Last call for Princess Hillary

I haven’t watched the speech, but I’ve read many comments on various sites and something that strikes me, and pleases me, is that finally, no one’s talking about Hillary. It really sounds like the Democrats have moved on – the convention has been effective to achieve unity.

Obama calls on black churches to register voters.

Sen. Barack Obama has been quietly working with ministers nationwide to mobilize a massive voter registration drive because he believes the black church and its members could determine whether he gains the White House in a tight presidential race, the Free Press has learned.

In a move from the Bill Clinton playbook that allowed the former president to so connect with black voters that he was dubbed “the first black president,” Obama has reached out in a series of conference calls to ministers and leaders nationwidetocreate a network to push the vote.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080828/COL10/80828127

300
CB

No mate only numbers thing i heard was that party dude come back on about half hour before BO and after Al Gore to say that they had 34000 text sign ups in one hour after they invited every SOB watchin the Hodown to text in and sign up. Wonder how many signed up after his deliverance?

Haven’t enjoyed myself with so much seppo wise since the opening night of the Good Ole Texas Tavern in MCleay Street Potts Point or The Cross. Go BO.

I reckon he neutered everything that Bomb Bomb has been sending his way and told him to ready himself for the KO Coral. Thats change!

Any one of the speakers at the show could have run against and trashed McSame.

‘Born in the USA’ returns to politics.

A generation after Ronald Reagan famously mistook Bruce Springsteen’s music for uncritical patriotism, Democrats claimed “Born in the USA” on Thursday for the theme it was meant to project _ to describe a splintered country they say desperately needs new policies and new dreams.

Delegates danced, cheered and waved flags Thursday night as Springsteen’s arena-rock anthem brought the final evening of the Democratic National Convention to life. It was a significant moment _ and a sign that, unlike in Reagan’s 1984 campaign, the Democrats are exhibiting savvy about their use of music in political settings.

Must be registered.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/28/AR2008082804170.html?hpid=sec-politics

Corporate Spending in Denver Mirrors Broader Shift to Democrats.

For the past decade, corporations have showered Republicans with money and attention. But this week’s Democratic convention shows how much things have changed.

Corporations sponsored hundreds of cocktail parties, receptions and A-list concerts for Democratic lawmakers, aides and delegates gathered for the convention this week.

With Democrats in control of Congress and Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama generating excitement across the country, companies appear to be springing for far fewer parties at the Republican convention next week in Minneapolis.

A list of Democratic convention events compiled by the Washington lobbying firm Quinn Gillespie & Associates LLC is three times as long as one it compiled for the Republican convention.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121996098615981191.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

After stirring speeches and party unity, was Democratic convention a success?

It was a convention rife with memorable and moving moments, from an ailing Ted Kennedy’s surprise trek to Denver to rally the Democratic troops to Hillary Clinton’s forceful command that her disappointed delegates support Barack Obama’s quest to win the presidency.

“Bill and Hillary Clinton were crucial to this, and they seemed to have not only reconciled themselves to Barack Obama’s candidacy, but they appeared to have some genuine enthusiasm about it.”

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5ioSyLLjNlxmhFd8YorvBZBP9NqEw

What a Speech!

Sen. Barack Obama gave the greatest political speech I’ve ever heard. He was better than Reagan and better than Kennedy. For someone who loves politics and public service, it was an honor to be able to witness it.

Obama did not only what he had to do — address specific policy details and answer Republican critics — but he did it in a way that was inspiring. His call for change will resonate across the country even louder than before.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2008/08/28/what_a_speech.html

McCain Still Trying to Find Spectators.

According to the Dayton Daily News, Sen. John McCain is still giving away tickets to his Friday rally where he will unveil his running mate. He’s having trouble filling a 10,000 seat arena.

He, he, he, he. 😈

McCain can’t fill 10,000 when Obama got around 84,000.

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2008/08/28/mccain_still_trying_to_find_spectators.html

History echoes during Obama’s big speech.

On a historic day echoing the dreams of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy, Democrat Barack Obama on Thursday became the first African-American to accept a major-party presidential nomination and immediately set a JFK-like goal: to end America’s dependence on Middle East oil within 10 years.

“For the sake of our economy, our security and the future of our planet,” he said, with a stern look on his face, “I will set a clear goal as president: In 10 years, we will finally end our dependence on oil from the Middle East.”

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/story/663623.html

If only this has got the legs to make it to Minneappolis in the summer time. Like Tuesday to Friday next week.

http://www.noaawatch.gov/2008/gustav.php

If that one dont then maybe this one.

http://www.noaawatch.gov/2008/hanna.php

Who knows we can Hope.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4nPJ-YYHBc

Gaffy, check out the 2 musos playin’ along with Woody. Reckon they might have done a mess of whoppin’ and hollerin’ if they’d witnessed Thursday in Denver.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaI5IRuS2aE&feature=related

Oh, goody, Harry’s not jaded anymore:)

323 EC

Nothing like a Hillbilly free day to get over the jadedness.

Oh Dear Lord….is the circus over?

Obama Soars With Feet Firmly On The Ground.

On an historic night in the Mile High City, Barack Obama accepted the Democratic presidential nomination with a speech that proved he still has at least one foot planted firmly on the ground.

Expectations in recent days for a theatrical production staged in a football arena with 84,000 people in attendance reached heights that not even the Colorado altitude could match. Conscious of the spectacle – and of the seemingly effective Republican attacks portraying Obama as nothing more than a celebrity – the presidential candidate brought the night back down to ground level in a direct attempt to connect with the concerns of everyday Americans.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/08/28/politics/main4395007.shtml

Fox Noise is abuzz with news that Sarah Palin is Bomb Bomb’s VP. Announcement at noon.

PS: word of advice Sarah….don’t plaster on the make-up and don’t mention to the ol Navyguy that he’s losing his air. Old guy is a tad combustive…….

Harry, you’re felling very comfortable and relaxed this Friday night, arn’t you?

Ladbroke’s still have Palin at 10s. Looking at the four schlemeils above her in the market, and knowing what we know, your “known knowns” and that sort of thing, Sarah Palin would be an excellent circuit-breaker ahead of GOPfest.

Mitt Romney evens
Tim Pawlenty 5/2
Tom Ridge 8/1
Joe Lieberman 10/1
Sarah Palin 10/1

However furthur painstaking research revels two lines from her make at wiki that will be difficult for GOPpers to swallow.

1/Palin is strongly pro-life and belongs to Feminists for Life.

2/Palin’s tenure is noted for her independence from big oil companies…………… Palin(Alaska’s Gov.)has also announced plans to create a new sub-cabinet group of advisors, to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions within Alaska.

Form like this suggests why she’s still at 10/1.

Obama Gets Serious.

The famous Greek amphitheatre didn’t look all Alexander the Great if you were there. It looked instead like the big front display window at Macy’s during Presidents Day Sales Weekend. You expected to see “Sofas 40% off!” in a running line on the bottom of the screen. A friend said the columns looked like “a ballroom divider at the Hyatt Hotel.”

It wasn’t until the end of the speech that I thought I understood what the Obama people were doing. The pillars, the suggestion of hallowed halls of government, were meant to evoke the mood and the moment of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial exactly 45 years before. It was all meant to evoke an older era, and to suggest an urgent message.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121998875327382805.html?mod=todays_columnists

Must say,H, your sources are impeccable. “vitually official” on Fox is heavy ju-ju.

“argggghhhhh my head hurts.”

Whatever you do, H, don’t try the McCain remedy. Only ex-POWs can handle the treatment.

http://news.yahoo.com/comics/mattbors;_ylt=AsHG1QX3RnRkpsfZSxpPu70DwLAF

It’s not offical – but it is up on the NYT.

Senator John McCain has selected Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin to be his running mate.

Whether her selection would really improve Mr. McCain’s appeal to women who had supported Mrs. Clinton was unclear. Both Mr. McCain and Ms. Palin oppose abortion rights, and important issue for some women. And a major theme of the Democratic convention that just concluded in Denver was both Clintons urging her supporters to unite behind Mr. Obama, in no uncertain terms.

McCain Said to Choose Alaska’s Palin
McCain V.P.: It’s Palin

EC at 338

from the first article I linked to at 337

She opposes abortion rights, which could help pacify social conservatives who were wary as rumors swirled that Mr. McCain might pick a running mate who supports them. But she differs with Mr. McCain on a controversial environment issue that centers on her home state: she supports drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve. Mr. McCain’s opposition to drilling — even after he changed positions and began advocating for off-shore oil drilling — has upset many Republicans.

Wikipedia profile on Sarah Palin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Palin

SP’s

Palin pros and cons:

http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/08/palin_pro_and_con.php

“UPDATED: Essentially, this is a branding play: it both puts a fresher, younger face on a tired, old party, and reinforces McCain’s image for boldness and Mavericktude.

But as one of my commenters notes, “it may be the biggest gamble in political history”. A significant gaffe on an issue like foreign policy — whether in the VP debate or in some other context — could render the election essentially unwinnable for McCain. And don’t expect the Democrats to refrain from going after her inexperience. The phrase “heartbeat away from the Presidency” appears to be in the standard Democratic talking points this morning.”

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/08/multiple-reports-palin-is-vp-nominee.html

My take on all of this – it’s a very big gamble.

McCain is clearly looking down the barrel towards an election defeat and he needs to change the game. This decision changes the game but at the same time he’s seriously undermining his primary attack position. On the otherhand – if you take the lilprawn/ron position that American’s don’t actually have brains, then yes – this could be a factor.

If anything this has to ignite the question about McCain’s ability to serve out a term. The questions about his longevity come into dramatic focus. If the man drops dead we are left with a beauty pageant runner-up. Iilprawn/ron what’s your wife think about that?

Palin will deliver the fundies for McCain because of her religious views and family of five but few other demograpics, least of all Independents who are swayed more by policy and substance.

Dems should keep all attacks business-like and not personal, and let Ms Palin hang herself with her own words when hubris gets the better of her under sustained campaign pressure.

McCain’s pick is not that far removed from an unknown provincial filly who is bought on opinions shaped by a photograph in a turf glossy and a few phone calls, and is then expected to run second in the Kentucky Derby as a late acceptor on limited preparation.

A gamble indeed, Catrina.

Time for me to grab some sleep.

EC and HarryH, you have to give him some credit – he just added some spice to the equation – but there’s more to a good meal than spice – things like base ingredients, the process of coking, and last but not least the delivery. Yes, this pick adds spice but she is bare in terms of ingredients – but the questions of delivery is open. I would not be betting the house on this being ultimate game changer for McCain. In fact – I think this could be a really bad move (with an emphasis on ‘could’).

Catrina

Can you imagine Joe Biden saying at the VP debate.

“Governor, i have known and worked with Hillary Clinton for many years. She is my friend. Governor….you are no Hillary Clinton”.

Bomb Bomb announced his pick for VP today in Ohio in a 5000 seat arena.

The name of the arena?… Nutter Stadium.

The Real Clear Politics average has gone from 1.2 to 3.9 in two days. A lot more work to do still.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/us/general_election_mccain_vs_obama-225.html

The Palin Pick: Bold or Disastrous?

John McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate will either turn out to be a brilliant way for the Republican to scramble the race in his favor — or a disastrous pick that is cast as a desperate act.

On the face of it, McCain has failed the ultimate test that any presidential candidate must face in picking a running mate: selecting someone who is unambiguously qualified to be president.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1837514,00.html

And again. 😈

It turns out she owns three homes. 😈

The Buying of Sarah Palin?

As you might expect from an Alaskan politician, you don’t have to look far for a connection to Big Oil. Her husband, Todd Palin, works as a production operator for BP Alaska in Prudhoe Bay, according to Palin’s 2007 financial disclosure form (which we’ve obtained from the Alaska Public Offices Commission and scanned so everyone can see). Mr. Palin is not totally reliant on BP for his income, however. He’s also a champion “Iron Dog” snowmobile racer with sponsorships, and he owns a fishery that sells to PeterPan Seafoods.

http://www.publicintegrity.org/blog/entry/690/

I think McCain got a map, blind folded himself, and the put a pin on the map. Alaska was the closest.

This is a very good indication as to how hings are going.

Obama’s message moves iReporters.

The senator from Illinois on Thursday night laid out his road map for improving the U.S. economy and heralding the country into an era of change.

“The change we need doesn’t come from Washington. Change comes to Washington,” he told supporters at Invesco Field at the Democratic National Convention. “Change happens because the American people demand it — because they rise up and insist on new ideas and new leadership, a new politics for a new time.”

iReporters across the country watched Obama’s speech on television, and many said his address won their vote.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/29/obama.irpt/

WOW! 😆 THIS SAYS IT ALL. 😆

Obama’s speech seen by 38 million-plus viewers: Nielsen Media Research.

Barack Obama’s audience for his acceptance speech likely topped 40 million people, and the Democratic gathering that nominated him was a more popular television event than any other political convention in history.

More people watched Obama speak from a packed stadium in Denver on Thursday than watched the Olympics opening ceremony in Beijing, the final “American Idol” or the Academy Awards this year, Nielsen Media Research said Friday. (Four playoff football games, including the Super Bowl between the Giants and Patriots, were seen by more than 40 million people.)

http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5g76GdmEbEWlGBzl9NWEG02KE72bg

Oh c’mon – I’ll say it. The choice of Palin is an insult to Clinton supporters and frankly, an insult to women.

The insult is this – she’s been chosen to draw the female vote, and especially disaffected Hillary voters, because she’s female. She has no where near the qualifications Hillary has for President or VP. From what I’ve read, she’s on the far right of the political spectrum. Good luck to her for becoming Governor of Alaska – well done – but it’s downright insulting for her to be thrown in as a Hillary alternative. Women love to see women succeed, but they hate to see women used as tokens.

Even more good news.

Obama’s 8-point convention ‘bounce’.

Barack Obama’s “convention bounce” has put him eight percentage points ahead of Republican rival John McCain in the latest daily tracking poll – with McCain hoping that his naming of a running mate today will start reining in his opponent’s advantage heading into next week’s Republican National Convention.

It’s Obama 49, McCain 41, in the latest Gallup Poll track.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/08/barack_obamas_8point_conventio.html

I want some atmosphere too. 😆

376 David Gould If this is what it’s like after the convention. What is it going to be like in the final and most important two weeks. Where everything important will be concentrated?

McCain faced risky choices wherever he looked re VP choices.

Palin is, however, an all or nothing bet which I suspect will end up sinking him. Whilst on the surface, she ticks the following boxes:

young: counter Obama
female: play to remaining disgruntled HRC supporters
looks OK: play to the working-class beer guzzling male

but the baggage she brings along may well sink not only her but the campaign.

She has a still unresolved ethics issue back in Alaska. Case involves her sister in a messy divorce/custody battle with an Alaska state trooper. Palin (or her office) sought to have said trooper sacked but the state Commissioner for Public Safety refused. Said Commisioner subsequently sacked and went public to the extent that the Republican controlled state legislature has passed on to an independent investigator who has yet to report.

Alaska Republican politics resemble a cesspit with current Senator Ted Stevens & Congressman Don Young under-fire. Make yr own judgement as to whether McCain was crazy-brave or just plain foolhardy going anywhere near the joint !!

I love this anecdote from Daily Kos…

“That image is of the folks inside CNN’s booth — the techs and crew that helped the booth operate. At the moment Obama began speaking, even though they were sitting behind CNN’s own cameras, they produced their personal cameras, help them up and started to take pictures. The same thing happened next door at the ABC booth, and at CBS, and around the curve at FOX. Each of these people was there to do a job, but they realized they were witnessing history, and they wanted to connect with it in a personal way. They wanted an image of their own to mark the occasion — something they could look at and say “I was there, I was really there, the day Barack Obama delivered his acceptance speech.”

I was there. It was glorious.”

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/29/171840/496/402/579282

“Suddenly all anyone needs to qualify as a potential commander in chief is to be a religious ideologue with female gender characteristics?”

Joe Conason..Salon.com

…tokenism has been awakened for the GOP, yet again.

My confidence has soared.

Gouldie, always had you pegged as a “confidence” man.

“While a gun-toting, bible-thumping, gay-hating, pro-lifer might play well in some key demographics, her inexperience will hurt big time.”

Deft summary that!
————————

KatieLou at 372, be wonderful if you could share your impressions with us of what “ordinary Americans” in the streets and diners, in movie queues*, subways and malls are talking about election-wise when you go Apple-side/Beltway come October.

Ah’m sooo envious.

*there’s always a line, they always talk, often very loudly
——————

Cat: “if you take the lilprawn/ron position that American’s don’t actually have brains, then yes – this could be a factor.”

There are places beyond the Nutbush city limits where right peaceable, plain-speakin folk like lilprawn (shrimp junior to his sixpackin’ buddies) are considered sages on account of their payin’ so much mind to book-learnin’ ‘n’ all. On a good day such prodigies have been known to knock over 3 Shakespeares and a Camus before hog call.
In the land of the stoopid, the clear-brained man is king.

Encouragingly for The Kid, none of the aforementioned simpletonian bigots were gonna vote for him anyway. BillO and Rush Limbaugh have long ago hi-jacked their sparsely spread cerebral circuitry. These folk are beyond the reach of even a 500 State strategy because as we are aware this side of the pond, one can’t educate a bad mug.

McCain’s Veep choice ensures that his credibility is skating on thinner ice than a family of intelligently deisgned polar bears.

http://a.abcnews.com/images/Technology/nm_polarbear_080514_mn.jpg

He, he he. 😈

Palin a gun-toting former beauty queen known for ambition and grit.

Palin is breathtakingly unlike any other vice presidential pick in American history — a gun-toting, mooseburger-eating former Miss Wasilla, whose parents nearly missed her official unveiling because they were out hunting caribou.

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-mccainveepbio30-2008aug30,0,2159346.story

Enemy Combatant at 385,

My lack of confidence has always been to do with the information that we were getting. The conference and the VP pick are more information.

I will also say that I changed my mind about Obama offering something to Clinton in his speech. It was not the time. I still think that he does need to publicly offer her something significant.

As another note on confidence, I will still be alert to how the convention bounces interact. I will be especially interested in the polling data a week Tuesday (our time).

Chris B at 392,

Possibly. But the fact that she took on and defeated the entrenched politicos says something about her ability. However, her ability is not what will hurt. It is her inexperience.

395 David Gould Spot on.

Arsenic in the soup and a couple of negligent Doctors to sign the death certificate, would do the job. My dad as an ex funeral director, told me a story about that.