momadance wrote:I thought this would hurt the Dems as well. But seriously, no one has been talking about McCain. He's been an afterthought for awhile now. The entire country has been focused on Clinton/Obama. The media doesn't spend nearly as much time with McCain as they do with the Dems. I think the extra exposure may turn out to help them, except for the fact that they're wasting money.

I hope that's true but I don't think so... in the sense that there is a negative tone and divisiveness between the two Dems, which alienates some people. And -- what will the losing Dems do? Not vote? If Hilary wins a lot of the newly engaged Obama supporters are likely to check-out on the whole thing feeling ripped off again. Any mature Democrat who can see clearly the dangers and continued bad bad situation we have with Rep at the helm, will vote for either Dem. But independents, newly engaged in the process, less sophisticated voters...??

All the time they are trying to defeat each other, could be time spent differentiating from the Rep candidate and making gains with people on the fence.

Philly the Kid wrote:I think that Dem fight is using up precious time and resources that should be spent building traction against McCain. Two Dems taking jabs at each other helps the other side. Egos and powerful agendas are in place. Clinton didn't think anyone could outlast her -- and she's unwilling to let go til the bitter bitter end... she could still pull it out I guess. I just wonder if there will be anything left, and I see McCain who I think is an utter jack-a -- actually gaining momentum. He's not very likable and not very bright or articulate but he's playing the touhg guy card -- and the machine is behind him now... and I think he's the favorite.

And if the Dem race was officially over, then that mentioned GOP "machine" would have only one Dem candidate to focus on. The less time that "machine" gets to punch at the actual D nominee, the better it is for the D's. Right now, the GOP machine is sort of relegated to just taking jabs at both Obama and Clinton instead of going toe to toe with hard body blows.

I don't see why some Democrats are worried about the prolonged D race. For one, the latter states now feel more important in the nominating process (more than if the race were decided a month or so ago), and as a result there is increased voter registrations in those latter states. More states feel like they count... well, except for Florida and Michigan (which my gut tells me will haunt the Dems in the general, but that lays at "Dizzy" Dean's feet). Another reason is the "vetting". It's better for any "dirt" to come out early (damage control, passage of time, etc.). If the race was over at the time, I don't think the Rev. Wright thing would have come to public light until late summer or early autumn, the GOP would have held it back until closer to the GE, and it would thus have been lethal for Obama. Which brings up another point of the prolonged D race regarding "early dirt". If something "lethal" were dug up on one of the D candidates, at least the Dems wouldn't be stuck with an unelectable nominee.

As long as the Super Delegates don't overturn the vote of the people, there shouldn't be too much to worry about. McCain's "I don't know much about the economy" stuff is going to kill him if the economy is still hurting. There may be a lot of bitterness in the party right now, but its not even close to the bitterness everyone feels towards the Republicans.

The Democrats should win this easy. McCain is not a great candidate, and all they have to do is convince people that McCain=4 more years of Bush. If they want a little insurance, they do a little voter discouragement on the hard-core anti McCain right.

Actually I feel badly for Clinton and hope that she is able to bow out gracefully at some point.

How about the latest PPP poll that has Obama up by 3 in PA? It is definitely an outlier but it is interesting that the same poll had Clinton up by 26 exactly one month ago. I really hope Obama can pull the massive upset in PA and just end this thing. At this point, the only person benefitting from the Obama/Clinton battle is John McCain.

I'm afraid for this election because of the voter apathy among young people compared to the aged. McCain can only benefit. If only one could vote on the internet. Then it would be the other way around. The curent system favors people with free time to run an errand.

Springsteen endorses Obama

I don't think this actually moves any votes... but it makes me feel good. Bruce has always struck me as a pretty canny guy with an advanced BS detector--which Clinton presumably sets off big-time.

dajafi wrote:Springsteen endorses Obama

I don't think this actually moves any votes... but it makes me feel good. Bruce has always struck me as a pretty canny guy with an advanced BS detector--which Clinton presumably sets off big-time.

As a big Bruce fan, Mrs. TraderDave will be pleased. That was a damned good letter, BTW.

TheDude24 wrote:I'm afraid for this election because of the voter apathy among young people compared to the aged. McCain can only benefit. If only one could vote on the internet. Then it would be the other way around. The curent system favors people with free time to run an errand.

Young people today are more politically active than they've been for a number of generations. That doesn't mean that they'll vote at the same rates as seniors do, but they will vote.

traderdave wrote:

dajafi wrote:Springsteen endorses Obama

I don't think this actually moves any votes... but it makes me feel good. Bruce has always struck me as a pretty canny guy with an advanced BS detector--which Clinton presumably sets off big-time.

As a big Bruce fan, Mrs. TraderDave will be pleased. That was a damned good letter, BTW.

It was a good letter. Springsteen has always been political, but he's only started talking about specific candidates recently.

McCain's gas tax idea:

In a wide ranging economic speech at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee called for a hiatus in the 18.4 cent-a-gallon federal gas tax from Memorial Day until Labor Day - the period when vacationing Americans spend the most time on the road.

"The effect will be an immediate economic stimulus - taking a few dollars off the price of a tank of gas every time a family, a farmer, or trucker stops to fill up," said McCain.

THINK OF THE DOZENS OF DOLLARS I WILL SAVE OVER THE SUMMER THAT CAN PAY OFF MY STUDENT LOANS AND MORTGAGE AND ALL OTHER BILLS! GENIUS!

pacino wrote:McCain's gas tax idea:

In a wide ranging economic speech at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee called for a hiatus in the 18.4 cent-a-gallon federal gas tax from Memorial Day until Labor Day - the period when vacationing Americans spend the most time on the road.

"The effect will be an immediate economic stimulus - taking a few dollars off the price of a tank of gas every time a family, a farmer, or trucker stops to fill up," said McCain.

THINK OF THE DOZENS OF DOLLARS I WILL SAVE OVER THE SUMMER THAT CAN PAY OFF MY STUDENT LOANS AND MORTGAGE AND ALL OTHER BILLS! GENIUS!

Shall we cut highway funding by the same amount? I wonder if McCain even knows what the federal tax on gasoline is (hint: it's 18.4 cents a gallon).

I know it's a beyond-obvious point, but this is the sort of goofiness the Democrats could use to go at McCain--without getting into the stupid age-ist insults, counter-productive attacks on his inconsistencies or over-the-top comparisons to Bush that I see on the lefty blogs--were they (read: The Empress) not too busy attacking each other.

McCain, for all he has going for him, isn't a serious candidate on economics and with that set of issues in the forefront right now, he's not a good fit for the moment. Between his disinterest in the material and his political imperative to keep tongue-bathing Grover Norquist, he should be sunk on this.

He's blatantly ripping this off from Bob Menendez of all people.

Phan In Phlorida wrote:

Philly the Kid wrote:I think that Dem fight is using up precious time and resources that should be spent building traction against McCain. Two Dems taking jabs at each other helps the other side. Egos and powerful agendas are in place. Clinton didn't think anyone could outlast her -- and she's unwilling to let go til the bitter bitter end... she could still pull it out I guess. I just wonder if there will be anything left, and I see McCain who I think is an utter jack-a -- actually gaining momentum. He's not very likable and not very bright or articulate but he's playing the touhg guy card -- and the machine is behind him now... and I think he's the favorite.

And if the Dem race was officially over, then that mentioned GOP "machine" would have only one Dem candidate to focus on. The less time that "machine" gets to punch at the actual D nominee, the better it is for the D's. Right now, the GOP machine is sort of relegated to just taking jabs at both Obama and Clinton instead of going toe to toe with hard body blows.

I don't see why some Democrats are worried about the prolonged D race. For one, the latter states now feel more important in the nominating process (more than if the race were decided a month or so ago), and as a result there is increased voter registrations in those latter states. More states feel like they count... well, except for Florida and Michigan (which my gut tells me will haunt the Dems in the general, but that lays at "Dizzy" Dean's feet). Another reason is the "vetting". It's better for any "dirt" to come out early (damage control, passage of time, etc.). If the race was over at the time, I don't think the Rev. Wright thing would have come to public light until late summer or early autumn, the GOP would have held it back until closer to the GE, and it would thus have been lethal for Obama. Which brings up another point of the prolonged D race regarding "early dirt". If something "lethal" were dug up on one of the D candidates, at least the Dems wouldn't be stuck with an unelectable nominee.

These are some interesting points, I'll have to ponder them a bit. I like what you say about keeping the latter states involved and increasing registration. Not sure the diffusion is there because I think McCain is focusing on figuring out his message and tweaking it, he's not having to worry yet which counter-message since the two dems are trying to knock each other out.

Speaking of Rev Wright, if you do some background on the guy, he volunteered to serve in Nam, there's a lot mroe there and he's not an idiot. He's served this country more than Bush or Cheyney!

Obama really needs to just take a shot at the moderators already for asking non-issue questions for a whole hour.

Houshphandzadeh wrote:Obama really needs to just take a shot at the moderators already for asking non-issue questions for a whole hour.

It is fucking unreal. Seems like the moderators and Clinton are in some kind of contest to see who can be more vicious, small-minded and irrelevant to what people are actually interested in.

Since the last debate, there have been major developments in the financial markets, Iraq, inflation and housing. You'd think they might ask something. Anything.

Yeah, this is disgusting.

Liked Obama's turn on the Weather Underground stuff, though.

dajafi wrote:

Houshphandzadeh wrote:Obama really needs to just take a shot at the moderators already for asking non-issue questions for a whole hour.

It is $#@! unreal. Seems like the moderators and Clinton are in some kind of contest to see who can be more vicious, small-minded and irrelevant to what people are actually interested in.

Since the last debate, there have been major developments in the financial markets, Iraq, inflation and housing. You'd think they might ask something. Anything.

FLAG PINZZZ FTW!!!!!11

dajafi wrote:

Houshphandzadeh wrote:Obama really needs to just take a shot at the moderators already for asking non-issue questions for a whole hour.

It is $#@! unreal. Seems like the moderators and Clinton are in some kind of contest to see who can be more vicious, small-minded and irrelevant to what people are actually interested in.

Since the last debate, there have been major developments in the financial markets, Iraq, inflation and housing. You'd think they might ask something. Anything.

I'm really sick of hearing about Obama's minister and pledging to the flag.