Let's end this on March 4th!

What a reassuring result last night.  Clinton's negative attacks all week long about Obama's speeches did not sway voters in Wisconsin.  Now, with just two weeks until the big March 4th election, Barack Obama is on the verge of knocking Hillary Clinton out of the race.

Not only can Obama maybe win Texas, new polling suggests he can even win Ohio.  Clinton now leads by nine points -- meaning her lead has been cut in half just over the last week.  According to the Columbus Dispatch, the Obama Campaign is now going after Ohio like crazy, knowing full well they can end this race.  They plan to spend twice as much as Hillary Clinton will on ads.

I don't want to raise expectations too high.  Still, we now have a chance to win all four states on March 4th.  Even if we win three, it's a knockout blow.  Her campaign is in disarray, says Kos, the most popular progressive activist:

You know what we don't have? A single close contest. Not a one. Therejection of Hillary Clinton has been absolute. Okay, Obama didn'tsweep with 20 victories, but really, he did what he had to do. Hillaryonly has *one* two victories above 17 points (Arkansas and Oklahoma). I'm surprised he even won Maine. Clinton's campaign is now effectively dead.

Let's end it!  Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont -- this is your time.  We need to end this race.  John McCain is waiting for us.  President Bush has a 19% approval rating (yes, you read me right!).  We need to move on to the Republicans.  Let's end this on March 4th, and then we will be one giant leap closer to a new kind of presidency in this country.

Comments

[George]

1. Apparently it is basically impossible for clinton to actually win more delegates than obama in texas. she'd need 65% of the popular vote to do that - she didnt manage that in even NY.

2. obama will win Vermont by 30%.

3. RI is pretty insignificant on the 4th. i guess it leans clinton (for now).

4. That leaves ohio. An ohio loss would most certainly be the death blow to the clinton campaign.

Kos makes a great point in that article that it's good we're taking this to OH and TX so we can build a grassroots network there for 2 full weeks. That will pay off in November.

Debate should be fun tomorrow! Let's see how obama plays defense against clinton, who must be totally pissed right now.

[Michel]

You know, Clinton's refrain of "he's all talk, I'm all action" exposes a big part of what is wrong about her. Since day one, even if I don't agree with Obama on all his policies (I'm more of a Gravel nut, including Gravel's honesty), I believe in Obama's consistent message: take the moral high-ground, rewrite the rules for a better America instead of a particular party. By being the first to do that, and by never faltering, and by investing so much of himself into being a really great speaker, he's "the original". I think every other candidate has tried now and then to try it on for size (including Clinton recently who was heard saying "Yes We Can" at a rally, right after accusing Obama of stealing some lines), but they failed miserably, and appear insincere, because they weren't there first, and they didn't stick to it.

That's the biggest problem with Clinton right now imo: she tries to show she's the better person just by saying she is, but her actions aren't always consistent with what she's saying. More and more (and here comes an unfair generalization), the Clinton supporters who are really following this and still support her are either in denial or ideological drones who support her for a favorite issue.

No wait, I'll give them credit. In fact I took a survey that showed I'm more ideologically in line with her than Obama. But really, let's not neglect the x-factor, and how important it is for Obama. I'm a total logical person, and everything I do is based on logic (part of why I am a programmer by profession, I'm the closest thing to a robot), but still, when policy is all outlined on paper at the end of the day, Obama gives me a much bigger confidence in his ability to not be overly-reactionary in the white house when the going gets tough than Clinton.

I can't *wait* for SNL's upcoming interpretation of Obama. They say they're going to play on his quirks and the annoying speech patterns he sometimes uses. For me it is must-see tv. Of course before that, tomorrow, CNN debate. What on earth will Hillary dish out? She reminds me of a minor league the way she's played, especially since super-tuesday.

Also, I heard for the fifth time now, from South Africa this time, that Obama is a muslim and wants to be sworn in on the kuran. Who's driving this myth, and how is it so freakin' pervasive? (And a personal reflective question of "why on earth does this even sway people against him?")

[Michel]

A couple of paragraphs I found somewhere on the net I really liked. Check them out (the tabbed in ones) at http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=339.

[Jon]

I just hope that Obama doesn't come off as Cocky or condescending in the next debates. If he can manage that as well as dodge any barbs Hillary has for him he will do well.

[Chief Editor: Todd]

I read that Obama's campaign spent almost all of yesterday prepping him for the debate. They are taking this one very very seriously. There's also the MSNBC one, which I think is next Tuesday.

Obama can't be too defensive though. He has to come across as presidential, and do what he always does -- inspire people.

[Reebus]

B. Hussein Obama Fact Sheet - Do you want this man as a leader?

• In his book, he admits to being a reformed drug abuser, having used alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine heavily during his teenage years to "push questions of who I was out of my mind". Hopefully he matured and completely ceased his addictions long ago and limits his drug use to nicotine these days (he is an avid smoker).
• He refuses to wear an American flag pin on his lapel, as has been tradition for all politicians since the 2001 terrorist attacks. He explains that he prefers not to show his patriotism that way.
• At a 2007 gathering of the Democratic presidential candidates, he was the only one who refused to place his hand over his heart to pay tribute to the American flag during the National Anthem.
• He belongs to a Chicago church that promotes an extremist separatist black agenda (Trinity Church, led by Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who honored anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan with a lifetime achievement award), and when this became public, he distanced himself from the church and its pastor. Why would he hide his religious association with Reverend Wright and his church?
• He has little overall political experience, zero foreign political experience. This lack of qualification is extremely dangerous, especially at a time of war.
• If you change one letter in his name, it contains the exact names of two of the most powerful figureheads of islamic terrorism. Not surprising, as his father is muslim – something from which he has attempted to distance himself. Being muslim, of course, does not make someone a terrorist, but given that the US is at war with militant muslims, you have to question why he is trying to bury his background rather than embracing it and openly discussing islam and its implications.
• He defends the New Deal social welfare policies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, associating Republican proposals to establish private accounts for Social Security with social Darwinism.
• Obama told the health care advocacy group Families USA: "I am absolutely determined that by the end of the first term of the next president, we should have universal health care in this country.” “Universal health care” is literally government-run socialist-style health care – inefficient and expensive. See Canada for a good example of how it works.
• Campaigning in New Hampshire, he announced an $18 billion plan for investments in early childhood education, math and science education, and expanded summer learning opportunities. In other words, a decision for mass expansion of government-run education that has failed miserably despite having a much higher cost per student than most superior privately-run education.
• He stated, “Businesses don’t own the sky, the public does, and if we want them to stop polluting it, we have to put a price on all pollution." He proposed a cap and trade auction system to restrict carbon emissions and a 10 year program of investments in new energy sources to reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil. In other words, he wants to further tax and regulate businesses, rather than privatize the environment to let the market solve pollution problems.
• As we head towards recession, his plan calls for massive increases in income, corporate, and capital gains taxes – more so than any other candidate. This is economic suicide. America’s economic downturn is largely caused by corporate taxes that are higher than in other countries (most of whom learned their lesson and have been lowering their rates to beat us). Additionally, his tax hikes are targeted to cripple those who produce jobs and to redistribute income even more unfairly than it is already… he isn't content with those who make twice as much paying four times as much - he wants them to pay huge multiples.
• He said, “I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of Al Qaeda…I'm opposed to dumb wars.” In other words, he believes the US should only go to war when other countries want us to. He doesn’t want to see us fighting the militant muslims because they might become upset and try to murder even more people.
• Obama took an HIV test and wants to spend a disproportionate amount of funds on AIDS research despite the fact that much more widespread diseases such as cancer and heart attacks affect the populous and cannot be controlled through behavior, as AIDS transmission can.
• Though it is rarely talked about, a huge percentage of his support are kids who are lured by his simplistic message of “change”. Historically, this sort of empty promise has served to lure uneducated and idealist youth. Also, many of his supporters are blacks voting for him solely because of his color – not because they understand nor support his positions and policies. If Obama were white, no one would pay attention to his extremely liberal and shallow views. Voting for someone solely because of their race is, by definition, racist (though many doing so will deny this and assert they actually do understand the details behind how he will implement his policies). This is reminiscent of those who proclaimed that OJ was innocent despite being found guilty and a preponderance of DNA and other evidence against him.
• He moved from a Hyde Park, Chicago condominium to their current gated $1.6-million house in wealthy and neighboring Kenwood. The house purchase and subsequent acquisition of an adjoining strip of land drew media scrutiny in November 2006 and in January 2008 because of financial links with controversial Illinois businessman Tony Rezko. This is the tip of the iceberg regarding Obama’s financial improprieties. He also owned stock in various companies that donated to his campaign and only sold them when it was disclosed. He has more dirty money and special interests behind him than any candidate in decades.
• Obama is a classic empty idealist… he is a preacher and emotional activist, not a leader with actual ideas that are realistic and beneficial. Listen very carefully to his speeches… they are full drivel akin to “We will change the world, we want everyone to have everything they desire and we will put an end to all that is bad… unite and fight!”, but devoid of “I will fight to improve economic growth by introducing a plan to XYZ by lowering ABC and changing the DEF”. He appeals to emotion, not reason, which is why many of his supporters tend to be young or uneducated or both.
• Obama, like many extreme left-wingers, promotes an ideology that assumes the average American is a victim who needs to be taken care of. The means of care is big government providing all. Listening carefully to his speeches, you can easily boil down the majority of statements to “if you don’t have XYZ, you should, and the government will provide it for you if you elect me”. In a fantasy world where resources weren’t scarce, this would be wonderful. In reality, everything costs money, and because the government is amongst the most inefficient means of production, the result is less for everyone. It would be wonderful if the government could, for example, pay everyone’s health and mortgage costs – and Obama panders to the ignorant who think this can be done by sheer will without cost – but the implementation of his ideas would drive America into the ground – all of us together. In the midst of his depressing and negative message, he poses himself as the savior of all that is wrong, blankly proclaiming “yes we can!”, implying that together, Americans can overcome their shame and horrible past. This is in stark contrast to a proud American history of greatness, freedom, and self-responsibility.

PS - At least he is open about his hatred of the US and his separatist black agenda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8QCkgg5Kjo and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmHtGQq-z_Y

[Chief Editor: Todd]

If Reebus' post is a prequel of the smears to come Obama's way, then John McCain is in trouble. These are typical right-wing attacks. The country is ready to move past that.

[Panderoon]

Smears? They actually seem like facts that make one wonder about Obama and some solid reasoning to me. Nothing in there is fabricated, hateful, etc.