Is...Saturday night, when both Clinton and Obama speak at the Virginia Democratic Party's Jefferson Jackson dinner in Richmond.
« Ouch, but True | Main | Clinton Raises $4M In 24 Hours » The Next O/C Duel06 Feb 2008 11:42 pm Comments (12)
Uh ... has Obama ever lost a single one v. one speaking opportunity contest on either merits or presence? Jefferson Jackson dinners are to Obama as tepid debates are to Clinton -- i.e. venue of choice, area of "expertise." 
Most people who go to the JJ dinner are pretty much already committed to a candidate -- they are the hard core Dem activists. That being said, most elected officials in VA endorsed Obama weeks ago, starting with our Governor, Tim Kaine. Obama helped in his campaign a few years ago, and Gov. Kaine happily returned the favor -- Kaine has great respect for Obama. That being said (again), being a Clinton supporter, I'm hoping that "the people" will come out the way they did on Super Tuesday and vote independently of any endorsements. A side note: At the Arlington Democratic Committee meeting tonight, there were a number of young people representing both campaigns proudly wearing their respective pins. They all seemed to know each other and like each other -- a few even seemed to be flirting with each other (shocking!). Hope we can all be as cordial once this is all over.
Obama will clean up. It's shocking, though, having grown up there, that Virginia is so forward thinking. The state has changed so much.
Lisa, if we were friends with you before, then we will most certainly be friends with you after. We're really not all that different.
Hear, hear, Lisa. Remember guys, we are all trying to turn around our country from the misguidance of the last eight years. We are WAY off course, and the only way to correct it is if we all get on the same side and PUSH. If everyone would stop with the foaming and screeching, I think everyone would appreciate it. Lord knows, the Republicans are fouling their own nest pretty badly. Both Hillary and Obama will represent our interests almost identically. It's a matter of tone and style with electability a outgrowth from those. Michael
Wonder how Hillary will handle the money thing going forward. Probably will become a distraction. So she's off message and out of cash? http://www.political-buzz.com/
The Internet notoriously encourages acrimony (not just in politics--online discussions on just about any topic can devolve into flame wars). And of course the media lives for drama, and so deliberately tries to incite clash between the candidates and their supporters and reports on the merest possibility of it breathlessly. The truth is that poll after poll of real people shows that at least core Democrats would be fine with either of their candidates. That said, I think Obama has a legitimate point about independents and cross-over Republicans (meaning many people in those categories who support Obama might not switch their support to Clinton if she wins the nomination). But again, that does not apply to core Democrats.
I find this new tactic - cordiality and friendly/flirty posting by the Clintonites - quite clever...but transparent.
Hillary Clinton could garner herself alot of respect if she would drop out of the race now, and give a great speech saying she wanted Obama to be the next President. I no longer see the rationale for her Presidency over and against an Obama Presidency. The experience meme is without substance. I think you could make a case that Clinton's continue to accumulate power by exiting gracefully from the race now. It would give her better props on an Obama Administration than losing this Primary race, which is going to happen anyway. Finally, HRC never had, and never will have any talent for the Presidential game. This is a very different sport than being a Senator. And I might add she is an extremely good Senator--a classical, and perfect Senator, frankly--and I think that is where she is best suited. Hillary Clinton in trying to become President, just like Al Gore, is going for the wrong goal. The game never suited Al, either. He was NEVER meant to be President. So too with Hillary. Like Al, she would be much happier, and actually accomplish more, from her Senate seat in NY. Future Presidents would have to answer to Sen. Clinton. That's a great position to be in.
As someone who worked with some of the Clinton operatives on the 1997 Don Beyer for Gov. campaign here in VA. I know first hand how the top echelon of folks running the Hillary campaign operate. It was so sad to see a great inspiring candidate with a great business background lose terribly in VA to of all people Jim Gilmore! I bring this up because the attitude of those operational people running the Beyer campaign, in my view, was the very reason he lost the election. The campaign was taken from him and a great team that worked for his re-election for Lt. Gov in 1993, by the Clinton people. Their arrogance and unfriendliness was clearly evident during that 97 campaign. All they were really interested in was standing on the stage in order to wave to their friends on election night with this 'look at me, look at me' attitude, not caring about the voters and the real concerns facing them. I was amazed that while trying to do effective canvassing and promo for the candidate, as I was directed in a certain area of the state, I was told when I asked repeatedly why I couldn't get needed materials..."Oh, don't worry about 'those' people...we don't need to about putting anything there". I was so upset by this level of arrogance and the taking for granted of a clearly minority area of the state that I figured then and there, a month from election day, that there was no way that Beyer would win and he didn't. That turned me...a political junkie, off to politics and especially the Democratic Party in VA. Thankfully we finally got the likes of Mark Warner, Jim Webb and Tim Kaine to revive the Dems of VA and clean-up the likes of Jim Gilmore and George Allen. Those arrogant Clinton operatives are the same folks running the show for Hillary now and why (along with her failure to acknowledge that her vote for war in Iraq was wrong) I will never, ever vote for her. Obama is clearly an obvious change agent and his attitude is what is desperately needed for VA and the nation. A vote for him is a vote for optimism and a different way of doing politics. He's someone who will restore our reputation around the world and make Americans more respectful of one another's ideas and differences in a way we can all be very, very proud of as President...from day 1....he's got my vote on Tuesday.
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If Obama goes last, the race is over.
Posted by Brian | February 6, 2008 11:58 PM