David Gergen Challenges Hillary to Denounce Racist Voters

This is truly refreshing. In last night's punditry after Hillary's Kentucky win, David Gergen and the other arrayed pundits called on her to stand up and tell racist voters that she doesn't want their vote. Will she? Fat chance.

Here's the video:



Money Quote from David Gergen:

You know race is really playing an increasing issue. And it also raises the question in my judgment of whether she shouldn't say, you know, if you want to vote against him because he's black, I don't want your vote. I don't want to win that way. This has no place in this primary.

Hillary and the Flesh Wound

I've seen comparisons made to this gem from Monty Python but now some dedicated supporters have edited in an Election 2008 soundtrack to it. It's hilarious.

Obama Leads McCain by 10 Points

A new Zogby poll says this morning that Barack Obama leads McCain 47%-37% in its Thursday-Sunday national telephone survey of 1,076 voters.

Obama Only 62 Delegates from the Nomination

Now that the tallies have been added up from Kentucky and Oregon, Obama is only 62 delegates away from locking up the nomination!

Racist Appalachians in Kentucky

Don't pay much mind to Clinton's win in Kentucky last night.

As noted on the Purple State Blog:

MSNBC just reported that 20% of Democratic primary voters in Kentucky told exit pollsters that race was a factor in their decision. And 90% of those voters voted for Senator Clinton.

That's 18% of all Democrats in Kentucky.

And those are the ones who felt comfortable telling a perfect stranger they were uncomfortable voting for Senator Obama [on the basis of his race].

As Andrew Sullivan noted, far be it from Hillary Clinton to openly reject the racist vote:

[Reader Comment:]

When will Hillary ever speak out against how horrible, how evil it is to vote against a black man -- because he's a black man? Seriously. I saw the same exit polls tonight and started to feel sick. 20% in Kentucky had no problem telling a total stranger they proudly voted against a black man?

But then I got angry because you know Hillary saw the exact same exit polls and passed up a chance to speak out against them. It would have been a mildly redeeming moment, too. After speaking fondly of Ted Kennedy, she could have brought up his civil rights record and then pivoted to how America is better than this. But no, she still selfishly and repulsively continues to drive her race and gender wedges for personal gain.

The Clintons have only one principle: their own power. Minorities are there to serve their purposes. If not, not. I saw this very vividly in the 1990s. They haven't changed. It's always only about them.

James Baker: Talking to Enemies not Appeasement

James Baker, obviously a weak-kneed liberal (who was Chief of Staff to Reagan and Secretary of State to George H.W. Bush) noted recently on Faux News that talking with your enemies is NOT "appeasement".

He went on to discuss his 16 trips to Syria (which was a state sponsor of terror at the time) during the first Bush administration and the fact that the administration -- via diplomacy (remember diplomacy?) -- was able to get Syria to tacitly recognize Israel's existence.

Here's the video:

Obama Victory Speech in Iowa - Video

Here is the video from Obama's victory speech in Iowa last night. As some commentators have noted, he stopped short of fully claiming the nomination but everyone knows (except maybe for Appalachia) that this thing is almost over (thank God!).

Time to Push Her Out

I agree with The Jed Report and Rachel Maddow on this. It is time to push Hillary Clinton out of the race. Barring a meteorite strike, she ain't getting out until she gets locked in the basement and someone throws away the key.

Obama Has a Majority of Available Pledged Delegates

With Obama's 16-point win over Clinton (58%-42%) in my home state of Oregon last night, he now has an absolute majority of the 3,253 pledged delegates from the primaries and caucuses that will vote in this primary season. The AP reports that Obama will likely come out at around 1,956 pledged delegates.

From the Obama camp:

We have won an absolute majority of all the delegates chosen by the people in this Democratic primary process.

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Quote of the Day

Terry McAuliffe, Clinton's normally on-message surrogate admitted yesterday that Obama will win the swing states of Ohio and Florida. So why is Hillary still in this thing?

Clinton’s most on-message talking head brings up his boss’s strength in Florida and Ohio before saying, "If Sen. Obama's the nominee, can we win these states? Of course."

Obama Dominates Nearly ALL Demographics

Ok, so now Gallup makes it official. Can we PLEASE stop feeding into the "working-class white people like Hillary" media ridiculousness?

Gallup shows Obama ahead of Clinton in ALL demographics, including whites (tied), women, less educated voters, working class voters, more educated voters and other minorities including Hispanics. The only demographic Clinton still does better in is old people. End of story. Full Stop.

Gallup: Obama Leads Clinton by 16%

In case you forgot the primary race is still ongoing, the newest Gallup tracking poll shows Obama with a whopping 1116% lead over Clinton:

Obama's previous largest lead was 11 percentage points, in May 15-17 and April 12-14 polling. His widening lead over Clinton has been evident in each of the last three days of tracking, after the two had been more closely matched earlier in the month.

75,000 Oregonians say "Yes, We Can"

I am so proud of my home state (where my sister just gave birth to my darling new niece, Madelyn Mey). Barack Obama drew a record crowd of 75,000 to his rally on the waterfront in Portland.

As the Washington Post described it:

The sea of heads stretches for half a mile along the grassy embankment, while others watch from kayaks and power boats bobbing on the Willamette River. More hug the rails of the steel bridge that stretches across the water and crowds are even watching from jetties on the opposite shore.

Here's a video to show you the mind-boggling number of people that turned out:



Update: Here's More, which includes parts of his speech:



Update: More Pics:

Mas Trabajo

Sorry for the infrequency of my posts lately but I'm flat-out on a project and working the weekend.

Right Wing Nut Gets Owned on Hardball

After watching this clip, in which Chris Matthews destroys a loud-mouthed rightwing talking head, makes me so very hopeful for the Democrat's chances in the fall. If this is all they got, the Republican party is going to be decimated.

Video of John Edwards Obama Endorsement Speech

Go John Edwards! I think the timing of his endorsement is fantastic. It helps mute any little press coverage of Hillary's meaningless WV win.

John Edwards to Endorse Obama!

Former Presidential candidate Senator John Edwards is set to endorse Barack Obama in a speech in an hour!

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NARAL Pro-Choice America Endorses Obama

This is quite a nice coup for Obama. Today the national NARAL PAC, NARAL Pro-Choice America, endorsed Obama:

Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC is proud to endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president. Sen. Obama has been a strong advocate for a woman's right to choose throughout his career in public office. He steadfastly supports and defends a woman's right to make the most personal, private decisions regarding her reproductive health without interference from government or politicians.

Sen. Obama has been a leader on this issue in the United States Senate. Since joining the Senate in 2005, he has worked to unite Americans on both side of this debate behind commonsense, common-ground ways to prevent unintended pregnancy. Sen. Obama supports legislation to provide our teens with comprehensive sex education, prevent pharmacies from denying women access to their legal birth-control prescriptions, and increase access to family-planning services.

We are confident that Barack Obama is the candidate of the future. Americans are tired of the divisive politics of the last eight years, and will unite behind Obama in the fall. We look forward to working with a pro-choice Obama White House in January.

States Where Obama Won > 60%

Here's a nice bit of perspective I got this morning:

States & elections won with 60% or more of the vote:
BARACK OBAMA: 15 States + DC + VI
* Virgin Islands (89.9%)
* Idaho (79%)
* Hawaii (76%)
* Alaska (75%)
* District of Columbia (75%)
* Kansas (74%)
* Washington (68%)
* Nebraska (68%)
* Minnesota (67%)
* Colorado (67%)
* Georgia (67%)
* Illinois (65%)
* Virginia (64%)
* Maryland (62%)
* North Dakota (61%)
* Wyoming (61%)
* Mississippi (61%)

HILLARY CLINTON: 2 States
* Arkansas (70%)
* West Virginia (67)

Barack also won Philadelphia alone with more votes than Hillary got in the entire state of West Virginia!

Um, Yay?

I am watching MSNBC's coverage of the West Virginia results (which, of course, Hillary won) and just listened to Andrea Mitchell describe the race:

This was a predominantly white, older, less-educated vote. It is the perfect vote for Hillary Clinton.

Um, yay for her?

How, in the vast expanse of twisted Washington thinking, do we think that the same idiot mass of racist, small-minded George Bush backers is a BONUS for the democratic nominee?

The time of the drooling, unthinking redneck voters is over. Let them thrash and whine about voting for the "colored guy".

Without any sympathy or quarter, let us show everyone, in this election, that you either evolve in this modern society or slink back to your ramshackle cellar to make funny business with your second cousin paramour.

Feh.

I (heart) Huckabee

As always, I have pause before praising former Republican presidential contender Mike Huckabee but, well, i repeatedly and consistently find him to be a generally honest, forthright person. I am watching MSNBC for the WV results and just heard Huckabee talk about the race, Obama and Clinton and,well, he reminded of an actual, normal, fair-minded person.

Sure, I find a vast bulk of what he advocates to be abhorrent but he seems like such a candid, likeable person.

In the grand scheme of things, I think the Republicans made a big mistake in nominating McCain. I think Mike Huckabee would be enough of a "real" person, with the right mix of base-pandering and acceptable personality to surpass what McCain will do. I think the sheen of McCain will slowly but inexorably rub off to show him for the wishy washy, lying hack that he is.

Mike, stay how you are.

Obama Tells Donors to Avoid 527s

Ah, what a breath of fresh air this man is:

Senator Barack Obama’s campaign is steering the candidate’s wealthy supporters away from independent Democratic groups, calling into question what had been expected to be the groups’ central role in this year’s Democratic offensive against Senator John McCain.

Obama’s national finance chairwoman, Chicago hotel mogul Penny Pritzker, told supporters at a national finance committee meeting in Indianapolis May 2, and in other conversations, not to give money to the groups, people familiar with her comments said.

Accidental Poetry

I accidentally came up with this when talking about the race today:

"Out with the old, in with the new.
A generational shift, long overdue."