ABOUT FIRST READ

First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Dead heats in Ohio and Texas

Posted: Sunday, March 02, 2008 11:23 AM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Mark Murray
Two new polls show that Tuesday's pivotal Clinton-Obama contests in Ohio and Texas are essentially deadlocked, with Obama leading in the Lone Star State by a fingernail and Clinton leading in the Buckeye State by two fingernails.

According to an MSNBC/McClatchy/Mason-Dixon survey in Texas, Obama is ahead of Clinton, 46%-45%, although that lead is within the poll's 4% margin of error. The subgroups break out in predictable ways: Obama leads among men (54%-37%), those under 50 (56%-36%), African Americans (86%-6%), and independents and Republicans (55%-34%); Clinton leads among women (51%-40%), those over 50 (54%-38%), whites (53%-38%), Hispanics (62%-30%), and Democrats (50%-42%).

Obama wins decisively among those most wanting change (76%-18%), while Clinton wins even more decisively among those who most want experience (93%-3%). Yet they split evenly among those who care most about the issues.

In Ohio, per a new Cleveland Plain Dealer/Mason-Dixon poll, it's Clinton 47%, Obama 43% -- and that, too, is within the survey's 4% margin of error. Also, the subgroups in Ohio mirror those in Texas, with Obama winning among men, African Americans, those under 50, and those wanting change; while Clinton leads among women, whites, those over 50, and those wanting experience.

Both polls were conducted Feb. 27-29 among 625 likely Texas Democratic primary voters and 625 likely Ohio primary voters.

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Okay!  All you young people in Ohio and Texas..this is one of the older generation who has great faith in you!  You need to turn out in the record numbers that I know you can and support Senator Obama.  It is time for a new generation's leadership.  We can't go on with people like Bush, McCain, and Clinton.

I'm counting on you!
nellie... what are you talking about? Chris Matthews worked for Tip O'Neill, Democrat of Boston and Speaker of the House. Matthews is a Southie Democrat... Irish, Catholic, a populist on economic issues, and more conservative on social issues.

I'm afraid a vote for Hillary Clinton in the primary is a vote for John McCain in the general election. If she is the nominee the enthusiasm on the Democratic side will evaporate, and Nader will start to eat into the voters with whom Clinton will need to mend fences if she's the nominee - young, wealthy, and minorities.
She'll have no prayer at all of winning states like Missouri, Colorado, New Mexico, Virginia, Pennsylvania or Ohio in the general election... states in which the Democrats must do well to win. Her candidacy will make Swift Boating look like a leisure cruise. All of that crap from the 90s will come around again, and the election will again just be the base politics of Karl Rove versus the triangulation of the Richard Morris.

We have to do better.
Ohio and Rhode Island are won by Hillary-done deals.
Vermont, very left, is already won by Barack Obama.
As for Texas, a state with less than 40 % registered as Democrats, the race is much like that in California, except there are more Blacks and fewer Latinos. This means if both groups get out and vote heavily, they will draw evenly, since Hillary has a 2 to 1 advantage amongst Latinos.
Seems Republicans are splitting evenly between Hillary and Obama-some seeing Obama as good, some seeing Hillary as easier to beat in the general election.
While Obama is drawing 68% of Independents to Hillary's 32-34%, Hillary has the Senior vote. Their is a huge Senior vote in Texas. That is why this race is dead even.
So, all in all, it comes down to get out the vote!
Hillaryclinton.com to volunteer.
Remember-Obama lied on Nafta when he said he didn't go to the Canadian government to reassure them he wouldn't change Nafta.
Remember_Michelle Obama is only now proud of her country, now that her husband, a black man is a potential nominee. Wow, a potential first lady with a chip on her shoulder big time.
Remember-Obama didn't know the name of the new leader in Russia and  deferred to Hillary
Remember- Obama uses language from Deval Patrick, the Rev James Wright-yes we can, The Audacity of Hope, etc. When does he come up with original thoughts?
Remember-Obama is supported by Mr Farakhan, and his church is anti-semitic, that is why Pastor James Wright never appears in interviews. Read his sermons-Trinity United Church of CHrist, Chicago, Illinois
Remember-Obama is Chair of Subcommittee on Europe and Nato and hasn't held a meeting in senate to discuss issue of Afghanistan and how to handle war there and in Iraq because he is too, too busy running for office-tells you where is allegiance is. Not to the troops or their families. To his campaign.
Remember-Obama didn't vote on Iranian Militia being ID as a terrorist organization and stayed on campaign trail. Yet, he blames Hillary for voting to label them as such.
Remember-Obama voted "present" on pro-choice 7 times in Illinois state senate, gun control, protection of legal records of rape victims from press
How can people vote for this man. Is this what you want in a president. The Audacity of an ignorant man!
Americans....why has there been no signficant commentary generated as to the Clinton candidacy and its constructive impact on the spirit if not the substance of the  25th Amendment? Should any 21st centurary free and democratic democracy really promote one family occupying the Whitehouse for 16 out of 30 odd years?  Isn't such a political reality more consistent with Banana Republics?  Given the negligible difference in substance between Obama and Clinton and that both as president would have access to the best and the brightest of Democrats' policy advisors.....the choice of the American People, subject to some extraordinary defect in Obama is compelling and almost tautological.
Clinton cries foul over media bias, so the media then TRASHES Obama at every and any opportunity!! The headlines, since Wolfson gave Reporters their marching orders in a conference call, have been OBAMA-BASHING! I hope Wolfson buys donuts for y'all! You've earned it!

Jonathon Alter, of Newsweek, in the NYT, sums up my view very well. The press should NOT play even-stevens, if Obama happens to have items reported  that HAPPEN to be viewed as positive, huge rallys,  lots of money, soaring poll numbers...THAT MIGHT look POSITIVE! Clinton, losing 11 in a row, Campaign problems, Aides complaining to the Press about late night fights, no money...THAT MIGHT look NEGATIVE! The Press is to report, not even out the headlines. This rezko thing has been reported on for months! Yet, it is repeated over and over, with nothing new.

Where are her tax returns?
The Clinton Library doners?
Donations from a Sexual predator?
Where did that 5 million she loaned her campaign come from?
Kazakhstan nuclear deal for a Canadian friend by Bill? Followed by MILLIONS to the Clinton Library?

Come on! Report!
I AM A BLACK MAN WHO SUPPORTS HILLARY CLINTON AND ANY ONE WHO HAS A GOOD PLAN PEOPLE NEED TO REMOVE ALL THE B.S. FROM AND LOOK AT THIS FOR WHAT IT IS AND CHANGE WILL NOT PAY MY BILLS HARD WORK WILL, PLEASE PEOPLE GET REAL AND ALL YOU MEN WITH CONFIDENCE PROBLEMS WHO WILL NOT VOTE FOR A WOMAN GET OVER IT CAUSE I STILL STAND WHEN I GO.
Our taxpayers dollars hard at work,  Clinton on Saturday Night Live....  were payiong here to work in Washington, and she out on the campaign trail and on TV, on our dime, oh not dime, on our thousands that we pay her and her buddy Obama....  are we stupid....  i gues so.. again our tax dollars footing her bill... as she is getting her senators pay...
The biased, slanted media continues to push B.O. and slam Senator Clinton. CNN spews the worst garbage, followed by FOX and MSNBC.  Every effort to try to help Obama gain the nomination. Pure bias.  They should be censored.  Clinton is clearly denigrated in the press/tv talking heads while the freshman senator B.O. is praised.  Clinton is the most qualified to lead this nation in foreign policy anddomestic issues. B.O. is all talk and no substance.  Go Hilliary, in spite of the biased press you will get the nomination. Hillary for pres in 08.
What's going to bother me is if she wins both states, she'll claim that she has stopped Obama's momentum with no mention that she was up 15 points in both states a week ago.

I guess this is how politics goes though. I don't see her stopping. She's going to win Ohio but probably lose Texas. VT and RI will be a wash. She'll go on, and it's really going to get annoying. I liked the idea of a full primary early on but now it's just about how they can tear each other up and it's getting less fun every day :(
I don't know why news organizations like MSNBC continue to use the popular votes(in their polls) as the gage for these contests. It's the delegate count!Even if there is a tie in Ohio and Texas Obama comes away the winner. Clinton may want to use the closeness of the elections to continue,but she will soon realize that she won't be getting the super-delegates if Obama leads by 150-200 delegates. Her magins of victory will have to be huge in Ohio and Texas, and they aren't there.
Why wont Hillary Clinton just drop out because she is not progressing any she's just staying at the same old momentum. And when she keeps losing momentum she will keep on stirring up some kind of messt to make Barack Obama look bad.
Maybe, Hillary wants to bash Obama up SO BAD, that he DOES lose to McCain, and then SHE can ride in on her white horse and get the nomination in 4 years.THAT'S what I think. It's all about the Clintons..
Shame on the media. In terms of grace, proposed programs, energy and enthusiasm, knowledge and abilities, and executive demeanor, Hillary Clinton can hold her own among any of the candidates in both parties -- and she does so in high heels.

Obama's resume is thin -- and that's obvious when supporters have to talk about his record at law school, a strategy appropriate for first-year job seekers but scarcely for presidential candidates. His eight-year career in the Illinois Senate is lackluster, marred by voting "present" 129 times, thereby avoiding the difficult choice of "yes" or "no" on proposed legislation.

Even his 70 percent vote margin in his 2004 U. S. Senate bid cries for a downgrade. He defeated a GOP nobody, perennial candidate for public office, Alan Keyes, who took over the candidacy after the real winner of the primary stepped aside as a result of a sex scandal.

Nor do campaign stops provide concise specifics about his proposals, more akin as they are to celebrity, touchy-feely, anything-I-say-is-OK performances. His safe-harbor, oratorical retreat ("and that's why I'm running for president of the United States of America") is overused and overvalued. As for Obama's lifting sentences from other speakers, at a minimum that illustrates laziness.--Thomas V. DiBacco | Special To The Orlando Sentinel
February 26, 2008

Chris matthews is a republican, BUT her didn't make the comment, the reporter did.  So bashing Chris matthews wasn't correct.
Hillary says she is for women.  Yet, she takes moeny from a debarred attorney, who is charged with the worst case of sexual harrassment in EEOC history.

Hillary REFUSES to RELEASE her TAX RETURNS.  Why?  Even the Republicans did it.  That's pretty bad!

She says she is the one for "solutions".  What solutions has she brought against Bush/Cheney and their corruption of our government, and the lies to the American people?  She just SAT there for 7 years, and went along with it all!  Not once, speaking out to the American people, out of fear of political reprocussions.  Is that the actions of a LEADER?

She says she is a "fighter".  I don't see any solutions that she has fought for!  

She said she was for NAFTA.  She told NY she was going to bring them JOBS.  Now, she is against NAFTA.  And it's not her fault NY didn't get jobs, she thought there would be a democratic senate.  What will she do as President, with Republicans?  What will she accomplish other than giving us excuses, when nothing gets done?

She yells that Obama took someone else's WORDS.  Then she wants him to say HER word.  He had denounced. She said he should reject.  So he graciosly said ok...i denounce and reject.  Did she sound presidential to you?  Where negotiations could break down over ONE word?  Who will she bring together with an attitude like that???  She sounded like GW...my way or the highway!  And look how well that has worked for our nation in the past 7 years!!

Hillary is a basket of controversy.  She flip flops depending on the day.  She has had more slogans during her campaign than cheerleaders at a football game!  

She complains about the press, it's all the media's fault.  This is Presidential?    She just hops and she BLAMES everyone else if things aren't going her way.  That doesn't show me LEADER QUALIFICATIONS!

She was for BLACKS.  She was for LATINOS.  THen she ignored them when they didn't vote her way.  IGNORED THEM.  Iowa voters were peculiar.  L.A. were just voting for the black guy.  She has ignored more states after the primaries, and doesnt give concession speeches, thanking her volunteers.  It's rude and so very arrogant on her part!  If she doesn't get the vote, she swipes at the voters, and ignored her own people.  The actions of a LEADER?

She has now threatened to sue over the Texas primaries.  THey have threatened to sue of Florida and Michigan.  Does this sound Presidential to you...cuz it doesn't to me!  She acts like a spoiled kid...who is gonna take her ball and go home.  Even though it's not her ball...she takes it anyway!

She doesn't impress me a leader.  I AM a white female from Pennsylvania.  As much as this campaign has brought me back to politics, I'm SOOOOOO tired of her tactics, her slams, her slurs, her "nothing but negative" campaign!
Come on Texas and Ohio...UNITE the PARTY so we can get ready for the MAIN EVENT!!!!


If Obama wins Texas and Ohio the race is over and we can concentrate on beating McCain. If Hillary wins both, then this thing will drag on to the convention in August and tear the party apart. McCain isn't just attacking Obama because he is the front runner. A vote for Hillary in Texas or Ohio is a vote for McCain in the fall.
Hillary Clinton does not possess the leadership qualities required of a president. She is 60 years old, yet “found her own voice” only after the New Hampshire Primary. That is absolutely astonishing for the candidate that claims to be the wise, experienced one.

I don’t want a president who made the politically expedient choice to support Bush on the use of force in Iraq. I want a president like Obama who made the difficult, politically unpopular decision to speak out against the Iraq invasion.

When the “leadership” of the Democratic Party was AWOL, he was one of very few politicians with the courage to speak out against the war. He faced off against Bush and Cheney’s propaganda machine, and spoke out about the lack of a threat, despite the anticipated consequences of such a politically unpopular stand.

That is leadership. That is why Obama is qualified to be president. That is why Clinton is not.

I am a Lt Col in the National Guard, and I demand leadership from my president.
Polls and all don't mean much! And yes there is a media byas against clinton. So if you think that people vote because of polls and mommentum then us democrats are setting ourselves to get our butts kicked this november. If Obama is the candidate to run against McCain then brace yourselves for the exposure of Obamas inexperience, liberal record (he's even more liberal than Ted Kennedy), NAFTA (knudging already to Canada that he'll not eliminated it), independent voters and conservative democrats along with the elderly vote will shift to McCAin. I honestly think that the only democrat capable of beating McCain is Hillary. She is atleast in the middle politically, has plenty of experience and has worked with Republicans in many issues and one important factor I think is crucial... she will have atleast 70+ more of the Hispanic vote. I honestly think that if Obama wins you'll see a larger chunk go to McCain not only because the hispanic vote is more conservative but due to the fact McCain was the only one to atleast attempt to do something about immigration reform which Hispanics wont forget that gesture.
Another point... do you we really think Obama is going to win those states he has won in the South this November? What about Florida, I know Floridians will be pretty pissed because they didn't count their delegates (even more those who came out in record numbers who voted for Hillary). Lastly, stop insinuating that Hillary should quit!! do the math and you'll see that this is still and will be a very, very close election with pledged delegates and as they have been saying about the superdelegates to obey the will of the people,,, than by Hillary winning the larger states (and counting Michigan and Florida) she will be slightly ahead. Something to consider.
This is a plea to people in Iowa....

I am so impressed with your vote. Could you please drive to Ohio tomorrow and talk some sense into Hillary supporters?

Please, Ohio, come through for Obama. We need his intellegence and ability to bring people together to get things done. His campaign - a brilliant process of moving people formerly depressed by politics - is proof that he can motivate all of us to do great things.

Please, Ohio...

Hillary will support McCain over Obama in the general?!?!?!?  Yikes!!  When will the Chris Matthews show be available online???
If you get past the mass media hype, Obama is the clear choice. Look at the way he has run his campaign, organized, creative, focused. Look at Hillary's campaign, scattershot, negative, short-sighted. We'd get same
'ole same 'ole from Hillary. It's time the people, yes I'm one of those million small donors, take back the  Democratic party and the White House.
Hello, Here is an endorsement ad for Hillary Clinton from Jack Nicholson put on YOUTUBE SAT. March 1.   http://www.youtube.com/v/tsweXFpfa28

Go Hillary!
Can she stop whining about the press long enough to release her tax returns from LAST YEAR???
Obama is running an outstanding campaign. His critics often complain of a lack of Washington experience. Yet I feel strongly that this argument is mainly neutralized by the "correctness" of his judgement in areas where it truely matters. This along with an incredible ability to inspire and to unite the American people will propel him to victory on Tuesday.
As a female, over the age of 50, I believe this to be an historical election and after careful consideration of both candidates, I have decided to  proudly place my support with Senator Obama. Today I will proudly submit my first donation.

Obama's has a One line for everything..against the Iraq war...they ask him...tells us how are you going to fix the economy..answer..I was against the War...Obama, how are you going to fix Job's..well I was against the War...and how are you going to unit..well I was against the War first...the problem with being against the War...He wasn't even in the Senate to vote against the War...he didn't even review the info...that all Senator...had to vote either way...so if he say's he has Judgment calls...in the 1990's when he talks about the choices he made or Lack of judgement  he used in his book...the Judgment choice is out the Door..as a Democrat..we listen to Obama''' support Bush..in 2004..when running for the Senate..he was for the War in Iraq...this is where his Lack of Experience...is going to Hurt our Democrat choice...to Win..you have to have more the I was Against the War..answer for everything...and when the use the Tape of him supporting the War in 2004 ...we as Democrat...will be in the Same boat...Our choice...a Weak...Top Ticket...Obama..lacks leeadership...his Book say's it all...
Comon people, all Obama has been doing is running campaigns.  He has a clean record because he hasn't done anything.  My nephew who is 12 has a perfect record because he hasn't done anything politically either.  Should he be president?
Hillary's PLAN! Ever notice how she never talks details about her plan, except that she has one? How is it going to be paid for, never mentions that? She slams Obama about speeches and rhetoric which if you listen to him he has solutions. It's Hillary who's full of rhetoric and speeches.

Go Obama
The saliva spitting Chris Matthews and Tim Russert are good for nothing biased nincompoops. I don't even call them journalists for their media spin. They are insulting the intellect of their viewers. They spew venom on everything that Hillary does and are all praises for the questionable inexpeirenced,arrogant, Rezco-tainted Barack Obama. Go figure........HILLARY '08!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well - both candidates are promising to fight for the 'unfortunate' not only here in ohio. How far fetched is that actually? the campaigns are marching through the country since when again? almost two years till election day? That cerainly raises some questions: what did happen during this time not only here but also in the rest of the world our candidates did not influence - and that is critical - although they have been elected to be involved in the decision making in washington. The whole 'experience' bubble will blast with the next terrorist attack or whatever we will have to face in the future. It will be the first time for everyone who is now running for the white house. I hope that the person in charge will be intelligent, flexible and honorable enough to quickly find solutions. That said - being 35 years in the political buisness is a good argument for being stiff and burned out. It is just a fact that younger brains think faster and more flexible. We shouldn't forget that.
vote for the future - not the past!
Everyone needs to read the following article.  Karl Rove and company are at it again.
http://thecityedition.com/Pages/Archive/Winter08/2008Election.html

Why do you think big Republican donors gave so heavily to get Obama off the ground last year?  Why has the corporate-owend media viciosly gone after Hillary since the middle of last year?  So they could have a so-called liberal democrat in the White House?  No.  Their entire strategy has been to knock out Hillary Clinton.  Why?  Step back for a minute and look at the facts.  Bill Clinton did the most for average Americans than any president since FDR, most of the time against a Republican congress.  Jobs? UP. Wages for middle income earners?  UP.  Crime? DOWN.  teen pregnancy? DOWN.  Drug use? DOWN.  Individual net worth? UP. Home ownership? UP. The middle class never had it so good.

Who do you think Hillary will have available EVERY DAY to consult with on every major decision or policy initiative?  YES - Bill Clinton, the most successful Democratic president in 60 years.  Why do you think the Republicans went after him so viciously?  Because he was morally challenged?  Right. The reason was that they could not defeat him any other way.  

Do you honestly think the Republicans are going to break the leashes of their corporate masters in order to play ball with Barack?  If so, then I have some swampland in Arizona for you.  Remember when they shut down the government?

The Clintons have been there and they have done that - against a Republican majority.  Oh, you say, that's the past and we need to look forward etc.  Ask yourself:  how many effective presidents have we actually had?  We have the chance to have the most effective president back in the White House and you  want to throw it aside for an untested, unvetted young man?  Please don't let the Republicans and corporate media take that chance away from us.  There really is too much at stake in this election.  

Yes, if Hillary wins, we will have to pay a price. The price we have to pay for the progress if Hillary gets elected will be another corporate media propaganda onslaught against the Clintons.  I for one am willing to pay that price for a better life.

Oh, and btw, while Hillary was working as an  attorney "for a tiny law firm in Arkansas (again, admirable but not even “top shelf” in the legal world given the thousands of first-tier attorneys at major corporations across America)," she just happened to be recognized as one of the best lawyers in America.  

Go Billary.
 
If any of you out there are undecided and are a woman or a father of a daughter...please read the following.  http://www.cleveland.com/brett/index.ssf?/base/opinion-0/120427742877180.xml&coll=2
I sincerely hope voters wake up. Hasn't this country had enough empty Clinton/Bush promises? After 2 decades of watching America plummet, my vote went to  the candidate who is offering a renewed America.

Why not try something new? The old didn't work. But if the people want to go back to the same old, same old, families then at least they can't complain as more of this country gets sold out.
Incompetence, thy name is Hillary.  Why would anyone vote for a candidate who is so determined to disgrace the democratic party and women?  She claims she has experience and yet voted for a war that is slowly but surely getting this country into a recession.  She cries on queue whenever it suits her like some pitiful southern belle who needs to be rescued, taking educated and strong women's causes back 100 hundred years! Depending on dear old Bill to get you votes?  Who will take the next woman candidate seriously after her fiasco?  She disgracefully mismanaged her campaign funds giving us a clue as to how she will run the white house and the country.  She and her husband Bill have shown a lack of class that is unbecoming of 'experienced, well traveled, and rubbing elbows with top world leaders politicians'.  History has been made and will be made in this election, but I sincerely pray to God that it isn't by her.  It takes a country to raise a good president.  The people have spoken 11 times in a row and will continue to speak.  Superdelegates get on board.  Power to the people! Obama09.
As previously stated by many people, Clinton does NOT have the experience she keeps referring to.  I am offended by the press who once again is bowing to Clinton "poor me" whines of being mistreated.  Now she is all over the press and they can't seem to stop covering her every move!  It's pathetic.  The press in this country has gone down hill beginning with the fear of being called unpatriotic by this administration and therefore not doing their jobs by reporting the truth to the American people and now doing similar "for" Hillary.  The only one worth watching these days is Keith Olberman.  I sincerely hope that Obama wins and Hillary crawls back into her negative, politics as usual (ala bush)hole!
I love how the Clinton supporters shoot out their mouths how MSNBC is bias towards Obama when they give a news article that shows positivity towards Obama, and then the Obama supporters shoot out their mouths how MSNBC is bias towards Clinton when they post an article showing positivity towards Clinton. Point is, polls are polls, you guys are acting like this is going to be the result come tuesday. I support Obama because he actually does bring a new idea towards Washington politics, the idea that policy papers don't necessarily qualify you to be a leader, that you have to be able to break the boundary of political parties to actually get things done. That is why he is liked by Independents. Even though some of his policies he's proposed are left leaning, who says he wouldn't consider changing them up to enable an agreement. Look at Bush and the Dem Congress, they both have terrible approval ratings just because they are stuck within the concept of their parties. This is what America really needs, a rejuvination, something to lift us and get us motivated, we need colorful policies, not just the ordinary black and white...
May I know what what experience Mrs. Clinton is talking about? As far as
I know before 2000 she never hold any official post. So which 35 year o experience she is talking about? I am just surprised why media as well as Obama camp is accepting this claim of experience on face value?
where are the papers from Obama on Tony Resko?? You talk about old news but all Obama can say is Hillary voted years ago and stutters as to new directions. Oh ya and well maybe i would have done same as her. 2 of my supporters did it too.People close to him assets?/Kennedy,Kerry -one couldnt run for president he dishonered his family name so much the other one tried and lost.Dodd has lost this one and others. He has Rezko and Ayers to help him out though. If he needs more help Farrakhan is by his side .Please get real!!
Thanks Jack for your idiot rant however it doesn't seem to be working.  You might be an idiot if you think that all the Clinton scandals are just going to go away...
Myrtle Bailey,
If BO is all talk and no substance, and Hillary is the most qualified to lead in foreign policy issues, why did the two individuals who have the most experience on foreign policy in the Senate, and who have known Senator Clinton for over 20 years, endorse Senator Obama this week?  If you say, it's because they're men and he's a man, I feel sorry for you since that's the wrong answer.
I am an Ohio democrat who will definitely vote for Hillary on Tuesday and I will not under any circumstances vote for Obama if he is the Democratic nominee in November. Obama and his empty slogans might look nice on a banner but they don't do anything to help our country. How many coalitions has he actually built while in the senate? How many meetings has he held of the committee he chairs? Why should I care what he thinks about the Iraq War when he wasn't even in the senate at that time? Do you honestly believe if people were jumping to their deaths out of a burning Sears Tower that he would still have been unwilling to vote for war. No true outsider can go from a few years in the senate to democratic nominee. Instead of watching a bunch of commercials and media/celebrity people tell me who to vote for, I think I'll make my own choice. That is democracy! I hope Hillary stays in the race until the convention even if she can't win so that Barack can keep throwing more money down the drain. I have never voted for a Republican before but Obama will be a good reason to try it.
I read comments on blogs because I can sometimes learn more than the media offers.  I'm especially grateful to ME/CA for his breakdown of Hillary's "experience."  I had realized that Obama has more experience in elective office than Hillary, but I didn't realize how really skinny her total life experience actually is.

Now, Jacksmith, on the other hand, has appeared with exactly the same "idiot" rant on every blog I've read in the last week.  Like Hillary, he seems to know only one tune, and sings it off key at that.  

Please, let's have intelligent commentary . . . not rants and raves!      
C'mon Hillary cinch up your panties and go home. There will be NO change in washington if you ever get elected just more dishonesty. Obama is our only chance for change and Honest Government and the peoples vioce to be heard. Obama Wins MY Vote Nov 2008.
Maybe Hillary should have told Obama to get out after super tuesday?? But this is how the campaigns are run and principled.I think there might be just the least bit of worry in Obama camp.You think??Should be. I do resent all the media turning her out for weeks now.I think there should be an investagation into political intimadationtoo.I hope she stays in till at least Pa.Obama has no loyalty of his own so he puts pressure on people to win. Talk about will do or say anything geesh.Thats how he got S Carolina.His wife(the closer)is such a good asset they keep her in background.Good move!!What happens when she has to come out if he gets it.She says all will be on her turms.Who is runing this race??She was his mentor and think she  still is.Where is her papers from Collage??
From what I have seen in the last several months these polls are a complete joke and they do not really reflect the will of the people. Look at Virginia,Colorado, and Wisconsin. I think polls are intended to let the media direct morons with no brains to a canidate that they want you to vote for. Now they are aggressively for Clinton over these last several days because they want the Democratic party to be devided and want this primary to go to the convention so they can have more air time for their massive ego's. If past polls are any history at all, Obama will sweep Clinton in Texas, narrowly beat her in Ohio and I hope this contest is over. This country needs a drastic changing of the guard, no more Bushies or Clintonites and on into the twenty first century. Barack Obama is that change because he speaks from his heart for all of us desperate Americans who are out there barely surving the last seven years of King George. This experience issue is BS because look at what these career experienced politicians who are now running this country have done for you and me. NADA... To all Americans I beg you wake up and vote your hearts. Vote Barack Obama for real Change !!!!!
I watched Senator Obama on CSPAN last night in a "town hall" somewhere in Ohio.   The Clintonistas would be very well served by tuning into what Obama is saying and how he's saying it.  Not only does he make a ton of sense but he also communicates very well, not insulting anyone and making a real lot of sense.   In the general election I will vote for McCain because I prefer his stand over all and I hope he can control the neo-cons from the Right.  I think Obama will be beholden too much to the Democratic Machine.   However, Senator Clinton is a walking disaster.  My bottom line is that as a moderate conservative I wouldn't bee too concerned if Senator Obama wins the Presidential Election.  But if Senator Clinton wins ( hightly unlikely ) I will be calling Barbra Streisand to help ME move to Canada.  :-P
May God have mercy on America!  Obama or Hilary.  Is this the best America has to offer?  I am so thankful I have lived enough years to see what a true President can do and it brings me to shame that America has fallen so low.  I feel sorry for our children and grandchildren at what a mess this country is that they will inherit.  I know God is up there shaking his head in disbelief over all this!
When will all the Obama wave runners see what he is really all about, when they elect him president and see we got another George Bush, he talks a good talk and tells the desperate what they want to hear. Where will all these yound supporters be on election day in november, not at the polls. A vote for Obama is the same as a vote for Bush. He is already flip floping just like his endorser John Kerry. The media has already elected him president and is so bias towards him.
The more I read about the elections, the more I feel like I am in a sinking ship without a life preserver.  I have to wonder about the wisdom of voting by gender or color when I see the US economy headed on a down hill ski vacation while oil prices appear headed for the moon.  I have to wonder about supporting personal  appealing promises as salt water encroachment takes  over the coasts and the midsection of the nation collapses under the weight of over-fertilization and ground water depletion.  Who's addressing these issues.  Global warming is here.....it is unavoidable.  So, who's addressing how we can best modify the lay of the land to cope with it before Lake Meade dries up.   Who is really addressing change......away fro the status quo and towards a livable future environment for our children.  Given the challenges ahead from the forces of nature (including rising pestilence) there  simply is no excuse for unemployment.  This nation has work to do.  So, which candidate is focusing on the work that must be done if we are to survive.  Who is looking beyond the buck.  FDR did and so did JFK.  Who is next.  We need him or her.  
I cannot believe all the negative media Hilary has recieved. Obama seems to be the darling of the press.
CNN's supposively best reporters are so biased, they make me sick. Wolf Blister is such a dud, he knows nothing about politics. The guy that gets about 35,000 E-mails anv hours, so he says, The ones he reads over the air, are all for Obama and the negative ones are for Hilary. What I would give to have Walter Cronkite back for just an hour and get a truer view of what's really happening. I am really scared of this Man Obama and his rightious religious wife.When she said, "For the first time in her life she was proud to be an American". What was she before? They scare the hell out of me.
I am retired and living on a fixed income. God forbid they screw everything up. We need Hilary, at least we know waht were getting. My Family goes all the way back to the Spanish De O'Nate expedition in 1598, that estalished the Percidio in Santa Fe, of what is now New Mexico. My family was here a generation before the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. We used to be called white until 1960, until some person in Washington woke up one morning and told us that we were bo longer white but Hispanic. Thats OK with me. But Im not Mexican, I have never been in Mexico, nor do I care too. I am proud to be an American of Hispanic origin
Why are there *two* posts from Clinton supporters claiming that MSNBC's headline is misleading because "Clinton is showing very strongly in all polls outside of black voters." Do Clinton supporters believe that black voters don't count?
Nothing about her record says "ready on day one".  She has been wrong on the major issues of the day: 1) failed at health care, 2) failed on Iraq, 3) failed on Iran Kyle-Lieberman Amendment , 4) failed on no-child-left-behind, 5) wrong on FISA etc ..
The Obama camp is handling her with a kid glove; time to shine some light on her so-called record!


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