This is the Presidential Campaign Thread.

Barack Obama Vs. John McCain.

Edited November 6, 200817 yr by Toups

Oreilly is so FOS he couldopen his own fertilizer company and make billions in 10 minutes.

Keith didn't mention it. Not once. PB on Verdict ried to make it a big deal, until Gene Robinson told him how sill he was. PB wants to play it hypocritically......he says that Obama should be held to a different standard than McCain.

And this idiot has lost what little of the pea-sized brain that he has.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/05/31/b...drome/#comments

Obama just quit his church.

And there is apparently a deal for both states.

The deal reached, NBC NEWS has learned, is a 69-59 split with half votes in Michigan. Obama will be guaranteed the two add-on superdelegates. NBC NEWS has not confirmed if the superdelegates will get half or full votes.

Obama just quit his church.

And there is apparently a deal for both states.

How many Churches are Obama going have to quit?

He needs to do a VP style background on his next Church.

Hopefully it's a good deal-eo!

How many Churches are Obama going have to quit?

He needs to do a VP style background on his next Church.

Hopefully it's a good deal-eo!

Isn't it the same church? The controversial pastor had retired. I believe this is the first one he quit. I suspect, he has gotten some grieve from the church.

I'm so glad that they reached a deal. It has been a massive clusterfuck all day. I think something is wrong with us if we spend an entire day following the Democratic party rules committee. :lol:

And this idiot has lost what little of the pea-sized brain that he has.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/05/31/b...drome/#comments

Yes and I think that is giving him more mental capacity than he deserves. I think it is so funny that KO gets under his skin so bad.

Edited May 31, 200817 yr by Jess

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080531/ap_on_...rimary_scramble

Officials say Fla., Mich. delegates will get half-votes

By NEDRA PICKLER and BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writers 1 minute ago

Democratic party officials said a committee agreed Saturday on a compromise to seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half-votes after Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton failed to get enough support to force their positions through.

The deal was reached after committee members met privately for more than three hours, trying to hammer out a deal, and announced in a raucous hearing that reflected deep divisions within the party. The sticking point was Michigan, where Obama's name was not on the ballot.

Clinton's camp insisted Obama shouldn't get any pledged delegates in Michigan since he chose not to put his name on the ballot, and she should get 73 pledged delegates with 55 uncommitted. Obama's team insisted the only fair solution was to split the pledged delegates in half between the two campaigns, with 64 each.

The committee agreed on a compromise offered by the Michigan Democratic Party that would split the difference, allowing Clinton to take 69 delegates and Obama 59. Each delegate would get half a vote at the convention in Denver this summer, according to the deal.

They also agreed to seat the Florida delegation based on the outcome of the January primary, with 105 pledged delegates for Clinton and 67 for Obama, but with each delegate getting half a vote as a penalty.

The resolution increased the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination to 2,118, leaving Obama 66 delegates short but still within striking distance after the three final primaries are held in the next three days.

Obama picked up a total of 32 delegates in Michigan, including superdelegates who have already committed, and 36 in Florida. Clinton picked up 38 in Michigan, including superdelegates, and 56.5 in Florida.

Obama's total increased to 2,052, and Clinton had 1,877.5.

A proposal favored by Clinton that would have fully seated the Florida delegation fully in accordance with the January primary went down with 12 votes in support and 15 against.

Tina Fluornoy, who led Clinton's efforts to seat both states' delegations with full voting power, said she was disappointed by the outcome but knew the Clinton position had "no chance" of passing the committee.

"I understand the rules. ... I can tell you one thing that has driven these rules was being a party of inclusion," Fluornoy said. "I wish my colleagues will vote differently."

The committee unanimously approved a measure supported by the Obama campaign that sat the delegates according to Clinton's winning vote in the Florida contest, but penalized the delegation by allowing each only half a vote.

"We just blew the election!" a woman in the audience shouted. The crowd was divided between cheering Obama supporters and booing Clinton supporters.

"This isn't unity! Count all the votes!" another audience member yelled.

Alice Huffman, a Clinton supporter on the committee, explained that the compromise was the next best thing to full seating.

"We will leave here more united than we came," she said.

Some audience members heckled her in response. "Lipstick on a pig!" one shouted.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080531/ap_on_...rimary_scramble

Officials say Fla., Mich. delegates will get half-votes

By NEDRA PICKLER and BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writers 1 minute ago

Democratic party officials said a committee agreed Saturday on a compromise to seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half-votes after Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton failed to get enough support to force their positions through.

The deal was reached after committee members met privately for more than three hours, trying to hammer out a deal, and announced in a raucous hearing that reflected deep divisions within the party. The sticking point was Michigan, where Obama's name was not on the ballot.

Clinton's camp insisted Obama shouldn't get any pledged delegates in Michigan since he chose not to put his name on the ballot, and she should get 73 pledged delegates with 55 uncommitted. Obama's team insisted the only fair solution was to split the pledged delegates in half between the two campaigns, with 64 each.

The committee agreed on a compromise offered by the Michigan Democratic Party that would split the difference, allowing Clinton to take 69 delegates and Obama 59. Each delegate would get half a vote at the convention in Denver this summer, according to the deal.

They also agreed to seat the Florida delegation based on the outcome of the January primary, with 105 pledged delegates for Clinton and 67 for Obama, but with each delegate getting half a vote as a penalty.

The resolution increased the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination to 2,118, leaving Obama 66 delegates short but still within striking distance after the three final primaries are held in the next three days.

Obama picked up a total of 32 delegates in Michigan, including superdelegates who have already committed, and 36 in Florida. Clinton picked up 38 in Michigan, including superdelegates, and 56.5 in Florida.

Obama's total increased to 2,052, and Clinton had 1,877.5.

A proposal favored by Clinton that would have fully seated the Florida delegation fully in accordance with the January primary went down with 12 votes in support and 15 against.

Tina Fluornoy, who led Clinton's efforts to seat both states' delegations with full voting power, said she was disappointed by the outcome but knew the Clinton position had "no chance" of passing the committee.

"I understand the rules. ... I can tell you one thing that has driven these rules was being a party of inclusion," Fluornoy said. "I wish my colleagues will vote differently."

The committee unanimously approved a measure supported by the Obama campaign that sat the delegates according to Clinton's winning vote in the Florida contest, but penalized the delegation by allowing each only half a vote.

"We just blew the election!" a woman in the audience shouted. The crowd was divided between cheering Obama supporters and booing Clinton supporters.

"This isn't unity! Count all the votes!" another audience member yelled.

Alice Huffman, a Clinton supporter on the committee, explained that the compromise was the next best thing to full seating.

"We will leave here more united than we came," she said.

Some audience members heckled her in response. "Lipstick on a pig!" one shouted.

Clintons peeps would only be happy if Hillary got her way!

So, judging by some of these people, both states should have been seated fully, and HRC should have gotten all the PDs in Mich.?

Isn't it the same church? The controversial pastor had retired. I believe this is the first one he quit. I suspect, he has gotten some grieve from the church.

Yes, it's the same church. The priest was a guest speaker. I think part of his decision has to do with minimizing the distraction for his campaign and it also benefits the church in that it help makes the church freer from the media scrutiny. Now whoever goes into the church can only refer to it as his former church and the fact of the matter is that he won't have ever attended the church under its new pastor.

I'm so glad that they reached a deal. It has been a massive clusterfuck all day. I think something is wrong with us if we spend an entire day following the Democratic party rules committee. :lol:

It says.........

Yes and I think that is giving him more mental capacity than he deserves. I think it is so funny that KO gets under his skin so bad.

KO almost lives for the Bill-O moments.

I just want to say to those of you who thought the DNC was going to vote for penalties......you were sooooooo right!!!!!

So, judging by some of these people, both states should have been seated fully, and HRC should have gotten all the PDs in Mich.?

Right and Obama shouldn't have gotten any delegates from MI. Ickes reserved the right for HC to challenge to the Credentials Committee. He was way over the top in his statement objecting to the MI motion. And the wacky thing is MI's reps got what it wanted in the compromise so fighting it exposes the fact that this is not about the voters at all.

Yes, it's the same church. The priest was a guest speaker. I think part of his decision has to do with minimizing the distraction for his campaign and it also benefits the church in that it help makes the church freer from the media scrutiny. Now whoever goes into the church can only refer to it as his former church and the fact of the matter is that he won't have ever attended the church under its new pastor.

It says.........

KO almost lives for the Bill-O moments.

I just want to say to those of you who thought the DNC was going to vote for penalties......you were sooooooo right!!!!!

Right and Obama shouldn't have gotten any delegates from MI. Ickes reserved the right for HC to challenge to the Credentials Committee. He was way over the top in his statement objecting to the MI motion. And the wacky thing is MI's reps got what it wanted in the compromise so fighting it exposes the fact that this is not about the voters at all.

There was no way that was going to happen and there was no way that there would be no penalties. If Hillary takes this to the convention -- and I don't think she will -- it is going to have a negative effect on her future. I believe she is already starting to realize that she is going to have to return to the Senate and at this point she is rightly or wrongly being held partially to blame for things that happen in the fall.

There was no way that was going to happen and there was no way that there would be no penalties. If Hillary takes this to the convention -- and I don't think she will -- it is going to have a negative effect on her future. I believe she is already starting to realize that she is going to have to return to the Senate and at this point she is rightly or wrongly being held partially to blame for things that happen in the fall.

ITA that there was no way around penalties and they're better off than they would have been if I had been the one deciding (though I might have halved them from the beginning).

Now the media is going to spend their time trying to push their "dream" ticket with the intention of pointing out all the flaws and problems.

WE'll see this week.

By Friday, this should be pretty darn close to being over. And those who are feeling that the wrong thing was done.......they need to ask this question.

Is it about the country, the party........or HRC?

WE'll see this week.

By Friday, this should be pretty darn close to being over. And those who are feeling that the wrong thing was done.......they need to ask this question.

Is it about the country, the party........or HRC?

Must you ask?

I can't believe that Ickles put Fowler's business on display by mentioning the man had drinks last night. It was almost implying that he's making his decision while impaired.

Nothing really changed for HC today because it isn't as if she hasn't already been including FL and MI in her selective popular vote total already.

Today may have reduced the remaining primaries to symbolic and we'll see if there was any impact on the turnout.

The soap opera actually starts tomorrow morning. The Sunday news shows come on, and we'll se what is said on MTP.

We already know what ass-kissing will take place on This Week.

I'll also say this......HI did NOT come off well this day. Especially after he walked out when he got checked early today.

Hillary Clinton will be offered a dignified exit from the presidential race and the prospect of a place in Barack Obama's cabinet under plans for a "negotiated surrender" of her White House ambitions being drawn up by Senator Obama's aides.

AP

Hillary, with husband Bill and daughter Chelsea, once looked a winner. Now with defeat looming, there are talks over a dignified endgame

The former First Lady would get the chance to pilot Mr Obama's reforms of the American healthcare system if she agrees to clear the path to his nomination as Democratic presidential candidate.

Senior figures in the Obama camp have told Democrat colleagues that the offer to Mrs Clinton of a cabinet post as health secretary or to steer new legislation through the Senate will be a central element of their peace overtures to the New York senator.

Mr Obama said on Thursday that he believed he would have secured the support of enough delegates to make him the standard bearer of his party in November's presidential election by the end of this week.

After today's primary election in Puerto Rico and Tuesday's final contests in Montana and South Dakota, the remaining super-delegates will come under huge pressure from fellow party grandees to declare their hands.

The Obama camp, however, remains nervous about Mrs Clinton's intentions and ambitions, and is preparing a face-saving package that will allow her to continue to play a role in health care reform, which has been her signature issue for more than a decade. Despite pressure from some Clinton allies, Mr Obama and his advisers do not wish to ask her to be his vice-presidential running mate. "They will talk to her," one Democrat strategist close to senior figures in the Obama camp told The Sunday Telegraph. "They will give her the respect she deserves. She will get something to do with health care, a cabinet post or the chance to lead the legislation through the Senate."

Another Democrat who has discussed strategy with friends in the Obama inner circle said that Mr Obama was openly considering asking Mrs Clinton to join his cabinet, alongside two other former presidential rivals: John Edwards, who is seen as a likely attorney general; and Joe Biden, who is a leading contender to become Secretary of State.

Mr Obama hinted at the plan last week. "One of my heroes is Abraham Lincoln," he said. "Lincoln basically pulled in all the people who had been running against him into his cabinet because whatever personal feelings there were, the issue was 'how can we get this country through this time of crisis?' And I think that has to be the approach that one takes."

Informal talks have already begun between Obama and Clinton fundraisers to discuss a merger, enabling Mr Obama to pay off Mrs Clinton's campaign debts of $11 million (£5.6 million). The third element of a peace deal was being worked out last night as Mr Obama's allies tried to arrange a compromise over the delegates from Florida and Michigan – states which Mrs Clinton won but which were stripped of their voting rights after moving election dates in breach of party rules.

Hundreds of Clinton supporters, mostly women, gathered in Washington yesterday to protest at what they saw as an injustice, as the Democratic Party's "rules and bylaws committee" worked on a way of ending the controversy.

Delegates are likely to be awarded in proportion with the votes cast, but in only half the numbers originally intended, a move that would help Mrs Clinton save face but would not challenge Mr Obama's delegate lead. "Hillary will get a win, but a small win," said the first Democrat strategist.

Tentative contacts have already taken place between Obama and Clinton aides over the endgame, but there have been no formal talks. Mrs Clinton's aides, while acknowledging that she will have to abandon her White House dream, do not feel they are in a position to negotiate on her behalf. "She has not surrendered in her own mind yet and until she does it's very difficult to have these conversations," the second strategist said.

Dee Dee Myers, the former press secretary to President Clinton, said: "It seems clear to me from watching her, and talking to people, that she doesn't really know what she wants." But after 17 months of campaigning, and $150 million (£76 million) spent, the question that haunts the Clinton camp is: how did someone who a year ago had unrivalled name recognition, a legendary campaign organisation and more money than her opponent contrive to throw it all away?

The answers come down to wrong message, wrong tactics, complacency, character – and, ultimately, the opponent. Even Clinton aides agree that she wrongly sold herself as a candidate of experience, when voters yearned for Barack Obama's message of change. Her campaign machine then failed to win January's crucial opening Iowa caucuses, handing lethal momentum to Mr Obama.

Her staff mistakenly believed they could knock her rival out by "Super Tuesday" on February 5, when 22 states voted. When that did not happen, she had neither the resources nor the organisation to compete in the succession of caucuses that followed, allowing Mr Obama to build the delegate lead he maintains to this day.

Mark Mellman, a Democratic pollster not affiliated to either camp, told The Sunday Telegraph: "We have known for two years that Democrats and voters in general are much more interested in change. Yet for reasons that are inexplicable, the Clinton campaign chose to be on the short end of that message stick."

Backed into a corner, Mrs Clinton responded with increasingly outlandish claims about her qualifications, including a ludicrous statement that she had braved sniper fire on a trip to Bosnia.

That, plus her subsequent insistence that she had merely "mis-spoken" rather than admitting she had got her facts wrong, raised new issues about her character.

In any case, Mr Mellman believes the decisive factor in her defeat was the one she couldn't control. "The most important thing was that she was up against Barack Obama. He is enormously talented."