How Obama out-maneuvered Clinton

Obama used party rules to foil Clinton: "Obama's campaign mastered some of the most arcane rules in politics, and then used them to foil a front-runner who seemed to have every advantage—money, fame and a husband who had essentially run the Democratic Party for eight years as president."
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He also got into the state Senate by challenging his opponents' petition signatures. When he ran for US Senate his chief rivals in both parties were run off by the Chicago Tribune. This is a guy who uses every angle.

Global Warming Skeptics Plot 'Carbon Belch Day' -- Global Warming -- InformationWeek

Global Warming Skeptics Plot 'Carbon Belch Day' -- Global Warming -- InformationWeek: "Conservative grassroots group Grassfire.org wants people to waste as much energy as possible on June 12 by 'hosting a barbecue, going for a drive, watching television, leaving a few lights on, or even smoking a few cigars.'

The point: the group wants to 'help Americans break free from the 'carbon footprint guilt' being imposed by Climate Alarmists.'"
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This is similar to the events at Dartmouth College where liberal students would hold a public fast to call attention to world hunger, and conservative students would hold a steak and lobster barbecue right next to it.

Here's why people say Obama is getting a free ride from the national news media

Obama Talks of Family's Military Service - From The Road: "Obama also spoke about his uncle, who was part of the American brigade that helped to liberate Auschwitz. He said the family legend is that, upon returning from war, his uncle spent six months in an attic. “Now obviously, something had really affected him deeply, but at that time there just weren’t the kinds of facilities to help somebody work through that kind of pain,” Obama said. “That’s why this idea of making sure that every single veteran, when they are discharged, are screened for post-traumatic stress disorder and given the mental health services that they need – that’s why it’s so important.”"
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That is a report from CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic. She unquestioningly reports what he said, but what he said is not true. His American uncle couldn't have been involved in liberating the Auschwitz concentration camp, because Auschwitz was in Poland and it was liberated by the Soviet Army. Here is what Wikipedia says: "On January 17, 1945 Nazi personnel started to evacuate the facility; most of the prisoners were forced on a death march to the camp toward Wodzisław Śląski (German: Loslau). Those too weak or sick to walk were left behind; about 7,500 prisoners were liberated by the 322nd Rifle Division of the Red Army on January 27 1945."

This gaffe is being widely reported on the web, but I will bet that you don't see it reported in the major media. Ask yourself what would happen if John McCain or Hillary Clinton had said this. Remember what happened to Clinton over the imagined Tuzla sniper fire?

Hell considering secession

Needles casts an envious eye elsewhere - Los Angeles Times: "Needles is now considering leaving California to join Nevada or Arizona or to create its own independent county. 'This is not a publicity stunt. We are serious about secession,' said former Mayor and Councilman Roy Mills. 'Look at Nevada, they are booming. Look at Arizona, they are booming. We want to level the playing field. I was initially skeptical about splitting off, but the more I learn about it, the more doable it seems.'"

About the Great Ape Project

About the Great Ape Project: "Anyone who indicates their endorsement of the Declaration on Great Apes can become a supporter of the organization, which takes the Anti-Slavery Society as its political model. The great ape project already has supporters in more than twenty nations. The great ape project will start operating at a national level in as many countries as possible. Activities range from public education, to campaigning, to the adoption of individual imprisoned non-human great apes. From small-scale, local interventions, the great ape project will work up towards an international level, so as to bring about a momentous but well-grounded change in the status of chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans.

Their long-term goal is a United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Great Apes. When this historic result has been achieved, the great ape project will advocate the setting up of guarded territories so that chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans can continue to live as free beings in their own ways."
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This is what I was talking about in POLS 101 on Friday.

Trouble in (another) Utopia

BBC NEWS| Local concerns over Indian utopia: "Auroville sounds like a throwback to the 60s, advocating no rules and leaders and promising peace and harmony, but Rachel Wright hears claims of exploitation and abuse at the southern Indian community."
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Utopia never turns out to be all that utopian.

From "difficult" to "nonexistent"?

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide: "May 23 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign is in formal talks with Senator Barack Obama's campaign about becoming his vice presidential running mate, CNN reported, without citing anyone specific.

The two Democratic campaigns are talking about ways for Clinton, from New York, to drop her bid for president that may include joining the Illinois senator's ticket, CNN reported. Talks are in a ``very preliminary'' stage and are described as ``difficult,'' the network said."
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I imagine the tone of these VP talks changed for the worse when Hillary defended her refusal to drop out by citing the historical precedent of young, charismatic, Democratic presidential candidates getting assassinated in June.

Lucretia Borgia for VP?

Hillary Clinton's colossal blunder simply the last straw: "SICK. Disgusting. And yet revealing. Hillary Clinton is staying in the race in the event some nut kills Barack Obama.

It could happen, but what definitely has happened is that Clinton has killed her own chances of being vice president. She doesn't deserve to be elected dog catcher anywhere now."
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So says one columnist. The more practical consideration for Obama has to be knowing that if he names her as his VP and wins, he will spend four years watching his back.

Damn dirty apes to get human rights in Europe?

European Court agrees to hear chimp's plea for human rights| News | This is London: "His name is Matthew, he is 26 years old, and his supporters hope to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights. But he won't be able to give evidence on his own behalf - since he is a chimpanzee. Animal rights activists led by British teacher Paula Stibbe are fighting to have Matthew legally declared a 'person' so she can be appointed as his guardian if the bankrupt animal sanctuary where he lives in Vienna is forced to close."
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Animal rights advocates and a number of academics have been agitating to give human rights to what they call "the Great Apes." I side more with the late Charleton Heston, who famously said, "Take your filthy paws off me, you damn dirty ape!"

Salon.com | How will Barack Obama get to 270?

Salon.com | How will Barack Obama get to 270?: "If Obama wins the 255 votes in the states where he's favored, then to get to 270 he needs to choose from the following menu: 1) Win Ohio, which takes him to 275; 2) win in the West -- Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado, for 274; 3) win the three N's (Nevada, New Mexico, New Hampshire) for 269, plus one other state; or 4) win two of the three N's and either Colorado or Virginia."
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This is from a Democratic pollster. You can ignore the national polls that show Obama ahead. We don't elect presidents that way. This is the nitty gritty. You have to win state by state and put together at least 270 out of the possible 538 electoral votes. And if you read this detailed piece, you will see that it won't be easy for Obama to reach 270. Certainly it is possible, but it won't be easy.