Moment of truth?
Well here we go. Pennsylvania is the next potential moment of truth. Though the truth is that the moment of truth has probably already passed.
An interesting take here on the Obama campaign in Philly - is it such a bad thing if they alter the way things have been done in the past?
A Clinton fundraiser sits in my kitchen and reveals that the money is still flowing in BUT small sums mainly from individuals giving as little as $25 a time. It's not enough to be viable.
Approaches to Clinton people with access to sources of money are coming now from the Obama folk. The vultures are circling.
As for the debate - Furrlessgerbil (surely not your real name?) I take your point and the other serious-minded folk who think I am as light-weight as the ABC team: but Earmark Reform? Really? Cuba? I still think the debate touched some of the issues that, for better or worse, will matter in November
Mind you, DrCahil (debate take two) deserves a reply from ABC if only for the record .....
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It does not matter much at this stage what happens. Obama will be the candidate and will lose in November.
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Justin,
Thanks for the blogs and links provided.
An interesting paper on relevant foreign policy matters:
http://www.fpif.org/fpiftxt/4803
Responses welcome
Salaam/Shalom/Shanthi/Dorood/Peace
Namaste -ed
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You've invited a Clintonite into your kitchen? You're a brave man, Justin - hope you've bolted down that sink.
I think that for quite a few people it might come as a great relief if Pennsylvania did, indeed, prove to be the turning point in the Democrats' nomination. I'm not banking on that happening, though. I suspect that Clinton will win by a bit more than the current poll averages of 5-6%, thereby throwing her another lifeline.
North Carolina and - especially - Indiana might be a different story though, especially if, during the next two weeks, superdelegates start heeding Howard Dean's call to commit.
Then again, they may of course do just that - only to support Clinton. At which point some of us may start to giggle uncontrollably.
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Thoughts on Pennsylvania:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120873382608729735.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
A fine place with fine folk.
xx
ed
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Moment of truth in accounting?
http://www.americablog.com/2008/04/ap-clintons-campaign-in-red-debts.html
Does anyone know what the legal and/or ethical ramifications are for a campaign which ends up owing millions? Is it legal or ethical to continue to solicit contributions for an officially lost cause?
Which debtors would take precedence in a bankruptcy process? HRC's own loan to herself or those who have provided services, but have not been paid?
Just wondering
ed
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The link to the LA Times article above is showing 'not found', but we do need a different approach. Obama is running to change the way things are done in Washington. Clinton is an insider who unsuccessfully approached health care reform as first lady and is beholden to the special interests that fund her campaign.
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Beholden indeed...
Although an upset is possible, PA is OH on steroids and she should do quite well. The race will be over May 6 after IND and NC.
Most of the Clinton donors are tapped out ($4600 max) and she does not have a large donor base to solicit significant contributions from the internet.
Justin may have been referring to Obama's refusal to pay street (bribe) money to democratic party operatives for get out the vote drives in urban areas like Philadelphia.
It may cost him some points on Tues.
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I agree that DrCahil's contribution was intriguing - assuming it's genuine. That would help explain, at least in part, what I thought was a strange debate, one which seemed to have the purpose of fuelling acrimony without much substance.
Flag pins and your pastor's 'love for the country' seem like bizarre issues - even if wrapped up as character questions.
And given Ayers is now a community worker and professor - is this "unrepentant terrrorist" more dodgy to work with than Gerry Adams (or Peter Robinson for that matter)?
In comparison to the UK - at least the US gets to elect its head of state, and isn't simply lumbered with a family which owns most of the land in the country. Congratulations to the founding fathers for cutting the cord!
What a shame therefore if this fascinating election process gets bogged down in ludicrous dissections of patriotism. Especially when the world could use a positive lead from the US on issues like food, energy, climate and international relations.
PS - thanks to Ed for the interesting links!
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Justin, think some of your links have somehow had a
tag added to it, meaning it won't work on firefox. I think the link you mean is
The FT link still works, but it breaks the LA times link, which should be http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-obamaphilly20apr20,1,1098310.story
Possibly worth passing on to your blog people?
(You may not spot this in IE, but it is a problem)
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LA Times link
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/
xx
ed
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A big contributor to the Clinton campaign is an institution in Colombia with primary goals promoting literacy and prosperity in Colombia.
http://www.liderazgoygestion.com/quienes_somos.html
Is it proper for its resources to be used in political campaigns in the USA? Is it legal? Ethical? Moral?
Gold Service International is fronted by a Clinton insider and former chief Economist for the World Bank, Lawrence Summers, for whom a visit to Wikipedia may be worthwhile.
xx
ed
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And, on a more serious note...
interesting to see that "the boss" Springsteen came out to endorse Sen. Obama (although his endorsement for Kerry didn't seem to help all that much). I can't help wondering which way other US music biz icons such as Dylan and Baez are leaning...
And how about Tom Waits?
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"Obama is running to change the way things are done in Washington."
To me Obama's "new politics" looks like a rehashed version of the "old washington politics". He is as much an insider as Clinton and McCain.
All he has done is repackage and re-brand his snakeoil as something else.
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Re #12: Joan Baez I know endorsed Obama some months ago but I've heard nothing regarding Dylan. The indie-rock bands are for Obama. As for this Pennsylvania primary: the actual results won't change anything - surely Indiana is the important state now?
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Too late. The government has acquired the power to tax without limitation, to spend without limitation, refuses to protect out borders or enforce our laws. Now they have acquired to power to take children from their families because of a bogus phone call from someone who doesn't like their religion. Government without limits is a dictatorship and all three candidates at this time are wanna be dictators. Too late.
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Tomorrow, 100% of votes in Pennsylvania will be cast on electronic voting machines that will render every vote unverifiable, un-auditable, and, perhaps, uncounted. That is the real moment of truth.
Forget flag pins and guilt by association, why aren’t the American people, both Democratic candidates, and George Stephanopoulos screaming about election integrity from the rooftops?
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Clinton and Obama tearing each other apart is grist to the McCain mill, and it is obvious that this negative campaigning will continue up to the Democratic convention. On another note, anyone believing that Obama raised $42 million in March from "small" donors has to have rocks in his or her head.
As to Elton John raising money for Billary, what arrogance on his part that he feels like he has the right to stick his nose into American politics.
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I do not think you are a lightweight like the ABC people. I enjoy your blog...
However we are seeing dramatic change occuring in Cuba. The country is opening up, liberalizing one might even say.
The canidates take two dramatically different approaches. Hillary says no to even talking to their leadership, while Obama hints at the possibility of opening relations. We should have a discussion about wether or not we continue to keep up the economic embargo that is older than a majority of Americans, and wether or not it is in our bust interest (think agricultural exports)
If we talked about this kind of issues, they would matter a lot more to voters than bittergate, bowling scores, drinking crown royal in bars, hair cuts, and misstatements.
And earmark reform would certainly be nice, since the hidden nature of earmarking public funds is part of the reason that we have a massive repeating annual deficit.
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