Obama Rally Packed

Obama was great, he is the real thing folks! I just got back from the event and I swear there were about 5,000 people there (although I didn't count). I was upfront and got lots of pictures too and shook Baracks hand.

The Korean media was there and I was interviewed by them (I just got back from being over there for 3 1/2 years) about why I support Obama.

Anyway, he really inspired myself and others that we CAN make a difference.

Mr. Barnhart (the lucky dog he is) got to talk to him for five minutes at a VIP event.

When I get a chance I'm going to post some pictures.

David

Blue Oregon gets bloddy

I have to say I am disgruntled about the conversations on Blue Oregon lately. While I respect most of the people there even if I don't always agree with them (including Mr. Chisholm), I am hesitant to read some of the entries over there because of the on going squabbles about the Merkley/Novick campaigns.

Specifically, people have been going at each other's throats about Merkley's vote on a non-binding resolution. Supporters of both sides have acted poorly and said some pretty harsh things.

So here is a list of my personal observations:

1) As stated above the nasty bitch slapping between Merkley and Novick supporters whether or not Merkley's vote for a non-binding resolution counts or not as supporting the war.

I've read a lot of the comments (not all of them) and I have to say I'm extremely disappointed with everyone involved. I have no problem with people disagreeing, but when it turns into name calling and propaganda pushing, the discussion isn't even worth having.

2) The feeling that the Merkley campaign expects to be the presumptive nominee and that Novick has gotten a bum shake not only in terms of coverage in certain blogs, but also in polls and MSM. Yes, I have seen articles about Novick (so you need not post links) in several papers. However, now that Merkley has become the handpicked DNC candidate, where does that leave Novick?

Part of my worry is that a certain candidate in 1996 who was hand picked (no names mentioned) underperformed and got beaten by Smith, who won his first term in the US Senate. Granted that person had no experience in office, but the campaign was a disappointment (disclosure: I volunteered on that campaign as well as the 1996 coordinated DNC campaign).

3) I consider myself someone who decides who to back very early, long before the primary happens. In terms of Presidential Candidates I've done that. However, given the amount of information out there and the lack of a true debate between the two candidates, I foresee myself stuck in the undecided column (although I am leaning one direction that doesn't mean I couldn't change).

4) The feeling that Novick clearly will be pressured out of the race as the primary approaches and that Merkley supporters and his campaign will try to make this happen. Now I have no concrete evidence this will happen, as I stated it's a feeling.

My personal opinion is that both of the candidates have a good shot at beating Smith, which is the goal. Whether both will get a fair shake in the primary is yet to be seen.

Republicans Presidential Candidates Will Drop Like Flies Today

Since today is the day that the Iowa straw poll happens, I predict some of the pretenders will drop out of the race after poor showing. The Washington Post reported that Tommy Thompson will drop out of the race if he doesn't finish first or second, which seems unlikely.

The results of the straw poll will be announced at 5pm Pacific time Saturday.

My bet is that Ron Paul, who seems to be the most sane of all the Republicans, is in it for the long haul. Which leaves Brownback, Hunter, McCain, Giuliani, Huckabee and Tancredo. McCain has long rumored to be in trouble both financially and in the polls due to his undying support for GW's war in Iraq. McCain outright skipped the event knowing that he will not finish second or third even.

Don't be surprised if one or two other's (in addition to Tommy Thompson) drop out after today due to a poor showing. The race to the White House starts today and the field is narrowing. How long can some of these fringe candidates survive?

Mitt Romney Claims Iraq had a hand in 9/11 attacks

Our favorite screwy wacko Mormon Mitt Romney last week tried to make the false claim that Iraq was part of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It amazes me how slick this guy really is. Personally I think they guy is on crack for making those kinds of claims.

Romney is showing the same kind of "compassionate conservative" dance that George W. Bush put on in the 2000 election. And that makes him VERY dangerous!

Can we trust Mormon Mitt dispite the fact he employs clowns on his staff?

An aid to Former Governor Mitt Romney took a leave of absence because he is being investigated in two states for impersonating an officer. This isn't the first time for Jay Garrity to get himself in hot water. When he was Romney's Chief of Staff, he threatened a reporter and told him he'd run his license plates and to not follow Romney's motorcade. In 2004 Garrity was caught with lights, sirens and other law enforcement equipment in a car registered to him.

My question is, if Mitt Romney knowingly employs clowns like this, is he someone we want as our president?

Romney aide takes leave amid probes

Romney aide pulls out all the stops in N.H.

Hillary and Bill's Sopranos ending spoof...what do you think?

As someone who doesn't like Hillary much, but is a big fan of her husband, I have mixed feelings about it. The video is cute and well done. Bill's charisma definitely helps her as well as the fact it shows they have a good sense of humor. At the same time, I have to admit this was an interesting way of promoting a campaign. Someone was thinking outside the box. That doesn't mean I will support her. However, it does make me nostalgic for the [Bill] Clinton Presidency. Those were the good ole' days!

John McCain's Illegitimate Child

Poor John...first it was a black baby and now this?

Newt's Contract On America

It looks like Newt is up to his usual crap. This afternoon I happened to read this on Yahoo News:

Gingrich slams current election politics By MIKE BAKER, Associated Press Writer
Thu May 17, 3:51 PM ET

RALEIGH, N.C. - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says the 2008 White House candidates are "demeaning the presidency" by focusing on the race rather than ideas.

"We have shrunk our political process to this pathetic dance in which people spend an entire year raising money in order to offer nonanswers, so they can memorize what their consultants and focus groups said would work," Gingrich said.

In a speech to the John Locke Foundation, a conservative think tank, the prospective Republican candidate said he will not consider running until he has created a wave of reform.

He plans to spend the next several months preparing for a series of workshops that he will coordinate. They begin Sept. 27, exactly 13 years after he and other GOP leaders released the "Contract With America" that helped their party regain control of the House.

Ten Republicans and eight Democrats have declared their candidacy for president. Gingrich took particular issue with how they have presented their ideas in crowded debates.

"This idea of demeaning the presidency by reducing it to being a game show contest ... is wrong for America, and I would never participate in it," he said.

Gingrich told reporters there is room for a him in the race.

"There's a tremendous vacuum of leadership willing to stand up and talk to the country in clear ways about what we have to get done to create a generation of opportunity and what we have to do to avoid a generation for bureaucracy and problems," Gingrich said.

According the old blowhard himself (sorry I meant Newt), none of the candidates have come up with ideas and are just running for the money. Maybe he should specifically start looking at the candidates of HIS OWN PARTY. This sounds like a set up for him to get into the race later in the year. Talk about self-serving crap!

Dammit Al...stop teasing us!

If you missed it, Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio made an announcement on the Oscars about the show being environmentally friendly. During their presentation, DiCaprio jabbed Al about making an important announcement. Al took out a piece of paper and started to act as though he was going to make an announcement only to have the music drown him out as he acted like he was frustrated and walked off stage with DiCaprio.

So to Al Gore, I say STOP TEASING US! Are you or aren't you?

(Edit 7:50pm PST): An Inconvenient Truth wins the Academy Award for Best Documentary.

McCain: The Republican's Butt Boy

Over the few days or so, John McCain has said some pretty nasty things about both Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney.

McCain blamed Cheney and Rumsfeld for what he said was, "a terribly mishandled" war.

A few days later, McCain apologized to Cheney claiming he was misquoted (yeah right).

In addition, McCain has called Rumsfeld one of the worst Secretary of Defence in the countries history. We shall wait and see if he apologizes to Rumsfeld as well.

So this begs the question: Is McCain Cheney and Rumsfeld's butt boy or is he his own candidate?

Vilsack is out, McCain sucks up

Well it's no surprise Vilsack is out. Why? He doesn't have enough money and is not generating enough interest. The upcoming election is expected to be the most expensive in the history of our nation. Who's next to drop out?

Meanwhile, on the Republican side, Senator John McCain acknowledges his support for the war in Iraq could end his career. When asked if he was sucking up the the religious right, McCain said, "What's wrong with sucking up to everybody?"

Hillary Clinton is slime!

First, let me say that I voted for Bill Clinton both in 1992 and 1996. Back then, I admired his wife. But as of lately, I have become anti-Hillary.

One of the problems that I have with her is that she has become cozy with corporate types including right wing nut job Rupert Murdoch. Yet another, is that she has and still does support the war in Iraq. She refuses to apologize for her vote in 2003.

Recently one of her supporters to said something nasty about Obama, but God forbid someone that supports Obama saying something about poor Hillary.

This reeks of a double standard.

Someone needs to drug the poor woman as she's delusional. As you may know, Hillary Clinton flipped over Dreamworks founder, David Geffen's comments about her. Geffen stated to Maureen Dowd, "Everybody in politics lies," the former president and his wife "do it with such ease, it's troubling."

Recently, Clinton was endorsed by South Carolina State Senator Robert Ford. Ford who is also working for the Clinton campaign stated, "Every Democrat running on that ticket next year would lose — because he's black and he's top of the ticket. We'd lose the House and the Senate and the governors and everything."

Personally, I think Ford has been sniffing some really strong glue. To say that Democrats would lose everything, is not only reckless, it's ridiculous.

I hope another candidate pummels Clinton in the primary and kicks the the queen bitch off her royal throne. We may yet end up with her as our president. God help us all because she's going to just as bad as George W. Bush.

Hillary takes responsiblity for war, but is that enough?

I'm glad to finally see Hillary Clinton take responsibility for her vote to authorize the war in Iraq. It is certainly a start toward reconciliation with Democrats who are leery of supporting her. I think she also needs to explain why she's been in bed with the right. Earlier this year, Rupert Murdoch held a fund raiser as well as endorsing Clinton in her Senate reelection bid.

Before I continue, I want to state that I supported Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996. I personally believe he was a great Presidents and helped our country in many different ways. I also admired Hillary Clinton for her work as First Lady and have read her book Living History. These days, I have some severe doubts about her motivations, especially when it comes to her running for President. I believe now is the time to question her candidacy before it's too late.

In May of 2006, Richard Cohen wrote a column that asks the question that is on many people's mind lately, "Just who are you Hillary?" Cohen asks some hard nosed questions about Hillary Clinton's relationship with Murdoch:

"The latest reason for my perplexity is Clinton’s agreement to have Rupert Murdoch host a fundraiser for her this summer. Murdoch is the very personification of the contemporary conservative movement. He is the proprietor of both the New York Post and Fox News, both of which are ideologically biased, sometimes blatantly so. No doubt Murdoch can raise lots of money. That’s not the question. The question is: What will it buy?"

I too have to wonder what Hillary had to do to get Murdoch to agree to do a fundraiser. Are we to believe he did it out of the kindness of his heart? I don't buy this for a minute. There is some ulterior motive being pushed by Murdoch and/or Clinton.

In addition, I find Clinton's support of a law making flag burning a crime (specifically it makes burning a flag to intimidate someone a crime) quite unsettling. While I wouldn't personally burn a flag, I believe the right do so would be a violation of the 1st amendment of the Constitution of the United States.

We all know Hillary Clinton carries some severe baggage whether we want to admit it or not. The scandals that happened in the White House during her husband's Presidency including his impeachment (even though he wasn't convicted). Much like George W. Bush, Hillary is a divisive figure in politics. If Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, she will in fact motivate the right to donate and campaign in droves to defeat her.

Has Hillary Clinton given enough thought to some of these issues to be able to give honest and sincere answers? I think the answer is clear. Clinton needs to do a better job taking responsibility for her voting record on Iraq as well as disclose her connections with Murdoch. Many Democrats (including myself) would rather sit out the election (if she is nominated) rather then vote for her.

This election is far from over. If Hillary wants the nomination, then she had better start by taking a better look at her own record and make amends with the hardcore Democrats who supported her husband.

Gingrich Posturing for 2008 Run

"Newt, he isn't just a reptile anymore" could be his campaign slogan. Recently Gingrich has been hinting at a run for the presidency in 2008. The field is beginning to look crowded for both Republicans and Democrats alike.

If Newt were really a reptile, he'd be a chameleon. Why? Because he likes to change colors. As of lately, he's glowing bright red. His rhetoric as of lately has been Orwellian to say the least. Recently Gingrich has stated he believes free speech should be censored to fight against the war on terror.

This clearly goes against what the framers of our constitution intended. It also takes a page from Carl Rove 101: Scare people into believing something that isn't true. Maybe Gingrich could hire Rove to run his campaign. I don't even think the devil himself could help Newt win the presidency.

Newsflash: Newt, give it up. You don't have a chance in hell!