IS BUSH BURNING MCCAIN?

Who in their right mind, after taking a look at the eight year presidency of George W Bush , would think alligning themselves with him would be a smart idea? John McCain that's who. He was endorsed by Bush, and has proudly vowed to continue some of Bush's policies. Specifically his stance on no troop withdrawals from Iraq. An unpopular decision which may end up costing him. McCain needs to secure the support of Bush loyalists who once rejected McCaine as a candidate. He is after all an army man, so his support for the war is no surprise. But the thought of 4 more years of policies which have mired America in an expensive war, and stifled its economy, may not be what even republican supporters want. That's led to an interesting trend of Republicans defecting to the democratic party. Call it a Bush backlash, which could end up hurting McCaine this fall unless he starts distancing himself now from his predecessor. Sarah baxter of the New York Times takes a look at this interesting group of disgruntled voters in this article. She examines whether they are genuine supporters or party spoilers.

Then there's the online crusaders, republicans for Obama, who appear to be soliciting the support of other mutinous party members like themselves.

See what other bloggers are saying about this one...

HILLARY'S FINAL CURTAIN CALL

You can feel it, the wind has shifted. Unfortunately for Hillary Clinton, so too have the press, and the super delegates. More are blowing over to the Obama camp, and calling for Hillary to give up a gallant fight. But as the lady has always said, she's not a quitter. And Political pundits suggest it may take a tempting offer to change her mind, analysing her many exit possibilites. ABC's George Stephanopoulos expects she'll wait til after the next primary win in west Virginia and go out on a high note. NBC's Tim Russert brought out the mini chalkboard to tally up why Hillary should bow out gracefully now, "as the numbers are stacked against her". Others Suggest maybe a consolation prize of vice president may help her make up her mind (As distasteful as that is to Obama supporters like Senator Ted Kennedy in this interview with Bloomberg tv. Now, with the Associated press reporting that Obama has moved ahead in the delegate count(267-265), Hillary may have to take that final bow, whether she wants to or not. Deal or no deal! Everyone must know when they've stayed too long at the party. When its time for the final curtain call. When to exit stage left, and and leave the show to the real stars. Let's hope Hillary comes to that realization before an embarrassing end, erases her impressively hard fought battle for a piece of history which must now pass to the better man.
As for Obama, he's set his sights on McCain and the November election. He has a lot of ground to make up, but at least there's no looking back.

Why don't superdelegates end this already?

It's an interesting question. Why don't super delegates just step in today and end this impasse within their party's own Presidential nomination process. In this interesting article, MSNBC National Affairs Correspondent Tom Curry suggests fear of angering voters may be to blame. What do you think? What's wrong with just letting the people decide for themselves? I think that's called democracy...remember that? Super delegates should never usurp the will of the people. Their vote should always be a last resort. Even better, they should have no deciding vote at all.

Al Gore for President?

Have you seen this piece of lunacy? In Newspaper articles and blogs, there's an ongoing campaign to have Al Gore stand as the democratic Presidential candidate this year, instead of Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. James Curran believes with help from John Edwards, Gore could pull this one off. It's a really bad case of deja vu. Sure Gore has built quite an impressive reputation for himself since having the presidency stolen from him in 2000. A Nobel prize winner, (I still can't believe that one), Eco God, and global warming crusader. I have no clue what he would do about Iraq, but few would argue he does have the appeal that could repair the fractured party, and has not been ripped apart lately, so he could prove a viable option to John McCain. It may all explain why he has yet to give his support as a Super delegate to either democratic contender. But we've been here and done this. Are voters interested in looking back or forward? How would Gore justify nullifying all these exciting primaries in pursuit of a job that would only lead to his vilification, and damage his stellar reputation. (It all goes with the job of being Leader of the world's greatest super power. You're hated from day one in office! )...Besides, I trust he knows what it feels like to be cheated out of a dream, and would not inflict that same anguish on two determined democratic candidates. Let's hope he resists the temptation to throw his hat back into this vicious ring. I don't think Hillary would ever forgive him!!!!

BEST INTEREST OF THE PARTY OR PERSONAL AMBITION

Is either democratic candidate concerned about the best interest of their party? or are they both more concerned with making history? Clinton as the first woman president, Obama as the first black president. Come on, making the history books is too tempting a lure to just give up 'for the sake of the party!' I don't know why people even suggest it. Hillary Clinton has been dreaming about this opportunity since her college days. Vehemently pushing her husband all the way to the white house through two terms, to make her path to this moment easier. Now pundits want her to give up nearly fifty years of dreaming now that she's so close she can taste it? And who can remember the last time a black person, male or female got this close to the ultimate of all American dreams? Obama's spent millions, and still has millions more in his coffers. He leads in states won, pledged delegates, and popular vote. Why should he step away from his dream. It takes great personal ambition, sacrifice and determination to run for the Oval office, and those who desperately seek it are seldom ever quitters. Usually they stay too long at the dance and must be forced out.

Their battle may be fracturing their party, but I don't think America has changed enough for either of these candidates to have ever had a real chance at defeating John McCain. Hillary is so hated within her own party, if she wins the nomination over a man who beat her in every other necessary category, I think she risks losing disillusioned Obama supporters. And Republicans have burned her in effigy. They would vote in record numbers just to keep her out of office. I bet they would feel the same way about a black president. Obama has a hard time winning over white working class democrats. And overall across party lines, they tend to be die hard voters. Can you win the presidency, if you cannot win them. Race remains a sensitive issue in America, and sometimes I think that's what Hillary means when she says Obama is 'unelectable'. She may be right. But she's just as 'unelectable'. They should consider a joint ticket. But the list of people discounting that option is growing.
In trying to serve their personal ambitions in the quest to make history, Both Clinton and Obama are eroding each other's chances, and ruining their party's hope of ending the Republican Party's hold on the White House.

They may end up making history as the two most exciting candidates to never become President!

DO SUPER- DELEGATES THREATEN DEMOCRACY?

ABC news quotes democratic party chairman Howard Dean as saying Super delegates have every right to overrule the popular vote and select whichever candidate they feel can best beat republican residential candidate John McCain this fall. But is that democracy. Should a group of party leaders, some simply appointed by dean himself override the voting public to dictate who the next democratic presidential candidate should be? Why not just let the popular vote have the final say. Maybe they don't think the public necessarily has a grasp on what makes a good leader or what may be best for the country. After all, the American public did re-elect George Bush junior for two terms, Duh!!!...(the Republican party does not have a super delegate system). But it was democracy at its greatest, even if it led to a questionable war, and busted economy.

Who are these super delegates anyway? About eight hundred of them, some Senior democratic party members, like former U.S, President Jimmy Carter, former Vice president Al Gore, and House speaker Nancy Pelosi, all of whom have yet to announce which candidate they are supporting. Then there are hundreds of loyal party supporters appointed by chairman Dean whom most democrats have never heard of. NBC news spoke with two of them who say they are constantly being called or emailed by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama personally, to secure their valuable votes. At last count, Hillary Clinton had 256 and Obama had 234 pledged. Leaving 304 undecided.
How do these super delegates justify nullifying all of those primaries to essentially say, we know best. Simply because Hillary Clinton is so consumed with personal interest she does not want to admit defeat to a competitor who leads her in popular vote, delegates won, and states won. America's democrats are in danger of having their elected candidate stolen from them through back room deals and personal favors. What a shame democracy may be dead in the democratic party.

HILLARY WINS! NOW WHAT?

There must have been a huge sigh of relief in the Clinton camp last night. Hillary pulled off the double digit win she promised supporters despite being outspent by Barack Obama. But has she done enough to convince super delegates that she's the nominee worth backing? Her win in Pennsylvania proves she's still got support, but she won't be able to surmount Obama's lead in pledged delegates. And her 10% margin of victory was the bare minimum she needed to justify this ongoing battle. She's seen as the underdog in North Carolina, which is considered Obama territory, so Clinton strategists tell NBC news its all eyes on Indiana. A state who's delegate count is too small to really matter. But Hillary needs to keep winning. Not for the delegate count, but just to prove she can. That's how she will secure the funding she desperately needs from supporters. She'll need millions more to compete with the well funded Obama machine. So what can she do in Indiana? Remain in touch with her core supporters, women, older voters and blue collar workers. Keep hitting home the message that Obama is unelectable. That next to McCain, Obama comes off as too green, inexperienced and young to hold the White House. That she's the better alternative. It's unlikely Hillary will ever quit, regardless of how far behind she slips in pledged delegates. It's looking more and more that this really long movie, is heading into yet another hour, and super delegates rather than common voters will decide who represents the party in the presidential election this fall.

Watch Hillary Clinton's Victory speech