Category Archives: Uncategorized

(Community Matters) Phillip Klein, American Spectator:

“It has become popular in conservative circles these days to suggest that “you just gotta admire her tenacity,” a sentiment that is advanced at her campaign rallies…

But what is there to admire about this so-called “tenacity”? Clinton began this campaign with a financial edge, the support of a popular former Democratic president, a built-in political apparatus, a consistent lead of more than 20 points in national polls, and more than a hundred superdelegates.

If a candidate starts off with all of those advantages and is too stubborn to drop out of the race, it’s no surprise that she is still hanging on.

There is absolutely nothing admirable about a politician so narcissistic and hungry for power that she is willing to say or do whatever suits her political interests at any given moment. If the Republican Party has declined to the point where conservatives are so worried about defeating a freshman Senator that they are rooting for Clinton to do their dirty work for them, it is simply pathetic,”

Hat Tip: Andrew

(Community Matters)

Wow, even closer than expected in Indiana. N. Carolina a blowout.

8:25 CBS calling Indiana for Clinton. Others waiting, presumably because the urban center s are way underrepresented in the early reporting.

8:00 Obama inclined bloggers are suggesting that he’s catching up in Indiana. I don’t see it. Dicing & slicing the exit polls, looks like she has it by 6 to 8 points – quite a comeback for Obama from Survey USA Clinton +16 just last month & especially given that voters who decided in the last three days picked Clinton. Also, reports that Hillary likely had to loan her campaign more cash to make it through these primaries. Presumably also riding the trade.

Re: North Carolina, he appears to have far exceeded polls saying +8. Looks like a serious double digit win.

Reading CNN’s Indiana exit poll information, what stands out: 51% of men and 53% of women voted for Clinton. Statistically split on who best for the economy and if voters are gun owners; however, when economy rated number one issue (67%), Hillary favored by 53% . If the recession has affected a surveyed voter, they voted for Hillary 53%. Twenty-three percent of the voters were independents and 53% of these voted for Obama. Seventy-one percent of voters surveyed were white and 14% black. Only 3% of blacks voted for Hillary – some data showing 8%; 35% and 48% of white Democrats and Independents, respectively, voted for Obama instead of Hillary. Obama won 62% of surveyed urban voters, 46% and 30% of surveyed suburban and rural voters. Obama winning 61% and 56% of voters 17 – 29 and 30 – 44, though white voters 30yo and older favored Hillary.

7pm: No big surprise. Obama leading handsomely in Indiana urban areas. Hillary flying high in rural areas. Wish there was an interactive map by county with population figures.

6:40: CNN calls N. Carolina for Obama. Disturbing data from Indiana exit polls. The Clinton’s – it’s all about them even over the party, isn’t it.

6pm: Indiana exit polls indicating record turnout and voters 3:1 concerned about the economy. Lots of women and elderly. Could favor Hillary. Average of polls suggested Hillary +5 in Indiana, though ranged as high as +10.

In North Carolina: no exit poll information yet. Average of polls say Obama +8. Reports of Rovian/GOP tactics deployed by Clinton campaign branding Obama a Muslim among rural whites. Well, what have we come to expect from them? Remember her answer to the reporter’s questions about rumors of Obama Islamic ties?

(Community Matters) At the end of the day the biggest news might be that nearly 20% of Republicans still vote for a candidate other than John McCain in the primaries.

(Community Matters) CNN’s Indiana exit polls reporting that a third of Clinton voters would vote for McCain over Obama and 17 percent said they would not vote if Obama was the Democratic nominee. Clinton supporters who’d vote for Obama total 48%.

Hillary’s been campaigning for this result as her argument with superdelegates. Instead, she’ll be remembered by many as fondly as Bill Clinton is by the far right.

(Community Matters) I haven’t posted on the catastrophe in Myanmar (Burma). The situation is beyond my imagination – still living under a brutal regime only cautiously willing to accept international aid after 120mph winds and tidal waves swept away thousands. No drinking water, no power, no food and no shelter for hundreds of thousands – estimates of over 1,000,000 homeless. The death count now up to 22,000 though counts as high as 50,000 cited. The region’s 2004 tsunami deaths totaled near 250,000.

Burma, once Southeast Asia’s wealthiest country with the most literate population, achieved independence from Britain in the 40’s. Even though the country is rich in oil & gas reserves and precious stones (especially rubies), under the army regime since the 60s, Burma’s people are now among the SE Asia’s poorest and most illiterate, and the government imposes forced labor programs in its mines and other industries. Despite US government sanctions, Chevron is reportedly a partner in a highly criticized oil pipeline to Thailand.

(Community Matters) Average of polls saying Obama +8 in North Carolina, Clinton +5 in Indiana. Factoring in momentum, Obama likely to do better in both. Wild card, how effectively has Hillary cast herself as an ordinary American and Obama as an elitist.

(Community Matters) Major kudos to to APD officers James Cartier and Joe Hernandez who prevented a shooting spree at a local Wal-Mart. here

(Community Matters) Jennifer Kim’s campaign has admitted placing anonymous, deceptive Robo-calls from “your neighbor Lisa.” here

(Community Matters) Reviewing Cities in Crisis, a report by Dr. Christopher Swanson, Director of the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center. Far fewer students are graduating high school than we’ve realized, especially racial & ethnic minorities and males. The connection between place and performance is real for students, schools and school systems.

Surprised to learn graduation rates are 15% lower in urban than suburban schools. For 2003 – 2004, 70% overall student graduation rate.

(Community Matters) Directly from The Page: Hillary Clinton enthusiastically picked a filly named Eight Belles to win the Kentucky Derby and compared herself to the horse. Eight Belles finished second. The winner was the favorite, Big Brown.

Eight Belles collapsed immediately after crossing the finish line, and was euthanized shortly thereafter.

(Community Matters) Tom Hank’s endorses Barack Obama: ” . . . . because of his character and vision and the high road he has taken during this campaign . . . . He has the integrity & inspiration to unify us as did FDR & Harry Truman & John F. Kennedy and even Ronald Reagan. . . . [Obama] embody[ies] the America I have been waiting for, one where leaders address challenges with candor, and truth is their basis for policy.”

(Community Matters) Though many friends in common, I’ve never gotten to know Stephen any better than friendly mutual recognition. Michael Barnes’ article here in today’s AAS leads me to regret this.