The Tide is Turning

Bob Casey was just about the most boring political candidate in history. But now, with his endorsement of Obama, he is showing a spark-- and an independent streak. Never mind the fact that he isn't a real Democrat-- in fact, his Democrat-by-name-only status should reaffirm Obama's potential pull with independents and moderate Republicans.

This One's Got Legs

No, (definitely) not Hillary! But her "sniper fire" story sure does. As one ex-military man just told me, no one who's ever been under real fire will forgive her for that one. As with most of these little things, they only stick if there is something (a cycle of disingenuousness, for example) behind them.

No, (definitely) not Hillary's behind!

Calling John Edward(s)

Either one. It's time, pretty boy-- step up to the plate and do some endorsing. Or are you just a little too comfortable in your 6-million-dollar mansion to be bothered with such things?

The L Word

Well, the tactic now is to feed off the radicalization of Obama as an angry black man and call him something worse: a LIBERAL. The National Journal labeled him the most liberal senator of all in 2007, flames which Hillary and McCain hope to fan. But what, dear readers, qualifies as liberal these days?

*ending Bush's tax cuts for the rich (we are in a $3 trillion war, people)

*ending the US embargo against Cuba (it's worked so well for the past 50 years)

*lifting the limit on income taxed for Social Security (the only way to confront the problem)

*expanding the government's role in delivering health care (the system's broke, people... although there does need to be some market incentive)

*expressing support for strict gun control, decriminalizing marijuana, and ending federal mandatory minimum prison sentences (in other words, a little common sense)

At the risk of sounding like blind followers, that all sounds pretty good to us. We just prefer the P word.

(Editor's note-- Progressive... and the other one)

info culled from today's Washington Posting

Iraq and a Hard Place

Things are getting messy again... along with crossing the 4000 barrier, it seems that our buddy Moktada Al-Sadr is stirring again. Our take-- this will merely cement whatever one's views on the best course of action were beforehand... and, let's be honest, there ain't that much difference between Obama and Hillary on this one, or McCain for that matter... we're going to be there for 100 years anyway. Our hopes are that this will revisit the judgment issue about going there in the first place. So what's the defining difference now?

Iran.

Specifically, did you vote for the Kyl-Lieberman amendment and set up the same kind of debacle there? Funny, it seems that Hillary and McCain are on one side again, and Obama on the other.

4,000

'nuff said.

Reverend Wright... or Wrong?

We turned on the TV this morning to hear a clip of one of Obama's pastor's sermons... and we must admit, we are a little concerned about how "Goddamn America" is going to go over in the Alabama that exists between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia... or even the well-heeled suburbs that circle them. Unfortunately, the race issue might make the difference with those independents who aren't quite ready for Black Power, so this one could stick. While we have said that phrase a few times ourselves, we ain't runnin' for office

Michelle in 2016 (or 2020)?

If all of Hillary's "first lady" experience is relevant, then sign us up for the Michelle Obama campaign in 2016 or 2020. While this is being said with tongue lodged firmly in cheek, we were impressed after hearing her speak yesterday. If nothing else, at least she doesn't appear to be schizophrenic.

Female Attack Dogs

It is time for Geraldine Ferraro to go. She was the one who, in our minds, most overtly put the race issue out there after the whole MLK Fairy-Tale blowup, and now this:

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," Geraldine Ferraro told The Daily Breeze of Torrance, in an interview published last Friday. "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is."

This comment would be laughable if it were not so insidious. She went on to defend it vigorously today, even going on to say this:

"I really think they're attacking me because I'm white. How's that?"

Obama Wins Texas

According to CNN, Obama finished first in the Texas Democratic caucuses, which were not called until this evening. As a result, Obama will get more delegates out of the state than Clinton.

Fallon Fall(s)on...

the Sword.

According to the BBC:

The commander of US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, Admiral William Fallon, is to retire from his post early.

He cited the "embarrassing situation and public perception of differences between my views and administration policy" as the reason for retiring.

He was the subject of a recent article by Esquire magazine, which said he was opposed to the use of force against Iran over its nuclear programme.

While this may not change the course of events, we respect the man for doing what Colin Powell should have done.

Eliot's Mess

(Editor's Note-- Hey, we had already thought of that title before we saw it in Slate)

Well, it's starting to look like Spitzer's fall is complete... hard to remember the time when he was taking on corporate greed and making us think that he might be the "one." Our advice to politicians... stick with porn, and don't use "bookmarks."

Miss Disingenuous

There is no other way to read Hillary's "proposal" of a "Dream Ticket" than that.

187-183

That's right, people, despite our feeling like we took one in the gut, that was Hillary's edge in the delegate department last night... and, despite what whining Democrats may have said about Gore in 2000, it's the delegate count that matters.

It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over

Ohio we get-- the whole blue-collar thing and how Obama was caught with his NAFTA down-- maybe Rhode Island's feeding off that too-- but we just hope Democratic voters can come to their senses and realize that the times-- not to mention the independents-- call for Obama. Let's face it, Hillary's been relying on the sympathy vote since Iowa. As for Obama, he probably did need a little humbling. And maybe, just maybe, this is all good for the party-- one outcome of all this is that it has made folks like us grit our teeth and register as a Democrat.

The Three Trillion Dollar War

According to Linda Bilmes and Joseph Stiglitz, that is a conservative estimate of what this debacle is costing the American people when all the economic consequences of the invasion are taken into account.

from their book The Three Trillion Dollar War: The True Cost of the Iraq Conflict