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 Political Researcher



Obama camp spin

Posted: Monday, March 24, 2008 12:11 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: ,

From NBC/NJ's Aswini Anburajan
Trying to set the tone of the day again, the Obama campaign held a morning conference call to push back against Clinton's speech this morning on leadership in the economy.

Campaign manager David Plouffe claimed that Clinton couldn't change the system, when she was "wallowing" in special interest influence and money. He cited issue break-out sessions lobbyists had paid to attend with Clinton as well as ties to the financial industry, which he claimed would make it difficult for her to provide real reform.

Looking more broadly at the state of the race and the delegate count, Plouffe claimed that the Clinton campaign tried to create a new rationale every day for how the nominee should be selected. "Next, it will be that only states starting with 'N' should count" toward picking the nominee, Plouffe said.

He also acknowledged, after prodding, that Gen. McPeak's comments, which compared Bill Clinton to Joe McCarthy, didn't have a place in the race, but adamantly insisted that the Clinton campaign had a habit of making inappropriate comments and then saying their meaning was misinterpreted.

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I love how Billary is making a "major speech".  
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah

You mean "More Major Spin"

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah


Go home Billary, your ship has sunk and you are polluting the water!


Obama 08
Hillary s sure getting caught in a bunch of lies lately.  This talk that she can turn the housing crisis around is just another gum flapping episode of "The Clinton's".  Hillary has lied about SCHIP, lied about her foreign policy "experience" and lied about drivers licenses for illegal aliens.

Is there nothing this woman can tell the truth on?
It is not spin that just 44% of the American people believe Hillary to be honest and trustworthy.  
OBAMA'S CAMP IS FULL OF HATE. just when clinton is trying to help, or do something good. THERE GOES THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN MESSING THINGS UP
OBAMA'S CAMP IS FULL OF HATE. just when clinton is trying to help, or do something good. THERE GOES THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN MESSING THINGS UP
http://twocanpete.blogspot.com/
Too little too late. Both of these candidates are now damaged goods and all McCain has to do is hobble across the finish line. A sad state of affairs for the country.
Let's not forget that Hillary can not even manage the finances of her campaign. Hillary would not be able to loan the federal government $5 million like she did to her campaign. If she can't manage a budget of over $100 million, how are we expected to believe that she can handle the federal budget?
One Year Ago: Obama proposed the summit Clinton is offering today
By Sam Graham-Felsen - Mar 24th, 2008 at 11:28 am EDT  

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Almost one year ago to the day, Barack Obama sent a letter (below) to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson urging them to convene a homeownership preservation summit.  Today, Clinton is proposing essentially the same thing.



One key difference, however, is the diversity and representation that Obama called for  not just some of the same people who helped to create these problems or have a direct financial industry stake in the outcome: I urge you immediately to convene a homeownership preservation summit with leading mortgage lenders, investors, loan servicing organizations, consumer advocates, federal regulators and housing-related agencies to assess options for private sector responses to the challenge.



Here's the letter Senator Obama wrote to Bernake...  



March 22, 2007

The Honorable Ben Bernanke                                      
Chairman                                            
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
20th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW        
Washington, D.C.  20551        
   
The Honorable Henry Paulson
Secretary
U.S. Department of Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, D.C.  20220

   
   Dear Chairman Bernanke and Secretary Paulson,

  There is grave concern in low-income communities about a potential coming wave of foreclosures.  Because regulators are partly responsible for creating the environment that is leading to rising rates of home foreclosure in the subprime mortgage market, I urge you immediately to convene a homeownership preservation summit with leading mortgage lenders, investors, loan servicing organizations, consumer advocates, federal regulators and housing-related agencies to assess options for private sector responses to the challenge.
   
  We cannot sit on the sidelines while increasing numbers of American families face the risk of losing their homes. And while neither the government nor the private sector acting alone is capable of quickly balancing the important interests in widespread access to credit and responsible lending, both must act and act quickly.

       Working together, the relevant private sector entities and regulators may be best positioned for quick and targeted responses to mitigate the danger.  Rampant foreclosures are in nobody's interest, and I believe this is a case where all responsible industry players can share the objective of eliminating deceptive or abusive practices, preserving homeownership, and stabilizing housing markets.
 
   The summit should consider best practice loan marketing, underwriting, and origination practices consistent with the recent (and overdue) regulators' Proposed Statement on Subprime Mortgage Lending.  The summit participants should also evaluate options for independent loan counseling, voluntary loan restructuring, limited forbearance, and other possible workout strategies.  I would also urge you to facilitate a serious conversation about the following:
   
      * What standards investors should require of lenders, particularly with regard to verification of income and assets and the underwriting of borrowers based on fully indexed and fully amortized rates.
 
       * How to facilitate and encourage appropriate intervention by loan servicing companies at the earliest signs of borrower difficulty.
 
       * How to support independent community-based-organizations to provide counseling and work-out services to prevent foreclosure and preserve homeownership where practical.
 
       * How to provide more effective information disclosure and financial education to ensure that borrowers are treated fairly and that deception is never a source of competitive advantage.
 
       * How to adopt principles of fair competition that promote affordability, transparency, non-discrimination, genuine consumer value, and competitive returns.

       * How to ensure adequate liquidity across all mortgage markets without exacerbating consumer and housing market vulnerability.

   Of course, the adoption of voluntary industry reforms will not preempt government action to crack down on predatory lending practices, or to style new restrictions on subprime lending or short-term post-purchase interventions in certain cases.  My colleagues on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs have held important hearings on mortgage market turmoil and I expect the Committee will develop legislation.    

   Nevertheless, a consortium of industry-related service providers and public interest advocates may be able to bring quick and efficient relief to millions of at-risk homeowners and neighborhoods, even before Congress has had an opportunity to act. There is an opportunity here to bring different interests together in the best interests of American homeowners and the American economy.  Please don't let this opportunity pass us by.
   

Sincerely,
   

Barack Obama
United States Senator
We're not going to show you the speech or the text of what Hillary said on the economy, but just beleive us when we say Obama is correct in bashing the speech.

-MSNBC
Americans are kidding themselves if they think Hillary can change the economy - especially in light of all the special interest money she's taken over the years.

I'd ask the Clinton supporters to ask their candidate to reveal the tax returns, identify the earmarks she's appended to her bills and reveal who has donated to the Clinton library. After all, if your candidate is so electable then she shouldn't shy away from being open with these issues.  The Republicans definitely won't let her slide on those issues...
MSNBC, Since Obama has you in his tank. This is the best reporting you could do on Hillary's important speech about the economy & housing troubles? What a horrible bias towards Mrs. Clinton. You plastered Obama's race speech in every blog post for days, hailing it as the greatest speech ever giving since JFK, and MLK. You never publish my comments. Wonder why? MSNBC, another OBama surrogate.
New question: is the hyper sensitivity demonstrated by the Obama camp a character flaw or a strategy.  Do they really think they will be able to guilt independent voters all the way to the White House?
The guy's right---Clinton IS wallowing in special interest money, and I'm not just talking about a slum lord, I'm talking about the nation's Big Business Lords.  Can she really make a truly independent decision on the economy, being beholden to ehse guys?
Some please tell Mr. Plouffe that the DNC allows primaries up to mid-June to ensure that all Americans in all States have a say in the process. This is called Democracy.  If the Obama campaign does not wish to 'play by the rules' unless those rules benefit them, then they can drop out.
I wish Barack Obama would discard the suit and tie occasionally. I don't ever remember seeing him in casual clothes at all during this campaign. If he's going to head out and pound the pavement in PA, then he should lighten up his attire.  

{A minor point at such a time I know.}
You should never say Obama camp spin. The Messiah followers will get a shock and stamp their feet like lil boys and girls till you change the title.

Obama is a hypocrite who claimed he never heard Wright and then realized his lies can be caught easily. So went on to make a political speech.

A person shows his or her true feelings in subconscious small talks, like Obama did when he said typical white woman.

He has been listening to hatred for 20 yrs. That man doesnt have the spine, the character and the judgement.
You should never say Obama camp spin. The Messiah followers will get a shock and stamp their feet like lil boys and girls till you change the title.

Obama is a hypocrite who claimed he never heard Wright and then realized his lies can be caught easily. So went on to make a political speech.

A person shows his or her true feelings in subconscious small talks, like Obama did when he said typical white woman.

He has been listening to hatred for 20 yrs. That man doesnt have the spine, the character and the judgement.
Clinton's new rationale for why she should be the nominee is a bit of a stretch...would've been nice if things worked that way in 2004. Check it out:

http://ccpsblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/2004-electoral-mapunder-new-clinton.html
Same old high ground politics of Obama.  Wallowing lordy help us if anyone used that word against Obama. We would have a week long whail. What did he mean by that??/He is so smug he is in Virgin Islands . If Hillary did that would be  she must not care enough. Do we want a president would go vacationing  in the islands cause wife wants a break and sun???Hillary giveing major speech got all of 3 mins on 1 station. Hello??67% better press for Obama the people said Yep they are right.
At least Hillary has a plan.  Words won't get the job done.  Action taken after careful thought and good sound judgement will make a difference.

You go girl.
WHERE IS THE COVERAGE OF CLINTON"S SPEECH ON MORTGAGE CRISIS...

ALL I see is this stpid spin from Obama campaign... what's wrong with you MSNBC...
Ok MSNBC you’re not fooling anyone about being head over heals in love with Barack Obama, but where is the story about the Obama passport file breach detailing the fact that the CEO of the very company whose employees are accused of improperly looking at the passport files of the presidential candidates is a consultant to the Barack Obama campaign.

From the moment the story broke about Obama’s passport file being breached on Thursday March 20, 2007, you covered extensively and at length the breach of Obama’s passport file day and night until about 2 PM on Saturday March 22.  

At that time CNN started reporting about the employees who had breached Obama’s passport file and the fact that the CEO of the company that they worked for is an Obama Advisor.

John O. Brennan who is the President and CEO of Analysis Corp is also a former senior CIA official and former interim director of the National Counterterrorism Center and advises Barack Obama on foreign policy and intelligence issues.   He has also personally contributed $2,300 to the Obama campaign.


On Friday March 21, 2007, Sen. Obama called for an investigation into how his security of the passport file was breached.  “One of the things that the American people count on in their interactions with any level of government is that if they have to disclose personal information, that it stay personal and stay private," Obama said in Portland, Oregon on Friday.

"And when you have not just one but a series of attempts to tap into people's personal records, that's a problem not just for me but for how our government is functioning," he said.

Obama said he expected "a full and thorough investigation" by the administration in conjunction with congressional oversight committees.

Ever since the passport file breach story broke, Barack Obama, his campaign and his worshipers have been demanding that heads roll and that investigations that would lead to the prosecution of anyone involved be conducted immediately.

We now know (not as a result of NBC, MSNBC, CBS, or ABC), but thanks to CNN and FOX that Obama and his campaign are directly linked to the CEO of the very company that employed the individuals that breached Obama’s passport file.

Barack Obama and his entire campaign owe the American people, Senator Clinton, Senator McCain, the Bush administration, and the State Department an immediate explanation and more importantly an apology.

But I guess we won't see or hear NBC/MSNBC giving this story the attention it deserves given their sickening affection for Obama.  

If Senator Clinton had a Sr. Advisor that was the CEO of the very company that employed the contractors that had breached Obama’s passport file, Obama, his supporters, and the media would be screaming bloody murder and demanding that Senator Clinton drop out of the race, not to mention the fact that the Obama Campaign would certainly look to have someone prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law for such a breach.

No wonder MSNBC's ratings are in 3rd place behind FOX and CNN.  It serves MSNBC right.  
NEW YORK - The average price of a gallon of gas in the United States has risen to a record $3.26, and the cost of diesel fuel has soared to a record $4.06 a gallon, adding to pressure on consumers and the companies that deliver their goods.

Hillary Clinton, in a speech in June 2006, told a crowd of people the following:

"If you vote for a Democrat, you will have lower gas prices"

Gas prices are now 80% higher since she made that statement...

Why did you lie Hillary?????
Is there nothing you will not lie about?????
Why is this called Obama camp Spin?
Some perspective on HRC's proposal for today.

You decide:

March 22, 2007

The Honorable Ben Bernanke                                      
Chairman                                            
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
20th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW        
Washington, D.C.  20551        
   
The Honorable Henry Paulson
Secretary
U.S. Department of Treasury
1500 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
Washington, D.C.  20220

   
   Dear Chairman Bernanke and Secretary Paulson,

  There is grave concern in low-income communities about a potential coming wave of foreclosures.  Because regulators are partly responsible for creating the environment that is leading to rising rates of home foreclosure in the subprime mortgage market, I urge you immediately to convene a homeownership preservation summit with leading mortgage lenders, investors, loan servicing organizations, consumer advocates, federal regulators and housing-related agencies to assess options for private sector responses to the challenge.
   
  We cannot sit on the sidelines while increasing numbers of American families face the risk of losing their homes. And while neither the government nor the private sector acting alone is capable of quickly balancing the important interests in widespread access to credit and responsible lending, both must act and act quickly.

       Working together, the relevant private sector entities and regulators may be best positioned for quick and targeted responses to mitigate the danger.  Rampant foreclosures are in nobody's interest, and I believe this is a case where all responsible industry players can share the objective of eliminating deceptive or abusive practices, preserving homeownership, and stabilizing housing markets.
 
   The summit should consider best practice loan marketing, underwriting, and origination practices consistent with the recent (and overdue) regulators' Proposed Statement on Subprime Mortgage Lending.  The summit participants should also evaluate options for independent loan counseling, voluntary loan restructuring, limited forbearance, and other possible workout strategies.  I would also urge you to facilitate a serious conversation about the following:
   
      * What standards investors should require of lenders, particularly with regard to verification of income and assets and the underwriting of borrowers based on fully indexed and fully amortized rates.
 
       * How to facilitate and encourage appropriate intervention by loan servicing companies at the earliest signs of borrower difficulty.
 
       * How to support independent community-based-organizations to provide counseling and work-out services to prevent foreclosure and preserve homeownership where practical.
 
       * How to provide more effective information disclosure and financial education to ensure that borrowers are treated fairly and that deception is never a source of competitive advantage.
 
       * How to adopt principles of fair competition that promote affordability, transparency, non-discrimination, genuine consumer value, and competitive returns.

       * How to ensure adequate liquidity across all mortgage markets without exacerbating consumer and housing market vulnerability.

   Of course, the adoption of voluntary industry reforms will not preempt government action to crack down on predatory lending practices, or to style new restrictions on subprime lending or short-term post-purchase interventions in certain cases.  My colleagues on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs have held important hearings on mortgage market turmoil and I expect the Committee will develop legislation.    

   Nevertheless, a consortium of industry-related service providers and public interest advocates may be able to bring quick and efficient relief to millions of at-risk homeowners and neighborhoods, even before Congress has had an opportunity to act. There is an opportunity here to bring different interests together in the best interests of American homeowners and the American economy.  Please don't let this opportunity pass us by.
   

Sincerely,
   

Barack Obama
United States Senator


Obama for President '08!! YES WE CAN!!
I don't know why the media cannot get any traction against the Wicked Witch.  From her false claims of experience, NAFTA Canadian controvesy, $150K she won't return from a law firm accused of sexual harrassment, to her tax information.  What does she have on you?
Since Rev Wright's church is back in the news today I would just like to point this out. Sen. Clinton, a life long Methodist, attends Foundary UMC in Washington DC. They have 6 pastors. 4 are white, 2 are black, 3 are men, 3 are women, one is a black woman. I think people's choice of church, not just the denomination, but their choice of which church, says a lot about who they are. Just would like for some of you to think about this. I would also like to point out that, except for the Catholic church, which way outnumbers any protestant group, the Methodist church has done more ministry in third world countries than any other denomination, including some way larger in membership. And when you see the Nothing but Nets program on televesion that provides mosquito nets to African families to stop the spread of malaria, that's the Methodists doing that.
Does anyone think that Hillary may be undergoing some type of personal crisis. After all, she has experienced 20 plus years of public humiliation from Bill's extra-curricular activities. Did she undergo any type of counseling to get her through that?

And now, the people are rejecting her and standing in the way of what she apparently feels is her birthright or reward for undergoing the humiliation. Can this be why her campaign continues to attack in all directions? And this weekend they used up one of their subtle attack dogs. We all thought Carville was a Democratic pundit and not card carrying Clintonista. Remember the new Clinton call: "If you're not for Hillary, you must be Judas".
Pretty weak stuff. Slow news day, with both candidates trying to speak to issues and the mainstream media collectively yawning.

Unless, of course, Hillary's lies about her Bosnia trip gain more traction, and she's forced to own up to them.

Haven't seen the video? Check out YouTube, search "Clinton Bosnia"

Also a good day for superdelegates to work on their math now that MI and FL are effectively off the table, and realize that Obama is going to be the Democratic candidate.

Might be more than a few turned off by Bill's questioning of Obama's patriotism. So reminiscent of the swiftboating of Kerry...only that was done by Republicans, not our own party! Seems the Clinton camp has forgotten what camp they're supposedly in.

Come on, superdelegates, get off the fence and end this tragic farce. It's past time to allow our nominee Obama to train his guns on McCain without having to worry about being blindsided by an also-ran!
How about the latest pathetic attack from the “desperate to change the subject” Obama campaign –Bill Clinton as McCarthy.  How low can you go?

Bill Clinton is a revered figure amongst democrats and there are many of us who are very angry at this cheap shot.  Obama needs to apologize for General McPeak’s comments – they are highly offensive to democrats everywhere and should not be tolerated.

BTW - Keith Olberann is nuts!
It just proves that Obama is just a typical politican as all the others with this       stuff going on.  For a man who wants to be above the racial and political fray, is is quite a let down. I am afraid is all about hype not hope.
MSNBC and First Read are closely aligned to the Obama Campaign. Chuck Todd wants to be Obama's presidential press secretary.

Trouble is, Obama's nomination will truly upset millions of women...he's the cute guy who got hired over the much more experienced woman...and he'll go on to lose big to McCain in November. Clinton and her followers will watch Obama get the nomination, then then waste it.

Prediction: Chuck Todd will never become presidential press secretary.
but adamantly insisted that the Clinton campaign had a habit of making inappropriate comments and then saying their meaning was misinterpreted.

*********************************

The Clinton's are just following Wright's & Obama's lead. Isn't that wht Obama claims EVERY time.

the last one was TYPICAL WHITE PERSON.
Memo to Ploufee:  Did you err in your statement about have to explain statements?  Might I remind you of the now infamous "typical white person" by your candidate. Might I remind you of "first time in my adult life I'm really proud to be an American."  I could go on with other things that Obama has said and then later it was "taken out of context", just like folks want us to believe that Jeremiah Wright was "taken out of context."  Your candidate comes off like a cry-=baby a large percentage of the time.  Sometimes it hurts to look inward, doesn't it? And, when is Obama going to personally denounce McPeak for making the McCarthy statement?  Probably won't happen, huh, since he has to retain his "loyalty" like he did with WRight.
but adamantly insisted that the Clinton campaign had a habit of making inappropriate comments and then saying their meaning was misinterpreted.

*********************************

The Clinton's are just following Wright's & Obama's lead.

the last one was TYPICAL WHITE PERSON.
And after the States beginning with the "N" letter strategy fails Hillary will say that only the candidate who won Arkansas should get the nomination. And then when that fails then she will just tear up a bit and beg people to give it to her. Well, she'll at least tear up. The begging part started long ago.
Obama Spotted on Virgins Island Beach.

http://thepage.time.com/2008/03/24/obama-spotted-on-virgins-island-beach/

As a girl ends her Easter egg hunt she finds the presidential candidate catching some rays.

Fox video of mother explaining the experience coming soon...
There is a difference between "spin", and "response".
Mr. Plouffe is challenging Senator Clinton on her economic promises, and is speaking to the reality of her chances to "deliver" on them. He is correct in his assessment that she has painted herself into a poliitical corner, (for 35 years). It is also right-on that her campaign's view of itsself is full of rationlization.
I give Mr. Plouffe kudos for acknowledging that the retired General's "McCarthy" comment was inappropriate. It makes me happy to be an Obama supporter.
Puling for Obama '08
Bad choice by the dems again. As much as McCain is making mistakes, Obama still will not win in November due to whites and Jews not putting up with Obamas blatent racism issues.
the clintons are the 'establishment', they are the 'business as usual' political duo, hillary clinton never met a lobbyist she didn't like, how can she even mention reforming the 'system' when she has already committed herself to the  'system', the media could go on for days about the corrupt corporate backers hillary has, but instead all they do is replay her meaningless rhetoric, bill and hillary are going to take care of bill and hillary, they offer america nothing but more of the same ‘ol’ same ‘ol’
OBAMA'S CAMP IS FULL OF HATE. just when clinton is trying to help, or do something good. THERE GOES THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN MESSING THINGS UP
John in la (Sent Monday, March 24, 2008 12:22 PM)
----------------------------------------------------

You see, John, it's not the Obama camp - it's the vast majority of the American People.

You candidate is the most polarizing individual in modern history. It's no surprise that you strong opinions against Hillary Clinton. Clinton supporters are willing to overlook the facts, the rest of the United States is not.

How much 'love' you think your candidate would encounter in the general election ? Even Bill Clinton is spreading his love everywhere but at home.
I'am still looking for the name of the book Obama wrote ,about his past usage of cocaine. Does anyone know what the name of it is ?
I wish Barack Obama would discard the suit and tie occasionally. I don't ever remember seeing him in casual clothes at all during this campaign. If he's going to head out and pound the pavement in PA, then he should lighten up his attire.  

{A minor point at such a time I know.}
Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Monday, March 24, 2008 12:27 PM)

I shudder to think how many pant suits Hillary owns..
Doesn't she ever wear a dress?
I wish Barack Obama would discard the suit and tie occasionally. I don't ever remember seeing him in casual clothes at all during this campaign. If he's going to head out and pound the pavement in PA, then he should lighten up his attire.  

{A minor point at such a time I know.}
Pat, Boston, MA (Sent Monday, March 24, 2008 12:27 PM)

I shudder to think how many pant suits Hillary owns..
Doesn't she ever wear a dress?
Hillary and Bill Clintons approach in this campaign is really unbecomming for a U.S. President. Perhaps we have been watching theol' cowboy approach for the last 8 years that we, as a country have lowered our standards because the bar has been lowered through the past years.

Other countries, like Australia , have been embarrassed by their leaders too so I guess we think its okay, but its NOT. Its just not acceptable and has to stop. The Clintons are always claiming they are misinterpretted. They are not, they are calculated.
Senator Obama chose to package himself as the candidate of "hope and change."  He has claimed, falsely, that he doesn't take money from federal lobbyists and pacs.  The LA Times and the Boston Globe disagree.  What Obama has done is create a network of lobbyist fundraising that is engineered by federal lobbyists who withdrew their registrations so they could knowingly help him maintain a pose of financial purity.  But independent campaign finance think tanks universally agree that this is simply a pose on his part, and is not genuine.  Translation:  Barack Obama violates the central premise of his campaign every single day.  He takes money from lobbyists and pacs and then lies to the American people about it.

Obama lied about Rezko, and continues to do so.  He lied about the amount of money Rezko gave him, and he still hasn't come clean about his land deal.  Allow me Chuck Todd to explain it to the people since you won't.

It goes like this.  Tony Rezko has been in trouble with his creditors for years now and has been playing a vigorous shell game in an attempt to hide his assets.  The land adjacent to the Obama's house was purchased on the same day as the Obama deal (this was a requirement of the sellers; both properties had to close on the same day).  Is it a coincidence that Rezko and Obama closed on the same day?  I think we all know the answer to that.  But it wasn't Tony Rezko who bought the land.  It's in his wife's name (even though she only makes a reported income of $35,000 a year).  Then "Mrs. Rezko" sells a strip of the property to the Obamas for over $100,000.

Are you following me so far?

According to the Chicago media, anyone associated with Rezko is well aware of his financial trouble, but the Obamas got involved anyway.  They put over $100,000 in his pocket while he hides his money from his creditors who are now suing him.  In most places in America what Obama did is called collusion to commit fraud.  It could also be called money laundering.  Obama calls it a "bone headed" move.

Then came the Canada incident.  Obama lied to America saying that nobody from his campaign talked to anyone from the Canadian government.  When he got busted his campaign circulated the lie that it was the Clinton campaign that made the so-called "wink wink" call about NAFTA.  The Canadian government still insists that this is not true, but Obamamites are still spreading the lie.

Then we have Jeremiah Wright, the pastor of Obama's church where he has been a member for 20 years.  He praises Wright in his book.  Wright married him and baptized his girls.  He called him a mentor, and an uncle.  I would suggest that, considering his Kenyan father left him when he was two, that Wright was more like a father.  He had Wright on his campaign's African American Spiritual Council (doesn't sound very unifying to me, and I'm still wondering what place a spiritual council has on a campaign for President when there is a Constitutional separation of Church and State).  But when the story broke Obama lied once again.

He said that he only had a few conversations with Wright over the years, and that they were only for a couple of minutes at a time.  Then he said that he hadn't heard any of the incendiary comments of Wright from the pulpit.  And let us not forget Obama's limp wristed response to Wright naming Louis Farrakhan his man of the year.  Now he expects us to believe that he hasn't talked to Wright much in the past year.  They had at least two conversations.  One was to tell him not to be at the ceremony when he announced his candidacy.  The other was when Wright made it plain that Barack would have to distance himself from him.  If he had taken his advice then perhaps he could have some credibility on the issue.  But to say now that he hasn't been to his church much in the past year, as a way of making it seem that the influence isn't there, is so duplicitous I may puke.  He took his girls to this church to hear the divisive language of Rev. Wright, but he claims that this anger is part of the past.  If that's so then why expose your children to it?  Why not raise them in a church whose message is unity, and the advancement of the only race; the Human Race?

With each passing day Senator Obama shows me that he is not the candidate of hope and change.  He is not bringing change we can believe in.  If the man cannot stand by the central premise of his campaign then why in God's name would I ever vote for him?

Hillary Clinton is no saint.  But at this point, after all the exposure she got from Ken Starr (and she was never implicated in, indicted, or convicted of any crime), I'd say that what you see is what you get.  You may not like what you see, and that's your choice.  But at least she's not going across the country pretending to be something she's not.  I have watched the Senate hearings she has convened, including the hearing on Yucca mountain, and universal healthcare back in the early 90s.  She is knowledgeable, she is tough, and knows how to connect the issues.  She also has strong relationships with politicians on both sides of the aisle in Congress, including John McCain.  

And in spite of the Obama campaign's incessant lies about Clinton's foreign policy record, there are players from John Hume to Richard Holbrooke that have gone to the mat to make it clear that she played a vital role in Northern Ireland, and in opening the Macedonian border to Bosnian refugees.  You may not wish to believe it, but those are the facts.

But let's look at electability.  The super delegates are questioning the electability of only one candidate; Barack Obama.  They know his ability to win in November is in serious jeopardy.  These are the facts:  He won't win in MI and FL because he is perceived as the man who stood in the way of the revotes.  Whether you chose to accept it or not, this is their perception, and in MI it is absolutely true (the MI legislature wanted approval from both candidates and Obama refused to give it).  He won't win Ohio, and chances are he will lose PA.  With those 4 states alone he will lose the general election.  But NJ is also in play for Republicans.  And Obama won't win any of the red states he won in primaries, and in some of those states Clinton polls higher against McCain than Obama.

Clinton polls higher, and in some cases beats McCain in swing states that Obama loses.  And guess what Obamamites, even Chief Obama Apologist Chuck Todd admits that if Clinton wins NC she gets the nomination.  She's going to crush him in PA, WV, KY.  If she wins IN which she most likely will, and can squeak by in NC (she's only one point behind) who do you think the super delegates are going to back?  The one with the 527 ads of Rev. Wright who bleeds blue collar and Jewish votes because of his lies and anti-semitic backers?  I don't think so (unless they are more interested in being politically correct than winning the White House).

Sorry Gov. Richardson.  We're going all the way through Puerto Rico.  The Obama campaign doesn't want us voting (just another reason not to vote for him).  He wants to get the nomination based on his bs, not his reality.  Nice try scumbag; we're not falling for it.
UMMMMMM... two of the three contractors caught peeping into the senators' passport files worked for a firm who's CEO contributed to Hillary's campaign.  One of the three worked for a firm that contributed to Barack's campaign.  SUCK IT you one-sided spinsters.
The true perpetrator of the security breach has friends in the subordinate position(s) that should have reported the only security breach, substantiated by the first,second and third electronic security flags, up the chain of command.  The only breach was diffused and forgotten when the other two presidential candidates files, which were not initially reported, were added to the Obama security breach.

I smell a rat, maybe even a family of rats.
Somebody is getting desparate.
There are far more sensible and constitutional ways to provide health coverage. Government-funded insurance (such as Medicare or single-payer insurance) or regulation and tax subsidies to encourage voluntary participation (as in Obama's plan) are both more efficient in containing costs and avoid the slippery slope of unconstitutional mandates.


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