The Blue State

$108 billion more for Iraq

Had enough yet?  President Bush is instructing Congress to pass a $108 Iraq war spending bill.  Democrats have already caved on that, but are fighting Bush over whether to add funding for veterans:

"I made my position very clear to Congress and I will not accept a supplemental over $108 billion or a supplemental that micromanages the war, ties the hands of our commanders," Bush said. "We will work with Congress on these veterans' benefits .... But the $108 billion is $108 billion."

The hard line came as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other top congressional leaders held a rally for the Iraq war veterans measure on the West Front of the Capitol.

Several conservative Republicans joined the rally on behalf of the legislation, which would greatly increase college education benefits for veterans to cover tuition and fees at most public universities. That would, on average, double college aid for veterans to about $12,000 per year.

"We are very close to pulling it off," said Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., the chief sponsor on the legislation, alluding to a plan by Democratic leaders to add the veterans measure to the war funding bill.

$1 trillion later, and we are still funding this war.  Since the war started in 2003, it looks like we have 95 years left there.  Better hold on tight and get used to it.

It's close in Indiana

Give Hillary Clinton the slight edge in Indiana, following her Pennsylvania win and the media's obsession with Reverand Wright.  Here are two new polls.

Public Policy Polling:

50% - Hillary Clinton
42% - Barack Obama

Howey-Gauge:

46% - Hillary Clinton
46% - Barack Obama

With one week to go, Obama is on the verge of losing Indiana.  He needs to campaign hard there.  If he wins both contests (North Carolina and Indiana), the power-players in the Democratic Party will put more pressure on the super delegates to endorse.  If they split, however, Obama is just asking for a long battle into the summer.  Remember, Kentucky and West Virginia, two sure Clinton states, have yet to vote.  For Obama, he has Oregon and South Dakota that will go for him.  Being that neither candidate will pull off a surprise win in any of those states, neither candidate has a reason to drop out.  Indiana is what Obama needs to win to rally the Democratic Party around him.

Where has the real campaign news gone?

Our economy is in the tank.  Gas prices are at an all-time high.  Some analysts think that gas might reach $10 a gallon in the near future, boosted by a declining dollar and an uncontrollable spike in demand.  Consumer confidence is at a five-year low.  This is the second recession under President Bush, yet all the 43rd president can do is blame Congress.  And this is just on the domestic front.  Don't even get me started on our mess abroad.

With all this happening, we are perhaps in the middle of the most important presidential campaign in a generation.  There are issues to be discussed.  Yet, all the media seems to be focused on now is Reverend Wright.  The Obama Campaign is stuck in a corner.  Today on the campaign trail, Obama promised yet another big press conference on Reverend Wright, following his former pastor's address on Sunday in front of the NAACP.

Why can't all this stop?  The media does a great job of putting candidates into a box.  They have with John McCain as well -- portraying him as an old, angry man.  Or Obama, a fringe liberal who attended an anti-American church.  So the media finds any evidence to back up their preexisting view of a candidate and reports it.  Hardly do they report contradicting stories, as if to tell the American public, "I know you can't handle nuance, so let's make this easy for you by reporting only one side of the story."  Like today, the media is ignoring the fact that Barack Obama called for non-violence in New York City, which angered Reverend Al Sharpton.  Sharpton went on to accuse Obama of trying to "grandstand in front of white people."  But that does not fit the media's perception of the anti-American, pro-Black Panther -- otherwise known as Barack Obama.  So they won't report it.

This campaign is now nothing but a circus, and the media has complete control over it.  No wonder it has lasted this long.  Cable news doesn't want it to end.  It's their soap opera.  It's their excuse for not reporting actual news.  The Clintons love drama.  As long as the media reports on the tactics, which the Clintons are good at, and not real issues, this contest will continue all the way to the convention.

Blue Nightowl Clips

Here are the top political clips tonight:

1. Media fails to ask hard questions.
2. Barack Obama in a townhall meeting in Wilson, NC
3. McCain's "respectful" campaign.

More clips tomorrow.

Blue Nightowl Clips

This Sunday night, here are some of the top clips making their rounds on the blogs right now:

1. 3-on-3 with Barack
2. Candy Crowley on new Clinton math for election.
3. Moyers interviews Wright.

More clips tomorrow.

Video: Obama takes on FOX

On Sunday, presidential candidate Barack Obama caved in following the continuous criticism he received from Chris Wallace for never appearing on FOX News Sunday.  Below is the interview:

I'd say Obama helped himself by doing this, even if it meant appeasing FOX.  The network's conservative audience was probably shocked to find that Obama is pretty much a pragmatist, and isn't as ideological as all the other hosts on that station make him out to be on a day-to-day basis.

Let me know what you all thought.

Terry McAuliffe hearts FOX

The Clinton camp shows its true colors.  Even when you are this desperate, why stoop that low?

We are sick of it, but we vote to continue it

Many of us, including political activists such as myself, are really getting sick of this race because it is dividing the party and thus negatively impacting our chances in November.  Yet, even though it might seem like we're sick of it, many primary voters are giving Clinton a second chance.  In the latest Rasmussen national tracking poll, Obama is up by three.  And in a new ARG survey from Indiana, Clinton is up ten.

This all comes despite the fact that just about every independent analyst admits Clinton has no chance in catching Obama in pledged delegates.  Also, according to the Washington Post, in the month of March alone, more than 60 former Clinton high donors switched to Obama.

So either the media has misled people into thinking Hillary still has a chance, or half of the Democrats really do want to prolong this thing and risk losing to McCain.

McCain thinks Hamas prefers Obama

And so John McCain's dirty attacks continued during a conference today with conservative bloggers:

All I can tell you Jennifer is that I think it's very clear who Hamas wants to be the next president of the United States. So apparently has Danny Ortega and several others. I think that people should understand that I will be Hamas's worst nightmare....If senator Obama is favored by Hamas I think people can make judgments accordingly.

Just another effort by the right-wing to brand Barack Obama as un-American, even though Obama truly has lived the American dream.

So close in Indiana

Three new polls taken in the state of Indiana reflect how close this May 6th contest will be, and how any stumble by either candidate along the way could make the difference.

ARG:

50% - Hillary Clinton
45% - Barack Obama

Research 2000:

48% - Barack Obama
47% - Hillary Clinton

WTHR:

41% - Barack Obama
38% - Hillary Clinton

If I were the Clinton Campaign, I would renew calls for a debate before the Indiana primary.  Obama would not be able to say no, based on the unwavering excitement among Indianans that for the first time ever they could decide the outcome of who becomes president in January of 2009.  Their local media affiliates are really hyping up this contest.  Obama would look dismissive and out of touch if he backed away from such an offer.

Just thinking like Hillary Clkinton, that's all.