Obama’s performance today reminds me of Sargeant Schultz from the 1960s American sit-com, Hogan’s Heroes. Schultz’s signature line: “I know nothing.” Obama twenty years of knowing nothing.

Return to Main

A pro-Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign 527 group will begin airing ads on TV stations throughout Indiana today that compare and contrast Senator Clinton’s job proposal with Senator Obama?s vague economic plans. The ads are paid for by the American Leadership Project, which spent $700,000 on the commercials. The American Leadership Project is an independent political group that ran $1.1 million in anti-Obama TV commercials before the Texas, Ohio and Pennsylvania primaries.

In the meantime, the Clinton campaign also has a new ad that started running today questioning Obama’s proposals on the economy. This ad is below:

While the endorsement of Senator Clinton by North Carolina Governor Mike Easley is making more news today, the endorsement of Senator Clinton of Representative Ike Skelton (D-MO) matters more in the long run.  Rep. Skelton is the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee with strong national security credentials that further solidifies Clinton’s Commander in Chief arguments. Rep. Skelton is also that rank & file working class type of Democrat. This endorsement is likely to boost Clinton in both Indiana and North Carolina as well as Kentucky and West Virginia.

Here’s Governor Mike Easley’s endorsement today in Raleigh

Governor Easley’s remark at the end of his statement that Rocky Balboa is a “pansy” compared to Hillary Clinton is drawing some fire as anti-gay slur. I can unequivocably tell you, it is not. It was something that Obama supporters thought they could jump on as the cries went out that Hillary should “denounce and reject” Governor Easley’s remarks. Who are these lunatics?

I have come up with a new drinking game called Obama’s “uhs”. Watch Obama’s press conference and every time he says “uh” have a drink. You’ll be drunk after three minutes. If you don’t drink alcohol, try it with kool-aid. It has the same effect.

Return to Main

Obama today tried to distance himself from the comments made yesterday by his Pastor and “Spiritual Advisor” of more than 20 years. The story from the Los Angeles Times. Well how are Obama’s remarks being received? If you were to check blogs like the Daily Kos or The Huffington Post, you will find that Obama’s remarks hit the mark. Not surprising since those are pro-Obama sites. Go on TalkLeft, you will find that his remarks failed to sway. Again not too surprising, since TalkLeft, though more balanced, is largely pro-Hillary. So for a more objective view, read the comments in the newspapers since they are more apt to reflect the prevailing winds.

Comments on the Los Angeles Times

1. He’s known the man for TWENTY YEARS. Wright isn’t pretending to be anything he hasn’t been leading up to this moment. It’s hard to explain away that all of a sudden you’re hearing a philosophy that is foreign to you. Another speech should clear that up. That oughta do the trick. Yawn……. He’s got some explaining to do, sorry.

Submitted by: Denounce vs. Reject
12:40 PM PDT, April 29, 2008

——————————————————————————–
2. this is a joke. he is a typical politician

Submitted by: juan
12:39 PM PDT, April 29, 2008

——————————————————————————–
3. Apparently, he listened to this nut rave for twenty years. I wonder if he just now decided to disagree.

Submitted by: Harvey Blake
12:32 PM PDT, April 29, 2008

——————————————————————————–
4. This is a man Obama said had profound influence over him. I doubt the apple’s fallen too far from the tree. This is very disturbing to me.

Submitted by: Patrick
12:27 PM PDT, April 29, 2008

(more…)

As an atheist I don’t go to Church very often, but when I do it is usually to Glide Memorial Church in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco, just blocks from posh Union Square but worlds apart. I generally take out of town visitors to listen to the Gospel Choir and the singular wisdom of the Reverend Cecil Williams. While Glide is a San Francisco institution that transcends race, most of its congregation is actually white, its roots are firmly in African-American traditions. The tenor of its Gospel is far different from that of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. They both may worship the same God and hold many of the same views but they are certainly expressed very differently. Anger even in the face of injustice is not part of Glide. It is not a San Francisco value.

(more…)

Here is Tuesday’s edition of interesting reads from around the world.

The Reverend Wright in the Historical Perspective
Professor Andrew Murphy, professor of the Humanities and Political Philosophy at Valparaiso University, explores the comments of the Reverend Wright in a historical context in his essay When Is A Jeremiah Not A Jeremiah?

ASEAN to Tackle Soaring Food Prices
The Philippine Information Agency reports that ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) is ready to implement a number of measures, including the strengthening of its existing food security mechanisms, to tackle the rising food prices and ensure longer-term adequacy of rice supply to prevent any adverse impact on the ASEAN economies.

Trade Barriers and The Price of Food
A survey of the global protectionist policies that may be contributing to higher food prices from Angry Bear.

Polls Forecast Large Labour Losses in UK Council Races
Final polls ahead of Council elections in the United Kingdom on Thursday predict Labour would lose more than 200 council seats in England and Wales. The story in the UK Guardian.

Iran’s Ahmadinejad on State Visits to India, Pakistan & Sri Lanka
Iran’s President Mahmud Ahmadinejad aims fortify Iran’s regional ties with South Asia and thus achieve a milestone in his administration’s “Look East” foreign policy orientation. The story in the Asia Times.