March 28, 2008
The Week's Winners And Losers
Winners ...
Chelsea Clinton -- Launched a pitch perfect smackdown of a Butler University student who asked if the Monica Lewinsky scandal tarnished her mother's image. Also made a stitch of news today in Allentown, PA, when she asserted that Hillary Clinton would make a better president than Bill Clinton. Someone else has apparently found her voice ...
Barack Obama -- He has, perhaps for now, weathered the Rev. Jeremiah Wright storm by showing resilience in the polls. Appeared with a v. chummy Mike Bloomberg in NYC. (Twas a nicely-timed shout out to Jewish voters.) Endorsed by PA Sen. Bob Casey, which amounted to a seal of approval from the public face of a political family well-liked by the state's moderates (whites, Catholics) who favor their more conservative views on social issues, abortion in particular. Casey's endorsement was critical in a state that strongly favors Clinton.
John McCain -- Emerged from another week unscathed by repeated DNC attacks tying him to an unpopular president. Takes a fundraising jaunt to UT with Mitt Romney. (GOP looks So Happy Together while Dems contined to spar.) Aired first TV ad, a solid spot highlighting his service to country. Announced bio tour to MS, AZ, VA, MD, FL. Polling showed he has that crossover magic, as a good chunk of Dems (one-in-five at least) say they'd vote for him over the Dem they're not backing.
Losers ...
Hillary Clinton -- NBC/WSJ survey showed her approval rating at the lowest it's been since March 2001, two months after she was sworn in to the U.S. Senate. Botched Bosnia story prompts admission that she "misspoke," but she says the episode shows she's human. Attempts to rekindle Wright brouhaha, which falls flat. Sen. Pat Leahy, an Obama supporter, says today she should exit the race. Casey goes with Obama. Howard Dean says this contest won't go past early June. And maybe the Ragin' Cajun' hurt his gal with all that Judas talk, too.
David Paterson -- Revelations about ... Cocaine use. Marijuana. Trips with state worker girlfriend to IA and SC ... to work on HRC's campaign. Maybe he gets it out there, airs those demons. Or maybe the whole thing leaves Joe Bruno smacking his lips ...
Bill Clinton -- Continued to praise McCain on the trail. But notes, repeatedly, that the AZ Sen would be the oldest prez.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Posted at 06:20 PM
Comments
I'm sorry to disagree about Chelsea Clinton. Her response to the completely predictable (and relevant) question about the impact of the Lewinsky scandal was overly harsh, and sounded like one of her mother's worst moments. Chelsea is no longer a young girl who must be protected from the tough moments of her parents' lives. She is a woman who is forcefully campaigning in a presidential election. She should have a better response to this kind of question than to show a flash of anger and resentment at the questioner.
TKD | 03.28.08 07:12 PM
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I would love to support Barack Obama and actually because he seems qualified and he IS Black. But he is a liar. He did not leave his hate-filled church and continues to double talk about it. Hillary and McCain are also proven liars. So let's look at Hillary and Barack on the issues that matter to me--a liberal democrat. They have exactly the same positions. So then what makes the difference? Hillary Clinton is married to the best president of the last fifty years. Like it or not feminists--that is a reality and that's the real edge. And you get two great leaders for the price of one just as we did when Bill was President. (Remember--the bumper stickers in the 90s? "Impeach Clinton and Her Husband Too.") The tragedy is that black people who once called Bill Clinton "the first black president" have turned on the Clintons and co-opted all the right wing hatred toward the Clintons because they want a Black man to win. Too bad. That is racism too.
Ivan Douglas | 03.28.08 07:51 PM
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No one objects to a honest and healthy debate, but what they do object to is one based upon lies, smear, distortion -- swiftboating and/or the Tonya Harding, however, Tonya Harding was sent packing in disgrace. And does she have to divide and separate the country by Gender & Race while she is Pressing on to win the top job?
This is a New Era -- the Age of Aquarius/Brotherhood. It is about turning the page — it is the old separative and corrupt politicians vs. the new moral/ethical politicians (I call them the New Age Politicians as they work on building a more holistic and unified society.)
Camp Clinton, is enraged with Barack that people have discovered that Hillary has a “truth” problem, that she got caught telling that horrendous tall tale, “the Bosnian Sniper Fire” story and now everyone knows her true character and the depths she will go to embellish her own persona, and the fact that now people are skeptical to believe anything that she says... However, I am surprised that Andrea Mithcell, who went on that trip with her, never reported that there was not Sniper fire until it became public knowledge, though Hillary had told that story three (3) times, but Andrea does think it is her personal mission to dig up old sermons of Rev. Wright’s and expose them to the public. Rev. Wright is no worse than Pat Buchanan who is allowed to make a cushy salary on talk shows while he continually is allowed to speak in ways which introduces fear, separatism and hate within our society, and he has been getting away with it for years! And, if that is not Anti-American, I do not know what is! He is the very thing he accuses Rev. Wright of and worse. Yet, Rev. Wright's words would be pertienent except for the fact that we are electing a President, Not a Pastor, and those are Rev. Wright’s words NOT Barack’s, as in the Sniper Fire Story which are Hillary’s and Hillary’s alone.
Then there is the statement Hillary likes to make “that she would never meet with her enemies”, than why did she meet and sit down with her Arch Enemy, Richard Mellon Scaife, to re-introduce the Rev. Wright matter. This is the same Richard Scaife, who accused Hillary and Bill of Vince Foster’s murder, 60 murders in all, and was their personal persecutor and devil while they were in the White House and took them on a witch hunt for years, What’s that about, what did she really tell him?
In her desire to make Barack look unelectable it seems, instead, the Chickens are Coming Home to Roost.
BacaAngel | 03.29.08 08:59 AM
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CHELSEA CLINTON???????????
She has been around her parents so long that she has caught the same hubris that her parents spew every day. I am not sure why the response "It's none of your business" is an appropriate response to any question of a PUBLIC personae. Can you enlighten me?
just me | 03.29.08 10:27 AM
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I thought the Age of Aquarius was the sixties?
flyover | 03.29.08 11:07 AM
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Rezko received a $3.5 million loan from London-based IRAQI billionaire Nadhmi Auchi -- a loan that was later forgiven in exchange for shares in a prime slice of Chicago real estate. Rezko gave $700,000 of the money to his wife and used the rest to pay legal bills and funnel cash to various supporters."
These Funds from Auchi's loan helped finance a complex series of transactions between Rezko and Democratic Presidential candidate Illinois Senator Barack Obama involving the 2005 purchase of Obama's Chicago mansion and Rezko's purchase of an adjoining landlocked parcel.
Rezko claims he paid “full market price” and Obama apparently received a “discount” of several hundred thousand dollars for his parcel. Rezko then improved his parcel to benefit Obama.
Instead of handing cash to Obama, Rezko handed Obama a preferential price for property. This is the same form of “honest graft” and preferential treatment that sent former Illinois Governor Otto Kerner to jail over 30 years ago, see United States v. Isaacs, 493 F.2d 1124 (7th Cir. 1974).
The Chicago Sun-Times recently reported that Mr. Rezko, around the same general period he was wheeling with Obama, also provided a preferential price for a property purchase by U. S. Representative Luis Gutierrez.
Instead of transferring cash to buy influence, Rezko was engaging in structured property transactions and preferential treatment of public officials to confer significant financial benefits on them, far above the legal limits of any legitimate political contribution permitted by federal law.
Thanks to the release of Barack Obama's income tax records, we are finally able to get some necessary perspective on the big favor Tony Rezko did for the Obamas in buying what has been termed in the press "the adjacent, undeveloped lot". It turns out this is a seriously misleading description.
Rather than merely purchasing a separate lot, Rezko appears to have purchased the yard of the Obama manse, and allowed them to live in the house+yard property, amounting to a gift (or loan, if you will) of considerable value.
The Obamas' tax returns from 2000-2005 had personal information blanked out, but strangely enough, the 2006 Form 1040 left in the home address.
Mr. Tony Rezko who owns a slum landlord business in inner city Chicago is under indictment in Illinois for seeking to extort money from potential state vendors.
The feds allege that Mr. Rezko was able to steer state contracts and policy decisions, such as authorization to build hospitals in specific locations, because he was so close to Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (for whom he was a top fundraiser) and because he was willing to share the graft with his cronies
Rezko's connection to Obama began well before Obama ran for office. Rezko spotted him early, figured he might be a rising star, and helped secure funds for his initial campaigns. As a major mob figure, Rezko's role raises questions because no one has ever accused him of being a civic-minded fellow who simply enjoys political fundraising because he delights in good government. Skeptical souls want to know what Rezko sought in return for his support and whether he got it?
IRAQI billionaire Nadhmi Auchi stills lives in London.
Richard Williams | 03.29.08 08:42 PM
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YOU MIGHT BE AN IDIOT:-)
If you think Barack Obama with little or no experience would be better than Hillary Clinton with 35 years experience.
You Might Be An Idiot!
If you think that Obama with no experience can fix an economy on the verge of collapse better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) led the greatest economic expansion, and prosperity in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot!
If you think that Obama with no experience fighting for universal health care can get it for you better than Hillary Clinton. Who anticipated this current health care crisis back in 1993, and fought a pitched battle against overwhelming odds to get universal health care for all the American people.
You Might Be An Idiot!
If you think that Obama with no experience can manage, and get us out of two wars better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) went to war only when he was convinced that he absolutely had to. Then completed the mission in record time against a nuclear power. AND DID NOT LOSE THE LIFE OF A SINGLE AMERICAN SOLDIER. NOT ONE!
You Might Be An Idiot!
If you think that Obama with no experience saving the environment is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) left office with the greatest amount of environmental cleanup, and protections in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot!
If you think that Obama with little or no education experience is better than Hillary Clinton. Whose ;-) husband (Bill Clinton) made higher education affordable for every American. And created higher job demand and starting salary's than they had ever been before or since.
You Might Be An Idiot!
If you think that Obama with no experience will be better than Hillary Clinton who spent 8 years at the right hand of President Bill Clinton. Who is already on record as one of the greatest Presidents in American history.
You Might Be An Idiot!
If you think that you can change the way Washington works with pretty speeches from Obama, rather than with the experience, and political expertise of two master politicians ON YOUR SIDE like Hillary and Bill Clinton..
You Might Be An Idiot!
If you think all those Republicans voting for Obama in the Democratic primaries, and caucuses are doing so because they think he is a stronger Democratic candidate than Hillary Clinton. :-)
Best regards
jacksmith...
jacksmith | 03.29.08 11:25 PM
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YOU MIGHT BE AN IDIOT..........
if your name is Jack Smith.
notjacksmith | 03.30.08 10:07 AM
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Jack, that sort of behavior isn't exactly immensely helpful.
Seth | 03.30.08 08:56 PM
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