Lieberman has gone round the bend. I don't know what his problem is, but it doesn't matter much. He'll serve out his term. He'll say ridiculous things because that's the only way he knows to get attention anymore. He'll increasingly vote with Republicans. And then he'll be gone. A footnote in history. In 20 years when we ask who was Gore's running mate, most of us will rack our brains and perhaps still not come up with it.

Posted at July 31, 2008 7:01 PM in response to Lieberman On Britney Ad: "Just Relax And Enjoy It"

Gore was a geek, and the election a statistical tie. There is nothing wrong with the court playing tie breaker. The court's authority stems from it being the final arbiter, not from its necessarily being right.

Obama is not going to hand us a statistical tie. And what a relief his election will no doubt be to certain justices who have been hanging on through 8 years of W. (Who, by the way, I suspect is more nuts than stupid. I've also always suspected that his poor grasp of language is an indication of how much time his parents spent with him during the years one develops language skills.)

Posted at July 23, 2008 11:06 PM in response to Obama's Overseas Success: What's His Secret?

Hillary ran up significant debt at a point in the campaign where she didn't even have a realistic long shot chance. That debt financed a very ugly and significantly short-sighted campaign.

One of the things I like about Obama is that he can be decent to the indecent. And the important thing is that he won. So I'm not in the I'd-never-give-Hillary-a-dime camp. I think its very gracious of Obama to make efforts to help her retire the debt she racked up attacking him. That said. When money is tight one makes choices, and as much as I don't have any strong feelings keeping me from giving money to Hillary; neither do I have any feelings which would compel me to give. Interestingly, the only reason she appears in the news these days is because she is appearing with Obama. If I thought giving a few bucks could push her farther into the background, I might just be motivated. The problem is that I doubt I could ever believe this.

Posted at July 11, 2008 11:34 AM in response to Obama And Hillary Teaming Up For More Fundraisers

And yes all he really needs to do is run lots of ads of Republicans talking to their own. Cue the scary background music. Voila.

Posted at June 14, 2008 9:56 PM in response to Obama: If They Bring A Knife, We Bring A Gun

A Democrat who actually has the potential to give back harder than he gets is an utterly new sort of politics. Especially if he can buck everyone up and give the impression that its a group effort and not just the tough guy looking out for all his little nerdlet pals.

Posted at June 14, 2008 9:54 PM in response to Obama: If They Bring A Knife, We Bring A Gun

While I agree that the chorus of calls for Hillary as VP will abate a bit, Hillary will not give this up until it is more than obvious that its a lost cause. (Perhaps several weeks after the VP choice has been announced.)

Though both will deny it, Obama has already told her she will not be VP. Her insistance on pursuing the slot therefore is a cynical powerplay, a sort of blackmail as she sets up her supporters to believe in this possibility and dares Obama to disappoint them yet again. Moreover, as the convention nears, the chorus calling for her to be VP(vocal even if its numbers are reduced) would likely swell again. Thus, I'm inclined to agree that Obama should probably pick someone a little sooner than usual. But I'm no expert. Obama is the one that just ran the perfect campaign. He'll do the right thing.

Posted at June 4, 2008 1:10 PM in response to Obama Needs To Make VP Choice by End of June

The problem is that many of her potential intervenors need an intervention too. The rest will just go with Obama.

Posted at June 2, 2008 2:18 PM in response to Hillary: I Can Court Obama's Super-Delegates To Switch

Can't stop thinkin' about day after tomorrow.

Posted at June 2, 2008 1:33 PM in response to Hillary-Backer Vilsack: She Should Concede Defeat After Tuesday

This is neither interesting, nor news. Nor is it terribly outrageous by Hillary standards. So, yawns all around.

Obama is going to kill in the fall. Its going to be a great big blue country with a hillbilly red patch in the east that includes KY, WV, TN, SC, GA, MS and AL. He'll squeak by along the southern Mississippi River and in states like OH and PA, and win handily along the northern Mississippi. He'll kill in the west with the exception of a stripe running roughly from ID down to AZ, and I don't think he should be ruled out in TX. Nonetheless, even without TX, it will be a rout.

Good times.

Posted at May 28, 2008 6:50 PM in response to Harold Ickes: Hillary Will Need "A Few" More Super-Dels Than Obama To Catch Him

So how many "Hillary supporters" will support Hillary come fall? Clearly there is a substantial block who are there for the entertainment value. Why go pull a meaningless lever for McCain if you can cause mayhem in the Democratic party?

I like open primaries, but when one party has a meaningful race going and the other doesn't--they don't work as well. I don't know of any remedy for that without getting rid of them, which I don't think is wise. Shortening the primary season would probably work as well as anything.

Posted at May 6, 2008 8:36 PM in response to CNN: Exits Show That Half Of Hillary's Indiana Backers Say They Wouldn't Back Obama Against McCain