(no subject)

[lollardfish]

I haven't listened to many speeches lately, but Clinton's speech tonight has a lot of John Edwards echoes in it, which interests me. And pleases me.

Also, our friends in Madison are at the Obama rally.

Comments

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

http://www.slate.com/id/2184207/

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[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

One more.

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[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Okay, this is the last one.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

I was asleep! I'll watch/read later.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Sleeping is for the weak.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

And not usually for the parents, but Nico's been nice about not fussing until 6:30-7 lately, even when he's up.

Clinton needs to fire a writer. I know when she said, "Texas, a state that matters," she was trying to fire up Texas and set the stage for a victory there starting her comeback, and that's fine. But ... doesn't that imply that Virginia and Maryland don't matter?

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

An interesting pro-Clinton op ed.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

That is interesting to read. I think it's clear that Clinton is more ready for a nasty fight. It'll be interesting to see how Obama acts in the next week or so, as he adopts the pose of a frontrunner. Last night he went after McCain, and Clinton was an afterthought.

[jdonat.livejournal.com]

Kristen (who I don't think you've met yet) goes to UW-Madison.. she was at the rally. Made it in, and all. Her comment was, yes, it's kinda the same stump speech... but the atmosphere, and what everyone was feeling, was something she could'nt explain.. I knew. I'm old enough (barely) to remember Bobby Kennedy in 1968..

Bobby Kennedy......

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

Ya and look how well things worked out for both he and his brother.

Re: Bobby Kennedy......

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Now stop that! :)

Re: Bobby Kennedy......

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

What I didn't kill him.

but all the really good ones seem to die.
Both the Kennedy brothers, Martin Luther King Malcolm X, John Lennon, Paul Wellstone........

Re: Bobby Kennedy......

[madtruk.livejournal.com]

Barack was speaking last night with no plexiglass anywhere around him (aside from the two teleprompters). All I could think about was the hope that everyone was thoroughly checked before coming in.

I wasn't.

Re: Bobby Kennedy......

[mizzlaurajean.livejournal.com]

I have a hard time imagining he won't get assassinated.

Even Hillary Clinton had to wear a bullet proof vest when she was first lady trying to get health care passed.

I have little faith left. If they win it will either be stolen from them or they will be killed.

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I've never felt this way about a candidate. It's interesting to see how people who are not backing Obama try to use the way he can inspire people as, incredibly, a negative!

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

The most interesting criticism I've read is from people wondering if he's an incarnation of McGovern: someone who has great support among the intellectuals, but completely fizzles when it comes to mainstream America. I don't see it -- Obama has won all across the country and is now winning in all demographics -- but I have no real knowledge of the history of the 1972 election.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

I just read a really good, funny, point. If Michigan and Florida hadn't broken the rules, and had scheduled their primaries for, say, next Tuesday, imagine the influence and power they'd have!

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's good. On that topic, have you seen this?

I can't imagine that the Democratic Party will let those two states have voting delegates. Their primaries just weren't fair, because some of the candidates chose to follow the rules and not campaign there -- or not even appear on their ballot. Maybe they could just schedule caucuses for next month or something.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

There is a re-caucus plan I've heard floating out there, which I'm for. Clinton should be for it too, as she does well there. Although in VA and Maryland Obama cut into her demographics pretty well.

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've seen it. Stupid.

[madtruk.livejournal.com]

I can imagine it because Clinton won both primaries and they have the most influential and powerful (Dems) political machine around.

I don't like it, but it's not inconceivable, like, say, being followed down a dark river in the dead of night after a kidnapping no one knew about.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

This is still a really smart comment.

No one had any idea there would be a real primary season on the Democratic side.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Right. But it does make for a powerful point to hammer home to the states.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

This year the Democratic party gave states extra delegates if they scheduled their primaries late.

But most people forgot that there could be a presidental race where the primaries still mattered in March.

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[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

The smears are getting worse. And they're trying to turn his popularity into a negative.

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[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I think this "cult" smear has legs.

On the other hand, I don't know if calling McCain a "panderer" has the same quality.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Oh, how I hate the voices of the right. My hope is that it also reaffirms that he is, in fact, popular.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

This could backfire. But the Right is really good at this sort of smear.

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[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

More.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

I dunno though, who is it going to convince? I agree that it's out there and being repeated a lot, but ...

Who is the voter who says, "oh, wait, I love Obama, but it's actually a cult so I'm gonna vote for someone else?" I still don't see it. I think it reinforces the message that this is a unique candidate.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I think it's aimed at the moderates -- those in the middle, who are going to decide whether to vote for the maverick or join a cult. Seems like an easier choice when I phrase it that way, doesn't it?

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Yup. I still think that it draws attention to the movement. Americans /like/ popularity. Look at American Idol.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

But no one likes to be part of a "creepy" movement, or a "cult."

Hey, I'd very much prefer you to be right.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

I just don't see it. Flip-flopper made sense to me, as stupid as it seemed. This ... it smacks of fear and desperation.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I think we'll see a lot of fear and desperation coming out of the Republicans in recent months.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

I dunno. They nominated their most electable candidate. I fear that the right will come around from a stand on conservative principles to a desire to win. We're already seeing it happen.

[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Charisma v. personality cult. (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/weekinreview/17zernike.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin)

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Nice article.

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[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Ezra Klein:

During periods when I see more of Hillary Clinton and less of her campaign, I'm more favorably disposed. During periods when I see less of Hillary Clinton and more of her campaign, I'm less favorably disposed.

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[lollardfish.livejournal.com]

Likewise.

As for Obama, I just remember when one of 3000 (or so) ads submitted to MoveOn used a Hitler comparison, and the right went ballistic. Why isn't the left ballistic?

Of course, the governor of California also admired how Hitler could stir up a crowd.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

"Why isn't the left ballistic?"

One, we have more integrity to do faux scandalized. Two, we don't have a media echo chamber to make it into a big deal.

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[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Here's how the Right does it.

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