The 2008 presidential field at-a-glance

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by jon1856

A McCain Moment: Do You Want Four More Years
of This?

Arianna Huffington 3/26/2008
If our polarized country can agree on one thing, it’s that the greatest danger facing America over the next decade will not be Islamic extremism and instability in the Middle East, but rather Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. That’s just “common knowledge,” right?

So it only makes sense that the media have focused nonstop on this looming threat while paying scant attention to the fact that the presumptive Republican nominee for president apparently doesn’t have a clue about what’s going on in the Middle East.

And with the U.S. death toll hitting 4,000 (with 25 American soldiers killed over the last two weeks, the deadliest fortnight for our troops since September 2007), and with another 57 people killed in Iraq on Sunday, John McCain’s tenuous grasp on what is happening in the region becomes all the more worthy of attention.

For those who were too busy watching Rev. Jeremiah Wright damn America for the 10,000th time to hear about McCain, let’s review: at a stop in Jordan last week, McCain made the ludicrous claim that al-Qaida insurgents were being trained in Iran. Asked again about it, he dug in deeper, claiming it was “common knowledge and has been reported in the media that al-Qaida is going back into Iran and receiving training and are coming back into Iraq from Iran, that’s well known.”
http://www.caglepost.com/column/Aria...s+of+This.html

This would seem to be a much bigger gaffe on McCain's part to me if I felt like most people have any idea what it's actually plausible for al-Qaida to be doing. Had he not immediately corrected himself based on what Joe L. whispered to him, would Arianna Huffington even have known that it wasn't what he meant to say or that it wasn't accurate?

I also think it's funny that people are trying to claim that the story isn't being reported. Who hasn't heard about this happening? Just people some people don't think McCain misspeaking and making an immediate correction is proof he's clueless means that no one knows it happened? Really?

[nittanyalum]

Ok, so it's looking like a 10-ish percentage point spread, Clinton over Obama in PA.

Reactions?

[ThetaDancer]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

Ok, so it's looking like a 10-ish percentage point spread, Clinton over Obama in PA.

Reactions?

Not happy, but not surprised.

I agree with what you said in an earlier post...primary season is getting looong.

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

Ok, so it's looking like a 10-ish percentage point spread, Clinton over Obama in PA.

Reactions?

I keep reminding myself of the number of people I know who switched parties to confuse the pundits. Which means that few of "facts" behind PA's primary are completely true and the spin doctors will go into a frenzy, making it sound good for everybody. Seriously, does anyone really think that Hillary is a hunter who slams down a shot and a beer on a regular basis?

[jon1856]

Democrats Registering In Record Numbers
1 Million New Voters For Last 7 Primaries

RALEIGH, N.C. -- They lined up shoulder to shoulder inside the gray high-rise downtown, their politics as diverse as their backgrounds. An ex-felon who needs health insurance, followed by a high school student seeking empowerment, followed by a Marine Corps veteran who wants to prevent his country from crumbling.
Like hundreds of others, their quests led them to the Wake County voter services office this month to register as Democrats for the first time. The line of newcomers that snaked across the checkered tile floor was emblematic of those that have formed across the country this year: black voters, young voters, lifelong Republicans switching parties -- all registering in record numbers, and all aligning as Democrats.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...T2008042702368

[jon1856]

Eyes on Blue-Collar Voters, Obama Shifts Style
ANDERSON, Ind. — Senator Barack Obama is making subtle changes to his campaign style and message in an effort to strengthen his appeal to blue-collar voters and to avoid a defeat in Indiana that aides fear could give Democratic Party leaders further pause about his viability in a general election.
On Sunday, Mr. Obama went to a Methodist church in Indianapolis, the kind of event rarely on his public schedule. He suited up for a game of basketball on Friday night before television cameras. And the big, energy-filled stadium rallies that were the bread and butter for most of his campaign have once again given way to smaller town-hall-style meetings, where he is seen talking with people and not at them.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/us...tuK7e7joyWpnmg

[jon1856]

Obama strongly denounces former pastor

Candidate calls Wright's recent comments 'wrong and destructive'

HICKORY, N.C. - Democrat Barack Obama said Tuesday he was outraged by the latest assertion by his former pastor that criticism of his fiery sermons is an attack on the black church.
The presidential candidate is seeking to tamp down the growing fury over Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his incendiary remarks that threaten to undermine his campaign.
"I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle that we saw yesterday," Obama told reporters at a news conference.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24371827/

[fantASTic]

Originally Posted by jon1856

Democrats Registering In Record Numbers
1 Million New Voters For Last 7 Primaries

RALEIGH, N.C. -- They lined up shoulder to shoulder inside the gray high-rise downtown, their politics as diverse as their backgrounds. An ex-felon who needs health insurance, followed by a high school student seeking empowerment, followed by a Marine Corps veteran who wants to prevent his country from crumbling.
Like hundreds of others, their quests led them to the Wake County voter services office this month to register as Democrats for the first time. The line of newcomers that snaked across the checkered tile floor was emblematic of those that have formed across the country this year: black voters, young voters, lifelong Republicans switching parties -- all registering in record numbers, and all aligning as Democrats.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...T2008042702368

Anyone else catch that? People with felony convictions can't vote.

I dunno. It amused me that the author didn't realize that.

Edit: Just kidding. Turns out that's only in three states.

[UGAalum94]

Originally Posted by fantASTic

Anyone else catch that? People with felony convictions can't vote.

I dunno. It amused me that the author didn't realize that.

Edit: Just kidding. Turns out that's only in three states.

Like you, until recently I didn't think that felons could vote in a lot of places. I saw something recently that said many states let them vote again once all aspects of the sentence have been served, so if you served 10 years in prison and were on probation for 10 more, you could vote at the end of those 20 once you had satisfied all the requirements of the sentence.

It seems about right to me although the idea of felons as a specific voting block would worry me a bit. A group unified on a shared history of committing felonies isn't particularly who want my politicians more responsive to because many politicians seem to be so naturally gifted in this area on their own.

[nittanyalum]

Howard Dean is on The Daily Show -- he just said they are "going to find a way" to seat Florida and Michigan's delegates at the convention. Nothing specific about HOW, just they'll "find a way."

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

Howard Dean is on The Daily Show -- he just said they are "going to find a way" to seat Florida and Michigan's delegates at the convention. Nothing specific about HOW, just they'll "find a way."

Ugh - seriously? Well, apparently Howard Dean is indeed the spineless douche others asserted him to be . . . just unreal stupid.

[DaemonSeid]

Ok...see..now everyone true colors are coming out...I just had it on and really wasn't paying attention...but Chris Matthews was doing his usual thing (discussing Barack and Wright) but then...this question came up:

'Is this always gonna be available as a way for his critics and opponents to put him back in the ghetto?' - Chris Matthews

I mean we know Obama is black but why does he have to be 'from the ghetto.'?

ESPECIALLY WHEN HE IS NOT




Gosh you gotta love it....sheeeeeesh!

[tld221]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

Ok...see..now everyone true colors are coming out...I just had it on and really wasn't paying attention...but Chris Matthews was doing his usual thing (discussing Barack and Wright) but then...this question came up:

'Is this always gonna be available as a way for his critics and opponents to put him back in the ghetto?' - Chris Matthews

I mean we know Obama is black but why does he have to be 'from the ghetto.'?

ESPECIALLY WHEN HE IS NOT




Gosh you gotta love it....sheeeeeesh!

especially since he just called himself (facetiously i suppose), "a white guy from Hawaii."

[moe.ron]

[nittanyalum]

^^^Maybe she's smart enough to not get legally and financially tied to a felon. She should be smart enough to stop having children with him, but it may be her not wanting the marriage.