Or if not them, the folks they surround themselves with. 

Hillary Clinton (who’s resignation I missed due to being away for a 3 week military engagement, but I still delighted in the knowledge once I received it) is obviously no longer in the race- but staying in as long as she did, she destroyed herself financially to the tune of nearly $10 million in debt.  So now she’s asking all her supporters that gave up their money for her failed campaign bid to pony up some more dough, because she’s now drowning in her own over-spending.  Well Hill, on behalf of the American public, welcome to how the rest of us are feeling in the current financial state of the union: debt as a way of life.

Barack Obama has made his own minor political gaffe in the past few days by using a mock-up of the Presidential Seal as an emblem on his lecternduring a meeting between himself and Dem. state Governors which drew some criticisms over the weekend.  The Obama campaign has said it was a one time only appearance for the emblem, with some members saying Obama himself felt a little embarrassed by the whole thing.  The emblem was comprised of the same eagle holding arrows and olive branch that denote war and piece as seen on the Presidential Seal, and also carried the words “Vero possumus” or loosely translated from latin: “Yes, we can”.  Presumptuous?  Perhaps, but really a very minor snafu in the great context of things. 

The Republicans are not off the hook in terms of embarrassment, as one of John McCain’s aides made a statement that McCain has found himself apologizing for, and that his opponent Obama’s campaign has already jumped on.  The statement in question being made by Charlie Black, a top advisor to McCain, said that the McCain campaign would benefit greatly from another terror attack taking place on American soil.  McCain went into damage control, telling reporters “I cannot imagine why he would say it. It’s not true. I’ve worked tirelessly since 9/11 to prevent another attack on the United States of America. My record is very clear.”  However, one has to look at the validity of the statement, with McCain’s major platform being his aggressive stance against “global terror”, he’d probably do well to have some of that terror brought back to the front of people’s minds, leading to the same style of voting that saw George W. Bush re-elected (or just plain elected depending on who you ask) in ‘04, thinking only a “War President” could carry us through the strife of a continued war against “threats to our way of life”. 

But that’s just me riffing…

Popularity: 2% [?]

The easiest answer would be- seek out the backing of one who has been there in your stead.  And that may well be what Dem Presidential Candidate Barack Obama is doing at present moment.  In this time of consistent military action in the Middle East, and with the ever looming threat of escalation always casting a shadow on the future, Obama has a mighty disadvantage against a far more experienced war vet such as Rep Presidential Candidate John McCain.

North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad told The Associated Press said the team asked him about potential candidates from three broad categories — current top elected officials, former top elected officials, and former top military leaders.

Conrad would not disclose which names they discussed, and the Obama campaign has been keeping the process a closely guarded secret.

‘‘We talked about many names,’’ Conrad said, including ‘‘some that are out of the box but I think would be very well received by the American people, including former top military leaders.’’

Many former military leaders have been involved in the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign. Some of Obama’s most prominent campaign advisers have been Gen. Tony McPeak, who was Air Force chief of staff during Operation Desert Storm; Maj. Gen. Scott Gration, who flew repeated combat missions and has worked with Obama on a range of military issues since before he began his presidential campaign; and Richard Danzig, who was secretary of the Navy under President Clinton.

He might also look at some of former rival Hillary Rodham Clinton’s top military advisers in a gesture of unity, retired generals who include Hugh Shelton, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; or Wesley Clark, who led the war in Kosovo and ran in the presidential primary four years ago. Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, who served as Navy secretary under President Reagan, has also been frequently mentioned as a possible running mate.

In an area where Obama has been seen lacking, picking up a veteran could bring a great hand to the table.

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Don’t take those gloves off just yet.

“Sex-it-up” Obama vs. “Old-as-dirt” McCain. Let’s keep it clean gentleman.

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Hillary Clinton has found herself under intense fire from all sides now after a comment made Friday during an interview which some say suggests she’s waiting to see if perhaps something bad might happen to Barack Obama.
And by something bad we’re not referring to scandal, illness, or even a change of heart, nope-
She has (and not for the first time) invoked the assassination of RFK in June of 1968 after he had won the California Primary.

Now, is this comment unfortunate?  Highly.  I can recall numerous occasions of sitting around with co-workers who speculated that if Obama were to be elected, there would be more than enough loonies hanging around ready to shoot him for not being a white man.  Powerful, influential, well spoken, politically active, socially conscious black men have a rough history in this country.  As do young, change invoking, crowd rallying political figures.  Obama is both of these.

Is Hillary really suggesting that she might just be waiting for great tragedy to strike so she can step into the position?  We all know that the Clintons can be cold, calculating power-mongers.  But I would greatly hope this is just another verbal misstep by a candidate for whom the fight has been long and hard and is nearing a weary end.

Then again, to keep an image like this is the minds and on the tongues of the American public during such a high charged election season is foolish at best, reckless and dangerous at worst. 

Race, Gender, Party Affiliation, War, Failing Economy, Global Disasters- all of these heated topics are major parts of this election.  Extreme violently personal responses are not unheard of when it comes to any of these issues.

“We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California.” She said to the LA Times. 

Yes Senator, we do.  It’s the very reason that Obama has had Secret Service with him since last May, 18 months before the election, and earlier than any candidate before him.

For your viewing pleasure dear reader- I leave you with Clinton’s comments in their full context, followed by one of the more heated responses she’s recieved from the news media.  Make your judgements for yourself.

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That’s right gang, the time in the election process where the Presidential Candidates begin to hunt down their 4-8 year soulmates. The yin to their yang, the Ed to their Johnny, the Triscuit to their Easy Cheese…

You get the idea.

So while Obama does but doesn’t have someone hunting for possible running mates (he’s keeping mum about the whole ordeal), McCain is using his hunt in a more savvy a way… as an election tool with battle ground state Florida providing the home for at least one contender for the next best thing.

Gov. Charlie Crist of Florida, Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, and Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts and a onetime rival for the Republican nomination, have all accepted invitations to visit Mr. McCain at his ranch in Sedona, Republicans said.

Mr. McCain himself has said his choice of a running mate would draw particular scrutiny from voters given Mr. McCain’s age; he is now 71, or “as old as dirt,” as he likes to joke, while quickly adding that he is in good health. More than that, with Mr. Obama’s selection as his party’s nominee now almost assured, Mr. McCain is contemplating a contest against an energized Democratic electorate after a campaign that has highlighted race and gender issues.

Mr. Crist, a fairly popular first-term governor, has been included on various lists of potential running mates for Mr. McCain, whom he endorsed shortly before Florida’s January primary, which effectively helped Mr. McCain claim the nomination. Mr. Crist said Wednesday that he and Mr. McCain had not discussed the prospect, not even at a fund-raiser in Miami that the two attended Tuesday night.

As governor of Florida, Mr. Crist, 51, would bring obvious assets to the Republican ticket, beginning with his popularity in a state that is almost always an electoral battleground — and where Mr. Obama appears to be struggling. Mr. Crist’s relative youth could also be an asset for Mr. McCain, who has made clear that age will be a consideration in his search for a running mate.

In Florida, Mr. Crist has long been known for his affability and a campaign skills. Instantly recognizable because of his perpetual tan and striking white hair, Mr. Crist, who was Florida’s attorney general before being elected governor in 2006, has also acquired a reputation as something of a hard-liner on law and order issues.

He supports the death penalty, largely opposes restrictions on the rights of gun owners, early on earned the nickname “Chain Gang Charlie” because he favored allowing convicts to be used in road work, and has described himself as a “pro-life and pro-family” candidate.

Mr. Romney, the former chief executive who ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination in 2008 and who was born in Michigan, has made no secret of his desire to join Mr. McCain’s presidential ticket. Mr. Romney’s M.B.A. skills, and business background — including running the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Games — could address concerns about Mr. McCain’s ability to manage a struggling economy.

Mr. Jindal, who was born in Baton Rouge, La., to a family that had just arrived there from the Punjab area of India, took office in January after serving three years in the House of Representatives. In a race with four candidates, Mr. Jindal, who was born a Hindu but converted to Roman Catholicism as a teenager, won 54 percent of the vote after campaigning as a social conservative, opposing human embryonic stem cell research and abortion in any form, and favoring teaching “intelligent design” in schools as an alternative to evolution.

So we’re looking at “Chain Gang Charlie”, Romney (the guy who failed at getting the nomination because of party distrust an inability to connect with voters and record of flip flopping on issues), and the guy who (prepping for backlash now) believes in magical tales of how we came to be against evidence that would prove the contrary, and wants all our kids to learn it that way too, regardless of whether they follow the same beliefs or not (and I won’t even further the shit storm I could be earning here by getting into abortion or stem cell research).

Those all sound like solid arguments to keep from voting on the Republican ticket, and here I thought I’d already had enough reasons.

As of this moment there’s no word on who Hillary Clinton in her alternate universe version of the elections is going to choose for her running mate.

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Hillary Clinton won in Kentucky, won big in fact.  But Barack Obama won Oregon, and with it- more delagates, which puts him solidly in the majority delegate count, regardless of how the next contests pan out.  He’s less than a hundred shy of the needed 2,026 to be handed the nomination, barring the sudden jumping ship of a vast percentage of super delegates already pledged to Obama, this thing is over, but as we’ve learned Hillary will not quit.  Ever.  She’s so solidly into this whole Primary thing that she’s spent herself into debt to the tune of $31 million in debt.  Let me repeat that, because it takes a bit to seep in.  Hillary Clinton and her campaign owe $31 million that she’s spent over what she’s brought in either through fund raising, or from giving it to herself.  In a nation that is struggling financially due to over taxing it’s resources whether economically, ecologically, or militarily- someone arguing that she’s the one to get us back on track is sending herself steadily into potentially unrecoverable debt to keep a lost campaign in all appearances- viable.

Obama on the other hand continues to be a money making machine, though to a lesser degree now than earlier in the year, with his April earnings rounding out at about… wow, get this… $31 million.  Maybe if Hillary asks nicely Obama will lend her the money to stay afloat after the DNC tells us what we already know- that he is the Presidential candidate.  Wouldn’t that be a nice gesture?

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…I could set that up for a bad joke, but instead I’ll just go right into the meat of the matter.

Barack Obama has informed the Republicans through the media that they had better lay off his wife Michelle when the Primaries end and the race for the White House begins, or else… umm… something. Yeah.

Well, I hate to say it, but to quote one of my favorite comic book characters of all time “Sorry Bub”. Welcome to the public arena. Everything you, and those associated with you, do or say in view of the world- will be witnessed and commented upon by everyone, and I mean everyone (hell, probably even me and Ms. Missive).

Besides, it’s not like your campaign hasn’t had a few things to say about another Prez hopeful’s significant other, I mean, granted Bill Clinton is a slightly more public figure having been the President already, and still being a public social and political figure, whos past job makes his public appearances an endorcement from a big wig in the Dem party, as well as from a husband in the case of Hillary, but still, fair is fair.

Cindy McCain hasn’t been completely left out either, as her refusal to disclose tax information as the other candidate’s families have done has stirred a few pots, but isn’t as heavily commented upon as, well, Michelle Obama saying she didn’t used to be proud of her country. But she said it in public, and as any celeb (and let’s be honest, in America politicians are far less scrutinized than the pop diva of the moment) will tell you- what you say and do in public is fair game for the media, and those who can gain from your missteps.

So you have two options, lighten up, toughen up, and learn to take the heat- or lock her up from the public eye until the whole campaign is over.

Your choice.

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Just a scant few hours ago former Prez Contender John Edwards gave his formal endorsement to Dem front-runner Barack Obama. Mostly this means Edwards is hitching his wagon to the pretty much assured winner in an attempt to get a job with the next administration, whether as VP, or as Attorney General, or some other cabinet position.

In terms of what this means for the Clinton/Obama never ending primary contest- the answer is: nothing.

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And the Primaries continue, as they are likely to do until the very end (the DNC). Clinton brutalizes Obama 67% to 26%. Of course, Obama is still well ahead in delegates, and has a lead in super-delegates as well.

What is of note of this primary as told in the New York Times is that 8 out of 10 people polled said race was a factor in their choice, showing that in some parts of the country it is still hard for people to accept a black man in the top position in the country, and easier to accept a white woman. Also of note is John Edwards who is no longer even in the race still getting 7% of the vote. A white man not participating gets about a quarter of the votes of a black man who many are considering the nominee with the rest of this just being a technicality.

So while the race factor in all of this is a touch disheartening, in reality, this Primary changes very little in the grand scheme of things… other than it continues on still…

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AP- During a speech in Oregon Obama mentioned the states he has already visited on the Campaign trail. Hawaii and Alaska were excluded because his campaign managers said no, however he has gone to “57″ and will be visiting one more.

Ms. Missives response: All politicians say stupid things… like this quote from Hillary Clinton during a campaign stop in West Virginia, “All the kitchen table issues that everybody talks to me about are ones that the next president can actually do something about, if he actually cares about it.”

Doesn’t SHE want to be the next President?

Anyway, back to Obama. How harsh should we react to his “57 states” miscount?

Here are some reactions from the right and pro-Clinton blogosphere. I’ll ask those with weak stomachs to please look away:

TheCleverCynic.com:
“Just when the democrats probably thought that things couldn’t get any worse in the Democratic contest for the 2008 Presidential nomination, Barack Obama totally loses any shred of credibility he might have gained during his campaign…if any.”

newsbusters.org:
“Old Media’s treatment of the story thus far indicates a strong likelihood that Obama’s arguably dumber gaffe has not found its way into the primary web sites or print editions of most newspapers, and that it never will.”

hollywoodgrind.com:
“What excuses are Obama supporters going to make for him now?”

harshopinion.com:
“Here’s the problem.
There are supposedly 57 Islamic States!
Read that again. 57 Islamic States!
Slip of the tongue? Why did he mix up THOSE TWO NUMBERS?”

www.funnybonevideos.com:
“Slip of the tongue while on the stump? Could be, but then again, given this guy’s track record of late (i.e. the whole fiasco with the Rev. Wright, etc.) it may be exactly what he thinks, that the U.S. has at least 57 states.”

Give me a break.

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