MSNBC debate--comments

I thought Hillary really explained herself well tonight in discussing her vote for the non-binding Iran resolution. There has been a lot of confusion on that vote as well as a lot of misleading done by opponents.

One problem I had with this debate was MSNBC and especially Tim Russert, someone I actually have quite respect for. I feel like he is so exasperated with Clinton, and I'm going to throw this out there, an idea-that he may have an issue with her gender. This is merely an observation. But it seems that the debates he is involved in are often Russert vs. Clinton. Like he feels the need to engage her, and sometimes he looks visibly upset with her. That's just an observation.

MSNBC basically made this an anti-Hillary debate. Exactly what Edwards and Obama wanted. They never once questioned Obama on shady happenings in his campaign, like him trotting out a gospel singer who claims he was "cured" of the evils of homosexuality. I felt like MSNBC used this as a forum to encourage them to engage Clinton. Kind of sad really.

However I won't complain too much. Clinton was fierce when battled by the guys, she stood her ground. It's obvious Obama and Edwards have abandoned their original campaign promises of "hope" and "positive" campaigning. They are getting desperate, and have found their only option now is to personally attack Clinton. It's quite sad for them that they have resorted to this. And MSNBC was right there beside them, nudging them along.

Chris McLeod

Don't miss tonight's Democratic Presidential debate, on MSNBC!

Well everyone, tonight is expected to be an exciting one. Tonight's Democratic Presidential Primary Debate on MSNBC (9pm EDT, 6pm PDT), will be the first since Senator Clinton's Democratic rivals have really stepped up the attacks against her. She will be forced to be on the defensive for most of the night, as attacking Clinton and using her as a political punching bag seems to be the last resort option for her opponents with falling poll numbers.

Luckily for us, Clinton can duke it out with the best of 'em. No worries, she'll dish it right back. Another thing we can expect however is for Clinton to not attack her opponents like they will attack her. Despite Sen. Obama's promise for a new breed of politics, or "politics of hope" as he is calling it--Clinton as you will all see, will be the one practicing this new kind of politics. She has done it throughout this campaign. She has apparently decided out of respect for her Democratic opponents, to focus on her record and what she plans to do for the country, instead of what the other candidates won't do and haven't done in the past. She feels that most of the American electorate is smart enough to make the decisions about which one will be the best Democratic candidate, on their own. Voters have been very responsive to the way Clinton has been running her campaign, as you all have seen with her staggering rise in the polls. There will be plenty of time for things to get nasty in the general election, because often there's just no way to avoid it during that time. So expect Senator Clinton to reiterate her message to voters, and largely brush off the baseless attacks from her opponents.

When you watch the debate, during or after, come back here and post your comments. You will see below this post is an option to leave a comment. Your comments are ALWAYS greatly appreciated. So I hope some of you will feel the need to leave your comments on the debate.

Thanks and happy watching!!

Chris McLeod

Obama aligning with Reverend who says "God delivered me from homosexuality."

Is this really a smart move for Sen. Barack Obama? Why would he align himself with this guy in the first place? So many questions, so little answers. It was questioned from the start when Barack started his "gospel concerts" campaign series and invited Rev. Donnie McClurkin to speak/sing. I'm not sure if Barack Obama supports the opinions of this guy regarding the GLBT community, but I'm sure Hillary doesn't. He has said that the performers at these events are some of he and his wife's "favorites." Sorry, that's enough for me Senator Obama!

That's why Hillary doesn't associate herself with these kind of people. The GLBT community is rightfully outraged. They don't feel their homosexuality is a choice, and people like this Rev. McClurkin only set their cause back. I don't know about you guys, but I never woke up one day and said "hey I think I'll be straight today." Attraction is a natural thing.

Is this Obama's way of trying to win support of the Christian community? Maybe. Nothing wrong with trying to broaden your appeal, however when it comes at the cost of hurting and demeaning a community that largely supports Democrats (the GLBT community), there is something wrong with it. This is an example of why Democrats should support Sen. Clinton for the Democratic Presidential nomination.



According to CNN:

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) — The controversial Gospel singer at the center of a gay and lesbian backlash against Sen. Barack Obama’s presidential campaign struck back at his critics Sunday night, saying that he has been "vilified" and declaring that "God delivered me from homosexuality."

Rev. Donnie McClurkin, who headlined the final installment of the Obama campaign's "Embrace the Change" Gospel concert series, did not comment on the controversy until the just before the concert's finish, when he told the crowd of about 2,500 African-Americans: "I'm going to say something that's going to get me in trouble."

"They accuse me of being anti-gay and a bigot," McClurkin said. "We don't believe in discrimination. We don't believe in hatred, and if you do you are in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's the whole premise of God. That's the whole premise of Christ is love, love, love. But there is a side of Christ that deals in judgment, and all sin is against God."

McClurkin has said that homosexuality is a choice and that he overcame homosexual desires through prayer, comments that drew fire from gay and lesbian activists and caught the Obama campaign, which has been using faith to reach out to African-American voters, off guard.

The Grammy-winning singer said Sunday his words had been "twisted."

"Don't call me a bigot or anti-gay, when I have been touched by the same feelings," McClurkin went on. "When I have suffered with the same feelings. Don't call me a homophobe, when I love everybody … Don't tell me that I stand up and I say vile words against the gay community because I don't. I don't speak against the homosexual. I tell you that God delivered me from homosexuality."

McClurkin's words drew raucous applause from the crowd, who had lined up around the block to get into the Township Auditorium in Columbia.

Although a small demonstration led by the South Carolina Gay & Lesbian Pride Movement had gathered across the street from the concert venue, they were dwarfed by the crowd of black Gospel fans and Obama supporters who turned out to see the performance.

Meanwhile, Obama staff were inside and outside the building, working the crowd and trying to register new voters.

Nearly all of the African-American concert-goers interviewed by CNN expressed support for McClurkin. Some referenced the First Amendment, saying McClurkin had the right to say what he pleased. Others agreed with McClurkin and said that homosexuality is a choice. Several more invoked the Bible and said homosexuality is simply wrong.

A September poll conducted by Winthrop University and ETV showed that 74 percent of South Carolina African-Americans believe homosexuality is "unacceptable."

Michael Vandiver, president of the South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement said that he was disappointed by Obama's refusal to take McClurkin off the bill, but that he hopes it will be an opportunity for new dialogue.

"This is not a protest of Senator Obama, but rather a vigil in opposition of Reverend McClurkin and his statements on homosexuality," Vandiver said before the concert. "We're also here to show our support for Rev. Andy Sidden."

Sidden is the white, gay pastor added to the concert bill as a last minute compromise by the Obama campaign. Sidden's appearance was notably brief and anti-climactic: He said a short prayer to the auditorium at the very beginning of the program, when the arena was only about half full, and then he left.

Obama, while not present, appeared on a videotaped message to the crowd, saying, “The artists you’re going to hear from are some of the best in the world, and favorites of Michelle and myself.”

McClurkin said during the concert that he had been introduced to Obama by Oprah Winfrey.

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-CHRIS MCLEOD-

Hillary on the California Wildfires

Glad to hear Hillary has commented on the Calif. wildfires. It's gotten crazy here. I'm finally back in my apartment tonight, after being evacuated. So I've been a little out of the loop on the news, except fire news.

Here's Hillary's comments on the fires:

"I have been following the news about the wildfires that are affecting seven counties in Southern California. My heart and prayers go out to the families that have been displaced, have lost their homes, businesses, or worse-have lost a loved one to these ravaging wildfires. "

"My thoughts are also with the thousands of brave firefighters and first responders who are risking their lives in battling the flames and helping the victims. We are praying for your safety." -Hillary-

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Keep everyone in So. Calif affected by these wildfires in your thoughts and prayers tonight guys. Be safe out there...

Chris McLeod

Hillary, will be the "President of Families and Family Values"

This week Senator Clinton offered up a huge plan, what I like to call "The Family Plan." Think Sprints' "Fair and Flexible" cellular phone plans, except in politics. Her proposals will do some great good for American working families. She has proposed numerous plans to strengthen the American family. While Republicans are trying to tear down the American family, by putting partisan politics over the health of our children and trying to block certain qualified couples from adopting, Hillary Clinton is saving the American family unit.


See the below blog on "MotherTalkers" (www.mothertalkers.com) :

Hillary Proposes Flextime for Parents

By: Elisa

It's as if she had written the Motherhood Manifesto herself. Sen. Hillary Clinton offered a comprehensive family leave and flextime policy to families, including money to let low-income parents stay home with their children, according to details sent to MotherTalkers by the Clinton campaign.

To give all parents more time with their children, Hillary is proposing:

--Having all states give family leave by 2016. By “family leave,” she means time off for workers to care for their parents, children, spouses, or immediate family. To achieve this goal, she is committing $1 billion a year in start-up costs and matching funds for states to implement family leave through disability, unemployment insurance, business tax credits, “At Home Infant Care” and similar programs.

--Expanding the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to give employees at companies with 25 or more workers 12 weeks of job-protected leave. The change from 50 employees (current law) to 25 would benefit 13 million workers at small companies.

--Guaranteeing at least 7 sick days per year -- up from the typical 5 days allotted by most employers.

--Promoting workplaces with flextime and telecommuting policies by providing grants and highlighting businesses that offer such perks. She will also require federal agencies to set specific telecommuting goals for their workers and allot up to $50 million annually in state and local telecommuting initiatives.

--Ensuring higher quality childcare by helping states improve and enforce licensing and safety standards of childcare centers, supporting public and private partnerships to increase the supply of affordable, high-quality childcare to working families and expanding the Child Care Development Block Grant to allow "qualifying low-income" families to stay home with their children. Currently, the block grants can be used only by parents who work outside the home.

--Making it illegal for businesses to discriminate against families for pregnancy or care-taking duties.

The total cost of her work-family initiative is $1.75 billion per year. Clinton plans to finance it by recovering the money from questionable -- or even illegal -- tax shelters.

Of course, the Republican spin will be that she is raising taxes. You can’t win with them no matter what sensible reform you propose to the tax code.

But, I am excited that Hillary has laid out a much-needed, but realistic, goal to come up with flextime for working families. She is a smart campaigner.

-------------------

I enjoyed the blog from MotherTalkers and it's good to know mothers are out there listening to what Hillary has to say.

Meanwhile in an e-mail response to Clinton's plan (According to www.aikenstandard.com) , S.C. Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson released a statement that said in part: "South Carolina families should be offended by Hillary Clinton's disingenuous effort to hide her radical record for abortion-on-demand, gay marriage and higher taxes."

What do you know? While Hillary is trying to strengthen the American family, Republicans avoid the conversation and jump to gay marriage and abortion in no time. First of all, what does Clinton's plan have to do with abortion and gay marriage? Nothing at all. That's just it. Republicans, as usual, running from their own nasty record on helping families, jump to attack mode quick. It's sad for them, that they have resorted to such vile attacks on the American families that keep the country going.

Chris McLeod

10 Questions Online Presidential Forum

Many of you watched the CNN/Youtube Presidential Primary Debates. I felt that was a pretty revolutionary idea for modern US politics. However, the only part that irked me the most was that CNN/Youtube were the ones picking the questions that made it through.

10 Questions is a Presidential Online Forum where people like you and I submit questions via Youtube, Yahoo, or Myspace Video. Then again people like you and I go to the site www.10questions.com view the videos, and vote on our favorite videos. NOW THIS is pretty revolutionary if you ask me! The Top 10 Questions (based on votes from US) will be submitted to the candidates, and videos of their responses will be posted. YOU DECIDE whether or not the candidates answered the questions, or answered them to your liking.

Go there now, find out how to submit your questions, and vote on the questions already submitted. Hillary Clinton support is needed, there are a couple of pointless questions to Sen. Clinton directly, go give them "Thumbs Down" votes. :)

Three of the videos posted are mine, so I hope you'll go give me some votes as well. You can see which ones are mine by looking below the videos. Mine will say "By : Chris1345"

Thanks, and check it out guys!

Chris McLeod

That's the best they've got?

All John Edwards can seem to talk about is how "unelectable" Senator Clinton will be in 2008. Of course the polls show otherwise, as we have shared with you all in the past. I've refrained, as a Clinton supporter, from bashing the others. I feel like all of the Democratic candidates are good people and deserve respect. Barack Obama started off promising a "different" kind of campaign, a campaign of "hope." When that didn't fair well for his dwindling poll numbers, he went on the attack like the rest of them.

John Edwards is basing everything on him being a former Senator from North Carolina. Well the Kerry/Edwards ticket didn't win North Carolina in 2004, so I'm not buying it that he's the candidate to win the South. I don't think we should nominate someone just because he has a smooth style and southern accent. I think you can win the South on honesty, being courageous, and being real - something Hillary Clinton is all of.

According to Real Clear Politics "Surveys also show that she (Clinton) widely is regarded as having many of the attributes needed by a president. An early September CNN poll found six in 10 respondents picked Clinton as having "the right experience to be president," while only 15 percent picked the second-place Democrat, Edwards, and 9 percent picked Obama."

"Surely even a bigger problem for Edwards is that recent ballot tests show Clinton beating the leading Republican contenders, and in most cases, running as well or better than her main Democratic rivals."

Is this all Edwards has got? He can have whatever accent he wants, but his short Senate voting record shows him as being pretty liberal. Nothing wrong with that, except when your whole primary campaign is based on being something other than that.

I haven't been hearing much talk from the Obama camp about Hillary's supposed and falsified "un-electability," they have chosen a different path. Attacking Hillary for votes that Obama skipped, and didn't bother even voting for or against-even though he was so "Strongly" opposed to it.

IS THIS the best you've got guys? Tell America where you stand on the issues. We know Hillary has passed the 50% mark in national polls for the Democratic primary, and beats all the Republican candidates in match ups for the general election - but surely your supporters and those you are interested in courting would like to know about your record and/or your plans for America's future, not just how you are "different" from Hillary Clinton. Isn't your record enough to make you feel secure?

Chris McLeod

Obama Campaign and the AP trying to paint Hillary as flip flopper..not gonna work!

I originally found this story from the Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com). The Huffington Post, I must say is one of the most informative news/blogging sites out there. I recommend you all checking it out, if you haven't already.

They're right, it is interesting to have Fox News of all organizations, fact checking the Associated Press. Isn't the Associated Press supposed to be the non-biased ones? They need to check themselves.

Here's the story:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesmouth/2007/10/associated_pres_8.php

Associated Press Is Outdone In Accuracy By...Fox News!
October 12, 2007 -- 12:49 PM EST // //

It's a very sad day for a reputable news organization when it finds itself badly outdone on accuracy by Fox News, but that's exactly what happened to the Associated Press today.

The AP is running with a story right now that strains as hard as Sisyphus did with his bolder to paint Hillary as a flip-flopper. The story claims that she has now reversed herself from her earlier criticism of Barack Obama's debate assertion that he'd meet with the leaders of Iran without precondition. The only problem is that the story completely butchers the facts to do so:

CANTERBURY, N.H. (AP) -- Hillary Rodham Clinton called Barack Obama naive when he said he'd meet with the leaders of Iran without precondition. Now she says she'd do the same thing, too.

This characterization has now become an issue in the campaign, with Obama and John Edwards faulting her over it today. Unfortunately, however, Hillary didn't say this at all. What she did say, as Ben says, was this:

''I would engage in negotiations with Iran, with no conditions, because we don't really understand how Iran works. We think we do, from the outside, but I think that is misleading,'' she said at an apple orchard.

Hillary is saying here that her administration would negotiate with Iran the country unconditionally -- something she's said in various forms repeatedly in the past. She is not saying -- as Barack Obama did -- that she'd personally meet with Iranian leaders without preconditions. Their dispute centered around whether to engage in unconditional personal diplomacy. Whichever side you take, and whatever you think of this distinction, there's just no meaningful flip-flop here.

Just a few moments ago, Fox News ran a segment on this very same thing -- and glory be, Fox actually got it right. After discussing Hillary's quotes, the Fox reporter criticized the AP as follows:

But the Associated press and the Obama campaign have seized on that, and characterized it as something of a flip flop, because Hillary Clinton criticized Barack Obama earlier this year when in a debate he said that he would meet in the first year of his presidency with a whole host of foreign despots, including Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro, and Ahmadinejad of Iran, and that he'd do so without conditions.

Well, they claimed that Hillary Clinton suddenly embraced that position, but in truth she did not. Where Mr. Obama was talking about meeting with leaders in the first year of his administration, Hillary Clinton yesterday was talking about negotiations with Iran the country.

Yikes. When you find yourself getting fact-checked accurately by Fox News on the subject of Hillary Clinton, you know you're in a pretty bad place.

Update: Ben Smith says there's no flip-flop here, and Pat Healy suggests the same, only not as directly. And the Associated Press is now running a more accurate story with the old false lede rewritten.

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Chris McLeod

Senator Clinton, will be the "Civil Rights President"

According to the official Hillary Clinton campaign blog (http://hillaryclinton.com/blog/) :
(Believe it or not we are a grassroots blog, I know you thought we were official!)

The Clinton Campaign today announced the endorsement of civil rights leader Congressman John Lewis.

"I have looked at all the candidates, and I believe that Hillary Clinton is the best prepared to lead this country at a time when we are in desperate need of strong leadership," Rep. Lewis said. "She will restore a greater sense of community in America, and reclaim our standing in the world."

"I am proud and deeply honored to have the support of John Lewis, a great American hero," Clinton said. "John helped transform this nation, and his vital role in establishing civil rights for all Americans will never be forgotten."

Rep. Lewis is a civil rights pioneer who has devoted his life to equal rights for all Americans. From his days as a Freedom Rider and the head of the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee, to his leadership of the "Bloody Sunday" march in Selma, Alabama, Lewis has been one of the most respected figures in the civil rights movement for four decades.

Rep. Lewis later served as Director of the Voter Education Project, helping register millions of new minorities to vote, and was appointed by President Jimmy Carter to direct more than 250,000 volunteers of ACTION, the federal volunteer agency.

Elected to the Atlanta City Council in 1981, Rep. Lewis was later elected to Congress in 1986, where he's represented Georgia's 5th Congressional District for the last 20 years. He is Senior Chief Deputy Whip for the Democratic Party leadership in the House, a member of the House Ways & Means Committee, a member of its Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support, and Chairman of its Subcommittee on Oversight.

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This is very significant folks, because if it wasn't already evident before, Hillary Clinton is going to be the "Civil Rights President!"

Congressman John Lewis was an important figure and leader of the American Civil Rights Movement. He played a pivotal role in ending segregation. He has represented Georgia's 5th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives since 1987. For me, being a native Georgian, I take great joy in discussing his endorsement of Senator Clinton for President. He has always been a key figure in politics and civil rights in Georgia, as well as nationally.

He's lived a pretty historical life. He was only the 2nd African American to represent Georgia in the House since Reconstruction. He's a member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and has been senior chief deputy whip in the Democratic Caucus since 1991.

I hope all Clinton supporters will call or email Congressman John Lewis, and show our appreciation for his endorsement of Sen. Clinton in this campaign. If Mr. Lewis trusts Hillary to be the best candidate to lead the way for Civil Rights in this great country, well so do I!


-Chris McLeod-

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