Indiana Shocker - Key Defection -Will It Open The Floodgates?
Of all the switch-overs in this crazy nominating race, none is more significant than the crossover of Joe Andrew, former Democratic National Chairman, appointed by President Bill Clinton. The most important aspect of his move to Obama were the comments that came with it - his impassioned plea for other Super Delegates to follow the lead and embrace Obama.
Andrew, one of the first to endorse Clinton last year, and an Indiana native, used as his rationale the need to end the political bloodletting and unify the Democratic Party. His nod to Obama follows a similar move from a key Indiana Congressman a few days ago.
When the book is written on this one, the Joe Andrew defection might be viewed as a turning point. His move could bring on a minor wave of commitments from other Super Delegates.
Other political notes: Obama has changed his media strategy, by appearing on morning shows and late night shows like Letterman, Other candidates, especially Clinton, have learned that appearing on these shows can show their personal side to voters. I even saw a tape of Michelle and Barack Obama on the Rachael Ray show.
Hillary Clinton has been curiously low key this week. There is very little bravado on the stump. Is she morphing into a kinder, gentler candidate. And Bill? Where is he. He has also been very quiet.
John McCain’s campaign is starting to realize that will haved to run against W. He’s already mocked Mission Accomplished back in 2003, and will continue to find ways to separate himself from the President. The war has not gone well in the last month. McCain needs space between himself and the White House.
Hello Larry-the real shocker will be Hillary winning indiana after being down in double digits and the real miracle will be Hillary making north carolina a competitive race after being down close to 20 points,and Hillary taking both races will be the ‘turning point’,we
will see what happens.
all the polls are showing that Hillary will beat mcbush i mean mccain in november.
this week may the beginning of the end for barry obama his poll numbers are sharply dropping as possible problems in his personal life are starting to surface (michelle is furious about something)and along with rev wracist looming in the background with ’speeches’ in may and june.
Larry,the bias media want to call the game but the Clinton’s are the best in the business and they see something the blinded media does not ,however the Dime a Dozen Clinton Bashers/bloggers and tv talking heads will spin it and spin it and spin it, until tuesday night.
I saw Hillary on O’Reilly Fox the last couple of nights…seems to me Hill batted a few extra-base hits, with no strike-outs…maybe Hill is our gal…she certainly did look “Presidential”. I guess that is why John McC is going on O’Reilly Fox next week…gotta have Obama on O’Reilly Fox, too!
Gotta give the Fox viewers a chance to make up their minds, we aren’t all ideologues, you know.
Yes, fair and balanced!
Hillary knocked it out of the park on O’reilly. If she only had the courage to have gone on there months ago and perform like that she’d be the nominee right now. It’s ironic that Hillary finds a friend in Fox New’s, I felt like pigs were flying seeing her on there having a love fest with Bill. It was also interesting to see Bill later disect the interview and access how males might interview females differently. You won’t see that on the bias networks, who have already ordained Obama. I doubt the Brown One will venture onto O’reilly, too much to lose at this point, Hillary had nothing to lose and it really paid off for her.
Bill & Monica in the Oval Office with a cigar. Bill-O and Hillary in his apartment with a loofah and a falafel.
George, it’s not ironic that Hillary is finding support on a right wing partisan news network. Remember that Rush Limbaugh is again exhorting his dittoheads to vote for her in Indiana and North Carolina. Remember that Richard Mellon Scaife, he of the VAST RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY, endorsed Hillary this year, as did his Pennsylvania newspaper in Pittsburgh (the only major city paper to endorse her). The GOP attack machine is also focused solely on Obama and has given Hillary a pass for now. See a pattern developing?
If you can’t, let me spell it out for you. The right wing wants Hillary to get the nomination because they know it will damage the Democratic Party in a deep and fundamental way.
Joe Andrews sees this. It’s why, when he left the Clinton camp, he wrote that a vote for Hillary is a vote for John McCain. I would expect additional superdelgates to rally around Obama if he is remotely competitive in Indiana and North Carolina. Hillary isn’t making headway in the delegate count. She’s not going to win the popular vote. If she “steals” the nomination, then hello President McCain. At least Joe Andrew is principled enough to put the party first.
And now that it’s come to light that Clinton operatives have been making illegal robo-calls in NC to suppress black voter turnout–right out of Jesse Helms’ playbook–Zogby’s latest poll has Obama up 50% to her 34%. They have a dead heat in Indiana. If she can’t win both of these states, even in the wake of the Wright outbursts of this past week, then she should hang it up.
p.s. If you think this is only about the presidential election, you’d be sadly mistaken. The GOP is incredibly vulnerable in the Senate races right now, with many of its seats in play, especially because of the numbers of retirements and resignations. If the GOP can help Hillary fracture the Democratic party by “stealing” the nomination, and thereby keep African-American turn out down this fall, the downticket effect will be staggering, and the Democrats will lose their slender majority in the Senate, which they may lose prior to the election anyway if Joe Lieberman stops caucusing with the Democrats and jumps over to join his buddy John McCain.
I’m not an advocate of “party first”. Heck, I’m a Republican, look where that’s gotten us. I don’t really want to contemplate either a McCain or a another Clinton Presidency. I think McCain’s problems are obvious, but as I ‘ve said before, if Clinton squeaks her way back into the Oval Office, it will be without a strong Democratic boost in the Congress, leaving a continued weak majority, too weak to move much legislation or to force it’s way back to parity with the Executive. I once thought the Republicans would help there (to stymie the Clintons) but they have their own skeletons. And frankly, pandering your way to second place isn’t exactly a glowing example of leadership on her part.
leo-Hillary is looking very presidential with her ability to talk about all issues to all americans,to say she will be ’stealing’ the nomination is just silly you are starting to sound like Al Sharpton.
the facts are she’s the stronger and tougher candidate the country needs a strong/tough/smart president not a moderator/basketball player.
leo-we are not having a mudslinging contest so stop before you start!
If she doesn’t win both NC and IN she’s cooked despite the fact that BO appears to be tiring of the process. If he gets a 2nd wind he’ll coast in.
The more she talks, the more she gets herself in trouble.
Remember the “L” word - and I don’t mean liberal.
This party is SO fractured that even Johnny Mc might beat them.
JR, I sound like Al Sharpton? Obama is a basketball player? And we’re not having a mudslinging contest? Your comments are about as disingenuous as Hillary’s racial smears of Obama.
The only way Hillary is looking presidential is that her negatives are going up–just like Bush’s–but the GOP hasn’t even started dragging her dirty laundry out yet. She can pander to all people, but she’s really just a stuffed pantsuit.
If Clinton really wants a summertime gas tax holiday, shouldn’t she get her butt to Washington and introduce some legislation soon? Or else would that mean her plan gets held up to the scrutiny of hearings and expert testimony.
You’re either with me or you’re with the oil companies.
SteveMG, that sounds very presidential. ;)
She actually said something like that when asked about Obama’s opposition. She said it’s an elitist position and shows that he’s on the side of the oil companies.
P’zactly. She threatened Democrats in Congress to follow her into the abyss of a ridiculous policy gaffe. That’s a good way to persuade superdelegates.
JR, Leo got big kudos from Larry this week! He’s earned them. I tried to lure him to the McCain camp if Obama lost, as I identified his intellect and sound logic well before Larry if you check the record. But JR that’s not to diminsh your dogged contributions in defense of Hillary. She looked down right hot for a 60yr old on O’Reilly, and has been added to the “to do” list of thousands of virle white working men in trailer parks across the country. Let’s have the Audacity of Hope to recognize It Takes a Village! May the best Democrat win on Tuesday!
george-you’re right Leo has an edge with some humor,,,that trailer park comment is funny stuff,
on Hillary a miracle will have to happen for her to get what she deserves,
Hillary is Hot (for sixty) and Chelsea is hot (for any age)and smart!
and george just your opinion who do you think has proved to be the best candidate?
Hillary is far from dead. She will fight until they, ” carry her out on a stretcher”.
Bill Clinton is doing Sherman’s march to the sea in North Carolina.
Hillary is Catherine the Great of America.
She will claw, scratch, charm, wile, and threaten until she reaches her objective.
If Obama can win North Carolina and Indiana, he will have stopped the threat. But, even here, it will go the convention.
As of for Bill nothing is beneath him.
Expect surprises.
Jack, I was seduced by Obama and was a Hillary hater at the begining. I cannot beleive how much she has improved and grown in this process. Obama got a free pass in the press until recently and had they done their job months ago Obama would have blown up faster than Gary Hart on the Monkey Business boat. But he got a free pass and now he will likely be the nominee. McCain will trounce him, and frankly I think Hillary could beat McCain. So I hear your frustration, thanks to Fox New for telling us the truth. If this Wright stuff were crap, then it would have faded, but the fact that Wright wants to now take Obama down is huge, and recalls in some ways the discord that erupted when Malcolm X was on the rise, and petty jealousy among blacks juxtaposing for leadership caused him to be assinated from within. Look for Larry to make this anology in a few weeks ;)
george-thanks for you honesty,i had that same malcolm X thought when i watched the rev racist acting like a lunatic last week.
JR, Hillary is “hot for 60″? How old are you dude? Christie Brinkley is smoking hot for 54. Jane Fonda still looks good at 60+. HRC did not look good at 20. She looks like your grandmother.
Chelsea, unfortunately, looks like Howdy Doody. Hope she doesn’t get Mom’s thunder thighs.
You need to take those rose colored Clinton glasses off from time to time. They are really distorting your judgement.
Peter Roach, new player or new pseudonym?
HRC the “Catherine the Great of America”?
You need to explain that comment, dude. She does view herself as American Royalty and believes she’s earned the nomination with her “35 years of experience”. My question is this, how long would CTG have put up a serial philandering husband?
As for your comments about the former First Felon, I could not agree more.
George, it is not too late to return from the darkside. Obama MAY not be the answer but HRC is NOT the answer.
Fuck.