Dear First Read, You always have to be snide when talking about Obama! You can't hide your pro moderate-Republican Clinton bias. You are in for a suprise in Iowa!

Obama's timing in drawing distinctions is right on.  Many have suggested he should have been doing this months ago, but this is when average voters are actually starting to pay attention.

Clinton's campaign only seems capable of a stock response about the politics of hope that could be placed on a nametag at this point, it's been so beaten to death.  If she keeps relying on that instead of debating the legitimate policy issues Obama is bringing up, voters are going to give her a rude awakening.

All I know is Sen Obama must must be good at the debate, be focused but come off as not angry or negative. Use that BEAUTIFUL SMILE A LOT. It disarms people who are read y to think the worst of him. But he must answer all questions, meaning LISTENING TO THE COMPLETE AND ANSWERING IT. I know that this is not his best format and I've seen him be nervous there, esp the first couple debates. But he seems to be getting his sea legs recently. I KNOW he can seal the deal with undecideds here, by not portraying negativity, shakiness or meanness but still being forceful, direct and calm. Look like you're having fun, not like it's a chore to get through.  

To all the democratic so-called men that will be on the stage tomorrow night.....

Don't worry about asking Senator Clinton the hard questions........

We will teach you how to play the game!

Sincerely
The Republicans

good advice jerry.  I fear that when Democrats attack each other they are just handing ammunition to the bad guys. Also, whether or not it is true, the Democrats ought to lay off saying social security is broken until they are in control, otherwise it will give the neocons the idea they can fix it and we know what everything they touch turns into.

We will teach you how to play the game!

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Monday, October 29,
2007 9:47 AM)

Republicans are losers, but they know how to play the game. Hillary will be awarding the republican nominee the home version of the game as a consolation prize in November 2008...


Van

I am anti-Hilary living in NY all my 50+ years and would love to have someone take her to task and force her to actually answer a question, however the problem I have with Obama is that it is not clear what he stands for or the little that he does stand for he doesn't explain how he will invoke his promises. I know I know that is what politics is about.  I believe he will need to spend more time saying what he is about than putting Hillary in a position to defend her differences, again Hillary is off the hook.

Tomorrows debate will be more fake then last weeks FEMA news conference.  Just another dog and pony show for Hillary.

The only thing rethugs are good at is manipulating elections in order to steal them...too bad they don't spend as much energy in good governing when they do get power.  

Jerry - Right now, I don't think anyone wants to be taking political advice from the Republican party anymore than they want to take pet grooming advice from Michael Vick or plumbing tips from Larry Craig.  

Van:

Hillary is still in batting practice.....

The game has not begin yet......

Hillary better come up with a game plan and how she can explain all these ideas of hers that she has yet to explain on, or she will not get past the third inning.  I expect another tea and cookies debate tomorrow night myself.

next year, we will find out who get gnaw all the meat off the bone!

Just ask her Any question, she'll avoid answering direrctly, as usual. Maybe even site some poll that Van put in her ear.Hiallry Clinton, All Talk, NO SUBSTANCE!!!!!

You are 100% correct Van. You get an A+ for the day.

Van:
maybe the Clinton's can sneak back in, all those items they removed from the White House in 2000.......

Hey Obama Supporters.  Just pray for him for tomorrow and the remainder of his campaign. Christians are called to pray for another.  I believe in this case to say a prayer for him and let God take care of the rest.  Thanks for reading.

Re Obama v. Clinton:

Desparate times make for desparate measures--Obama is in desparate straits so he's got to resort to desparate tactics.

BTW, Hillary is not yet among my 1st 2 choices.

x

Tomorrow night will be a perfect opportunity for Obama to be confrontational. The only potential problem would be for Clinton to pull her usual "You can't promise hope and call me out on my inconsistencies at the same time" strategy. That isn't too hard to refute, so if he does it, hopefully he will see a little spike in support. Maybe that will convince him to make the change in tone a permanent part of the campaign.

You are 100% correct Van. You get an A+ for the day.


Looks like grades are being dealt out on the Democratic curve.  You know, failure is viewed as success.

It's sad that these two are the only getting attention from the media.  It is a horrendous disservice to the American people that Dennis Kucicich stands on stage and nails the other candidates to the wall.. yet the networks still won't give him airtime. Stop letting Obama call out Hilary. Let Kucinich call them ALL out.  He's the only real democrat running, he's the only one that his been right on the issues from the start.  Sure he's a little elfish, but better than apeish like our current president.  It just makes me sad to know that at least one person is running for the American people, and it's so sad that people don't care to notice, and that networks care enough to censor and disregard him.

Hillary Clinton as President should be frightening to anyone with a pulse. For her to be a frontrunner in the race for the nod, just shows how much America is willing to accept a corrupt government. Have we forgotten Filegate, Travelgate, Fostergate, Whitewater, the healthcare joke, and the condom tree? Have we also forgotten that when one votes for Hillary, they are voting for Bill, too? As bad as things are now, I never imagined that it could get worse. The thought of anyone of those liberals tomorrow night winning is scary-social programs and tax increases wont stop terrorism. And thats what its all about, despite the media and the DNC trying to dissuade us from believing that '08 isnt a National Security election, its a "feel good", tax increase, wealth distribution election..

Hey EJ, is that like the Bush mantra "You're doing a heck of a job Brownie!"  You mean that kind of failure viewed as success?

Hey jerry, the story about all the missing Ws on computers was a scam, from what I have read one computer was missing a key and the guy who did it said it was in the drawer of the desk. I guess the Bush people didn't have someone there to fix it. if that is all you got I would suggest you go fishing with Dick, he has a nice sharp hook he wants to plant in your back.

Perhaps if all those Ws were not missing in the Bush 'hite House' the 'eapons of mass destruction' would hve been found. I beleive that you will find all those missing W's are on a truck in Syria.

yea Patrick, and Bush is 1000 times scarier. You better check your pulse....oh my, you don't have one!

Shadow:

Or Bill Clinton giving hot tips on picking up girls in the white house.....

Or Hillary Clinton on that perfect listening device for listening to your husband's enemies.....

Or Norman Hsu and the 50 ways to pack your donations..

Or Sandy Berger on the importance of not wearing brown stained underwear when hiding official government documents....

Bob from Huntington,

Since you are online anyway, why not drop by Obama's webiste?
(barackobama.com)

You can read his detailed plans/solutions to alot of the problems America faces. The media hasn't done a good job reporting about the issues, but Obama really does offer alot of good specific ideas on his website.  You won't hear anything from the media about it, but Obama has solutions- and he's the dem candidate with the ability to work well with republicans, in order to get things done.

(BTW, One of the things i like about obama is that he was a constitutional Law professor, and I personally think it'd be great to have someone in the oval office who is familiar with the constitution, after the hatchet job this administration has done to it.)

Jerry .. Hillary does need a game plan .... the non stop GOP screw ups is shoving her not "pushing her" into the white house. Jerry if you want a GOP miracle in '08 you need to start preaching to your own to stop the screwing this nation up with made up wars, sex scandals (Foley, Craig, Vitter, etc.., etc etc etc).  Hillary just needs to sit back ..relax .. and watch you republicans continue to bite the big one ... go hillary go!

Suppose Obama privately beieves Hillary will win the nomination and that he would like nothing better than to be her running mate.  If they won, and if he turned out to be a highly effective VP, at the end of eight years he would be only 55 years old and in an excellent position to become the 2016 nominee for President.  Instead of being considered young and inexperienced, he would now be seasoned.  His race would be a non-issue for most voters.
Let's also suppose that the two of them have in fact  worked out this scenario, and have agreed in advance what negative remarks Obama can make about Hillary and what her response will be.
I have no idea whether such transactions are actually taking place, but neither am I willing to believe that they are not.

Jerry you are incredibly BOOORRRRIIINNNGGG!!!

I expect Obama and Edward to go after her tomorrow - most especially her devish laugh. It is time she start answering question on the most important issues of our time. No more Clinton's HA!HAH!!HAHAHA!

I expect Brian williams and Tim Russert to get answer on the question.

HAHAHAHA, and Hillary is winning big time.Too bad for you bee.

I must say that I do enjoy those above in this blog string.  Some of you make sense, while others seem to prefer sticking needles in each other's eyes.  You needle stickers?  Grow up!  Get a life!  Look to the reality of what is going on here and that is status quo is what we are going to end up with from which either party wins in November '08.  Their rhetoric is very vague because they're all afraid of loosing votes when they take on an issue with detail.  That's why you can't get any detail.  Social Security?  They all dance around the issue.  Show me a politician and I'll show you one that can't come up with anything but a knee jerk (emphasis on the second word) reaction.  Am I a cynic?  You betcha'  And we're all becoming overly biased commentators just like the TV guys.  So, hey TV guys, answer this if you've got the guts?  Why must you program in so many debates and so much politics in all that you do on that station of yours?  Writers got no creativity left in them?

As a bonafide registered and serious "alternative" candidate, I'm amazed, but not shocked [yet] that no one in my category can get an invite to these debates.

I wonder why not? What is the so-called MSM is worried about - me embarrassing a "front runner," or vice versa?

http://www.citizendan2008.com

Regards to all.

Hey, Julie! I promise to go look (with an open mind) at Obama's website and solutions, if you'll do the same with Hillary. Her website has a lot of very well-constructed and specific solutions to problems that don't fit in the sound-bite oriented debates. There's a lot of anti-Hillary rhetoric out there, but the fact of the matter is that she's an exceptional candidate: strong, smart, and with law, foreign policy, civil liberty, and domestic policy clout and experience. If you get a chance to read her book, I think you'll get a more accurate impression of her.

Jonathan, I've been wondering about that myself. I wouldn't be horrified to see it happen.

The early part of Obama's campaign was for voters to get to know him.  For the most part voters have a good idea of who he is now.  

I wonder if Martin Luther King, WE Dubois, Thurgood Marshall, Frederick Douglas were running for president this year would they have a chance to be the nominee.  Probably not since they don't have washington experience as hillary or edwards.

I really think before you libs decide to vote for Hillary Clinton, you should at least know something about the candidate......

Just got back from lunch with some people and one of them (female) is voting for Hillary Clinton:

Me:  So you are voting for Hillary huh?
Her:  She is the best person in the world
Me:  really?
Her:  What she says really makes sense to me
Me:  Really?  What is her stance the $5000 baby bonds?
Her:  A great idea
Me:  (snickering)
Her:  What's so funny?
Me:  How do you feel about her plan to save social security?
Her:  A great idea, she is just so full of ideas
Me:  What is the plan?
Her:  Silence
Me:  Well?
Her:  I just know it is a great plan..........

I went and googled her plan.....Still waiting.....

OHHHH I found the plan for Hillary Clinton and Social Security..........


Barack Obama Accuses Hillary Clinton of Dodging Tough Questions About Social Security
Saturday, October 27, 2007

DES MOINES, Iowa  —  Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Saturday lashed out at rival Hillary Rodham Clinton, accusing her of dodging tough questions about Social Security.

Obama, campaigning at a senior center in Des Moines, said all the presidential candidates need to talk honestly about Social Security instead of sidestepping the issue, but he singled out Clinton — the front-runner for the nomination — for special criticism.

Obama's criticism of Clinton comes as she has been increasing her lead in national polls, leaving him and other Democratic candidates lagging far behind.

Obama's campaign arranged for him to be introduced at the event by Tod Bowman, a Democrat and a teacher from Maquoketa, Iowa, who tried to pin down Clinton during a debate in Iowa earlier this month on whether the government should tax workers' earnings above the present cap of $97,500 to help pay for Social Security benefits.

Clinton sidestepped the question in public, but told Bowman privately afterward that she didn't want to put an additional tax burden on the middle class but would consider a "gap," with no Social Security taxes on income from $97,500 to around $200,000. Anything above that could be taxed. Her answer was overhead an Associated Press reporter.

"A candidate for president owes it to the American people to tell us where they stand," Obama said. "... because you're not ready to lead if you can't tell us where you're going."

"She's not alone in avoiding answering this question directly — she's not alone in ducking the issue," Obama said. "Because conventional thinking in Washington says that Social Security is the third rail of American politics. It says you should hedge, and dodge, and spin, but at all costs, don't answer."

Bowman said he "got the feeling (Clinton) really didn't want to answer my question."

"After the forum ended, she came up and spoke to me, it was nice of her to do that, and I appreciated her taking the time to do that. But, when I asked my question again, hoping she would answer it, this time she gave me a conflicting response," he said. "It left me feeling disappointed, because I just didn't understand why she wouldn't tell me where she stood on an issue this important."

Bowman added: "It made me wonder, if a candidate won't answer a question on the campaign trail, how can we be sure she'll be honest with the American people when they're president?"

Obama spoke about his solutions for Social Security, and said President Bush's argument that the system is broken and needs and overhaul is an exaggeration.

"The underlying system is sound. The actual problem is a projected cash shortfall that can be readily solved. But the longer we wait to solve the problem, the bigger it grows," Obama said.

He said his plan for Social Security would strengthen the system by requiring the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share. He would also keep Congress from borrowing from the Social Security trust fund, and oppose efforts to privatize the system, cut benefits or raise the retirement age, he said.

"There are a number of ways we can make Social Security solvent that don't involve forcing seniors to bear a heavier burden," he said.

Why didn't she answer the question out loud?
Is she too scared to say anything?
Why won't Hillary discuss the issues?

She had better bring her "A" game when she debates the republicans or she is going to disappear like a cold beer on a hot day.

Until the day the Democrats show up at a FoxNews debate, they will continue to show us how afraid they are to answer real political questions.

All of you who are attacking Hillary are following the masterplan of Karl Rove who began the Anti-Hillary attacks. Immediately Rush Limbaugh jumped in and carried on the slings and arrows.  Followed by Hardball-No Brains-Anti-allWomen-Chris Matthews.  Rather than realizing the only way Democrats can have a candidate that will not be totally 'SwiftBoated'  all Democrats should stop picking the one person who knows how to handle the bullies.  It's time for a Woman to shut up all the elephants trumpeting. They have continued the big lie so relentlessly it has spilled over into most of these bloggers who have without realizing become their secret agents.  Keep working for Rove and see what happens.  
   Hillary Clinton is the only one who will win and stop the right wing path of destruction.  Some liberals who pushed Ralp Nader -- implying Gore and
Kerry were not pure enough saw where that led us.  To W.  Now they are making certain the Republicans will once more triumph.  Every slander against Hillary is assuring we shall continue down the road to more  Republican Destruction.  Wake Up.  Hillary is our only chance for a fair Supreme Court. Our way out of Iraq.  Our way back to an economy that is fair to all --as it was under her husband's presidency.   Take a look at what you're doing and what the press is secretly pushing you all to do.  Destroy Hillary And you Get Another Bush!
   Turn off the Chris Matthews Vicious Non-stop attacks and think about our country's future.  He'll still have a job, but many of us will not under another Republican rule.  
   Wake Up!  Defend Your Own Interests! Back Hillary!

Will msnbc offer a live webcast of this debate online or will this only be able to be viewed by subscribers of cable/satellite television programming.

Dear Chuck Todd,

You are doing our Republic and Democracy a great disservice by muzzling Senator Mike Gravel and shutting him out of the debates.  You have now become part of the problem that is strangling our democratic process.  What happened to you Chuck?!  You used to be cool when you worked over at the Hotline and made cameos on the Washington Journal.  sigh....but now it looks like you've sold out and become nothing but a shill of your corporate overlords.

Read this:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-mike-gravel/why-nbc-and-the-dnc-want-_b_69397.html

http://www.cmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071027/FRONTPAGE/710270307

And Watch This:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzwXvv6HMgA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3gQfz8GC0o

...and Chuck Todd & Co., please do not censor this and try to silence me.  I am an frequent viewer of MSNBC, but am now having second thoughts about supporting your programming or your advertisers.

Jonathan, Hillary & Obama on the same ticket will never happen.  Bill Richardson,maybe. He's a westener,Hispanic, was Sec. of Energy, ambassador, helped in return of American prisoners of war.  Went to Korea during Clinton pres. & delayed their building nukes.  Obama should run for gov. of his state, do a good job for next 8 or so years. More gov'rs get elected pres. than senators, especially junior ones.

I knew it. What a ridiculous set of questions MSNBC asked the Democrats in the debate. Do you believe in the war in Iraq? Do you support diplomacy? With questions like these, even I could be president.

Until Democrats have a debate on FoxNews, we will never know whether they are telling the truth. And by the way, we know they hate the president, we get it! GW is not re-electing, so move on and tell us what you would do instead.

One simple question that should be asked is:  Once all diplomacy has failed and a city in Israel has been bombed, what would you do against Iran? Why would you wait until Iran has killed millions to take action.

the only people that can change what we teach our children is the freakin parents!!! the only way that people can live a normal life is if they have a job. the candidates cant change the way kids are taught or what they learn in the home or school!!! i think the troops should come home nothing is being accomplished!!! and about abortion stop it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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