Political Punch

Bogus,is a great word to describe O'Bama.But it could also be used for Mr.Thornburgh (Time magazine)because he still insist O'Bama isn't or wasn't muslim.Get your facts straight Thornburgh.
And "Me" one of the reasons he is treated so gingerly is another "O" which stands for Oprah,who has amazing influence over the media in this country.Again,lets use the "H" word and where has Michelle gone?Did she finally find a country she was proud of?

This entire exchange is moot. The world knows that the american people have already made up thier mind as to the next president. Al you need do is count the total number of votes for each to date,Inhale, say the word "Woah!", utter something like insurmountable, and try to think of any other possible outcome. There is none. The only question is where are we going to find a vice president?.

Both candidates are bringing out their best! someone should help me decide who go it right from day 1. May be, that is the best candidate.

Energy Independence Now!

No more Oil Wars!

Stop funding the terrorists!

Drill in Anwar.

Build more nuclear power plants

Use More coal.

Use more natural gas

Turn trash into energy

Double the efficiency of windmills and solar cells.

If France can do nuclear power so can we.

If Brazil can do biomass/ethanol power so can we.

If Australia can do LNG power so can we.

Domestically produced energy will end recession and spur the economy.

To Sean,
I like your thoughts about why the republicans and conservatives are behind Obama. I listen to talk radio a lot and much of it has a very conservative slant. They are encouraging republicans, conservatives and independents to support Obama because they believe he is the easier candidate to beat in the general election.

Clinton is soooo desperate, she will say or do anything to get back into the white house with her hubby. Let's face it, Hillary is the chip off the old block, the Old Block being her Republican Senator Father, Rodan. Daddy would just be proud of his little Republican Yuppie Larva spewing her half truths, of which the Clintons are so famous for.

M First the picture is from Clinton supporters, now it's from "rogue staffers". And all to get media attention. Sorry, maybe the Obamabots will buy into that one but not the Clinton supporters. By the way, there is heavy media bias against Hillary Clinton and if you can't see it you are blind. Also, you will never control the world. A vote for Obama is a vote for McCain.

Terry you found us out!!!! Great job detective. The clintons should hire YOU to uncover all the dirt.

He never talked about the picture because it shouldnt have been an issue. But once again the Senator Clinton has no control over her campaign and rogue staffers are circulating junk to TRY to get the medias attention.

Im glad that we have the media in our pockets....now we can control the world!

(sarcasm has been expressed in my comments)

Previously undecided. Exactly how long were you previously undecided? 2 seconds. You don't sound like you were ever on the fence. Where did you read that the picture of Obama circulating on the net came from Clinton supporters? Why was this picture not addressed by the Obama campaign when they first knew that it existed? They certainly had to know about this picture. Were they afraid of the implication themselves? The bigger question should be why does Barack Obama seem to want to hide his Muslim roots? Both his father and his stepfather were indeed Muslims. His father was from Kenya and his stepfather was from Indonesia. If that ignites fear than that is not the fault of the Clintons. And for you to blame Clinton supporters with no evidence is just pathetic. Also, what is a statesman-like approach to debates? Is that your way of side-stepping his lack of preparation, and his lack of in-depth knowledge about the issues? Does a good commander-in-chief mis-state the facts in the last debate concerning a military story he told. And what about his ideas about Pakistan? Of course, Obama doesn't have to concern himself with "petty barbs and personal attacks", he has the media in his back pocket at all times to do the dirty work for him. As far as his strong Christian faith, I wish he would actually would talk about it and what it means to him.

Way to go previously undecided. Glad some people actually READ the facts and the campains of the candidates.

Senator Obama is indeed a man of great character. He has been playing the "game" the right way, which what Senator Clinton should be doing.

Meet us in Ohio Clintons....for ANOTHER debate!

Having read all comments on Mr Obama, I downloaded from his web site the 64pp Blueprint Plan for Change. An amazing outline of his views on the problems facing America today and some very impressive arguments for solutions to these problems. When you combine his strong position on the essentials with his statesman-like approach to debates, rallies etc, you can see the strength of a potential Commander-in-Chief, the wisdom of Solomon and the understanding of good diplomatic persuasion required in disjointed world politics.
Senator Obama's restraint, in ignoring petty barbs and personal attacks, heightens the obvious inability of opponents to prove their superiority in the Presidential bid. Senator Clinton has spoiled her own position by ignoring diplomacy in some of her personal attacks against the integrity and worth of Senator Obama. This is worrying, in that it indicates a possibility of her losing control when President.
The recent release of a photograph of Senator Obama, in custom Somali dress, inferring links to Islam and emanating from one of Senator Clinton's supporters was obviously intended to hurt Obama's position through fear-mongering. It was an insult to law-abiding Moslems in the US as well as a cruel deception to question Obama's strong Christian faith. Senator Clinton should have denounced this travesty immediately but chose to keep quiet, personally. I, for one, could not trust this woman as President, knowing that she could ignore an injustice for the purpose of personal gain.
We should support Senator Obama in his right to fair consideration as President of the United States and leader of the free world.

SHAME ON YOU, HILLARY CLINTON!!!!

Remember this is the same HRC who when asked (at a debate) if Chicago and NY met world series who would want to win the series.

She weaseled around with her answer until when finally pinned by the moderator she said she would be routing for both teams to win.

So that's Hills in a nutshell. She's carefully position on both side of the issue (In this case NAFTA). She's the Dem version of Romney.

Here, again, is Obama having it both ways: He tells people in Ohio that Hillary said NAFTA was a "boon", which she did not; He is on the record pro-NAFTA saying that it has helped farmers with their products, and that it needs to be fixed for other issues, while he ignores what Hillary said in earlier debates about revisiting NAFTA to fix the problems. He can have it both ways. I hope the voters in Ohio get their information from more than one news source. Otherwise, they will follow all the starry-eyed groupies and believe that only Obama can fix their problems.

Once again Hillary Clinton wants her cake and to eat it too. I hope that Barack clarifys the differences in what her article says and the truth. Indeed we are electing George Bush all over again wearing a Hillary Clinton mask and a Democratic scarf. Don't be fooled. We will not survive another term of these tactics. Ohio don't vote what is left of your economy and infrastructure down the drain, elect Barack Obama and regain lost ground.

Wait a minute, what the heck are people hitting Obama for when it was Clinton who sent out false misleading mailers about his stand on NAFTA taking select words twisting them instead of his entire comments which clearly shows he was not in support of it.

M, you're right. Why do peoples opinion get deleted? Is there no free speech in this country. I guess anything against the Clintons isn't accepted. I'm a Republican and believe in free speech. This is not a communist country.

It is like what you sow what you gorw. Obama lied and has been hypocritical. Press has always given him positive coverage inspite of his negative campaigning. So Hillary going a little out of way is nothing as compared to the lies that Obama has been spreading.

I think Barack Obama since the start of this campaign has been given a free pass by the media. They treat him as the chosen one. They demand from him as much as his supporters do. Nothing. His supporters want desperately to believe in his messages of hope and change. But they don't really want to know the truth about him. They don't look up the facts. They don't want to know about his past. They don't want to have their dreams deflated. They believe what the media wants them to believe. They are being used and they have yet to realize it.
Hillary Clinton has been bashed from the start. And the media is relentless. Their attacks know no bounds. They will stop at nothing to have Obama win. I believe Hillary has to be aggressive at pointing negative things out about Obama because the media refuses to do their job. It makes her campaign look negative. But what alternative does she have? How can she fight the endless criticisms that she receives? And the neverending praises he receives.
There is still time to fight. Texas, Ohio and Rhode Island, you can make the difference! You can show the media and TPTB you will not be taken in by them. Just watch the debate tonight in Ohio. Hillary will not disappoint you.

I can't believe some of you didn't read the article completely. Westcoastmessenger, did you see where she (Hillary) lied about the quotes she copied and pasted. Are you people so close-minded that you can't see Hillary for what she is and definitely not fit to be president. Even her demeanor of the last 7 days is inconsistent and her inability to run a campaign should prove that she can't run this country. Get a clue vote Obama 2008

Clinton, McCain, Obama, they are all twisting the truth to make it say what they want it to say.

History Lesson...the republicans won elections and democrats decided to be like them, instead of provide any opposition. The movement to outsource everything and pass laws to support the computer to out the middleman was touted by none other than TERRY MCAULIFFE(clinton campaign) and AL FROM(where is he now) in an easily obtained speech made by these 2 fine Americans. Actually, who was stepped on was the American Middle Class so that the INVESTOR class could make out like the bandits they now are. That is why Warren "not jimmy" Buffett went to the SENATE to beg to be taxed more. The senate snoozed through that and the MAINSCREAM media failed us mightily by enjoying their embedded dark place and falling for all of the bushbabies war lies. Case Closed...NEXT

Three weeks later, Mr Obama bought a house on the city's South Side while Mr Rezko's wife bought the garden plot next door from the same seller on the same day, June 15.

Mr Obama says he never used Mrs Rezko's still-empty lot, which could only be accessed through his property. But he admits he paid his gardener to mow the lawn.

Mrs Rezko, whose husband was widely known to be under investigation at the time, went on to sell a 10-foot strip of her property to Mr Obama seven months later so he could enjoy a bigger garden.

I hope Obama gets grilled about this tonight

A British-Iraqi billionaire lent millions of dollars to Barack Obama's fundraiser just weeks before an imprudent land deal that has returned to haunt the presidential contender, an investigation by The Times discloses.

The money transfer raises the question of whether funds from Nadhmi Auchi, one of Britain’s wealthiest men, helped Mr Obama buy his mock Georgian mansion in Chicago.

A company related to Mr Auchi, who has a conviction for corruption in France, registered the loan to Mr Obama's bagman Antoin "Tony" Rezko on May 23 2005. Mr Auchi says the loan, through the Panamanian company Fintrade Services SA, was for $3.5 million.

I hope she sets things straight tonight!
Obama can not paint himself as someone who consistently opposed NAFTA. I think somebody should do a pre and post Obama piece on his views on NAFTA, the war on Iraq and so on. People should do their own research and not rely on any particular network including this one.

Yea my facts got deleted....hmmm...

You're right M, but some people are afraid of facing the truth. It's simple Google the records and see for yourself.

Neither candidate's campaign is without fault in this matter of selectively quoting past documents and records, but it does seem to me that Sen. Clinton's campaign is becoming more and more histrionic as it tries desperately to find some issue which will resonate with Dem voters and which shows her superiority. The problems in taking this tack are that she hasn't much time left to find such an issue, and that the more she tries to find this "differentiating issue," the more desperate she appears.

Its just the facts folks....anyone can research them!

Hey Mel, slow your row, leave M alone. Haven't you seen Hillary's footage on TV praising NAFTA in the 90's. Google her voting records on NAFTA and see for yourself. You remind me of the lady I saw over the weekend(Hillary Clinton).

On trade, Hillary's website admits we have a serious problem but her only suggestion is to have a temporary moratorium on any more trade agreements until she sorts it out. Obama talks about NAFTA and China agreements and makes specific suggestions about how to ammend the agreements so that we don't put ourselves at a disadvantage. It looks like Obama has a plan to address it. Maybe he is more ready on day one.

I agree with Maria, Hillary has lost control of her campaign. I think her staff became too arrogant and too sure that she would win. They did not have an adequate strategy for if something went wrong. Now they are scrambling for cash and strategy and are looking schizophrenic right now. I blame the advisors, but Hillary has to take some blame too. A good leader surrounds himself with great people.

Looks like Hillary was parsing the truth. I guess it all depends on what the definition of is, is.?

Thanks M. Great research. God Bless U.

M you want a bold faced lie, gave you one on his gun control speech to Idaho, you need more, how about his bold faced lie in 2007 that he barely knew Rezko, yet it has been proven he met with Rezko many times every year and even had Rezko on his finance commitee for election?

How about his denial of doing anything for Rezko, yet then surfaces letters he wrote supporting Rezko getting public financing for projects!

You are a prime example of the irresponable voters and supporters of Obama who simply want everyone else to prove to them that his stump speeches are trash proven by his actions! Why not instead you check out more than Obama's website and google the guy and do some research on your own to see the guy you herald so highly, the self proclaimed messiah who is nothing more than another dirty politician who has a terrible record of doing anything, yet says he has done everything!

The difference is that the Obama campaign repeated a quote that the source later corrected, and while 'boon' may not have been the exact word, the FACT is that Hillary, in her own book, trumpets NAFTA as a success and has been quoted on video as praising it. Unless she is going to say that she lied in her own book and the video tapes were 'doctored', or that a lookalike and not herself was in those videos, then the fact is that she's PRETENDING to change her position for the sake of political convenience. How insincere and conniving.

Obama on the other hand, was outright deliberately misrepresented, and his quotes were taken out of context to give them the opposite meaning. Hillary has no right to throw childish tantrums and yell at him for misrepresenting her when she is willing to stoop 10 times lower. Go home and cry me a river, Hill. Why does she whine that the media hates her when she brings it upon herself??? Has she considered that she is hated because she is a disgusting human being, poor campaigner and lousy politician? I wouldn't trust her to run my grocery store let alone a whole country! The woman CAN'T EVEN RUN HER OWN CAMPAIGN!

I am sick of her whining and wailing. What is she going to do when America is bombed? Cry? Whine to the media that the terrorists hate her? Shut up, Hillary. The more you talk, the more I donate to Obama's campaign in hopes that we will have to hear your lies and your tantrums no longer! I have more respect for your daughter than I have for you and your husband combined, but unfortunately, it's not Chelsea running for President.

It's not a question of "where Clinton was, personally, on NAFTA in the 1990s.”

What Newsday's recent clarification of "boon" revealed was where Clinton was on NAFTA in September 2006.

Newsday wrote in its original item -- published on September 11, 2006 -- that:

"Clinton thinks NAFTA has been a boon to the economy...."

What Newsday discloses in its clarification is that:

"Clinton's campaign did not contact us to question the item after it appeared in print."

Understand this: In September 2006, Clinton already was quietly preparing for a presidential run that she would announce only four months later.

Newsday published a simple, declarative summary of her view of NAFTA.

And she said nothing to challenge it.

That's the point here.

The obsessive, Clinton-driven media focus on whether Obama's mailer misleadingly put the word "boon" in Clinton's mouth is a complete distraction.

Thanks Jake, you said it all. I just took parts of your research for everyone to see.
"Ohio needs to know the truth about Obama's position on Protecting American Workers and NAFTA,” the Clinton mailer reads. "It's all on the Record.”
But what she offers is certainly not the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The quotes about Obama and NAFTA she uses are completely out of context.
"Obama said the United States should continue to work with the World Trade Organization and pursue deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement,” the AP quotes says in the Clinton mailer – but Clinton has cut the AP quote off mid-sentence.The full AP quote says: Democrat Obama said Keyes' ideas could lead to trade wars that would harm farmers, who are always looking for new markets willing to buy American crops. He said the United State should continue to work with the World Trade Organization and pursue deals such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, but the country must be more aggressive about protecting American interests. ‘We don't want to set off trade wars. What we want to make sure of is that our farmers are treated fairly,’ Obama said. ‘The problem in a lot of our trade agreements is that the administration tends to negotiate on behalf of multinational companies instead of workers and communities.’”

Now we have the Desperation of Entitlement - Hillary Clinton's last, desperate attempt to discredit Obama by twisting his words. I find it deeply amusing that she was chastizing Obama for his campaign tactics, and now she has sunk even lower than ever before.

Hillary Clinton is not a 'good person' or a 'voice of the people'. She is a rich, former First Lady interested in only how much more power she can achieve. And I firmly believe that her failure to plan any campaigning after Super Tuesday does NOT constitute an emergency on the part of the American people to elect the so-called 'inevitable' candidate.

Best of luck, Hillary. And try not to cry during your concession speech, if you grow up enough by then to give one.

M go watch Obama's speech in Idaho, then go check his record in the State Senate for his record there!

Does everyone have to do all the work for Obama supporters who are too lazy to find out things for themself? Geez!

This one article about the Obama fliers is testimonial to the lies of Obama! Obama stump speeches about running a clean campaign, without the tactics of old, yet he puts out false and discrediting fliers, give me a break! The guy doesn't follow his own stump speech words, yet you foolishly support his lies!

Clinton is far from perfect, but rather suppport one who doesn't claim to be perfect than one who does and yet lacks it completely and this is a simple example of it!

Next year the definition in Webster's Dictionary of a conman will be Barack Obama! As he is conning millions of people who don't care to look beyond the glamour of stump speeches to the person who is making those stump speeches!

Both obama and Clinton are politicians. While Clinton is demeaned at every turn, obama is hailed as a diety.
If obama is elected, the Republicans have won the election anyway, because there is no way they will reach out to obama. He will not succeced as president and will surely not be re-elected. What we will face is more taxes, more stalls in Congress, more fighting in Washington DC, more disrespect from the international sectors and four more years of dissatisfaction for the US citizen. Gas prices will continue to go up, as well as food prices, education prices; we will probably be in a recession with less jobs available. All this will lead to a very weak USA and there will not be a strong, knowledgeable leader we can depend on to pull us through this. In otherwords, there will be no change.
I fear the cult that obama has instituted and fear that these followers will become disenchanted with him because they expect preferential treatment and when not received, a lot of violence will occur.
So, no change in government leadership, but a lot more violence.

Jennifer Flowers is back into action, she is marketing her tapes containing her intimate conversations with Bill Clinton in Arkansas. What a good timimg for Hillary.

The saying of "shadow boxing is the toughest form of boxing as th shadow never loses" is true, and being proven in this political season!

Obama is attacked after being caught by one of his lies and the media comes to his rescue!

A real fact of Obama's dirty past comes up and it gets floated over, thanks to the media not digging for the truth!

Obama lies about his record and the media turns a deaf ear!

Obama lies continually about his relationships with lobbyists and political fixers and the media doesn't scold him, they play along with his game!

Obama plays out the oldest and dirtiest of politics in history as his record shows, from eliminating his rivals with dirty ploys and smear information to rise to his status in politics today and the media doesn't report on it, allowing the ignorant American voters who do nothing but listen to lovefest speeches vote for a dismal record politician!

It is not easy to fight a shadow, especially one that the media keeps in the dark to the voters, instead of doing their jobs the right way and telling the truth!

This is what I think. From the footage of Sen. Clinton supporting NAFTA in New York in the 90's to her voting record in the Senate, I have the following concerns.
I'm worried that no one has asked how Sen. Hillary Clinton intends to fund her Health Care policy. In America, we know that young people and old people don't pay the same amount for health care. The Older people pay almost three times the amount the younger people pay. If Hillary wants everyone to pay the same amount under her health care plan, why make the young people pay more for the older people to get the same health care. Is there no other way of doing this? Is this fair to young people? How does she intend to enforce this health care policy? Since it is universal,people would be forced to buy one and she would have to take our wages or prosecute us. Would subsidizing health care cover the difference paid between younger and older policy holders? If her answer is no, is this fair?
On NAFTA: The truth is, the NAFTA Agreement was signed by Bill Clinton on Sept. 14 1993.
Sen. Clinton has always touted her 35years of experience and this includes her years in the White House. This is Hillary Clinton’s voting record on the NAFTA issue.

1) She voted yes to free trade agreement with Oman, Ref. United States - Oman Free Trade Agreement: Bill S.3569: Vote number 2006-190 on June 29, 2006.

2) She voted yes on establishing Free Trade Agreement between US and Singapore. Ref.: US-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act. Bill S.1417/HR 2739: Vote number 2003-318 on Jul. 31 2003.

3) She voted yes on establishing Free Trade between the US and Chile. Ref. US-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation. Act. Bill S. 1416/HR 2738. Vote number 2003-319 on July 31 2003.

4) Voted yes on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam. Ref: Bill HJRES51: Vote number 2001-291 on October 3, 2001.

5)She also voted for open trade with China, despite China's substantial human rights violations and evidence to show that NAFTA has caused the loss of millions of US jobs to non-industrial countries and hasn't delivered on the promise of widespread prosperity.

Sen. Clinton speaks about NAFTA saying that she never supported it from day one. The truth is in her voting record. Don't believe what anyone says, just look it up, use the internet to see her voting record on NAFTA.

Jake please don't take this argument of your blog, remember free speech is the right of every American. I want people to judge what is best for the country.

While both are misleading, without a doubt, The Obama campaign took a quote from a paper. While clearly taking advantage of the article, it is not an innacurate representation of what was written. The paper corrected it, the Obama campaign ceased sending out the mailer, weeks ago. The Clinton campaign put together a hatchet job of quotes with the clear intention of misrepresenting Obama's position. They lied. This is exactly what Bush did with the Iraqi intelligence, carve out whatever information that supports your position and ignore the rest. If she is going to do this on the campaign trail, what makes you think she won't do it in office. Just like our current President, the power is more important to her than the people.

Shame on Hillary! She is such a deceptive person. Notice how she can never seem to give a direct answer to a direct question. She supported her husband 100% on NAFTA back in the 90s. Give me a break.

Politicians will be politicians. So what's new about 'not actually telling the full story' when it comes to political races? And, although Hillary is the Queen of Spin, Obama has done his fair share as well. The difference in how I see it is in each candidate's reaction to the spin by the other's. Obama brings HRC's inaccuracies to light and spends time correcting the spin. Hillary just fills up with self-righteous indignation and gets spiteful, and takes on the 'talking to a 2 yr old' tone. That's something she can't help. She hates to be losing.

Mel...stat the facts and support your claims...otherwise you are falling under the same morals as Senator Clinton by stating only what you want to hear. Where you there in Idaho? Tell me, Wheres the beef to your claim?

um Sean, did he not say it? Or are you just as dissillusional as they say the Obama supporters are?

“It's actually pretty hard to figure out where Clinton was, personally, on Nafta in the 1990s.”

How can you ask this question when your previous comments about Clinton in the 1990's was she was "just a First Lady"

This double standard becomes obvious in the statements people tend to make in support of his Royal Highness Obama!

Get real, this guy has continually lied and goes ignored, when caught in a major one, being not one but 2 fliers, only one is lambased, get real, Obama is nothing more than an empty suit who has continually lied on everything from his record to Rezko to Lobbyists and people ignore, WHY? WHY? WHY?

Never before in US history has someone running for President been so gingerly treated and unexposed by the media as this lovefest person has! WHY?

Proof being Obama voted for gun control in Illinois 15 times, yet told Idaho voters he was against gun control, what happened to the media, had that been Clinton or McCain, they would of buried them, but free pass for Obama once again on his lies!

Once again the Clinton Machine is at it again. I wonder where all this money is coming from with her misleading ads and attack propoganda?

Honestly, Senator Clinton has engaged in very dirty politics and I hope Americans are wise to that. She will win at ALL costs...no matter what even if it means attacking her opponent, calling her opponents supporters naive and willing to go against her own morals.

She has run a very sad campaign.

So Jake, when are you going to do a column about Obama's misleading comments about McCain's 100 years in Iraq remark, probably never right.

Has anyone ever wondered how the polical power structure really works? It's two parties.. one dominant, one the underdog. The republicans dominate, while the democrats play the opposition. Did you ever wonder why the republican pollsters, corporate media, talking heads, and the like... are trumpeting Barak Obama? Here is my theory. Politics is a game, and long game at that. The repubs figure their chances at a presidency this time aren't good. And they fear Clinton the most, because she's more moderate, and would likely govern pragmatically, thus helping the dems establish some dominance. They can't have that. So they begin trumpeting Obama for two reasons. 1. He is more beatable and they actually have a chance to defeat him. 2. If he wins, he will likely govern too far to the left, conservatives in congress will block him at every turn, he's a novice, he won't know what he's doing. He'll be a disaster like Jimmy Carter. And that will put the repubs in the drivers seat in 2012. Remember, this is a long fight. Sure, it's a risk, it could backfire, but the odds are better that they will regain control in 12 with Obama than with Clinton.
Food for thought

I guess the Clinton camp are saying, "desperate times call for desperate measures." I much prefer the Hillary who tells us about herself - who she is, what we need to know about her, her passions etc. This type of compaigning kind of turns me off. I don't think this represents the true Hillary. It makes me worried for if she were president, how would she control the spinners around her? Her staff have not served her well in finances or in advice about going after her rival.

Jake,
Hillary only has an obligation to present the nuances in the records, given that there is no huge difference between her record and Obama, when it comes to NAFTA. Make no mistake, Obama's criticism of Hillary about NAFTA was hypocritical, given his own support of NAFTA.