Political Punch

Idespise the way the Clintons practice politics.

Underhanded smears, planted media stories, surogate attacks, and then for good measure they whine that they are being attacked every time Obama tries to defend himself or draw contrast.

Repulsive. I hope that my party has had enough of the politics of sleeze and distortion. How can any HRC supporter justify this kind of behavior?

Hussein is the middle name of Obama.It is a name generally given to a muslim person. But the person does not have to be a muslim. Why should it be such a touchy issue for Obama people, unless there is some remote connection?

Oh my, somebody's already bringing out the whole George Soros bit already.

New Day = New Rhetoric

lionred - your Democrat party is already ruined taken over by Socialists like Hilary, Obama and Edwards with their puppet master George Soros. 16 years of Clinton is enough we do not need them anymore.

katharine - his plan also uses our tax paying dollars to destroy our health care system , the best in the world, and also supplies other countries citizens with health care on us, ie Illegal Immigrants.

Democrats with Obama at head of our party in '08, we will lose...big time! Don't let your liberal idealism and media hype, ruin our party. If we unwisely select Obama, we Democrats will not only lose the Presidency, but the House, and the Senate too. Too much is at stake, after eight years of George Bush. As Bill Clinton advised, we would be taking one hell of a risk on Obama. I for on will not for Obama as president. I genuinely believe that he is not qualified and currently he seems to getting too much favorable press...thus a free ride. I have heard absoulutely nothing from him, that rises to the level of the media hype he receives. Democrats, let us put our pie in the sky dreaming aside and start thinking logically. The best person for the job his Hillary Clinton. However, if she doesn't sit well with you, a vote Edwards, Biden, or Richardson would be best. Each of these three have the experience to win the White House and do our country proud. As for Obama, we should only seriously consider him once he gets the necessary experience

Barack is a closet Muslim. His bloodline (father and grandmother) is loaded with that religion. I'm never going to vote for a muslim to lead this country. Just like a muslim country would never vote for an American to lead it. America increasingly is becoming such a silly country. We get bombed by Osama, now we foolishly want to elect Obama. We go to Iraq to hang Hussein, only to elect him a year later!!! How stupid America has become? If we elect Obama, we deserve to be completely destroyed or converted by those radical bastards!!!

Like HumbleTruthSeeker, I once had profound respect for Bob Kerrey. His statements yesterday shocked and disgusted me.

As to the statement that "madrassa" is "school" in Arabic: True but, last time I looked, Arabic was not the native tongue of Indonesia.

The appalling tactics of the Clinton machine are no surprise but still disturbing. My fear is that voters will fail to see through their tactics, just as they refused to see the truth about Bush, Rove & Co.

I also fear Bush 41 is too much of a gentleman to publicly denounce Pres. Clinton's statement that sending the two men out to repair Bush 43's failed foreign policy will be the first item on Hillary's Oval Office agenda. That Clinton would dare make such a statement is only more proof that what's good for the Clintons trumps the good of the country, not to mention the truth. As if Bush 41 will just roll over for a Clinton 44!!!

If her campaign is any sign of how she'd run her White House, we should take note now and refuse to give her our vote.

I've been a Democrat since Her Royal Highness was a Goldwater Girl. If she is the candidate next November, I'll vote GOP or write in a name before I'd hold my nose and vote for her. DISGUSTING...

Why is Barack Hussein Obama insulted by his name?

Will someone tell Senator the war is lost Reid that he insults the American People. Also he said it did he not, even in his response, what a coward.

Will someone also explain to him what a civil war is!

the Iraqi Parliment is getting along better then Reids Democrat Senate and Iraq is getting more stuff done the the libs.

As far as Hillary and Obama, they both are libs just one is worse then the other, let you decide.

It seems that the libs get offended easily does it not, they attack the Republicans, the conservatives, the military with lies and treasonist comments, but if someone state the truth about them they start crying they are offended. Well I guess they prove the truth hurts.

"Going to the extra length to include his middle name is just an attempt to emphasize his extremely minimal muslim heritage..."

If I had a middle name that reflects my heritage, I would be grateful to people going to the extra length to include it. I am not even claiming that I want to unite the country.

With a middle name like "Hussein", Barack Hussein Obama can unite people not only in this country, he can unite whole world, which is what he claims that he intends to do.

To win this election, Obama should come out and tell people "I am Barack Hussein Obama, please read my health plan". That would have a much better effect than try to distance himself from his "extremely minimal muslim heritage".

A person is ashamed of his heritage has no future and certainly can not be trusted.

Who's not covered by Obama's health plan? READ HIS LIPS: 'The Obama plan will guarantee coverage for every American'. This from the policy document itself: how hard is it to figure out that Obama's plan includes everyone and makes it affordable for everyone to have insurance? If you don't believe this, read the entire policy document at

The mandate issue is a smokescreen, and the Clinton machine is pulling at straws. Obama provides universal health care and health insurance for all. The fact that adults are not mandated (forced, required) to have it is better for two reasons: first, because it gives people a choice among several plans, and does not provide a monopoly for insurance companies, who would take advantage of the fact that every American was required to enter a plan. Second, because a mandated plan would not pass into law, period. What is better, to have Hillary Clinton as president dividing the senate floor over her plan and ultimately loosing (why do I sense deja vu) or to have President Obama oversee a national health insurance plan that works, that provides affordable coverage for all Americans, and that has a mandate for its adoption in the senate and the House? Obama is a thinking, caring, moral man and a brilliant politician. The more you really look into his actual policy, instead of just believing the simplistic mandate/no mandate thinking clinton would like to present, the more you see the true worth of this man as president.

Wonderful logic, Ken. Are you familiar with the meaning of paralepsis?

That's a nasty rhetorical device for perpetuating unfounded rumors and triggering latent biases against a candidate by ostensibly defending or praising him.

Sound familiar? It should. Kerrey's use of his middle name and the reference to a 'madrasa' instead of calling it a school is an attempt to trigger anti-Muslim feeling, just as the hapless Shaheen's rhetorical question about possible drug-selling leveraged latent biases against Afro-Americans that manifest themselves as 'rumors.

If that's what you feel is best for America, I suggest you re-evaluate your standards.

Ken, when fellow Democrats are taking a page from the Swift Boat Vets, such as forgetting Mrs. Clinton's hubbie "didn't inhale" but referring to Obama's teen drug phase or bringing attention to his middle name, it shows this party is on the brink of loosing any class that separates it from the GOP.

and you know FULL WELL what this "spin" is about. you know that the swing voter or those in the middle who are easily influence by such garb is exactly what this is all about.

the days are long gone where America can elect some one truely unique and set aside from the rest of the carboard cut outs. we're doomed by an electorate that
is more influenced by talk radio or Fox News pundits that reality.

Bob is a fiercely independent idiot. thats why I love him.

having said that, I think Hillary is getting atleast "soft" coverage for short period of time. I hope she uses these two or three days to spread her message to Iowans through the 99 county tour before beginning of christmas. After that, I am sure press will be even more brutal to Hilary, but who cares. shes got her word out there and if she can get good amount of support in these 99 counties, she will win. an Iowa 1st or 2nd should prop her well.

Ken, Barack Obama does not sign his name "Barack Hussein Obama." So why call him that? Just because you can? Going to the extra length to include his middle name is just an attempt to emphasize his extremely minimal muslim heritage in the hope of frightening voters.

And why not call it a secular school in Indonesia instead of a "madrassa"? You know quite well the associations between that term and radical Islam that have been built up by the media over the past few years.

Use of these terms is a very subtle, incredibly sleazy way to attack someone. But guess what, it's almost 2008 and I think voters are finally paying attention and sick of that stuff.

Barack Obama for President of the United Stated of America.

It's time for America to Rise and Shine again.

I am surprised at how the media is letting Bob Kerrey and the Clintons get away with this misleading crap. First of all, Obama never attended any muslim madrassa. This was spread by some conservative paper and was debunked ages ago. Secondly, there is no such thing as a "secular madrassa" This is a contradiction in terms. Its like saying "a secular Catholic convent school" The school can be either secular or religious based, but not both!!

I also wonder why Barack Hussein Obama and his supporters are not embracing his secular madrassa "experience". Did he say that his stay in a secular madrassa give him a better sense on foreign policy?

Why Barack Hussein Obama and his supporters are so secretive about his middle name and so sensitive when Kerrey mentioned it?

It is his "experience" and it is his midname. Stop blaming somebody else.

I worked for Bob Kerrey and he has been my favorite politician since 1988. I have prayed that he would be elected President ever since then. I am shocked to find that today, with his underhanded smear of Obama, that I will never trust anything he says again. I imagine the Clinton's purchased his subtle smear for a high price. Karl Rove could have written the same comments. I feel like a naive child who just found out his hero is the opposite of a hero. Maybe I should seek counseling at a cult awareness group. I hope there is a limit to the number of Robert Hansen's in the Democratic Party.