Open Thread

10 Comments

1. 

   idredit on February 19, 2008 at 12:28 pm

   sending Kudos to Josh Marshall at Talkingpoints Memo on  
   receiving the Polk Award for among all things, driving the story on the political firings of US Attorneys across the country and in the end, imho, bringing to heel Abu Gonzo.   (via Atrios)

   A landmark day for bloggers — and the future of journalism

2. 

   fabooj on February 19, 2008 at 12:34 pm

   Is now denying that the Clinton campaign planned on pursuing pledged delegates:

   TPM says Singer emailed:

   We have not, are not and will not pursue the pledged delegates of Barack Obama. It’s now time for the Obama campaign to be clear about their intentions.

   Keep in mind in the original Politico story Singer said:

   Clinton spokesman Phil Singer told me Monday he assumes the Obama campaign is going after delegates pledged to Clinton, though a senior Obama aide told me he knew of no such strategy.

   I’m guessing the purpose of this story was to make it look like the Obama group was going to do it, so they were “just thinking” about it.  As Hendiadys commented at TPM:

   “Retract the test ballon! Red alert! Retract the test ballon!”

   • 

     idredit on February 19, 2008 at 12:39 pm

     Edwards, Gore and Pelosi should take note.  I understand Elizabeth Edwards is an avid reader of blogs.

     just can’t shake what a disgusting campaign the Clintons have waged. I recall ALL my defense of them made during the 90s.

     pathetic.

3. 

   fabooj on February 19, 2008 at 12:57 pm

   Clinton is losing some of her core groups:

   In the Feb. 5-9 period, Clinton led among Democratic voters aged 35 to 54 by a 49% to 42% margin. Now, Obama is the leader among this group by 51% to 42%.

   In the days immediately after Super Tuesday, Clinton rebuilt her lead among women, enjoying a 53% to 38% lead in the Feb. 5-9 polling. But her gender advantage has once again dissipated, and in the latest data, female Democratic voters are about as likely to say they prefer Obama (45%) as Clinton (46%).

   In the Feb. 5-9 data, Clinton led Obama by nearly 2-to-1, 63%-32%, among Hispanic Democratic voters. In the most recent polling, the two are essentially tied among this constituency, with 50% preferring Obama and 46% Clinton.

   Among the highlights:

       * Obama has further expanded his dominant positioning among black Democrats.
       * Both candidates have maintained their leads among their core supporters by education — Clinton among those with less formal education and Obama among college graduates. The middle group of those who attended college but did not graduate shows movement toward Obama in the latest polling.
       * Married Democratic voters have shifted from a Clinton-leaning to an Obama-leaning group.
       * Clinton’s leads among Democrats in the Northeast and West have dissipated.

   • 

     Drew J Jones on February 19, 2008 at 1:23 pm

     That probably explains the gap narrowing in the new SUSA polls out of Tejas and Ohio.  Bodes well for Wisconsin, too, although I’m still very nervous about that.  (But then I was nervous about Virginia, so it’s probably ridiculous.)

   • 

     Nag on February 19, 2008 at 1:41 pm

     The deeper we get into the primary season, more people are getting a chance to hear Barak speak. Optimism is an incredibly compelling argument.

     I really like the fact that CNN is broadcasting the candidates during the noon hour.

4. 

   Nag on February 19, 2008 at 1:31 pm

   

   Check out this slide show of Obama’s youth at Vanity Fair online. This picture is of a 2 yr old Barak with his “empathetic” Mother, Ann Dunham. As I was looking through the slideshow, the thought that our next president had a cute little afro in high school just gave me the goosebumps. What a time to be alive. 🙂

5. 

   americanforliberty on February 19, 2008 at 1:36 pm

   Oil jumps on refinery fire make me think we are getting suckered. First, if the refinery can’t refine oil that means there is an extra 70,000 barrels of oil sitting on the market because it can’t be refined. So how does that make the price of oil jump???

   http://www.kansascity.com/747/story/495623.html

   • 

     MikeInOhio on February 19, 2008 at 3:40 pm

     So how does that make the price of oil jump???

     Because it can.  Instability and uncertainty are constantly pounded as to why oil jumps all over the damn place every time a camel sneezes in the desert.

     But does anyone really think that if tomorrow all of the countries in the Middle East came together in one big group hug and declared their never-ending love of peace and stability, signed peace treaties with all their adversaries and a made pact to never, ever again support terrorism or terrorist related activities that the price of oil would drop one goddamn cent?

     What they use is the most convenient and dependable excuse available.  Its like if oil production hinged on whether or not it was cloudy.  Cloudiness would severely curtail the ability to refine oil.  Oil prices would always go up on just the forecast of clouds.  But if it was sunny, it would still go up because in most places there are more cloudy days than sunny ones.  So if you have a sunny day today then there is an increased likelihood that tomorrow will be cloudy.  In the world of oil speculation the glass is always half empty.  The problem is, the oil companies are in charge of determining how full the glass always is.

     Getting suckered???  No, you’re getting fucked.  

6. 

   Brendan Skwire on February 19, 2008 at 1:56 pm

   I’m voting for Obama in the primary, but I still don’t get this whole “great orator” thing.  His speeches and his delivery bore me to tears.

   I am no fan of Bill Clinton, but that is a man who has great delivery.  He could sell ice cream to eskimos and bicycles to fish (unfortunately what he’s selling is horseshit).  But I guess after four years of this:

   …even Grover from “Sesame Street” is a great orator by comparison.  

   So that’s what’s on my mind.