Hillary Clinton keeps calling Obama an empty suit

Illinois State Senate 1996 - 2004

* Welfare legislation

* Created the Earned Income Tax Credit program that gave over $100 million in tax cuts for families throughout Illinois over 3 years.

* Expanded early childhood education

* Enlisted the support of law enforcement officials to draft legislation requiring the videotaping of interrogations and confessions in all capital cases.

* He passed a law to monitor racial profiling by requiring police to record the race of drivers they stopped. The law was at first very controversial, but due to Obama's skills as a negotiator and bipartisanships, he won the support of the police. During his 2004 general election campaign for U.S. Senate, he won the endorsement of the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police, whose president credited Obama for his active engagement with police organizations in enacting death penalty reforms.

* Pass the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. The legislation banned the personal use of campaign money by Illinois legislators and banned most gifts from lobbyists. Worked with U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL), 1988. Before the law was passed, one organization ranked Illinois worst among 50 states for its campaign finance regulations.

* Created a working, affordable health care plan in Illinois, that covers 70,000 kids and 84,000 adults, where all kids qualify for $40 per child. Obama sponsored and passed this legislation, working with Rod R. Blagojevich(IL Gov.) See All Kids http://www.allkids.com/ . It is a model for a workable, affordable national health care.

Legislation Passed in US Senate

* Lugar-Obama Act to decrease nuclear and conventional weapons proliferation around the world.

* Coburn-Obama Transparency Act transparency in federal spending, found at httP://www.usaspending.gov

* Cosponsored the Healthy Kids Act of 2007 and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2007 to ensure that more American children have affordable health care coverage.

* Obama worked to pass a number of laws in Illinois and Washington to improve the health of women. His accomplishments include creating a task force on cervical cancer, providing greater access to breast and cervical cancer screenings, and helping improve prenatal and premature birth services.

* As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Obama passed legislation to improve care and slash red tape for our wounded warriors recovering at places like Walter Reed. He passed laws to help homeless veterans and offered an innovative solution to prevent at-risk veterans from falling into homelessness. Obama passed legislation to stop a VA review of closed PTSD cases that could have led to a reduction in veterans' benefits. He passed an amendment to ensure that all service members returning from Iraq are properly screened for traumatic brain injuries

* Congo: Obama and Leahy successfully passed an amendment to provide $13 million in assistance to the DRC for military reform and election assistance. The bill also provided the the US policy is to oppose and fight against the rape and killings of women that is a particular horror there. Obama has recently sent a letter to Sec. Rice demanding a report of their efforts there.

* Darfur

* Introduced Patriot Employer Act, August 2007, to reward companies for keeping jobs in the US

* As a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee, Obama helped pass legislation in the recent improvements to the Higher Education Act to increase the maximum Pell Grant award to $5,10.

* Obama passed legislation with Senator Jim Talent (R-MO) to give gas stations a tax credit for installing E85 ethanol refueling pumps.

* Obama sponsored an amendment that became law providing $40 million for commercialization of a combined flexible fuel vehicle/hybrid car within five years.

* Congressional ethics legislation, called the Gold Standard of ethics reform, passed by Obama and Feingold that ending subsidized corporate jet travel, mandating disclosure of lobbyists' bundling of contributions, and enacting strong new restrictions of lobbyist-sponsored trips. The Washington Post wrote in an editorial, “The final package is the strongest ethics legislation to emerge from Congress yet.”

* Obama has introduced and helped pass bipartisan legislation to limit the abuse of no-bid federal contracts.

Foreign Policy Experience

Obama has the foreign policy experience we need:

1. Obama holds a degree in foreign policy from Columbia,

2. He is on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, that plays a vital role in shaping US policy around the world.

3. He is on the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that addresses, among other things, issues of immigration and our borders.

4. Committee on Veterans' Affairs: focused on providing our brave veterans with the care and services they deserve.

5. He said that he would talk to foreign leaders with preparation, but not preconditions, the advised foreign policy position

6. He is not beholdant to the military complex for funding, as is Hillary. She has received more funding than any other candidate, Republican or Democrat, so he can make decisions independent of the military complex.

7. Nuclear weapon and material disarmament is a primary concern of Obama's. After visiting Russia, the Ukraine, and Azerbaijan with Lugar (R), he returned to author, with Lugar, the Lugar-Obama nonproliferation legislation. So, he's already started making us safer. http://obama.senate.gov/press/070111-lugar-obama_non/

8. Obama has the backing of many foreign policy experts. To hear some of them speak, visit Obamas foreign policy forum, parts 1-3 at http://www.barackobama.com/tv/ (scroll down).

Here Tony Lake from Georgetown, who advised President Clinton during Clinton's first term, says:

a) Authenticy, he says what he means and means what he says
b) Obama has a vision for change
c) Obama brings a new face and message that is transformative
d) Experience: older than Bill Clinton was, lived in Indonesia, travelled extensively in Africa, so he knows what the US looks like from the outside;
e) Judgement: Iraq, first with plans to get out; how hie thinks: he listens to others, understands to different dimension of the problem, and the sees with clear judgement a way to approach it.
f) Unifier: he can win in November; this will be needed to bring change that a divisive personality cannot.
g) Obama has a vision of one American

Susan Rice speaks next more about Obama's policies: Obama was the first with a plan to get out of Iraq, but he also has detailed plans on revitalizeing the armed forces, counter terrorism, Pakistan, so he has the means to tackle the challenges. He goes beyond current problems with plans for climate change, energy independency, international collaboration, the Middle East, nuclear proliferation, supporting more democratic states. On Jan 29, 2009, the world will give us one brief look again to see if we can renew our leadership in the world. Obama represents and embodies that leadership. He represents American's ability to change, to grow, to learn, to regain our strengths.

There are many more speakers.

Here's an article on some of his supporting foreign policy experts: http://obamaendorsements.blogspot.com/2008/03/over-70-foreign-policy-experts.html

9. Here's an international human rights attorney who recently endorsed Obama: http://obamaendorsements.blogspot.com/2008/03/lisa-gans.html

10. Here are the historians for Obama: http://obamaendorsements.blogspot.com/2008/03/historians-for-obama.html

11. He embodies America. His mother is white, from Kansas, his father is black from Africa. he was born in Hawaii, went to school for 6 years in Inodnesia, sought his family roots in Africa (Dreams of My Father). He personifies the American dream to overcome difficulties: his father left the family when he was two, but, with love from his family and a good education, has continued to provide America with dedicated service to improving our government.

If Billary wants to be so much more, then why won't s/he release her tax records? Oh Billary - time is running out. Creating 5 million jobs? Didn't Tim Russert ask you about the 2 million jobs you promised to create in Buffalo, NY? Oops

If she gave a speech every single day of that 35 years of experience, it would only be 12,775. Even McCain hasn't given hundreds of thousands of speeches. Even Strom Thurmond.

The same people who are whoo by his speeches are the same people who believe what Bush promise but did not deliver.

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!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by herfan at 09:18 AM : Feb 29, 2008

Kiku, don't be a blog hog, it's rude. Besides, Hillary's resume far exceeds what you have presented for Obama....
Anyway, related to the article, I like Obama's own admission of himself, that he is a blank screen and that people project what they want to. How true. He probably laughs to himself when he goes to sleep at night wondering how he got to where he is. Well, when it comes time to accept his award I hope he remembers to thank the media.

Why don't people focus on the fact that Obama may profess he opposed the war he wasn't politically their to prove it. He didn't face the big decision and we really don't know how he would voted. Remember Hillary is better than her campaign.

OBAMA U.S. SENATE VOTING RECORD

Voted to confirm Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state (1/26/05)

Obama was part of a unanimous consent agreement not to filibuster the nomination of Alberto Gonzales as U.S. Attorney General. (2/1/05)

Voted to confirm Michael Chertoff, a proponent of water-board torture and a man behind the round-up of thousands of people of Middle-Eastern descent following 9/11. (2/15/05)
Voted to make John Negroponte the National Intelligence Director. In Central America, John Negroponte was connected to death squads that murdered nuns and children in sizable quantities. He is suspected of instigating death squads while in Iraq, resulting in the current insurgency. (4/21/05)

Voted for HR 1268,war appropriations in the amount of approximately $81 billion. (4/21/05)

Voted for H.R. 2419, termed ‘The Nuclear Bill’ by environmental and peace groups. It provided billions for nuclear weapons activities, including nuclear bunker buster bombs. It contains full funding for Yucca Mountain, a threat to food and water in California, Nevada, Arizona and states across America. (7/1/05)

Failed and refused to place a hold on the nomination of John Roberts, a supporter of permanent detention of Americans without trial, and of torture and military tribunals for Guantanamo detainees. (9/26/05 & 9/28/05)

Voted for HR2863, which appropriated $50 billion in new money for war. (10/07/05)

Voted for continued war, again. Roll call 326 was the vote on the Defense Authorization Act (S1042).(11/15/05)

Confirmed his support for war by voting for the Conference Report on the Defense Appropriations Act (HR 2863). (12/21/05)

Voted for money for more war by voting for cloture on HR 4939, the emergency funding to Halliburton, Blackwater and other war profiteers. (5/2/06)

Voted to adopt HR4939: emergency funding to war profiteers. (5/4/06)

Voted for the conference report on HR4939, a bill that gave warmongers more money to continue the killing and massacre of innocent people in Iraq and allows profiteers to collect more money for scamming the people of New Orleans.(6/15/06)

Opposed withdrawal of the troops, by voting to table a motion to table a proposed amendment would have required the withdrawal of US. Armed Forces from Iraq and would have urged the convening of an Iraq summit (S Amdt 4269 to S. Amdt 4265 to S2766) (6/15/06)

Voted against withdrawing the troops by opposing the Kerry Amendment (S. Amdt 4442 to S 2766) to the National Defense Authorization Act. The amendment, which was rejected, would have brought our troops home.(6/22/06)

Voted for cloture (the last effective chance to stop) on the National Defense Authorization Act (S 2766), which provided massive amounts of funding to defense contractors in Iraq.(6/22/06)

Again voted for continued war by voting to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (S 2766) for continued war funding.(6/22/06)

Voted to give more money to profiteers for more war (H..R. 5631). (9/7/06)

Voted for the conference report on more funding for war, HR 5631.(9/29/06)

Voted for nuclear proliferation in voting to pass HR 5682, a bill to exempt the United States-India Nuclear Proliferation Act from requirements of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954.(11/16/06)

Voted to confirm pro-war Robert M. Gates to be Secretary of Defense.(12/06/06)

@Kiku...I'd suggest rather than wasting everyone's time and the Sun's bandwidth in posting the above regurgitated propaganda, that you simply wear a sandwich sign with the above info clearly printed on it, to proclaim your gullibility.

@karl...Was there really a need to get insulting to the candidate? I believe comment readers would take your comment more seriously if not for the lame attempt at humor.

@Deborah...While I'm a Hillary fan, your comment is the only one I agree with. When any candidate takes "liberties" with the truth I have issues with it. Even something this simple.

Consider this article when you're reading Obama's "accomplishments" in the above posts:

http://news.houstonpress.com/2008-02-28/news/barack-obama-screamed-at-me/1

This man is as fake and manufactured a politician that there ever was. He's just really good at pretending not to be, and he's taking advantage of people's desires to catapult himself to the White House.

Hilary is guilty of the worse mud-slinging in an election to date. She is a bitter, petty, silly old hag..

It is almost comic the way she is concentrated on talking about Obama negatively everyday. It seems every thirty minutes to one hour the associated press releases a story of her saying something negative about Barack..

Hilary and her dirty campaign are part of the reason people are starting to HATE her.

I hope Hilary and that naive, old fart husband of hers -bill clinton GO AWAY!!!

No experience says "The same people who are whoo by his speeches are the same people who believe what Bush promise but did not deliver."

I see different mindless parallell between Bush voters and Hilary voters. Let's think about why so many people voted for Bush. Because of senior Bush's achievement. Guess why many people flock to Hilary. Because of the relatively prosperous Clinton era. Folks, wake up. Hilary is not Bill and she is not inheriting the same economy. Bill inherited the economy on the brink of recovery mode, thanks to the effort since the Reagan administration. So, here is my version:

"The same people who voted for Bush because of Senior Bush's achievement will vote for Hilary on account of Bill Clinton's achievement."

ha! a fake! a pretender! Sorry, but Obama is clean. Unlike the Clinton who has a history of slimy, dirty politics and personal clashes due to her inability to listen to her own mentor! and MacCain of his undisclosed intention to carry on Bush's ignorant policy such as war in Iraq. Just because Obama is not like the two of them does not mean he is fake. He is just what we need in a leader. At least, in my opinion, he is better as a president than the other ones.

Obama is a con man. Nothing more.

Empty suit ?
... probably because she's noticed hers is getting tighter. She has plumped up during this last month. Anxiety may be causing her to eat more. Not a good sign.

McCain is going to HAMMER Obama on defense and national security. We have grounded all of our main air defense fighters (F-15) due to age and airframe failure, but Obama won't spend the money to upgrade our military. Hillary would do better, but McCain is going to win, sorry folks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl32Y7wDVDs

Wake up people! You have been brainwashed by the CLINTON INC. for too long. Even their daughter Chelsea doesn't look so convinced of what she has been handed to say on behalf of her power hungry and self-promoting parents.

Hillary reminds me so much of my own mother-in-law who has been so controlling, scheming, attention grabbing and divisive, who always has to have the last word on anything, I simply cannot bring myself to vote for her. Sorry, Mommy.

This man is as fake and manufactured a politician that there ever was. He's just really good at pretending not to be, and he's taking advantage of people's desires to catapult himself to the White House.

Posted by: Andrew | March 2, 2008 1:06 PM

Andrew get bent!!!

Save your attacks for November. I bet your a republican at heart. Loser.

You people that are endlessly cutting down Obama do nothing but reinforce the idea that Hillary, or McCain for that matter are anemic, brokendown relics with only negatives to offer. The tenor of your comments shows that you people not only bring nothing to the discourse, but should probably consider voting republican. I'm sorry that the idea of a bright visionary young candidate scares the hell out of you, but this is not unusual when the status quo is under fire. The thought that your wretched old guard could crumble so easily seems to truely unnerve you. I must say your comments today and in past days have been pathetic and disheartening. the democratic party is the party of change. Mrs Clinton will be throwing her weight behind Mr Obama starting Wednesday. She is a pragmatist. I suggest you get used to the idea!!!

Obama 2008. Deal with it!!!

Kiku might be a blog hog, but it's the blog itself that allows all that crap to be printed. My one liners never make the print, so I don't expect this one to either.

Carl, if you watched Stephanopolis this morning you would have known that Hillary will be submitting her tax returns after April 15. But we also found out that Hussein (if you can call her Billary, I can call him Hussein) will not disclose all the dirty information about his land deal with Rezko. I think that is a much more important disclosure considering Rezko's present situation and association with Hussein.

It's 3 AM a phone rings in the White House, a woman in curlers, green face mask and a housecoat answers the phone..............Ewwwwww...

Hiilary and her cheerleaders like "Andew" are getting pathetically desperate...and I guess I shouldn't be surprised because after this upcoming Tuesday Hillary will be FINISHED!

It has really been bothering me - the charges that Obama is all talk and no action. Those of us who support him and have reviewed his record know there is no basis to this charge, but just to make sure, I went to the Congressional Record (www.thomas.gov) and did a search for bills sponsored or co-sponsored by Senator Obama in his three short years in the US Senate. I searched the 109th and 110th Congresses which cover the years 2005-2007.

In a nut shell I found:

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 570 bills in the 109th and 110th Congress.

Senator Obama has sponsored or co-sponsored 15 bills that have become LAW since he joined the Senate in 2005.

Senator Obama has also introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted by the Senate.

His record is in fact quite impressive for a junior Senator from Illinois.

Below I summarize Senator Obama's legislative record in the US Senate.

First I list the bills he sponsored that have become law.

Next I summarize the bills that he has sponsored or cosponsored since he became a US Senator in 2005.

I have only included major pieces of legislation and have not summarized continuing resolutions or naming post offices, for example.

His record suggests several priorities and the bills he supports address many of our most pressing problems.

Most of his legislative effort has been in the area of Energy Efficiency and Climate Change (25 bills), health care (21 bills) and public health (20 bills), consumer protection/labor (14 bills), the needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces (13 bills), Congressional Ethics and Accountability (12 bills), Foreign Policy (10 bills) Voting and Elections (9 bills), Education (7 bills), Hurricane Katrina Relief (6), the Environment (5 bills), Homeland Security (4 bills), and discrimination (4 bills).

Of the 15 bills Senator Obama sponsored or co-sponsored in 2005-7 that became law:

Two addressed foreign policy:
Promote relief, security and democracy in the Congo (2125)
Develop democratic institutions in areas under Palestinian control (2370).

Three addressed public health:
Improve mine safety (2803)
Increased breast cancer funding (597)
Reduce preterm delivery and complications, reduce infant mortality (707).

Two addressed openness and accountability in government:
Strengthening the Freedom of Information Act (2488)
Full disclosure of all entities receiving federal funds (2590)

Two addressed national security
Extend Terrorist Risk Insurance (467)
Amend the Patriot Act (2167)

One addressed the needs of the Armed Forces
Wave passport fees to visit graves, attend memorials/funerals of veterans abroad (1184).

Of the 570 bills Senator Obama introduced into the Senate during the 109th and 110th Congress (Senate Bill numbers are in parentheses), they can be summarized as follows:

25 addressed Energy Efficiency and Climate Change
Suspend royalty relief for oil and gas (115)
Reduce dependence on oil; use of alternative energy sources (133)
Increase fuel economy standards for cars (767, 768)
Auto industry incentives for fuel efficient vehicles (1151)
Reduce green house gas emissions (1324)
Establish at NSF a climate change education program (1389)
Increase renewable content of gasoline (2202)
Energy emergency relief for small businesses and farms (269)
Strategic gasoline and fuel reserves (1794)
Alternative diesel standards (3554)
Coal to liquid fuel promotion (3623)
Renewable diesel standards (1920)
Reducing global warming pollution from vehicles (2555)
Fuel security and consumer choice (1994, 2025)
Alternative energy refueling system (2614)
Climate change education (1389)
Low income energy assistance (2405)
Oil savings targets (339)
Fuel economy reform (3694)
Plug-in electric drive vehicles (1617)
Nuclear release notice (2348)
Passenger rail investment (294)
Energy relief for low income families (2405)

21 addressed Health Care
Drug re-importation (334)
Health information technology (1262, 1418)
Discount drug prices (2347)
Health care associated infections (2278)
Hospital quality report cards (692, 1824)
Medical error disclosure and compensation (1784)
Emergency medical care and response (1873)
Stem cell research (5)
Medical Malpractice insurance (1525)
Health centers renewal (901, 3771)
Children’s health insurance (401)
Home health care (2061)
Medicare independent living (2103)
Microbicides for HIV/AIDS (823)
Ovarian cancer biomarker research (2569)
Gynological cancers (1172)
Access to personalized medicine through use of human genome (976)
Paralysis research and care (1183)

20 addressed Public Health:
Violence against women (1197)
Biodefense and pandemic preparedness and response (1821, 1880)
Viral influenza control (969)
End homelessness (1518)
Reduce STDs/unintended pregnancy (1790)
Smoking prevention and tobacco control (625)
Minority health improvement and disparity elimination (4024)
Nutrition and physical education in schools (2066)
Health impact assessments (1067, 2506)
Healthy communities (1068)
Combat methamphetamines (2071)
Paid sick leave (910)
Prohibit mercury sales (833, 1818)
Prohibit sale of lead products (1306, 2132)
Lead exposure in children (1811, 2132)

14 address Consumer Protection/Labor
Stop unfair labor practices (842)
Fair minimum wage (2, 1062, 2725, 3829)
Internet freedom (2917)
Credit card safety (2411)
Media ownership (2332)
Protecting taxpayer privacy (2484)
Working family child assistance (218)
Habeus Corpus Restoration (185)
Bankruptcy protection for employees and retirees (2092)
FAA fair labor management dispute resolution (2201)
Working families flexibility (2419).

13 addressed the Needs of Veterans and the Armed Forces:
Improve Benefits (117)
Suicide prevention (479)
Needs of homeless veterans (1180)
Homes for veterans (1084)
GI Bill enhancement (43)
Military job protection
Dignity in care for wounded vets (713)
Housing assistance for low income veterans (1084)
Military children in public schools (2151)
Military eye injury research and care (1999)
Research physical/mental health needs from Iraq War (1271)
Proper administration of discharge for personality disorder (1817, 1885)
Security of personal data of veterans (3592)

12 addressed Congressional Ethics and Accountability
Lobbying and ethics reform (230)
Stop fraud (2280)
Legislative transparency and accountability (525)
Open government (2180, 2488)
Restoring fiscal discipline (10)
Transparency and integrity in earmarks (2261)
Accountability of conference committee deliberations and reports (2179)
Federal funding accountability and transparency (2590)
Accountability and oversight for private security functions under Federal
contract (674)
Accountability for contractors and personnel under federal contracts
(2147) Resctrictions awarding government contracts (2519)

10 addressed Foreign Policy:
Iraq war de-escalation (313)
US policy for Iraq (433),
Divestiture from Iran (1430)
Sudan divestment authorization (831)
Millennium Development Goals (2433)
Multilateral debt relief (1320)
Development bank reform (1129)
Nuclear nonproliferation (3131,977,2224).

9 address Voting/Elections
Prohibit deceptive practices in Federal elections (453)
Voter access to polls and services in Federal elections (737)
Voter intimidation and deceptive practices (1975)
Senate campaign disclosure parity (185)
Require reporting for bundled campaign contributions (2030)
Election jamming prevention (4102)
Campaign disclosure parity (223)
Presidential funding (2412)
Integrity of electronic voting systems (1487)

11 addressed Education
Increase access of low income African Americans to higher education (1513)
Establish teaching residency programs (1574)
Increase early intervention services (2111)
Middle school curriculum improvements (2227)
Public database of scholarships, fellowships and financial aid (2428)
Summer learning programs (116)
TANF financial education promotion (924)
Higher education (1642)
Build capacity at community colleges (379)
Campus law enforcement in emergencies (1228)
Support for teachers (2060).

6 addressed Hurrican Katrina
Hurricane Katrina recovery (2319)
Emergency relief (1637)
Bankruptcy relief and community protection (1647)
Working family tax relief (2257)
Fair wages for recovery workers (1749)
Gulf coast infrastructure redevelopment (1836)

5 addressed the Environment
Drinking water security (218, 1426)
Water resources development (728)
Waste water treatment (1995)
Combat illegal logging (1930)
Spent nuclear fuel tracking and Acountability (1194)
Asian Carp Prevention and Control Act (Introduced in Senate)[S.726.IS ]

4 addressed Discrimination
Claims for civil class action based on discrimination (1989)
Domestic partnership benefits (2521)
Unresolved civil rights crimes (535)
Equality or two parent families (2286)

4 addressed Homeland Security
Judicial review of FISA orders (2369)
National emergency family locator (1630)
Amend US Patriot Act (2167)
Chemical security and safety (2486)

Next time someone asks you "where's the beef" in Senator Obama's Senate record, please feel free to send the link to this diary.

It would be easy to mock Hillary because she has run such a terrible campaign but I won't because after this Tuesday she'll be finished anyway.

Barack Obama is one of the most substantive people to ever run for President. He has offered more specifics than perhaps any other candidate out there. Below are 260 substantive reasons to vote for Obama. My list is incomplete, there is much more to add. Much of it comes from Obama's speeches and website and includes dozens of bills he has sponsored.

Opposed the Iraq war from the start.
Voted to end the war in Iraq.
Supports capturing and killing Osama Bin Laden.
4, Favors a $1000 tax cut for every working American family.

Will implement tax form simplification to reduce filing time.
Provide tax credit for all middle class homeowners.
Provide a tax cut for all families making less than $75,000 a year.
Amend NAFTA to protect American workers.
Amend NAFTA to strengthen environmental protections.
Providing Flex Ed training accounts for workers.
Extending Trade Adjustment assistance to service workers.
Supported Patriot Employer Act of 2007 that gives tax credits to large companies that keep workers here in America.
Double funds for basic federal research.
Implement a long term research and development tax credit.
Invest in green technologies.
Reduce carbon emission gases.
Tackle the challenges of global warming.
Create an energy focused youth jobs program.
Create Federal Renewable Portfolio Standard.
Extend the Production Tax Credit.
Expand Broadband into every community.
Keep the Internet tax free.
Expand high speed internet access in rural areas.
Fight for passage of Employee Free Choice Act.
Ensure freedom to unionize.
Would overturn "Kentucky River" classifications of Bush's NLRB
Protect rights of striking workers.
Increase the mininum wage to index it to inflation.
Crack down on predatory lenders.
Provide a universal mortgage tax credit for homeowners who don't itemize.
Sign the Stop Fraud Act to prevent lending fraud.
Mandate accurate loan disclosure.
Create a fund to protect people from foreclosures.
Close the bankruptcy loophole for mortgage companies.
Establish a credit card rating to improve disclosure.
Ban utilateral credit card charges.
Apply interest rate only to future debt.
Prohibit credit card interest on fees.
Prohibit Universal defaults.
Require prompt and fair crediting of cardholder payments.
Protect working people from unfair bankruptcy laws.
Ban executive bonuses for bankruptcy companies.
REquire disclosure of pension investments.
Cap outlandandish interest rates on payday loans.
Implement legislation to drive unscrupulous lenders out of business
Create a bankruptcy exemption for people that went broke because of medical bills.
Double funding for after school programs.
Extend Family and Medical Leave Act.
Encourage states to adopt Paid leave.
Expand the Child Care Tax Credit
Supports ratification of UN Convention Rights of Persons With Disabilities.
Supports independent, community based living for people with disabilities.
Expand educational opportunites for people with disabilities.
Expand job opportunities for people with disabilities.
Strengthen civil rights enforcement.
Sign into law the Fair Pay Act.
Sign law reversing recent SCOTUS rulings that permitted discrimination against women.
Sign law reversing recent SCOTUS rulings that permitted discrimination against racial minorities.
Strengthen federal hate crimes legislation.
Eliminate the sentence disparities regarding crack cocaines.
Establish drug courts for first time, non violent offenders.
Create a prison to work incentive for those transitioning back into society.
Passed a law to prohibit the practice of racial profiling.
Supported reauthorizing the Voting Rights Act.
Opposes all discriminatory barriers to voting.
Helped reform death penalty system in Illinois to protect innocent people on death row.
Voted to ban cluster bombs.
Provide high quality affordable child care to families.
Will quadrulple Early Head Start funding.
Will increase Head Start funding.
Creates early learning challenge grants.
Abolish overly rigid teach to the test curriculum in schools.
Improve accountability in public schools.
Invest in intervention strategies to reduce dropout rates in schools.
Increase funding for afterschool programs.
Supports Step Up program to increase summer learning opportunities.
Support English language learner programs.
Expand college outreach programs.
Create teacher service scholarships.
Requires all public schools to be accredited.
Create teacher residency programs.
Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit for higher education.
Streamline financial aid application.
Introduced legislation to increase Pell Grant to $5,100.
Reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050.
Confront deforestation.
Promote carbon sequestration.
Accelerate commercialization of plug in hybrids.
Promote development of commercial scale renewable energy.
Invest in low emission coal plants.
Transition to new electric digit grid.
Double science funding for clean energy products.
Create Green Jobs Corps.
Invest in programs to help manufacturers make transition to green products.
Create clean technologies venture capital fund.
Deploy cellulosic ethanol.
Expand locally owned biofuel refineries.
Increase renewable fuel standards.
Establish national low carbon fuel standard.
Increase fuel economy standards.
Invest in solar energy.
Invest in wind energy.
Establish a centralized database to track lobbyist activities.
Appoint an independent watchdog group to oversee congressional ethic violations.
Favors campaign finance reform.
Sunshine on legislation proposal.
End abuse of no bid contracts.
Release presidential records in a more timely fashion.
Prevent political appointees from working as lobbyists within two years after employment has ended.
Reform political appointment process.
Sign ethics legislation that he proposed as a Senator with Russ Feingold.
Obama sponsored a bi-partisan bill allowing regular people to track federal grants.
Take leadership in the global fight against AIDS.
Provide tax cuts to small businesses.
Provide income tax cuts for all senior citizens making $50,000 a year or less.
Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit.
Protect workers from caregiver discrimination.
Increase mentoring programs for beginner teachers.
Provide universal health care for all Americans within 4 years.
Combat fraudulent subprime loans.
Expand Nurse Family Partnership.
Provide automatic workplace pensions for workers.
Expand savings credit for retirement accounts.
Reinstate pay as you go budget rules.
Repeal Bush tax cuts for top 1% which led to lower middle class standard of living.
Slash earmarks to pre 2001 levels.
Abolish obsolete wasteful government programs.
Voted against raising the minimum debt in 2006.
Supports wiping out Al Qaeda wherever they may be.
Opposed Kyl Lieberman.
Supports tough attempts at diplomacy with Iran to protect America's interests.
Will work to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Restrengthen NATO.
Passed a bipartisan law with Senator Lugar to prevent smuggling of WMDs.
Introduced a bill with Senator Hagel to reduce nuclear arsenals around the globe.
Supports securing loose nuke arsenals from the former Soviet Union and elsewhere.
Strengthen Non Nuclear Proliferation Treaty.
Expand size of Army by 65,000.
Expand size of Marines by 27,000.
Provide our troops with new equipment and the tools they need.
Provide National Service troops with adequate leave time.
Will insulate the Director of National Intelligence from partisan politics.
Guarantee that health care can never be denied because of a pre-existing condition.
Introduce a health care plan similar to the one members of Congress have and give all Americans access to this plan.
Simplify the paperwork in health care costs.
Make premiums and co pays affordable.
Require mandatory coverage of all children for health care.
Expand SCHIP.
Expand Medicaid.
Reduce costs of catastrophic illnesses for employers and employees.
Support disease management programs.
Require hospitals and providers to have full transparency over costs.
Promote patient safety by requiring providers to report medical errors.
Establish an independent institute to guide reviews + research on comparative effectiveness in health care.
Strengthen anti trust laws to prevent insurance companies from gouging medical providers.
Lower medical costs by having electronic health info systems.
Increase competition in prescription drug markets.
Advance biomedical research field.
Improve mental care coverage.
Reduce mercury deposits to help prevent miscarriages.
Increase funding for autism research.
Cosponsored Healthy Kids Act of 2007.
Cosponsored reauthorization of SCHIP in 2007.
Obama introduced legislation to establish guidelines to monitor fuels from nuclear power plants.
Sponsored a bill with Senator Lautenberg to protect chemical plants from possible terrorist attacks.
Introduced legislation to upgrade monitoring of water supplies.
Introduced legislation to protect localities from radioactive leaks.
Create secure borders with additional personnel and infrastructure.
Remove incentives for people to enter this country illegally.
Crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants.
Invest in transitional jobs.
Improve transportation access to jobs.
Fully fund community block grants.
Create an affordable housing trust fund.
Establish a program called 20 Promise Neighborhoods.
Invest in rural areas, especially small businesses, schools, and doctors.
Implement a payment limitation program to help small farmers.
Protect family farms from anti-competitive monopolies.
Implement tough fines for CAFO violations.
Establish country of origin labeling for all products.
Support regional food systems.
Encourage organic farming.
Provide tax credits for young farmers.
Increase capital for small farmers.
Modify FCC so all rural residents have access to modern communications.
Upgrade rural infrastructure.
Supported legislation to reverse 2 billion dollars of agriculture cuts under Bush.
Cosponsored Emergency Farm Relief Act of 2006.
Sponsored a bill to combat the scourge of methamphetamines.
Expand Americorps.
Double the Peacecorps in 8 years.
Expand Service learning in all our schools.
Offer an opportunity tax credit for college students in exchange for 100 hours of community service.
Promote college work study programs with public service.
Expand on the YouthBuild program.
Create a Social Investment Fund Network.
Create a non profit entrepreneur agency.
Protect Social Security.
Reform corporate bankruptcy laws.
Strengthen laws protecting against age discrimination in the workplace.
Ensure heating assistance for senior citizens.
Protect the openness of the Internet.
Encourage diversity in media ownership.
Protect children from Internet predators with strict law enforcement.
Support transition of the internet into the digital world.
Preserve artistic expression.
Keep inappropriate advertising away from programs for children.
Enhance safety standards for toys imported into this country.
Protect the right of privacy of every law abiding American.
Update surveillance laws under the rule of law.
Higher salaries for teachers.
Work with the FTC to cut down on cyber crimes.
Eliminate teach to the test curriculum and restore true learning to the classroom.
Open up government to citizens by providing transparency.
Provide all our schools with broadband technology.
Modernize public safety networks.
Make the research and development tax credit permanent.
Protect intellectual property at home and abroad.
Reform the patent system to encourage innovation.
Allow all veterans back into the VA.
Strengthen VA care for all veterans.
Fight veterans employment discrimination.
Fix the benefits bureaucracy to help veterans.
Expand vet centers across the country.
Obama passed legilsation to slash red tape to help wounded soldiers at Walter Reed.
Introduced legislation to direct the VA and Pentagon to fix its veterans record systems.
Introduced legislation to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina.
Rebuild the roads and bridges that need to be rebuilt.
Will end the genocide in Darfur.
Will restore habeas corpus to America.
Reject torture.
Close down Gitmo.
Pledges to obey the Constitution of the United States.
Will fully implement and enforce the Equal Pay Act.
End tax breaks for US companies sending jobs overseas.
Voted to reinstate 1.15 billion to the COPS program to reduce crime.
Wants to keep drinking age at 21.
Supports grants to local educational agencies.
Voted to protect ANWR.
Voted to protect the Great Lakes from polluters.
Favors labor and trade standards with trade with China.
Opposed CAFTA which hurts American workers.
Voting to give the District of Columbia its proper vote in Congress.
Voted to expand enrollment period for Medicare Part D.
Favors repealing the discriminatory don't ask don't tell policy.
Provide first responders with the health care and equipment they need.
Voted to implement the 9/11 commission recommendations.
Voted to restore money to ports and first responders.
Voted to establish a Guest Worker program.
Voted to increase the minimum wage.
Voted against anti-Constitution radicals Alito and Roberts.
Voted against the repeal of the estate tax that only applies to 1% of the wealthiest of estates.
Supports the first amendment freedom of religion clauses and establishment clauses.
Introduced a bill requiring public companies to give shareholders an annual nonbinding vote on executive compensation.
Protects our schools by opposing voucher schemes.
Introduced Biofuels Security Act in 2007.
Favors closing corporate tax loopholes.
Understands that global warming is a real problem that must be addressed.
Supports civil unions for LGBT couples.
Favors the death penalty in the rarest but appropriate of circumstances.

"They are going to have a very hard choice to make after Tuesday if she loses Texas or Ohio," top Obama adviser David Axelrod said Saturday. "There are people in the party who are very concerned about this turning into some kind of a Bataan Death March."

And a death march it has become!!! Obama 2008

Hillary has run out of cards to play. It's unfortunate she's not going to just run on her ideas and brilliance and let the people decide if that's what they want.

This is the way most campaigns that go sour end up.

Really, Hillary never should have played the experience card. People who remember as far back as 8 years ago remember her running her first campaign. She won and she used her victory to start her presidential campaign. To that end, she voted to trust GW's judgment because she didn't want to seem weak on military matters.

It was a gamble that failed miserably and with that failure she lost the "experience" advantage.

Hillary's best bet was to connect on a local level with the people. That's what got her to the Senate. But she relied, instead, on Bill's record and his ties to the heads of the Democratic party.

That was her downfall.

Thanks Andrew for posting that article. I read every word of it, but I have to admit nothing in there surpised me. I suggest everyone who contributes to this blog read it in it's entirity (at least those of you who think Obama is your salvation)you may want to change your opinion of Him.

I offer here my 10 Essential Reasons to Elect Obama !

1 Obama Offers Genuine Hope in the Age of Fear: Let's start with the obvious but essential. The Bush/Cheney years will be remembered as a time when a president used a terrible attack on American shores as an instrument to terrorize his own citizens into accepting a disastrous war, curtailing the Bill of Rights, and usurping near dictatorial powers for the Executive Branch. The cynical use of fear calls out for a strong force of principle and light who can appeal, in Lincoln's words, to "the better angels of our nature": we need a leader who can walk in the shoes of Franklin Roosevelt and remind us that "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself."

John McCain belittles Obama's message of hope as he hoists the big banner of "Bad World, Be Scared!" The Fall election will clearly boil down to whether Americans respond at this historic moment to the whipping up of fear of "radical Islamic extremism" or the power of hope that encourages a new citizenship and charts an enlightened course for America in the world.

The groundswell of loyalists lining up behind Obama's message of hopeful change draws sometimes accurate but often cynical ridicule by the Commentariat. Hope is not the preferred currency of the punditry, which thrives on division, attack and cable channel shoutdowns. But those who stand with ironic and detached distance should bear in mind that the Obama surge is not the result of messianic overpromises and rhetoric, but is a deeper reflection and response to the dreadful underachieving of the political class in our time.

2 Obama Will Protect & Defend the Constitution: This is the most sacred duty of a President, one which has been severely trampled upon by the Bush/Cheney regime. One of the unfortunate and often overlooked legacies of 9/11 and its aftermath is the degree to which politicians, the press and the public stand ready to sacrifice our basic legal rights and freedoms as a price for fighting the Terror War.

Imagine for a moment if a truly catastrophic attack strikes in an American city. The trauma and panic unleashed would open the door for a leader who stands ready to further rollback our constitutional freedoms in the name of defending us. Perhaps we should not judge a presidential candidate by whether they can keep us safe (can they truly?), or how they would track down terrorist aggressors (surely they all would). We might rather ask: who has the calm and constitutional faith to not overstep their authority in such a game-changing moment for America as an open society?

As a professor of Constitutional Law who recently voted against the extension of the FISA bill that would give immunity to telecom companies that spy on us in the name of the Terror War, Obama would uphold our freedoms more vigorously than Clinton or surely McCain.

3 Obama Inspires Us as Citizens: In The Audacity of Hope, Obama notes that "the vast majority of Americans—Republicans, Democrats and independents—are weary of the dead zone that politics have become." Like Obama, I was born in 1961, and came of age in the post-Vietnam, Watergate era of Nixon and political disillusion. As a late Boomer, I was too young to be moved by JFK's clarion call to "ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country." I survived the Reagan/Bush years, and felt that the Clinton chapter, while offering a step forward, was change lite, never bold enough to offer a new path for domestic renewal, and failing the imagination and courage to transform the Cold War paradigm (rebranded as the Terror War by Bush/Cheney).

Obama has the uncanny ability to tap and call forward the deep-seated civic impulses of the populace while weaving together the hopeful visions of leaders past (Lincoln, FDR, JFK, MLK). He does so with brilliant tactical skills that transcend any politician of recent memory.

Barack thinks like a community organizer (since he was one), realizing that any hope of true and far-reaching reform and change comes by mobilizing citizens to stand up and demand and create change, in part by providing backbone support to politicians who battle powerful special interests.

4 Obama Mobilizes Young People: My teenage children, like myself in the Nixon years, have grown to know the highest reaches of politics to be filled with deception, cynicism, and law-breaking. That is why I am especially on fire to see the enthusiasm and engagement of youth across America respond to and rally to the Obama campaign as a new way to believe in political leadership and be inspired to help build the world they want to create. Just think how frightened and disillusioned young people might feel about the state of the world their elders have created: the promise of an endless "war of terror", a mounting climate crisis, genocide in Darfur, a house of cards economy, and so on. All of this without any serious call by our political leaders to young people that they have the power and opportunity to step up and make a difference. Obama makes that appeal and call to service.

5 Obama Brings Us Together: How does a solidly liberal policymaker attract a healthy share of independents and even Republicans (Obamicans) to vote for him? His character, eloquence and temperament not only flatten out potential fears about his race, but so far seems to overcome liberal-baiting of the past. For this I think we can thank the power of well crafted words, brilliant strategy, and a perfect messenger for our divided times.

Obama is no doubt the candidate that the country is so hungry for it may have willed him into existence. America—even in the abstract ideal—has been fractured over the past 15 years from any united sense of national purpose, save for the months following 9/11. More than any other president, George Bush has been the Great Divider, pleased as punch to rule forcefully with the slightest margins of electoral victory (or defeat) and governing authority. He has stiff-armed not only the Democrats, but the media and any political powers and cultural forces that stood in the way of the Cheney/Rove plan.

It is hard to imagine any other Democrat or Republican running for president this year or in recent history who could bring along a majority of the country to create a new sense of a common good that transcends narrow ideological camps and cultural divisions. As Obama says:

"It's time for us to put aside the partisan food-fighting. If you know what you stand for, if you know what you believe in, if you know who you're fighting for, then you can afford to reach out to those who don't agree with you on everything. We can create the kind of working majority that we haven't seen in this country for a long, long time...We can do everything that we want to get done."

6 Obama Can Potentially Launch A Generation of Change: This election calls for a leader who can deliver not just a victory in November, but a fundamental generation of change. Not just four years, or eight. But 16 or 24. We have a lot of digging out to do, and a lot of transformation to get done. The Obama surge might just deliver in November the start of a long-lasting governing majority needed to avoid the triangulating politics of the Clinton years that made a half a loaf seem like victory. The GOP is now the splintered party with outmoded ideas for the future, having run into the ground the anti-government rhetoric of the 1980-2004 elections. This is the window and time for a major shift and realignment of our politics.

7 Obama Can Help Reshape America's Role in the World: Barack's biography and global outlook offers the world a strong message that America can turn the page on cowboy militarism. His background is a confluence of a globalizing world (Kenyan father, Kansas mother, raised in Hawaii and Indonesia). In terms of simple perception and style, Obama would help to rebrand America in a world that has lost faith and respect in our leadership and policies.

That said, foreign policy has been the Achilles heal for most presidents the past 50 years: JFK, LBJ, Nixon, Carter, Reagan and Bush. Each of them were undermined by failed wars, national security scandals, or unexpected crises. It is likely to be an international minefield for whoever takes the White House in 2009.

While his background is not in global affairs, I do think that Obama's chapter The World Beyond Our Borders in his book offers an informed and perceptive worldview about America's historic and challenging role in the world. He would be a fresh and welcomed face to revive the peace process in the Middle East. His roots would win over Africa and re-engage us in a region badly neglected by Washington.

Let's not forget that Obama took the politically courageous step of opposing Bush's march to war in Iraq in the fall of 2002, when it was seen as a possibly fatal step for someone seeking the U.S. Senate seat in Illinois. His analysis of what could unfold a few years down the line in Iraq proved quite prescient.

Most importantly, by stating that he "wants to change the mindset" that got us into Iraq, Obama offers hope for serious restraint on Washington's imperial impulse to disastrous interventions around the globe. It is long overdue. Almost 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, we still await an "American Gorbachev" who can change our way of thinking about America's role in the world, transforming it from an empire to a global citizen.

8 Obama is African-American: Race is perhaps the most particular feature, and stain, of the American story. Obama is an African American man of mixed heritage who has the biography and skills to bridge our historic racial divide. Even Bill Clinton, the so-called "first black president", underestimated the universal appeal of Obama when he tried to marginalize him as a "black" candidate following his South Carolina primary victory. Weeks later, Obama captured the majority of white men in Virginia against Hillary, and now appears capable of capturing every demographic in our diverse society.

What a proud moment it would be for all if Barack Obama holds his hands on the Bible and is sworn in as the 44th president of our country. Every African American struggle for freedom, and every great leader and participant in those movements, will be affirmed and advanced. So too will the richness of America's growing diversity. By the middle of this century, half of America will be made up of people of color. Obama is the bridge to that mosaic.

9 Obama is Reflective: The dead certitude of a dim-witted president has been a costly deficiency for our nation. Even intelligent leaders often suffer from the arrogance of power when walled off by yes men in the White House. It is unclear what kind of president Obama would be, but he seems to genuinely possess the strength of character and openness of mind to listen, reflect and grow. In his recent victory speeches, he admits right up front that he will make mistakes and surely disappoint. In The Audacity of Hope, he ponders the passing of age even as a relatively young man, and notes:

"If you are paying attention, each successive year will make you more intimately acquainted with all of your flaws—the blind spots, the recurring habits of thought that may be genetic or may be environmental, but that will almost certainly worsen with time, as surely as the hitch in your walk turns to pain in your hip."
Blind spots and arrogance have marked many of our rulers the past 40 years: Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon and George Bush. Each of these Presidents got bogged down in disastrous wars, and the stubbornness, deceit or shallowness of their characters led to agony, scandal and wasted lives.

Obama appears to have a strong inner compass of values, which is combined with deep wisdom and the agility to learn and change course, which is well-suited for our challenging times of opportunity and upheaval.

10 Obama Opens the Space for Wider Change: Inspired leaders are usually the catalysts for more wide-ranging movements of political and cultural change. Think of FDR and JFK, and how they helped to spark more far-reaching reform and social movements that changed the landscape of America in the 1930s and 1960s.

The presidency shapes life far beyond politics. The mood of people. The sense of possibility. The experience of art and culture. The role of faith and spiritualism. What we all dream about, fear, and hope for.

The cultural zeitgeist reflects and shouts out for Obama. Take film. The cinema of darkness this past Oscar season (There Will Be Blood, No Country for Old Men, Sweeney Todd) reflects the brooding of Cheney's snarl and the bloody cost of misguided adventures. At a time when our highest leaders defend almost daily the finer points of torture, why are we surprised that our movie screens are filled with rampaging Texans seeking oil, blood and senseless violence (not to mention the splatter in video games and movie rentals). This is not to predict the bambification of Hollywood in the Obama era, yet it is to say that even our finest storytellers are projecting on screen what the gun slinging oil boys have heaped upon us and the rest of the world.

It is indeed time to create and tell a new American story because Hillary and that crazy old man McCain are part of our history that we should want to put behind us as soon as possible.

Clinton is quoted in this Artticle saying the following "Clinton said that when she speaks to a crowd, “I tell you what I want to do because I want you to hold me accountable. When I come to Ohio and say I think we can create at least 5 million new clean energy jobs in America, I want you to say, ‘Ok, where are those jobs?

Thereeeeeeeee she goes again. She promised 200,000 new jobs in New York in 2000 and had a measly 6 years. She ended up with a -32000 jobs.

Keep pouring the Kool Aid Hillary, there are fools born every minute.

"I’ve given a lot of speeches in my life—probably hundreds of thousands,” she said

Hmm. She continually says she has 35 years experience. Let's say she gave 200,000 speeches. That means she gives about 109 speeches A WEEK. I wonder why Bill strayed with all that talking?

Oh wait, I know a major decision Hillary had to make at 3AM - beg Ickes to come back! Wait - another!!! Get Wolfson to move the goalposts! Wait, here's another...keep claiming she has experience she doesn't have. Oh, here comes another...instead of defending women's rights or becoming a community activist like her opponent, trash 12 year old rape victims.

Ok, Hillary is just upset that she has more skeletons in her closet than Barack ever will. And more are being found every day.

Empty Suit? Better than a pantsuit filled with poor self-control, tantrums, flip-flopping, and outright lies.

The WP reports today that Obama has "thrown away the script" in Ohio, turning from his stump speech to a series of town hall meetings.

Ohio and Texas are tight. The contest is too close to call. This is, for a campaign, a "red phone" moment.

Note how Obama responds.

Instead of an array of tactical shifts in persona, Obama shows the strength and fortitude that he has demonstrated all along--in a kind of reverse Rove (recall that Rove was famous for taking his adversary's greatest strength and attacking it) taking his greatest ability and putting it to the side, moving from score to improvisation, to further answer the questions of the people--something he has done all along the campaign trial, but now is putting aside his greatest strength to emphasize.

Note what he could have done: He could have gone on the attack, derogating Hillary's past through the ad hominem methods all too recently seen. He could have attempted to change the presentation of his personality, in order to find the persona that consultants recommend, changing his tone, his emotions, shifting through traits like a anxious shuffle through a deck of cards, searching for the combination that would meet the seeming demands of the day. In a moment of pressure--at 3 .A.M.--he could have responded with panic and artifice.

Instead, he moves *away* from his strength, and presents himself simply before the people.

This is judgment, which arises from a known and consistent self. It does not arise, despite experience, from a self that uncertain, fearful, and therefore driven by fear, to change under the pressures of the moment.

This is what will count when genuine moments of crisis occur in our future evenings, in our 3 A.M. moments, and in the early dawn.

Why experience is no guarantee of success when it comes to the Presidency. There is a fascinating article that is the cover story for this week's Time magazine. The article goes on to graphically display the level of experience that all of the previous 42 US presidents had prior to winning the Presidency. The following revered presidents all had less experience before winning the presidency than Obama does right now; Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Herber Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, and Ronald Reagan.

Plus this whole experience debate between Hillary and Obama is very disingenuous on the part of the Hillary campaign. Obama actually has 3 more years of legislative experience than Hillary does.

The bottom line is both Hillary and Obama are just as ready and qualified as some of the best presidents in the past that we have ever had (I don't consider Reagan as part of that group but he was revered by many).

What really matters to voters is which one can beat Mccain in November. After all that is the prize we all want. There is no glory or purpose for being the Democratic nominee if you can’t beat the Republican challenger. Obama is attracting twice the number of voters in RED states to vote for him than the Republicans are getting to come out for their own Republican primaries. Obama has the support of 62% of the independents and Hillary has only 30%. Obama has about 75% of the support of the African Americans and Hillary is in the 20's. Even White women voters are now almost neck and neck in support for Obama and Hillary. I have personally talked to many Republicans that said they would or at least would consider voting for Obama. I haven't personally met any Republicans who said they could cross-over and vote for Hillary. That is a big problem for us in November. Point blank, like it or not Obama is the only one who can win against Mccain.

They both are nothing more than liberal, power-hungry users and the ones being used most are all of their stupid supporters.

The media and the Obama support group have not played a part in the bias and negativity of the campaign. It's just that they're playing the death march for the living--not the dead. Sort of reminds me of what happened after the second to last debate. Hillary ended up on a high note, and instead of looking at what she was saying, the political analysts and news casters turned and called it -- a concession speech; focusing on figuring out the trivial as usual-- if people clapped for her or not... Who cares how many states he built moment from; since, it was already foreshadowed he would and that Ohio and Texas would be the next stop. Their delegate count is close. She takes heavy states and he takes a lot of smaller ones. She still has a chance but the death march is in order... One things is for sure. I know he will win because I don't like him. And the race for the president will be locked in the never ending 8 year old dialogue--since those are the people Obama attracts. I'm seeing a lot of moveon.org/patriotism/Muslim terror and cute little names for the Repugs with major issues being reduced to socialism communism and Hitler. The huge grass roots movement Obama has built has completely made me lose faith in this election. I've never seen more petty and will say anything at all costs to get him elected. Even if that means trashing a candidate to get one ahead. She's the one who attacks Obama, they say, but if you look at the debates Obama overwhelmingly has Clinton on the tongue. Word count. Same as his support groups... He even managed to call her Hillary instead of Senator Clinton in one debate.

Before Obama even had a lead in the polls my first comment on the swamp was that Obama has a lot of rhetoric and not a lot of substance, many months later he has filled those shoes, I said all Kerry had was Vietnam and all Obama has is change, moths later Kerry endorsed Obama (like meets like), I said the party was going to self combust while the Republicans sit back and watch as the Obama clan began to bank on the Clinton Derangement Syndrome to make their candidate look better (and win over Repub), and months later that's exactly where we're at, I said that if the surge proves success (and success will be in the eye of the beholder as the dems and reps disagree on how it works) then it's worth the continued effort, months later in the eyes of the Reps the surge has reduced the violence so in their eyes it has(I know the Dems concentrate on the politcal room to breath aspect)--none the less McCain will put up a good fight. People want to say that Hillary lost to a newbie. So then all bets are off we're going to the WH, but they forget the other side of that-- that she, as "a polarizing manipulative old politics figure," has managed a very close race (to a point some think we need to get her to agree to drop out). Note-- McCain is considered "a polarizing (within party) maipulative(flip flop) old politics figure," that means he will put a fight and there is no way he'll be agreeing to concede out of respect to the DNC party. And you might need "us pawns" to make it or break it. And no the people who follow Hillary don't follow her because of just her name. She is intelligent and she does argue her points well. I know that if you follow a one note campaign "He was against it," that the answer to everything, it might be hard to relate. But she is followed because people look at her closely and like her. Republicans,McCain, know ieads matter and he will be looking at ideas closely,much closer that "He was always against it." Overall, I think it will be a hot race between Obama and McCain. And from having overlooked the negative hang ups most often attributed to Hillary, I can tell you she is Al-Gore and I see her investing into something "Pulizer Prize" winning except for putting health care on the map, vs environment. Lastly, I think people wrongly assumed that Bush and Rove were trying to play the Dems by telling them Hillary will be the likely candidate because I think they knew she was a good match. And the polls at the time had her with a strong lead. But who cares the moveon. community has spoken.

I'm shocked. Some people, are actually going to the extent of picking apart a figure of speech. A figure of speech. Now that is really under the microscope and how petty are all these people too. I think her point is that she has given a lot of speeches, and given her career I'm sure she has given a lot of speeches. I think it's also pretty ironic that both candidates have given a speech for which they were both widely recognized.

What, Rey, have to make yourself feel better after voting for Bush twice?

Thanks, Andrew, for that excellent article. If any of the Obamesssiah worshippers bother to read it they'd understand WHY their spam laundry list of "accomplishments" don't belong to Obama. They could also read the LATimes or Beyond Chron to learn how Obama campaigns with ex-gays and refuses to be photographed with the mayor of San Francisco because he's pandering to the homophobes...and how he passed legislation to make class action suits almost impossible to win by
routing them through the federal courts. Obama faults Hillary for trying to help the Walmart workers all the while he's shutting them down.

Win or lose, (Andrew note this) Obama is force that will be noted in political history. His methods at organizing and and rallying people will be used for ever.

I was an Obama doubter until I started to pay attention to these primaries. I'd been a strong supporter of the Clintons over their presidency, but during the course of these primaries I began to really examine what they had done and what they stand for. Bill "the first black president" signed into law a crime bill that has adversely affect black males. Bill "the great wizard" signed into law the NAFTA trade agreement that has adversely affected the workers of this country. Bill "the clown" has helped to put the Democrats into minority status by adopting Republican like ways, thus allowing clowns like Gingrich to pull that "contract on America" crap in 1994 (Yeah, I know it's "Contract with America"). Bill "the clown" should have had the decency to take his mistress to a five star hotel, and tell those fruits to mind their f***ing business when they tried delving into his manhood, instead he began to parse the word "is." Bill "the idiot" signed away the last tethers on the right-wing ownership of the media, thus allowing the putrid Republicans to acquire the media, en masse, thus enabling them to pump out their bigoted, racist, lopsided thrash 24/7.

In the past several weeks I've noted how the Clintons have behaved, specifically toward Barack Obama. Bill's sound bite following the South Carolina primary loss was telling. He was sending out a message to the rest of America that the SC result was an anomaly and Barack's fortunes would not hold up elsewhere where blacks were in the minority. He continue with his antics in Nevada, claiming voter intimidation by the Obama people, and also by trying to change the rules on where people could caucus, because they feared their opponent had an advantage. They followed this undemocratic action by trying to drive a wedge between the Latinos and Blacks by putting the word out that Latinos would not votes for a black man. All through this destructive period the America people, who have been taken for granted by both parties, finally started to shift away from the Clintons. They would have terrific poll numbers until Barack started his campaign when almost invariably the polls would swing away from them. After a string of primary defeats and all looked lost they decided to open the Rove slime account. (I have no proof, but I believe Carl Rove is working on the Clinton campaign). So they have decide to go all out negative, and in doing so they have shown their hand. This all out war to persuade voters that Barack Obama is an inexperienced empty suit, using any means necessary, might work, but at the risk of destroying the Democrats chances in the General Election.

It is sad to see people whom you've felt so go about, in the past, disappoint you now. You have to recalibrate and adjust for what you now feel towards them. I would like the Democrats to have a sweeping victory come November, taking over a filibuster-proof congress. The Supreme Court is also a body I'd like to see ran, as it should, and not some adjunct to the Executive branch. But if the Clintons do manage to get the nod, I think we'll be doomed with the continuation of the Bush policies that have worked so well for us up till now.

I don't think we'll do ourselves any favor voting by for Hillary, and at my ripe old age of 58, my dirt-nap is closer than for the people I fear for the most, the young, and how they'll be affected by another 4 years of this Republican onslaught on America.

They both are nothing more than liberal, power-hungry users and the ones being used most are all of their stupid supporters.

Posted by: Rey Flores | March 2, 2008 5:54 PM

Thanks for that positive imput freak boy!!!

I'm going to paste in a part of a comment that really took the words right out of my mouth...

In the past several weeks I've noted how the Clintons have behaved, specifically toward Barack Obama. Bill's sound bite following the South Carolina primary loss was telling. He was sending out a message to the rest of America that the SC result was an anomaly and Barack's fortunes would not hold up elsewhere where blacks were in the minority. He continue with his antics in Nevada, claiming voter intimidation by the Obama people, and also by trying to change the rules on where people could caucus, because they feared their opponent had an advantage. They followed this undemocratic action by trying to drive a wedge between the Latinos and Blacks by putting the word out that Latinos would not votes for a black man. All through this destructive period the America people, who have been taken for granted by both parties, finally started to shift away from the Clintons. They would have terrific poll numbers until Barack started his campaign when almost invariably the polls would swing away from them. After a string of primary defeats and all looked lost they decided to open the Rove slime account. (I have no proof, but I believe Carl Rove is working on the Clinton campaign). So they have decide to go all out negative, and in doing so they have shown their hand. This all out war to persuade voters that Barack Obama is an inexperienced empty suit, using any means necessary, might work, but at the risk of destroying the Democrats chances in the General Election.

It is sad to see people whom you've felt so go about, in the past, disappoint you now. You have to recalibrate and adjust for what you now feel towards them. I would like the Democrats to have a sweeping victory come November, taking over a filibuster-proof congress. The Supreme Court is also a body I'd like to see ran, as it should, and not some adjunct to the Executive branch. But if the Clintons do manage to get the nod, I think we'll be doomed with the continuation of the Bush policies that have worked so well for us up till now.

I don't think we'll do ourselves any favor voting by for Hillary, and at my ripe old age of 58, my dirt-nap is closer than for the people I fear for the most, the young, and how they'll be affected by another 4 years of this Republican onslaught on America.

Posted by: sicnarfe | March 2, 2008 9:24 PM

Very well put. Hillary supporters ENOUGH ALREADY!

"They are going to have a very hard choice to make after Tuesday if she loses Texas or Ohio," top Obama adviser David Axelrod said Saturday. "There are people in the party who are very concerned about this turning into some kind of a Bataan Death March."

Andrew thanks for the article. My view of Obama a sign should read: sold and minipulated by a smooth talker and big hypocryt

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...

"He is an empty suit" Is really being kind to Obama. Most of us from Hyde Park recall a diffrent story. Here it is http://news.houstonpress.com/2008-02-28/news/... Now I know that the Obamabots will be bashing me for this but it won't change the truth. Every aspect of this is completely verifiable as it is all public record. The quotes are in the news agencies archives. I have done my homework so before you start quoting fiction do yours. The artical is Obama and me by Todd Spavic. It's the top article next to his Obamas picture.

"Hillary Clinton has never received a 3 a.m. in the morning telephone call as a senator or as a first lady. And secondly, when asked, when her campaign was asked, well, what crisis has she ever faced in which she's made a difference in foreign policy, they really couldn't answer."
Senator John Kerry
_______________________
The only thing Hillary Clinton has going for her is that she's a better liar, deceiver and dirty ptrickster than Obama!

So I looked theses are all the speeches she has made as First Lady. Given the amount, she could very well have a lot of speeches.

1Remarks at the 10th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act - July 26, 2000

2Treasures Tour Remarks at Ellis Island, New Jersey - July 17, 2000

3Remarks at the NAACP Annual Convention - July 11, 2000

4SUNY Stony Brook School of Health Technology and Management Commencement Address - June 30, 2000

5Forest Hills High School Commencement Address - June 26, 2000

6Merchant Marine Academy Commencement Address - June 19, 2000

7Treasures Tour Remarks at Val Kil Cottage, Hyde Park, New York - June 17, 2000

8Remarks at Orphan Foundation of America "OLIVER" Awards - June 12, 2000

9Remarks at the Millennium Matinee: "Under the Sea, Beyond the Stars" (6/12/00)

10Remarks at the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization Event - June 12, 2000

11Remarks at Beijing +5/ UNIFEM Forum on Microcredit - June 5, 2000

12Remarks at the Million Mom March