John Cusack delivers the Moveon.org party line: You can’t tell the difference between George Bush and John McCain. Dare ya.
Archive Page 3
It’s way too early to prognosticate the election based on polls, but what’s a pollster to do in the meantime? Gallup finds a seven point lead for Obama among independents. They also find lower loyalty in each party (78 percent of Democrats say now they’ll vote for Obama). Thus, Gallup says, more party people may move and act like independence.
Ron Paul sings the praises of Libertarian candidate Bob Barr:
We are only now — a bit late — beginning to face up to sexism as a factor in the Democratic race and as an ongoing problem in America.
Katie Couric spoke out:
Sound bite: “It isn’t just Hillary Clinton who needs to learn a lesson from this primary season, it’s all the people who crossed the line and all the women and men who let them get away with it.”
The New York Times today delivers the stock on-the-one-hand, on-the-other-hand, try-to-say-nothing roundup that comes to no conclusion but does, at least, compile a few of the sins:
Cable television has come under the most criticism. Chris Matthews, a host on MSNBC, called Mrs. Clinton a “she-devil” and said she had gotten as far as she had only because her husband had “messed around.”Mike Barnicle, a panelist on MSNBC, said that Mrs. Clinton was “looking like everyone’s first wife standing outside a probate court.” Tucker Carlson, also on MSNBC, said, “When she comes on television, I involuntarily cross my legs.”
The establishment news media were faulted too. The New York Times wrote about Mrs. Clinton’s “cackle” and The Washington Post wrote about her cleavage.
Ken Rudin, an editor at National Public Radio, appeared on CNN, where he equated Mrs. Clinton with the actress Glenn Close in “Fatal Attraction.” “She’s going to keep coming back, and they’re not going to stop her,” Mr. Rudin said. He later apologized.
Howard Dean comes out to decry the sexism. Why didn’t he do this during the campaign?
Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic Party, who says he was slow to pick up on charges of sexism because he is not a regular viewer of cable television, is taking up the cause after hearing an outcry from what he described as a cross-section of women, from individual voters to powerful politicians and chief executives.“The media took a very sexist approach to Senator Clinton’s campaign,” Mr. Dean said in a recent interview.
“It’s pretty appalling,” he said, adding that the issue resonates because Mrs. Clinton “got treated the way a lot of women got treated their whole lives.”
Mr. Dean and others are now calling for a “national discussion” of sexism.
Howard Dean doesn’t watch Chris Matthews? Yeah, sure.
: And here’s The Times’ Nick Kristof writing the speech on sexism he wishes Obama would now deliver.
To counter some of the rumors circulating on the Internet (Obama is a Muslim; Michelle Obama ranted about “whitey” at the Trinity United Church of Christ, etc.), the Obama campaign has launched a Web site — fightthesmears.com — listing the various “smears” and providing evidence or sources to refute the claims.
They’re handling the “Barack Obama won’t say the Pledge of Allegiance” charge by posting a YouTube video of Obama leading the Pledge to open a Senate session. Supporters can also “spread the truth” to friends by emailing a suggested message:
Hey,
You may have heard some baseless rumors that Barack Obama won’t recite the Pledge of Allegiance or put his hand over his heart during he Pledge of Allegiance.
The truth is, Barack’s grandfather, a WWII veteran, taught him The Pledge of Allegiance and inspired his strong love of this country.
These attacks on Barack’s patriotism are completely false and designed to play into the worst kind of stereotypes.
Learn more about this and other anti-Obama smears and help push back with the truth: http://my.barackobama.com/fightthesmears
Together we can make sure these negative and divisive attacks don’t affect this campaign.
Thanks for your help.”
John McCain (the old candidate) is “confused” and “all over the place” with his Iraq policy says John Kerry in an interview with Keith Olbermann. (He forgot to say he’s also got drool on his chin.)
In a speech today in St. Louis, Barack Obama says his tax plan would “cut taxes for 95% of workers,“ while John McCain’s proposals would provide “tax breaks and loopholes” for big corporations and wealthy Americans. He also pledges to bring “Democrats and Republicans together” to provide “affordable, quality healthcare for all.”
In another last “thank you” to her supporters, Hillary Clinton channels Aretha once again. It’s all about “respect” for the “18 million people who have voted for me.” (And, like all things Clinton, it’s really all about her and her “future viability,” as Bill used to say.)
The presumptive Democratic nominee speaks to his adoring, earnest (and very substantial) staff at Chicago headquarters.
Now that Hillary Clinton’s gone, Jackie Broyles and Dunlap lament the comedic possibilities for the general election.
McCain’s camp posts a strategy briefing from Rick Davis, who admits that the environment for Republicans right now is, well, challenging: “Today’s political environment… is among the worst in modern history for Republicans.”
Here’s Hilary Clinton’s rousing speech handing the baton over to Barack.
I’m no warmonger says John McCain. In fact, “I hate war.” He says he’s running for president “to keep the country I love safe.”
Gallup looks at the segmentation between Obama and McCain. No big surprises. Among voters 18-29, Obama has 59 percent while among voters over 50 McCain has 50 percent. Regionally, McCain’s strength is all in the South.
Sound bite: “These things may change.” Oh, yeah
In a speech today in Bristol, VA Barack Obama said he doesn’t taken money from special interests and, from now on, neither will the Democratic National Committee.
Sound Bite: “We will not take a dime from Washington lobbyists or special-interest PACs. We’re going to change how Washington works. They will not fund my party. They will not run our White House and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I’m president of the United States of America.”
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