Let’s Talk Politics: Spitzer, Clinton and various other topics

Spitzer:

I think it is an awful thing to consider that Spitzer was weighing his options, considering if he would be able to survive. The man should have dropped out right away. He should be ashamed of himself. He is a disgrace to the office and he is a despicable man for dragging his wife out for a press conference.

What I find equally distressing is that we have heard, watched and read things that are questioning whether prostitution is bad or not. For the man or the woman. The man had a wife and three children. It was wrong. For some people, Spitzer pushing for a gay marriage bill would be more legitimate if he wasn’t simultaneously dishonoring his own.

It is a sad statement if the feminist movement has transformed into a movement which defends prostitution. I love the men who frame their support for prostitution or abortion as “a woman has a right to do whatever she wants with a woman.” And women embrace that as part of being a woman, expressing their femininity. When in actuality, it’s at least partially men who want to be able to have sex with anyone and without any consequences.

But I digress…

There is no such thing as privacy for a public official. I believe that the public and the press should stay out of some things, but for Spitzer to call his using a prostitute and breaking the law a private manner is pure folly. Public officials should be held to a higher standard.

Between this and Clinton, I have never been so consumed with disgust at political officials in my party.

Which brings us to…Clinton.

I have a lot to say on her.

1) Electability

Hillary Clinton’s argument is that she wins democratic voters, which are the voters we’ll need in November. And that Obama wins big cities, which Democrats will win anyways.

She also selectively picks out states, and makes the ludicrous claim that a primary victory correlates with general election performance. As I remember, Obama won Maryland, Wisconsin, Virginia, Louisiana, Missouri. All states with primaries, all swing states. See the Clinton’s have done with electability what they have with everything else since February 5. They have thrown the kitchen sink at Obama and at the voters. Throwing whatever crap they could against the wall and seeing if anything will stick.

But you see…here’s the problem…None of her arguments make sense. In the general, Democrats will back Obama. What is not certain is that the independents and Republicans that will back Obama will support Hillary. Actually, it is pretty certain…they won’t. In a Zogby poll, Clinton starts off the general with 47% of the country saying they would NEVER vote for her. That’s a ceiling of 53%.

Clinton supporters can be as delusional as they want about her general election prospects. They could pretend that she is as gifted of a politician as Bill. They could pretend that she will win the commander-in-chief argument against McCain. They could pretend that people won’t be affected by the possibility of both Clinton’s back in the White House. They could pretend that the Republicans won’t play as dirty with her as she has with Obama. However, none of these things will happen.

2) Florida and Michigan

First of all, let’s take Michigan off the table. Obama wasn’t on the ballot. When he signs a pledge, he means it.

With Florida, yes, Clinton has an advantage in the state. However, let’s not forget that she held fundraisers in the state, and that even before South Carolina she began to pander to Florida and Michigan. So her advantages in the states are partially due to her breaking the spirit of the pledge she signed, as well as her stabbing NH and Iowa in the back as soon as the cast their votes for her. The NH Union Leader told NH voters they had been duped.

I believe that there should be a revote. Clinton is going to lose. The writing is on the wall. Obama is and should support a revote, beat her in Michigan, and maybe that will shut her up.

3) Ferraro

The Clinton’s have repeatedly used surrogates to run a smear campaign. Ferraro’s comments are another step in that direction. They use surrogates to state explicitly what Hillary only says implicitly. Hillary talks about how Obama won Louisiana because of the pride of African-Americans, Ferraro goes on Fox News and says that he is in his position because he is black. That will get that blue-collar vote!

I am done with the Clinton’s. I am through.

I guess the one good thing about that is that the Democratic Primary Voters have spoken: And they are done with her too.

 

Contention: Finally Responding To Hillary Clinton Supporters

This was a comment on my blog last night:

“I am so glad that Hillary won the N.H. Primary. This is about the future of our country and who best can lead us out of the mess that George Bush has made. We need someone with experience, know how, contacts,
and with Bill along, it’s a two for one win.
So many people in this country keep up on the entertainment world and not the real world we live in. Obama’s programs benefit the minorities of this country and the rest of us will be paying their way AGAIN.
Go Hillary”

I think this brings up some majors points:

1. Barack Obama does not have the “experience” Hillary does. He does not have experience voting for the war, for standing idly by while NAFTA was passed, and he most certainly does not have the experience of being despised by the 47% of this country who says that they WOULD NEVER VOTE FOR HILLARY CLINTON.

2. Barack Obama does not have the “know how” of Hillary Clinton. He did not “know how” to fail to bring the country Universal Health Care with the full power of the bully pulpit behind her. What he did know was the quagmire the Iraq War would turn out to be. What he did know was what he stood for, rather than changing the justification and message of his campaign with every new poll Mark Penn does like Hillary knows. Please, don’t talk to me about Hillary’s “know how,” not to mention all of her “experience.”

3. Hillary does have some great contacts. She also has 47% of the American people as contacts who WOULD NEVER CONSIDER VOTING FOR HER. Tell me how she’s going to pass legislation, not to mention get elected, with that many people against her. Her potentially useful “contacts” will be neutered in the face of the easy job the Republicans will have shooting down her every effort.

4. Oh yes, Bill. Who, according to a poll last night, 58% of Hillary’s supporters would vote AGAINST her to vote for Bill. Mr. Excuses. Mr. Self-Pity. He is tanking his legacy. Like it or not, Bill committed perjury, and while he should not have been impeached, we should not be inviting him back into the White House. If you think Bill in the White House is a good thing for the country, you are misguided.

5. Your final accusation, that Obama’s programs will only benefit minorities, has no basis, which is probably why you didn’t elaborate. It is the racism that is the resort of dirty politicians. Bill Clinton will use African-Americans when it helps him, and dismiss them when it hurts.

6. I know, what a shame that a person should have to “pay their way.” I really hope Hillary takes on your rhetoric. That would just be awful, wouldn’t it? No, see, while some of you folks believe government has the responsibility to take care of you in spite of your actions, Barack Obama (and I) believe that Americans don’t want government to solve every problem and foot the bill. We just want a government who wants the American people to succeed as desperately as the American people are striving in that “pursuit of happiness.”

I do agree with one thing she said.

This election IS about who can help this country recover. That is why Barack Obama will win. We don’t need another eight years of politics over progress, rhetoric over action, and despite Hillary’s latest campaign configuration, Hillary and her politics exemplify “rhetoric over action.” The kind of politics that as long as you can justify to yourself that you’re right in your failure, than success doesn’t really matter. The kind of politics that is content with explaining away health care failures, and her husband’s infidelities, with the “vast right-wing conspiracy.” Keeping red America pitted against blue America.

We need change. We need something new. Not just for the sake of change or for the sake of newness. No! We need change because what we’ve had for the last 4 decades isn’t working. It hasn’t worked for the American people! It hasn’t worked for the world! It hasn’t worked for white people, brown people, yellow people, purple people, people of faith, union-members, gay people, Republicans, Democrats, Independents…IT HASN’T WORKED FOR THE PROMISE OF AMERICA THAT SO MANY OF US BELIEVE IN! THE PROMISE THAT IS AT THE CORE OF OUR COUNTRY, THE FOUNDATION OF OUR DREAMS, THE WELLSPRING OF OUR HOPE!

That is why I support Senator Obama. Not because of his greatness, but because of his belief in the greatness of the American people.

 

How Hillary Made It Close

Well, I’m very glad I think I forgot to make number predictions.

If the numbers hold up and Obama loses or wins only slightly, then I must put into writing what I’ve told friends ever since Hillary teared up.

This was orchestrated, and I have no doubt Bill was behind it.

Not only did the media attack Hillary for her eyes welling, but in households around NH, husbands were telling their wives “this is why a woman can’t be President,” or “see, women can’t help but cry all the time.”

And that is why Hillary is up by 12-points with women in NH as opposed to five down in Iowa.

 

What is Different about Obama.

Find the below story here.

From NBC’s Lee Cowan and NBC/NJ’s Aswini Anburajan
Rochester, N.H. — Obama was heckled from the balcony of a theater here. A group of about 10 protestors began to chant “Abortion is abomination.” The audience in turn began to shout, “Obama! Obama!” And in the top balcony many started screaming at the protestors telling them to shut up.

Obama from the stage said, “Guys! Guys!” Initially he told the protestors, “I’ll talk to you afterwards.”

The scene escalated with angry shouts from the audience directed toward the protestors telling them to, “Shut up, go home.” And one man even screamed, “Kill the babies!” An older gentleman put his head down and stuck his hands in his ears. It was unpleasant on both sides.

The police came after about five minutes and were greeted with cheers by the audience. The protestors voluntarily left chanting the entire time. When the hecklers had left, Obama joked, “Excitement is over, or maybe it’s just beginning.”

And he said, “Let me just say this though. Some people got organized to do that. That’s part of the American tradition we are proud of. And thats hard too, standing in the midst of people who disagree with you and letting your voice be heard.”

 

Obama is horribly misguided and just plain wrong on the abortion issue. But the above story is why I love him.

Any comments?

 

GOP Ticket

Ok… So if Hillary was to get the Dem Nomination, a McCain/Huckabee Ticket would make perfect sense…and it would be , in my opinion, victorious.

However, if Obama gets the nomination, the qualities and attributes of a McCain/Huck ticket are not as needed. What would be needed is a running mate to further accentuate foreign policy issues. For that reason, and for others, and you may want to mark the date and time of this prediction:

McCain/Rice.

He will at least make the offer.

Mark my words.

I love you all and have fun watching Obama and McCain win tonight. Also, have fun watching Romney get beat by larger proportions than we thought he would. And, finally, enjoy the Huck getting in third, creaming Giuliani.

 

Watch Out!

I think Obama will get at least 48 today. If he gets 50+ and Hillary gets 25 or less, the pressure will be on for her to drop out. I also think that if Obama gets 50 and John Edwards gets beat by 5+ by Hillary, he may take a look at the polls and decide to drop out.

I think Obama should offer him to be head of a new body to fight poverty.

No matter what, following today, the establishment will start going to Obama. 3-4 Senators will endorse before Nevada.

I will have an entry tonight or tomorrow looking at the race.

 

Huckabee vs. Obama

Two fascinating articles on the hypothetical general election with completely opposite outcomes:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/07/opinion/07kristol.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/01/for_republicans_iowa_better_be.html

What do you think?

I will give my opinion by Feb. 5th given that Huck is still in the race by then.

 

Hillary Attacks

Hillary’s strategy as a loser has come to two main tactics:

Playing the gender card more obviously and unabashedly than ever

and

Attacking Obama and Edwards with a viciousness and intellectual flexibility that only a Clinton could accomplish.

There are a few reasons why these attacks won’t work in NH:

1)NH votes in 48 hours. Too little, too late for Hill.

2)She is attacking Obama for voting for things she herself voted for. For example, funding the war, the PATRIOT act…
3)Her attacks are ignoring reality. For instance, Obama said when he campaigned that he would have voted against the PATRIOT Act that followed 9/11, not the stronger, more patriotic one that was passed later.  Hillary can’t handle the fact that Obama is a better candidate and would be a better President than herself.

Sorry Hill.

 

Democratic Debate Liveblog: 10:34 pm

Well, I said it in the beginning, the trial lawyer in Edwards was going to come out. He is having one heck of a debate and he is very good when he needs to be.

 

Democratic Debate Liveblog: 10:30 pm

This debate is an absolute mess. It will be fascinating to see the coverage. The only candidate who hasn’t gone against every other candidate on the stage is Bill Richardson who has laid off Hillary.

Obama has done will amidst all of the attacks, he frankly hasn’t had enough time to rebut all of them, which is Clinton’s strategy.

As anyone noticed how serious the Democratic candidates are as opposed to the big joke-a-thon the Republican debate was. That is because Republicans are aloof when it comes to America having any problems at all. At least they’re on their game when it comes to seeing everything wrong with Democrats.