The Blue State

Where has the real campaign news gone?

Our economy is in the tank.  Gas prices are at an all-time high.  Some analysts think that gas might reach $10 a gallon in the near future, boosted by a declining dollar and an uncontrollable spike in demand.  Consumer confidence is at a five-year low.  This is the second recession under President Bush, yet all the 43rd president can do is blame Congress.  And this is just on the domestic front.  Don't even get me started on our mess abroad.

With all this happening, we are perhaps in the middle of the most important presidential campaign in a generation.  There are issues to be discussed.  Yet, all the media seems to be focused on now is Reverend Wright.  The Obama Campaign is stuck in a corner.  Today on the campaign trail, Obama promised yet another big press conference on Reverend Wright, following his former pastor's address on Sunday in front of the NAACP.

Why can't all this stop?  The media does a great job of putting candidates into a box.  They have with John McCain as well -- portraying him as an old, angry man.  Or Obama, a fringe liberal who attended an anti-American church.  So the media finds any evidence to back up their preexisting view of a candidate and reports it.  Hardly do they report contradicting stories, as if to tell the American public, "I know you can't handle nuance, so let's make this easy for you by reporting only one side of the story."  Like today, the media is ignoring the fact that Barack Obama called for non-violence in New York City, which angered Reverend Al Sharpton.  Sharpton went on to accuse Obama of trying to "grandstand in front of white people."  But that does not fit the media's perception of the anti-American, pro-Black Panther -- otherwise known as Barack Obama.  So they won't report it.

This campaign is now nothing but a circus, and the media has complete control over it.  No wonder it has lasted this long.  Cable news doesn't want it to end.  It's their soap opera.  It's their excuse for not reporting actual news.  The Clintons love drama.  As long as the media reports on the tactics, which the Clintons are good at, and not real issues, this contest will continue all the way to the convention.

Terry McAuliffe hearts FOX

The Clinton camp shows its true colors.  Even when you are this desperate, why stoop that low?

McCain thinks Hamas prefers Obama

And so John McCain's dirty attacks continued during a conference today with conservative bloggers:

All I can tell you Jennifer is that I think it's very clear who Hamaswants to be the next president of the United States. So apparently hasDanny Ortega and several others. I think that people should understandthat I will be Hamas's worst nightmare....If senator Obama is favoredby Hamas I think people can make judgments accordingly.

Just another effort by the right-wing to brand Barack Obama as un-American, even though Obama truly has lived the American dream.

So close in Indiana

Three new polls taken in the state of Indiana reflect how close this May 6th contest will be, and how any stumble by either candidate along the way could make the difference.

ARG:

50% - Hillary Clinton
45% - Barack Obama

Research 2000:

48% - Barack Obama
47% - Hillary Clinton

WTHR:

41% - Barack Obama
38% - Hillary Clinton

If I were the Clinton Campaign, I would renew calls for a debate before the Indiana primary.  Obama would not be able to say no, based on the unwavering excitement among Indianans that for the first time ever they could decide the outcome of who becomes president in January of 2009.  Their local media affiliates are really hyping up this contest.  Obama would look dismissive and out of touch if he backed away from such an offer.

Just thinking like Hillary Clkinton, that's all.

DNC already joining forces with Obama

Compared to the Republican National Committee's effort to help Clinton in North Carolina, over on the Democratic side the DNC has already made an arrangement with the Obama campaign to unveil a massive 50-state voter registration drive.

Time Magazine has more on the Obama-DNC merger:

The fact that the Obama campaign is moving forward and Clinton isnot at this time reflects certain important realities: Obama’s team ismore confident that he will win the nomination than is Clinton’s — andObama’s campaign has the necessity and luxury of thinking about andplanning for the general election to come.

As part of that preparation, the campaign is thinking about how todivide up roles and responsibilities between the campaign’s Chicagoheadquarters and the DNC in Washington.

The DNC has stood out during this election cycle as the one majorparty entity that has not been raising money like gangbusters, andofficials in both camps hope the joint agreement can allow the DNC totap into Obama’s extraordinary leverage and popularity with donors,particularly after he secures the nomination — assuming he does.

The committee formed under the agreement is still in search of a final name.

Great news!  As the party establishment spends more of its resources forming such a committee, the DNC then becomes more path-dependent on Obama becoming the Democratic nominee.

Clinton is reckless when it comes to Iran

This quote from Hillary Clinton earlier this week was overlooked:

"I want the Iranians to know that if I'm the president, we will attackIran (if it attacks Israel)," Clinton said in an interview on ABC's"Good Morning America."

"In the next 10 years, during whichthey might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we wouldbe able to totally obliterate them," she said.

"That's aterrible thing to say but those people who run Iran need to understandthat because that perhaps will deter them from doing something thatwould be reckless, foolish and tragic," Clinton said.

Reckless, irresponsible, naive, undiplomatic and absolutely reactionary.  Might as well call her Hillary Cheney.  She is unfit to ever be commander-in-chief.

This race should end in two weeks

If Democratic leaders were smart and understood the damage that Hillary Clinton's candidacy is inflicting among Democratic voters, they would hype up the May 6th contests in North Carolina and Indiana as a do-or-die event for her.  This thing needs to end fast.  According to NBC exit polling data, Hillary Clinton's candidacy is hurting her own party:

One-quarter of Clinton voters would back Mr. McCain while 19 percentsaid they would stay home in November entirely." Of Obama supporters,"67 percent said they would support Mrs. Clinton if she earns the partynod, 17 percent would back the Republican senator and 12 percent wouldnot vote."

This number is up significantly from Ohio, when more voters were open to supporting the other candidate.  In other words, the Democrats would be smart to end this thing fast.  They have two options for May 6th:

• The more drastic option includes encouraging super delegates to support whoever wins more delegates on May 6th.
• Or, the party hierarchy could say that if someone sweeps the May 6th contests then that candidate gets the super delegate support.

I'd go with the second option because it is more practical.  If Obama wins both Indiana and North Carolina, Dean, Pelosi and Reid need to convince super delegates to make up their mind one way or another.

Election Thread

I will be at work during the time when all the results come in.  But I will give updates during my breaks.

So, as tonight unfolds, feel free to discuss the effect that this contest will have on Indiana and North Carolina, and whether this likely victory for Clinton will give her a bounce.  Did she exceed expectations?  Does she mathematically have a chance?

It's about Indiana, not Pennsylvania

On the morning of what pundits are hyping up to be the all important Pennsylvania primary, the real test will come on May 6th.  While Hillary has every right to be in the race at this point, her argument for staying in will be greatly diminished if she loses both North Carolina and Indiana.  The two states vote on that same May 6th night.  North Carolina is poised to go for Obama.  The question is who will win Indiana.  Polls show that the race there is incredibly close there, with the slight edge favoring Obama.

It is likely that if Obama wins both May 6th contests, there will be a wave of super delegates going his way starting the morning after.

Obama's last PA ad

For all you undecideds out there -- it takes judgment to be president: