Showing posts with label Hillary Clinton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hillary Clinton. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Big Guns Rumble in Denver

Who's stepping up to the plate tonight for the Dems?

Tonight you have your pick of the litter. To celebrate Barack Obama finally becoming the official nominee (without that pesky presumptive tag in front of it) we get not just one over-confident white politician who likes to hear himself talk too much, we get two!

Yes, I am talking about Bill Clinton and Joe Biden! Both will speak tonight, but the one I am really looking forward to is Bill. With Biden, you know you are going to get the typical rah-rah VP speech. With Bill though, you never quite know what you are going to get. He is like the crazy uncle at this point, the one who gets invited more for the sweet potato casserole that he used to bring but now is kinda just there.

I know I know, I just offended all the Clintonians out there, but really, what has Bill done for Obama in this race? No, I don't hold against him what he said during the primary, I understand the dynamics of a campaign. But dude, get over it. Hillary lost, she did a remarkable job lost night of showing the nation she is moving on, now it is time for Bill to do the same. If he doesn't the media gets to continue speculating that Bill is using his political genius to undercut Obama and get Hillary back in the White House in 2012 so he can spend some more time around DC interns. It's ridiculous, it cheapens his legacy for people to suggest he would do that, and he needs to put an end to that speculation tonight by showing the world that the last Democratic president supports the next one.

NEWS FLASH: Bruce Springsteen and Bon Jovi will be playing during Obama's acceptance celebration tomorrow night. That's one Jew (the Bon Jovi drummer) and one Jewish-sounding rock star. Not a bad haul people!
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The Rebirth of Hillary

Hillary Clinton resurrected herself and her party's chances last night, as she delivered a rousing, passionate much needed endorsement of Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention


Last night was certainly a night to be a pundit. Everyone on the airwaves spoke with bated breath in anticipation of Hillary Clinton's next move. Would she sabotage Obama in a jealous rage? Would she deliver a tepid endorsement, leaving the door open for her supporters to stay home? Would she provide the ringing endorsement that so many felt was necessary to Obama's chances at the White House? Would she finally leave Bill?

No, No, Yes, No

Last night, Hillary Clinton reminded all of us why she is a force to be reckoned with, whether it is on the floor of the U.S. Senate or out on the campaign trail. And surprisingly it is not just because of her awesome ability to pull off the pumpkin orange pantsuit.

No, last night, Hillary Clinton stood behind Barack Obama in a way that told her supporters, if you stay home or vote for McCain because you think that's what I want, you're crazier than Zell Miller on a good day. She said it loud, she said it proud, and she threw in a few good cracks at McCain along the way.... No Way, No How, No McCain being one of the best.

So bravo Hillary, not only have you kept Barack on the yellow brick road to the White House, but you maintained your status in the leadership of the Democratic party as well. Was it genuine or simply self-survival? We may never know, but it worked and for now that's all that matters.

One side note: if you only watch 30 minutes of convention coverage each night, make sure it is the Daily Show, 10-10:30 in St. Louis. It provides not only the funniest but also some of the most insightful coverage available. Check it out.
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Tuesday, August 26, 2008

The Gloves Are Off

Thoughts on Day 1 of the Democratic National Convention and what to watch for tonight

The first day of the DNC is in the books, and it did not disappoint. (If you missed either Ted Kennedy or Michelle Obama, both their speeches are posted on the blog). Some quick thoughts on what went down:

Nancy Pelosi: The House Speaker kicked off the festivities with some ol' fashioned McCain bashing. She wasn't quite on her game, but if a House Speaker stumbles over a few words when no one is watching, did it really happen?

Claire McCaskill: Our own junior senator showed a little spunk in painting the Barack Obama story as the perfect picture of the American Dream. Granted, she used the phrase American Dream about 78 times past the point of effectiveness, but her point that Missouri provides a great view of the rest of the country and is neither a red state nor a blue state is right on. If you're not registered in Missouri, do it now.

Ted Kennedy: The standard bearer of the Democratic Party, battling brain cancer, caps off a remarkable journey to Denver with an unexpected and rousing speech that likely choked up even the most cynical of cynics. Do yourself a favor and watch it. There are few genuine moments in politics, Senator Kennedy provided one last night.

And then there was Michelle. With the country salivating to get a look at the Harvard educated prima donna who is ashamed of America, Michelle Obama did something remarkable last night. It's not that she looked like First Lady material. She looked downright presidential. She spoke of a father with multiple sclerosis and a husband driving home from the birth of their first child at a snail's pace with a father's caution. She spoke of goals that are limited only by the heights of our dreams. And, most importantly, she spoke of the greatness of America, the country she is proud to call home. She silenced critics who said she can not relate to the averge person and eased concerns that she is "not American enough" to serve as First Lady. She will be an asset to the campaign in the months ahead, you can count on that.

As far as tonight's schedule, I have three words for you. Hillary. Rodham. Clinton. Will her tone be one of unconditional support for Obama? Can she avoid the underhanded compliments and pot shots that have marked much of the Clinton support for Obama? Namely, can she provide the picture of leadership just seen from Michelle Obama? If the disgruntled Clinton supporters are going to become loyal Obama volunteers, the transformation must begin now...
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Friday, August 1, 2008

Ludacris? More Like Ludicrous...

In the troupe of Lil John and Usher, Ludacris tells us, “Forget about the game, I’m a spit the truth,” neglecting the fact that sometimes the game just has to be played the way it’s intended. This week, in an attempt to make a splash on the political scene, Ludacris has come out with a new song that most certainly spits the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth; Ludacris’ version anyway.


While it’s intended to praise the distance Sen. Barack Obama has come in his pursuit for the presidency, and promote the idea that his fellow Black Americans need to make an appearance at the polls on election day, it actually just spits all over people like Hillary Clinton, Rev. Jesse Jackson, President George W. Bush, and presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain.
Lyrics such as, “Hillary hated on you, so that bitch is irrelevant” don’t give much credit to his knowledge of the political arena. In one of the most intense battles for a presidential nomination in history, Sen. Clinton was anything but irrelevant in her hunt for the nomination.

Luda continues by knocking President Bush, calling him mentally handicapped, and asserts that Sen. John McCain “don’t belong in any chair unless he’s paralyzed.” I think the messages here are fairly transparent and it’s fair to say Ludacris isn’t a huge fan of W, insinuating that there is no more relevance in Bush’s speeches than can be found on the wrapper of your favorite candy wrapper.

In an attempt to follow suit and take a stand as a young Black American celebrity, Ludacris was adopting his own version of P. Diddy’s “Vote or Die” message during the 2004 Presidential Election campaign season. While this concept was a tad controversial, its message held true to the fact that he, Sean Combs, was trying to reach the over 40 million US Citizens between the ages of 18-30 who are often forgotten about during campaigns. It is important to infer that the goal of Ludacris’ rap song is to reach young Black Americans who may not otherwise be as passionate about getting out to vote. He is telling them that they have a chance to see the change Barack talks about become a reality, and that if they want to see this change they need to be the ones responsible at the polls.

However, his message is quite a bit more controversial than P. Diddy’s as he says further into the song, “Paint the White House black and I’m sure that’s got ‘em terrified.” While I understand what he means here about the chance to make history with the US’ first black president I think he says it in a way that really makes him look foolish. The song is too negative, maybe not the same type of negative as the notion of voting or death, but negative to the degree that the song is probably more offensive than inspiring, it’s assumed intent.

As expected, the Obama camp has already denounced the song, adding that, “As Barack Obama has said many, many times in the past, rap lyrics too often perpetuate misogyny, materialism, and degrading images that he doesn’t want his daughters or any children exposed to. This song is not only outrageously offensive to Sen. Clinton, Rev. Jackson, Sen. McCain and President Bush, it is offensive to all of us who are trying to raise our children with values we hold dear. While Ludacris is a talented individual he should be ashamed of these lyrics.” Probably not the response Luda was looking for on this one for someone who claims to be, “one of his [Obama’s] favorite rappers.”

In the first song I mentioned Luda asks, “How you like me now, when my pinky’s valued over three hundred thousand,” and I think it’s fair to say even the stock in his pinky has gone down tremendously after this one.
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