Urban Shocker
Doyenne
The speech is standard fare that touches all the bases. Any half decent writer told to put something together that's low on specifics and high on platitudes aimed at an idealistic youngish crowd might craft it.
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U.S. Elections 2008
- Thread starter Admiral Beez
- Start date
Observer Walt
Senior Member
Yikes Zephyr, we don't need the grab-bag assortment of fonts and colours. I don't know about anyone else, but I tune out such posts.
The speech was a good one, in fact one of the better ones I have heard. Obama is eloquent, whatever else he may or may not be.
It's pretty early in the process and things do change. I wouldn't be visualizing Obama in the White House yet. Edwards is not finished by any means.
I am thinking, however, that Clinton may be starting a terminal decline. She could have got away with a "close second", but she wasn't close. She'll have to do convincingly well in New Hampshire, or I think it will be game over for her.
The speech was a good one, in fact one of the better ones I have heard. Obama is eloquent, whatever else he may or may not be.
It's pretty early in the process and things do change. I wouldn't be visualizing Obama in the White House yet. Edwards is not finished by any means.
I am thinking, however, that Clinton may be starting a terminal decline. She could have got away with a "close second", but she wasn't close. She'll have to do convincingly well in New Hampshire, or I think it will be game over for her.
ShonTron
Moderator
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Legendary orators like Dr. King and Abe Lincoln are one in 100 million.
It was a very good speech, though I kept getting distracted by his head moving side to side, obviously looking at the teleprompter screens - which tells me he doesn't have the art of reading other people's speeches off panels down pat - as if that matters, in a way - he's been able to capture a lot of attention and interest in a short political career without the packaged speeches.
As long as what he says is more than lip service, then we should be a bit excited. As long as the Dems retain control of both the House and Senate in 2008, the US could go a long way forward.
I'll take Obama over Clinton for sure.
JasonParis
Moderator
There's no hard rule, but it can be construed as shouting or possibly trying to over-highlight your text when a reasoned argument in normal font size would get the point across just as well (and possibly annoy a few less people).
While I'm still of the belief it could be aruged, you've made your point that Iowa may "techincally" be a primary. Fair enough.
H
Hydrogen
Guest
Anyone willing to offer up an early prediction as to who will be dropping out first?
Biden and McCain may be making early exits.
Concerning Obama, I honestly think he looked just a little surprised by the outcome.
Biden and McCain may be making early exits.
Concerning Obama, I honestly think he looked just a little surprised by the outcome.
urbandreamer
recession proof
Hmmm..... I don't believe a word of it. The guy's a good actor though.
Ron Paul, where are you?
Ron Paul, where are you?
urbandreamer
recession proof
I agree, as a half-American I call this a primary. There I've exposed myself--maybe that's why I'm so arrogant?
adma
Superstar
Biden already exited. McCain, though, has been on a comeback roll, did better than he might've, and he's got a good chance of winning New Hampshire...
doady
Senior Member
That speech doesn't compare to Al Gore's speech that I posted here way back. I don't even remember what it was about.
H
Hydrogen
Guest
This is shaping up to be quite interesting.
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Obama, Clinton neck-and-neck in NH: poll
PHILIP ELLIOTT
Associated Press
January 6, 2008 at 8:09 AM EST
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Bill Bradley, a former presidential hopeful and senator, planned to endorse Barack Obama for president on Sunday aides said.
Mr. Bradley, a hall of fame professional basketball player, will campaign on Monday for Mr. Obama, Mr. Obama aides told The Associated Press.
The aides, speaking on condition of anonymity in advance of the formal announcement, said they hope the endorsement will help Mr. Obama end the national front-runner status for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who placed a disappointing third in Iowa's caucuses last week and is deadlocked with Mr. Obama in New Hampshire according to a poll released Saturday.
“Barack Obama is building a broad new coalition that brings together Democrats, independents and Republicans by once again making idealism a central focus of our politics,†Mr. Bradley said in a release scheduled to be released on Sunday.
“Because of his enormous appeal to Americans of all ages and backgrounds, Obama is the candidate best positioned to win in November. ... His movement for change could create a new era of American politics — truly a new American story.â€
Mr. Obama remains in a tight race with Ms. Clinton, both posting 33 per cent support in a CNN-WMUR poll conducted two days after Barack Obama's Iowa victory and released Saturday night. A second poll, from The Concord Monitor and Research 2000, shows Mr. Obama at 34 and Ms. Clinton at 33. Ms. Clinton now seeks to stop Mr. Obama's momentum in New Hampshire, where the presidential primary is on Tuesday.
Mr. Bradley ran in the 2000 presidential primary against Vice President Al Gore. He sought to paint himself as an alternative to the incumbent Gore, appealing to the party's liberal base. He failed to win, however, because many of New Hampshire's largest voting bloc — independents — flocked to Sen. John McCain's first bid.
Mr. Bradley briefly considered a 2004 bid but instead stayed a consultant. In that presidential primary, he supported then-Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.
“Bill Bradley has always called on Americans to reach for what is possible in our politics,†Mr. Obama said in a draft statement. “As a presidential candidate and author, he has continued to challenge us to build a mandate for pragmatic solutions and progressive change, and I am truly grateful that he has endorsed my candidacy.â€
Mr. Obama's state director, Matt Rodriguez, was a top aide to Mr. Bradley's campaign here in 2000.
-----------------------------------
Obama, Clinton neck-and-neck in NH: poll
PHILIP ELLIOTT
Associated Press
January 6, 2008 at 8:09 AM EST
MANCHESTER, N.H. — Bill Bradley, a former presidential hopeful and senator, planned to endorse Barack Obama for president on Sunday aides said.
Mr. Bradley, a hall of fame professional basketball player, will campaign on Monday for Mr. Obama, Mr. Obama aides told The Associated Press.
The aides, speaking on condition of anonymity in advance of the formal announcement, said they hope the endorsement will help Mr. Obama end the national front-runner status for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who placed a disappointing third in Iowa's caucuses last week and is deadlocked with Mr. Obama in New Hampshire according to a poll released Saturday.
“Barack Obama is building a broad new coalition that brings together Democrats, independents and Republicans by once again making idealism a central focus of our politics,†Mr. Bradley said in a release scheduled to be released on Sunday.
“Because of his enormous appeal to Americans of all ages and backgrounds, Obama is the candidate best positioned to win in November. ... His movement for change could create a new era of American politics — truly a new American story.â€
Mr. Obama remains in a tight race with Ms. Clinton, both posting 33 per cent support in a CNN-WMUR poll conducted two days after Barack Obama's Iowa victory and released Saturday night. A second poll, from The Concord Monitor and Research 2000, shows Mr. Obama at 34 and Ms. Clinton at 33. Ms. Clinton now seeks to stop Mr. Obama's momentum in New Hampshire, where the presidential primary is on Tuesday.
Mr. Bradley ran in the 2000 presidential primary against Vice President Al Gore. He sought to paint himself as an alternative to the incumbent Gore, appealing to the party's liberal base. He failed to win, however, because many of New Hampshire's largest voting bloc — independents — flocked to Sen. John McCain's first bid.
Mr. Bradley briefly considered a 2004 bid but instead stayed a consultant. In that presidential primary, he supported then-Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.
“Bill Bradley has always called on Americans to reach for what is possible in our politics,†Mr. Obama said in a draft statement. “As a presidential candidate and author, he has continued to challenge us to build a mandate for pragmatic solutions and progressive change, and I am truly grateful that he has endorsed my candidacy.â€
Mr. Obama's state director, Matt Rodriguez, was a top aide to Mr. Bradley's campaign here in 2000.
rpgr
Active Member
As per the Simpsons, if I were American I'd vote for Ralph Wiggam!
JasonParis
Moderator
Obama surge tearing Republicans apart
JOHN IBBITSON
jibbitson@globeandmail.com
January 7, 2008
Mitt Romney doesn't touch alcohol, which might be a shame, because when this is all over, he and Hillary Clinton should get together and savour a good, stiff drink.
On the eve of the New Hampshire primary, each is fighting for their political life. Both were beaten up in Iowa, both face tough challenges in New Hampshire. And both, as the Saturday all-candidates debates revealed, are at this moment the sole target of their opponents.
But the way in which they were confronted speaks volumes about their campaigns and about the two parties whose presidential nominations they seek.
In the Democratic debate, former North Carolina senator John Edwards openly made common cause with Illinois Senator Barack Obama.
"Senator Obama and I have differences," he acknowledged. But "both of us are powerful voices for change," and "every time he speaks out for change, every time I fight for change, the forces of status quo are going to attack."
Everyone knew he was referring to Status-Quo Hillary.
Mr. Edwards cannot win in New Hampshire. But by painting Mr. Obama and himself as agents of change, and the New York senator as the same old thing, he might be able to help Mr. Obama beat Ms. Clinton in New Hampshire, thus improving his own chances later this month in South Carolina.
Ms. Clinton knew exactly what was going on, of course, which is why she largely ignored Mr. Edwards and pitched her argument as a choice between her proven experience and Mr. Obama's callow dreams.
"Words are not actions," she reminded viewers. "As beautifully presented and passionately felt as they are, they are not action.
"What we've got to do is translate talk into action and feeling into reality. I have a long record of doing that."
It is a powerful argument and Ms. Clinton presented it powerfully. But she has defined her own problem. Ms. Clinton is asking Democratic voters to lower their sights. Sure Mr. Obama inspires you, she's telling them, but you need to get uninspired. This is about the presidency. We can't afford infatuations; we have an empire to run.
It is seldom advisable to throw cold water in the voter's face.
At one point, also-ran Bill Richardson bemusedly observed: "I've been in hostage negotiations that are a lot more civil than this." Oh come on. The Democrats were pussycats, compared with the Republicans. The Republicans unleashed the dogs.
The strategy was the same. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has invested everything - including a fair portion of his personal wealth - on winning Iowa and New Hampshire. He's already lost Iowa. Now his opponents need to make it 0 for 2.
The field is so darn crowded. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who beat Mr. Romney in Iowa, is now a player. So is Arizona Senator John McCain, who is Mr. Romney's principal rival in New Hampshire. So is former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, whose big-state strategy depends on there being no clear front-runner prior to Super Tuesday on Feb. 5. So is former actor and senator Fred Thompson, who hopes to bushwhack the field in the southern states.
So Mr. Thompson went after Mr. Romney on health care. Mr. Huckabee and Mr. Romney clashed over the Bush legacy. Mr. Romney and Mr. McCain had at it over immigration.
At times it got very personal.
When Mr. Romney, who has reversed himself on a number of policy fronts, charged Mr. Huckabee with misrepresenting his position on Iraq, Mr. Huckabee impishly retorted: "Which one?"
When Mr. Romney accused Mr. McCain of favouring amnesty for illegal immigrants, Mr. McCain shot back: "It's not amnesty. And for you to describe it as you do in the attack ads - my friend, you can spend your whole fortune on these attack ads, but it still won't be true."
When Mr. Romney castigated Mr. Huckabee for criticizing the Bush administration's foreign policy in a magazine article, Mr. Huckabee shot back: "Did you read the article before you commented on it?"
Mr. Romney, countering assault after assault, often giving better than he got, pleaded in vain for an end to the "continued personal barbs." To no avail.
The GOP contenders can see that Mr. Obama's surge is not tearing apart the Democratic Party the way the Republican race is fissuring the GOP. And Mr. Huckabee presciently - if in his own self interest - warned his fellow Republicans about the threat Mr. Obama posed.
"What Senator Obama has done is to touch at the core of something Americans want," he warned his rivals. "And we'd better be careful ... because if we don't give people something to be for, and only something to be against, we're going to lose the next election."
He's right. But even Mr. Huckabee can't really think about that, right now. He has to help the pack bring Mr. Romney down.
------
After 8 years of G.W., I think Americans are ready to be inspired and that's not always a bad thing.
JOHN IBBITSON
jibbitson@globeandmail.com
January 7, 2008
Mitt Romney doesn't touch alcohol, which might be a shame, because when this is all over, he and Hillary Clinton should get together and savour a good, stiff drink.
On the eve of the New Hampshire primary, each is fighting for their political life. Both were beaten up in Iowa, both face tough challenges in New Hampshire. And both, as the Saturday all-candidates debates revealed, are at this moment the sole target of their opponents.
But the way in which they were confronted speaks volumes about their campaigns and about the two parties whose presidential nominations they seek.
In the Democratic debate, former North Carolina senator John Edwards openly made common cause with Illinois Senator Barack Obama.
"Senator Obama and I have differences," he acknowledged. But "both of us are powerful voices for change," and "every time he speaks out for change, every time I fight for change, the forces of status quo are going to attack."
Everyone knew he was referring to Status-Quo Hillary.
Mr. Edwards cannot win in New Hampshire. But by painting Mr. Obama and himself as agents of change, and the New York senator as the same old thing, he might be able to help Mr. Obama beat Ms. Clinton in New Hampshire, thus improving his own chances later this month in South Carolina.
Ms. Clinton knew exactly what was going on, of course, which is why she largely ignored Mr. Edwards and pitched her argument as a choice between her proven experience and Mr. Obama's callow dreams.
"Words are not actions," she reminded viewers. "As beautifully presented and passionately felt as they are, they are not action.
"What we've got to do is translate talk into action and feeling into reality. I have a long record of doing that."
It is a powerful argument and Ms. Clinton presented it powerfully. But she has defined her own problem. Ms. Clinton is asking Democratic voters to lower their sights. Sure Mr. Obama inspires you, she's telling them, but you need to get uninspired. This is about the presidency. We can't afford infatuations; we have an empire to run.
It is seldom advisable to throw cold water in the voter's face.
At one point, also-ran Bill Richardson bemusedly observed: "I've been in hostage negotiations that are a lot more civil than this." Oh come on. The Democrats were pussycats, compared with the Republicans. The Republicans unleashed the dogs.
The strategy was the same. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has invested everything - including a fair portion of his personal wealth - on winning Iowa and New Hampshire. He's already lost Iowa. Now his opponents need to make it 0 for 2.
The field is so darn crowded. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who beat Mr. Romney in Iowa, is now a player. So is Arizona Senator John McCain, who is Mr. Romney's principal rival in New Hampshire. So is former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, whose big-state strategy depends on there being no clear front-runner prior to Super Tuesday on Feb. 5. So is former actor and senator Fred Thompson, who hopes to bushwhack the field in the southern states.
So Mr. Thompson went after Mr. Romney on health care. Mr. Huckabee and Mr. Romney clashed over the Bush legacy. Mr. Romney and Mr. McCain had at it over immigration.
At times it got very personal.
When Mr. Romney, who has reversed himself on a number of policy fronts, charged Mr. Huckabee with misrepresenting his position on Iraq, Mr. Huckabee impishly retorted: "Which one?"
When Mr. Romney accused Mr. McCain of favouring amnesty for illegal immigrants, Mr. McCain shot back: "It's not amnesty. And for you to describe it as you do in the attack ads - my friend, you can spend your whole fortune on these attack ads, but it still won't be true."
When Mr. Romney castigated Mr. Huckabee for criticizing the Bush administration's foreign policy in a magazine article, Mr. Huckabee shot back: "Did you read the article before you commented on it?"
Mr. Romney, countering assault after assault, often giving better than he got, pleaded in vain for an end to the "continued personal barbs." To no avail.
The GOP contenders can see that Mr. Obama's surge is not tearing apart the Democratic Party the way the Republican race is fissuring the GOP. And Mr. Huckabee presciently - if in his own self interest - warned his fellow Republicans about the threat Mr. Obama posed.
"What Senator Obama has done is to touch at the core of something Americans want," he warned his rivals. "And we'd better be careful ... because if we don't give people something to be for, and only something to be against, we're going to lose the next election."
He's right. But even Mr. Huckabee can't really think about that, right now. He has to help the pack bring Mr. Romney down.
------
After 8 years of G.W., I think Americans are ready to be inspired and that's not always a bad thing.
H
Hydrogen
Guest
Ha.
Conrad Black
Senior Member
Others mention Hew Hampshire as the first primary.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-01-03-new-hampshire-usat_N.htm
Attention shifts to first presidential primary
By Martha T. Moore, USA TODAY
MANCHESTER, N.H. — The first plane landed here from Iowa even before the caucuses started Thursday. But the rest of the presidential pack was right behind Sen. John McCain, as planeloads of candidates, campaign workers and media arrive today for the last push to the first primary. After a year of sharing the spotlight and the candidates with Iowa, New Hampshire becomes the sole focus of the 2008 presidential race until Tuesday's primary.
The last few days before voting "are always the most memorable of any primary campaign," state Democratic Party Chairman Ray Buckley says. "The electricity is amazing."
Races in both parties are tight. A Franklin Pierce University poll out Thursday shows Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, winner of Iowa's Democratic caucuses, virtually tied with New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Among Republicans, Arizona's McCain leads former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney by six percentage points.
In the remaining days, candidates will try to close the deal: "Once again, I need your help," McCain says in an ad that began airing Thursday.
"I'm asking for your vote," Romney says in his current TV spot.
After today's rallies on the airport tarmac, candidates will race between town hall meetings, fundraisers and house parties. Both Democrats and Republicans will participate in back-to-back debates on Saturday. Sponsored by ABC and Manchester TV station WMUR, the debates are the first to be carried on a broadcast network. Republicans also will debate Sunday on Fox News Channel.
Candidates will try to hammer home their main themes while campaign workers focus on getting out the vote.
"We plan to contact voters — undecideds, in particular, and our supporters — multiple times before Election Day," says Ben LaBolt of the Obama campaign, which says it has signed up 700 ward and town captains and issued 10,000 yard signs.
Clinton will campaign with her husband, former president Bill Clinton, and Robert F. Kennedy.
As if it won't be chilly enough in the snow-covered state, supporters of former North Carolina senator John Edwards will hand out ice cream Saturday, led by Ben & Jerry's founder Ben Cohen from neighboring Vermont.
Until today, McCain and Romney, both focused on winning the first-in-the-nation primary, often had the state to themselves. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani also squeezed in an ahead-of-the-pack appearance Thursday.
Now former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, winner of the Iowa caucuses, will arrive to woo New Hampshire Republicans, less religious and socially conservative than GOP voters in Iowa, though just as anti-tax. So far, he has lagged in polls here.
Continued...
ShonTron
Moderator
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We'll keep this thread going - discuss today's New Hampshire results here! And the thread will change to "US Primary Season". That's enough of the semantics of caucus versus primary.