Hillary fires, Obama fires back (Let The Mudslinging Begin)

Hillary fires, Obama fires back

The US press had been getting bored with the extended and slow-moving 2008 presidential primaries. That is, until this week. Excitement came in the form of a rather intense exchange between the two leading Democratic contenders: New York Senator Hillary Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

It began in the midst of a televised debate on July 23. This debate's format was novel in that questions were posed to the candidates, not by journalists but by average citizens who pre-recorded and submitted them via YouTube.

Let The Mudslinging Begin

No one really expected Hillary Clinton not to mud-sling? And surely, no one expected Barack Obama not to toss a few charming plops of mud in return? This is, after all, a presidential election.

Cynically, I say that this might be planned. Keeps the election interesting, and helps both play hard and nice, sparring before the general election. One will receive the Democratic nomination. Not one credible media person is talking seriously about any other Democratic candidate.

This way, there is an "honorable warrior" set-up for whomever wins to fight off the Republicans. Something like, "Barack, you fought hard. I respect that. And that is why, for America, for my running mate, I am choosing you to fight with me against the Republican Party, that we, together, may run this country. George Bush was monarch long enough!"

Strategic? Yes. Will it work? I'm convinced of it. Will it win the 2008 Election? Hard to say. The Republicans aren't exactly sitting on their hands.

President's Radio Address

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. This week I visited with troops at Charleston Air Force Base. These fine men and women are serving courageously to protect our country against dangerous enemies. The terrorist network that struck America on September the 11th wants to strike our country again. To stop them, our military, law enforcement, and intelligence professionals need the best possible information about who the terrorists are, where they are, and what they are planning.

One of the most important ways we can gather that information is by monitoring terrorist communications. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act -- also known as FISA -- provides a critical legal foundation that allows our intelligence community to collect this information while protecting the civil liberties of Americans. But this important law was written in 1978, and it addressed the technologies of that era. This law is badly out of date -- and Congress must act to modernize it.

Today we face sophisticated terrorists who use disposable cell phones and the Internet to communicate with each other, recruit operatives, and plan attacks on our country. Technologies like these were not available when FISA was passed nearly 30 years ago, and FISA has not kept up with new technological developments. As a result, our Nation is hampered in its ability to gain the vital intelligence we need to keep the American people safe. In his testimony to Congress in May, Mike McConnell, the Director of National Intelligence, put it this way: We are "significantly burdened in capturing overseas communications of foreign terrorists planning to conduct attacks inside the United States."
To fix this problem, my Administration has proposed a bill that would modernize the FISA statute. This legislation is the product of months of discussion with members of both parties in the House and the Senate -- and it includes four key reforms: First, it brings FISA up to date with the changes in communications technology that have taken place over the past three decades. Second, it seeks to restore FISA to its original focus on protecting the privacy interests of people inside the United States, so we don't have to obtain court orders to effectively collect foreign intelligence about foreign targets located in foreign locations. Third, it allows the government to work more efficiently with private-sector entities like communications providers, whose help is essential. And fourth, it will streamline administrative processes so our intelligence community can gather foreign intelligence more quickly and more effectively, while protecting civil liberties.

Our intelligence community warns that under the current statute, we are missing a significant amount of foreign intelligence that we should be collecting to protect our country. Congress needs to act immediately to pass this bill, so that our national security professionals can close intelligence gaps and provide critical warning time for our country.

As the recent National Intelligence Estimate reported, America is in a heightened threat environment. Reforming FISA will help our intelligence professionals address those threats -- and they should not have to wait any longer. Congress will soon be leaving for its August recess. I ask Republicans and Democrats to work together to pass FISA modernization now, before they leave town. Our national security depends on it.

Thank you for listening.

END

Cindy Sheehan threatens to run against Nancy Pelosi

Cindy Sheehan threatens to run against Nancy Pelosi

What happens when a large (but small) group of ardent, well-meaning antiwar protesters build a symbol, and the symbol does not realize that is all she was? What of the symbol wants to be real.

Cindy Sheehan, not quite catching on that she was a brand name for antiwar efforts, thinks she has become the marketing about her.

Pro-abortion symbol 'Roe' as in Roe v Wade actual name Norma L. McCorvey) wanted to be real. Norma realized later she was a pawn, saw the shallowness, and converted to Christianity, and now, ironically, speaks at pro-life events.

Of all the crazy competition Hillary Clinton is facing, all are actually competent. Same with the Republican line-up.

Here in Illinois, Mike Ditka (Chicago Bears head coach in the 1980s, and loved by Illinois citizens) considered running against Barack Obama. Da Coach believed that Obama stood for something far more liberal than Illinois deserved. Why didn't he run? He realized name recognition was not enough. He didn't know how to do the job.

Why?

On the front of it all, Sheehan thinks Pelosi should file impeachment papers against George Bush. Fair enough. She does not know how to file them herself, and might not realize the legal requirements for impeachment.

Nancy Pelosi is not conservative. She's the Newt Gingrich of liberal politics. She has an agenda, is not willing to seriously negotiate if she can bulldoze on though, and has the power to get things done. That said, she hasn't filed impeachment papers. Why not?

Maybe she realizes

• Impeachment would be bad for the country. she saw the silly proceedings against Bill Clinton.
• Bush is not guilty of any impeachment-type laws or can't be proved as having broken the laws.
• Has bigger fish to fry, like getting troops home from Iraq.
• Politically has negotiated that she avoid impeachment for the sake of something else she wants.
• Is gathering evidence, but is not quite ready to impeach.
• Knows by the time she can get things ready for impeachment, the 2008 election is here.
• Knows the political downside to impeaching Bush might be that the Democrats will lose the 2008 election.
• Any, neither, all of the above.

To Cindy Sheehan: you are so goofy, you are helping convince many fence sitters to go pro-Bush or pro-war. I love free speech, so keep on speaking, but, try to do some of that speaking to a therapist. She will help you realize the Messiah is someone else.

Barack Obama is Not Fighting Muhammad Ali

Get this? The media is noticing Barack Obama sees Hillary Clinton as his prime competition. Not Muhammad Ali. That would be news.

News? Sunny days are prime competition for rainy ones.

Of course, of course. Who else should he focus on? Hillary is leading. He wants to lead. He has his hardcore adoration, but there are many undecideds, fence-sitters, and people who like to say they are independents, but are really indecisives.

The real independents are out of his reach right now. They are likely to vote for a noncandidate in polls. He can't grab them until November 2008, when their vote counts harshly.

It is a smart move. Hillary is a worthy opponent, and, by making her his opponent, his image gets lifted up, just as, back in the 1970s, someone who say they are fighting Muhammad Ali. Fight Ali? Must be tough yourself to dare get in his ring. Same idea.

This is a two person battle. No other Democrat counts any longer. Barack is just moving the ball down the court.

Barack Obama's Campaign Increasingly Engages Hillary Clinton
ABC News - 1 hour ago
"The only person who would probably be prepared to be our president on Day 1 would be Bill Clinton -- not Hillary Clinton," Barack Obama on Monday.

Al Gore's Son in Drug Bust & Ruins Dad's Chance to Be President

Al Gore's son ruined his chance for the White House. Simple as that.




Why Gore lost against George W Bush in 2000 can be argued all you want. Now, in 2008, Bush is not running, Hillary Clinton is being pushed by Republicans as too liberal, and Barack Obama is being smeared as too green. Al Gore has neither baggage, and was never married, so far I know, to Bill Clinton.

He could've been a contender.

Not so, says druggie son. He used no words. No, no. Al's son is a man of action. To send his message to Dad, he drive his car, the cops allege, over 100 mph, with drugs in the car.

Sure, his son is 24, and no longer Daddy's boy, but, anyone named Gore, outside of Leslie Gore (she was a 1960s pop singer for you kids), will impact the possibility of election. The fact that he is Al Gore III can't help.

Whether Al Gore ever intended to run is a something we can only speculate about, but, when compared to Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama, he may have been a real force. Now, no one outside of Woody Harrelson would want a drug-infested family in the White House. Even George Bush went sober.

What was in the dopehead's car?

• Marijuana
• Xanax
• Valium
• Vicodin
• Adderall

After having been busted with pot possession in December 2003, you would have thought Dad would say, "Now, son, when I said I wanted pharmaceuticals more available, I met for sick people, not you, you dumb ass."

I guess that message never sunk in. Normally, you might expect that story in a gossip blog, but, this is news which impacts November 2008.

What can you expect from a guy who grew up in a state where tobacco is a main crop? Pot, cigarettes? The difference must not be so easy for him. It could be he thought one drug was the same as the next. Not so. These drugs he was busted with will only ruin Al Gore II's chance to be president, while tobacco cigarettes will kill you.

Rudy and Romney: Raking in Riches

Giuliani Camp Pulls in $15M; Romney $14M

Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney are $29,000,000 richer. For Rudy, that's expected. For Romney, less so. It will help him argue to new supporters he is electable. Expect the next Romney report to be about bigger dinero.

For Hillary and Barack, otherwise known as Clinton and Obama, this means little. They have their own money to chase.

Why Scooter Libby's Commuted Sentence Will Not Hurt George Bush

Scooter gets commuted. Libby's not on the lam. Bush decided not to pardon, but to commute Lewis Libby's sentence.

A commuted sentence basically says, "You're guilty, but you need not go to prison."

The original sentence, 30 months in prison, is on the books, but, in essence, completed, or, rather, deemed unnecessary.

Politically, this won't hurt or help anyone but Libby. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama will not gain from this. They cannot say, "Republicans are no good because of Scooter Libby." The impact will be forgotten by November 2008.

A lot of jabbering on talk shows will go on, but, any president knows controversial decisions made over a year before an election are inconsequential.

Republicans will not be hurt either. Any candidate worth his public relations salt has steered himself away from George Bush. They may agree with a Bush decision, like the Iraq War, but, his name will not be emphasized. George W is not running for re-election, and he, himself, is just doing what presidents do. Bill Clinton did this, and, famously, Gerard Ford did it with Nixon. No one remembers the Bill Clinton criminals, and no one will remember Libby.

Obama Brings Home the Bacon

Big bucks? You bet. The only ones losing are Illinois voters who thought carpet bagger Alan Keyes was less commited to serving as senator than now Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

Hard saying about Keyes who skipped town quickly after having his keister served on a platter by the dominant male.

It is evidence that, while Hillary Clinton may be leading the pack, the race is not over. Not too forget, though, Howard Dean raised a chunk of change. Obama is not the fool Dean is, and has a real chance.

Obama Raises $32.5 Million, Record for a Democratic Candidate