First thoughts: Iraq is back

Posted: Monday, March 17, 2008 9:17 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: First Thoughts

From Chuck Todd and Mark Murray
*** Iraq is back: Overshadowed in the last few weeks by the economy, the horserace, and even the recent back-and-forths over Geraldine Ferraro and Rev. Wright, the issue of Iraq returns to the campaign trail today. Just before the war’s five-year anniversary, John McCain is in the country, as is Vice President Cheney. Meanwhile, at George Washington University in DC, Clinton gives a speech this morning on Iraq. Per the New York Times, Clinton will discuss “her plan to begin withdrawing American troops within 60 days of coming into office… She was also expected to attack Mr. Obama over a recent statement by a former foreign policy adviser, Samantha Power, in which she said the Iraq withdrawal plan Mr. Obama had outlined while campaigning was a ‘best-case scenario’ that he would revisit once in office.” But is that the pot calling the kettle black? Earlier this month, the New York Sun reported that retired Gen. Jack Keane, who had briefed Clinton on Iraq and who had been asked to be a campaign adviser on military issues, said he had “no doubts whatsoever that if [Clinton] were president in January '09 she would not act irresponsibly and issue orders to conduct an immediate withdrawal from Iraq.” This should be a week the Obama campaign was looking forward to but it's not obvious he's going to get the advantage on Iraq that, perhaps, his campaign expected a few months ago.

VIDEO: NBC Political Director Chuck Todd offers his first read on the presidential candidates' focus on the Iraq anniversary and not the economy situation.

*** Obama’s Iowa sweep: So the trashing of the caucus process was not good for Clinton's campaign, which got killed at the Iowa county convention re-caucus. Obama picked up an additional nine delegates, mostly from Edwards’ January 3 haul. The overall delegate take for each candidate: 25 for Obama (that's up from 16 ); 14 for Clinton (that's down one from her 15); and six hung with Edwards (down from 14). That takes Obama’s pledged lead over Clinton to 1,409 to 1,250. With the superdelegates thrown in (253 for Clinton, 217 for Obama), the delegate count stands at Obama 1,626, Clinton 1,503. This is more evidence that the outsider candidate (Obama) continues to beat the insider candidate (Clinton) at the ultimate insider game: the battle for delegates in odd county convention processes.

*** Full disclosure: After releasing all of Obama’s Rezko records and sitting with Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times reporters on Friday, the Obama campaign has upped the ante for Team Clinton. Yesterday, the Obama camp asked Clinton to release all of her tax records, disclose all of her earmarks, and make the donations to the Clinton presidential library and foundation public. The Clinton camp, in response, says Obama should release his tax returns for every year he's been in public office and every earmark he requested as a state senator. The pushback is obvious: try to cloud the lack of disclosure in the Clinton campaign with questions of lack of disclosure on the Obama front. This is the road the Obama campaign clearly wants to go down. The question is whether bareknuckles politics ultimately hurts Obama's image or whether a fight for disclosure brings back the bad news of the Clinton years Democratic voters -- and superdelegates -- might be tired of.

*** Clinton’s super problem: By our count, the Clinton campaign hasn’t publicly announced the support of a new superdelegate since just after February 5. Indeed, since Super Tuesday, Obama has gained 47 new superdelegates, while Clinton has lost seven (including Eliot Spitzer). Does Clinton have a bigger problem on the superdelegate front than folks realize? Why do we think party leaders -- who saw the Democrats lose governorships, state legislatures, and the control of Congress during the Clinton years -- suddenly jump on board the Clinton campaign? Isn't this the reason the Clinton campaign has only been able to keep uncommitted supers from climbing board Obama's bandwagon but they haven't been able to woo a new super to their side in a month? ? Isn't this also an explanation for why the Clinton campaign has done so poorly in the caucuses? The caucuses are made up of the activists who follow this stuff closer and think about things like electability and who can help the party keep Congress, etc. If Clinton's not winning over caucus activists, why should we believe she'll win over a large enough chunk of superdelegates to overcome Obama's pledged delegate lead? Ultimately, her best chance is to convince supers that Obama is completely unelectable on par with McGovern, an argument that might have been helped a tad by Rev. Wright.

*** Just askin’: Just how lucky is McCain that the political media world’s focus is on Clinton vs. Obama? Otherwise, wouldn’t his Iraq trip -- with Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman -- be getting a lot more scrutiny, as would the fact that he’s using taxpayer dollars to pay for a campaign trip? If there were two nominees right now, would McCain have even tried this? Probably not, since everything he was doing would be under more scrutiny.

*** I am liberal, hear me roar: While Clinton will be talking withdrawal from Iraq at George Washington University, across town in DC, the liberal Take Back America conference -- which famously booed Clinton over her Iraq views in 2006 and 2007 -- begins today. The confab, sponsored by the Campaign for America’s Future, today features a speech by Donna Edwards, who beat incumbent Rep. Al Wynn (D) in a primary last month and hears from Sen. Jim Webb later tonight. The theme of the conference, organizers told First Read last week, is that 2008 has an opportunity to be a sea-change election for the Democrats.

*** It’s the economy… : Today should be a major Iraq day, and instead it appears Washington (and New York) and the media will be consumed with the economy. The campaigns are all prepared for an Iraq week, but don't seem to be prepared for a week dominated by the economy. None of the three candidates has been aggressive about reacting to what's actually going on with the economy. All have plans about housing and taxes, etc. But none seem to be tempted into talking about why there's a credit crunch or what's going to pull the country out of this economic funk. And surprisingly, the media isn't demanding answers from the candidate on their prescriptions for the economy.

*** On the trail: Elsewhere today, Clinton heads to Albany after her Iraq speech to attend David Paterson’s swearing-in ceremony; McCain remains overseas; and Obama is in Pennsylvania, where he stumps in Monaca and Scranton.

Countdown to Pennsylvania: 36 days
Countdown to North Carolina, Indiana: 50 days
Countdown to Election Day 2008: 232 days
Countdown to Inauguration Day 2009: 309 days

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Comments

Gone for a week, and still no conclusion to the DEM race.

Chuck, NY (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:24 AM)

Watching last week’s round of denouncing, rejecting, and repudiating I was struck by how strange this all must seem to our kids. We were treated to the sorry spectacle of old-timers Gerry Ferraro, Pastor Jeremiah Wright, and Reverends Hagee and Parsley out there fanning the flames of gender, racial and religious conflict. It must be like dealing with crazy aunts, uncles, and grandparents who have been carrying on a family feud so long they now think of it as normal behavior. We older folks remain so mired in who did what to who first that we can’t seem to focus on the future.

I was raised in a United Church of Christ congregation in Minnesota, the same denomination as Barack’s church. The religious message was mainstream liberal Christianity and the church as an institution was the focal point for a long-established community. Pastors came and went. It was the network of mutually supportive relationships among members of the congregation that provided the sense of continuity. Were there racists among them? No doubt, but I was happily unaware of it growing up, mainly because there were no persons of color anywhere in sight. They generally had better sense than to move into the nation’s icebox with a whole continent to choose from.

I only discovered as an adult that my own mother was a closet racist. The subject rarely came up in our household, probably in part because my father was active in the labor movement and he was one who believed union solidarity should trump ethnicity. To my mother’s credit she did or said little to pass on the mental disorder she had inherited. Fittingly, she lived her final years in an assisted living home staffed largely by recent immigrants from Nigeria. They proved to be some of the finest, most compassionate people she had ever had the pleasure to know.

As one of the current generation of crazy aunts, uncles, and grandparents, I’m inclined to let the kids take the lead. I think it would be hard to argue that we are better equipped to heal the old wounds based on our life experience. The next generation seems eager to look past the old divisions and keep their focus on the future where it belongs. Hopefully they can pick and choose from the best we have to offer and disregard the worst. We can’t ignore the history of gender, racial and religious division in this country, but we should use it to remind us of how far we have come and how far we have still to go.

jaycee, Ventura, California (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:25 AM)

Doesn't it stand to reason that the majority of the remaining SD's who did not commit to the inevitability candidate last year (Clinton) are less favorably disposed to her and would be far less likely to comeout for her when she is so far behind.

David, Bedford, NH (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:27 AM)

IT IS TIME TO GIVE HER FLORIDA AND MICHIGAN..
WE NEED A FIGHTER!!!
OBAMA CANNOT GET US OUT OF THIS WAR OR SAVE THE ECONOMY FROM CRASHHING. OBAMA CAN NOT FIGHT HIS WAY OUT OF A WET PAPER SACK!

PHYLLIS,OH (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:28 AM)

"Just how lucky is McCain that the political media world’s focus is on Clinton vs. Obama?"

ARE THE DEMS LISTENING????

Focus your attention on McCAIN!!!!! As a dem, I'm voting either HRC or Obama. I prefer Obama. I'd much rather see both or one of them open up on McCain. I mean now!!! He's in Iraq on a bad day for the US economy. It's just too easy.

Stop the infighting. Focus on the Republicans. Most undecided Dems just want to know who is going to beat McCain.

adam/Brooklyn New York City (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:28 AM)

http://twocanpete.blogspot.com
If Obama could get his wife and his pator to shut their mouths so that he could explain to the American people how much this war is costing he could win in November by a landslide. Instead we see deception by distraction and many of the black folks are playing right into it. Obama must set the agenda for discussion or HRC will take this election out from under his nose.

twocanpete (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:31 AM)

McCain should stay in Iraq, he can be their president. He is useless and you guys can put him under scrutiny, your job right?

HP Boston (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:37 AM)

Hillary funded her campaign with $5 million of her and Bill's own dollars.

Where did those dollars come from?

WHO is funding her campaign through them?

THAT is why her tax returns are important to see. You want to be a public servant, you must be scrutinized by the public.

Ron, TX (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:44 AM)

Keep up the in-fighting democrats...and we can be ensured of a republican victory in the fall.

Pat Huntington NY (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:47 AM)

Senator McSame is over there plotting his attack on Iran...he had bush run out the last sane man in the military hierarchy two weeks ago so now its off to war for all of those sons and daughters of republican chickenhawks

Rick, NC (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:51 AM)

thanks to bush and repubs the American economy is in a free fall but bush says he is on top of it so yes you know what that means, its only going to get much worse.

thats a fact jack (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:51 AM)

Chuck,
There's NOTHING "bareknuckles" about demanding that Senator Clinton be accountable to the voting public. She's playing games with Democratic voters by not releasing her taxes, Bill's donor list, and the very backup that will let us know whether she actually did anything in the White House to back up her claims of "experience."

REality Check (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:52 AM)

"Wise men don't need advice. Fools won't take it" Benjamin Franklin-----so I ask which is bush?

jus askin (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:54 AM)

Where is the Obama's pastor story. i guess you forgot it Chuck. This is team Obama territory.

Dot (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:54 AM)

The war & the economy are not seperate and isolated from one another. George Bush's disastrous policies have hurt me personally. More & more years of this incredibly costly war will sink us. More & more years of the corporate greed running our economy will sink us. (If they haven't already)
McCain as President: disastrous
Hillary as President: not as disastous as McCain but not much better either.
Obama Presidency! Victory for America! A clean break from the dirty business that got us where we are right now. Yes WE Can!
Obama '08

JohnnyU, WA State (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:55 AM)

Hillary has nothing to say about the Iraq war. She voted for it.

Hillary needs to release her tax returns, her earmarks as Senator and the whitehouse papers.

The superdelegates will support Obama and will go along with the candidate who has the most pledged delegates. Pelosi will help see to that.

I wonder how many troopers will have to surround McCain this time and how many helicopters will have to be buzzing overhead to keep him safe in the streets of Baghdad during his visit.

Many of Rev. Wrights comments were contemptible. But regarding some comments there is some truth to them. This country has been controled by rich white males (there is no doubt about that). Racism does still exist in the US (there is no doubt about that). Some of our actions across the world have created enemies for us who now mean us harm (there is no doubt about that). I found some of Wrights comments as being divisive and horrible. But I also found that some of his comments were right on. Sometimes people take offense because the truth hurts.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:56 AM)

.
Hillary has been called the "most secretive politician" of this generation. She has made a career of not answering questions and refusing requested documents. She will only release her income tax returns if named the nominee, although all other presidential candidates have done so already. She has refused to release her schedules and records from when she was First Lady, even though she makes claims to having been involved in policy making then.
When asked why she did not provide these documents when other candidates did, she gave a run-around answer that our ineffective press allowed her to get away with.
If Hillary is elected president, be prepared for an extremely devious, deceitful, secretive and arrogant administration, the likes of which we have never witnessed.
.

eddie h, AZ (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:58 AM)

'...Analysts also have noticed that there will be more delegates at stake on May 6 when North Carolina and Indiana vote, 187, than the 158 available in Pennsylvania....'

'...Pennsylvania Primary: Latest News, Polls On Democratic Race

Huffington Post

Does Pennsylvania Really Matter? Larry Eichel of the Philadelphia Inquirer doesn't seem to think so:

Analysts also have noticed that there will be more delegates at stake on May 6 when North Carolina and Indiana vote, 187, than the 158 available in Pennsylvania. Florida and Michigan account for 313....

Perhaps the only way that Pennsylvania could prove decisive would be if Obama were to win the primary, which seems unlikely right now.

Such an outcome would undercut Clinton's oft-made argument that she is the preferred choice of the big states that dominate the Electoral College. For that reason, an Obama win would have a huge impact on the undeclared superdelegates, who hold the nomination in their hands.

Obama Not Giving Up Pennsylvania: Reports from Obama donors say he's suggested that a ten-point loss would still be a victory, but publicly he hasn't given up on the state yet:

David Axelrod, Obama's chief political strategist, told reporters on a conference call this morning that the campaign would go all out to win the Keystone State. "We are gong to contest vigorously in Pennsylvania," he said. "We're going to be running a full campaign."

Obama heads tomorrow to Monaca, Pa., west of Pittsburgh, and then to Scranton, where he will address an Irish women's group. Both are located in the heart of Clinton territory. The state's older, blue-collar voter base skews against Obama, but another problem is Pennsylvania's relatively strict participation rules. Primary voters must register as Democrats as of March 24, nearly a full month before election day. Obama is running radio ads in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia to urge students, independents and Republicans -- three key constituencies to keep the race close -- to register as Democrats before the deadline.

Obama Expands The Voter Rolls: The biggest challenge for Barack Obama may come as early as March 24th. That's the date by which voters must file to change their registration in order to vote in the April 22nd primary. Since Pennsylvania is a closed primary, Obama is hoping to get as many independents and Republicans as possible to switch their registration:

In the days after the March 24 voter registration deadline, state election officials will release figures that measure the almost singular focus of Obama's field operation until then: political conversions.

Obama is attempting to crack open Pennsylvania's closed party primary, initiating a program to flip the registrations of independent and Republican voters to Democrat.

The Pennsylvania strategy is aimed at giving Obama a head start by expanding the rolls by tens of thousands of voters ahead of the April 22 election. The final tabulations from the Department of State could offer the first tangible indications of whether Obama can catch Clinton in a state where she holds the advantage.

Sierra, SF (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:58 AM)

"After releasing all of Obama’s Rezko records and sitting with Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times reporters on Friday, the Obama campaign has upped the ante for Team Clinton."

Now, what will be the Clinton supporters talking point, all the cards have been layed on the table...
patiently waiting for some new nonsense talking point............and waiting..............and waiting................and waiting

Kym (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:59 AM)

First Read says...
>> This is more evidence that the outsider candidate (Obama) continues to beat the insider candidate (Clinton) at the ultimate insider game: the battle for delegates in odd county convention processes.<<

Hmmm, :) that is because, perhaps, PEOPLE REALLY WANT CHANGE, and also because, perhaps, we have a really smart and savvy outside candidate who looked at states' rules that were transparent, gave the states' rules the respect they deserved, and showed he could win under these rules. He knew what he had to do, put good people in place, they got out the vote, they had a good message, and people voted for them. Sounds like he has both good management skills and leadership potential to me. Don't need to be an insider to lead! Or maybe we just have a new vision of who needs to be inside a certain office that is circular.

Lisa, New Britain, CT (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 9:59 AM)

Obama gets slammed when he discloses stuff (even for minor things). Clinton just doesn't disclose stuff. Can someone refresh me on why people vote for her when she doesn't disclose stuff?

Yet another thing I truly don't get. The Clinton supporters are the first to slam Obama on anything that comes up with his "disclosures". They apparently don't feel that Clinton has to disclose anything? Is this an accurate read...hard to see it any other way.

Double Standard.

Obama 08

Lisa, New Britain, CT (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:03 AM)

'...We concluded that the professional judgment and personal decency with which he has managed himself and his ambition distinguish him.

Nothing Obama said in our editorial board room Friday diminishes that verdict....'

This is LONG OVERDUE

The Clintons are the MOST CORRUPT pair of political hacks in this country's history !!
Whitewater, Travelgate, Filegate, Monica, Gnnifer Flowers, Peter Paul, Norman Hus, donations to the Clinton Library, the personal enrichment of the Clintons via the 'corporate interests' and the 'special interests' .......

From Huff Post:
'...Obama Prepares For Full Assault On Clinton's Ethics

Huffington Post

The Chicago Tribune reports that Barack Obama's is pushing this week for greater transparency in his campaign as part of a plan to launch a head-on attack against his opponent Sen. Clinton.

Sen. Barack Obama is trying to air his dirty laundry -- even some items that might appear just a little wrinkled -- as he prepares a full assault on Sen. Hillary Clinton over ethics and transparency.

On Saturday he invoked Robert F. Kennedy as he continued to try to distance himself from controversial statements made by his former Chicago pastor that are circulating on the Internet.

With a gap between campaign contests, Obama is trying to unload controversies. On Friday he held extended conversations with the Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times about his longtime relationship with indicted developer and fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko.

The Illinois Democrat is also expected to make public his tax returns for several years before 2006, documents he previously has provided to the Tribune and other news organizations.

The plan seems to be yielding dividends, if the Tribune is to be believed. After sitting with the papers editorial board to answer every question asked about his relationship with Tony Rezko, the Chicago Tribune had this to say:

When we endorsed Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination Jan. 27, we said we had formed our opinions of him during 12 years of scrutiny. We concluded that the professional judgment and personal decency with which he has managed himself and his ambition distinguish him.

Nothing Obama said in our editorial board room Friday diminishes that verdict.

We said in that same editorial that Obama had been too self-exculpatory in explaining away his ties to Tony Rezko. And we've been saying since Nov. 3, 2006 -- shortly after the Tribune broke the story of Obama's house purchase -- that Obama needed to fully explain his Rezko connection. He also needed to realize how susceptible he had been to someone who wanted a piece of him -- and how his skill at recognizing that covetousness needed to rise to the same stature as his popular appeal.

Friday's session evidently fulfills both obligations. Might we all be surprised by some future disclosure? Obama's critics have waited 16 months for some new and cataclysmic Rezko moment to implicate and doom Obama. It hasn't happened....

...Barack Obama now has spoken about his ties to Tony Rezko in uncommon detail. That's a standard for candor by which other presidential candidates facing serious inquiries now can be judged.

Sierra, SF (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:04 AM)

Obama's electability might have been helped " a tad" by Rev. Wright? Watch PA. America will speak to Sen. Obama and so will the polls. He is done. And it won't be Clinton's fault. And she had so many more superdelegates than he did, it's to be expected that he finally got some. They aren't going to budge now. They know Obama is wounded.

Larry (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:05 AM)

First Read says...
>>Ultimately, her best chance is to convince supers that Obama is completely unelectable on par with McGovern, an argument that might have been helped a tad by Rev. Wright<<

The problem is (and this is particularly so if the superdelegates overturn the previous voting) that nobody has that crystal ball which can truly predict electability. Obama can counter...do we really think Clinton is electable with her high negatives (her current high negatives and then more that may well come over the next months) and particularly is she electable if there is a wide perception that she "stole" the election from Obama or took it unfairly?

I am one voter who really can't vote for Clinton under the present circumstances because I will never vote to support her tactics. Sorry, but I draw the line.

Woman for Obama 08

Lisa, New Britain, CT (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:09 AM)

"Take Back America conference -- which famously booed Clinton over her Iraq views in 2006 and 2007 --begins today. The confab, sponsored by the Campaign for Americaâ€™s Future, today features a speech by Donna Edwards, who beat incumbent Rep. Al Wynn (D) in a primary last month and hears from Sen. Jim Webb later tonight. The theme of the conference, organizers told First Read last week, is that 2008 has an opportunity to be a sea-change election for the Democrats."
______________________________
jaycee, beautifully stated. I couldn't agree more. The battles have been fought and won. Time to pass the torch - again.

I surely hope C-Span air Jim Webb's speech this evening.

Barack Obama/Jim Webb 2008.

Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:11 AM)

So if you are the person who you associate with then it is fair to call Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton SEGREGATIONIST, after all, Bill's mentor and guy he interned for J. William Fulbright was a segregationist, he voted against the civil rights act. He gave the guy an award while he was president. What do the Clinton supporters think of that argument?

Kym (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:13 AM)

her picked up a new Super today...

CHICAGO, IL – Margie Gavin Woods, a superdelegate from Illinois, announced she is supporting Senator Barack Obama for President today, citing his ability to unite the country:

Josh P (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:15 AM)

Sen. McWar should just stay in Iraq, since he likes to continue for 100 years, and start a new war with Iran. Have you seen the UTube, that he singing "Bomb, Bomb Iran?"

Mike (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:15 AM)

The President was unaware that gasoline is projected to hit $4 a gallon in the near future, but he is on top of the economic situation. Good grief.

Bruce, St. Helens, OR (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:17 AM)

Why aren't you reporting that a judge in California is going to set a trial date on April 25th in the fraud trial Peter Paul v. Clinton. hillary monster "George Wallace" clinton and her husband and daughter are named as defendents in the 17 million dollar fraud case. There is also proof of election law violations committed by hillary monster "George Wallace" clinton. The best part is the trial date will be in the fall and will occur right in the middle of the presidential campaign. Nothing like having the Democratic nominee be a defendent in a high profile trial during a presidential campaign. C'mon FR, report on this story.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq8aopATYyw

Patrick, Indianapolis (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:18 AM)

As the US economy enters a state of crisis brought on by 8 years of Bush's incompent leadership, McCain wants to focus on alleged progress in the endless Iraq war.

The Bush/McCain surge has been so "successful" that McCain has to sneak into Iraq unannounced for his campaign photo opportunity and then quickly sneak back out.

And McCain won't be visting the Baghdad market he strolled throught last year because it is now under the control of al Sadr's militia. Apparently, note even the bullet-proof vest and squads of soldiers and helicopters that protected him last time are enough to guarantee his safety now.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/16/mccain-market-iraq/

Houston (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:18 AM)

OMG!!

OBAMA CAN'T WIN THE GENERAL ELECTION....

Obama's extreme lack of judgment, about his Pastor, was the "Cou de Graw," not the French, but the Spanish interpretation... where the finishing blow, shot, or sword thrust, is not out of mercy, it's intended to take out an opponent, adversary, foe, "Cou de Graw," Spanish version, has nothing to do with mercy after losing a battle, it's preemptive.

Also, why does the media not come clean about Barack's vote(s) on the Iraq War.... He has no judgment there either, once he was in the U.S. Senate, and had left the safety of Illinois, and his radical friends there, he voted to support the war, he also voted *not* to set a deadline for the soldiers to come home, he followed Bush's lead like a true Republican Patriot. When he started to vote against the War *again*, after all his "wimpy" waffling, was after he had decided to run for president. Then, it seemed pertinent to go against all that he had been doing/voting in favor of before.... His pitiful church explanation and his voting record on the Iraq War, are almost "Mirror Images" of each other. Hey, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's a duck.... "Spewing" rhetoric, to say, "it ain't so" does not change anything....

If one looks, that is, actually looks at what he has done, not what he has said, his pandering Iraq War voting record, is as easy to read as any road map. It is "crystal clear." It's impossible to misunderstand what he has been doing.... With Obama, its all about saying one thing, and doing something entirely different, it's his pattern, of trying to be everything, to everybody at the moment, THAT'S NOT LEADERSHIP.

His voting on the Iraq War is exactly like is explanation of his twenty year history with his Pastor. There is no credibility whats so ever between his talk, rhetoric, language, and what he actually physically does. It's unbelievable how the GUTLESS, credit-less, swooning, sniveling media, has given him a pass on his "schizophrenic" voting record on the Iraq War. It's really sad, when "comedy programs" are more legitimate, and honest, than spineless, overpaid, propaganda, light weights, that call themselves journalist, and the bottom of the bottom pundits.

It's outrageous they say, Obama *MIGHT* HAVE TO SPEAK UP AND SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THIS... suck it up media/pundits have some courage, balls, nerve, do your chicken hearted, scared to death looking over your shoulder, light weight, weak...selves's a favor. **MAN UP!!**

The above paragraph is about what I had been reading about Obama and his Pastor.... I read several articles where the gutless media, were saying "Obama might have to talk about it." Well after Fox News rammed it down their throats, they are still kinda, sorta, wanta, ask Obama if he would maybe be nice enough say a little about it.

The gutless media and pundits are at it again... Always scared to say what is obvious to all, about this race bating that has been going on, in, around, and during the Obama campaign....the difference now is some of the root, of so much of this stuff, is bubbling up to the surface. Would "you rich liberals" take *your daughters* to sermons like Pastor Wright, preaches, Obama's loving affectionate "Uncle" like mentor.... Why do these gutless sniveling cowards want to "force" this stuff on the rest of us....

It won't work, "we" will stop it in the general election if "you" don't have the nerve, fortitude and brains to stop it now.... The protest vote will put McCain over the top by a landslide.

Talk about Muslims dancing in the streets, I've been left winged, all my adult life but the "Right Wingers" are right about this one. Dead right!! I have no problems with religion Muslims or otherwise, but Wright's sermons are tailor made for fanning the flames of many people in the world who want to kill Americans just for the sake of killing them because they are born American.... Oh yeah, I have traveled, don't feed me your Latte (BS.)

Obama's lack of courage to step away form this, is extraordinary telling, about him, and his wife. They are Ivy League schooled, both of them, Harvard lawyers!! They understood exactly what was going on in that church and they (embraced and subsidized it.) They gave money, thousands of dollars to the Pastor Wright's Church.

Then comes injury to insult, once he decided to take a role in Public Service he continued to be a part of it and here his serious lack of judgment, as to what kind of explosive consequences are associated with this. ARE PARAMOUNT...

I feel sorry for Obama, he is not going to be able to wiggle out of this. Axlerod his campaign manger is a fool, he should have done something with/about this early on. One cannot pick family, but one can pick pastors and associations. It's judgment or really lack of judgment...

This is a serious lack of judgment no president of America can be this naive and just plain stupid. He will never be elected in the general election. He is dead in the water in Presidential politics. Oh I don't doubt that the Latte Liberals will still support him, they have the same inconsistent, paranoid, guilt ridden judgment. But core Democrats who are the ones that vote in and make Presidents in the general elections will never vote for Obama now.

The Bradley effect will be real this time, but it's Obama's fault, he brought it upon himself. It will not be buyers remorse it will be a landslide protest vote for McCain, and an outright denounce and rejection of Obama, and his bipolar, personality....

I do feel for Obama, but Oh My God, his judgment about this is **terrifying.** Early on he had a chance to get out of this political "oven" but he stayed inside, turned up the heat, and closed the door. No one can survive that..... Not Obama, Hillary, Ronald Reagan, McCain, or even Jesus. In the general Presidential election, it was and is political suicide.

Francis Crosby.

Anti Reagness, Columbus Georgia. (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:19 AM)

Chuck Todd is a mere mouthpiece for the Obama campaign.

Dirk, Brunswick, Georgia (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:19 AM)

Is Wright correct in saying America is ran by a bunch of Rich White people? YES IT IS!!!! Look at the latest census of the Top 1% in wealth 88% are White. It is similar in the Top 5%. Does Hillary know what it is like to experience racism because of the color of her skin? NO. Not a single white person can know that or accept that. Remember the reality show that dressed a black family up white and a white family black. The White man could never accept the fact that racism was all around him. In fact he said he found more racist attitudes amoung blacks. All I can say is until you walk in a black persons shoes their whole lives you will never know. I'm sure the same can be said about women. Obama's pastor preaches with fire and brimstone and a lot of people are put off by that. If you break down and listen to what he says you will understand where he is coming from and he speaks the truth. He says that God will Damn America for it's racist ways. Personaly I believe this message can be thought of as the poor vs. the rich. There are a lot of poor people who are white who feel the same way. This is the John Edwards message without Race.

Tom Corriher, Crouse, NC (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:19 AM)

Does anyone actually believe the nonsense that the President can do something about the economy?
I wish the President could, but common sense tells me that it is impossible. We are in for a nightmare and there isn't anything anyone can do except ride it out. Our dollar is nearly worthless, the rate can only be cut so much, and we have already borrowed so much from China and Saudi Arabia that as a Country our credit rating is in the tank. This is how the Soviet Union failed contrary to all those that think Reagan brought them down. They fought wars until they bankrupted the Country.
But just like a magician do not pay attention to what is actually happening; instead be distracted by the slight of hand.

S. Ruff (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:20 AM)

It is becoming very apparent that these candidates need each other (and in particular their demographic voting base). An analysis I heard this morning structured BO as the Latte Liberals, young voters plus the black vote. Basically Howard Dean plus blacks. HRC is women and Reagan Democrats. Neither seems to be able to count on the others voting base in November. I doubt HRC will get the new voters that BO has brought in nor the will the black vote turn out in numbers if BO is not the nominee. I think BO will have a problem turning out white women if HRC is not the nominee and after this weekend the Reagan Democrats will not support BO in the general election as you can sure the Republicans will be playing wall-to-wall coverage of every Pastor Wright speech they can lay their hands on. What a mess!

Alan, NJ (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:20 AM)

Can we please keep Cheney and Bush in a corner and they can keep their mouths shut until Jan 2009. We do not need for them to touch or talk to anyone because they will get us in a bigger mess than we are already. Can we also get back to the real problems that we have instead of personal attacks, who goes to what church, man or woman etc., We have bigger problems.

Carmen Colorado (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:21 AM)

Hillary Clintons constant
I will answers no questions!
deceive,
hide
attack
hide
attack ...anyone who questions anything,
She is starting to really reminding me of bush/cheney/rove!
Should she be required to be upfront and honest as a candidate running for President of the U.S.A.??
why will she not release her past tax returns when ALL other candidates have.
won't release her earmarks, when ALL other candidates have.

We have had that for 7+ years...and hasn't that worked wonderful for US America??
Ohhh I forgot...ask no questions!!
We need to talk about a preacher...b/c that's what is important for the economy that is in the $hitter, the war, education, social security, and healthcare. blah, blah blah...unimportant things!!

Bush/Cheney/Rove "smoke and mirrors".....
from the Clinton campaign!
vote for McCain Democrats!
He hasn't hid tax returns and and ear marks!!
He has admitted he knows nothing about the economy.
and he will keep us in Iraq, and there will be more wars, my friends.
Vote for more of the same...
Vote McCain!!

coninpa (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:21 AM)

Jaycee, once again you got it right. I am of the older generation, white and female. Born outside the US, have lived here over 40 yrs. and still cannot get used to hearing or reading bigoted opinions. Isn't it time people grew up? Leave the prejudices aside for the good of the country.

Why should it matter what color your skin is or what religion you practice or even if you practice at all. Those that use these as a measure of the person is very shallow indeed and we can only end up with another GWB.

gm hussein, jupiter, fl (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:22 AM)

As usual, First Read makes several excellent analytical comments ... that the remaining primaries and caucuses will not change the basic dynamic and that it is Obama not Clinton who shines brightest among the uncommitted superdelegates.

But, last week First Read dismissed as an "urban legend" the notion that Republicans are playing games with the Democratic primaries by voting for Clinton to stall Obama -- the Rush Limbaugh effect. Where there is smoke, there is fire. How else to explain that Clinton's votes in Mississippi were 25% Republican? Has the reviled Hillary suddenly become the darling of the Republicans?

The Boston Globe hits the nail on the head with an article today. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/03/17/many_voting_for_clinton_to_boost_gop/

Come on First Read, take a serious look at this issue.

Obie, Burtrum, MN (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:23 AM)

jaycee babbles: "I only discovered as an adult that my own mother was a closet racist."

Apparently, Obama is one too. We know the people he hangs out with are racists.

Vena Thompson, Oregon (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:23 AM)

Hey Firstread, did you have this one.

Community Blogs Login | Register | Search Blogs

Post from Sam Graham-Felsen's Blog:
Another Superdelegate for Obama
By Sam Graham-Felsen - Mar 17th, 2008 at 9:35 am EDT

Comments | Mail to a Friend | Report Objectionable Content
CHICAGO, IL – Margie Gavin Woods, a superdelegate from Illinois, announced she is supporting Senator Barack Obama for President today, citing his ability to unite the country:

I support Barack Obama for president because he is an inclusive candidate who is trying to unite our country, democrats, independents and republicans, around a common purpose. I have spent decades in public service, and I’ve never seen our young people so engaged and enthusiastic. Barack Obama hasn’t forgotten where he’s come from, and I believe he has the experience and the character to lead this great nation forward.
Margie Gavin Woods is the Minority Leader of the Will County Board and a member of the Democratic National Committee.

Kym (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:23 AM)

So McWar is visiting the place he wants to occupy for the next 100 years, eh? Well, isn't that special? And on the taxpayers dime when the US economy is going down the tubes. Wake up Dems!! McWar is ripe for the picking! Obama needs to ignore Hillary and go after McBush-Lite!

Diane from Illinois (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:23 AM)

5 years later: the Shrub, Darth Vader, and the neo-con 3 trillion dollar war continues where just under 4,000 Americans have died, thousands injured, 52,000 returning vets with PTSD will be denied assistance from this government, 450,000 to 600,000 Iraqies killed, 2 million forced into exile, 4 million displaced with cleansed neighborhoods, borrowing from Saudia Arabia to pay China, massive debt passed on to future generations, recent increased violence/bombings and we are LESS SAFE THAN PRIOR TO 9/11. The GOP will continue to obfuscate, resort to jingoism, false patriotism, and use fear mongoring to continue to keep the 30-35% ignorant masses believing victory is in hand. Meanwhile our economy is in shambles and the BEST this idiot boy king can say is "If we overcorrect we may end up in a ditch" If anyone truly believes that the rebate will go for investing and not back into our gas tanks and/or pay credit card interests are as idiotic and enabling as this corrupt, incompetent, and lying administration.

juan,ft lauderdale,fl (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:24 AM)

I WATCHED THE SPEECH THAT GAVE ON THE WAR:HILLARY SPEAK:IF I REPEAT OUT RIGHT LIES ABOUT MCCAIN AND OBAMAS TAKE ON MATTERS OF THE WAR MAYBE THEY WILL STICK!IT SEEMS TO WORK WITH BUSH WHEN HE REPEATS OUT RIGHT LIES ON THE FISA BILL AND HOW THE WAR IS GOING AND ON THE ECOMONY DOING.

RENEA,PLYMOUTH,MI (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:24 AM)

As a native american mix i find all of your bull funny, you are fighting over what these two say, but none of you understand that fighting over a country that really does not even belong to any of you. This country run's red from the blood of my people and we still do not have health care we still live 0n reservation's have a very high rate of proverty and babies are dying 10 times faster then any of you, so vote for a native american for president, we have benn passive long enough, rise my people and take what these fool's have destroyed our land not their's.

runningdeer (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:25 AM)

the fed keeps cutting interest rates so their wallstreet buddies can keep wallowing in cheap money, unfortunately the rest of us keep getting poorer and poorer because the dollars we have buy less and less, another example how the republicans take care of the wealthy few while letting the average joe starve to death

MK,MO (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:27 AM)

Does ANYONE else notice that the Clinton campaign is bringing back 'racila politics; ?

Ed Rendell saying that a black man can't win the Presidency ?

Geraldine Ferraro with her screed about Obama ?

and now the Rev. Wright nonsense ?

This ISN'T coincidence
This isn't a series of unrelated actions
This is calculated 'race baiting'
The Clintons are trying to polarize this race

The Clintons are trying to make Obama the 'black candidate'

You govern the way you campaign

15 years of dishonesty, scandals, lies, corruption, divisiveness, smears, character asassination.....

Character counts
Integrity counts
Obama '08

Sierra, SF (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:28 AM)

JAYCEE EXCUSE ME THIS ISN'T REALLY ABOUT RACE AND HIS CHUCH. ITS ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE HAS SAID OVER AND OVER AGAIN HOW HE HAS USED THE RIGHT JUDGEMENT. WELL, NO HE HASN'T IF YOU ARE GOIG INTO POLITICS YOU DO NOT DECIDE ON A CHUCH LIKE THIS ONE. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ALWAYS SAY WORDS DO MATTER, THEN WE HAVE TO BELIEVE HIM WHEN HE SAYS HIS REVEREND WAS HIS MENTOR SOMEONE HE WENT TO BOUNCE THINGS OFF OF. SO THIS IS A MUCH BIGGER QUESTION ABOUT WHO IS BARRACK OBAMA AND IF YOU HAVE BEEN ON OTHER BLOGS THIS WEEKEND YOU WOULD HAVE SEEN A LOT OF OBAMA SUPPORTERS THAT FELL LIKE THEY CAN NO LONGER SUPPORT HIM BECAUSE OF HIS JUDGEMENT.
THIS IN FACT BELITTLES HIS SPEECH ON IRAQ, AND ONLY BRINGS OUT MORE THE FACT HE HAS VOTED TO FUND THIS WAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN. AND HE HELD NO HEARINGS, PUSHED THE BUTTON WRONG 6 TIMES IN THE US SENATE, VOTED PRESENT OVER 125 TIMES.
SO JAYCEE DO NOT TRY AND SWEEP THIS ONE UNDER THE TABLE. YOU CAN'T THIS HAS JUST GUARNTEED A REPUBLICAN WIL IN NOVEMBER. UNLESS HE STEPS DOWN NOW.

MEL (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:30 AM)

IF there is any such thing as fairness, the media should demand some kind of real answer (as opposed to a deflection) about why Clinton will not release her tax returns and earmarks as Obama has. Ask her: 1) is there something to hide; 2) if not, why not release as much as Obama has. Otherwise, shouldn't we assume there is something to hide?

Geoff in Brooklyn (Sent Monday, March 17, 2008 10:31 AM)

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