Barack Obama Elected President!

[2shane8]

This is a good post. Personally, I don't know if Obama embraces all people either. Do you really think he cares genuinely about the working class of America, or simply about the upper classes and college-educated? This is where I think Hillary would be a good partner for him.

You make continual reference to the "divisive" things Hillary said, but I think Obama's church and his comments about rural people were divisive to many as well.

I don't know that there is such a thing as a perfect candidate.

[GHJunkie4Life]

About the sexist thing....I also agree that he doesn't necessarily need to pick a woman and to me I think it would be better if he picked a man just to avoid that pitfall of "Why not Hilary?"

About Obama caring...are you really falling for that old Republican trick straight out of the playbook? That he's somehow an elitist prick because he went to Harvard? The guy was born into a poor family. He worked his butt off like myself and other young black men and women of my generation (22 here) are doing right now to reach where he's at today.

He knows about struggles and he knows that life isn't easy. I do not think for one second that Obama thinks he's better than anyone else in this country....

[Wales2004]

I'm not sure how a person who lived off food stamps at one point in his life would not care about working class people. It seems that he was raised by working class people. I suppose people can go from being poor to well off and despise having been in poverty but I don't think it's the case with him. It seems that all of those experiences went into shaping him. I don't understand the problem in someone going from struggling to getting a good education and living a better life. Both HC and McCain tagged him as elitist but they had a far more comfortable upbringing than he did and they make a lot more money than he does so I'm not seeing where he is an elitist and they aren't.

They tagged him as elitist because they wanted people to believe that he looks down on working class people on the basis of a poorly phrased comment.

First off I don't see how Obama's church and anything said in that church equates to his being divisive. If you said he personally made those statements then I would understand. I don't think people should be held accountable for anything said by other people they didn't instruct to say such things. I don't think the media should bring the church into the presidential race period because I don't think the media is in a position to judge religious practices unless there is an actual crime being committed.

He said his comment about being people being bitter and clinging to guns and religion was poorly phrased and I believe it was. I didn't find them offensive at all but then I'm not that sensitive. I don't care if anyone calls me bitter because sometimes I am bitter. I don't cling to guns and I don't think people cling to religion because they're bitter but I think that whole thing was made into more than it is.

I don't excuse his comments but he made them at a fund raiser and he should have been more careful about what he said. HC made her comments in response to a question about how she was going to win the nomination. You and I see things differently and I find it more offensive to use the statement hardworking white people than to say rural people are bitter about their economic situation. The flip side of his comments are that non rural people are not bitter about or bitter enough about their economic situation to cling to guns or religion. The flip side of hers are that only white people are hardworking or that other hardworking people are not significant or that people who don't work hard are insignificant or even that people who are not white are not significant...maybe because they don't work hard anyway.

As a general rule, I am not big on politicians because they usually talk a good game and don't do whatever it is that I want done. But life is not about me so I try to decide who is the better of the usually bad bunch. I haven't seen the perfect candidate so far.

I am already annoyed by constantly hearing that McCain is running for a third Bush term. I don't think he's George Bush or wants to be George Bush. I think he's another person that wants to be President and he has a lot of things in common with George Bush but they're not the same person. I don't agree with him that Obama is running for a second Jimmy Carter term. Politics is somewhat interesting but it's also a big pain with the name calling and mudslinging instead of the focus on things of substance.

[Roman]

Campaigns Collide Over McCain Remark

By BRIAN KNOWLTON

Published: June 11, 2008

WASHINGTON — The war over the war exploded anew here on Wednesday. Advocates and spinmasters for both presumptive presidential nominees jumped into all-out battle after Senator John McCain, when asked whether he now had a better idea when American troops could return home from Iraq, replied, “No, but that’s not too important.”

Election GuideMore Politics NewsMr. McCain quickly added that American forces were still in South Korea, Japan and Germany long after the wars there, able to remain because they had no fear of casualties. His comments were not much different from what he has said before — that troop presence in a pacified country is not problematic — though he no longer suggests that Americans might still be in Iraq in 100 years.

“We will be able to withdraw,” the Republican senator told an NBC interviewer, “but the key to it is we don’t want any more Americans in harm’s way."

But Senator Barack Obama’s campaign used part of its concerted instant-response approach that is notable for its speed, volume and intensity — the type of approach that has come to characterize both sides . It quickly set up a conference call with reporters in which Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts and two foreign-policy specialists, both veterans of the Clinton administration, skewered Mr. McCain for his comment.

Mr. Kerry called Mr. McCain’s statement “unbelievably out of touch and inconsistent with the needs and concerns of Americans,” particularly military families, who he described as caring very much indeed about getting the troops home soon.

“What Senator McCain has again articulated,” Mr. Kerry said, was “a policy not for ending war or bringing troops home. It’s a policy for staying in Iraq.”

Also taking part in the call were Susan E. Rice, a former assistant secretary of State for Africa, and Richard J. Danzig, a former navy secretary. And at least two senior Democratic senators, Harry Reid of Nevada and Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, separately issued denunciations of Mr. McCain’s comment.

The McCain camp responded in little more than an hour, announcing its own high-profile conference call involving two prominent supporters of the presumptive Republican candidate — Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut and Senator John Thune of South Dakota, as well as Randy Scheunemann, a foreign policy adviser to the campaign.

Mr. Lieberman, an independent who often votes with Democrats but has been hawkish on Iraq, said, “I view the attacks on Senator McCain this morning as another partisan attempt to distort John McCain’s words, to distract the American people from the fact that McCain has been both courageous and right about the surge in Iraq, and Barack Obama has unfortunately been consistently wrong.”

He said he found “most outrageous” the suggestion that Mr. McCain, a former naval aviator who spent five years in a prison camp in Hanoi, where he was tortured, might be “out of touch with the needs of our troops and insensitive to their families.”

Iraq actually accounted for only a small part of Mr. McCain’s interview on the NBC’s “Today,” which dealt much more with gasoline prices and the economy. He emphasized the need to develop alternative energy sources and curb greenhouse gas emissions — both areas of agreement with his Democratic rival.

Still, the stinging back-and-forth volley emphasized how vital both sides see it to score points quickly when they can and to never let potentially damaging remarks hang in the air too long without being corrected or put into context.

The Obama campaign saw fit to do that over a comment little different from what Mr. McCain had said before — a maneuver that might reflect a lesson learned by Senator Hillary Clinton during her recently suspended campaign.

In that case an early reference Mrs. Clinton had made about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968 went largely unnoticed. But when she repeated it, it exploded in her face, despite her protests that she was merely using it to establish a timeline. The sensitivities of an evolving campaign against the man who seeks to be the first black president had changed the atmosphere.

[Roman]

Bill and Hillary Clinton have drawn up lists of "enemies" who betrayed them during the Democratic primary campaign by supporting Senator Barack Obama.

AP

The Clintons have drawn up a list of enemies who "betrayed" them during the Presidential primary process

There is also a list of friends who have stayed loyal throughout the long and bitter race, which ended in defeat last week, and would be eligible for preferential treatment at a later date.

The tally of traitors is dominated by former Clintonites whom the couple, especially Mr Clinton, believe owed their careers to the former president and first lady.

Top of the list is thought to be Bill Richardson, now Governor of New Mexico and former energy secretary and United Nations ambassador, who gave Mr Obama a glowing endorsement after dropping out of the race himself, and only weeks after being pictured watching the Super Bowl with Mr Clinton.

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"I know they're unhappy, but I've been on these lists before," Mr Richardson told the New York Times.

Other A-List betrayers include James Clyburn, the third-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, Gregory Craig, Mr Clinton's lawyer in his impeachment trial, Senator Claire McCaskill of Missouri and various members of the Kennedy political clan.

Terry McAufliffe, who was chairman of Mrs Clinton's campaign, said: ""The Clintons get hundreds of requests for favours every week. Clearly, the people you're going to do stuff for in the future are the people who have been there for you."

The list is being kept by Doug Band, a Clinton from the White House era, according to the New York Times.

[Roman]

Poll: Obama rapidly picks up more women voters' support

WASHINGTON, June 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama picked up more support from women voters soon after his decisive win in the presidential nomination race, according to a poll released on Wednesday.

The Gallup poll conducted from June 5 to 9 showed that the Illinois Senator was supported by 51 percent of women voters, compared to 38 percent for his Republican rival, Arizona Senator John McCain.

Another poll conducted a week earlier showed Obama's lead over McCain in women voters' support by only 5 percentages.

The Gallup said that many older and married women voters shifted their support from Obama's former rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, to him was a reason to explain his surge.

The matchup of McCain and Obama in winning the support from married women voters was used to be 52-40, but now changed to 45-45, according to the polling body.

It said that female voters had to take a second thought over Obama since their candidate, Clinton, was not in the race any more.

"Indeed, his current 13-point advantage over McCain is essentially the same advantage that Clinton held over McCain throughout her active candidacy."

Obama also saw his popularity growing among male voters.

In a newest Gallup poll, McCain's lead over Obama in male votes by 47 to 45 percent, compared to 49 to 43 percent in an earlier poll.

[Ryan]

Oy McCain.....

[Jess]

I don't think either one of them was overly divisive. They each came close, but I think they knew when to stop. Both of them made mistakes. He tripped over his dick and she stepped on her tits more than once. I'm glad it happened in the primary. It was a campaign and now it is over. And both of them do genuinely care about working people. Neither Hillary nor Obama grew up wealthy. Both of them have made their life's working helping the under-privileged. As much as people hate to think of it in these terms, both are unreconstructed liberals. They are both good people in my opinion. Obama was an organizer and Hillary was very instrumental in The Children's Defense Fund. McCain isn't a bad guy either and I think he really loves this country and wants to help people. I just think there are fundamental differences between Obama and Clinton and McCain and how they want to address the country's problems. I think there are differences in how they see the country's problems. There are not fundamental difference between Obama and Clinton. Their differences in my opinion are more, well, I guess in the nitty gritty.

I think a lot of the fighting going on right now between his supporters and her former supporters are more just arguing than anything that threatens the November election.

Oh [!@#$%^&*] :lol: As soon as I finished writing this I read the article about "the list." You know what, I'm going to put that on Bill's former supporters and not Hillary. She is a smart woman and knows that she needs those people as her friends if she is to be accomplished in the senate. There, pretty good rationalization, huh?

[David_Vickers]

John McCain's comments during his Matt Lauer TODAY interview shows why he's so out of touch with Americans and the troops. Yes Joe Lieberman (you old cowardly Republican you) that's the fact, you idiotic fool. If not, then McCain may just be senile or stupid as f*ck like W.

[Jess]

I vote supid as f*ck like W. :lol: Why doesn't he just come out and say that he is going to pull the troops out and stop dancing around this, well we have troops here or there and blah blah. Everybody know that Iraq is different than our troops in Germany or Korea. Troops there get shot in bars and that is about it.

[Wales2004]

One of the downsides of defending yourself is that even though you didn't start the fight and you may not have wanted to fight, you get labeled with the same tag as the person who started it. Somehow your minor deflective blows become the equivalent of the other person's major jabs. Had Obama engaged in blatant racial divisiveness that had the ability to not only get a party to take a step backwards but a nation as well, I would take issue with him as well. To be sure life is unfair but that's what makes overcoming the odds even sweeter.

I will defend the Clintons on their list regardless of which one is more responsible for it. They're human beings who keep score just as many other people do. I think they are wholly justified in feeling as they do. It changes nothing since they still have to work with people who they don't like or who don't like them on a regular basis. This list is a silly way of trying to make them look more vindictive than others.

[Roman]

Wednesday, June 11, 2008 20:40 EDT

Fox News calls Michelle Obama "Obama's baby mama"

An alert reader wrote in just a little while ago to let us know about something he'd spotted on Fox News Wednesday afternoon. During a segment discussing conservative attacks against Michelle Obama, the wife of presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama, the network described the former as "Obama's baby mama."

I checked, and sure enough, as you can see below, our e-mailer was right. In fact, that description was displayed on-screen several times during the segment, which featured anchor Megyn Kelly and conservative blogger Michelle Malkin, an FNC contributor.

A clip of the segment in its entirety is below. You may notice that at one point, Malkin says, "By the way, it's not just Republicans who are criticizing some of her comments, but also statements have been made in the left-leaning blog Salon about her comments." I've searched the site, and I can't find anything like what Malkin is talking about. I've e-mailed Malkin asking for clarification -- if and when she responds, I'll update this post.

Update: Malkin responded to my e-mail; she says she misspoke and that she meant to refer to Slate, not Salon.

[Ryan]

I agree with ya Wales.

[EricaKane70]

^^^Roman, fox is just too ridiculous to even try to get clarification from, this is the same network that called obama/michelle's fist jab last tuesday a "terrorist fist jab," so in their logic more than half the U.S. has performed a terrorist act by doing a terrorist fist jab. Fox is grasping at straws because they know their candidate sucks compared to obama. They have tried to get obama with him being a muslim, rev wright drama, pics of obama in african attire( I believe that was them and not hillary), pin flags, saying his middle name a million times, being pro-hillary because they thought she was the weaker candidate, and now a terrorist fist-jab. I really can't wait tell obama and McCain debate, I think obama can get the hulk to come out of McCain and then McCain's image will be more screwed than it already is.

[Roman]

(CNN) – More Americans believe Sen. Barack Obama is better suited to handle the No. 1 issue on voters' minds — the country's economic woes – than his likely rival in the fall election, Sen. John McCain.

In what could be a warning sign for the Republican presumptive presidential nominee, a new poll released by CNN and the Opinion Research Corporation found that 50 percent of registered voters nationwide say the Illinois senator would best handle the economy, while only 44 percent said the same for McCain.

The news could be particularly troublesome for McCain given voters nationwide have consistently ranked the economy as the most important issue currently facing the country. In a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released last week, 42 percent of registered voters named the ailing economy as their most pressing concern, almost twice the amount that named Iraq — the second most important issue. In the same poll, nearly 80 percent of Americans said the country's economic conditions were in poor shape.

CNN Polling Director Keating Holland notes that Obama's edge over McCain on the economy is even higher among voters most concerned with the issue.

"Voters who say the economy is the country's number-one problem say that Obama would do a better job than McCain on the economy by a 57 percent to 39 percent margin," Holland said.

The new poll doesn't offer McCain all bad news however. A majority of voters say the Arizona Republican is better suited than Obama to handle foreign policy issues. McCain repeatedly touts his foreign policy credentials on the campaign trail and 54 percent of voters aid he is best suited to handle such matters. Forty-three percent gave the nod to Obama when it came to foreign policy.

But overall, voters said Obama tends to agree with them more so than McCain on the issues that matter most — 56 percent said Obama is in agreement with them on the most vital issues compared to 50 percent who said the same for McCain.

Meanwhile, both candidates score high marks when it comes to leadership qualities — 66 percent said McCain has the necessary leadership qualities needed to be president while 63 percent said the same for Obama.

In what appears to be a draw for both candidates, the poll also shows voters are evenly split on whether leadership skills or the candidates' stances on the issues is most important in deciding their vote. (47 percent say leadership qualities is most important while 46 percent say their stance on the issues is.)

Holland notes Obama has the clear edge among voters most concerned with issues while McCain does nearly as well with those most looking for leadership qualities.

"Voters who say that issues are more important than the candidates' personal qualities are going for Obama by a 58 percent to 37 percent margin," he said. "But McCain has a 53 percent -41 percent edge among voters who sya that personal qualities are more important than the candidates' stands on the issues."

The poll comes as both candidates have increasingly made efforts to appeal to voters most threatened by the economic woes. Obama kicked off a two-week campaign tour Monday that focuses on the economy and takes him through several battleground states that will be up for grabs in November. He's specifically targeting white working class voters, a demographic that repeatedly supported Hillary Clinton in the primaries.

John McCain is also aggressively targeting those voters this week, and is attempting to paint Obama as a typical Democrat who wants to raise taxes and regulate government.

"On tax policy, health-care reform, trade, government spending and a long list of other issues, we offer very different choices to the American people," he said earlier this week.