reposted by permission of diarist

                           
                           barack obama, caroline kennedy, patrick kennedy and ted kennedy

Debates

January 31, 2008, Kodak Theatre, Los Angeles, CA, CNN

This is live from Des Moines, IA.

4:30P EST

I know many over here are in angst about Obama, even more so shivering about any possible Oprah effect, but just relax.  Enjoy the rally, feel the power, get engaged whether for Obama or not, to help your candidate win.

Hillary really needs all the help she can get.  She is coming down in the polls, state wide and nationally, so if you are so inflamed about the Oprah effect, take your @ssets to Iowa and help her out.

Go Obama.  Go Oprah.  Go Iowa.  We are watching history in the making.

New Newsweek Poll has Obama emerging.  Taken December 4-5.  MOE 3%.  The race is still close and fluid, but it is appearing, by polls that it is becoming a two-person race.

I was surprised noone put this poll up, since many love polls over here.

Obama 29, Clinton 30, Edwards 21

Obama 40, Clinton 27:  Among Probably Will Caucus

However, Barack Obama has gained some ground, moving to within a point of Hillary Clinton among all Democratic voters (29 percent vs. 30 percent), with John Edwards in third place at 21 percent. Among those most likely to attend the caucuses, Obama has moved substantially ahead of Clinton, 35 percent to 29 percent, while Edwards falls back a bit, to 18 percent. Obama also gets more support from those who say they will "probably" attend a Democratic caucus (40 percent vs. 27 percent for Clinton). While the Illinois senator's lead among Democratic caucus-goers in this poll is not large enough to be statistically significant, things seem to be trending his way, Hugick said. "It's evolving into a two-person race, with Edwards hanging on," he said.

Canvassed today.

First off, everyone is nice.  Totally.

People will tell you up front, who they like first and second.

Now to the issues.

I see alot of Clinton signs at people's homes.  But, the catch is that at least 30-40% of the people with Clinton signs are split voters.  The edge is going to Obama over Edwards.

Of the Clinton supporters, quite a few men.  I was smiling that the men caucus goers were steadfast and very specific for Clinton.  Their main stronghold is leadership and familiarity with the Clintons.  This is good for Hillary folks.

I ran into some Clinton canvassers.  We talked.  They were nice, but we were checking each other out, in a friendly way.  But both groups made this point, no Edwards advocats out here.  The Clinton canvassers believed it is because of money.  I just listened and did concur, I saw no one.  And my counterpart has only seen a few Edwards folk around for the past 3 weeks.  Don't know what that mean, but just reporting.

Main issue with many, the war.  And this is where Clinton has a problem.  Many do not believe that she will be fortright or honest to get us out of Iraq.  And those that were leaning her way will not vote for her now, because of the Kyl/Lieberman vote.  One person stated, she did not know why Clinton mailed that mail piece out, because she was not fully aware that she voted that way until she read it.

Saw some Biden supporters, asked my counterpart how is it on the weekends and she said it appears Biden's support is growing and Richardson's is fading.  Dodd non-existant.

Universal Healthcare is another issue many are concerned about.  And folks are up in the air about that one, as far as candidate.  Folks do like Edwards plan, but what I am hearing is that people are looking at this war and making decisions from that.

Again, it is early and I could be wrong, but the folks we spoke with this war is number one.

The most volunteers and staffers I see are Obama and Clinton.  Hands down.

When you ask for the second pick, this is going to shock some, but Clinton is being named.  And I counted.  Followed by Obama.  So, I know that there have been articles and reports, but I think this race is going to be between Clinton and Obama.  Not Obama and Edwards.  Yes, Edwards was mentioned but not as much as Clinton and Obama.

OK.  Tired and will be back on the boards later.

There is a diary on Daily Kos, questioning the ethics of the DCCC sending out an email on Bill Clinton's behalf, celebrating Hillary Clinton's Birthday.

On the bottom is paid for by DCCC, and many have put snapshots up of the intital email.

The bothersome part of all of this is that all the links revert you back to fundraising pages for Hillary Clinton, to donate to her campaign.

The DCCC has a spokesman over at kos trying to explain the situation but many are angered to get this email, when the DCCC's primary function is to raise money for House Democrats to get them elected.  Their function is not to get email addresses for presidential candidates and use the DCCC to fundraise on these campaigns behalf.

Lastly, it looks ethically wrong.  And people are weighing in from all the campaigns, even Clinton's, stating the DCCC should never have done this.

Another tawdry question about how the Clintons will do whatever for themselves to foresake the party.

Read it, it is all there.  And truly pathetic.

I have been watching politics for a while now and I do like to strategize, as the next, no big deal.  But as the fall is setting in, folk are waking up to the upcoming primaries.  And no one more so than Iowans, the first to set the tone.

Clinton has run a good, solid campaign.  One on her strong name recognition, coupled with good debate performances, but there is always that "but" about her.

Well, sitting here reading and drinking my coffee, I stumble across this little tidbit.

Terry McAuliffe, On a Mission.  Umm, Mr. Rolex himself in Iowa.  Why?  Let's jump.

reposted with permission by Geekesque, @ daily kos

Cross-posted at Talk Left.

Game on, folks.

While there's been some discussion about his nukes stand in the speech today, what's significant is that Barack Obama directed his fire directly at Hillary Clinton today.  

In very stark terms.  Drawing contrasts.

And he's not taking just her on.  He's taking the entire way of thinking that she represents on.

Details below.

reposted by permission of diarist, Geekesque, posted @ daily kos

Two stories running today discuss the outstanding success Hillary Clinton has had raising money this quarter.  This should surprise, well, no sentient being.  Clinton has been dominating the polls, the media coverage, and the endorsement circuit.  She is the candidate of the establishment, and the establishment never lacks for funds.

However, another story threatens to cast a cloud on this silver lining--the ongoing saga of Norman Hsu, Ponzi schemer and Hillraiser.

Indeed, the question may become whether the victory Clinton has achieved in fundraising may be a Pyrrhic one.