We heard the tease on Sunday and saw the Op-Ed by Caroline Kennedy Sshlossberg endorsing Obama. But the big bomb fell Monday morning with the official announcement that Sen. Ted Kennedy will endorse Barack Obama for president. Add to this bombshell the fact that the author who called Bill Clinton the first black president has also announced her endorsement of Obama along with the trouncing Barack gave Hillary in South Carolina and the condemnation of the Clinton's attack dog campaign tactics is complete.
What has happened here is that the Democratic establishment has not only rejected the Clinton campaign, but has at the same time embraced Barack Obama. And I for one am as excited as I can remember about this change in the minds of the Democratic Party establishment. Now I'll be the first to admit that I am not the biggest fan of what we call the DNC establishment, but for them to finally recognize that the people want real change, and that the best chance for that change is NOT one of their anointed, is of Biblical consequence.
But the Clinton's aren't going away that easily because they are still at it. I just saw a video clip of Billy boy passing off Obama's South Carolina victory by comparing it to Jesse Jackson's victory there back in the 90's. And as has been with all of these racially charged statements by Bill and others connected to Hillary's campaign, the reaction from pundits, the DNC establishment, and from many objective observer's has been to recoil and condemn them. And with Hillary just shrugging off complaints about the tactics as if it were just normal politics indicts her as well.
I don't believe I've ever seen a candidate get turned on so succinctly since I became involved in politics. For the Clinton's, who have enjoyed such a positive reputation concerning racial issues, to use race in an attempt to marginalize their opponent has a hell of a lot of people shaking their heads in amazement and bewilderment. How could these two do such a despicable thing?
The question now is; what will the voters say about this turn of events? Will Billy boy's charm and popularity give him a pass? Or will the American people reject this desperate grab for power. Obama is correct in his statement that we must say no to those who will say or do anything to gain power. It diminishes our Party and it diminishes the whole country. It's time to move beyond this kind of childish behavior and start the real work of reshaping our society to meet the demands of living in the 21st century. It is my deepest wish that the American people send the Clinton's the message that we don't want them or their tired old politics.
*************
Devin Barber, Politics Correspondent
Devin's column, "Left Of The Right" published weekly or more to Gather Essentials: Politics is a Blue Collar Democrats take on current political news.
Devin was raised by proud Roosevelt Democrats. Being the son of parents counted among the throng of Americans displaced by the Great Depression has given Devin a deep rooted passion for causes dealing with the poor and the working class.
You can find all of Devin's columns at http://gather.com/leftoftheright
You can keep up with Devin's postings and his Gather activity by joining his Gather network. Just click here: http://kiwina58.gather.com and then select the orange "Connect" button on the left-hand side of the page.
You can find Devin and other Political Correspondents, plus celebrity content and plenty of other politics experts at Politics.gather.com.
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 140
These could be the bloodiest two weeks for Obama and "Team Clinton".
If the Clintons(Notice how I use it in plural) win, will enough middle of the roaders and center leaning Republicans vote for her? True Democrats will bite their tongues and vote for her, but will the rest of the country?
Devin, can enough Democrats put their foot down and send her a message?
How low will they(Mr and Mrs.) go?
She may get the nomination, but will she be too bloody and battle weary to win?
Here's what I think will happen. Obama and Hillary will end in a virtual tie after Super Tuesday. Then Edwards will throw his support to Obama pushing Hillary out fo the show. Then an Obama/Edwards ticket will take it home in November.
As an observation from someone who is undecided, I haven't seen the type of electricity that Obama is generating since Bobby Kennedy's ill fated run in '68. Let's hope Obama has a better year....
Thanks for a great analysis...
Republicans unconstitutionally redrawing voting district borders based on racial demographics to artificially maintain Republican majorities.
Mmmmm
Having said that, I am completely disgusted with the tactics that the Clinton's employed this past week. And clearly they knew what they were doing. Seeing that they would lose SC, they set out to diminish the value of the state by making it seem like Obama only won because all the blacks voted for another black...thereby being a warning that the white vote would go to Hillary in future states (and pushing for a self-fulfilling prophecy).
Not withstanding the fact that Obama won the all-white Iowa and came close in the mostly white NH, etc., the fact that the Clinton's would game the system like they have is utterly contemptible.
As an undecided Independent, I was considering several candidates, both Democrat and Republican. The tactics of last week have convinced me that the Clinton's should not be back in the White House. To play the minds of the populace like they did is loathsome, demeaning, and not what we want from a President. If Hillary cannot win the hearts and minds of the voters on the strength of her message, and is willing to use subterfuge and deceit to get the nomination, then she cannot be trusted to govern for the people.
Consider also the fact that we've now started referring to the Hillary campaign as "The Clinton's." While I thought Bill was a good President (though not always a good person), I do not want a tag-team Presidency. It's time to move on. It's time to elect a leader. For me, this no longer describes Hillary Clinton.
Watch how the folks like Katie Couric, Tim Russert, Brian Williams and the likes treat Mrs. Clinton in the coming days and weeks. If they jump off the Hillary parade, then she's done.
Media watching, it's so much fun.
And the Republicans who don't believe a Republican is running.
Sounds like 34% to me.
What will be bigger still will be the voters' reaction to all this. Will they finally start to speak up against, and vote against, candidates who use such negative tactics in order to win? "Or, are we all just jerking off?"
I for one don't know what to expect if Obama is elected. But, I bet it want be good!
I do not believe Hillary can get the nomination if this whole bit of nastiness doesn't stop right now. People don't want to hear this crap. We want to hear what programs the candidates favor, what their stance on critical issues is, and how they propose to actually begin fixing this mess at home and abroad.
I have no problem whatever with Obama.
Wayne B.: "registered Muslim" simply means that he was born in a Muslim country and that one immediate relative was Muslim. He had no more control over that designation than you did over whether or not your parents chose to baptize you as an infant. And it has just as much meaning. That whole Muslim thing is merely another rabid neocon smokescreen that they hope will deflect voters from asking the hard questions such as: Exactly what good has Mr. Bush accomplished in nearly eight years in the White House?
rails_on_clinton_family.html
Ralph Nader
Al Sharpton
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/01/sharpton-to-bil.html
Don't mess with the Clintons.
Don't be silly, Kennedy doesn't drive anymore. He has someone to do that for him.
If Obama can't handle this minor squabbling, from his own party......he doesn't stand a chance against the Republicans. This is how presidential politics is played. It's just been so long since we've actually seen a battle for a nomination....these candidates need to be ready, savvy, secure, and able to state what and how they will change our country back to the America we all remember.
I will vote for whomever the Democratic nominee is; but if it's Obama, I will have some real misgivings. His vague policy ideas and focus on "hope" is nice to hear, and brings back thoughts of what the Democratic party was always supposed to be about. But, his talk of unity is so close to what we heard from Bush, and we know where that got us. He says he'd appoint Repubs to his cabinet.....but why? There are few Republicans that believe in the hope of America for ALL Americans. Very few from the other party encourage equitable distribution of wealth, affordable education, tax cuts for the majority of tax payers, green environmental policies, investment in our workforce and nation through adequate infrastructure investment, ending tax cuts to the wealthy, and tax breaks for the oil companies.....they are so out of step with the majority of Americans on so many things that affect us deeply! Why would Obama offer cabinet positions prior to winning the nomination, and why wouldn't he recognize that our own party is full of smart, dedicated, and like minded individuals that will think of America and Americans first, rather than rich fat cats, and huge corporations? Congeniality, and broad support is well worth working toward; but...I truly beleive that Obama will take this too far, and give in too much, and settle too fast rather than fight to restore the magic of America.
I truly believe that we'll need a hard ass work horse to fix all the crap that needs fixing in America. The problems are immense. I know Hillary has thought, fought and planned for years as to how we can once again put America first, and make sure we all once again rise to the challenges and benefit from the opportunities that she will secure for the majority of the neediest of us.
Another item of concern for democrats is this. After the past 8 years, the presidency was theirs for the taking. However, the dagger-tossing between the Clinton and Obama camps may cost the democrats yet another four years.
Being a republican, I hadn't been overly impressed by any of the candidates on either side and was accepting the fact that the Clinton's would be back at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave this time next year. However, over the past few weeks, I've found Romney's message of opportunity in the face of the serious issues we face to be much more attractive than the childish acts of the Clinton's and Obama's ambiguity.
It's looking like it will be a fun ride to November, so buckle up!
You mean the one where he drove Mary Jo Kopechne to a watery grave in his mother's 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88, swam to shore, didn't eben think about getting help and only reported it 16 hours later after he consuled his political handlers.
Is that the one you're referring to?
As for Obama....when it's all said and done he will be nothing but another also ran. Another John edwards. How friggin pathetic is that?
It took you that long to see what scumbags they are?
Seriously....where have you been since 1992? Hiding out with a cave in Afghanistan with Osama?
In the past few weeks, Hillary (who is the real Clinton running for president) has been eclipsed and overshadowed by the antics of her spouse. She seems to have been totally willing to stand on the sidelines and let Bill run with the ball for awhile. This has turned off a lot of people because it's not Bill who will be president, it will be Her; and the American people aren't buying it. She cannot run on Bill's record or on his personality. If elected, she will be the President, she will be the decider, not him.
Add to that her surly, mislaid remarks towards Barack and she completely comes across as a Swift Boat in Democratic clothing. The only good that people seem to be finding in these recent actions by her, her husband, and her campaign is that they are well vetting Obama for a run against the Republicans (a tactic that may well serve the Democratic party, but not Hillary's campaign).
Bill's remark about how Jesse Jackson carried South Carolina twice struck me right off as non-sequitor. Jackson, after all, had not won Iowa or scored high in New Hampshire and done well in Nevada.
Anyone with two eyes and one ear can see there are a vast gulf of differences between Jackson and Obama.
The biggest thing Obama has going for him is his stance for UNITY.
He is against the derisiveness of bi-partisan wrangling and inner party wrangling, he wants to reverse the heavy handed, insular operations of the Republican party, he wants to bring ALL Americans together to better OUR country.
We all remember how Ned Lamont did in the general election, don't we?
The real question is : when Hill-Billy wins the Democratic nomination, how will Fat Ted weasel his way back in as the 'kingmaker' he's always been? He'll be out of the loop with a Hillary nomination. She has a long memory when it comes to loyalty............or lack of.
Kennedy is a big, fat, drunken loser with a massive trust fund. Absolutely the worst of the worst...............and I'm only talking about his life before politics. He's a hypocrite in the mold of John Edwards - someone with millions and millions of dollars who uses poor people as a prop to get elected every few years.
In other words, another Limousine Liberal.
Anyone who thinks this is politics as usual hasn't been involved in this process very long. We're walking through unexplored territory with a woman and a black man leading the race for the Dem nomination. The mood of this country has been more and more one of distain for attack dog politics over the last several elections. And now with the expanded sensitivities the addition of women and minorities to this process brings. It's a whole new ball game folks.
"Yep...a big fat drunken loser...who has done more for people like you than you will ever have the brain cells to comprehend."
Fat Ted has done nothing for me, except take my tax money and redistribute it through massively wasteful and overfunded Entitlement programs to those who pay in almost no tax revenue to the system.
Bret - you just proved the point.
I comprehend exactly what Fat Ted is all about, and that's why I'm totally against him. He's bad for the party, and has pulled it so Far Left that we have almost no chance to win the general election. Witness the two candidates we now have.
Mary Jo Kopechne.
Hillary Clinton will not win the White House, no matter who she runs against. Obama has a shot at winning the White House. But first he needs to get past the Hill-Billy bushwacking machine. I don't see that happening.
No need to count those chickens just yet there, Joe............
Remember, we're the party that specializes in snatching defeat from the jaws of impending victory.
How many endorsements and wins will Obama need to have before the mainstream media types stop carrying the water for Hillary?
Like I've told you a million times - it isn't about me. Its about ideas. You don't have any, so you're completely unarmed in a discussion/debate like this.
How funny..............I'm in Chicago and I'm one of only 31 Conservatives in this Left Wing wasteland. But then we have an entrenched welfare machine that gives away money for absolutely no reason other than to keep the Leftist soldiers in line. And it works.
As for Romney, I think you hit it right on the head. I see him winning big, then going on to defeat the Hill-Billy smear-machine in the general election.
With your fantastical imagination you should be writing for Disney.
"Bret W.,
With your fantastical imagination you should be writing for Disney"
I know I should never ask such an open-ended question like this with you, but : what part of my last comment did you think was so "Disney-esque"?
Chicago is a Democratic machine kinda town. Politics is paid for here. There's no secret in that. Ask anyone from Chicago. They'll shrug and say something like "yea, so..........but what can we do about it?"
Romney winning, then facing the Hill & Bill smear show? What, you didn't like that scenario? It's got about a 50-50 chance of happening.
Your scenario has a zero chance of happening. Romney will never be able to out do McCain's war hero status. And it's obvious you have no idea of what's happening in the Democratic Party. The Clinton's have been snubbed by the DNC establishment. When Edwards throws his support to Obama after Super Tuesday, Hillary will be done.
The Dems need to pull in votes from the south if they want to win. Someone more middle of the road, more centerist, not a screaming lefty.
Maybe a Bill Richardson of New Mexico, not from the south, but he has a great resume, and a ton of experience, something Obama and Clinton are lacking, and he'll shore up the Hispanic vote. But can he help win in the south?
Gee....maybe if you click you heels three times while saying "there's no one like Obama" each time that might come true Devin.
Go ahead. give it a try!
So you're saying Bill Clinon isn't a deviant sexual predator Devin? Come let's not split hairs.
I'm a Republican but I'll be the first one to admit Bush in an f-ing idiot and you know slick willie is a sexual predator.
I'm not only on the Illinois Democratic finance board, but I'm also active in this year's organization of the Conservative Democratic caucus of Illinois. I see what's going on in the Democratic party from inside..........and this year is a lot of fun. The Hill-Billy machine is being eaten by the Left Wing of the party. As of yesterday, Hillary has 249 delegates, Obama has 167.
Even with the flurry of endorsements he's received, Obama doesn't look to be pulling ahead in very many of the upcoming contests. The Clintons may have been snubbed by the DNC establishment, but isn't that exactly what happened to Joe Lieberman in Connecticut not long ago? Remember how that turned out in the end?
I see the nearly irrelevant DNC being snubbed by Centrist voters in the primary and especially in the general election.
As for the Republicans, its 50-50. I see McCain beating Hillary badly, but then again I see Romney beating her almost as badly. Face it - she just has too damn many negatives to overcome. I don't see her coronation occurring anytime soon.
If Obama could hold back the Clinton smear machine, he could have a good chance at the White House. However, Hill & Bill will not allow that to happen. They'll smear poor Obama worse than any Republican ever dreamed of doing. They're pro's at it now.
Its as simple as this : the people who pay the most taxes get the largest refunds. Those who pay little or nothing, get nothing back. How hard is this for you Socialists to understand?
Our taxes on business are the highest in the world - every economist in the world recognizes that established fact. True economic stimulus packages would lower the corporate tax rate. Just giving free money away to the poor is idiotic...........unless you want to guarantee the stimulus package's failure.
Florida Primary Elections:
Clinton 50%
Obama 33%
Now here's an endorsement that matters:
Rep. Maxine Waters Endorses Sen. Hillary Clinton
29 Jan 2008
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) has announced her endorsement of Sen. Hillary Clinton for President of the United States. The announcement came via a conference call with reporters Tuesday. She is one of the most influential members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
http://www.transworldnews.com/NewsStory.aspx?id=34743
Think about it. If rich people pay:
1) more actual tax dollars per person
Could that be because they control 98% of the wealth in this country?
2) higher percentage of taxes per person
Where do you get this? It is more than clear the rich pay a lot less of a percentage than the common man, ask Warren Buffet.
3) more actual tax dollars as a group in comparison (overwhelmingly)
And why the hell not? They make a lot more on our backs.
4) higher percentage of taxes dollars as a group (overwhelmingly)
See 98% of wealth above.
5) AND they are taxed at a higher rate...
More BS and obfuscation.....
First of all, no delegates were awarded in the Democratic primary in Florida. So Ms. Clinton's "win" was anything but.
Second, Maxine Waters is a Leftist blowhard of fantastical proportions. She's regarded much like known crackpot Cynthia McKinney was before she was tarred, feathered, and run out of town on a rail in 2006. Her endorsement is akin to receiving the nod from an insane baglady from South Central............oops. lol.
When you're trying to paint yourself as a Centrist, she's hardly the one you want wrapping her Sickle & Hammer flag around you in public.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ron -
Although Rich Kaye's numbers are enlightening, the only questions that matter are : who pays the taxes in this country, and how much. That's the only thing the government cares about. We both know that the rich pay an overwhelming amount, and that the poor pay almost nothing.
The top 10% of US taxpayers pay 70%. The bottom 50% pay 3%. That pretty much tells the whole story right there.
How anyone at the lower end, given those appalling numbers, can claim a refund..........is shameful. I guess the poor still love their Welfare.
Clinton's campaign is loosing steam fast, and has been off the rails more often that on. She seems completely out of touch with Democrats and with the rest of America as well. The main focus of Clinton's strategy seems to have been to scare the poor, the un-educated and ethnic Democrats into voting for her. She seems to have thought the DNC would deliver the rest of the parties' votes to her.
As out of touch with America as she is, Clinton seems completely in touch with the Democratic Party. She represents the Party Line of the DNC, a win by saying or doing ANYTHING mentality. Power is the ONLY goal; there is no policy, no issue, no problem or solution, just rhetoric.
Democrats have a far better choice in Obama, who seems to have some substance and character. I feel Democrats abandoned the real viable candidates and put their eggs in the wrong baskets early on. Richardson was a far better choice than Obama or Clinton, had the character and substance America needs, and had experience. Likely no one is more surprised with the current situation than the DNC. They seem to truly believe their fringe thinking is in touch with the main stream.
America will see the folly of electing a freshman to the most important job in the world; the next President will be the Republican candidate, most likely McCain.
Yeah, not like the moron we elected, no, the SCOTUS appointed, almost eight years ago. He was just bursting with experience, and IQ.
"Yeah, not like the moron we elected, no, the SCOTUS appointed, almost eight years ago. He was just bursting with experience, and IQ."
And yet the horrible nominees we put up against him lost.............twice. Either we've moved too Far Left, or the country is just plain too far Right. Either way, we still haven't learned our lesson, as both of our remaining candidates are no better than Kerry and Gore, in electability.
"Bretboy, figures lie sometimes, and you lie all the time, so the chances of your figures making any sense are nil in the first place. As for your complete political idiocy, well, that's well known around here, I don't need to expound."
It must be horrible to always be raging against the machine, knowing deep down in your little black Socialist heart that you're right............only to lose to those you consider unworthy. Nonetheless, you still lose. LOL
Speak for yourself. You lost, as did any of Edwards' Leftist constituency. But wasn't all this highly predictable anyways?
Most of the rest of us just view this as another weak candidate being eliminated from the mix. I guess Edwards' fan club just wasn't big enough.
John McCain is a loose cannon with a BAD temper and a bad habit of going off half cocked. His foreign policy positions are naive at best and his credentials concerning his ability to deal with our cluster f*ck economy are non-existent.
No need to mention what's her name.
Barack Obama has already done something that folks like you are incapable of understanding. He has resurected something that has been dead in this country ever since 1968... Hope.
Overlooking the rancor and lack of expressive ability I've seen in the comments by those who hate Hillary, I still say that I would hesitate to write her obituary in this election just yet. I've seen too many elections to believe anyone has the nomination sewed up at this time. Super Tuesday could change the pattern and establish a true, clear cut, front runner but it is too early to tell at this time.
I am like someone who posted that was waffling between the two because there are logical advantages to each. I supported Edward but now must make a decision.
Considering that I believe that it is of the utmost importance that a Democrat be elected this election, the differences between the two, to me, come down to electability in the general election. While there is a lot of anti-Hillary people out there, there are a lot of anti blacks as well and I don't know which is greater.
My biggest fear is that Obama will win the nomination and then trip in the home stretch going into the general election in November! If the Clinton's have fought dirty and been rough on Obama, that is nothing compared to what the Republicans will do! And I just hope he has the staying power and swift rebuttal capability to squelch the swiftboat attacks. I'm confident that Hillary has this ability.
It is comforting to know that you would have considered Abraham Lincoln to be too inexperienced to stand on the stage with other candidates.
The Clinton smear machine is what we, as a nation have to fear, in the political season. I know I don't want to suffer through it again. The problem is that Hillary is more willing...........maybe even gleeful, to use her "nuclear weapons" whenever she feels like someone is attacking her. And that's always, because she's paranoid.
At least Obama is trying to rise above all the Clinton BS, and run a noble campaign. I salute him for it, even though we all know the Clintons will eventually pull some kind of underhanded trick on him. The Clintons are far worse than the Republicans ever dreamed of being.
Even Bill Clinton thinks you're an idiot
one of Devin's articles you better close your windows so
the pigs don't fly inside.
The thing that everyone is blaming Bill Clinton for is
nothing. It is on a par with Obama's "Hillary, you're
likeable enough" comment.
Of course Clinton has to find some way to preempt
the bump that Obama got for winning - as expected -
South Carolina. Devin's comment ...
> comparing it to Jesse Jackson's victory there back in the 90's
Jesse Jackson wins there it says nothing about
momentum. Nothing. Ignorance of the facts fools
people into thinking Obama has more chance that
he really does, everybody gains when more
information is brokered.
Obama and Clinton are both very good candidate
and this is an great race. All of this stuff does
not matter until one of them wins the nomination
and has to face their record on "terrorism" as little
sense or threat as that may seem and realizes
the race hinges on the moderates in the country.
There is a good chance moderates will go with
McCain if too much uncertainty is thrown at
them all at once.
And will Clinton supporters get out and vote for
Obama, will Obama supporters vote for Clinton?
These are really the only questions there are.
I am pretty impressed with Obama's showing, but
he cannot retroactively go back and create
accomplishments by talking nice now no matter
how brilliant.
Hillary on the other hand cannot wipe out the
mistakes and bad feelings people have about
her and Bill.
And American needs more change that McCain is
probably going to deliver.
Hillary is widely hated. And most people, even among his admirers, admit Obama has almost no real experience in matters that every President should be highly skilled at (economics, foreign relations, business, bipartisanship, etc).
They'll most likely be going against McCain..............a war hero, POW, with tons of experience, and liked by many Democratic Congressmen.
This really shouldn't even be a close contest in November.
(FYI - I'm not a huge fan of McCain, just an observer of the obvious).
I think their conclusions are that the Republican are out of control, Republicans are not going in a direction the country likes and the country needs change. They know that the arguments and tactics wielded in the last two elections, as well as the actions that paralyzed Bill Clinton so that he could not do his job were prime abuses of Republican power as well and most people are sick of it.
It is highly unlikely that the Republicans will have any tactic that can turn this around, and the uglier and more manipulative Republicans seem, the less people will be able to consider them in the future, particularly if whatever Democrat is able to to get a few good things done, and avoid big mistakes.
All this talk about experience from the concerned Republicans here is touching, but disingenuous. Change comes from the people, and the so these rational arguments from the side with no credibility and attacks that have been heard before are probalbly not going to overcome the suspicion of the Republicans for a long time.
This last sentence from someone who says that, "Republicans posting here are not the brightest of the bunch." Sounds like something I wrote in grade school, and I mean 4th or 5th grade.
Ok, Brucie, now don't go into a tantrum, pack up all your comments and leave like you did earlier, on another thread. I'm going to bed now, anyway.
"Bret, you are in a little denial about how much people hate Bush and how much that bleeds over to all Republicans."
Oh I know there are true W haters out there, Bruce. However, I think virtually everyone realizes that Mr. Bush isn't on the ballot this time.
There's no denial here, Bruce............only analysis. Those W haters loathe anything Conservative, and therefore are never courted by those who would normally seek to change a voter's mind. In other wo