Latest IA poll has Clinton and Obama in NC. The never ending drama continues…
Comments on this Entry:
(innerredneckexposed on
May 5, 2008 12:01 PM)
I don’t believe those numbers. Then again I didn’t believe Guam would be close or that Dan Cazayoux would win.
Watch Tondee’s Tavern all Tuesday night for the best coverage in town.
(RuralDem on
May 5, 2008 1:11 PM)
IRE,
Please tell me you’re predicting Childers to lose as well?
As far as the NC Primary… Go ABO!
(sndeak on
May 5, 2008 1:47 PM)
It’ll be Obama by 7-12 in NC. IN will be a squeaker.
( on
May 5, 2008 2:17 PM)
squeaker to which side?
(odinseye2k on
May 5, 2008 4:29 PM)
Depends on whether we are treated to videos of Wright or an adult discussion of the gas tax increase before the election.
And yes, I’ll be fair by saying a gas tax reduction was a patently stupid idea when Obama suggested it in Illinois as well.
Substitution in economics doesn’t work too well when there is no technology to substitute.
(sndeak on
May 5, 2008 5:08 PM)
He voted for it in IL, he did not suggest it.
I’m not sure about IN. I hear all kinds of mixed messages. Squeaker either way is a draw in delegates…and delegates matter.
(RuralDem on
May 5, 2008 5:36 PM)
Did he actually vote in favor or did he simply vote “present”?
(Mouth of the South on
May 5, 2008 5:44 PM)
Oh it hardly matters, really. Obama is taking what is probaly the “correct” and “logical” stand for an academic, and one I agree with, but it ignores certain political realities like the fact that the gas pump is one of the few places where people see the decisions of their politicians take effect.
This is like the flag pin, Obama is right, but that’s not really important. It should be, agreed, but its not. It is a lot easier to raise the tone of Washington once you are already elected rather than as a candidate, so let’s get that done first.
(this is not a pro-hillary or anti-obama comment)
(odinseye2k on
May 6, 2008 9:19 AM)
Yeah, it’s probably a pretty small bore issue in terms of the funds in mind (like $9B on the federal budget or something like that). However, I think it does also show Obama being a leg up on energy (combined with the fact that his energy plan doubles Clinton’s proposed funding, although both have junk items like this clean coal bull).
The gas tax example is how we as a country have preferred to masturbate for thirty years rather than to look ahead and actually attack the major looming problem. I think I personally would institute a luxury tax on all light trucks and SUVs not owned by a small business owner and use the cash to fast-track alternate energy production methods (thinking algae-based biofuel or hydrogen/battery carried clean electricity).
For that alone, I give Jimmy Carter five hundred points above Ronald Reagan (for scrapping Carter’s push for the transition we needed to have so many years ago).
(sndeak on
May 6, 2008 9:45 AM)
cute RD…thanks for adding some depth to the discussion.
(RuralDem on
May 6, 2008 10:26 AM)
sndeak,
I try to be as empty yet entertaining as Obama. So far, I think I do a pretty good job.
I need a slogan similar to “Hope. Change. Repeat”.
Any suggestions?
(innerredneckexposed on
May 6, 2008 10:36 AM)
Well Obama does represent a lot more than just “Hope. Change. Repeat”. I won’t get into the philosophical underpinnings of his policies but it has been summed up as a post-race, post-partisan ideology that I think is needed. Even though I don’t support him.
(PaulaG on
May 6, 2008 10:41 AM)
MotS says: “it ignores certain political realities like the fact that the gas pump is one of the few places where people see the decisions of their politicians take effect.”
The real idiocy of the whole gas tax issue is that it likely WON’T affect gas prices. So while I appreciate the real politik analysis of the situation, even by that measure it remains a stupid proposal.
(RuralDem on
May 6, 2008 10:46 AM)
IRE,
While we disagree on Obama, I do agree that “hope. change. repeat.” should be somewhat added into the political world.
Obama is a gifted speaker, some such as myself say that’s all, some such as sndeak say he’s more than a great speaker. That’s a different discussion for a different day, BUT I do think his positive words should be something all of us look at in the future.
(odinseye2k on
May 6, 2008 10:46 AM)
I dunno, if we are looking at the way the campaign has been conducted lately, Obama comes off as the much more mature, measured and thoughtful one of the pair. He’s not out in the backs of pick-up trucks and throwing down whiskey as fast as he can get his hands on it.
The man speaks and thinks with a great deal of nuance - it’s hard to dismiss anyone of that bearing as being without substance.
And yeah, in my more idealistic moments I hope for governance to be about more than simple power plays and playing dress-up for the rubes in upstate, downstate or whatever-state of interest of the week.
Of course, I’d also hope the press would be able to analyze politics at an intellectual level above high-school girl clique gossip as well.
I also like the fact that post-partisan for him apparently doesn’t automatically mean centrist (seeing his “most liberal” rating in the Senate, even if I personally believe that is a crock).
(RuralDem on
May 6, 2008 11:34 AM)
“He’s not out in the backs of pick-up trucks and throwing down whiskey as fast as he can get his hands on it.”
I take it you don’t attend to many festivals in rural areas? There’s nothing wrong with riding in the back of a pickup truck campaigning, or delivering a speech from the back of a pickup truck. Wow.
As far as the whiskey, I don’t drink, but what’s the big deal? At least Hillary tries to understand the areas she visits. There’s nothing wrong with embracing the culture and values of small rural areas like Clinton has done.
(Smitty on
May 6, 2008 11:37 AM)
Four negative ads in 6 days by Obama and we call that “keeping it positive”. I got your positive and gifted.
Then again Obama didn’t say it, he just “approved” of the ads.
Let’s stop the game and pretending that Hillary is the only one doing negative stuff.
(sndeak on
May 6, 2008 12:01 PM)
His ads are a direct result of Hillary’s campaign tactics.
(innerredneckexposed on
May 6, 2008 12:02 PM)
“I take it you don’t attend to many festivals in rural areas? There’s nothing wrong with riding in the back of a pickup truck campaigning, or delivering a speech from the back of a pickup truck. Wow.”
No one is saying that what people are saying is that HRC’s newly found blue collar roots are a little more than disingenuous and that it is probably a sign of a better president to exercise a little reason (not advocating a gas tax freeze) than all of a sudden become this great rural savior.
(sndeak on
May 6, 2008 12:22 PM)
Wellesley and Yale. That’s where she learned to drink whiskey with the rural, blue collar folks : )
I used to think McCain was the ultimate pander bear, not any more.
(Jules on
May 6, 2008 12:22 PM)
I think it’s completely fascinating, how she has overcome the tidal wave of negatives. Which I think would put the average person into a fetal position. Then how Obama has overcome the “too young” and too inexperienced tags to look calm, reasoned and presidential (whatever that means) I say both with love.
It’s an upside down world we live it, when I’m tracking results from Guam on a Saturday am… seriously everyone needs to chill.
(innerredneckexposed on
May 6, 2008 12:26 PM)
i actually don’t think negative ads are necessarily a sign of not being positive (wow, that is double speak if ever there was an example!) i mean if Obama doesn’t run an ad with McCain saying lets stay in Iraq for 100 years thats just dumb and he can still be positive. But what isn’t negative is shit like, well he might be a Muslim…I mean, not there is anything wrong with that…
(RuralDem on
May 6, 2008 12:58 PM)
sndeak,
Don’t forget that although you’re so negative towards Hillary, you’ll be voting for her on election day.
I’m not sure where you were educated in college signifies your understanding of an area or culture. John Barrow went to Harvard Law or somewhere, and he’s as rural as they come.
My point is, at least Hillary attempts to reach out to these groups. Obama is too busy preaching a great sounding, but empty message.
(innerredneckexposed on
May 6, 2008 1:15 PM)
“you’ll be voting for her on election day.”
which election day?
(Smitty on
May 6, 2008 1:39 PM)
And Obama got his “black roots” from Hawaii or Kenya or his Ivy League school or was it his short time he spent working in Chicago’s ‘hood.
Please don’t be so blind to think that Obama is also not a pandering politician. One minute Rev. Wright is his old crazy Uncle and the next he’s the anti-christ who is taking down his campaign.
(odinseye2k on
May 6, 2008 1:39 PM)
“My point is, at least Hillary attempts to reach out to these groups.”
I think what I am questioning is that does chugging the local brew of choice for the cameras signify “reaching out to these groups?” I mean playing dress-up is cool and all, but is that the relevant part? And I say this loving my grilled corn and curly fry cakes (where they cut then deep-fry the whole tater) as much as anyone.
To her credit, she has also included the public airing of grievances (price of fuel, loan money, food, etc.) in her stumps.
I’ve got to agree with RD on the college thing. The experience is going to change you a bit, but as long as you’re not a legacy admit or a donor’s child (or from a pipeline high school like Andover), I’d don’t see the college of choice pointing to any elitism. In fact, Harvard started the whole SAT thing specifically to discover rural kids and train them to run their communities.
(Smitty on
May 6, 2008 1:45 PM)
By George Frost - http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/05/06/gas_tax/print.html
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has repeatedly accused rival Hillary Clinton of “pandering” for advocating a summer gas-tax moratorium, calling it a “classic Washington gimmick” that would do little to help consumers.
This is powerful criticism because it resonates with a long-standing talking point against Clinton — that she is a political phony willing to do anything to get elected.
But in this case, each of Obama’s attack lines is either factually incorrect, or based on flawed logic. Could he be attacking Clinton just to deny her any political benefit? That would be as cynical and “old style” as anything Clinton has thrown at Obama lately.
Despite the “gimmick” slam on Clinton, could it be that Clinton is sincerely trying to help, albeit in a very modest, and politically self-serving way? The evidence suggests that Clinton’s plan might work. It also raises the question of why Obama hasn’t made a similar proposal. He was certainly proud to back a gas-tax moratorium eight years ago.
While an Illinois state senator, Obama supported a state tax holiday very much like Clinton’s proposal, but without the saving mechanism of a windfall profits tax.
During one state Senate floor debate, Obama joked that he wanted signs on gas pumps in his district to say, “Senator Obama reduced your gasoline prices.”
Now, running for president, Obama says the tax reduction was a complete failure, and that “the oil companies, the retailers” ended up benefiting most because they raised prices by the entire amount of the tax cut.
The oil companies also will have a powerful inducement to avoid being caught — and in this kind of toxic political environment, they may actually swallow the tax.
But it takes a little bit of courage to take them on, and a belief that we do not always have to be victims. Obama — where is your optimism?
*** I guess Obama panders when it is beneficial to his political career - shocker! ***
(RuralDem on
May 6, 2008 1:47 PM)
IRE,
IF she is the nominee, sndeak will be voting for her on election day although he adamantly bashes her as a panderer and has said numerous things to that nature. No matter how bad he thinks she is, he apparently seems willing to support her if she’s the nominee, so she can’t be THAT bad.
odinseye2k,
Do you know what Hillary did behind the scenes? Neither do I. We don’t know what she did, so for people to say she’s a panderer or a fake is a little out there. Which you can argue the same about me and others who believe she is actually reaching out to people in different areas.
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