Print
E-mail
Share
iPod
del.icio.us
digg
Newsvine
FacebookDems: Can we all get along?
Top dogs make nice, but their surrogates still play rough
Chris Morris
Tue, Jan 15, 2008 (2 a.m.)
2008 Caucus Coverage
- Caucus Guide: Biographies, Issues Overview and a how to caucus video.
- Political blog: Continuous updates
- Interactive: Candidate Selector and Trivia Game
- Caucus Locator: For Democratic locations, or GOP sites.
At A Glance: Tonight's Debate
Tonight’s Democratic debate begins at 6 at the Cashman Center Theatre, 850 North Las Vegas Blvd. The two-hour event will air live on MSNBC and will be rebroadcast with a Spanish-language translation on Telemundo at midnight. Both networks are owned by NBC.
The moderator is “NBC Nightly News” anchor Brian Williams. Joining him will be Tim Russert, host of NBC’s Sunday morning talk show “Meet the Press.” The format includes questions submitted by viewers.
Voter Breakdown & Contributions
See the interactive graphic »
Audio Clip
- Obama on the Democratic party
- You need to upgrade your Flash Player
Audio Clip
- Obama on the Nevada caucus
- You need to upgrade your Flash Player
More on the Candidates
- Hillary Clinton: Bio | Issues
- Slideshow: Clinton Sheetmetal
- Barack Obama: Bio | Issues
- Slideshow: Obama in Nevada
- John Edwards: Bio | Issues
Carson City — With just five days remaining before the presidential caucus, the leading Democratic candidates declared an uneasy truce Monday, at least on the issue of race, following the sharp exchanges of recent days.
Some supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton had made clumsy statements that appeared to play to stereotypes of black men in recent days and weeks, while supporters of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama had begun to accuse the Clinton campaign of stoking racial bitterness. For a party steeped in a history of the civil rights movement, the tension was a surprising development.
During a hastily arranged news conference Monday after an event in Reno, Obama said, “Over the last couple of days we’ve seen a tone on the Democratic side that is unfortunate. We share the same goals.”
He also implored his supporters to speak carefully. “If I hear my own supporters engaging in talk that I think is ungenerous or misleading or someway unfair, I will speak out forcefully against it. I hope the other campaigns take the same approach.”
Not long after, Clinton’s campaign issued a statement. “Over this past week, there has been a lot of discussion, much of which I know does not reflect what is in our hearts. And at this moment, I believe we must seek common ground.
“Our party has been on the front line of every civil rights movement, women’s rights movement, workers’ rights movement and other movements for justice in America.”
Although the candidates called for calm, their surrogates continued the back and forth, and the contest continued in all its furious intensity in Nevada as the candidates readied themselves for tonight’s debate in Las Vegas.
Obama backers, for instance, held a conference call that included Reno Democratic Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie. The purpose was to defend Obama’s record on abortion rights, as he expected an attack from Clinton at any minute. The Clinton campaign did just that with its own conference call.
On the eve of the debate, a poll published in the Reno Gazette-Journal showed a dead heat among Clinton, Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who has a large Nevada organization and appears in the state today for the first time this year.
The fight over caucus sites on the Strip continued to fracture Democrats on Monday. The group suing the state Democratic Party to shut down the nine at-large caucus locations designed for Strip shift workers both union and nonunion filed for a temporary restraining order to bar those sites in Saturday’s caucus.
Most Nevadans will attend the caucus in their home precincts, but to increase turnout, the party added special sites for anyone at work within 2 1/2 miles of the Strip. Shutting down the sites would tamp down participation, especially among members of the Culinary Union Local 226, which endorsed Obama last week.
The plaintiffs, which include the Nevada State Education Association, have ties to the Clinton campaign. Last week, the campaign said it was neutral on the issue of the at-large sites. But former President Bill Clinton, in Las Vegas campaigning for the former first lady, endorsed the principle of the lawsuit Monday and questioned the fairness of the at-large sites.
“The Democratic Party authorized nine different work sites, and you can only caucus there if you work there,” he said while talking to students at Green Valley High School. “So everyone else who works, it’s tough luck, too bad for you.”
Culinary Secretary-Treasurer D. Taylor lashed out at Clinton on MSNBC’s “Hardball.” “President Clinton today came out against the at-large precincts. So he is in support of disenfranchising thousands upon thousands of workers, not just our members,” he said.
Many of the shift-workers, Taylor has pointed out, are black or Hispanic, a comment that continued to add to the racial edge of the campaign.
Taylor said the teachers union is just a front for the Clinton campaign. “Listen, the teachers union is being used here; we all know that.”
But opening a split on another front, in an appearance on “Face to Face With Jon Ralston,” John Hunt, chairman of the Clark County Democrats, endorsed the suit against the state party. Hunt called the plaintiffs patriots.
Taylor, who was also on that program, questioned the timing of the suit, and Hunt acknowledged that he should have registered complaints much sooner given that the caucus plan was agreed to months ago.
A Democratic source said there were informal discussions by attorneys on Monday, initiated by teachers. “There was no formal proposal, no meaningful consideration of any settlement,” the source said.
The at-large caucus sites weren’t the only action in court Monday. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, a liberal long shot, sued for the right to be in Tuesday’s debate, which will be at Cashman Center and broadcast on MSNBC. A District Court judge agreed and ordered him allowed in. The network promised to appeal.
The candidates are to spend much time between now and the caucus in Nevada.
After a trip to California, where Obama is trailing, according to recent polls, he will return to Nevada on Thursday afternoon.
Edwards begins three days in Nevada today, with plans to appear in Las Vegas, Henderson and Reno.
Clinton, who released a new TV ad here on Monday, will spend Wednesday and Thursday in Nevada. But her husband carried the fight for her Monday.
At Doolittle Community Center in Las Vegas, pastor Robert Fowler of Victory Missionary Baptist Church defended the couple’s record among blacks.
“For 30 years the Clintons Bill and his wife were active in civil rights and fighting for women’s rights, as well as human rights,” Fowler, who is black, said to a crowd of 150.
“They have a proven track record, and for anyone to suggest that Bill and Hillary Clinton have a prejudiced bone in their bodies, that is a fairy tale. They have a track record of standing up for the community I represent.”
As the former president made three stops in Southern Nevada, Obama barnstormed the north, bringing out thousands to hear him speak in spots usually considered Republican strongholds.
He rallied 1,000 at the Reno convention center and spoke in front of another big crowd at a packed junior high school gymnasium in Fallon, a small Navy city in Churchill County, where Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry got just 26 percent of the vote four years ago.
After the Fallon event, Mari Jo Betterley signed an Obama pledge card, promising to caucus for the candidate on Saturday.
Betterley, who said she was undecided before the event, is in Obama’s sweet spot. Though a Democrat, she voted for Bush in 2004. She said Obama seemed sincere, honest and down-to-earth.
Obama continues to hit the theme of uniting the country, through a hopeful vision of a better future.
He took questions after he addressed the Fallon crowd and called on a little girl, who told him she had a statement: “I love you.”
Obama deadpanned. “That’s a good statement. That was one of the best statements I ever heard.”
After a speech to 2,000 people in Carson City late Monday, Christie Tews, who is white, told Obama that her biggest concern was beating the Republican nominee in November.
“Let’s get down to brass tacks,” Tews said. “We’ve never had a black president.”
“That’s a good point,” he said. “I hadn’t noticed that.”
He pointed out that in national polls he’s beating every potential Republican nominee right now.
Discussion: 40 comments so far…
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Pilot dies after plane crashes in Las Vegas neighborhood
- Injured motorcyclist dies two months after crash
- McCain chooses Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as running mate
- Five bus robbery suspects sought (with video)
- Man critically injured in two-vehicle collision
- Slap on state party smarts in a state McCain needs
- Police seek burglars who broke into gated community home
- Orleans accident survivor cheats death once more
- Web poker banned, they play politics
- HISTORY HITS HOME AS OBAMA ACCEPTS
Blogs
Sports: Upon Further Review
Champion show horse dies in South Point ring (1 Comment)
Gaming and Business
Despite other stalled projects, CityCenter still on track
Nevada black leaders upset by blog
Sports: Upon Further Review
Las Vegas stars in Nike hoops TV ad
Winning The West
As big as it looked (7 Comments)
Filling it up
Sports: Upon Further Review
51s' Jones featured in Life of Reilly
Winning The West
Biden gives shout-out to Reid (2 Comments)
Calendar
- The Lake Las Vegas Triathlon (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- Bridge to Forgiveness art exhibit at Atomic Testing Museum (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
- Air Raid Anthem at Jillian's (6 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.)
- Cher (7:30 p.m.)
-
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
"He pointed out that in national polls he’s beating every potential Republican nominee right now."
The same CNN poll released last weekend shows that Hillary Clinton beats every GOP candidate as well.
John Edwards is the only Democratic candidate that can actaully win in Novemeber.
Edwards 2008!
I guess America has to decide who they want to represent their country and vote accordingly.
All of the "top" three (Edwards might still be in the race, but doesn't seem very viable) have general philosophies that we need in this country. (Is anyone actually considering voting for a Republican? I can't imagine!)
The thing is that Obama is truly the candidate that has the greatest chance of getting insurance costs affordable. Hillary had her chance - she didn't do it. Edwards' plan is far too radical. Obama's isn't perfect, but we have to do something to address this crisis.
Obama is also the "persona" - yes all politicians have them - that I want representing me to the rest of the world. Having read his books and a biography about him by David Mendell, he has been the most consistent with his goals and foundational positions for his entire life.
Please take a good look at Obama. He is the future and has the best hope of restoring our prideful place in the world and at home.
Mr. Obama is a gifted speech writer, and great at delivering the speech.
Mr. Obama does not have much achievement beyond that according to his own website: http://www.barackobama.com/learn/meet_ba.... Look under his "political career".
We elected (selected) a president with persona and no achievement before. As it turns out, if someone has not achieved much by age of 46, the odd are high, he will not achieve much after that.
"Hillary Check" is name of a clothing pattern in Bangladesh. You guessed it, it is named after Hillary Clinton after her inspiring visit to that small country.
More important, the poor female garment industry worker started that name after they saw her wearing that cloth as she visited them.
Hillary is a true inspiration for over 50% of the world population, the woment. As Sally Field said if mothers had much of a say, there would not be as many wars in this God's world.
It is no conincidence that we did not have a world war as women that exercising their voting power in the western world.
Every Republican in the country is laughing their backsides off this morning. No one, Democrats, Indepdents or Republicans, can belive the events of the past 10 days.
Thanks go to the Democratic establishement (read Clinton's "hoof in mouth" bozos) for injecting race into this campaign. Yes, "Seed of Change", Clinton may have a fabric named after her in Bangaldesh. This "supporter" of the American worker has shipped our jobs off shore and now tries to be a "friend" of the union voter.
Hillary and Bill Clinton would be the single reason, if she is nominated, that the GOP will take the general election. Old habits die hard and, in this case, never die. Give us Edwards or Obama and we've got a chance next November. Otherwise, the Democratic nomination won't be, thanks to "Cactus Jack" Garner, worth a "pitcher of warm spit".
The whole world will be watching Nevada this Saturday. Hopefully, it will showcase a state that is worthy of hosting another early primary. The Clinton supporters inspired lawsuit to close precincts in the hotels and casinos is but the latest example of voter supression. Shame! Go NH "Vote First or Die!"
Obama and Farrakhan link from a liberal writer: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...
This is just a sign of what kind of scrutiny Obama will received if nominated. Everyone liberal is trying to play nice with the black guy, Republicans will have no such obligation.
An empty pastel is a gift to the Republicans to drawn on.
I love democrats, elites and commoners, for their great knowledge and humanity.
But a commoner always remember what JFK had to do in Chicago to win a 50-50 election. What LBJ had to do to get the civil right bill through the congress. What Clinton had to do to win 2 election and FDR had to do to win 3 elections. A great human like Gore, Kerry, Mondale, Dukakis never won. A saint like Jimmy Carter got knocked off by a hollywood actor
JFK being a war hero and a man of action in congress for 14 years, had to take the help of Richard Daley to win the election.
Obama is devoid of courage, and accomplishment. He is no JFK.
Obama did not even had the backbone to vote again the Iran resolution, he was absent. He is no JFK, no MLK, no Bobby. he is just a great speech write and gifted speech delivery person.
Hillary's negatives are too high and she is polarizing- i just cannot see how she can win a general election. Liberals, conservative democrats and independents don't like her-how can she unite the party?
JFK 1960: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stat...
JFK did not win 50% of votes.
Clinton and FDR, only Democrats to win more than one presidential candidate in 100 years.
It is a battle against Republicans and Clinton is the only one alive that knows how to win.
Gore would have won Arkansas, if he did not listen to the Elites and pushed Clinton away.
We would be living in a different country. This would be a different world.
The problem isn't that Hillary isn't a woman. The problem is the woman that she is. Thanks but no thanks!
Come on, with negatives nearly 50%, is she really the most electable? If she had maintained some consistency throughout her campaign and stayed true to herself, rather than let smarmy Mark Penn dictate to her, I might have considered voting for her.
Instead, here's what we've seen, chronologically since she announced, CHAMELEON CLINTON:
First she started as the inevitable candiate; then "I'm your girl;"
then attack dog on her rivals;
then "I'm the change agent"
then the "likeability" tour (still LOL!)
then look who I'm married to!
then "I'm BFFs with Magic Johnson and we're going to Iowa!" (what the???)
then "I'll let my surrogates attack" (Shaheen, Kerrey, Clark, et. al)
then the gender card/"I found my voice!" (didn't know you lost it, Hill)
then Crocodile Tear-gate (the question was about how she looks so good and not anythng else)
then "me and Bill are BFFs with Bob Johnson, so of course African-Americans will vote for me!"
then "I'll let my surrogates file this lawsuit in NV and pretend not to know anything about it."
Seriously folks, she and her minions don't know who she's going to be from day to day--they just let the polls dictate which face she'll put on for everyone. She can't be truthful to herself, there's no way she'll be truthful to the voters.
Clinton is winning solid in Florida and California with help of Hispanic voters: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/
If Nevada was not a caucus state, Obama and his soft backbone would be "out of the ball park" by now.
Everyone knows Clintons are politicians, so is Obama. Only difference, one knows how to win, the other does not.
I'm an NH resident who voted in the Dem primary just completed. We got to see quite a bit from all of the candidates over the past year. I was leaning towards voting for Clinton until this Fall, when Obama started to get tractioin, and her campaign seemed to panic, and began a series of personal attacks against Obama (i.e. not on his record, or his resume, all of which are fair game, but on his person). Obama has a unique ability to reach across party lines, and appeal to Independents, and even some Republicans who are disgusted with the current administration. Clinton is an infighter, who seems to need to pick a fight. I ended up voting for Obama, because I concluded he could actually rally a majority of Americans, not simply Democrats around key issues that need to be addressed: health care, education, resolution of this disastrous war.
The Clintons are toxic to our country. They have succeeded in making a race an issue and created a divide in the party and people that hadn't existed before. If the Clintons destroy Obama, the Democrats will have lost its best hope for a great and respectable leader.
Who introduced a bill in 2007 to exempt tips from being taxed? This would be of tremendous help to the working class of Nevada.
It wasn't Obama or Hillary.... Their marxist policies would hurt the working class of Nevada. Vote Ron Paul
Honestly, what has HRC won? 2 NY senate terms... Bill on the other hand has won elections--perhaps HRC riding his coattails is enough to claim her as a "winner" too. By osmosis, right? Just like she can claim presidential experience because she was married to one? Bwaaahaaaahaaahhaaaa
Since everyone uses different polls to contend that they beat all the Republican candidates, why don't we just look at the FACTS from Iowa and NH results?
- Obama won Independents vote in IA and NH.
- Obama won Republicans who switched to Democrat, in IA and NH.
- In IA and NH, Obama won the youth vote, whose participation this year has increased tremendously.
- Obama won first time voters
- Obama won women vote in Iowa
- Obama won the union household vote in Iowa
- Obama won the middle-class and upperclass vote in Iowa
If you how electability is determined, you know who's more electable. If you're a Democrat who wants to win in november, you can pretend that these figures don't matter, at your peril.
. Once Hillary gets the opportunity to debate Obama on issues without media distortions and the distortions and demagoguery claims, educated voters will choose Hillary Clinton. We have work to do. We have an education gap to close and jobs to fill. We want a leader that is ready to lead on day one, not an orator. Voters need to wake up and do some research. Reality is that Obama does nothing more than speak. He does not have any actions to support his campaign rhetoric. I am a Democrat, and a very pragmatic one at that. FACT: When Barrack Obama was one of our State Senators, he voted PRESENT nearly 130 times. Think about that. This self-proposed man of conviction, this man who does not believe in “politics as usual”, voted PRESENT on issues that were critical to the lives of the citizens in which he was supposed to be representing. He voted PRESENT instead of an up or down YES or NO because it was the politically expedient thing for him to do. Is this the voting pattern of a man of conviction – a man devoted to change? I don’t think so. In the past 8 months, the U.S. Senate has voted on issues critical to our country’s well-being more than 260 times and of these 260 opportunities to vote for change, Jr. Senator Obama failed to vote on more than 160 occasions. Be concerned about his lack of commitment on issues of vital interest. When we will need strength, when we will need leadership, when we will need to re-direct our country’s direction, would a then President Obama simply answer “PRESENT”? It is just not worth the gamble. Republicans desperately want Obama to be their opposition candidate so they can absolutely destroy him. Hillary Clinton has been able to weather attacks from the Republican machine for 20+ years now and is still able to out poll the GOP frontrunners. Of course Republicans want Obama to win the primaries and they will go to ANY extent to make that happen...it's the ONLY chance they have to keep the noble office under thier power...that's what we need - another Bush. As for Obama and his “hope” for “change” – guess he needs to re-write the little experience and history he does have.
Vote SMART! - Hillary Clinton ‘08
The lawsuit filed by Clinton allies in Nevada against planned "at-large" caucusing Jan. 19 on the Las Vegas Strip is beginning to look a lot like voter suppression. As we know, the plan was drawn up and approved unanimously early last year by the Nevada Democratic Party leadership, with input from the presidential campaigns, to enable caucusing by Strip workers unable to leave work to caucus in their home precincts. Indeed the plan's creators include several of those who are now plaintiffs against it. What changed their minds? Barack Obama's endorsement Jan.9 by the 60,000-member Las Vegas Culinary Workers' Union changed their minds. When the plan was approved, Hillary Clinton was presumed to be the "inevitable" Democratic frontrunner. Iowa changed all that, and Obama's subsequent endorsement by the culinary workers has brought a Clinton win in Nevada into serious question. Since it is largely members of this union who would be caucusing in the casinos, the plan is clearly no longer in Clinton's best interests. Hence the lawsuit against the plan, filed just two days after the Obama endorsement and scarcely a week before the caucus by Clinton allies from the leadership of the Nevada State Education Association (NSEA), on the grounds that it would be unfair to workers in other areas. Why didn't they think it was unfair earlier? After all, the plan was approved nearly a year ago in the very name of fairness, to enable participation by those who would otherwise be unable to caucus. The answer is simple: Because the lawsuit has nothing whatsoever to do with fairness, and everything to do with stacking the deck in favor of Hillary Clinton. The Clintons themselves are not official parties to the suit, but both Hillary and Bill Clinton have spoken in support of it despite the fact that their campaign and others were included in the at-large caucus plan from its inception. They, like their friends in the NSEA, have had more than ample time to consider and reconsider the plan, but appear to have deemed it unfair only since the culinary workers endorsed Obama. While the judge in this case obviously has every reason in the world to throw it out of court, I don't expect that even if it prevails the culinary workers will allow it to prevent their members' caucusing. In fact I wouldn't be at all surprised to see chartered buses from the union shuttling members between the Strip and their home precincts to caucus, a lot of pressure on Strip employers to comply, and a lot of anger at the Clintons and their allies for this seedy attempt to change the rules at the last minute. The whole affair seems likely indeed to do the Clintons far more harm than good in Nevada; and as we know, what happens in Vegas doesn't always stay in Vegas.
Hillary is polarizing; she is not a uniter. The Clinton's are running a dirty campaign and I for one am tired of "business as usual" with our politics. I hope Nevada sees through this and will vote for Change. We Democrats need to realize that if we elect HRC for our nominee plan on 4 more years of the same old gridlock. Please remember back to Bill's time in office. Do you remember the gridlock with Congress? Think about it. Tucson, AZ Thanks for allowing me to sign in!
no smear tactics will prevent Obama from winning the nomination and becoming #44. here's why www.WhytheDemocratsWillWinIn2008.com
As a Latino-hispanic I don't really see Clinton as utterly bad, actually I like the fact she is a woman, but I don't really want more Clinton in the Withe House. I mean, she is not necesary, she is not the only choice we have, and she is not the best choice we have. It is only bad luck she came to the race with candidates that have more qualities for the big job of being President of the U.S.
I have put some time into reading, watching, talking with friends in the workplace and in the barrio (SoCal) and I have find a lot of people that is making the same decision I have already made, that is going 4 Barack Obama.
For us is really not such a tough decision to make, specially now that Gov. Richardson has quit the race. Right now everything is now rather easy and Obama is having such a strong appeal to us. From the big important issues (immigration, healthcare, education, economy) to the not so important ones, that nevertheless are really not to be dismissed: he is raising a family, a beautifull one at that, he is "moreno" (we really like that part!), he is the son of an african man!, he is very articulate, he is really a leader, he is very simpatethic with people, he is a tremendous community oriented guy as we usually are. I mean, it is not so difficult to make a choice for us. Those who think we are the Clinton "firewall" don't really know what they are talking about or are talking from a very schoolar perspective. In the street, in the barrio, at home, we are really leaning strongly toward Obama, and I like that!!!
Good luck to the rest of candidates and I hope everyone does an informed, well thought choice.
I want to see the debate tonight!
Have fun folks!
No need to attack each other!!
Good luck Edwards! good luck Clinton!!
You are my candidate Obama!!!!
Barack Obama in 2002, BEFORE THE IRAQ WAR!
"I don’t oppose all wars.
And I know that in this crowd today, there is no shortage of patriots, or of patriotism.
What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war. What I am opposed to is the cynical attempt by Richard Perles and Paul Wolfowitz and other arm-chair, weekend warriors in this Administration to shove their own ideological agendas down our throats, irrespective of the costs in lives lost and in hardships borne.
What I am opposed to is the attempt by political hacks like Karl Roves to distract us from a rise in the uninsured, a rise in the poverty rate, a drop in the median income to distract us from corporate scandals and a stock market that has just gone thru the worst month since the Great Depression.
That’s what Im opposed to. A dumb war. A rash war. A war based not on reason but on passion, not on principle but on politics."
Barack Obama had the courage and wisdom, in the wake of 9-11, to speak out against the Iraq War at a time when most of the country was behind Bush for his planned war. Too few politicians had the courage or wisdom to speak against this war. For all her claimed "experience", Hillary did not.
Bill and Hillary try to distort Obama's solid Iraq opposition by citing a 2004 interview in which Obama responded "I don't know" to a question involving the Democratic candidates who voted for the war and how he would have voted himself. The Clintons would like you to believe that Obama was flimsy and wavering in his opposition the the war...but look at what Obama says directly after:
He said he didn't know how he would have voted because he was not 'privy to the Senate intelligence reports that sitting senators saw,' and he added: 'What I know is that, from my vantage point, THE CASE WAS NOT MADE.'
Clearly, Obama was STILL OPPOSED TO THE WAR, and obviously, if Clinton dug up this quote from before Obama was on the national stage, Clinton had to have seen the enitre quote. So the real fairytale is the one Bill Clinton told about Obama...Or should we just call it like it is: A LIE! But what else can you expect from Bill Clinton. I tolerated his lie about Monica because it was his personal business, but I can't support this lie about a man who's views were rare back in 2002 and wasn't afraid to voice them. It took many years for other Democrats to catch up or speak out. JUDGEMENT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EXPERIENCE. OBAMA WAS ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TOUGHEST POLITICAL DECISION OF THE 21ST CENTURY TO DATE. ONE CAN HAVE ALL THE EXPERIENCE IN THE WORLD, BUT IF THEY MAKE THE WRONG JUDGEMENT, LIKE CLINTON, WHAT GOOD DOES THAT DO US?
Dayara2 Jr. (Pres.Bush) has "experience" and see where that has gotten us. Judgment is what counts. All presidents rely on their advisers. What we need to look for is someone who can work across the isle, unite us and will balance their judgment along with what they have been advised. I am no longer interested in status quo. We need new ideas - it is time.
OMG, continuing to play that Obama's "present" card sounds just like something a planted Billary campaign staffer does. Puh-leeze.
Tell me, how many "Republicans for Hillary" groups have formed since she declared her candidacy? Yeah, that's what I thought.
While 58% of voters familiar with Hillary Clinton have a positive view of her, 41% give her negative marks, for a net favorability score of +17....WOW, that'll really win an election!
For universal health care to work, everyone has to buy basic insurance from one provider. People can have more coverage or workplace coverage for luxuries such as private rooms, glasses, drugs etc. Obama's plan of opting in won't work.
I live in a jurisdiction where everyone has to buy insurance when they pay for their plates. We also have to pay for insurance for our own injuries when we get our drivers license, even if we dont own a car. I pay $200 per year for my car's liability insurance. That's $16.76 per month. If anyone out there can tell me where I can get car insurance for $16.76 per month in a non-universal system, they can tell me Obama's health care plan will work. It only works if everyone pays.
RE: Health Care, per Robert Reich, Bill's former Labor Secretary:
I'm equally concerned about her attack on his health care plan. She says his would insure fewer people than hers. I've compared the two plans in detail. Both of them are big advances over what we have now. But in my view Obama's would insure more people, not fewer, than HRC's. That's because Obama's puts more money up front and contains sufficient subsidies to insure everyone who's likely to need help -- including all children and young adults up to 25 years old. Hers requires that everyone insure themselves. Yet we know from experience with mandated auto insurance -- and we're learning from what's happening in Massachusetts where health insurance is now being mandated -- that mandates still leave out a lot of people at the lower end who can't afford to insure themselves even when they're required to do so. HRC doesn't indicate how she'd enforce her mandate, and I can't find enough money in HRC's plan to help all those who won't be able to afford to buy it. I'm also impressed by the up-front investments in information technology in O's plan, and the reinsurance mechanism for coping with the costs of catastrophic illness. HRC is far less specific on both counts. In short: They're both advances, but O's is the better of the two. HRC has no grounds for alleging that O's would leave out 15 million people.
With all the arguments for-and-against each of the candidates, we forget (or maybe suppress/ignore) one important issue, and that is, the gender issue. If you didn't have a chance, you may try read Bob Herbert, "Politics and Misogyny" article in the New York Times, Op-Ed page, Tuesday Jan. 15, 2008. In short, he lists reasons to look seriously in that direction -- from sexual mistreatment of women in the army (we're now voting for the 'commander in chief'), to belittle women in the workforce, to violence against many married women, to dehumanization of women in pornography, and others. and, quote, "We've become so used to the disrespectful, degrading, contemptuous, and even violent treatment of women that we hardly notice it. Staggering amounts of violence are unleashed against women and girls everyday. Fashionable ads in mainstream publications play of that violence, exploiting themes of death and dismemberment, female submissiveness and child pornography." In my view, any woman cannot, and should not, dismiss the importance of all of the above in this once-in-a-lifetime chance.
Here's standard line about the gender card:
The problem isn't that Hillary is a woman--the problem is the woman that she is. 'Nuff said.
For women to vote for HRC just because she's a woman is so utterly ridiculous. Lots of women supporting other candidates will be happy to vote for a woman--when she's the *right* woman. HRC just ain't it!
I've been a life-long Democrat and never considered voting Republican. I was also a long-time enthusiastic Clinton supporter. Now I have nothing but disgust for what the Clintons have become (vile oozing slime) and join the 50% of Americans who would vote for a dead dog before I'd vote for another Clinton.
If you truly support Obama, then spread this article to everyone on your email list, on every blog, and to everyone everywhere. Let his record and his years of selfless service to the American dream speak for itself. Remember, we are only separated from every other person in the world by 6 people. Send it to every American you know. Truth will always trump lies, so don't be afraid. Stand for truth in these dark times and let's take our country back from the elites.
Time Magazine - Obama's Political Experience
Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008
Obama's Varied Record
By AP/CHRISTOPHER WILLS
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/...