The Blue State

Obama-McCain joint townhall meetings?

It's actually a possibility that this could happen, and could forever change the way presidential campaigning is done:

After a stop at a solar technology company in this central Oregon town, Obama was asked if he supported a suggestion that he campaign with McCain and hold joint town hall meetings in the run-up to the November general election.

"I think that's a great idea. Obviously we'd have to think through the logistics on this," Obama said. "Should I be the nominee, if I have the opportunity to debate substantive issues before the voters with John McCain , that's something I'm going to welcome."

More or less a suggestion that all this campaigning has made Obama more comfortable on the stump, and is confident that he has a greater grasp on policy than John McCain.

And as far as debates are concerned, Obama is looking 100% better than he did in 2007, when it showed during those early Democratic forums that he needed more practice.  The battles with Hillary Clinton helped prepare Obama for the general election.

Cindy McCain promises husband's campaign will play nice

She was not smart to say this -- because we know it will come back to bite her.  This was Cindy McCain on The Today Show this morning:

“Look, this is politics. We're going to go back and forth,” she said. “There are clear differences in this race between whatever candidates wind up against each other. That's the beauty of this race … What you're going to see is a great debate. Which is what the American public deserves. None of this negative stuff, though. You won't see it come out of our side at all.”

My guess is that this promise will be broken within the next 48 hours, if not sooner.

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.

Before you get excited

Before you get excited about the news all over the cable networks that Barack Obama has taken the lead in Pennsylvania, take a reality pill.  Public Policy Polling, which conducted the survey, has been way off on just about every poll since the Iowa Caucuses.  Last week in their poll, Obama was ahead by two.  This week, he is up by three, 45% to 42%.  I don't think so!  While the trends show that the Hillary-McCain cross-examination of Obama's bitter comments did not go anywhere, he still trails in just about every other poll.

Obama needs a miracle to win Pennsylvania.  Obama's supporters there had better show up in droves on election day in order to make that happen.

US Ambassador to Iraq: Al Qaeda a larger threat in Afghanistan

During Senator Joe Biden's (D-DE) thorough questioning of US Ambassador Ryan Crocker yesterday, the former presidential candidate got Crocker to admit that Afghanistan, not Iraq, is the central front in the war against those that attacked us on September 11th:

US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker conceded during Senate hearings today that Afghanistan, and not Iraq, is the main front in the fight against al-Qaeda.

Evading a direct answer to a question from Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) as to whether the focus of the war against the terror network is in Iraq or Afghanistan, Crocker finally said, "I would ... pick al-Qaeda in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border area."

That's exactly what every Democratic presidential candidate believed.  John McCain feels a lot different.

Bush's two-sided argument

As alluded to this morning by Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA), since January of 2007 the Bush Administration has had a puzzling argument about the need for a large US troop presence there.  When the violence was out of control, the Administration said that underscored why the US needed to remain there.  When violence subsided somewhat this last winter, they also used that as justification to keep troops there.  Now with violence flaring up once again, both Bush and McCain say that proves why the US can't get out of Iraq.

So then let's beg the question.  Under what circumstance would it be OK for US troops to withdraw?  From what Bush and McCain are hinting at, there isn't such a circumstance.  They want to keep our young men and women there indefinitely.  A vote for McCain is a vote for indefinite involvement in a country that had nothing to do with the attacks on our country.

Powerful lobbyist joins McCain Campaign

So much for being a champion of ethics reform.  This is from The Hill's web site:

Top Washington lobbyist Charlie Black is leaving his firm to join Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) presidential campaign.

Black, chairman of BKSH & Associates, told The Hill his resignation would be effective Monday, March 31. He will join McCain's campaign on a full-time basis starting Tuesday.

“McCain asked me to play a pretty significant role in the campaign," said Black, whose clients have included JP Morgan and Lockheed Martin, according to Senate records.

Therefore, Senator McCain has absolutely no right to claim to take the moral high ground by taking public financing.  He has lobbyists running his campaign, and Obama has real people donating to his.  Big difference.

Bush, McCain and the faces of the fallen

Click for larger view

New ad slams McCain's role in Airbus deal

From OurFuture.org

John McCain's special interest relationship with Airbus is real, and it is costing many Americans their jobs.

Hillary destroying Democratic Party's momentum

Heading into the big 2006 vote, Democrats were fired up.  On election night, we saw just how upset independent and dissatisfied Republicans were with the Administration, and how fired up the progressive base was.  Even in 2007, when Bush's numbers on Iraq went up, the vast majority of voters preferred Democrats to Republicans.  We knew it would take a massive foul-up for the Democratic nominee to blow it in 2008.

Today, we are on the verge of blowing it.  Hillary's 'kitchen sink' strategy hurt not only Obama's chances, but helped keep John McCain out of the line of fire.  This is what Hillary's strategy has done for the Democratic Party:

Gallup Poll

48% - John McCain
45% - Hillary Clinton

47% - John McCain
43% - Barack Obama

Thanks a lot, Hillary.