Being Barack, Or, We Don't Know Either

Break out a thousand violins - Barack bemoans his loss of privacy:

BUTTE, MONT. -- He hasn't had a vacation for months. He sees his family little more than once a week. And now as the presumed Democratic nominee for president, he can't go anywhere without being trailed by a full crew of journalists.

Reaching his limit, Barack Obama wriggled free of the campaign's fetters on July 4. Caught in Montana on his daughter Malia's 10th birthday, he improvised a party.

At the Holiday Inn Express in Butte, a city known for its copper mines and bordellos of old, Obama and family ordered a cake. They loaded an iPod with Malia's favorite songs and danced and sang. Obama later came close to tears, recalling that Malia told him "it was the best birthday she'd ever had."

"I know it sounds corny, but last night was actually one of those times where being in a Holiday Inn in Butte without a lot of fanfare. . . . I don't know whether she was just telling us what we wanted to hear, but I can tell you from my perspective it was one of the best times I've had in a long time," Obama told reporters aboard his campaign plane. Then he quickly turned and went back to his seat.

Run for President, win your party's nomination, lose privacy - gee, this whole cause-effect thing must be an eye-opener.  But I especially love this:

"I don't know whether she was just telling us what we wanted to hear, but I can tell you from my perspective it was one of the best times I've had in a long time..."

Oh my goodness - a parent who can't read whether his ten year old is having fun at a party wants to trot off to meet with America's foreign enemies without any preconditions (but lots of preparation!).  Well, maybe he can do a better job reading foreign adults.  A guess - he will come away convinced that they loathed Bush, admire him, and look forward to peace in our time.  Bold call, huh?

Betsy is not merciful.

Comments

[Jane]

Poor Barack. He doesn't know what he doesn't know.

Not a good trait in a President.

[Jane]

Oh and Good Morning!

[Jane]

Judicial Watch files complaint over Obama’s mortgage

This might be fun.

LUN

[BumperStickerist]

Fetters?

Barack wriggled free from his campaign's *fetters*?

Godalmighty ... slave imagery ... what's next? Will the press report that Bob Shrum has informed Obama that his campaign name is "Toby" and that Shrum whipped Obama until he agreed?

-

And, another thing, Obama reached his "limit" on what would have been the day for the [sic] Town Hall debate with McCain?

Hmmmmmmm ... I question both the Democratic nominee's vim *and* vigor.

Meanwhile McCain can't take a nap after a big lunch on a Saturday without questions of his competency and ability to lead being called into question.

-

[clarice]

And he invites Access Hollywood in to interview the kids while bemoaning the lack of privacy. It's a four parter so it took a lot of preparation. Now, he says it was a mistake and won't be repeated.

[Jane]

He also said "it just happened" as if it was all quite spontaneous.

I wonder if his kids sleep in make-up so they are ready for TV.

[BumperStickerist]

well, to borrow some Iraq war rhetoric, at no point during the run up to the Access Hollywood appearance did Obama's position change.

Once Obama set events in motion, He was just at times either a powerless observer or an unwitting participant.

[Elliott]

Well, maybe he can do a better job reading foreign adults. A guess - he will come away convinced that they loathed Bush, admire him, and look forward to peace in our time.

Won't his true allies tell him they was desire to make a certain excision?

[Elliott]

Now, he says it was a mistake and won't be repeated.

I only saw clips, but I felt very badly for his younger daughter Sasha. She gave the impression that the campaign was taking a huge toll, as it would on almost any very young child. (It was her sister's birthday so that may have been a factor.)

[Jim Treacher]

I'm sure both the Holiday Inn Corporation and the people of Butte would like him to finish the "This was actually one of those times where..." thought.

[kim]

That business about 'it just happened' is a key to his soul. He didn't have to tell that lie. Why didn't he know he couldn't get away with it? Well, he isn't used to being called on his 'convenient untruths'. This is the boy in whose cheeks butter wouldn't melt. He has become accustomed to saying just whatever is necessary to fool the one in front of him, and then to begone until the next opportunity to shade the truth. He's a compulsive liar; he lies when he doesn't even have to do so, and sociopathic in that it is always someone else's fault, even if he has to say it is the fault of the listener. This is badly abusive. A lot of people are just not going to take it all the way through November. The disgust among the unbelieving Democrats is worse than the disgust of conservatives with McCain, and that's saying a lot.
==================================

[BumperStickerist]

it's worth noting the optimal conditions which existed prior to Obama's self-admitted misjudgement, Barack did sleep in a Holiday Inn Express ...

[MayBee]

That business about 'it just happened' is a key to his soul. He didn't have to tell that lie

Bingo.

[kim]

And another one 'I don't know if she is just saying what she wants us to hear'. That is damning.

You know, if I worked for this guy, there would be a 'Take this job and shove it' moment coming down the pike. Please, Obama, hold it together through August. We need you up there, Big Man.
=================================

[centralcal]

I saw a brief clip of the Access Hollywood/Malia Obama comments about her parents (on FNC, I think). Barry O looked really uncomfortable - trying to look at Malia like the doting Dad one minute, looking over his left shoulder with a pained expression (for an escape route?) the next minute. It was just really wierd. Michelle just looked like the doting Mom.

Did anyone else pick up on this? (Of course, I only saw this one snippet.)

[capitano]

He hasn't had a vacation for months.

Gee, maybe somebody should explain the POTUS job description, 'cause it doesn't sound like he's going to be able to handle the load. There's more to it than reading off a teleprompter, raising money, and dissing regular Americans.

[MayBee]

Reaching his limit, Barack Obama wriggled free of the campaign's fetters on July 4

Much of his travel schedule is self-imposed anyway. There was no reason he had to travel to Unity, NH for his unity meeting with Clinton, nor to Independence, MO for his Independence Day address. Those could have been done at home.

I am somewhat disappointed he couldn't find a Birthday City somewhere in these united states.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Well, that's okay, because people are preparing the ground if McCain should win the election.

[Appalled]

Just an observation - both the post and the comments strike me as a bit petty. Obama's comments strike me as typial for a guy who has striven for a big job, and suddenly has brought home to him what happens to his family life as a result. The type of person who would think deeply about such matters is not the type of person who runs for President.

As for the ten year old comment -- puhleeeez, Tom. You saying Henry Kissinger could have figured out what that child had on his mind? That Reagan (who sure had Gorby figured) had deep insight into his kid Ron?

[Jane]

Karl Rove says Obama is using Nixon's playbook.

LUN

[Jane]

Obama's comments strike me as typial for a guy who has striven for a big job, and suddenly has brought home to him what happens to his family life as a result.

Appalled,

The problem is, it's not all that typical to be named CEO of the world's biggest corporation 9 months after working in the mail room.

Obama is in over his head. Perhaps he should have taken some time to ponder the ramifications of his job application before submitting it.

[Sue]

Appalled,

Can you tell us where another presidential candidate started whining about the job before he actually had the job? Maybe McCain has complained about the work required to become president.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Just an observation - both the post and the comments strike me as a bit petty.

Sue us.

[Sue]

Obama used his kids and then did what he always does. He got them out there for everyone to see what a nice family they are, and they do look like the nice family, and then he yanked them back and said don't bother my children. While I agree no one should bother his children, no matter what the fool of a father and mother allowed, he is once again having his cake and eating it too.

[MayBee]

He got them out there for everyone to see what a nice family they are, and they do look like the nice family, and then he yanked them back and said don't bother my children.

Bingo.

suddenly has brought home to him what happens to his family life as a result

I feel for him. I remember when he was telling the press to stay away from the Bush girls, telling Arianna Huffington there's no such thing as a 'vacation' for POTUS so it doesn't matter how many days Bush stays at his ranch, AND I especially remember how outraged Obama was when the Ryan's family was dragged through the mud when their divorce records were unsealed during his Senate race.
He has done so much to stand up for others, and now we are nothing but petty in return.

[bgates]

Just an observation - both the post and the comments strike me as a bit petty.
I believe what you meant to say is, "This conversation isn't helping Obama's kids."

I don't know whether she was just telling us what we wanted to hear
Goodness, wherever could she have picked up that kind of behavior?

[MikeS]

You saying Henry Kissinger could have figured out what that child had on his mind?

That is the opposite of what Tom is implying. If Obama understands that he is not a magical, mystical, mind reader, what exactly does he think a face to face with tyrants and supporters of terrorism will do to advance U.S. interests?

Such meetings would represent a propaganda coup for our adversaries, but for the U.S., not so much.

[clarice]

Brava,MayBee!

[Sue]

Hey, did y'all know Obama doesn't speak Spanish?

[Neo]

So his daughter is 10. Of course, this measn that she could be 18 when Obama finishes his 2 possible POTUS terms, he will have missed it all.

[bad]

Caught in Montana on his daughter Malia's 10th birthday, he improvised a party.

I hate when my kids birthdates shift unexpectedly making it impossible to plan ahead for a party.

[sbw]

You know how it is with a dog when you point your finger? How they look at the finger instead of the object pointed to? Isn't the similarity interesting? So many people latch on to the pointing and can't seem to see the object pointed at.

[GMax]

Isd there no part of this man's family and private life that he is not willing to pimp for political gain? Sorry I read this as a blatant, blatant attempt at sympathy from female voters ever bit as cynical and planned as the Hill tears bit.

Could you just celebrate your daughters birthday in private and leave it there.

This man would be insufferable in the White House for four long years. Good thing I think he will fall short of that goal.

[Jane]

Insufferable' and more than likely deadly.

[PeterUK]

Isn't it customary to become a big star before starting on the "I vish to be alone" carp?

Obama could always hire Joe Wilson to "give him back his anonymity".

[Appalled]

bgates --

You miss my point. There is no correlation between reading the mind of a 10 year old and reading the mind of a foreign leader. (I thought the Reagan example would bring that home. The Reagan diaries are full of the President's simple frustration with figuring out what Ron Jr's "issues" were.)

MayBee:

You know, I'm really feeling for him, too. But I don't see that it was Obama's job to stand up for anyone other than himself. (Also, I would observe that nobody can tell Arianna anything...)

[Neo]

Instead of consistency, Mr. Obama has followed Richard Nixon's advice, to cater to his party's extreme in the primaries and then move aggressively to the middle for the fall.

In the primary, Mr. Obama supported pulling out of Iraq within 16 months, called the D.C. gun ban constitutional, backed the subjection of telecom companies to expensive lawsuits for cooperating in the terror surveillance program, opposed welfare reform, pledged to renegotiate Nafta, disavowed free trade and was strongly against the death penalty in all cases. But in the past few weeks, Mr. Obama has reversed course on all of these, discarding fringe liberal views for relentlessly centrist positions. He also flip-flopped on accepting public financing and condemning negative ads from third party groups, like unions.

By taking Nixon's advice, Mr. Obama is assuming such dramatic reversals will somehow avoid voter scrutiny. But people are watching closely, and by setting a world indoor record for jettisoning past positions, Mr. Obama may be risking his reputation for truthfulness. A candidate's credibility, once lost, is very hard to restore, regardless of how fine an organization he has built.

[Neo]

Instead of consistency, Mr. Obama has followed Richard Nixon's advice, to cater to his party's extreme in the primaries and then move aggressively to the middle for the fall.

In the primary, Mr. Obama supported pulling out of Iraq within 16 months, called the D.C. gun ban constitutional, backed the subjection of telecom companies to expensive lawsuits for cooperating in the terror surveillance program, opposed welfare reform, pledged to renegotiate Nafta, disavowed free trade and was strongly against the death penalty in all cases. But in the past few weeks, Mr. Obama has reversed course on all of these, discarding fringe liberal views for relentlessly centrist positions. He also flip-flopped on accepting public financing and condemning negative ads from third party groups, like unions.

By taking Nixon's advice, Mr. Obama is assuming such dramatic reversals will somehow avoid voter scrutiny. But people are watching closely, and by setting a world indoor record for jettisoning past positions, Mr. Obama may be risking his reputation for truthfulness. A candidate's credibility, once lost, is very hard to restore, regardless of how fine an organization he has built.

[MayBee]

But I don't see that it was Obama's job to stand up for anyone other than himself. (Also, I would observe that nobody can tell Arianna anything...)

It is apparently your job to stand up for him, which is more than it seems he will do for others.
If it isn't his job to stand up for anyone (although, isn't he running for President?) then it isn't my job or TM's job to not poke fun at him.
The thing is, unless he was in a hole somewhere (and I sometimes suspect he was), he should know better than to be surprised that running for President and putting your kids on 3 episodes of extra is going to draw attention to him and them. You are the one that chose to defend him by saying this has "suddenly been brought home to him". He has been on the other side of this family attention enough times that it should have been brought home to him well before now.

Anybody can tell Arianna anything. Whether she listens is another story. Choosing her website to write his one very important blog post as a candidate seems a poor way to indicate dissatisfaction with her.

[MayBee]

clarice- thanks. This man is going to be Victim-in-Chief. Anybody who doesn't understand that isn't-- as Obama likes to accuse-- listening to what he's said.

[MayBee]

his kids, of course. Not Appalled's.

[bad]

Obama--the not ready for prime time playah

[GMax]

It is apparently your job to stand up for him,

That is going to leave a mark!

[bad]

I wonder if Obama thinks he is the first person to experience lack of sleep, privacy, and family time on the campaign trail. Dude lacks perspective.

[Neo]

I wonder if Obama thinks he is the first person to experience ...

Yes, I believe he believes that. His remarks on the Iranian missile launch had him describing the efforts of the Bush administration for the last 6 years on Iran, then claiming it was fresh ground to be tilled.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Good news for http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/07/the_essential_beer.html:

[Steven] Johnson notes that historians interested in genetics believe that the roughly simultaneous emergence of urban living and the manufacturing of alcohol set the stage for a survival-of-the-fittest sorting-out among the people who abandoned the hunter-gatherer lifestyle and, literally and figuratively speaking, went to town.

To avoid dangerous water, people had to drink large quantities of, say, beer. But to digest that beer, individuals needed a genetic advantage that not everyone had -- what Johnson describes as the body's ability to respond to the intake of alcohol by increasing the production of particular enzymes called alcohol dehydrogenases. This ability is controlled by certain genes on chromosome four in human DNA, genes not evenly distributed to everyone. Those who lacked this trait could not, as the saying is, "hold their liquor." So, many died early and childless, either of alcohol's toxicity or from waterborne diseases.

The gene pools of human settlements became progressively dominated by the survivors -- by those genetically disposed to, well, drink beer. "Most of the world's population today," Johnson writes, "is made up of descendants of those early beer drinkers, and we have largely inherited their genetic tolerance for alcohol."

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

Oops, the link was supposed to be

[PeterUK]

The man is a big girl's blouse,obviously spoiled rotten by his grandmother.If he wins,it will be Michelle and the First Wimp.

[bgates]

I didn't miss your point, Appalled, you missed mine. I wasn't making a judgment on how Obama's relationship with his child reflected on his ability to conduct diplomacy. I was saying that I bet I know where Malia learned the behavior of "just telling us what we want to hear," and it's not from Michelle.

[Bill in AZ]

I wonder if Obama thinks he is the first person to experience lack of sleep, privacy, and family time on the campaign trail

...or even a moderately demanding job...
if he had ever held a real job in his life he would know many of us have experienced a high level of this - which is what makes us so resentful when he wants to stick his hand in our pockets and give it away to "community organizers".

pffft - no sympathy doood...

[Barney Frank]

I don't get it. He doesn't know what his kid is thinking, he can't speak spanish and he's shocked, shocked to learn he's lost his privacy; all of that after he stayed at a Holiday Inn Express that night.

[bad]

It was supposed to be a chance for Obama to solicit donations to help retire Clinton’s campaign debt, that could total $30 million. It was supposed to be all that. The only problem is, he almost forgot.After 32 minutes he had still not asked for money. In the back of the ballroom, reporters rushed campaign aides, asking if there had been a change in plans. Why no pitch for Hillary?

.........

And then, it happened. Obama seemed to realize he was about to fuel the feud-fire by his forgetfulness, and quickly rushed back on stage, saying, “Hold on a second guys, I was getting all carried away!”

LUN

[glasater]

Charlie--Are you saying that McCain cannot be president because of where he was born?

[hit and run]

He hasn't had a vacation for months. He sees his family little more than once a week. And now as the presumed Democratic nominee for president, he can't go anywhere without being trailed by a full crew of journalists.

I Call on Obama to Bow Out! ... For the Children!

DEJA VU: Oh, wait been there, done that back in March, for Michelle's benefit.

[bad]

Earlier in the speech, Obama noted it had been a long 16-month primary campaign, long enough for babies to be born, and learn to walk and talk. But, he promised, now there will be unity. “Sen. Clinton and I agree on 98.9 percent of the issues -– what I fight for, she fights for, what I believe in, she believes in.”

Of Clinton, he added, “she is smart, she is tough. And she wore me out.” Perhaps the fatigue was affecting his memory.

Campaigning is killing him. Imagine the weight of the world resting on his shoulders.

[MikeS]

There is no correlation between reading the mind of a 10 year old and reading the mind of a foreign leader.

Huh? What?
Of course there is. Let me explain the correlation. This is true regardless of the age of the mind.

No one can read anyone's mind, Not Obama, not Appalled, not even MikeS.

[Extraneus]

At the Holiday Inn Express in Butte, a city known for its copper mines and bordellos of old, Obama and family ordered a cake. They loaded an iPod with Malia's favorite songs and danced and sang. Obama later came close to tears, recalling that Malia told him "it was the best birthday she'd ever had."

Oh, sure. He improvised a party. He dialed the local Butte bakery and ordered a cake. (Of course, they probably deliver.) Then he and Michelle downloaded some songs from iTunes onto Malia's iPod. Got it.

I agree with kim. He lies a lot.

And heavens, when's the last time you've gone "months" without a vactation! That's just cruel and unusual.

[HoosierHoops]

So I get it.. Obama thinks we gun toting, clingy, religious hillbillies should learn to become multilingual cause we are such backwards hicks..
Well i got a question for ya Senator..
Je me demandais quand vous visite' L'europe, si vous avez appns de nouvelles lanues ou avez-vous panlet principalement L'anglais? Je sais que vous 'este une personne brillante!

/ looking forward to your reply

[centralcal]

While we await Barry's reply to HoosierHoops, I was surfing around and found an item at FishbowlNY that made howl with laughter.

Apparently, TIME magazine is now soliciting subscriptions by asking you to fill in a dollar amount ($_______) for how much their rag is worth to you.

I guess everyone at TIME will be unemployed before too long, if that is their marketing strategy.

[Sue]

WASHINGTON - Former White House adviser Karl Rove defied a congressional subpoena to testify Thursday about allegations of political pressure at the Justice Department, including whether he tried to influence the prosecution of a former Democratic governor of Alabama.

Magnificent Bastard...http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080710/ap_on_go_co/rove_subpoena;_ylt=ArePj0uiIChlds9BRDTS4aus0NUE>strikes again.

[Jim]

This thread is callous. Unconscionable. Outrageous!

Did you ever think that maybe not all presidential candidates are Mr. Torture-Me-All-You-Want-I'm-Tough-As-Nails? Did you ever stop to wonder what it would be like to have a president who's more sensitive, who maybe cries a little because this country has gotten so mean, and who can feel your pain if you're not exactly Mr. Carnegie when it comes to your bank account? I mean come on people what do you do when you just got your $60 cable bill and your $40 cell phone bill but your kids want to go out do Chuck E Cheese that night? You have to make some tough choices, that's what you do. Oh, I forgot, everyone here is Mr. Moneypants, my mistake.

Maybe visionaries like Obama just have to be more sensitive just because they're visionaries. Did you ever stop to think what it would be like to have real change, real vision and hope in the White House? He's going to give working families a break for a change (like college, free healthcare, and solar) because he understands and he has a way. Is that so wrong?

[Jane]

And then, it happened. Obama seemed to realize he was about to fuel the feud-fire by his forgetfulness

It's his age. He's too young to be president.

[bad]

So what jumped out at me was how quickly Obama regretted his decision. And that, in turn, made me wonder how often the senator has regretted other choices. Answer: pretty often. (Googling "Obama" and "regrets" yields more than a million hits.)

[JM Hanes]

"Obama's comments strike me as typial for a guy who has striven for a big job, and suddenly has brought home to him what happens to his family life as a result. The type of person who would think deeply about such matters is not the type of person who runs for President."

Oh puhleeeez, Appalled. Aside from the fact that about the only thing Obama has to sell is the idea that he has thought (and felt!) deeply about everything, aren't you the least bit struck by the fact that he apparently decided to share every poignant detail of his intimate fetter free family moment with the press? The sign on the wall at Obama HQ reads: It's the Biography, Stupid!

Apparently, all those cynics who crucified Hillary Clinton with weeks of non-stop "political" analysis were nowhere in sight when Obama brought himself "close to tears." The author of this puff piece doesn't even tip his hat to irony in the juxtaposition of Obama asserting that "I've never been a big entourage guy" while publicly plumbing the depths of paternal emotion -- with reporters on his campaign plane. The word that springs to my mind is cheesy, not corny, along with calculating.

[bad]

Bill Clinton felt our pain, Obama wants us to feel his.

[MikeS]

He's going to give working families a break for a change (like college, free healthcare, and solar) because he understands and he has a way. Is that so wrong?

Yes he is wonderful. Don't forget, Michelle promised that he would also heal our souls. I just wish I could get close enough to touch the hem of his pants. I'm pretty sure that would cure my hemorrhoids.

[Sue]

He's going to give working families a break for a change (like college, free healthcare, and solar) because he understands and he has a way. Is that so wrong?

Nothing is free. Except your parody of Obama. Nicely done. ::grin::

[bgates]

Obama's comments strike me as typical for a guy who has striven for a big job, and suddenly has brought home to him what happens to his family life as a result.
I'm moved to wonder what lofty station Appalled has risen to in life, that he does not consider junior Senator from the great state of Illinois to be "a big job".

[JM Hanes]

"I hate when my kids birthdates shift unexpectedly making it impossible to plan ahead for a party."

LOL!

[Neo]

Did you ever stop to wonder what it would be like to have a president who's more sensitive

I didn't know that Dr. Phil was running for President.

[PeterUK]

"Did you ever stop to wonder what it would be like to have a president who's more sensitive, who maybe cries a little because this country has gotten so mean, and who can feel your pain".

Should impress Putin and Ahmamadjihadi.

"Maybe visionaries like Obama just have to be more sensitive just because they're visionaries."

Visionaries are not sensitive,they are usually very determined monomaniacs.

[GMax]

Hes already made the oceans stop rising so I am sure when he gets around to it, free college and free healthcare and solar tanning beds ( what else for the self absorbed ?) are just around the corner!

[HoosierHoops]

Maybe visionaries like Obama just have to be more sensitive just because they're visionaries. Did you ever stop to think what it would be like to have real change, real vision and hope in the White House?

/sarcasm

there..fixed that for you.

[GMax]

I think some liberals are starting to get buyers remorse real bad about Obama. Its the Jimmy Carter impersonation for some, its the backtracking on liberal touchstone issues for others. Is Hill trying to nudge them along to a nasty floor fight or just to third parties or staying home? Why else voting no on FISA when you know its going to make the lefties look at Obama like he abandoned them?

[centralcal]

Very good points made in this AJC article on the numerous "regrets" Obama has.

LUN

[Bill in AZ]

Sue, speaking of the Magnificent Bastard, al-AP flat out lies in their article:

A former Republican campaign volunteer from Alabama told congressional attorneys last year that she overheard conversations suggesting that Rove pressed Justice officials in Washington to prosecute Siegelman.

You can download her entire testimony and read it, search it, whatever. She never once heard or said "Rove". There were allusions to a "Karl" that she overheard, and her wild imagination concluded Karl Rove. By her own testimony it would appear that her handlers may have intentionally led her to make that leap.
TM - have al-AP send me the bill for their lie that I quoted.

[clarice]

Pretty hilarious stuff on this thread..and , Jim, there's a career for you on SNL, I think.

[Vaquero]

The BHO schtick is wearing out everyone including the Obama. I hope he can hold it together till the convention....Hillary is not out of the picture yet!
I see trouble at the Bradenburg Gates if he goes ahead and tries to give the Big O speech...it might just trigger a major breakdown.

[Jane]

Did you ever stop to wonder what it would be like to have a president who's more sensitive

The only thing he is sensitive to is bs. The man has a tin ear.

[Barney Frank]

Question for everyone here.
If BO is elected I think he'll be a one term disaster, but a liberal presumably assumes he'll have a good chance of being reelected. If he is that means RW would be nearly seventy at her next opportunity to gain her rightful coronation.
Consequently will she:
1. Help BO in the hopes he'll fail and she'll have an opportunity in 2012,
2. Not do much of anything in the hope he'll lose this year leaving 2012 open for her,
3. Actively undermine him to ensure he loses this year,
4. Actively undermine him at the convention in the hopes of torpedoing him this year and being the nominee herself or,
5. Some even more creepy angle I haven't considered because only a couple of pathological narcissists like Bill and Hill could think of it?

[sbw]

Barney, how many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

[Porchlight]

Barney,

Definitely 2 but possibly shades of 3 if she thinks she can get away with it...which might lead to a possibility of 5.

But 2, without a doubt. She's hoping he'll lose all by his little old lonesome.

[clarice]

3 I think..she and Bill like to work in ways that leave no evidence.Jesse'll work with them now. He's finished if O wins and he knows it. So will the truthers.

[clarice]

3,3,3,3,3,What do you think yesterday's FISA vote was about? Pay off for not doing enough to get her debts paid off ..

[Jane]

The plan is #3 unless she can pull off a #4, perhaps by means of a #5. She will however not want it to appear to be anything other than perhaps a #2 at worst, and hopefully it will be reported as a #1.

[centralcal]

No. 3

I think the "whispering" campaign by Jesse to other black leaders, businessmen has probably been going on for quite awhile, and he only just got caught openly doing it. I suspect the Revruhnd Al Sharpton has been doing it too.

[Porchlight]

I think the risk is pretty high if she actively tries to undermine him...but she's a Clinton so she may not be able to help herself.

Clarice, I agree that the FISA vote looked extremely deliberate.

[bad]

From Politico:

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said this morning that the House Judiciary Committee may hold hearings on an impeachment resolution offered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio).

Kucinich is expected to offer a "privileged resolution" this afternoon calling on the House to look at whether President Bush should be removed from office for lying to Congress and the American public when he sought congressional approval back in 2002 for taking military action to invade Iraq and overthrow Saddam Hussein.

[Jane]

Porchlight,

I can't stop thinking about that book. Thank you so much for recommending it.

[Thomas Collins]

I vote for "1." She wants her campaign debts paid off, and B57O could help with that. If she is caught undermining B570, she can forget about the Dem nomination in the future. If she had anything on B57O, she would have had a surrogate release it by now. Besides, even if she has to wait eight years, she still would be viable candidate. Just think. Hillary as the 68 year old matriarch running for the Presidency.

[Old Dad]

bad,

Please let it be true. Let's see...Congress has a lower approval rating than the President. Pelosis has tanked the Capitol at 9%. Could they go lower?

If they try this BS, my over under is 3-5%.

[bad]

How low can it go?

[bad]

And where will Obama be:

yes its a good idea
no its a bad idea

[Porchlight]

You're welcome, Jane. I'm really pleased to hear that. I had hoped you'd like it.

If I had my druthers it would be required reading for every high school student in the country.

[centralcal]

Per Drudge:

McCain/RNC - $95 Million for June

[truyhynesslover]

No preconditions like north korea??Thats not working out well now is it?

[Jim]

Heh.

[Porchlight]

McCain/RNC - $95 Million for June

Holy cow. I'd been thinking the GOP deep pockets were waiting in the wings, but that is huge. I wonder what the breakdown is between McCain and the RNC.

[Porchlight]

Oops, sorry, I see now Drudge says McCain raised $22 mil in June...

[centralcal]

No, Porch - it is the "combined" total on hand.