In The News When Attacked, Obama's Now Hitting Back Washington Post Obama lost the New Hampshire primary after attacks from his main rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, went largely unanswered ......... they also witnessed him engage in the more mundane task of rebutting attacks ...... Let no attack go unanswered. ....... Clinton won the primary with strong support from the mailings' target audiences -- women and working-class voters. ....... the Obama team is determined not to make the same mistake. Much of the feel-good imagery was ditched in the New England snow, and it has been replaced by a more traditional campaign that rebuts and prebuts, brags about endorsements, and engages with -- rather than floats above -- the competition. ....... Gone was the sense of easy confidence that Obama carried into the last debate before the Jan. 8 New Hampshire primary. ....... "Magic" Johnson calls Obama a "rookie." ..... a rebuttal noting that Johnson in his rookie year won the MVP award in the National Basketball Association finals. ...... on the final day of the campaign, volunteers reported with dismay that many voters were asking about Obama's stance on abortion rights. ...... This week, the campaign took a more combative approach. ....... Obama let the charge go unanswered in New Hampshire. ....... charged that Obama is "hip-deep in financial ties" to Chicago-based Exelon, a nuclear plant operator that supports the Yucca Mountain waste site ........ his barbs have grown sharper. ...... he is disorganized ...... Had Obama won in New Hampshire, said one prominent Democrat, he might have become the prohibitive favorite for the nomination, "but he wouldn't be ready for the general election, he wouldn't be ready for the White House."
Barack Obama Says Dems Are in ‘Fierce Battle’ as He Enters ... FOXNews she would be a “president whose plans change with the politics of the moment” — one of his most direct critiques of the New York senator yet. ...... a union supporting Obama that began running a Spanish-language radio ad slamming Clinton over the failed Nevada lawsuit to bar the so-called “casino caucuses.” ...... “Hillary Clinton does not respect our people. Hillary Clinton supporters went to court to prevent working people to vote this Saturday — that is an embarrassment. ...... “Hillary Clinton supporters want to prevent people from voting in their workplace on Saturday. This is unforgivable. Hillary Clinton is shameless. Hillary Clinton should not allow her friends to attack our people’s right to vote this Saturday. This is unforgivable; there’s no respect Clinton and Obama seek to break deadlock in NevadaGuardian Unlimited Clinton maintaining a comfortable lead over her rivals with 41% of the vote. Obama was on 32% ...... Bill Clinton, who met with workers at the Bellagio casino, has also suggested that culinary union members are being told they must caucus for Obama. ....... a showdown between the major components of the Democratic power base in Nevada: the unions, which support Obama, and the party's leadership, which has come out for Clinton. ...... Clinton has solid support from Latino voters who favoured her by 50% to 29% over Obama ..... Obama dominated among African American voters. He had 65% support compared to 18% for Clinton. .... Clinton has a rally scheduled in Missouri while Obama heads south to Georgia. Clinton, Obama spat turns nasty on eve of caucuses AFP Clinton nine points up on Obama in Nevada, 41 to 32 percent, ahead of the notoriously tough-to-poll caucuses. Obama takes a new, direct approach to ClintonNewsday He ridiculed her economic revitalization plan as a rehash of his own, mocked her performance in Tuesday's Las Vegas debate and accused her campaign of intentionally distorting his positions. ...... he must sharpen his attacks to close the gap. ..... Thursday night when he used a little humor to mock Clinton, but with a biting edge. ...... "I have said over and over again I'm against Yucca. . . Suddenly you've got the Clinton camp out there saying, 'He's for Yucca.' What part of 'I'm not for Yucca' do you not understand?" Obama said, then laughed along with the audience. Hillary Clinton speaks of her pain and shame Times Online “I never doubted Bill’s love for me, ever,” Mrs Clinton said ...... “But I had to decide what I ought to do, I think it is so important to be able to hear yourself at a moment when it is hard . . . there are so many times when you really have to listen to yourself.” ........ she was asked by other women “all the time” about what to do with unfaithful husbands. ...... Obama said that he and the former Republican President were similar in their ability to inspire people. ..... repeatedly attacked Mrs Clinton for not “saying what she means”. ...... Obama, as a black man, is struggling to win over Hispanics in Nevada, despite his endorsement by the heavily Latino Culinary Workers Union, the state’s most powerful trade organisation. Clinton camp appears in top form rolling into today's Nevada voteSeattle Post Intelligencer The charismatic senator has been drawing wildly enthusiastic crowds. But the ground game of Sen. Hillary Clinton is operating at top form, and "Hillaryland" took on its own hue in the campaign's closing hours. Color it brown, after the Clintons' intense and visibly successful courtship of the Silver State's large Hispanic community. ....... With Ragin' Cajun consultant-turned-pundit James Carville in tow, ex-President Clinton drove out in the desert to this retirement community Friday with a message: Don't believe the good news. "Who will win depends on who wants it the worst," he declared. ...... California, the biggest delegate prize ..... Bill Clinton always runs well on a muddy track. He has passed the skill on to the missus. ....... John Kerry was hitting the pavement for Obama ..... Spats over racially suggestive remarks by Clinton supporters seem to have driven African-Americans into the Obama camp. The Illinois senator's rallies feature two other areas of his bedrock appeal, independent voters and young people. ....... "It goes along with (Obama's) plan to invite Republicans to become Democrats tomorrow and then go back to being Republicans," he told the crowd here. ........ a federal freeze on foreclosures. Clinton Seeks Blend of Policy and PersonaNew York Times There has been Strong-and-Experienced Hillary Clinton, but that proved to be so uninspiring that Change-Agent Hillary and Likable-Since-I-Was-a-Kid Hillary were rolled out. ...... Often referring to herself as a “pragmatist” who is in “the solutions business” ...... Mrs. Clinton was running to be White House chief of staff, while she and her team were saying that Mr. Obama would be so hands-off that he could not demand Truman-like accountability. ...... “in the event of an unexpected drop in poll numbers, this plane will be diverted to New Hampshire” ..... “My name is Hillary,” she told the press corps, “and I am so pleased to have most of you on board.” It's back to the future for Clinton Toronto Star
Obama supporter warns Clinton over 'racism' Telegraph.co.uk Edith Childs, the black councillor who has become a talisman for Obama's campaign after giving him his "Fired Up! Ready To Go!" campaign slogan, said black voters in her home state were "insulted" by Mrs Clinton's attempts last week to downplay the role of Martin Luther King in the passage of civil rights legislation. ..... she also expressed dismay at a campaign speech by Bill Clinton, which some interpreted as a claim that Obama's candidacy was a "fairy tale". ..... the fairy tale comment and the statement about Dr King. You don't take these things lightly ...... "The senator has coped with more racism than many people. He had a black father and a white mother. That can make it more difficult. I think he can handle whatever is thrown at him." ...... Obama has opened up a two to one lead among black voters ..... "When he won Iowa, that helped me decide. It looks like he can win." Bill's temper a problem for Clinton a series of angry red-faced outbursts. Campaign aides were so alarmed by his displays of temper that in recent days they prevented journalists from approaching Mr Clinton ...... televised harangue of a correspondent ..... Mr Clinton's headline-grabbing displays of bad temper have prompted renewed debate about whether he is an asset or liability to his wife. .... "He's a bit like Mount Vesuvius: he'll just erupt, but then it's over, because the good thing about his temper is that he doesn't bear grudges." McCain on warpath in South Carolina For the first time he now beats both Democratic favourites Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in theoretical match-ups for November's presidential election. ...... "My friends, I want to stand before you now and tell you that if I have to follow him to the gates of hell I will get Osama bin Laden and I will bring him to justice. I will get him!" he said at several rallies. ..... In October 1967 his bomber was shot down over Hanoi. He parachuted into a lake and was nearly killed by a mob. He was a prisoner of war for the next five years, enduring solitary confinement and torture. But he refused to be freed when the North Vietnamese, seeking a propaganda victory, discovered he was the son of an admiral. Now aged 71, his upper body is rigid and he cannot lift his arms over his shoulders - his wife Cindy combs his hair. ...... criticises Mrs Clinton for backing £500 million in government funding for a museum commemorating the iconic 1969 Woodstock music festival. He says: "Now my friends, I wasn't there. I'm sure it was a cultural and pharmaceutical event ... I was, I was tied up at the time."
Scenario 1: Clinton wins Nevada, Barack wins South Carolina, it is a tough fight on February 5, Barack barely wins. They end up being running mates.
Scenario 2: Clinton wins Nevada, Barack wins South Carolina, it is a tough fight on February 5, Hillary barely wins. They end up being running mates.
Scenario 3: The fight is not over on February 5.
What is working for Hillary? Bill Clinton's dirty old ways. He swift boated Barack in New Hampshire, and has not stopped trying in Nevada and elsewhere.
What could work for Barack? He seriously needs to deliver a major speech on taking race relations to the next level with a MLK tone of voice, one that brings the whites and the nonwhites together. He also has to tackle gender as a topic.
And give Bill Clinton a few staffers worth of attention. Follow his every move, every word, offer rebuttals as soon as he delivers attacks.
Although Barack has substantially narrowed Clinton's national lead, I am suprised the February 5 states are still acting quite independent of the January states. But we have two more contests this month. A South Carolina victory is going to be a huge boost for Barack.
I think California will end up deciding if it is Barack or Hillary.
(January 19)
Benazir's Death
Benazir's death shook me to my foundations. I got distracted from Obama 2008 in a major way. But after two defeats - New Hampshire and Nevada (I don't know yet for sure but I think we are on schedule to lose Nevada) - I am back in the groove. I am going to see Barack through February 5. And beyond if necessary. Barack, I am back.
Don't worry about Bill Clinton. I will take care of Bill Clinton. I will dog his moves, offer rebuttals to his nonsequential remarks. That guy thinks he is running for a third term. Somebody read to him the constitution.
I don't know as much about the US federal government as he does, yet. I don't know as much policy detail as he does, yet. And I sure don't share his taste for shaking hands. But I will go head to head with him on tactics and strategy.
Bill Clinton And Race
The so-called first black president has been shamelessly using the race card. His calling Barack a fairytale in New Hampshire, that was racist. The first viable black candidate in history is not even real, go figure.
I remember. This was long before Hillary was seeking reelection for her Senate seat. Looked like some local Republican who happened to be gay was going to challenge her. He was small fry, barely making the waves in the local media. Bill Clinton went on national TV and called him "gay." That was homophobic, but he did it. In his mind, he did it for his wife.
Now he has successfully used the race card twice in a row. Calling someone a fairytale is like saying, that guy is black, don't take him seriously.
In Nevada he went ahead and made an attempt at minority vote suppression. The courts failed him but he won the political battle. All he wanted was some racial polarization and he got it. This is racist.
In his autobiography Bill Clinton has said, "I have always loved Hillary very much, though not always not very well." New Hampshire and Nevada have been the not very well parts.
He is going to make a big attempt on that same theme in California. If he also succeeds there - and he will if Barack stays above the fray - Obama 2008 is over on February 6.
New Kind Of Politics Can Still Be Pragmatic And Realist
When you get hit, you hit back. That is fundamental to campaigning. That is like one of those Newton's laws of motion.
Where you can differ is on how you hit back. You can get mean when hitting back. You can lie when hitting back. You can engage in the politics of personal destruction when hitting back. All that is old school, all that is slash and burn, all that is so 1990s, Barack is saying no to all that. He is turning the page.
But that does not change the you got to hit back part.
So how do you hit back?
Hillary has been making the rounds saying Barack is a talker, not a doer. That is a hit. Where is the counter hit? A good, effective counterhit would be this: Hillary sure is a doer, she did the Iraq War, didn't she?
That reflex action you got to show, otherwise voters lose respect for you. If you don't go for that reflex action, you end up being Adlai Stevenson, not JFK. They are not even going to consider you for running mate. You remain a black guy.
Rapid Response
There is an urgent need for this.
Rescue Mission
Barack has to give a major speech on how he will take race relations in America to the next level. The best timing would be one day before the South Carolina primary. It has to appeal to both whites and blacks, MLK style. And it would be take if he would also bring along the gender theme a little. The speech is at the bottom of this page: JFK, Obama Parallels: Catholic, Black. This could end up his most important speech for the entire primary season, the speech that turned things around.
US Presidential Candidates Prepare for Contests in Nevada, South ...Voice of America to cite a Bible verse in support of her main argument against Sen. Barack Obama. ..... "As the Scripture reminds us, we cannot be just hearers to the word, we must be doers," she declared. The mostly African American congregation applauded and murmured in agreement. ..... Clinton has resumed her role as the forceful aggressor in the Democratic presidential race, showing few signs of vulnerability, and playing down her emotions in favor of a heavy emphasis on policy details. ...... her advisers have been mounting a fierce behind-the-scenes effort to undercut Obama and lower expectations for Clinton ..... California, the biggest prize of Super Tuesday ........ Clinton has returned to her pre-Iowa days. ...... payments of $650 per person to help people, especially seniors on fixed incomes, pay utility bills; mandatory preschool; a $30 billion fund to help communities cope with the mortgage crisis; a $200 million program over five years to help communities transition ex-convicts back into society. ....... I've been around long enough to know that you don't make things disappear by just talking about it -- you've got to have action. ........ when Dr. King was taken from us too soon, he was marching for economic justice ...... "And there still is a long way to go today, particularly when it comes to voting rights and job discrimination." ...... that we do deliver on the dream that all of us know should be a reality," she said, "and not just a hope." A Newly Confident Clinton Focuses More on Economy Than on Obama Washington Post Obama delivers blistering attack on Clinton Baltimore Sun In one of his fiercest attacks yet on his leading challenger, Barack Obama today accused Hillary Clinton of stealing his ideas, frequently being wrong on policy decisions and lacking honesty with voters. ....... I was very popular when I was 20 points down. I was a good American, wonderful inspiration," he said. "Funny how politics works." ......... the foreclosure crisis that is responsible for so much of the economic duress the country is facing ...... "She said she voted for it, but she hoped that the bill would die," he said. "Think about that. She voted for it, even though she hoped it wouldn't pass." ........ "Part of my job in this race is to restore people's sense that you say what you mean and you mean what you say," he said, almost yelling. "I'm happy to put my record against almost anybody. But what I don't want is the experience of playing a bunch of political games, tit-for-tat, partisian nonsense that doesn't actually solve the problems that hard-working Americans are facing. We don't need more of that experience. We need a change in America." Obama in northern NV, as poll shows him behind Baltimore Sun Obama camp claims victory in casino caucus caseGuardian Unlimited Obama mocks Clinton 'impatience'BBC News Clinton and Obama go all-in in Nevada AFP Clinton holds narrow Nevada lead on Obama: pollReuters Bill Clinton, Stumping and Simmering New York Times Poll: Clinton, Romney Ahead in NevadaThe Associated Press Clinton leads Obama 49 percent to 28 percent among women and 50 percent to 29 percent among Hispanics. Obama leads Clinton 65 percent to 18 percent among blacks. The two candidates split the support of men almost evenly — 37 percent for Obama, 30 percent for Clinton. Clinton holds narrow Nevada lead on Obama: pollReuters Clinton leads in Nevada, gets endorsement Boston Globe Obama ratchets-up pressure over Clinton's senate recordGuardian Unlimited Clinton plays gaming card against ObamaLos Angeles Times Florida: Giuliani Romney McCain Virtually Tied PoliGazette CIA blames Al Qaeda, Taliban for Bhutto assassination Christian Science Monitor Pakistan kills dozens of militants in Bhutto suspect's denAFP Asia to dominate WiMax market by 2013 VNUNet.com ComScore: Google held 31.3% online video market share in NovemberCNNMoney.com Acer, HP, Dell plan Eee rivals Sky News a new chip from Intel will see an influx of Asus Eee-alikes to the market this year. ..... Asus' 7-inch UMPC has taken the portables market by storm with its super low-cost, its small form factor and easy to use charm. ...... Intel's Shelton'08 chip that uses Intel's single-core Diamondville CPU with a core frequency of 1.6GHz, 533MHz FSB and power consumption of 3.5W. Nevada Basks in a New Political Sun New York Times Clinton Kicks Off California TV Campaign New York Times New ad features Huckabee’s praise of McCain The Hill Clinton, Obama vow to bury race debate Leading The Charge Clinton and Barack Obama blamed aides and campaign surrogates Tuesday night for fueling a campaign controversy over race, jointly pledging on the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. to put the matter behind them. ..... the former first lady won a meaningless Michigan presidential primary ..... Edwards said he had changed his mind on the issue, citing new scientific evidence about its risks.
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