John McCain Would Give The Dems The Most Trouble

CNN:

According to the survey, both of the Democratic front-runners, Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, hold mostly double-digit -- and statistically identical -- advantages over Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee, drawing greater than 50 percent support in each hypothetical matchup.

The Republican candidate who gives Clinton and Obama the closest race in the new poll is Arizona Sen. John McCain, who is essentially tied with both: He draws the support of 48 percent of those surveyed to Clinton's 50 percent and Obama's 49 percent.

It's the independents and moderates silly. The ones who look on with disgust at the polarization caused by the far-Left and the far-Right. They're the folks who that McCain got in New Hampshire and needs to continue supporting him if he's going to win the damn thing. Then too, for the folks in the middle McCain is so hard to dislike, not only because he's a war hero, but he's a man who stands on principle, not party dogma. The New York Post sums it up:

McCain could even beat Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. His record taps into a latent populism that attracts Republicans, Democrats and Independents. His battle against big tobacco, efforts to address global warming, opposition to torture during interrogations and fight to reform corporate governance and to protect investors and pensioners appeal to voters of all stripes.

His issues cut across party and ideological lines, for an attraction far broader than the single notes sung by the evangelical Mike Huckabee and the anti-terror Giuliani. His heroism is apparent and his independence from special interests notable. He's pro-life and suitably conservative on social issues, so he attracts conservatives as well as moderates. And his credentials on terrorism and other national-security issues are outstanding.

John Kerry Sells Out John Edwards

Old news, but it's funny to note how bitter John Kerry still is about his loss in '04:

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Embracing Barack Obama as his choice for president at a college rally here, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry said the freshman senator from Illinois offered America a unique opportunity to move beyond racial and political divisions and to unite behind common goals.

"Barack Obama can be, will be and should be the next president," Kerry told the crowd of about 4,000 people, who listened from an outdoor courtyard shaded by live oak and Spanish moss at the College of Charleston."

Who better than Barack Obama to turn a new page in American politics, so that Democrats, Independents and Republicans alike can look to the leadership that unites to find common ground?"

Does Kelly Tilghman Have Any KKK Connections?

When you make stupid, asinine comments like she did, it's only fair that folks do a background check:

HONOLULU (AP) — Golf Channel suspended anchor Kelly Tilghman for two weeks on Wednesday for saying last week that young players who wanted to challenge Tiger Woods should "lynch him in a back alley."

Tilghman was laughing during the exchange Friday with analyst Nick Faldo at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, and Woods' agent at IMG said he didn't think there was any ill intent.

But the comments became prevalent on news shows Wednesday, and the Rev. Al Sharpton joined the fray by demanding she be fired immediately. Golf Channel didn't know who would replace Tilghman in the booth this week at the Sony Open or next week at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.

"There is simply no place on our network for offensive language like this," Golf Channel said in a statement.

The fact that the Golf Network is a low-profile channel and that Tiger Woods let her ignorance go, doesn't take away from the fact that Tilghman should be fired. To think how many people out there passionately believe that we're past this kind of stuff.

Chris Matthews Quote of the Day!

"I think the Hillary appeal has always been about the mix of toughness and sympathy. Let's not forget, and I'll be brutal, the reason she's a US Senator, the reason she's a candidate for President, the reason she may be a front runner, is that her husband messed around...That's how she got to be a Senator from New York. We keep forgetting it. She didn't win it on her merit, she won because everybody felt, 'My God, this woman stood up under humiliation,' right? That's what happened. That's how it happened. In 1998, she went to NY and campaigned for Chuck Schumer as almost like the grieving widow of absurdity, and she did it so well and courageously. But it was about the humilation of Bill Clinton."

- MSNBC newsanchor Chris Matthews on Hillary Clinton's political rise

Hillary Plays New Hampshire For Suckers With Weepfest Victory

News of Hillary's upset win in New Hampshire:

Clinton defied campaign-closing polls and the expectations of her own advisers to pull out a narrow victory over Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the self-styled agent of change bidding to be the nation's first black president. She won with a last-minute show of emotion and pointed criticism of Obama, the harshest attacks coming from her husband, Bill.

In 1992, Bill Clinton dubbed himself "the Comeback Kid" after finishing a surprising second in New Hampshire.

It was a move right out of the Billary playbook: a calculated bid for sympathy all the way down to the choking voice and tears. And just like Bill Clinton leaving office with a 65% approval rating despite a bad economy, scrupulous presidential pardons, an impeachment and the Monica Lewinsky scandal still hanging over his head . . . it worked. Because at the end of the day American voters are all human and sympathy is a strong emotive that we've all fallen for at one time or another. And when it comes to strategic raw displays of emotion that plays to the heart of voters, no one does it better than Bill and Hillary. No one.

In this case it was the sympathy of the female voters that Hillary needed most, the ones who abandoned her in Iowa. And as sexist as it may sound, who better to play sympathy card with than those of the fairer sex? Hell, even the lady who asked the question that sparked Weepfest was left remarking that "she fell in love" with Hillary after she spoke about how deep the personal and political stakes are in the campaign for President.

Awww!

And somewhere in the back you just know that Slick Willie was probably nodding his head in approval at his wife's crocodile tears while showing off that evil grin of his. Now for Hillary the question is did she play the Sympathy Card too soon? or will Democratic voters in the upcoming primary states also be dumb enough to continue buying into the con job that is the Billary machine?

Idiot Gloria Steinem Plays Sexism Card For Hillary

It's rampant sexism that's causing Hillary's downfall, so says feminist pioneer Gloria Steinem:

Gender is probably the most restricting force in American life, whether the question is who must be in the kitchen or who could be in the White House. This country is way down the list of countries electing women and, according to one study, it polarizes gender roles more than the average democracy.

That’s why the Iowa primary was following our historical pattern of making change. Black men were given the vote a half-century before women of any race were allowed to mark a ballot, and generally have ascended to positions of power, from the military to the boardroom, before any women (with the possible exception of obedient family members in the latter).

Of course, no mention from Ms. Steinem that there are far more female politicians in this country than blacks. Or that only a couple of months ago everyone in the liberal media and Hillary winning her party's nomination in a landslide (no concerns of any gender bias back then). Or that more female voters in Iowa voted for Barack Obama than Hillary. Or any mention of the Billary machine's strong advantage in funds, name recognition and experience coming into this election. Or that Hillary is still considered one of the most powerful women in the country, especially when you consider her two recent landslide victories running for senator of New York (both of which she ran against men). No, if you're a loony radical feminist like Gloria Steinem, if a woman isn't at the forefront it's because of the work of evil men . . . so simplistic, lame, tired and just downright stupid.

Other's Blogging: Ann Althouse, The QandO Blog, Lawyers, Guns and Money

Hillary Cries: Not Very Presidential

I'll just say that a couple of my Republicans co-workers had a nice, hearty laugh when they read about this and frankly, I don't blame 'em.

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