The Last Throes Of The McCain Campaign

There are less than 26 hours before all the polls close on election day and all signs point toward an Obama victory (that doesn't mean you do not have to go out and volunteer and fight until every ballot is counted). That is a tremendous thing for America and the fact that we as a nation can elect an African-American to be our President. For the McCain/Palin ticket however, it means the ugliness continues to dig new depths.

From TPM:

In a speech just now in Missouri, Sarah Palin unleashed some of the most ostentatious POW-POW-POWing of the campaign, and strongly implied that Dems think the "terrorists" are the "good guys."

After saying that some Dems want to cut defense spending by a quarter, she said:

"What do they think? Do they think that the terrorists have all of a sudden become the good guys, and changed their minds? No! The terrorists still seek to destroy America and her allies and all that it is that is that we stand for: Freedom, tolerance, equality."

What she stands for is anything but freedom, tolerance and equality. Freedom only applies if you adhere to her narrow right-wing views. Tolerance for "good Christians" in "pro-America" and fugheddaboutit if you live in a big city. Equality, now that is just an outright joke. I wonder if anyone at her sparsely attended rally laughed. Most likely not, because they are probably getting ready to cry tomorrow night as the returns come in.

As for the bit about Democrats thinking that terrorists are good guys, I've got four letters for her on that:

S.T.F.U!

Boehner Calls Obama Chickenshit Straight From The Coop

This weekend the surrogates were out in full force for both candidates but the tone of both sides couldn't be more different. House Minority Leader John Boehner for example, talked about Obama's "present" votes in the Illinois Legislature, calling him "chickenshit" for not voting yes or no on certain legislation. Of course, with anything Republicans use to attack their opponents across the aisle, there is a certain level of another animal's excrement and a layer of hypocrisy on top of it.

From Yahoo News:

While campaigning for Republican presidential candidate John McCain on Wednesday, Boehner told a small crowd at a bar in the college town of Oxford that failing to vote "yes" or "no" on an issue meant a lawmaker was a "chickens---."

The Ohio congressman said the last thing the country needs is to have a "chicken" in the White House.[...]

In the Illinois General Assembly, "present" votes are common and used for far more than avoiding a difficult choice. At times lawmakers vote "present" when they have a conflict of interest. In other cases, they do it to register opposition to a procedural decision or to signal that they support a bill's goal but feel the legislation is flawed.

In Obama's case, the 129 "present" votes amounted to about 3.5 percent of the votes he cast in nearly eight years as a state senator.

During his talk, Boehner also disparaged Obama's work as a community organizer.

"This guy was a community organizer for 20 years," Boehner said. "If somebody can tell me what a community organizer is, maybe I can understand it better."

I'd love for Boehner to say that to the face of a community organizer but I'm guessing he is too much of a coward. The truth is, community organizers do an incredible amount of hard work for our nation and for Republicans to use this as a campaign attack is sickening to organizers in both parties.

Now back to the issue of legislative voting. Boehner goes after Obama for the "present" votes that make up 3.5 percent, but it is Boehner who has missed more than five percent of all his votes in Congress since 1991 (and don't even get me started on McCain's voting habits recently). And then there are the votes he did show up for such as hate crimes legislation, but the ignorance and bigotry they rest on isn't out of courage, but cowardly political expediency.

Talk about a chickenshit legislator!

Obama Chides McCain For Trying To Change The Subject

McCain has said that he does not want to talk about the economy anymore, especially since it is harming his poll numbers. Instead he wants to go as negative on Barack as he possibly can. Well Obama isn't going to let him get away with it, and neither should the voters of this country.

With Campaign On The Ropes, McCain Is Getting Meaner

We're now officially one month out from election day and things are looking horrific for John McCain. His failed conservative ideas are tanking among the people and his choice of Sarah Palin has moderates and independents panicking. Liberals were already scared shitless of a McCain Administration from the get go. So the only hope left for the McPalin ticket is to go even more negative and basically be downright nasty. The shadow campaigns talking about Obama being the anti-Christ is nothing compared to what we are about to see. In fact, the smearing has already begun.

From The Pennsylvania Progressive:

A former POW companion of John McCain's, campaigning for him yesterday in Pennsylvania, invoked the holocaust in warning about Barack Obama. Colonel Tom Moe, who occupied the adjacent cell to McCain at the Hanoi Hilton, called Barack Obama a dangerous demagogue whose rhetoric could cause a new holocaust while speaking in Harrisburg at the Republican Party headquarters.

The story was reported by David Spett of Capitaolwire (subscription only) yesterday following the controversial event:

"All we have to do is open up the history books and look at what the fruits of demagoguery are," Moe said. "When any individual or group tries to pick up a target of opportunity to blame social problems on ... the results can be catastrophic. And you can choose any point in history that you want."

Asked whether Obama's statements could cause an event like the Holocaust, Moe responded: "If you like."

That's right, a vote for Obama is a vote for fire and brimstone. Of course, there is no proof or substance of any kind to back up what Colonel Moe says. For McCain and friends, it is all about provoking mass fear among the public in hope that the public will vote irrationally. Oh and it is only October 4th, comparisons between an Obama presidency and the Holocaust is just the beginning.

Obama Is Ready For The Right Wing Smear Machine

Don't expect the Obama campaign to be anything like John Kerry's general election bid from four years ago. Gone are the days where it takes weeks or months for the Democratic nominee to respond to myriad attacks from the right. Gone are the times where we do not stand up for the principles we believe in. Gone are the ways that Republicans can win through fear and manipulation. This year, our candidate is going a different route, he is fighting back and fighting hard. That is partly due to the creation of an anti-smear squad, because smearing is the only way Republicans can win.

From TPM:

Barack Obama's campaign is taking the various rumors about him very seriously, and have rolled out a new Web site specifically to combat them, FightTheSmears.com.

The final straw was the story that there was a tape of Michelle Obama making incendiary statements at Trinity United Church of Christ -- a story that appears to have been based on a political novel. Other phony rumors being addressed so far are that he is supposedly a Muslim, was educated in a madrassa, that his books contain racially offensive statements, and that he won't say the Pledge of Allegiance.

By November people will know who Barack Obama is not from false attacks, but from what they see and hear from Barack Obama and his prior accomplishments. As for John McCain, his record will show through whatever he tries to spin, either about himself or attacking Barack Obama.

Obama Wins More Delegates As Clinton's Camp "Deplores" Negativity

Apparently to a Clinton-ite it is "mean" to ask your opponent to disclose your records. Her aides are complaining about Obama's supposed "negative" campaigning, which is in reference to wanting the public to know her record on earmarks, her taxes, White House schedules and of course those mysterious Clinton Library funders. Aww, poor Hillary Clinton. It looks like she can't take a fraction of what she dishes out at Senator Obama.

From AmericaBlog:

Sounds like today's Clinton campaign conference call was a real hoot. Ben Smith has the report. They're all freaked out that Obama is going to challenge Clinton on issues of "ethics and transparency." This coming from the campaign that promised to throw the "kitchen sink" at Obama. From the over-the-top reaction of Team Clinton, it sure sounds like they've got something to hide. Otherwise, they'd release the 2001- 2006 tax forms, the Senate earmarks, the White House schedules and the funders of the Clinton library already.

Lots and lots of whining from Team Clinton over the challenge for her to be transparent. Why is that? And, who knew they were so fragile. How would Team Clinton ever handle the GOP if they can't take this scrutiny from Obama?

While the Clinton campaign is busy holding conference calls to spin the media and complain that Obama is being mean, the Obama camp is busy racking up delegates. He picked up 14 more delegates yesterday. That's how you win the nomination. And, that's why Hillary Clinton is losing.

Looks like her "experience" is failing her yet again.

I See Flames

At first there was a hint of smoke in the air in Iowa, but quickly went away in New Hampshire and Nevada. South Carolina brought a quick whiff of carbon but I didn't see any smoke until Super Tuesday when Clinton had some nice wins but nothing too impressive. Obama did win more states after all. Yet during the rest of this month, the smoke got darker and billowed from her campaign with the ferocity of significant fire. Well now I can see the flames.

From The Huffington Post:

"Tonight I want to talk to you about the choice you have in this election and why that choice matters," the New York Democrat declared. "It is about picking a president who relies not just on words but on work, on hard work to get America back to work. That's our goal!"

Clinton's speech -- which included neither a concession nor a congratulations to Obama -- was cut off only minutes in as all the news networks switched to cover Obama's remarks.

Of the dueling speeches Tim Russert, on MSNBC, said:

"I thought tonight when Hillary Clinton started speaking the Obama people were stepping back saying alright you go first you are the loser. When they heard no concession or no graciousness quote on quote coming from Hillary Clinton they decided why allow her an opportunity to criticize us? We are going to go out there and proclaim victory."

Obama did claim his victory, and rightly so. People are looking for a change in this country and Barack is ready to give it to us. Unfortunately the same can not be said of Hillary. If you caught her speech from Ohio and her "introduction," you might even see the same flames that I'm looking at.

"We can't just have speeches, we've got to have solutions," she declared, "and we need those solutions for America. We've got to get America back in the solutions business. Because while words matter, the best words in the world aren't enough unless you match them with action."

Those remarks, however, paled in comparison to the criticisms launched by Clinton's introductory speaker, Machinists Union President Tom Buffenbarger. As Ken Vogel reported for Politico, Buffenbarger "compared Obama with 'Janus, the two-faced god' of Roman mythology. He called him 'silver tongued' and a 'thespian' and 'the man in love with the microphone.'"

"He's not just a trained thespian, he's a terrific shadow boxer. You know the type. Outside the ring, he pretends he can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee," he said. "But Barack Obama is no Muhammad Ali. He took a walk every time there was a tough vote in the Illinois state Senate. He took a walk more than 130 times. That's what a shadow boxer does. All the right moves, all the right combinations, all the right footwork, but he never steps into the ring. He walks away from the fight."

If Tom Buffenbarger or Hillary Clinton think that type of attack is going to win any votes, they have another thing coming. Americans in general and Democrats specifically are sick and tired of the negativity in politics. Clinton isn't saying anything new and that is one of the main reasons she is losing so many contests. When the Democrats go up against McCain, we want to see a clear difference in the candidates and having someone with a positive attitude is definitely something we need.

Feel The Negativity

Keep the focus on you in your ads Hillary. Is this what your supporters are donating their hard-earned money to?



We'll see how Wisconsin voters respond to that, especially after hearing this from Barack:



As a voter that hasn't made up their mind yet watched all eighteen debates, which ad appeals to you more?

Turning Bill Around

Hillary's campaign couldn't help but notice the negative press that her husband is attracting, and how she completely bombed in South Carolina this past weekend. It was known for a while that she'd lose the Palmetto state, but never by the greater than two to one margin that we saw on Saturday. Now the nasty Bill (or at least that is how he is being portrayed) needs to go away and the nice (or pre-Iowa caucus) Bill is about to return.

From The NY Times:

After a week of all-out campaigning by Mr. Clinton in South Carolina, where Mrs. Clinton came in a distant second to Mr. Obama, there is also fresh concern among some advisers that Mr. Clinton’s visibility has dented her argument that she has the best experience for the job.

These advisers expressed concern that the specter of a co-candidacy and co-presidency could bring back elements of the Clinton history that many Democrats would just as soon leave behind.

Representative Charles B. Rangel of New York, a leading supporter of Mrs. Clinton, said on Sunday that Mr. Clinton was going to pull back. “He’s got to,” Mr. Rangel said. “The focus has got to get back on Hillary. For all that he cares about his wife, this has to be her election to win, and it’s become too much about his role.”

The problem for the Clintons' campaign (was that a grammatical mistake? oops) is that the damage may already be done. Ted Kennedy was reported to have endorsed Obama specifically because of Bill's remark about Jesse Jackson. Now he'll actively campaign for Barack. The endorsements have racked up in the last few days for Obama, from authors like Toni Morrison and another Kennedy named Caroline. Of course no one knows how this will play out a week from tomorrow when California, New York and many other states conduct their primaries, but this can't help the Clinton campaign at all.

Can't We All Just Get Along?

The battle for the Democratic nomination has turned quite ugly in the last couple of weeks. Seems those caucuses and primaries have a huge effect on people. Race cards and gender cards have been thrown around like a pack of bicycle cards, and messier than when put pressure on both ends of the deck and have each card rocket out of your hand. Thankfully Barack Obama made the first move, by offering some sort of olive branch, before we descend into Republican ethics (meaning none whatsoever).

From Barack:

You have seen a tone on the Democrat[ic] side of the campaign that has been unfortunate. I want to stipulate a couple of things. I may disagree with Senator Clinton and Senator Edwards on how to get there, but we share the same goals. We all believe in civil rights. We all believe in equal rights. They are good people. They are patriots....

I don't want the campaign at this stage to degenerate to so much tit-for-tat, back-and-forth, that we lose sight of why we are doing this.

Obama said he wants to send "a strong signal to my own supporters that let’s try to focus on the work that needs to get done. If I hear my own supporters engaging in talk that I think is ungenerous or misleading or unfair, I will speak out forcefully against it....

Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton have historically been on the right side of civil rights issues. They care about the African American community.... That is something I am convinced of. I want Americans to know that is my assessment.

O.k., very good Mr. Obama. Now, what say you Hillary?

"Over this past week, there has been a lot of discussion and back and forth - 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 and our nation is bigger than this. 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.

"We differ on a lot of things. And it is critical to have the right kind of discussion on where we stand. But when it comes to civil rights and our commitment to diversity, when it comes to our heroes - President John F. Kennedy and Dr. King - Senator Obama and I are on the same side.

"And in that spirit, let's come together, because I want more than anything else to ensure that our family stays together on the front lines of the struggle to expand rights for all Americans."

Now was that so hard to do? The trick now is to stick to that and run with it to the convention or until one or the other (or both) drop out beforehand.

Hillary's Pathetic Attacks On Obama

HotLine TV discusses Hillary's bad poll numbers, how her negative campaigning tactics are ultimately hurting her and what will happen from here on out for the Hillster: