by PunditGuy | Apr 28, 2008 | 2008 Election |
Most “men of the cloth” are humble. Most godly men shun the spotlight, seeking instead to do the work of God as a servant and not the one being served. Most pastors would rather God get the glory than themselves.
And then there’s Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
In a defiant appearance before the Washington media, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright said Monday that criticism surrounding his fiery sermons is an attack on the black church and he rejected those who have labeled him unpatriotic.
Wright seemed to relish the chance to speak out after weeks of being derided in the press. He reveled in his retorts, high-fiving an audience member, pointing and winking at his supporters and mocking descriptions of him as Obama’s spiritual mentor.
Rev. Wright is playing his 15 minutes for everything he’s got. He’s clearly an extremely arrogant individual. Whatever. What’s isn’t clear is what he thinks he’s accomplishing. Is he trying to derail Obama’s campaign? What else can explain his antics both on TV and today in front of the media at the National Press Club? The man is a wacko, but he’s smart enough to know his words will ultimately have a negative impact on Obama’s candidacy.
My contention is an Obama implosion is good for Wright and the constituency he represents. If Obama is suddenly rejected by the electorate, or the super delegates, Wright can claim that racism is the cause. His career as a “pastor” has been based on promoting the notion that every negative thing a Black man encounters in life is simply racism. It’s his primary message. A catch all excuse. If racism diminishes, or disappears altogether, it’s bad for Wright (and Jesse Jackson…and Al Sharpton, and…). His message becomes irrelevant.
Obama responded, albeit weakly today (surprise surprise), saying ““I think certainly what the last three days indicate is that we’re not coordinating with him, right?” Mr. Obama continued: “He’s obviously free to speak his mind, but I just want to emphasize that this is my former pastor. Many of the statements that he has made both to trigger this initial controversy and that he’s made over the last several days are not statements that I’ve heard him make previously. They don’t represent my views and they don’t represent what this campaign is about.”
This is pure BS. There’s no proof that Wright has just recently become an anti-american bigot. Obama attended his church for 20 years. Not once did he ever hear Wright say anything like what we’ve heard over the past weeks? Heh! Riiiiiiiight. You’re a liar Barack.
I have no doubt that Obama will be the Democratic nominee for president. I also have no doubt that he will lose in November. And he can thank his former pastor for that. Wright has virtually guaranteed that Obama will be the next George McGovern.
Technorati Tags:
Absurd, Barack Obama, Democrats, Racism, Rev. Jeremiah Wright
by PunditGuy | Apr 25, 2008 | 2008 Election |
The politico outlines three reasons why the Democrats will nominate Barack Obama for president. The question is, why so they wait? They wait because they fear Bill & Hillary Clinton. Wimps.
Technorati Tags: Bill Clinton,Hillary Clinton,Barack Obama,Democrats,Election,President
by PunditGuy | Apr 25, 2008 | Politics |
He’s alienated the constituency he thought he could never alienate.
One of the nation’s most influential African-American political leaders sharply criticized former President Bill Clinton on Thursday afternoon for what he called his “bizarre” conduct during the Democratic primary campaign. The black leader, Representative James E. Clyburn, an undeclared superdelegate from South Carolina and the third-ranking Democrat in the House, said “black people are incensed over all of this.”
In an interview with The New York Times late Thursday, Mr. Clyburn said Mr. Clinton’s conduct in this campaign had caused what might be an irreparable breach between Mr. Clinton and an African-American constituency that once revered him.
“When he was going through his impeachment problems, it was the black community that bellied up to the bar,” Mr. Clyburn said. “I think black folks feel strongly that this is a strange way for President Clinton to show his appreciation.”
First of all, Clyburn and other Black leaders should have realized what they were dealing with in Bill Clinton. Yet, they didn’t. Instead of seeing him as a master politician saying and doing things which would benefit him directly, they saw in him a figure of power who cared about the plight of the Black man. Shame on them.
The funny thing is, Bill Clinton is so self absorbed he doesn’t even know the Black guys are mad at him. And even when confronted with it, he still doesn’t believe it could be possible. Talk about living in an alternate universe.
The fact is, that bridge has been burned. Bill Clinton is no longer Black.
Technorati Tags: Bill Clinton,Hillary Clinton,Black Vote,James E. Clyburn,Democrats
by PunditGuy | Apr 22, 2008 | 2008 Election |
Hillary wins (yawn).
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton scored a decisive victory over Senator Barack Obama on Tuesday in the Pennsylvania primary, giving her candidacy a critical boost as she struggles to raise money and persuade party leaders to let the Democratic nominating fight go on.
Watching some of the TV pundits tonight, the general reaction was to exalt yet another Clinton comeback. But wasn’t Hillary always suppose to win Pennsylvania? Wasn’t this suppose to be the place where she could easily take Obama? Yes, but oh how easily the MSM forgets that. No, tonight was all about how Hillary won so solidly that she just might win the nomination. Ppptttthhhh.
What we know tonight is what we’ve always known. Hillary won like she was suppose to win. Hillary’s doing what she vowed to do: keep going on to Indiana, North Carolina and all the rest of the primaries. Nothing has changed. Operation Chaos continues.
Move along people…nothing to see here.
Technorati Tags:
2008 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Operation Chaos, Pennsylvania
by PunditGuy | Apr 21, 2008 | 2008 Election |
Desperation.
The six-week Pennsylvania primary drew to a contentious finish Monday as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton invoked images of Pearl Harbor and Osama bin Laden in a television advertisement that questioned Senator Barack Obama’s ability to lead in a crisis.
As she sought to spark a comeback in the Democratic nominating contest, Mrs. Clinton warned voters not to “take a leap of faith or have any guesswork” when they cast ballots Tuesday.
When you’ve got nothing to say to bolster your own achievements, you cast doubt on the other guy. Classic Clintonianism.
Unfortunately, there’s a certain segment of the electorate that vote out of fear. Mostly it’s misplaced fear, but, it’s fear nonetheless. The Clinton’s know this, and they’ve perfected the politics of fear ever since they conspired to rule together.
Too bad it works.
Technorati Tags:
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Terrorism, Osama Bin Laden, Pearl Harbor
by PunditGuy | Apr 21, 2008 | Absurd |
When it comes to the Clinton/Obama slug fest, the New York Times doesn’t know what to write about anymore. So, they’re recycling the notion that Hillary and Obama could be good for one another.
After this bloody primary war, it ain’t gonna happen.
Imagine President Barack Obama is preparing his first State of the Union message. Would he want Vice President Hillary Rodham Clinton tut-tutting with edits or suggesting how she could write it better? Would he want to hear Second Spouse Bill Clinton wax on and on about favorite lines from his own speeches?
Alternatively, would the poll-obsessed Clintons want to wake up in the White House residence in 2009 and read about Vice President Obama’s sky-high popularity ratings, and how they make her look like his stern old lady?
For months, the Clinton and Obama campaigns have been hearing suggestions of a so-called dream ticket of Obama/Clinton or Clinton/Obama. Former Gov. Mario M. Cuomo of New York has pressed the idea most aggressively — it also came up in last week’s debate — while a major Clinton supporter in Tuesday’s Pennsylvania primary, Gov. Edward G. Rendell, has blessed it, too.
And some uncommitted superdelegates — the party leaders and elected officials whose votes may determine the nominee — see such a unity ticket as a way to short-circuit a fight for the nomination all the way to the Democratic convention in August, and to blend the voter bases of the two candidates.
Simply stated, this is a beltway wet dream. Yet, consider how unlikely it is that these two people would actually stand together on a platform with hands clasped and raised above their heads. They’ve beaten each other up way to much now for anyone in the electorate to view the supposed unity with a straight face. Moreover, the whole “change” message would be washed away with both Clintons in the picture. For the GOP, the hypocrisy would be palatable. A gift, if you will.
Hmmm…now its got me hopin’ it will happen.
Technorati Tags:
2008 Election, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton
by PunditGuy | Apr 17, 2008 | 2008 Election |
I’m in London, England, so I didn’t get to watch last nights debate between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, save for some video snippets available on ABC.com. According to some of those who did watch the spectacle, Obama fell victim to the effects of an ABC/Clinton tag team who delivered a sizable can o’ whupass.
Keeping the score card, there’s no way Obama could fared worse. Nearly 45 minutes of relentless political scrutiny from the ABC anchors and from Hillary Clinton, followed by an issues-and-answers session in which his anger carried over and sort of neutered him.
A lot of stuff that Obama doesn’t want Pennsylvanians to think about were the subject of fairly detailed questions. Obama’s supporters are already blaming the “establishment” — that is, the powerful institution of the mainstream media — for the tone of the debate. This sets up a blowback scenario wherein his supporters will rally to his defense and lash out at the media very loudly. But Obama’s going to be the next president of the United States, maybe. The most powerful person in the world. And questions about his personal associations, his character, his personal beliefs, his statements at private fundraisers — the answers to these questions tell us a lot.
Being a supporter of Operation Chaos, I don’t mind the fact that Obama might have had a bad night. Heck, I’m not even a Democrat, so as far as I’m concerned, both Hillary and Barack could fall flat on their face and I’d be happy. Yet, like any God fearing Conservative, I can’t bear the thought of Hillary Clinton being our next president. If that means rooting for Obama, so be it. Do I wish he would have slam dunked Hillary in the debate? Sure. But even if that’s not what happened last night, it’s no matter. Hillary’s bound and determined to play the role of suicide bomber in this primary. Make no mistake about it, she’s packing the proverbial explosives in her vest as we speak. If she doesn’t get the nomination, she’ll blow up the Democratic party in full public view. And I’d pay to watch that.
More: Plenty of folks are ticked off over ABC’s performance in the debate.
Still More: Shales Slams ABC
Technorati Tags:
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Pennsylvania
by PunditGuy | Apr 14, 2008 | 2008 Election |
He had a shot, but he blew it, big time. A poll was taken in Pennsylvania over the weekend and Barack Obama’s “bitter” rant has left him 20 points behind Hillary.
Hillary will bang this drum all week. Obama’s stumble has been a gift. It’s reinvigorated her fight. She’s further away from getting out of this race than ever.
More: The poll, explained.
Technorati Tags:
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Pennsylvania
by PunditGuy | Apr 13, 2008 | General |
What will happen to digital information 250 years from now?
Technorati Tags:
Digitization, Library of Congress, Archiving, NARA
by PunditGuy | Apr 13, 2008 | eBooks |
Many publishers are taking a conservative approach to eBook publishing, mostly because of fear that digital books will adversely affect the sale of print editions. This is especially true in reference book publishing. Recently though, more book publishers are looking eBooks square in the eye. The fears are being allayed by a developing customer channel.
Penguin, the publishing house, will release new “ebooks” at the same time as it produces a print edition in order to feed a growing demand for digital books.
Pearson, the UK media group which owns Penguin, said that books from the publishing house, from its travel division and from the Dorling Kindersley brand, will be available to download from its website and from digital retailers from September.
The electronically-available books will come out at the same time as the print editions and will cost the same.
The simultaneous release of both eBook and print editions is significant. Most publishers who have jumped into the eBook market have released backlist titles so as not to divert attention from their frontlist. Penguin is signaling that they believe the digital market can coexist with the print market, not take away from it. For those publishers who are still timid, Penguin’s strategy will be something to watch closely.
Technorati Tags:
Digital, eBooks, Penguin, Publishing
