polls, and to expanding the voting base that's necessary for him to win.
Nowhere are young people more important in Texas than in the Latino communities. Several seasoned observers noted weeks ago that an age split was developing, with younger Latinos moving to Obama, but such has not shown up in the polls so far. Yet there are those who believe it has been happening, and is happening right now. In fact, this is one of the key groups that Al Giordano at The Field now sees giving Obama a big victory in Texas.
Al is really sticking his neck out in predicting Obama will get 53% of the vote, though he insists that's a conservative estimate. He is in Texas, and sees real movement towards Obama in two key groups: the aforementioned young Latinos, and among white men (who he says are responding to Clinton's 3 a.m. phone call fear mongering ad in exactly the opposite way as her campaign intends.)
White men in East Texas have been considered the group that could swing the results either way in the popular vote. Al makes his case that Obama is winning more white male voters, particularly crossover Independents and Republicans, in rural areas as well as cities.
But young people have another task in Texas. The election there is more than the popular vote. The caucuses in the evening are as least as important, and probably more so. That's where young people have come through for Obama best in previous elections, and they will have to come through this time, big time. A lot of rumors are floating around about planned dirty tricks and voter suppression by the older Clinton people. This will be a big test for those young Obama enthusiasts. And their big opportunity to show the power of heart and hope.
All of this demographic theory is speculation and to some extent conventional wisdom--there is no single group that is likely to make the difference. But this certainly is going to be a test, and an opportunity, for young voters to make a very big difference for the future.
They will be the ones who must come out to vote, and must get out the vote, even in rain or snow in Ohio, and ice storms in Rhode Island. But perhaps most of all in Texas. If Obama wins Texas, it will be a repudiation of Clinton's negative campaigning, and will move Obama much closer to the nomination, before there's any further damage to the Democratic party's chances in November.
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