It Is Getting Emabarrassing

If Hillary sues over the Texas delegate selection process, every super-delegate should immediately throw in with Obama.

Why "We" Haven't Been Attacked

Andrew Sullivan wonders why we haven't been attacked since 9/11. Here is my e-mail to him:

What amazes me about the analysis of why “we” haven’t been attacked since 9/11, is the limit of what “we” means. No, the US hasn’t been attacked, but Spain, Great Britain, Indonesia, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and probably more, have been attacked. It is a fallacy to think the Islamofascists are at war only against the US. They are at war against the modernist way of thinking. So “we” have been attacked.

Why has the US not been attacked on its own soil? Hard to tell. But don’t start thinking that the pause is somehow a first-time happening. Remember that between the two attacks on the World Trade Center, seven years went by with no Islamofascist attack on our soil. I am still waiting for the great outpouring of thanks to Bill Clinton for his ability to protect us. And perhaps the admission that, given Clinton’s Bush-like record defending the homeland, torture and warrantless wiretapping are not necessary.

Ohio Debate

Two comments about the debate in Ohio last night and the reaction thereto.

First, Hillary complained that she always gets asked the first question in debates. she then segued into a "joke" culled from an SNL skit, and stated that "Maybe we should ask Barack if he's comfortable and needs another pillow." I think she thought it would be a good laugh line to quote SNL, but it certainly felt forced. I suspect if Obama had been asked the first question she would have complained that the first person to answer gets to frame the debate and then used the same line.

Second, it is a current meme that the press has been too easy on Obama. It seems the claim is that no one has looked deeply into Obama's past to find dirt. But why do people assume that dirt exists? We've heard about Obama's connection to an indicted land developer, and his church's controversial views, and his drug use. Maybe that's it. Maybe the reason Russert seemed more tough on Clinton last night is because more ammunition exists. you can't blame Obama or the press if there is no dirty laundry to air.

Comments

I'd like to thank those who place comments on the blog. I encourage them to continue (that includes you "godfather")and for all to read the comments and join in.

Thanks!

Desparation

According to the New York Times, Hillary is now arguing that Obama suffers from the same foreign policy naivite as George W. Bush:

“We’ve seen the tragic result of having a president who had neither the experience nor the wisdom to manage our foreign policy and safeguard our national security,” Mrs. Clinton said in a speech on foreign policy at George Washington University. “We can’t let that happen again.”

Well, I'm ready to defend Obama on the wisdom portion of this accusation. If I remember correctly, Obama was against invading Iraq, and Hillary was willing to trust Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, etc. with the power to invade.

I am surprised Hillary went this way. It is such an easy accusation for Obama to counter, and brings up one of her biggest weaknesses in the Democratic primary.

Someone Took the Brown Acid

Mark Steyn at the Corner says that Michelle and Barack Obama are pessimists.

What?

We've got one candidate, John McCain, whose entire campaign is going to be about spending 100 more years in one war, the inevitability of others, and the horror of terrorist attacks. We've got another candidate, Obama, who speaks of the things we can do as a nation to make ourselves better, and how he believes we can do it. Hell, his campaign slogan is "Yes We Can!" How exactly is that pessimisitic.

Bass-Ackwards

Historically, when a candidate wraps up his party's nomination for President, he immediately runs to the Center in order to appease moderates and other general election swing voters. For the first time I can remember, a candidate, John McCain, is being forced to run to the Right instead. This is confirmation of my claim that McCain has lucked into the nomination. If the Republicans really wanted him, he wouldn't be pandering to the base of the party even after they elected him.

What's In A Name

We love to tell our children that they could be President someday. But that might not be true. A person's name would seem to be a disqualifying factor in some circumstances. For example, there is no way someone named John Hitler will ever be President. Nor will young Charlie Manson. Just think about the fuss over Barack Hussein Obama's name. Does it sound too much like Osama? Will people think thet are voting for the illegitimate son of Saddam Hussein? But it is not just people with names similar to the infamous that cannot win, people with silly names also cannot win. For example, Mike Huckabee will never be President. Why? Because his last name is Huckabee. Just say the last names of the last 10 Presidents and you will understand: Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush. Now say the names with "Huckabee" at the end. I dare you not to giggle. Sure, Eisenhower wasn't a name without obvious ethnicity, but it sure didn't sound silly.

Now what about Obama? Not exactly a normal American name. I suspect that a white politician named Barack Obama would have no chance, as the name is so foreign to us. But white America doesn't find it so odd that an African-American has an African sounding name. So white America does not find it so silly. "Huckabee" sounds silly no matter who has the name.

Some other politicians I think can never be President solely becasue of their names: Senator Jeff Bingaman, Senator Mike Crapo, Governor Mike Beebe, Governor Sonny Perdue, Governor Linda Lingle, Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter, Governor Ted Kulongoski, Rep. John Boozman, Rep. Elton Gallegly, Rep. Anna Eshoo, Rep. Ed Perlmutter, Rep. David Loebsack, Rep. John Shimkus, Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (actually, anyone with "Berry" as a part of the last name is doomed not to be President), Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, Rep. John Boehner, Rep. Darlene Hooley, and Rep. Bob Goodlatte.

I'm sure there are more. I tried to stay away from names that were simply ethnic, and stay with silly as my test. Anyone got any others I missed?

Oh, and one person destined to be President? Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

Not-So-Super Tuesday

Who'da thunk that after Super Tuesday, the Democratic race would be no different than prior to Super Tuesday? Hillary is still the frontrunner by a hair, but Obama is very much in the race. Way too close to call.

For the Republicans, they got lucky. They have stumbled into nominating their best candidate. I suspect McCain is neither the first or second choice of a majority of Republican voters, but the chaos of the campaign has let him win "winner-take-all" states with under 40% of the vote.