Wednesday, May 7, 2008

The day after

The world seems a little bit different today. Because Barack Obama – just when he seemed his weakest, and Hillary Clinton seemed her strongest – Barack got his groove back, he got his mojo working, and now this thing seems over.

Contrary to what MSNBC reported last night about Sen. Clinton canceling her public appearances for today, she is in West Virginia right now. She just wrapped up a press conference. “I feel really good coming off our victory in Indiana,” she said.

Her spin mechanics are still out there spinning. “There is no reason for her to get out,” Terry McAuliffe told NBC’s Andrea Mitchell a short while ago. “She could win the popular vote... big wins in West Virginia, Puerto Rico...”

But the truth is in their eyes. The strength is gone.

Now that Hillary Clinton has sunk $11.4 million of her own money in this campaign, maybe she’s just going through the motions... hoping to make that money back.

28 comments:

DAK said...

Before yesterday, I thought it was about "who do we trust more to run the country?" Now, I see it has been even more basic all along, and ends up right back where it all began: "Do we like her? No. Do we like him? Yes."

Do we really want to drink a beer with this woman? God, no. Do we really want to talk about the future of our country with this man? Yes, right now.

Now Barack has six months to convince the rest of the county. He will do it.

Undercover Black Man said...

"Do we like her? No. Do we like him? Yes."

You're right, DAK. And that must be hard for her to take... the personal nature of this rejection. The rejection of a woman who has been on the national stage for 16 years.

I was thinking last night: "Hillary... America's just not that into you."

I hope she finishes this thing with dignity.

Thembi Ford said...

He's so so cute in this picture.

Yes, I am that drained by this process that it's all I can see anymore.

Michael Fisher said...

She's gunning for the VP spot as Co-President. And in 4 years as POTUS and Obama as VPOTUS.

Lola Gets said...

@Thembi
Yes, he does look yummy is this photo! And, listening to his various radio appeaerances lately, Ive discovered that hes got a hot voice too! Yeah, yeah, I know, a typical woman voter - please, I speak the truth.

L

Anonymous said...

Maybe It’s Time to Shine a Brighter Spotlight on Superdelegates

We don't need degrees in political science, applied mathematics, or psychology to figure out the race is over. At this stage, we should be most worried about how the actions or inactions of the Superdelegates will influence (1) the Democratic Party's warchest for the general election and (2) Obama's face-time in front of the swing-state voters who will choose our next President.

I'm not creative or deluded enough to think of a reasonable scenario in which the Democratic Party will be helped because the Superdelegates waited until June 6, 2008 to shut Clinton's campaign down. For many reasons, she might not acknowledge the will of the Democratic Party (and plenty of Independents) until Obama passes 2,000 overall delegates. One of those reasons is the one you touched on: she needs to get her $11.4 million (give or take $5 million) back by persuading folks to put even more money in her coffers so she can finish a strong second.

We all know rational and prudent Democrats should only be putting money into Obama's coffers at this point. Perhaps smart Republicans will invest in McCain by giving money to Clinton, so she and her husband can continue to tragically weaken the Democratic Party before the general election. It's kind of ironic though, that Hillary Clinton's refusal to bow out might hurt Obama somewhat, because I doubt Obama would be where he is today had Al Gore been elected in 2000, and the biggest reason why Gore didn't run away with that election was Bill Clinton's very public scandal.

At the end of the day, no one should be very upset with the Clintons. Their irrational hyper-megalomania prevents them from dropping out as long as they believe they have as good of a chance of winning the Democratic nomination as you and I do of winning the MEGA Millions Lottery. But the most frustrating fact is they are only in the race because the Superdelegates allow them to be. I suspect most of the Superdelegate holdouts are too inexperienced to know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. They are trying to maneuver for political gain, but they are doing it so artlessly and irresponsibly. The others are just plain dumb or disloyal and probably shouldn't be Superdelegates. Maybe a few believe a Black man should not be the next U.S. President, and they will hold out until they are forced to vote for him.

The Democratic Party and the progressive/liberal news media need to start looking past Clinton. She has showed us all what she can and can't do; what she will and won't do. Their focus needs to turn to the forthcoming Obama vs. McCain showdown and all the inept or disloyal undeclared Superdelegates who continue to vex us by postponing Obama's official primary victory. We need to shine a bright light on all the undeclared Superdelegates this week and next. Perhaps we'll discover that 100 to 200 of them are Undercover Republican Operatives who are, in effect, trying help elect McCain by refusing to vote for either Obama or Clinton.

Undercover Black Man said...

She's gunning for the VP spot as Co-President. And in 4 years as POTUS and Obama as VPOTUS.

The fuck you been smoking, Michael? And can I have some?

What happened to your original notion that she was out to sabotage Obama so he'd lose against McCain and she could run again in 2012?

Undercover Black Man said...

I'm not creative or deluded enough to think of a reasonable scenario in which the Democratic Party will be helped because the Superdelegates waited until June 6, 2008 to shut Clinton's campaign down.

Mr. Hopkins, thanks for commenting.

Maybe the superdelegates have seen all they need to see now, and will start moving to shut this thing down.

At this point, you're absolutely right that they're the ones to blame -- not Team Clinton -- if this thing continues to drag out.

Undercover Black Man said...

He's so so cute in this picture.

Yes, he does look yummy is this photo!


Diggin' the scene with a gangster lean!

SJ said...

She must be having nightmares at 3 AM about losing to a guy named Barack Hussein Obama. It's astonishing how the Clinton political powerhouse was not able to fully stand up to this guy.

I have to say, seeing her lose is mighty satisfying.

LeaNder said...

UBM: Kraut has a question.

I just had a look at the Theocon's Catholic network. I guess it was a bit dumb, but I just hated to see them discussing Rev. Wright ... And yes, Obama.

But there I was given this link:



Anyway, I tried to find her name via your search tool: "Akira Brian" /brianakira.wordpress.com. She does not give us her name; but she looks a little like Ayaan Hirsli, and the network, links: Horowitz, Pipes, fits in that context. What ya think?
Ayan Hirsli

Or am I so far off, as only a deaf, dumb and blind whitey can be?

LeaNder said...

why does it look fine in preview:

Link one:
http://brianakira.wordpress.com/



Link two:
Google Images Ayaan Hirsli:

Ayaan Hirsli

Looks fine in preview. Let's see ;)

LeaNder said...

F***!!!

This twice looked neat on preview and after I push the sent button it's all a mess.

I hope you realize I still know how to link, as you taught me.

But honestly. I have no idea what happens after I push the send button.

Undercover Black Man said...

I have to say, seeing her lose is mighty satisfying.

Don't cry for her, Argentina. If she doesn't burn her bridges with the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton could still be one of the most powerful women on Earth.

Phelps said...

As someone who has been across the aisle from the Clinton Machine and running against it, why does it sound like she is saying, "whatever you do, don't throw me in that briar patch"?

I doubt Obama would be where he is today had Al Gore been elected in 2000, and the biggest reason why Gore didn't run away with that election was Bill Clinton's very public scandal.

o rly? Are you sure it wasn't because Al Gore was a weak candidate, just like Bob Dole, and just like John Kerry, who ran on "I'm a war hero" and nothing else?

Michael Fisher said...

Mills...

"What happened to your original notion that she was out to sabotage Obama so he'd lose against McCain and she could run again in 2012??"

The 90%+ black block vote. That's what happened. If she is perceived by that blpck vote to have cost Obama the election there ain't no way that she would be able to get the black vote behind her four years from now. And like it or not, no Democrat is gonna win any type of national election without that vote.

So if she gets on the ticket it is a win-win situation for her. If Obama/Clinton loses she's got a good argument to the black bloc that it wasn't due to her since clearly she was on the ticket. So this way she can run in 2012.

If he does get elected she gets to be Co-POTUS or, in 2012 even POTUS with Obama VPOTUS (though the latter is unlikely).

Michael Fisher said...

Leander, was soll'n das von wegen "Kraut"?

Undercover Black Man said...

Leander: I don't know who that blogger is... but the picture is Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Perhaps a tribute?

Anonymous said...

Don't cry for her, Argentina. If she doesn't burn her bridges with the Democratic Party, Hillary Clinton could still be one of the most powerful women on Earth.

She will swallow your souls.

Anonymous said...

It feels like that moment in a James Bond movie where the villian looks dead, but you know they are gonna pop up one more time, the hero truly kills them, and then goes on to save the world and kiss the girl.

Undercover Black Man said...

^ I've avoided bringing up wooden stakes or silver bullets... because I don't wanna piss dez off.

LeaNder said...

Doesn't show up????

Try it again.

Michael: Ich bin ein Kraut. Strictly "eine Krautin". A good friend in London called me thus. I somehow loved it.

UBM: So I was correct. Hmmm now the warmongering priests and McCain supporter have blocked me anyway, it seems.

OBAMA WILL WIN!!!

Anonymous said...

^ I've avoided bringing up wooden stakes or silver bullets... because I don't wanna piss dez off.

Fear the power of the uterus! ;-)

It'll take more than wooden stakes, silver bullets, garlic, and wolfsbane to stop Hillary. Another intern might work, though.

monkeys said...

how's it going UBM? i happened upon your blog through Sepinwall's (damn why did the WIRE end?!) and have been devouring the archives instead of working. thanks!

i have some trepidation about obama. it isn't based on anything political or philosophical. it's based on fiction.

it's the too-good-to-be-true rule. i mistrust obama because dammit, anytime there's a too-good-to-be-true politician in any piece of fiction, literary or cinematic, he/she always ends up ushering in the friggin' apocalypse! martin sheen in the dead zone being a prime example (screw his WEST WING presidency).

it's retarded, i know. beyond retarded. but dammit, there's a naggin feeling right there in my stomach.

well, there's that and the fact that he's too slick. sheeeeeeit, in the middle of a staff meeting yesterday, when obama's name came up, i managed to piss of my co-workers by callin Obama a peterson avenue car salesman (i'm from the Chi so, to make better sense, think al pacino in glengarry glen ross). my man seems to be selling the same shit we bought before.

maybe it's just me.

justjudith said...

i can't wait to see her go. she has to be humiliated -- he just had the worst month of his campaign, he looked like he was losing momentum but finally people seem to be waking up. you have to think for yourself. and it's more than just not liking her. it's not TRUSTING her.

Undercover Black Man said...

it's not TRUSTING her.

Yup, Judith. And once that's gone, there is no getting it back.

That right there has been her biggest problem from jump street.

Anonymous said...

I'm praying that one of her many, many creditors to come to one of her town hall meetings and serves her with a subpoena for non payment. I've read a couple of articles that hint that she wants the Obama campaign to pay off her debts and then she'll go away quietly. This can't be true. Waitresses don't give up their tip money that they donated to Obama's campaign to pay the bills of a multi-millionaire. Hell no to that idea!

She's run a bad campaign and NO, I don't like her.

And, yes, he was a cutie in college. Look at that smile: not a care in the world. I hope he can get that back.

HIM said...

Controversy is brewing in Marietta where a local tavern owner is selling T-shirts that feature a cartoon chimp, “Curious George” peeling a banana, with the words “Obama in ‘08” written underneath.

Mulligan’s Bar and Grill owner Mike Norman defends his actions and calls the T-shirts “cute.” But critics say they’re offensive and racist, according to an article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“It’s time to put an end to this,” said Rich Pellegrino, a Mableton resident and director of the Cobb-Cherokee Immigrant Alliance. “There’s no place for these views, not in this day and age,” he said.

Several groups plan to protest the T-shirts this afternoon in front of the bar located down the street from the Big Chicken.

Is this a matter of free speech or is the shirt racially motivated?

What are your thoughts?