Barack Obama Taking Charge. The Huckster Coming on?

I can only pray that you are wrong that a Clinton/Obama ticket would be hard to beat. Clinton doesn't need to be anywhere near the white house. Her ideas scare the bejesus out of me. Would you like to have your paycheck garnished to pay for the health insurance she chooses for you? I know I wouldn't but that is what she has said she is going to do.

I'm an Obama backer and I feel a Dem ticket with Hillary Clinton on it, front or back spell defeat for the Dems in November.

Republicans need to seriously consider a McCain/Huckabee ticket. A moderate and a Rightwinger - what better way to keep the base from crossing over and still luring the independent vote.

Without Huckabee, McCain can beat Clinton, but I'm not sure about Obama.

As retired military, the only candidate that I feel is qualified to be Commander-in-Cheif is McCain.

It is more and more evident. Barack Obama will win -- the Democratic nomination and then the Presidency.

The guru has spoken.

Hi Melissa!
A Clinton health care plan would cost far less than the war in Iraq.
The war has cost almost five hundred billion dollars.
The war should be on terror, and not in Iraq.
But that is another topic.
Anyway, Hillary's plan (if elected) would not cost us our paychecks.
Remember one thing ...
We were better off under Bill Clinton than we are under Bush.
We would be better off under Hillary Clinton, than under McCain.
McCain is another Bush.
But McCain will not get elected.
Most people just do not trust Republicans.
You will either see President Obama or President Clinton in the White House, and you just might see the other as VP.
We will see.

There is a ways to go and though you say Obama has asserted himself and I don't know how you are applying this, here is the count _

In overall totals in The Associated Press count, Clinton had 1,095 delegates to 1,070 for Obama, counting so-called superdelegates. They are party leaders not chosen at primaries or caucuses, free to change their minds. A total of 2,025 delegates is required to win the nomination at the national convention in Denver.

As for Huckabee, I know some W. Virginia folks that are upset because the decision was taken out of their hands when he won that state. Now is that the American way?

They need to or we need to end caucuses and let the people vote.

All of these people are Liberals; and it scares me if any of them get into office.

Blessings

Most people just do not trust Republicans....this statement is not especially true. Had you said the extreme Right, I could agree.

McCain is not so far Right as Clinton and Obama are so far Left. Americans want moderation, not extremes.

I don't think there would be an upside for Obama to have Clinton on the ticket. That said, she probably should remain a national voice of sorts. I have respect for McCain as a war vet, as I do for any vet, but I don't think he is presidential material. Huckabee is a creationist, which is certainly something that concerns me as this flies in the face of the science I know and understand. Obama had a super Saturday with all his wins and I am proud to say I was a tiny part of that.

McCain can't beat anybody he doesn't even have the support of his Party. The Democrats will win by default. Romney was the Republicans best chance.

George...our family is about a 50/50 split between Hillary and Obama. Hillary has the labor vote...and Obama has the youth / environmental vote in our fam. Was discussing just this with the brother in law tonight...and he said the only thing that stood out for him was that Hillary said she was going to work on getting women paid as well as men... This upset him...as she didn't make clear that she wanted to close the gap between the earning for same job issue of females getting on average 25% less per job than a man doing the same thing, with the same education.
He said Obama bobbled one line on the Iraq immediate pull out, and Hill scored some points there.
I voted Obama in the MO election, because I'm not sure I like where Hillary gets her funding, and have a little concern that she will back corporations more than I'd like to see. I want Obama at this juncture, but am afraid of what Washington will do to him when he goes to play hard ball business and muck slinging as usual. I think it is also critical that we ensure either/both of them get a congress they can work with.
At this point, as with most all dems, and quite a few Repubs, I would vote for anything wearing a dem suit.
It has to beat the monkey now in office, pardoning his crime pals, and mortgaging my children's future, so he can play GIJoe with other people's lives. AND I'd like to see an IQ test given to the incoming president. It could have saved 5000 american lives, and a whole lot of money in the last 8 years.
Okay, I've vented enough.

McCain vs Obama...hmmm...guess I'll be staying home Election night.

Ralph, are you running this year?

What is it that makes Obama "presidential material"? Would you support him if he were waving a Republican banner? What if McCain was a Democrat? Would that qualify him?

Not trying to argue. Just trying to rationalize why some believe a junior politician is more preferable to the ones who have been in the trenches.(and Clinton is not one of them. She is still a junior politician)

I'm not one of the ga-ga over Obama crowd. He was never even an option for me...neither was McCain.

My choice was Chuck Hagel, but, he decided not to run. I back Ron Paul or Mike Huckabee. They're still running. I will not vote for Obama or McCain.

If its a Obama/Clinton ticket I don't think they'd stand a chance (or vice versa) and they really seem to dislike each other

Melissa,

If you have an employer-funded health plan, your paycheck is already"garnished" to pay premiums.

While I'm no great fan of Clinton's, I prefer her solid proposals to Obama's generalities.

Obama was expected to do well yesterday. The media gets too excited over teh small stuff and Huckabee cannot win mathematically.

Anyone with sense knows Clinton is the intellegent choice, Obama is treated like a rock star, but he is all speeches and no substance. @ years a state sentaor and now he has been a US Senator for three years and he spends all his time runningfor president. What has he accomplished? Has he made change as a senator? NO

Linda:
Why do you think that Legislative experience is a good prerequisite for an Executive job. They're very different jobs. All they do in the Senate is posture and fight and filibuster. They don't get anything done...none of them(including Hillary). Whomever gets elected this year, we're in for 4 more years of the same crap.

BTW- Anyone with sense knows that Ron Paul is the intelligent choice. This whole election is just more evidence of how few people in this country have any sense. :(

Isn't it odd that we speak of "winning" an election. It is as if we didn't have to live with the consequences of the election. If I don't win the election (and I can't since I am not in the race) does that mean I will have lost the election. There should be some better word. Perhaps "John Doe has been selected in the election," or "Mary Smith has been chosen in the election," would be better.

We must all say no to HillBillary. Not president, not vice president. In fact, I wish a good solid New York Dem would challenge her in 2010 and get her and her pervert husband out of Washington all together and forever.

Tim,
Ron Paul is a racist nutjob who thinks we should kick all immigrants out and close our borders. Jeez man the guy thinks the government can run without taxes. I'm sorry my delusional friend, but it is you that is the guppy here.

Devin-

Exactly what is wron with securing the borders and kicking Illegals out? I agree with your other points though

The choices in the fall will be McCain versus Clinton or Obama. And it won't be Clinton and Obama on the same ticket. I am accepting bets!

MDP, the problem with kicking illegals out is that there are about 12 million of them. Securing the borders would be good. Trying to build an inpenetrable fence would not be good, IMHO.

I can't help but laugh at some of the arguments presented when pitting Obama or McCain against anyone else. Whats the difference between a young zealous senator who at least sounds as if he is willing to take steps to move us forward and deal with thereal problems we suffer with and an old crusty war vet who spins circles changing his mind and positions on everything? Once he said we might need to stay in Iraq 100 years he cut off any potential possibility for me. How can anyone in their right minds accept him for anything including dog catcher. He glazes past any possibility of even addressing any problem we have beyond Iraq. I hear all this discussion and fever for him but can't for the life of me figure out why other than he is a republican ...good bad or indifferent. In my mind he is only a junior Bush and I certainly want no part of that. Am I wrong?

The 08 election is about changing the ideological direction of government. The approval rating of the Pres clearly demonstrates that. The approval of Congress is hinged on their inability to budge Bush from his set ideological path. Their approval increases every time they beat him on anything, however small. There is NO Repub candidate who campaigns on keeping the status quo or openly identifies himself with the Bush Admin. A "Washington Is Broken" sign hung over every Romney campaign rally.

A vote for ANY Repub is a defacto contiunation of the Bush Admin, from Huckabee's "rewriting the Constitution" to McCain's 100 years in Iraq. America, less the RWN base, wants a return to international sanity and respect for treaties, fiscal responsibility, effective monetary policy, some kind of health care plan and a return of a pro-active requlatory structure for everything from oil to toys to the enviorrnment. It really does not matter which Dem gets elected. Their task is laid out for them. The Bush years represent an experiment in conservative reactionary control and the results are plain.

As an outsider I may only wonder aloud, what change can Obama achieve except a personal one - become the first black president?

I like John McCain, Obama and Hilary; I think America would be blessed with any one of them.

I would like Clinton and Obama on the same ticket, but doubt that will happen.

I would also like McCain and Clayton Powell.

Very thought provoking.

Several people have commented that they're "afraid of liberals". C'mon people, the Constitution and Bill of Rights have been trampled on, we've racked up the biggest deficit in world history, we're in an ill-concieved war sold under false pretenses (with strong support from Mr. McCain), the Telcos are handing our records over to Big Brother, and only the super-billionaires are doing well economically.

What the hell are you afraid of ? Health care? Every nurse and doctor in the country knows that most of your health-care dollar (now) goes to the insurance rackets. Even the noble concept of 'HMO's was pushed aside by the (for-profit) "PPO"s. Don't buy the argument that national heath care needs to be bloated and inefficient. Don't buy the idea that it means switching doctors. It is entirely reasonable to expect that each of us would get the same doctor, same service, at a much lower cost.

And no, I'm not a 'liberal'-- I'm pro-choice, pro-gun, pro-gay marriage, and pro people. As Bill Mahr said, "Look people, either we all drink from the same water fountain in this country, or we don't".

-Bob

I am pulling for Obama. It will really be hard for me to choose between Hillary and McCain. I am tired of the Clintons.

Meredith, my wife is for Hillary and I love her! And I respect her reasons for being for Hillary. If Obama doesn't get the nomination, I will work hard for Hillary!

Nice article,George.I agree with your views.

I hope they are right.

When faced with the question of why Barack Obama has
to be president right now, with no experience, and why
he cannot wait to become known by American for his
accomplishments, I'm told his wife answered that they were
afraid they would not be the same people in 4-8 years.

The non-participatory, know-nothing crowd of ambigous
change who was not emotionally stroked enough in the
last elections to bother participating in them now thinks
their big Obama temper tantrum is the thing to do.

Sorry, I don't care for Kool-Aid.

Sorry if Obama doesn't get the nomination ( and no way the tag team Clintons will ever let him be VP.) I will vote for McCain. (Sorry calling a war heroe a Bush clone is a real disservice to the American military.)

I would like a Obama/Richardson ticket myself.

Spencer T.

Very well said! McCain is not the person who can look out thirty years and see a credible future.

Obama is the guy who has the best chance to make history here... and not because he is of mixed race. I don't delude myself thinking that he or any other candidate will be able to deliver on all of their desires for the country, but Barack Obama has convinced me that we, as a nation, might have it in us to come together.

His message is one of hope and challenge. He expects something from us. Doesn't it feel good to hear a candidate with such a message?

If Obama is elected, it will be scary for America. His pal, Devel Patrick is Gov. of Massachusetts. I voted for him. Like Obama he is articulate, intelligent and ran on a platform of change. He was elected and immediately the problems began. He had no experience and he made numerous mistakes to the point where his wife ended up in the hospital with a nervous breakdown. He promised the world and has delivered nothing. Currently, he is betting our whole economic future on adding casino gambling. I have seen first hand what inexeperience can do and in a time of war and recession, America cannot afford to have Obama learn on the job. He has shown me nothing in his years in the Senate except he can make speeches. If I know this, the Republicans do too. They are sitting on their hands waiting for a chance to go after him. Let's see a veteran with military and national security expreience versus a man that served 2 terms in a state legislature and three years in the US Senate with no foreign policy or national security experience, Hmmmmm, who do you think people will vote for? Older Americans, those who vote, will not elect a candidate with so little experience during a time of war.

Linda G. good post. What are people thinking, if anything?
He has only been in the Senate since Jan 2005, and the
last year he has been campaigning, what ego.

I remember him in a debate about two back when he talked
about his management style, and how he seemed to think
management was having someone else hand you your
papers before you lose them yourself.

Obama should rightly be a speech writer, he has no business
at this point in his life or in the life of the country thinking
he can lead the world, what a lunatic.

Clinton or Obama either is good just as long as she or he can beat the Republicans.

George,

Since there are many who cannot countenance a woman in the White House and many who cannot accept a black person, would combining them aid or detract? I don't honestly don't know.

I'm for Clinton but will support Obama if he gets the nomination.

Linda, when you wrote that Obama has "...three years in the US Senate with no foreign policy or national security experience..." are you saying that being on the Foreign Affairs Committee and co-authoring the Lugar-Obama Act equals no experience?

BruceK...feel free to answer this too, if you like to.

3 years in the Senate, one on the campaign trail.
Minimal experience at the national level.
It galls me the when I remember Democrats
talking about George Bush's ego and pride, and
to see them rubber stamping this as sufficient
experience.

I think people have to think, is experience to
them going to be what is going to make the
difference to the voters who really count.
I don't see how one can confidently or
comforably answer yes to this.

Good article

brucek, it galls me that you never answer my simple question. Do you know what the word no means? It is an exaggeration to use the phrase "no foreign policy experience". Obama has held elective office longer than Clinton. I would love to have you lay out all Clinton's experience. Why? Because the way you knock Obama makes me think you are for McCain. As a Democrat, I will argue which candidate is best but I don't keep bashing the others.

Bruce K.,

The reason Obama felt this was the year for him to run came about because, like George Will said, "When you've got the girl up on her tip toes, it's only right to go ahead and kiss her." And that's what he had arrived at, there was a lot of push for him to run, he knew he'd become extraordinarily popular and was probably at his all time peak, and the opportunity was now, never mind the experience, etc. So he is running.

Time will tell!

> It is an exaggeration to use the phrase "no foreign policy experience".

It may be to an Obama supporter but to me it is not a significant exaggeration.

I am not the issue here, but I would like to change some minds here so I do not have to vote for McCain or think about voting for McCain.

You just stick to your kind of Democrat, and I will stick to mine. Your kind of Democrat cannot win the election, because you can only either vote or not vote, and Obama supporters threatening not vote are the danger and the losers.

I am a moderate, independent, swing voter. It is me and several million more people in the country like me that will decide this election, so you would do well to listen and think clearly.

Obama still taking charge. The choir grows. Huckster fades....a mirage, not a miracle.

Bruce K.,

I agree that the swing voters, which I have been in past years, will decide this race. Both McCain and Obama seem to attract a lot of swing voters and independents. And I still think, of the candidates still out there, that Hillary is the most reasonable choice.

That would leave Republicans, who won't vote for McCain, and Democrats, who won't vote for Hillary to see which has the most effect on the election. Sad.

I haven't read all the other comments on here, but I really hope that Huckabee does not join McCain as VP. I have a lot of respect for Huckabee (I would vote for him, if he made it that far, which I know he won't, at least not this time around) and that respect would be lost if he joined up with McCain in such a way. You can tell I don't have a lot of respect for McCain.

I'm hoping that Obama takes it on the democratic side, so that there will be someone I feel all right voting for.

Same here, Nancy. The exit polls from Wisconsin tonight indicated that most of the voters on the Democratic side at least, did not consider gender or race as a deciding factor.

I think tonight's win in Wisconsin will allow Obama to hold off Clinton.

And why is that, Robin? I promise not to criticize. :-)