Sunday, January 06, 2008

Another Clinton Mistake - Calls Russian President Putin "Souless" ; He's Times "Person Of The Year



If Putin heard this comment, I'm sure that's his expression.

Of all of the really, really terrible -- ok, just plain dumb -- mistakes to make, Senator Hillary Clinton reffered to Russian President Vladomir Putin -- Time Magazine's "Person of The Year" as "Souless" according to Ben Smith in the Politico.com website magazine.

That's not smart and that comment, coupled with her combative performance and false mailers are painting her as a really, well, ah, "souless" Presidential candidate.

I can't wait to hear Putin's response.

What's wrong with her? Yikes!

Will Mike Huckabee and Senator Jon McCain Gang Up On Romney?

On Fox News Sunday, there's an expressed rumor -- which both candidates deny -- that Mike Huckabee and John McCain will form a temporary alliance against Gov Mitt Romney.

But one look at the exchange from the debate would seem to at least confirm the possibility.

CNN / WMUR / UNH NEW POLL: Obama Up 10 Over Clinton; Edwards At 16: New Data Has No Disclaimer



Just one day after releasing an unusual poll reporting Senator Barack Obama tied with Senator Hillary Clinton after his Iowa victory, but also as others released polls with Obama ahead by as much as 10 points, CNN / WMUR / UNH issued what CNN calls a "new" poll, this one reports Obama with 39 percent, Clinton at 29 percent, Senator Edwards at 16 percent, and Gov. Richardson at 7 percent.

What's interesting is this poll's data sheet does not include a disclaimer note, unlike the first poll.

I think CNN futher damaged the credibility of their polling by not reporting the second survey as an update, but a "new poll" when one look at the PDF file shows it really is an undate.

But it's good they corrected the obvious data problem in the first poll.

Clinton Lies About Obama Abortion Record - Huff Post

Click to see the new video on Clinton's Martin Luther King "mistake".

Wow. This is a sure sign of desparation on the part of the Hillary Clinton campaign. To attempt to mislead voters in this way, or any way, is totally wrong and dangerous to boot. What they're thinking I don't know. She's also lied about his record on the Patriot Act. Read this below from the Huffington Post

Clinton Criticizes Obama in NH Mailer

NEDRA PICKLER | January 5, 2008 07:13 PM EST | Huffinton Post

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton criticizes rival Barack Obama's record on abortion rights in a mailing sent to New Hampshire voters _ her first direct attack on the Illinois senator since his victory in Iowa.

The mailer says that seven times during his time in the Illinois state Senate, Obama declined to take a position on abortion bills, while Clinton has been a defender of abortion rights.

During his eight years in the legislature, Obama cast a number of votes on abortion and received a 100 percent rating from the Illinois Planned Parenthood Council for his support of abortion rights, family planning services and health insurance coverage for female contraceptives. He voted against requiring medical care for aborted fetuses who survive, a vote that especially riled abortion opponents.

He also joined other state Democrats in voting present on some bills.

The mailing comes amid division within the Clinton campaign over how negative to go against Obama after his victory Thursday in the Iowa caucuses. The campaign has made a decision to hold off on any television advertising, positive or negative, until after a nationally televised debate Saturday night.

Obama also has been criticized by the political arm of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which has endorsed Clinton. Seven international vice presidents sent a letter protesting the "wholesale assault on one of the great friends of our union."

"Supposedly, we are involved in this primary because we're concerned about access to the next Democratic president," the signers argued. "So why would we want to develop a hostile relationship with the man who could be that next president?"

During the Iowa campaign, the Clinton campaign criticized Obama's position on health care in Iowa. But she is taking a different approach in New Hampshire.

"A woman's right to choose," the mailing says on the front, then flips to the back, "demands a leader who will stand up and protect it."

It says Clinton has a record of fighting "far-right Republicans" to defend abortion rights, while Obama has been "unwilling to take a stand on choice."

"Seven times he had the opportunity to stand up against Republican anti-choice legislation in the Illinois state Senate," it says. "Seven times he voted present _ not yes or no, but present. Being there is not enough to protect choice.

"On January 8 you have a choice," it closes. "Vote for Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary, Tuesday, Jan. 8."

The mailer says "Paid for by Hillary Clinton for President" and has a return address of her office in Manchester. Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said the campaign decided to send the piece because "as Senator Obama has said, `voting records matter.' This is a critical issue for New Hampshire voters and they deserve a straightforward presentation of the facts about both candidates."

Obama spokesman Bill Burton responded, "The Clinton campaign's false negative attacks were rejected by Iowa voters, and we expect that they'll suffer the same fate here in New Hampshire."

Fox News' Bill O'Reilly Endangers Obama As Presidential Candidate - Should Appologize

Fox News Bill O'Relly may have thought he was jusfied in placing his hands on Obama campaign staffer Marvin Nicholson, but the reality and details show he went too far. Here's what happened according to Lynn Sweet:

O'Reilly grabbed Nicholson's arm and shoved him, another eyewitness said. Nicholson, who is 6'8, said O'Reilly called him "low class."

"He grabbed me with both his hands here," Nicholson said, gesturing to his left arm and O'Reilly "started shoving me." Nicholson said, " He was pretty upset. He was yelling at me."

Secret Service agents who were nearby flanked O 'Reilly after he pushed Nicholson. They told O'Reilly he needed to calm down and get behind the fence-like barricade that contained the press.

Obama had his back turned at this point and did not see any of this.

O'Reilly yelled "sir" at Obama and Obama walked over, not aware of what happened and told him he had an overflow crowd to visit. According to the time code from a photographer shooting the two, Obama and O'Reilly talked near 11:45 a.m. eastern time.

He just came right around the barricade. They shook hands and Mr. O’Reilly said he thought Sen. Obama was great and that he loved him and loved to have him on the show and said he would think about coming on after the primaries.


Here's a video that captures part of the incident:



This behavior on the party of O'Reilly is, in my opinion, not unlike that of a zealout who could present a security danger to a Presidential Candidate. Suppose by approaching Barack the way he did, Bill O'Relly distracted agents just enough to allow an assailant to get in? That would be more than disasterous, yet the threat is there.

For his part, Bill O'Reilly seems to revel in this and seems emboldened. Senator Obama was nice and gracious to him as is natural for a candidate of his character. But it does not discount the danger and disrespect O'Reilly's behavior brings to the Presidential Race.

New Hampshire Voters Slam Clinton; Praise Obama After Debate

As this video shows, Senator Clinton's rather wild-eyed response to John Edwards' statements that she is not the candidate of change did not set well with New Hampshire Voters.



What matters is not what the Mainstream Media thinks, but New Hampshire voters. People are not electing a policy nerd, but a leader. Obama is that person. Clinton came off as desperate and the Obama staff knew they could win just be letting Hillary be herself.

A brilliant approach; she played right along with it.

James Koteki On The Presidential Race After Iowa

James Koteki has emerged from his YouTube channel Emergency Cheese to have another video talking-head platform on Politco.com. I enjoy his modern take on politics; here he looks at the presidential race past Iowa: