Obama Coming on Strong

"I am not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars....There are battles that we need to fight. There are battles that we willingly join. The battles against ignorance and intolerance. Corruption and greed. Poverty and despair."
Senator Barack Obama, October 2002

Barrow, Alaska Residents for Obama
(Courtesy of Ben Smith's Blog on Politico.com)

Super Tuesday was nothing but a long night of little sleep for us political geeks who stayed up to watch and see who would take California - congratulations Senator Clinton (and a nod to Hillary's strongest doggie-supporter, Roxie of Roxie's World, whose predictions turned out to be spot on). Still, I think that we still got us a real race here in America and that to my mind is the real story of Super Tuesday. May I remind readers that only a few short months ago Hillary Clinton had the national polls all but sown up with a double-digit lead, and now that lead has all but disappeared with the delegate count virtually tied. Senator Obama raised three dollars for every single dollar raised by the Clinton camp in January 2008, a significant fact given that this race may go on for the long haul and every dime raised will be spent.

It is significant that Senator Obama excels in the caucus format and that in the upcoming contests, three of the four next races are caucuses (Nebraska and Washington State on February 9, Maine on February 10). For a complete primary calendar see the NYTimes Election Guide 2008. Plus there is the momentum thing - and Obama's got it by the boatload. My money is still on Senator Barack Obama. And given the apparent reality that the the GOP (with the emphasis on OLD) will indeed run John "Methuselah" McCain on the top of their ticket, the Democratic choice becomes even more strategic. I have maintained all along that there is only one politician who can mobilize the right-wing base to go to the polls (even more than Old Man McCain could convince the GOP faithful to stay home) and that politician in Senator Hillary Clinton. I'm just saying...

And what's this I hear about Hillary Clinton agreeing to a debate on Faux News? I hate the smell of desperation in the morning, and sorry Camp Clinton that is the whiff I'm getting from you all. First it was the suspect after-the-fact Michigan victory claim ('scuse me, but weren't there only two names on the ballot in Michigan - yours and Mr. Kucinich's), then it was the bogus partay that Hillary flew into Florida to throw for herself after that dubious win, and now she's ignoring many good reasons from every thinking Democrat and agreeing to sell herself out to Faux News. I hope that Senator Clinton is left debating by herself on this horrendus excuse for a news channel - shame on you, Senator Clinton =(

Bob Harris compares Clinton and Obama on Iraq.

And Then There Were Two (Obama & Clinton)

Nevermind Cynthia McKinney ("Oh no you don't, grrrlfriend, don't you even think about running for president for no Green Party. You'll be setting us up for 4 if not 8 more years of the same old heartache that we been suffering through since 2000. I don't care how pure you think your campaign is, how high-minded, how righteous and green you think your party is, you ain't nothing but a spoiler, and you ain't gonna spoil my celebration when a Black man or a woman gets close enough to the White House to smell the coffee brewing in the oval office. I sure as sh*t ain't voting for you if it means that we have to live in president mccain's world just so that you can get your vote on. Oh no, grrrlfriend, you ain't gonna go all Ralph Nader on our ass, you ain't getting my vote, or a thin dime of my hard-earned money.")

The above tirade was chanelled through me from my old pal Waylene Dixon, a hair (& nails) salon owner in Kokomo, Indiana who isn't afraid to speak truth to power (even when the power may be in the form of an outspoken African-American former Congresswoman from Georgia).

Ever since Ralph Nader added to the likelihood that Bush/Cheney could more easily steal the presidency, I have not had any use whatsoever for third party candidates. They are usually spoilers, nothing more, nothing less. Of late they have sprung from left-of-center and appeal to those purer-than-thou voters who just won't compromise their principles for a victory that would probably be a much better alternative than the outcome that their votes might produce. I agree wholeheartedly with my friend Waylene, and I encourage all of you to just say "No" to Cynthia McKinney or Ralph Nader or Michael Bloomberg. Vote for a bonafide Democrat for a change. If you live in any of the 22 states that hold their primary elections tomorrow - get out there and vote for the Democratic candidate of your choice. Just do it =)