Bill Clinton Is Still Relevant

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Bill Frist's Ancestors Came From The Moon
Bill Clinton Had Icecream For Lunch
Bill Clinton Has Left The Building

Edwards takes shots at Clinton 'nostalgia' Chicago Tribune casting the 2008 election as "a choice between looking back and looking forward" and warning that "those wedded to the policies of the '70s, '80s, or '90s are wedded to the past." ..... not-so-subtle swipes at the "third way" politics of Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton. .... railed against "a vision for the future that is rooted in nostalgia." ..... "The trouble with nostalgia is that you tend to remember what you liked and forget what you didn't," Edwards said, according to a copy of the speech provided by his campaign. "It's not just that the answers of the past aren't up to the job today, it's that the system that produced them was corrupt -- and still is." ...... We cannot triangulate our way to real change; we cannot compromise our way to real change .... several recent surveys show him slipping ..... he's struggling to match Obama and Clinton in fundraising. ..... "Angry attacks on other Democrats won't improve Sen. Edwards' flagging campaign," Baker said in an e-mail statement. "Sen. Clinton has been fighting for America's families for 35 years and has the experience to lead on day one."

John Edwards needs to calm down. He is not going to be the nominee, he is not going to be president. But if he behaves, he can get a cabinet position in an Obama administration.

An Obama Administration

Bill Clinton is still relevant. And Hillary could be a Senator for decades. That is called being relevant.

It is called making medical advances. 30 years from now Bill Clinton will still be offering his insight into contemporary politics then. He will still be called on by reporters to give his take on people running for president.

Bill Clinton is relevant and healthy and dynamic. Look at the globe trotting he does. I think he works harder now than when he was president. If he retired, noone explained to him the concept.

His work in Africa has been amazing. His personal friendship with Mandela is vastly inspiring. The African American median income went up when he was president. Black America loves him and for good reason. This white boy from Arkansas works as if he is trying to make amends for all the racial sins of his South, past and present.

The truth is a little more basic than that. This guy is a born politician. He just likes meeting people. All sorts of people. If you are a Homo Sapien, he wants to look you in the eye.

Bill Clinton's policies are relevant. He balanced the budget. The next president is going to have to. Some president is going to have to reintroduce the information age and the dot com boom. You can not let go of the wisdom of the earned income tax credit like Edwards seems to have let go. Maybe President Obama will be loved again like President Clinton was by the masses in the poor countries. That loveydobey thing is still relevant.

John Edwards, Voucher Man, Is A Republican

Of course Bill Clinton was and is for publicly financed elections, but while he waited for that to happen, he went ahead and tried and raised more money than the Republicans. What would Jesus do?

Bill Clinton continues to be an inspiration to progressives in America and to progressives around the world.

Barack Vs Hillary

1. Barack is 2008. Edwards is 2004. Hillary is 1990s. McCain is 1970s.
   
2. Barack has been an elected official longer than Hillary. He is the one who is experienced.
   
3. Barack is fresh.
   
4. Barack has low negatives.
   
5. Barack raised more money than Hillary starting from the very first quarter. That showed people who were paying attention liked him more.
6. Barack had twice as many contributors than Hillary starting from the very first quarter.
7. Barack is the grassroots candidate. That makes him more of a Democrat.
   
8. Barack has the youth excited.
   
9. He reminds people of Bobby Kennedy.
10. Barack has not had Clinton's name recognition. And so he has lagged in national polls. But he is looking great in the early state polls where voters are actually paying attention.
    
11. Most Americans a few months into 1992 thought Bill Clinton had a rich father. It did not matter the guy did not even have a father. People will get to know Barack alright.
    
12. Only 10% of Americans know today who they will vote for in 2008.
    
13. Only a few months back, more than half of America had never heard of Barack. That might be hard for the hard core to believe, but that is true.
    
14. Barack is young and dynamic.
15. He has not been in Washington so long that he no longer makes sense.
    
16. He is capable of creating a majority like Reagan in 1984, LBJ in 1964. I guess it happens once every 20 years or so, and now is the time.
    
17. His father was from Africa.
18. His mother was from Kansas.
19. He grew up in Hawaii. That is exotic.
20. He also grew up in Indonesia. That is super exotic. To me.
21. With Barack, you get universal health insurance before his first term is over. With Hillary you get that by the end of her second term. That is her way of saying she will not have a second term, and you will not have health insurance.
22. Barack is a big deal in Chicago.
23. Barack stood against the dumb invasion of Iraq from the very outset.
    
24. Barack will refocus the efforts to go get Bin Laden. He will also elbow out Musharraf who, by the way, is a dictator, kind of like Saddam. But he never said he will invade Pakistan. It is not Barack, it is Bush who invades.
    
25. He will take the black people to the promised land.
    
26. He is white, he is black, he is biracial, he is African, he is Midwest, he is Third World. That is what I call a package deal.
27. He got the smarts.
    
28. He went to Columbia, he went to Harvard.
    
29. He smoked pot. Is that cool or what? Hillary never did.
    
30. They love him on the South Side of Chicago.
    
31. He has had the same barber for 20 years. That is really something.
    
32. He is a great basketball player. Only a few days back, he hit a three pointer, and he was not even warmed up, was dressed like a lawyer, and it was on camera.
    
33. He will get out of Iraq the smart way. You end up with no American troops inside Iraq and a stable, democratic Iraq.
34. With him in the White House, America gets back onto the global map. How would you like to get popular?
35. Finally the 21st Century that was supposed to have arrived in 2000 will arrive.
    
36. He will slash the deficits.
37. He will slash the tax cuts to the super rich.
38. He will go after the debt over time.
39. He will fix schools.
40. He will be good for broadband.
    
41. New industries will get created.
    
42. We already went to the moon. Now we go to Africa.
43. The gender dynamic in the country goes up one notch. Michelle will make sure that happens. It is called leading by example.
44. How would you like to see two cute kids on the White House lawn? When was the last time that happened?
    
45. It is the cool factor. Barack is in.
    

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An Obama Administration

In The News

Fox News poll gives Giuliani & Clinton solid leads USA Today Rudy Giuliani leads his nearest Republican rival (Fred Thompson) by 15 percentage points and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton leads the second-place Democrat (Sen. Barack Obama) by 13 points in the latest national poll done for Fox News Channel by Opinion Dynamics Corp. ..... margins of error of +/- 5 percentage points
FOX News Poll: New Yorkers Clinton, Giuliani Top 2008 Choices ... FOX News The new poll shows that Clinton holds a double-digit lead over Barack Obama, topping him by 13 percentage points — 38 percent to 25 percent — among Democrats. That’s down slightly from a 16-point edge in July. John Edwards is third and is now in single digits with 8 percent. .... the number of undecided Democratic voters is 15 percent today — double the number that said they were unsure two months ago (7 percent, June 26-27). ...... "By next month the window for dark horses to enter either race will pretty much close unless a top candidate takes a huge fall." ...... While Gingrich has yet to make a formal announcement about his candidacy, he was recently spending time in Iowa during the straw poll process. ..... Nearly one in four Republicans (23 percent) say they don’t know which candidate they would vote for if the primary were held today. .... a 60 percent majority disapproves of the job Congress is doing and 56 percent disapprove of President Bush’s job performance ..... one of five people (24 percent) say they approve of the job Congress is doing, including 26 percent of Democrats and 23 percent of Republicans. ..... Approval of Congress was 29 percent in November 2006, right before the mid-term elections. .... A 63 percent majority of Republicans approves of Bush, as do 21 percent of independents and 11 percent of Democrats. ...... By more than two-to-one (57 percent to 24 percent) the public supports passage of an Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights that would require airlines to provide passengers with things like fresh water and clean bathrooms, as well as possibly the right to exit the airplane when there are flight delays.
Barack Obama's Republican edge Salon
Iowa Caucus: Wooing One Voter at a Time Forbes If Hillary Rodham Clinton wins Iowa's presidential caucuses, it won't be because of endorsements or poll numbers. ..... She's very strong, she's very smart and I'm glad she's a woman ...... In Iowa, it's all about getting people to the caucuses on a cold night this winter. .... Democratic candidates have mounted vast organizational efforts across Iowa, deploying hundreds of staff and volunteers to feed, court and cajole finicky caucus-goers months before a vote is cast. ....... Angelique Pirozzi, who runs Clinton's Iowa field program. "It's fundamentally a program of relationships." ...... 19 field offices and hiring more than 100 staffers .... Supporters are being recruited to chair each of the state's 99 counties and 1,784 precincts. ..... Identifying supporters and persuading them to caucus for a candidate remains a slow and meticulous process for all the campaigns. Democratic campaigns also focus much of their efforts in rural Republican-leaning counties, where even a handful of supporters showing up on caucus night can yield delegates for a candidate. ...... In Primghar, just nine voters showed up for what was billed as the Clinton campaign's O'Brien County kickoff meeting. ..... The group was treated to pizza.. Attendees listened and asked questions, but by the end most remained uncommitted. ..... "I'll speak personally to people. I'm not a great phone person," McCarty replied. ...... equally slow going for Clinton's rivals .... "old-fashioned Iowa campaigning" - including canvassing, phone banks and organizational meetings - to identify supporters .... campaign has mailed out thousands of DVDs .... "We always sign up a lot of people after they see him." ..... Obama has perhaps the largest field operation in Iowa, with 29 offices across the state and more scheduled to open soon. But Steve Hildebrand, Obama's top field organizer, acknowledged that the Illinois senator remains "the new kid on the block." ..... "A lot of Iowa voters still don't know much about Barack .... the campaign has run television commercials outlining Obama's biography and has mailed a biographical DVD to thousands of past caucus-goers. ...... Obama finished a five-day bus tour of the state last week during which he met with voters in a variety of small and medium-size settings. .... intimate gatherings Iowa caucus-goers have come to expect. ..... just 10 percent of Democratic caucus-goers in 2004 were under 35. ..... the campaign expected to see a number of Republicans and independents show up on caucus night, in order to re-register as Democrats to support Obama.
Edwards Talks Tough at Clinton, Obama Forbes
Edwards kicks off 'real change' theme Boston Globe
Why the world according to Obama is a cause for concern Times Online
Edwards takes shots at Clinton 'nostalgia' Chicago Tribune
Report: Clinton battles 'negative' feelings Newsday Clinton bridles at the notion that she's a polarizing candidate, but the poll of 3,000 registered voters by the Pew Research Center released Thursday did little to counter that perception. ...... Edwards opened a fresh attack on Clinton yesterday, urging New Hampshire voters to reject "nostalgia" for Bill Clinton's presidency. ..... The problem with nostalgia is what we tend to do is, you only remember what you liked and forget the parts that you didn't like ..... Obama.. has been targeting the New York senator more directly in recent days.
Quality Care in Clinton Health Plan Washington Post The wait will soon be over. While Sen. Hillary Clinton today only unveiled her plans to improve the quality of health care, aides said next month she'll actually introduce her proposals to expand health insurance to all Americans. ...... Clinton defended her gradual approach to laying out her vision on health care. She's made the process a three-part series: a speech in May on reducing costs, her address today on quality of care, and then finishing up next month with a plan for the 45 million Americans who currently don't have health insurance. "My order here is deliberate," she said. "In order to forge a consensus on universal health care, we need to assure people that they will get the quality they expect at a cost they can afford." ...... finding ways to more accurately measure hospital and doctor performance ..... increasing funding to help the retention of nurses, many of whom leave their jobs within the first few years .... 1994, when she headed a White House task force on the issue whose plan a Democratic-controlled Congress rejected ...... In contrast, Sen. Barack Obama has suggested the way to reform health care is through the ability to build a consensus on the issue, and the Illinois Senator argues he will do that better than Clinton.
Obama competitive with Clinton among party's highly educated The Swamp, IL
Obama's Foreign Policy Reset TIME called the Bush approach to Cuba "blundering" .... his departure by no means guarantees the arrival of freedom on the island." ..... The new approach on Cuba is designed to show that Obama is both innovative and sound; in other words, someone who is experienced but not so experienced that he is stuck in the old way of thinking. "Barack is trying to send a signal of change in foreign policy," one of Obama's foreign policy advisers said. "New century. New challenges, new opportunities, new thinking ....... "Barack's judgment on the war has been good. New thinking without judgment just leads to mistakes." .... Obama seems to see an opening here others don't: he appears to be making, with this proposal, a pitch for younger voters and newly arrived Cuban immigrants
Cuba's foreign minister applauds Obama stance on sanctions Reuters
Reach out to Cuba Orlando Sentinel
Obama echoes US sentiment USA Today Cuba's foreign minister .... Felipe Perez Roque said Obama's "declarations express a sentiment shared by the majority of people in the United States, that the draconian measures adopted by the government of President Bush violated the constitutional rights of North Americans and constitute an anachronism and barbaric act."
The Science of The Daily Show Washington Post The two talked in earnest about press coverage of the campaign, controversy between candidates that's cooked up "to sell papers" and the story line that places Obama and Clinton at opposite ends of the experience spectrum. There were some jokes --one kind of garbled one at Mike Gravel's expense -- and some meta humor about invading Grenada -- for practice! -- where Obama fumbled the pronunciation of the country. ..... spawned a genre of academic literature on how fake news impacts perceptions of real newsmakers. .... "When candidates appear on those shows they increase their likability, even to partisans on the other side." .... Obama has also said that if he's the nominee youth voter turnout will increase by 25-30 percent.
Obama And The Black Vote Atlantic Online
Obama meets NY Jewish leaders Jewish Telegraphic Agency, NY
Googling for campaign contributions CNNMoney.com
Fundraising in Vacationland Washington Post

PRO-CON: Is Obama's Cuba policy reasonable? YES Kansas City Star
PRO-CON: IS OBAMA’S CUBA POLICY REASONABLE? NO Kansas City Star
Edwards fires veiled shot at Clinton: 'Wedded to the past' Chicago Tribune
Foreign policy hubbub doesn’t ding Obama in poll Reuters
Clinton renews push on health care Chicago Tribune
Quality Care in Clinton Health Plan Washington Post
Clinton offers more on health care MSNBC

Bush ally breaks ranks with call for troop pullout Times Online
Warner Says US Should Start Withdrawing Iraq Force (Update2) Bloomberg
Key Republican Senator Calls on Bush to Begin Troop Withdrawal ... Voice of America
Iraqi Government Still Shaky, Says New US Intelligence Estimate Voice of America
NIE: Iraq 'Unable to Govern' Itself Effectively Washington Post
Giuliani says he can carry California San Diego Union Tribune
Policeman drowns girls in Bihar for stealing firewood Reuters India
Space program lunacy Los Angeles Times
Obama Gets Direct: Why Vote For Me? Guardian Unlimited ``This last question I will prompt myself, and that's, 'Why you instead of Hillary?''' Obama said during a supporter's house party this week. ``That's in the back of minds of a lot of people.'' ..... That direct approach was part of a new Obama campaign style during his visit to the nation's first primary state, where he has stalled in the polls behind Hillary Rodham Clinton. ..... even though he stands for unity and the end of personal attack politics, he will swiftly and strongly defend himself from his critics. ....... his race would be an asset because it would increase black voter turnout enough to give a Democratic victory in reliably Republican Southern states. .... young voter participation would leap. ``I think I can bring cool back to the federal government .... if I beat the Clintons, folks aren't going to ask whether I'm tough enough ..... he would surround himself with competent people with integrity and independence - like Abraham Lincoln ...... Lincoln also was a former Illinois legislator who faced great skepticism about his experience ..... getting those who know a lot about Clinton to learn more about Obama. .... In New Hampshire, the campaign has set up book clubs to read Obama's autobiographies and three-on-three basketball tournaments - the candidate's favorite sport. He is meeting personally with voters who have yet to make up their minds.
Edwards aims tough talk at Clinton and Obama WLOS
The Complicated Legacy of Bill Clinton ABC News
McCain tangles with Clinton over surge Bizjournals.com
Pure Horserace: Edwards On The Offensive CBS News
Japan calls on India to join Asian 'arc of freedom' INQ7.net
Rising telecom star India Nokia’s 2nd largest mkt Indian Express
Toyota mulls small car for India Hindu in two years, and to build a second factory in the country ..... Toyota Chairman, Fujio Cho, told reporters in New Delhi on the sidelines of an India-Japan business leadership forum .... India, Asia's fourth biggest automobile market, is dominated by Suzuki Motor Corp.
Pakistan’s exiled leaders to return Times Online “It is the beginning of the end of Musharraf,” said Mr Sharif ...... Mr Sharif is likely to be joined quickly by Benazir Bhutto, another former Prime Minister in exile. The pair have buried their political differences to lead efforts to unseat the general. ..... Outside the court hundreds of supporters of Mr Sharif’s secular, conservative Pakistan Muslim League danced as they celebrated. “Go Musharraf, go!”, and “Musharraf is a dog” they chanted. One slaughtered six goats in celebration in front of the white marble court complex, leaving the road smeared in blood. .... The presence in Pakistan of Mr Sharif and Ms Bhutto will hamper General Musharraf’s efforts to win another five-year term from parliament next month. ...... Mr Justice Chaudhry, who recently defeated General Musharraf’s attempts to remove him from office, warned the Government not to hamper or obstruct Mr Sharif’s return. Analysts suggest that the Supreme Court could use its independence to block General Musharraf’s efforts to win a new term. ........ A legal battle is looming about whether the coming election is legal. The constitution bars the holding of dual offices and the Supreme Court is set to take up a constitutional petition challenging his candidacy while he remains chief of army staff. ....... “It is a victory for democracy and defeat for military rule,” he declared at a press conference in London, where he has been living for the past year. He ruled out any negotiations with General Musharraf, saying that his return would bring an end to the military-led Government. ......... there were already clear signs of General Musharraf losing his credibility. ..... The worsening law and order situation and rise in Islamic militancy in borderland and North West Frontier Province has further eroded his authority. ...... General Musharraf was on the verge of declaring state of emergency last week before being stopped by the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, and opposition within his own civilian allies. ....... Most analysts agree that there has been a dramatic shift in popular opinion against the nation’s military. This is likely to step up pressure on the Army, not just General Musharraf, to get out of politics and shift political power to a civilian government. ...... Her husband, Asif Zardari, has been tried 18 times on criminal and corruption charges but has never been proved guilty ..... Ms Bhutto was convicted for failing to appear before the Supreme Court in 1999. The verdict was overturned and tapes since uncovered revealed that Sharif had pressured the court for a conviction
Councilman wants peeping to be a misdemeanor New York Daily News
Just Looking Could Be Costly Under Proposed Voyeurism Law New York Times
For Google, Not Even The Sky is Off Limits InternetNews.com
Study: Low-Priced Google Office Suite not Enterprise Ready PC World
Bachchan`s agent threatens libel Zee News
Amitabh Bachchan is not playing Gabbar: RGV CNN-IBN
'Eye-dentity' crisis for Big B in Sholay remake Times of India It was a complicated procedure to fit him with those lenses, given his age. .... The colour of the lens in the right eye is blue, while the left one is brown. ..... it was Bachchan’s family eye surgeon Dr Himanshu Mehta who got the soft lenses made especially for the Bollywood superstar. ..... Bachchan tried out lenses of various hues for which he had over 50 sittings with Dr Mehta and finally settled for the brown and blue coloured ones ..... Amitabh Bachchan would usually arrive in the morning at the clinic and put on the lenses with the help of Dr. Mehta before leaving for shooting Ramu’s film. .... taking into consideration Bachchan’s age, making him wear the soft lenses was a lengthy process and required a lot of skill. As one ages, it is not only the eyesight, but also the organs connected with the eyes that tend to become weak. It becomes difficult for the eye to hold the lenses for a longer period of time then. It was only super willpower and a drive for perfection that made Amitabh Bachchan sport those lenses for hours
Jogging is beneficial, soccer more so Science Daily
Soccer Burns More Fat Than Jogging Science Daily
Oil Rises With Global Equities Wall Street Journal
Palestinian soccer team banned in Britain CBC News
Server market: Sun outruns Dell Heise Online
It's black to basics for off-colour Dell Independent
Dell: Fancy laptop colors are harder than they look ZDNet
Elderly Staying Sexually Active Washington Post
States Decry Children's Insurance Policy Guardian Unlimited
FDA proposes sunscreen rule, cancer warning Reuters
Microsoft Says Xbox 360 Wheel Overheats Forbes