New York Times: G.O.P. Now Sees Obama as Liability for Ticket

[Amerigo Vespucci]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/us/politics/26ticket.html?ref=politics

In a sign that the racial, class and values issues simmering in the presidential campaign could spread into the larger political arena, Republican groups are turning recent bumps in Mr. Obama’s road — notably his comment that small-town Americans “cling” to guns and religion out of bitterness and a fiery speech by his former minister in which he condemned the United States — into attacks against Democrats down the ticket.

“The public, week by week, is becoming more familiar with his big-government, far-left vision for America,” said Ed Patru, a spokesman for Freedom’s Watch, an advocacy organization that is portraying Mr. Obama as ultraliberal in an advertisement running in Louisiana before a special election for a House seat.

Republicans say the new focus on Mr. Obama reflects their view that he remains the more likely Democratic presidential nominee since he continues to lead Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in convention delegates. It also shows that Republicans, who have for months characterized Mrs. Clinton as the contender who would most energize Republican voters, now see vulnerabilities in Mr. Obama that could be liabilities for other Democrats on the ballot. “There were times when Republicans reacted with just horror that he would lead the ticket,” said Stuart Rothenberg, a nonpartisan political analyst. “Now there is not the sense of him being invulnerable, the magic bullet. I think there has been a major change.”

The growing Republican emphasis on Mr. Obama could also help Mrs. Clinton plead her case that she is more electable, bolstering her argument to superdelegates that Republicans are poised to pounce on her relatively untested opponent. Her advisers have been frustrated that some top Democrats rate Mrs. Clinton a greater liability for the party’s candidates in conservative parts of the country — a view still held by some strategists — even though she has shown a capacity to withstand Republican attacks.

[cali]

1. hill has alienated too many SDs

she wasn't able to close the PD gap. She's very unlikely to close the pop vote gap. SDs are not going to hand queen hilly the nomination and damage the party for years to come. she's done.

[kennetha]

2. When Obama loses Indiana and North Carolina

plus Kentucky, West Virginia, Puerto Rico, and Oregon, I think your tune will change.

Plus, like it or not, there will be a floor fight over Michigan and Florida. And it will become evident that with Florida and Michigan Hillary is the winner, and Barack the loser. Will Michigan and Florida be unseated just to hand the nomination to a candidate who clearly can't win?

Don't you see what's happening? Obama will be so bruised by the end of this that the Supers will WANT to find a way not to give him the nomination. Seating Florida and Michigan will be the way out.

[totodeinhere]

7. I am bookmarking this, and after the NC and Oregon primaries...

I'll check back to see if you were correct.

I am getting tired of seeing Clinton supporters posting implausible predictions as if they were proven facts.

[cali]

9. why are so many hillworlders like you unable to deal with reality? seriously.

look. I recognized that for various reasons Obama was not going to win PA, no matter what. True, I predicted his loss would be by 12+, but I was close. Demographically, PA was not a good match for him and it was an excellent one for her. Plus, she had the much vaunted PA Rendell machine working for her. Well, NC is a poor fit for Hill. Obama has most of the support from prominent dems, Edwards former backers, mayors, etc. He has a far superior ground game there and the demograhics strongly favor him. He'll win by 10-15- even with the repuke attack machine throttled up.

In Indiana, Hill may well win, but he also has a good chance at taking the state. Thinking that she'll win Oregon, where he's up by 10 is equally pathetic, dear. She will win KY and WV by big margins, but it's a classical case of too little too late.

I know you hate it, but no, MI and FL will not figure into it. They'll be seated, but Obama will be the nominee long before the convention.

And of course, it's merely sad Hllarian wishful thinking to say that the SDs are looking for a way out of endorsing Obama. Since PA, 3 have endorsed him to one for the queen.

I just don't get why you guys can't deal with reality and facts. You can't even admit that her odds of getting the nomination are very, very slight. She's been damaged far more than Obama in the primary process- and most of it was self-inflicted. It's no secret that Pelosi supports Obama, and she brings with her quite a few others. Barring a complete implosion of Obama, hilly is cooked.

[mamalone]

14. Yeah.....

and guess who's doing the bruising?


sheeesh... do Hillary supporters *really* condone this slimefest? REALLY?

[KansasVoter]

17. Hey dumb ass, want to bet $500 Obama does not lose NC, IN and Kentucky, West Virginia, Puerto Rico,

[BobaLlama]

20. Obama has it Won

Hillary's dragging-it-out endgame strategy is a mystery,
but -- follow the money. Obama's machine is the best in history, he is flush with cash while Hillary is broke. Best of all it is the way he raised it -- many small donors, while Hillary's bigtime bundler base is drying up or worse, defecting to Obama.

The Dem party can't ignore that, it makes no sense to pull for Clinton when Obama has the best claim of all to victory -- he got more votes AND he has the mountain of cash and the printing press to make more.

[kennetha]

26. Check out this thread for an explanation of her three part end game!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5692582&mesg_id=5692582">Clinton's Endgame Strategy

I think it has a reasonable chance of succeeding.

[UALRBSofL]

5. You are wrong because my state has not spoken

And we will speak. We will have all votes and delegates counted. Also, Michigan seems to not be taking this lying down. You can believe she doesn't stand a chance but that's your opinion. At the end of the day, the superdelegates will be what counts. You can argue they will not pick Hillary over Obama but I disagree. You have your opinion, I have mine. This race is not over. Until you accept no one is going away the better off mentally you will be.

[cali]

10. It really doesn't matter what MI does.

Sorry. They won't figure into it. They'll be seated after Obama is put over the top by SDs. I'm not suggesting hilly should go away, dear. You're confusing me with someone else. And the sooner you face the reality that hilly's chances are exceeding slim, the better for your mental health.

[Eurobabe]

3. Fuck the GOP, they are playing mind games with themselves.

[EFerrari]

4. “Conventional wisdom has been that we want to run against Hillary,” n/t

[RC]

13. And if Hillery gets the nod, it will not really matter who wins because

we all lose. Hillery Clinton is a card carrying DINO. Maybe even a honorary neocon. Hillery is too hawkish for America. What is wrong with diplomacy? What's with this bomb&nuke mind set of half the Democratic party leadership and all the republican leadership?

Children haven't yet learned to talk things out and instead tend to take action when they want something or don't get their way. Mature adults negotiate to get along. Kids not so much. There are very few adults in our government right now. We only have one adult running for the Presidency. Would we be better off in the long run being in petty squabbles all over the place or diplomacy for the common good of at least most of us? I vote diplomacy. We will not get much diplomacy from "nukenukenuke" Hillery. We most assuredly will not get diplomacy from "bombbombbomb" McCain.

[sushi]

15. I like diplomacy too

The thing is, the logical consequence of negotiation is compromise. What follows is that, increasingly, the US will become less and less the top, the leader, and more and more 'one of the guys!' The US is not used to that! No respect!
Iran will have nuclear power. So will Syria. Israel is not going to like it. And so on.......

Btw, who says Hillary Clinton likes to nuke? It's men who are war-crazy! Women are better than men! If you're referring to what she said about Iran, she answered the question 'what if Iran attacks Israel.' Are you saying Obama would just let it happen and do nothing? If that's what you're suggesting, then he is a weakling.

[RC]

18. Don't be putting words in my mouth!

Hillary says Hillary wants to nuke, that's who. Hillary is far more of a hawk than Obama is. While Obama is far from my first choice, he has shown he is the most mature candidate left running. I said absolutely nothing about Obama being weak - YOU said that.
Using diplomacy and negotiating instead of blowing stuff up does not make one weak. It is the adult way to do things. A much better way to get along in a multicultural world.

Therefore your logic is faulty. Why do we need to be the worlds bully, running roughshod over the wishes of the other cultures living in other parts of the world? Other countries can and do govern themselves peacefully. Way too many countries were governing themselves quite successfully till we, the United States toppled the popular elected government and installed dictators to do our bidding. Tell me, what country has the right to mettle in the internal affairs of peaceful countries, disrupt their economies and kill their people, steal their resources at the expense of the rest of the world? The United States is the world leader here. Puts Russia to shame, that's for sure.

We also do not need to control the world through our military, backed with our powerful and expensive war toys. Your thinking is part of the problem in this country today. Might does not make right. And as the bu$h administration has proven, might makes dead people through war crimes. Do we really need to continue in the direction we are going? I say no. Hillary says "yes".
We do not need to be the worlds leader in anything except Peace. Defending the "We are the United States and therefore have a right to..., in other countries" is an ego thing on our part. We can get along much better if we emulate Canada or even Europe and take care of our own and leave the rest of the world alone to govern themselves. Most countries manage to do so peacefully... At least till we get involved.

[sushi]

22. Read properly before you answer

Nowhere did I say that you said Obama is weak. Hillary isn't going to nuke a country that hasn't done anything. If Israel is attacked, the US will protect it. Hillary will. What do you think Obama would do if Iran attacks Israel? Nothing?
As the leader of the free world, he'd do nothing? Or he'd call a meeting to negotiate? Anyway, before that meeting, Israel has probably already hit back, which means the US is drawn in too. The US supplies Israel with the best weapons and a lot of money.
I believe it's also agreed that the US protects Saudi Arabia (the royal family) against their enemies in exchange for the uninterrupted flow of oil, and Taiwan against China.

No country has the right to meddle in the internal affairs of peaceful countries, disrupt their economies and kill their people, steal their resources at the expense of the rest of the world, and might does not make right. I don't disagree with you.
The reality is that that is what has been happening and it will take a very long time to change. Europe did it in the past (occupying and exploiting their colonies), and the US is doing it now. Do you really think the US would just become 'like Canada or Europe' and let China (soon), and later India, both with nuclear power, go to the top of the tree? The US is the leader of the free world, and whether you like it or not, kind of the policeman.

Even if Obama becomes leader, 4 or 8 years is not enough to change things to how he, and you, like it. Do you really believe his arrival in Washington would change other people? Suddenly the hawks become doves? He might fire all the hawks and hire only doves, and then after 4 or 8 years, he has to go.

As soon as the winner gets to the Oval Office, he or she will find that it takes the cooperation of a lot of other people to give the voters what he or she has promised during the campaign.

[Adelante]

24. And conventional wisdom

is right. :thumbsup:

[Perry Logan]

6. Winger behavior never varies. They always predict a rosy future for themselves...

No matter how screwed they are.

[UALRBSofL]

8. Perry this is true and you think some of these posters are new to this

I mean is this there first time to follow a primary that went to the convention? Also, they act naive to the tactics of the rethugs war machine. It's not funny, just sad.

[ecdab]

11. Trumped up attacks by Hillary being turned into GOP adds attacking

all Democrats - this is a surprise to who?

[Breeze54]

12. Who CARES what the 'Group of Pervs' thinks?!?

:puke:

[symbolman]

16. Love how the Right wing Hillary clowns always insist that she "won"

Michigan, when Obama's name wasn't even on the Ballot..

Disgraceful...

If the right wing is going after Obama it means they are scared of him and that The Cackler is already in the bag, hell she's Leading the Way for the Right..

How sweet, can't wait til she's on a soapbox outside the White House whining with her followers while Obamas being sworn in.. That will be A Great Moment..

Think they'll ever shut up, or will her followers stalk and harrass him when he's President?

[book_worm]

19. The Republicans want nothing more than to run against Hillary

It's been there dream for years to use all the baggage she has against her.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

21. Shocking!! The article plainly states that most Repugs won't vote for Obama.

What a blow!!:rofl:

[shadowknows69]

23. Good, let them get overconfident

I think Obama will mop the floor with McCain in a debate, assuming there is at least one moderated with some semblance of objectivity and attention to the issues.

[Elidor]

25. Freedom's Watch is the swiftboat shits of this cycle

I read somewhere they were going to have a budget of about $400 million, iirc. I don't know how we counter them. Big money talks very loudly.

[Avalux]

27. Feigning concern for other Democrats on the ballot - lol!

Who cares if Republicans reacted in horror that Obama would lead the ticket? That's actually a good thing. This article is a very sorry attempt to prop up Hillary Clinton.