Trouble in “operation chaos”
Tonight the people have spoken and voted to board the Obama express. He is the party-elect presidential nominee. It is beyond history, beyond historical scope and circumstance. And the rightwing nuts are pea-green with envy. And as this race within a race grinds to a halt, Americans, most but not all, will rejoice at the choice.
Just as the right wing pundits got it wrong in picking the GOP party nominee, so too they got it wrong when it comes to Barack Hussein Obama — he is the one who will roll up in front of the White House gates with secret service detail and black limo entourage, the whole nine yards. And black, white and brown people will be dancing in the street contrary to what the wrong-headed conservatives have predicted. One Sean Hannity (radio talking head who mocks Heloise’s own Obama express which he plans to stop—good luck with that) predicted (June 3, 2008) that in the McCain v. Obama contest that McCain will win. This impetuous prediction is wrong. He added insult to injury saying with certitude that “no way does Obama want Hillary on the ticket.” Hannity then intimated that there would be some backroom deal to get her on the ticket. Sean, the Dems don't need your unsolicited help, thanks but no thanks.
Did the Hill-Billy express simply run out of gaffe(s)?
The political watchers have appraised and inflamed the many verbal and market gaffes made by McCain/Bush, Clinton and Obama, but who’s counting?
There was much mixed recounting of Hillary's RFK assassination remark. Her analogy/metaphor simply did not work. You know, I do get the feeling from some Hillary people and even black people that they expect a black president to be the target of assassination! I’ve have been reluctant to mention this before for obvious reasons. But why did Hillary have to go there when there are so many other instances of primary dragging? And what no one mentioned is that to clinch in June 2008 actually has neither precursor nor precedent. Why? Because:
Article comments
1 - Dan Miller
Heloise,
I am confident that addition of the numbers yields the sums posted in the article, but I must wonder whether you should add or subtract. How many who voted for Senator Clinton did so because they could not stand Senator Obama, and how many who voted for Senator Obama did so because they could not stand Senator Clinton? My guess is that there are many in both categories, although I have absolutely no idea how many. If that is the case, the "dream ticket" may actually be a "nightmare ticket."You say,
Dan
2 - Mike
Check the RCP site again. Hillary did NOT win the popular vote. The only way you can say she won is if you don't include the popular vote estimate from those caucus sites or decide to give her all her votes from Michigan while giving Obama none from that state.
3 - Clavos
Why would you count the PR vote?
Puerto Ricans cannot and will not vote in the general.
Their numbers are meaningless.
4 - Andy Marsh
I thought all US territories voted in general elections???!! I don't believe they have electoral college representation, but they do get to vote...of course, I could be wrong...it's happened before...
5 - Clavos
Sorry for all the repeats, folks!!
Andy,
Don't know if this is why, but PR is not a territory; it's a semi-independent Commonwealth. Puerto Ricans not only don't have the vote themselves, they don't have voting reps in DC.
On the other hand, they don't pay federal income tax, either.
6 - Dr Dreadful
Clav, I know MT is being a bitch right now, but click the Publish button once and once only. It should post OK.
7 - Clavos
My frustrated "Dammit" post was precisely because I know to click the "Publish" button only once and did so.
I have no idea why one click resulted in multiple copies.
8 - Ruvy
This just in a bit ago on Ynetnews. Bush congratulates Obama on Democratic nomination.
US President George W. Bush offered his congratulations to Sen. Barack Obama for securing the Democratic presidential nomination, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said on Wednesday.
"President Bush congratulates Sen. Obama for clinching the Democratic party's 2008 nomination for president," Perino told reporters. (Reuters)
9 - Andy Marsh
I never have understood that commonwealth thing. I live in the commonwealth of Virginia. I don't know what the hell that means, but at least I get to vote! Wouldn't mind the not paying income taxes thing though...
10 - Andy Marsh
Why'd they have a primary then? Isn't that like Canada having a primary?
11 - Clavos
Andy,
Here's a brief description of the structure and function of the Puerto Rican government and its status within the larger framework of its relationship to the US. The description is from Wikipedia.
Usually, they don't hold a primary; they just have non-binding (obviously) caucuses. I don't know why they decided to hold a primary this time.
12 - Cindy D
@#8
wooohooo!!
13 - Cindy D
@#1
Dan,
I supported Obama and I didn't care for Hillary as president. I don't find the idea of Hillary as objectionable as Vice President. I am not sure how many people would feel this way. It may or may not be relevant.
14 - bliffle
I think Obama has demonstrated considerable strategic skill dealing with the adversities he's confronted in the primaries, from all this religious and race commotion right through dealing with the formidable and (potentially) destructive Clinton campaign. It appears that he is dealing very adroitly with the Hillary situation even as he pulls into the leadeship position in his party.
I hope that if he is elected president that those same skills are applied equally well to handling the economic and foreign affairs problem we in the USA always have to face. I think his performance so far is very encouraging.
IMO we would have been better off the last 8 years if Carl Rove had applied his considerable savvy to solving our economic and policy problems, rather than the trivial goal of merely getting GWB elected. We'd have been better off if Rove had been boss rather than just serving a dimwit effectively in achieving mean political goals.
15 - Cindy D
Here is an interesting article from 2006:
Clinton-Obama Ticket Stirs Fear in GOP
"...some Republican advisers to the White House and leading 2008 hopefuls Sen. John McCain and Rudy Giuliani see the ticket as an easy winner built on the enthusiasm it would generate in Democratic circles.
Their theory is that Clinton would stand a good chance to pick up the states that Sen. John Kerry won in 2004. While not enough to win the election on her own, the addition of Obama would help push closely divided states like Ohio over into the Democratic column, thereby giving the Clinton-Obama ticket the White House."
16 - Cindy D
Personally, I would like to see an Obama/Gore ticket. I think that would be unbeatable.
17 - Dave Nalle
Gore would never take second spot to a newb like Obama. Obama needs to hook up with a solid, mediocre but respected figure who won't overshadow him. Joe Biden or Bill Richardson would be the best choices. I'd push for Richardson, personally. He might help break Obama out of his marxist rut.
Dave
18 - Cindy D
Yeah, I agree about Gore. When a supporter asked Obama, Obama said something about Vice President being a step-down for Gore. It would have had to have been Gore/Obama. Now that would have been a great democratic ticket.
19 - Clavos
In any case, Gore has clearly and unequivocally indicated that he's no longer interested in politics, now that he's been anointed the Pope of the Church of Global Warming.
20 - MAOZ
Cindy @#13 -- If, like me, you were old enough to remember Vice President Lyndon Johnson -- or even if you were just old enough to remember Vice President Gerald Ford -- you would appreciate the importance of the choice of vice-presidential candidate.
21 - Cindy D
MAOZ,
I have to say thanks. I wasn't paying enough attention to VP. I guess that preliminarily out of some of the possible choices I like Bill Richardson--a lot.
What really scares me is that Dave @#17 likes Richardson.
Dave? what am I missing?
22 - Dan Miller
Clav,
I think it is the Church of Global Smarming.
Dan