“OBAMA SUPPORTERS” DAILY NEWS Wednesday April 09-2008

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

WELCOME TO “OBAMA SUPPORTERS” DAILY NEWS

Wednesday April 09-2008


Barack Obama mural, Brooklyn: Photo by Erica (CC)

Esteemed DUer's, please consider taking a moment (or more) to graciously participate
by posting news and announcements about the Obama campaign on this thread. You can:

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web. :think:

2. Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU,
providing a link to the original thread :applause:

3. Please "Recommend" for the Greatest Page :thumbsup:

4. Clinton supporters or “anti Obama posters please start your own
“Clinton Daily News Thread”.

Get your DU-o-matic codificator (to format your posts) here
Read the Daily News Archives here

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

1. search engine Baidu hails Barack Obama's Web cred

Chinese search engine Baidu hails Barack Obama's Web cred

Caroline McCarthy | April 8, 2008

U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama appears in cartoon form on the logo of Chinese search engine Baidu.

(Credit: Baidu)Chinese-language search engine Baidu has an unusual new mascot atop its home page: U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

A cartoon version of Obama is depicted next to a donkey, the Democratic party emblem. He's holding a net as though casting it, and attached to the end of the net is a computer mouse--get it? It's the Internet.

This is part of a "person of the month" feature that Baidu has instituted since November, the blog Shanghaiist explains. Each month, Baidu selects a real-life or fictional personality who has ranked high in its search queries. As Shanghaiist explains, it's "a bit like Google Trends meets Time Person of the Year on a monthly basis." Barack Obama is the sixth installment in the series.

The series is hosted on the domain renwu.baidu.com; "renwu" means "historically important person."

While the biography of Obama on Baidu is largely celebratory, this is not a formal endorsement of the candidate. It is, however, an endorsement of his Web-savviness. Clicking on the Obama-adorned logo on Baidu redirects to a Chinese-language biography of the candidate and links to various media; the central talking point is Obama's status as a young politician who has successfully leveraged digital media and the Web to rise to fame. Of particular note, according to his Baidu page, is his speech about race in Philadelphia that soared to the YouTube stratosphere after appearing on television earlier.

...more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

2. Meet the Clinton Campaign's New Boss. Worse than the Old Boss

Meet the Clinton Campaign's New Boss. Worse than the Old Boss

Progressive Daily Beacon | April 7, 2008

The Clinton campaign sort-a-kinda fired its chief political strategist, Mark Penn, for double dealing on trade policy. He'll still be advising and polling for the campaign, which is pretty much what he was doing before he was forced to walk the plank … in a truly slick Clintonian non-plank-walking way. Penn's replacement, Geoff Garin, it seems isn't much better. Matter of fact, when it comes to supporting bad trade policy, Garin maybe worse than Penn. At least he certainly has less respect for the American worker and the American people.

Consider his commentary with regard to the North American Free Trade Agreement, a hot-button issue on the 2008 campaign trail.Back in 1993, when the Clinton administration was gearing up to promote the pact, Garin told The New York Times that Bill Clinton could close the deal by playing on the ignorance of Americans regarding trade policy in general and NAFTA in particular. …

...Backers of the agreement were more thoughtful. "The supporters tend to deal with NAFTA on a more intellectual level," the pollster explained.

It turns out that the critics of NAFTA in the labor, farm, environmental and human rights movements — who said the deal would harm U.S. industries, depress wages in the U.S. and Mexico, undermine Mexico's farm economy thus spurring immigration and encourage an economic race to the bottom that would eventually see both the U.S. and Mexico losing jobs to China and other Asian countries – were the ones dealing with the issue on an intellectual level.

They were so intellectual, in fact, that they got just about everything right. … The Nation

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

3. Hillary Spokesperson: Penn Still Playing An "Important" Role

Hillary Spokesperson: Penn Still Playing An "Important" Role

By Greg Sargent - TPM Cafe April 8, 2008

Mark Penn isn't going anywhere.

On the Hillary campaign's conference call moments ago, Hillary spokesperson Howard Wolfson left zero doubt: Camp Hillary will not be heeding the Obama campaign's demand that they fire Penn completely.

Asked about reports that Penn is still participating on internal campaign strategy calls, Wolfson said, "I'm not going to send out a daily email about who's on which calls and who isn't," clarifying: "Mark is no longer senior strategist, but he will be playing a continuing role in strategy."

Pressed by a reporter to explain the difference between Penn's former and current status, Wolfson said: "The difference would be between the editor in chief of your newspaper and one who plays an important role at your newspaper."

He added that "anyone at a workplace" would understand "the difference between someone who is playing the key role" and "someone who is playing an important role."

So there you have it: Penn will continue playing an "important" role.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

4. Obama-supporting union pres says Penn flap exposes 'credibility problem' for Clinton

Obama-supporting union pres says Penn flap exposes 'credibility problem' for Clinton

Nick Juliano Raw Story. Tuesday April 8, 2008

Barack Obama's campaign is going after rival Hillary Clinton for continuing to seek advice from her former chief strategist who met with representative of the Colombian government on behalf of a trade deal she opposes.

"I think she has a credibility problem," Teamsters president James Hoffa said Tuesday on a conference call convened by the Obama team. Hoffa said reports that Mark Penn, who has lost his title as Clinton's cheif strategist but continues to advise her campaign, met with Colombian representatives about an upcoming free-trade deal between that country and the US undercut Clinton's efforts to paint herself as an opponent to such deals.

...Hoffa said NAFTA's aftermath is "still devastating America," and he said it is hypocritical for Clinton to continue seeking advice from Penn.

...In an attempt to downplay the Penn fallout, Clinton tried to tie the issue back to Obama and accused him of not doing more to distance himself from his unpaid outside adviser. Hoffa said there was "no comparison" between the two scenarios because Penn's firm was paid to lobby on Colombia's behalf while Goolsbee's discussions with a Canadian official were much more informal and not as contradictory with Obama's positions as was originally reported.

... more at the link

[quantass]

5. Love the picture

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

6. Trade Deal Splits Clintons (Columbia free trade deal)

Colombia Trade Deal Splits Clintons

By CHARLES BABINGTON AP News April 8, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) — The presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday that her husband, the former president, supports a free trade agreement with Colombia that she strenuously opposes.

The acknowledgment adds new hurdles to the New York senator's bid to woo Democratic voters in Pennsylvania and elsewhere who believe free trade agreements have eliminated thousands of U.S. jobs. On Sunday, she demoted her chief campaign strategist for his role in promoting the Colombia pact.

Hillary Clinton told union activists Tuesday she would do everything in her power to defeat the Colombia Free Trade Agreement now before Congress.

...
In 2005, the former president was paid $800,000 by Gold Service International, a Bogota-based business development group, for four days of appearances in Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. The group supports, among other things, the Colombia Free Trade Agreement.

more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

7. Bill Clinton's Ties To Colombia Trade Deal Stronger Than Even Penn's

Bill Clinton's Ties To Colombia Trade Deal Stronger Than Even Penn's

Sam Stein. Huffington Post April 8, 2008

On Sunday evening, Sen. Hillary Clinton's chief campaign strategist, Mark Penn, resigned from his post after it was revealed he was working (on the side) for the passage of a Colombia Free Trade Agreement that his candidate opposed.
....
In June 2005, Clinton was paid $800,000 by the Colombia-based Gold Service International to give four speeches throughout Latin America. The organization is, ostensibly, a development group tasked with bringing investment to the country and educating world leaders about the Colombia's business opportunities.

....They appear to be the first public indication that Clinton has, at least in the past, supported the trade deal. But evidence that the former president has been sympathetic to Colombia's position is widely known. In 2007, Clinton met personally with and accepted an award from Colombia's controversial president, Alvaro Uribe, during a time when the country was attempting to improve its image within the United States. Subsequently, Clinton urged Congress to view the country in a more favorable light.

Moreover, Clinton has helped Frank Giustra, one of the biggest donors to the Clinton Global Initiative, score meetings with high-ranking Colombian officials. Giustra has several business interests in the country, and both he and Clinton have collaborated on an effort to fight poverty in developing world by partnering up with mining companies in Colombia and elsewhere.

more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

8. Hillary's Speeches: Pure Out-And-Out Horseshit

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5431080

[quantass]

9. [Video] A Wright speech put into context with EXCELLENT Imagery (Must See!)

A very good truthful speech by Jeremiah with excellent video imagery to enhance it:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=115865&mesg_id=115865

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

10. Quotes From Iraq Hearings

Quotes From Iraq Hearings

By The Associated Press – April 8, 2008

Some quotes from lawmakers during Tuesday's Senate hearings on Iraq, which featured testimony from Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker:

___

"This new increase in violence raises questions about the military success of the surge. But, more significantly, the purpose of the surge, as announced by President Bush last year, which was to give the Iraqi leaders breathing room to work out a settlement, has not been achieved." — Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.
___

"Today it is possible to talk with real hope and optimism about the future of Iraq and the outcome of our efforts there. For while the job of bringing security to Iraq is not finished, as the recent fighting in Basra and elsewhere vividly demonstrated, we're no longer staring into the abyss of defeat and we can now look ahead to the genuine prospect of success." — Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
___

"As I hear the questions and the statements today, it seems to me that there's a kind of 'hear no progress in Iraq, see no progress in Iraq, and most of all, speak of no progress in Iraq.' The fact is, there has been progress in Iraq." — Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn.
___

"I just want to respond to some of the statements and suggestions that have been made ... that it is irresponsible or demonstrates a lack of leadership to advocate withdrawing troops from Iraq in a responsible and carefully planned withdrawal. I fundamentally disagree. Rather, I think it could be fair to say that it might well be irresponsible to continue the policy that has not produced the results that have been promised time and time again." — Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.
___

"The problem I have is if the definition of success is so high: no traces of al-Qaida and no possibility of reconstitution, a highly effective Iraqi government, a Democratic multiethnic, multi-sectarian functioning democracy, no Iranian influence, at least not of the kind that we don't like, then that portends the possibility of us staying for 20 or 30 years. If, on the other hand, our criteria is a messy, sloppy status quo but there's not, you know, huge outbreaks of violence ... that seems to me an achievable goal within a measurable timeframe." — Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

more at the link

There were more that are good, its worth going to the link.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

11. Obama: We Have to Apply "Measured, But Increased Pressure" on the Iraqis

Actually, I think the Iraqis have had enough pressure. I am anxious to see where he is going with this. If you watched the Iraq war hearings today, it finally got said on tv that there were millions of displaced Iraqis and that their living conditions were far worse than before we invaded them.

Obama: We Have to Apply "Measured, But Increased Pressure" on the Iraqis

By Paul Kiel -TPM April 8, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) finally got his turn during today's Senate foreign relations committtee hearing and used it to question Ambassador Crocker and Gen. Petraeus on what "success" would be in Iraq, focusing on the strength of Al Qaeda in Iraq and Iranian influence as key benchmarks.

After questions about the status quo in Iraq of these two areas, Obama proceeded to ask Crocker and Petraeus whether that status quo could be called success if maintained without such a high level of U.S. troops in Iraq.

...His point, he said, was that the "definition of success is so high," such as wiping out AQI and eliminating any undue Iranian influence, then success would be unattainable. But that if the criteria for success was a "messy, sloppy status quo," not dissimilar to the current state of affairs, though without U.S. troops holding the country together, then that was attainable.

Such a state of affairs, Obama said, could be achieved with "measured, but increased pressure" on the Iraqis via troop withdrawals (he was keen to point out that "nobody is asking for a precipitous withdrawal") and a "diplomatic surge" in the region.

...more at the link, including videos

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

12. Report: Troops In Iraq Like Obama

Report: Troops In Iraq Like Obama

Greg Sargent - TPM Election Central. April 8, 2008

So who are the troops stationed in Iraq supporting in the presidential election back home? ABC News interviewed a bunch of them and found that some of them appear to like Barack Obama.

This is hardly a scientific survey, obviously, but more of the troops who spoke to ABC had nice things to say about Obama than about either Hillary or McCain. For some reason they seem to like the fact that Obama is promising to bring them home. As PFC Jeremy Slate put it, "That would be nice -- I'd like to be home, yeah."

Hillary, too, is promising to end the war, and one of the soldiers interviewed voiced support for her.

But as Will Bunch smartly notes, not a single troop interviewed even mentioned that dude who happens to be running as the GOP nominee -- i.e., John McCain.

Go figure.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

13. No Democrat who voted for the Iraq War will be President

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5432908&mesg_id=5432908

[Kurovski]

14. K&R. (nt)

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

15. I'll put it more bluntly: I'm an Iraq veteran

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5433301

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

16. It's all about Credibility to Execute. Clinton fails miserably. Obama excels!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5427675&mesg_id=5427675

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

17. Obama Spending More On Pennsylvania Ads Than Any Candidate -- Ever

Obama Spending More On Pennsylvania Ads Than Any Candidate -- Ever

Huffington Post 4/08/08

Obama Outspends: Barack Obama isn't just outspending Hillary Clinton in Pennsylvania; he's outspending every politician ever:

Obama is currently spending $2.2 million per week on television here, over twice what Hillary Clinton is spending and an unprecedented ad buy in Pennsylvania, according to Democratic media consultant Neil Oxman, who is not working for a candidate.

"Nobody has ever spent 2.2 million in this state: not Rendell, not Specter, not Casey, not Santorum, not Bush, not Kerry," said Oxman, naming the best-funded candidates to run statewide in recent years. "That's unbelievable."

Here is his latest ad:

Pennsylvania Boasts Record Enrollment: One advantage of a tightly contested race -- more Democrats:

... more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

18. Obama's happy, drama-free appeal

Obama's happy, drama-free appeal

By ROGER SIMON. Politico | 4/7/08

In the days and weeks ahead, the Barack Obama campaign is going to pose a simple question to the undecided voters and undeclared superdelegates who will decide the Democratic nomination for president: If Hillary Clinton can’t run a good primary campaign, how is she ever going to run a good campaign against the Republicans?

And while she says she is ready from Day One to be president, she is at something like Day 430 into being a presidential candidate and her campaign seems to be going from bad to worse to train wreck.

Mark Penn, who just got booted as her chief strategist, is only the latest problem in a campaign that has been heavy on drama and light on results.

“None of these folks have ever run anything, other than Hillary running a health care task force,” David Axelrod, Obama’s chief strategist, told me Monday. “But these campaigns are big, complicated, pressure-filled enterprises, and it is an important proving ground.”

...more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

19. Traders Bet Obama Will Win Democratic Nomination

Traders bet Obama will win Democratic nomination By David Alexander Tue Apr 8, 3:27 PM ET WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton will win several state
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3260462

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

20. And If I Was Six Inches Taller, Had Abs Of Steel And Looked Like Denzel Washington I Would Be Jessic

And If I Was Six Inches Taller, Had Abs Of Steel And Looked Like Denzel Washington I Would Be Jessica Alba’s Baby Daddy. But I’m Not.

Oliver Willis April 8, 2008

The pro-Clinton blogs are flogging yet another “How about THIS!!!???” idea designed to present yet another laughable justification for Sen. Clinton to be awarded the nomination she is losing. You may remember it by its more formal name from when you were a small child: Let’s pretend.



"Obama’s advantage hinges on a system that, whatever the actual intentions behind it, seems custom-made to hobble Democratic chances in the fall. It depends on ignoring one of the central principles of American electoral politics, one that will be operative on a state-by-state basis this November, which is that the winner takes all. If the Democrats ran their nominating process the way we run our general elections, Sen. Hillary Clinton would have a commanding lead in the delegate count, one that will only grow more commanding after the next round of primaries, and all questions about which of the two Democratic contenders is more electable would be moot."

It should come as no surprise that the piece is written by Sean Wilentz who while supposedly a historian should probably be described as a quasi-official flack for the Clinton campaign.

But the heart of the theory being pushed here is equally stupid. If Senator Clinton wished to run for the nomination of a party with a winner-take-all nomination process, she would be well within her legal rights to do so - she simply needed to have changed her party affiliation to Republican. Like it or not the Democratic party’s process is a proportional affair along with superdelegates. That is how it is. Nobody forced Sen. Clinton to design her campaign for a Super Tuesday splash where she would have the nomination wrapped up for the anointed one by early February. She has name recognition on par with Jesus and a campaign war chest ranking among the largest in history. Yet just like the sort of thinking we have come to identify with the Bush administration she failed to reconcile her fanciful plans with the facts on the ground. The Obama folks didn’t rely on stovepiped intelligence delivered to them by a sympathetic lackey, instead they read the intelligence reports and made the right decision.

Sen. Clinton should try that sometime before her career in public life is up.

....more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

21. How can we ever expect to leave if we don't even know what we're doing there?

Barack Obama elevates the standard

The Jed Report. Tue Apr 8, 2008

Obama grills Petraeus, Crocker (via TPM)The more I watch Barack Obama, the more impressed I am by his intellectual capacity. You just don't expect to see political leaders communicate with the clarity that Obama does.

I'm saying this after watching his questioning of Gen. Petraeus and Amb. Crocker. He wrapped up with the fundamental question that the Bush Administration has failed to answer. What does victory mean? What are our goals? What are we trying to achieve?

Needless to say, Petraeus and Crocker didn't answer. In fact, they were nearly speechless.

How can we ever expect to leave if we don't even know what we're doing there?

video at the link

[WA98296]

22. Rasmussen data now gives Obama an 86.5 % chance to win the Democratic nomination.

Pretty good odds.


link:
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/pennsylvania/pennsylvania_democratic_presidential_primary

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

23. John McCain Is Your…

John McCain Is Your…

Oliver Willis. April 8, 2008

Make your own

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

24. Obama Is “Hiding” His Grandmother. He “Threw Her Under The Bus”. .. That’s Why She’s In His Cam

Barack Obama Is “Hiding” His Grandmother. He “Threw Her Under The Bus”. Clearly That’s Why She’s In His Campaign Ads.

Oliver Willis April 8, 2008

video here

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

25. Late Night Political Jokes, April 4-7

Late-Night Political Jokes April 7, 2008

"Hillary Clinton's senior campaign adviser, a guy named Mark Penn, has left the campaign. Apparently, he was coming under some heavy sniper fire." --Jay Leno

"No, as her campaign strategist, Mark Penn is widely credited with catapulting Hillary from her virtual shoe-in to second place." --Jay Leno

"Penn was kicked off her campaign for promising Colombian officials that he would help them get a trade agreement that Hillary opposes. Did you hear his excuse? Hillary wasn't buying it. He said he misspoke. He was sleep-deprived." --Jay Leno

"Former presidential candidate John Edwards announced he will not -- will not -- accept the nomination for vice president. Which is really important, considering no one has asked him." --Jay Leno

"Last week, John McCain visited his old school. In high school, he studied Latin. Did you know that? Well, he had to, that was the only language spoken." --Jay Leno

"John McCain is now crisscrossing the United States campaigning. Or, as they're calling it, Antiques Roadshow." --Jay Leno

"He's an honest guy. McCain said last week he doesn't understand the economy as well as he should. In fact, did you hear his plan to save energy? Clap-on, Clap-off." --Jay Leno

"According to a New York Times/CBS poll, 81% of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track. The other 19% admitted they're not really paying attention." --Jay Leno

"More bad news on the economic front. 80,000 people lost jobs last month. 80,000 people lost jobs. But, to be fair, most of those are politicians caught with hookers." --Jay Leno

"In science news, this is interesting. British scientists have mixed human DNA with cow DNA. Now, wasn't Bill Clinton impeached for doing the same thing?" --Jay Leno

"Big shake-up in the Hillary Clinton campaign. This is huge. Yesterday -- true story -- Hillary Clinton's top adviser abruptly left her campaign. When he heard about it, Bill Clinton said, 'Wait, we can leave?'" --Conan O'Brien

"On Saturday, Barack Obama held several campaign rallies in Montana. Officials say that Barack's visit attracted large crowds and doubled the black population of Montana." --Conan O'Brien

"John McCain's the only presidential candidate who is not currently using Secret Service protection. So far, McCain's only protection is the life insurance he bought from Wilford Brimley." --Conan O'Brien

"The Pope announced that during his visit to New York City this month, he will visit a synagogue. The Pope's going to visit a synagogue. When asked why, the Pope said, 'I want to perform for a crowd that hasn't heard my material before.'" --Conan O'Brien

"According to a new poll that just came out -- this is hard to believe -- 81% of Americans think the country is on the wrong track. 81%. The other 19% own gas stations." --Conan O'Brien

"Another competition is heating up -- Indecision '08. As the three remaining candidates for president attempt to separate themselves from the pack, each day presents another opportunity. For example, to most people, last Friday was the anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. But to our intrepid candidates, the day was an assas-otunity. But who would win the day? The first rule of exploitation: location, location, location. Barack Obama gave his speech on that day in Indiana, where Robert Kennedy gave his famous speech the night of the assassination. It's impressive historically, but not so much proximity-wise. He only gets 10 points. Hillary Clinton was at the church King spoke in the night before. Strong, but John McCain -- bam, bullseye. 50 points. He gave his Martin Luther King Jr. speech beneath the balcony where King was shot . But, then again, how many points do you lose when you give the speech while a black guy is holding your umbrella?" --Jon Stewart

"Not smart, Senator McCain. And may I say, Senator McCain's entrance into the city of Memphis was no more impressive . And that bumper sticker, I mean, come on . I guess what I'm saying is, you're losing the minority vote." --Jon Stewart (Watch video clip)

"Slightly sad. Over the weekend, America lost one of it's greatest heroes, Charlton Heston. ... Charlton, or 'Chuckles' as he specifically asked me not to call him, was one of the last great Hollywood stars. He had it all -- perfect teeth, manly jaw, epic thighs. He was like Ronald Reagan, if Reagan had been an actor." --Stephen Colbert

"Last week on 'Charlie Rose,' Ted Turner made a disturbing a prediction about global warming . That's right. Ted Turner thinks we will soon be cannibals. ... In a completely unrelated note, I would like to extend an invitation to the following people to come over to my house for dinner in let's say 2038: Tim Russert, mmm, you're head is so plump with questions; Karl Rove, I understand President Bush's early nickname for you was 'Butterball.' I would love to chew the fat with you, perhaps over a nice glass of chianti." --Stephen Colbert
...

April 4-5, 2008

"After Governor Bill Richardson switched his support from Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama last week, an angry Bill Clinton said, 'Five times to my face he said he would never do that.' Wow, so he looked you right in the face and lied to you. What's that like?" --Seth Meyers

"Hillary Clinton on Tuesday said she is not a quitter and compared herself to Rocky Balboa -- the washed-up, over-the-hill, white contender who despite a Herculean effort is soundly beaten by the charismatic black guy." --Seth Meyers

...

"Hillary Clinton's campaign on Friday released her joint tax returns showing $109 million in income over the last seven years. Though most of that comes from Bill Clinton's speaking engagements, book royalties and stud fees." --Amy Poehler

.."McCain came out this week with a list of 20 possible running mates. He would not reveal the names of all of them, but he said they all share certain traits, like knowing CPR. ... He said he wants someone who is ready take over on day two." --Bill Maher

"Hillary has a new 3 am ad. What is with her with 3 am? First, she had the one; it made a little sense on a political level. She had the one about, you know, the call comes in at 3 am about a foreign crisis. Now she's got one that says it's 3 am and the phone rings with a mortgage crisis. Doesn't she know any other argument to get us to vote for her? Does she want to run the office of the president or run the switchboard?" --Bill Maher

"She spent eight years in the White House and she thinks calls coming in at 3 am are about interest rates? I guess Bill had to think really fast when he was asked what the phone call was about." --Bill Maher

"Poor Hillary. She went on my friend Jay Leno's show last night. She's still trying to put that whole Bosnia sniper fire thing behind her. She said, 'It's been so long since I've been pinned down by anyone.'" --Bill Maher

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

26. **** readers, feel free to post links, pictures etc *****

your contributions are welcome, they don't have to be fancy.

thanks for dropping by and

:yourock:

[grantcart]

33. and thank you for doing this

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

27. Sen. Obama Confronts Petraeus and Crocker on 'Major Strategic Blunder' in Iraq

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5432579

[quantass]

28. We Canadians Prefers Obama too!

We sure do!! Read the polls here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5432712

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

29. Jed Report has Clinton Colombia timeline - ( OMG this ought to anger the unions)

Clinton-Colombia timeline

Jed Report Tue Apr 8, 2008

To the best of my ability:

2005: Bill Clinton paid $800,000 to speak to Latin American audiences by a Colombia-based business investment organization that supports the Colombian trade agreement. On the trip, Clinton praised the Colombian and other trade agreements. He had supported the Colombian agreement since 2000.

April 2007: Al Gore withdraws from an environmental conference in Miami to avoid appearing with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, widely criticized for human rights and labor abuses. Gore calls Uribe's record "troubling."

April 2007: The Colombian government hires Glover Park Group, a lobbying firm founded by Clinton administration officials, to help win passage of a free trade agreement with the United States. Howard Wolfson, Hillary Clinton's current communications director, was a principal employee and currently retains an equity stake in the firm.

May 2007: The Colombian government hires Burson-Marsteller, a public affairs firm headed by Hillary Clinton's chief strategist, Mark Penn, to support the free trade agreement.

May 2007: Obama joins Chris Dodd and six other Senators in expressing "grave concern regarding the infiltration of important Colombian state institutions by terrorists and drug traffickers" to Sec'y of State Rice (via Think on These Things).

...more of the timeline at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

30. Just in: Photos of Michelle Obama at Winston Salem State U in North Carolina

First Impression of Michele Obama

Packed. If you can experience the Obama campaign by attending an Obama event at a Historically Black College this year, do it.



The heroic Frank Dickerson of Triad For Obama.


Students with camera phones.


Michelle. A woman who can speak for an hour without notes and remain
entirely enthralling the whole time. Mega-brilliant.

[grantcart]

31. Obama dramatically ups the ante in Pennsylvania - Unprecedented Ad Buys

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5434213

[grantcart]

32. The Basic problem the Clinton campaign never faced.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5427838

[JimGinPA]

34. K&R

[Zachstar]

35. K&R Great work!!

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

36. A D.C. Super delegate withdraws support for Clinton

D.C. councilman no longer member of Clinton camp
Michael Neibauer, April 8, 2008 The Examiner

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - A D.C. Council member and unpledged Democratic delegate has withdrawn his prominent public support for Sen. Hillary Clinton, preferring instead to be listed as undecided in the race for the nomination.

Ward 5 D.C. Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. was elected last week by the D.C. Democratic State Committee as a delegate to the national convention. Thomas, who had previously endorsed Clinton, was listed as a Clinton backer on a delegate spreadsheet circulated Monday by the committee.

But by the end of the day, the party had retracted that announcement, and Thomas was switched to simply “unpledged.”

“He wants to confer with the party,” said Vicky Leonard-Chambers, Thomas’ spokeswoman.

The District will send 39 delegates to the Democratic convention in Denver, including 15 pledged delegates, the 20 so-called superdelegates and two unpledged add-on delegates — Thomas and Ward 7 Councilwoman Yvette Alexander.

...more at the link

http://www.examiner.com/a-1326716~D_C__councilman_no_longer_member_of_Clinton_camp.html

[Evergreen Emerald]

37. And don't forget: truth does not matter.

As long as it is negative and often.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

38. Va. Dem Leaders Petition State's Superdels To Back Obama

Va. Dem Leaders Petition State's Superdels To Back Obama

Superdelegates pressured to back Obama

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Eager to stop intraparty fighting, dozens of local Democratic Party leaders are urging Virginia's superdelegates to unite around Barack Obama for president

The petition was intended to push the state's uncommitted delegates into forsaking Hillary Clinton in her nomination battle with Obama.

It was signed by 36 local party chairmen, some of them from Virginia's largest localities, and five congressional district party chairs. Most of the signers, but not all, endorsed Obama, said Arlington Chairman Peter Rousselot, one of the architects of the petition.

..."It's not clear to me because people aren't finished voting," said McClellan, of Richmond. In an interview Tuesday, she at times referred to herself as uncommitted. Finally, she described herself as a Clinton delegate who reserves the right to change her mind.

more at the link

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-04-08-obama-superdelegates_N.htm?csp=34

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

39. Is Hillary Clinton a 'Compulsive Liar'?

Hillary's Tall Tales: Can the US Survive Another President Who Lies?
About - News & Issues, NY - Apr 6, 2008

The unique problem with Hillary Clinton's veracity, though, is that credible stories of her dicey relationship with truthtelling, and her proclivity for extraordinary embellishment of her own experience, keep surfacing.

Entertainment mogul David Geffen, a generous Clinton supporter during Bill Clinton's administration, famously commented about the Clintons in early 2007, "Everybody in politics lies, but they do it with such ease it's troubling." Geffen supports Obama in the 2008 race.

Take, for instance, the report on April 6, 2008 by Jake Tapper , Senior National Correspondent for ABC News, that "In Oregon, Clinton Makes False Claim About Her Iraq Record Vs. Obama's."

...And then there was Hillary Clinton's much-repeated tale of a dangerous landing in Tuzla, Bosnia amidst sniper fire that caused her to duck for cover. But news footage (now at YouTube, along with Hillary's whoppers) clearly capture Chelsea Clinton and the smiling First Lady being greeting by a young Bosnian girl.

...Is Hillary Clinton a "Compulsive Liar"
Is Hillary Clinton a compulsive liar, as my friend heard whispered not-so-quietly?

I'm not in a position to know that, of course. But judging by the recent string of verifiably tall tales told by the junior senator of New York, it's no leap of faith to believe that there's a problem here. A serious problem.

...more at the link
http://usliberals.about.com/b/2008/04/06/hillarys-tall-tales-can-the-us-survive-another-president-who-lies.htm

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

40. Hillary Clinton crowned World's Most Biggest Liar

Hillary Clinton crowned World's Most Biggest Liar
The Spoof.com 06 April 2008

Hillary Clinton has been crowned the World's Most Biggest Liar by the Guinness Book Of Records.

Clinton claimed she "barely survived sniper fire in Bosnia" and she "was forced to use a little girl as a human shield." The girl, who is studying to be a doctor, denies the story, but applauds Hillary's lying skills.

Chelsea Clinton who accompanied her mom on the trip recalls in this interview the ordeal, "The snipers tried to take her hostage after seeing her blond locks of hair". The snipers contest this story; they would never be attracted to a woman like Chelsea Clinton.

Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is planning her next climb on Mount Everest later in the year, after her final voyage on the space shuttle.

http://www.thespoof.com/news/spoof.cfm?headline=s3i33206

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

41. Spike Lee calls Clinton a liar

Spike Lee calls Clinton a liar

April 7th, 2008 - 3:13 pm ICT

New York, April 7 (IANS) Controversial African-American director Spike Lee is not voting for presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and has called her a liar. Pagesix.com reports him telling a magazine: “The Clintons (Bill and Hillary), man, they would lie on a stack of the Bibles. Snipers? That’s not misspeaking; that’s some pure bull (bleep). I voted for Clinton twice, but that’s over with.”

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/spike-lee-calls-clinton-a-liar_10035306.html

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

42. Clinton Lies Unravel Legacy

Clinton Lies Unravel Legacy

By Eric L. Wattree April 6th, 2008

Hillary Clinton's ravenous ambition and sense of entitlement has clearly blinded her to reality. If she wasn't so blinded by the arrogance of believing that America owes her the presidency, she'd realize that her antics in this election is not only undermining any chance she has of becoming president, but it's also wreaking havoc on the Clinton legacy. The one thing the Clintons had going for them was America's belief that, with all their flaws, they were primarily motivated by what was in America's best interest.

But that's no longer the case. Now we see the Clintons for what they are–a couple who's willing to lie, cheat and steal to promote their own greed and self-interest. That, in turn, has caused many Americans to take a second look at both, their character, and Bill's presidency through the lense of this new information, and a large number of them don't like what they see.

Now, many Americans are beginning to ask themselves questions, like how can we trust Hillary to answer that call at 3 a.m. When she seems to be totally oblivious to facts that are staring her in the face–especially when those facts don't conform to what she wants to see? For example, doesn't she realize that by continuously slinging mud at Obama instead of addressing the issues that it's making her look desperate and less than concerned about the fate of the Democratic Party? And what about her judgment? What could she have possibly been thinking when she repeatedly endorsed the Republican nominee over Obama? Then there was the Bosnian matter.

Didn't she realize before she told that blatant lie about the Bosnian trip that there were news cameras there to document that she was lying? And if that wasn't stupid enough, she then went on The Tonight Show and tried to joke about it, as though lying to the American people was all in fun. Now, as a direct result of that lie, a Pew research survey indicates that 29% of Democrats asked describes Hillary as phony. In addition, she's also placed herself in a position where every syllable she utters, and every scrap of paper she releases is going to be scrutinized with a fine tooth comb--and that doesn't bode well, considering her dubious past.

...more at the link

http://blackstarnews.com/?c=135&a=4416

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

43. No end in sight to lies of Clinton's campaign

No end in sight to lies of Clinton's campaign
4/9/08 UNC media mirror

The latest lie from Hillary Clinton's campaign adds to the proof that she has zero personal integrity and continues to prove why she is unfit for the presidency.

Clinton had been repeating a sob story to voters about how an Ohio pregnant woman was denied medical care because she did not have health insurance. This story was being used to bolster Clinton's case that America needs universal health care.

....The more she is caught in lies, the more likely Hillary is to whine and complain to the press that she is being unfairly targeted by her opponents, as she has done in the past when pressed on her controversies. We may also get to see Bill Clinton lose his temper when asked about the various lies. If nothing else, Hillary's aversion to the truth can provide some amusement in this election cycle. And McCain must be loving the advantage that Hillary's actions are giving him.

Any normal person would feel deep shame after being caught using numerous lies in a political campaign. Hillary, however, only feels regret she was caught. It likely won't be long before she is called out for using yet another lie in her campaign. After the election is over, perhaps McCain will send her a thank you card.

more at the link
http://media.www.uncmirror.com/media/storage/paper972/news/2008/04/09/Opinion/No.End.In.Sight.To.Lies.Of.Clintons.Campaign-3311821.shtml

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

44. Hillary Clinton Defends Her Iraq War Vote Again, LIES About Obama ...

Hillary Clinton Defends Her Iraq War Vote Again, Lies About Obama ...
Oliver Willis 4/06/08

As anyone who has followed this election for about five minutes realizes, this primary process is essentially over. Sen. Clinton has lost and it seems like she’s the last to know. That said, these kinds of comments about her vote in favor of the Iraq War underline why she has a fundamental flaw were she to be the nominee.

“I made a considered judgment, I didn’t make a speech, I made a decision and it was a decision based on my best assessment on what would be in the interest of our country at that very uncertain time.”

Clinton said that historians will judge if her decision was the right one, but she reminded voters that Obama’s voting record on the war is not very different than hers.


You made a “considered judgment” that was wrong. You spent eight years as first lady, and in your first six years in the U.S. senate on the most important issue of that entire tenure, you made the wrong vote. If her actual quote really does cite the judgement of historians about her vote in favor of the Iraq War, she’ll be echoing another famous Iraq War proponent: George W. Bush. Bush too cites that only historians of the future will eventually judge him rightly or wrongly for the Iraq War. It’s that sort of jackassery that has led him to be a 30% approval president (and that’s being generous). And Sen. Clinton sounds just like him. She refuses to this day to acknowledge her vote in favor of the war was stupid, heck she’s done all sorts of verbal gymnastics to ineffectively say that the vote for the war wasn’t a vote for war. That’s a Jedi mind-trick that Obi Wan couldn’t even pull off.

Furthermore, Clinton begins to play fast and loose with the truth like she did with the now infamous phony Tuzla sniper story and gives out this whopper:

...more at the link
http://www.oliverwillis.com/index.php/2008/04/06/hillary-clinton-defends-her-iraq-war-vote-again-lies-about-obama-and-the-war-again/

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

45. Hillary Clinton Lies Establish Pattern of Behavior

Hillary Clinton Lies Establish Pattern of Behavior
I-Lights. April 03, 2008

For political junkies like me, the 2008 Presidential Election just keeps getting better and better. Most people will agree, despite calls for her to step aside, Senator Clinton will take this fight all the way down to the Democratic Convention. Which essentially means Senator McCain can leisurely assemble a list of running-mates while the last two standing Democrats do battle in the public eye. It's not a pretty sight, but that's politics.

And as we all know, all's fair in love, war, and politics.

But with all the attention focused on Senator Obama's pastor and his purported ties to Islam, Senators Clinton and McCain had been getting a free ride. That is, until Clinton made the ultimate gaffe, a bold- faced lie repeated so many different times at different events it became a reality, at least in her mind. The attention from the mainstream media has been relentless.

In case you fell off the planet or have been hiding under a rock, here is what Senator Clinton said at a March 17, 2008 campaign appearance:

I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base. But it was a moment of great pride for me to visit our troops, not only in our main base at Tuzla, but also at two outposts where they were serving...

In light of photographs, video footage, and the recollections of others present, Clinton's comments have been repeatedly discredited as sheer fabrication.

...more at the link
http://i-lighterceo.typepad.com/ceos_blog/2008/04/for-political-j.html

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

46. “… Pants on fire”

“… Pants on fire”

Melvin B. Miller Editor & Publisher April 10, 2008


In a hotly contested political race, the candidates are inclined to embellish their resumes. The voters expect that they will have to endure some exaggerations. However, in order to make rational decisions in the voting booth, the voters have to believe that representations made by the candidates are essentially true.


“Man, she will say just about
anything to get elected.”

The press has a major role to play in order for the democratic process to work effectively. When a candidate chooses to feed the public lies, it is up to the media to publicize the truth. It ought not be the responsibility of the other politicians to become embroiled in a battle over the veracity of the offending candidate. That would give the appearance of “going negative.”

Hillary Clinton’s blatantly false story about ducking from sniper fire in Bosnia was clearly refuted by the press. After insisting for some time that the story was true, Clinton acknowledged the error when a video of her and her daughter safely on the tarmac in Tuzla, Bosnia ran on television. Clinton’s excuse was that she “misspoke.”

The audacity of Clinton’s story should cause the press to inquire about the truth of other statements. For example, in a Jan. 13, 2008, interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Clinton asserted that she had the experience to be president because she was a close confidante of her husband on every major issue. Then host Tim Russert asked her if she was involved in the pardon of Marc Rich, “someone who had been convicted of tax evasion, fraud and making illegal oil deals with Iran.”

Clinton answered, “No, I didn’t know anything about that.”

...more at the link
http://www.baystatebanner.com/issues/2008/04/10/editorial04100801.htm

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

47. With Clinton, it's a matter of trust - Poll shows many question her level of honesty

With Clinton, it's a matter of trust
Poll shows many question her level of honesty
BY STEVEN THOMMA and WILLIAM DOUGLAS • MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS • April 9, 2008

WASHINGTON -- The flap over Hillary Clinton's recent false claim that she braved sniper fire during a 1996 trip to Bosnia has highlighted a problem that has plagued her for much of her public life: A lot of people think she's dishonest.

...
A recent Gallup Poll found that about half of Americans say they think Clinton isn't "honest and trustworthy." About a quarter said the same of her Democratic rival Barack Obama and of Republican John McCain.

Gallup analyst Jeffrey Jones called the credibility gap between Clinton and McCain "the largest between any two candidates for any dimension tested."

..."There's some deep perception of her," Kohut said. "What the analysis shows is this perception of being a phony is a real driver -- this has an impact on her overall favorability rating."

...more at the Detroit Free Press:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080409/NEWS07/804090315