There is no purpose in rounding numbers as Mr. Bernstein did, unless his purpose was to slant the news.

I happen to prefer Mr. Obama, at present, to the alternatives. But I would still prefer that news organizations and columnists stick closely to the truth rather than to try to distort it to serve their goals.

OTOH, if one has not been in any of these professions before, it makes one eminently qualified.....?

Is any of this getting through?

Hillary is our only hope...

I agree that Hillary needs to find her true self, but she can't do that with Bill toting along, If she is going to establish her own identity she needs to fire Bill as a campaign advisor, or at least get him off the stump.

Every time he shows up it just reminds people of divisive 90s

With all due respect, this is not an implementable agenda. It's wishful thinking at best. Explain to me how the math will work out on these proposals.

All Obama has been saying to date is the equivalent of : "I will change this, I will change that, we will change this, we will change that." But there are no convincing details. The usual MBA marketing stuff, or is it fluff?.

The candidate that SPELLS out HOW he/she will solve the nation's problems – with enough convincing details that the policies ARE IMPLEMENTABLE will get my vote. In fact ALL voters should be asking ALL candidates this question.

The country needs change, but saying "I am for change" does not equal to making the necessary changes happen.

I honestly think Hillary is by far the best candidate but I am so unsure of the whole "woman" thing. It has never become more clear to me that a woman cannot really fight back in such an election without being labeled a "b&tch" And now all I hear on the news is how Obama cannot be stopped. Its almost a self fulfilling profecy.

What I do find very ironic is how everyone says Hillary is not likeable. Remember people for the last 8 years we have had the likeable president and how well has that worked for us?

Then I hear how hillary is not a change candidate and Obama is? Lets face it everything she is attempting to do is history making, and dont even get me started on the "she failed with health care before" argument. People who say that dont understand politics in my opinion. She never had a chance.

In end I want the republicans OUT so I will get behind whomever gets the nomination.

Maybe she means Queen Elizabeth or Fidel Castro.

We must repair our standing in the international community. We must learn to coexist with other nations, respect their religions, and even leave them alone if THEIR government is not what we would choose. Our ancestors fought for our democracy. Let the people of the world fight for themselves. You don't appreciate it if you don't earn it. It's not up to us to spread democracy as if it were a religion we were somehow morally bound to proselytize. That type of behavior causes wars and hate.

I've been a Democrat my entire 30 yrs of voting life. I have yet to miss a single election, even local ones. I have been supporting Hillary since before she became a Senator, even though I don't live in her state. She ( and yes, Bill ) will be the best answer to our foreign policy issues. The people she will surround herself – her Cabinet – will take care of the rest, just as with ANY other president. I find it amazing that she is called Ice Queen. Only a woman would be attacked as to her personality in that way. She's strong. She made a decision to stick with her marriage and forgive her husband. She rebuilt. I find that a far better trait than someone like Guiliani who cheated while he was married, left his wife and then married his mistress ( Imagine Judith as first lady !!! EEEK !! look up Judith Nathan in an online encyclopedia – do you want that kind of person to be our first lady ???? )

Because Hillary knows how to negotiate and rebuild, I trust her to do what is needed with our country, and to have the right people around her to advise on the rest. No president does this alone. It's the advisers, the Cabinet, that count.

The president is our face to the world. Time to get with it and put someone in there who will help us heal from 7 going on 8 yrs of bungled policy and grift. That takes experience. This is NO time for the idealistic yearnings of youth. It's time to get it done.

I will not vote for Obama, he is just too inexperienced, and am hoping if Obama gets the nod that Hillary runs as an Independent. If she doesn't, I'll break party lines for the first time and vote for Ron Paul.

Now, as to who will win and how – it is all very entertaining, and the expectation is a thrill. With competent aides many of the current nominees would make an above-average president – there is recent proof of that. And many of the nominees do have the personal wherewithal to offer direction and vision, and make money for all of us. But please do not forget the unforgiving kind of world we live in.

We have another person saying that Hillary is trying to keep black people down by running against him as a candidate. Are we serious?

Personally, I would love to see Hillary or Obama as president. They both offer different things. Obama's message of hope is a great message but can his message be converted into actions and results? Clinton has the experience which I do not see as a detriment to America. Bush had no experience in so many areas and look at where we are. Sometimes I think we need experience in our next president more than ever.

The one possible bright spot in all these comments is that I have not noticed anyone mentioning Edwards. Edwards is the one person who could force me to vote republican, which has never been done in my 17-years of voting.

Gimme a break.

All that Bill did for black people was buy an office in Harlem.

“Think outside the box.” Many people have heard this phrase but too few people actually know what it means. Bear with me – I AM going somewhere with this. For most of 2007, there was a disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street, where us ordinary Joes and Josephinas have been shouting for months that the economy is in trouble even as Wall Street kept its head in the sands. None of the pundits out there can truly explain what’s happening for one good reason – because “it” has never happened before. No matter how much they try to spin it, old theories just don’t work anymore.

It’s finally beginning to sink in that there has been a global paradigm shift not only in terms of economics and finance but in social and spiritual consciousness (note I did NOT say “religious” consciousness). And it’s this paradigm shift that has caught the “same ole politico” by surprise and unfortunately, this includes Hilary Clinton. I do admire her and she is obviously intelligent but she has no clue how to think outside the proverbial box. It’s not about experience or intellect or connections or whatever adjective you can come up with Hill and Bill. It’s about honesty, integrity, empathy, talking with and not talking at, transparency, a consistent message, trust, hope in the face of daunting obstacles, humility, the ability to listen and learn not just lead, inspiration but most importantly, it’s about VISION. Vision beyond anything that is status quo.

I must say how proud I am of you Iowans for recognizing that shift and making such a powerful stand when you voted for Barack Obama. I haven’t felt proud of being an American for a long time until you Iowans gave that gift back to me. You truly embody what we all need to do as Americans– become invested enough in the political landscape to recognize that the people we elect are not are rulers or leaders but our servants. True politicians know that being elected to public office is a sacred trust of Service for which they must be held accountable. We have abdicated that role for too long because we couldn’t be bothered. We CREATED our political monsters.

And you kids in that 17 – 24 year range who have emerged energized and idealistic and enthused and hopeful and PROUD, you are such an inspiration to an old fart like me!!. I know that anyone on this page who directs an anti-Obama to his website, is a youngster. Too many times, I have heard people of my generation (that is, OLD folks) talk disparagingly about the younger generation but in all honesty, we can learn a lot from you. Time is on your side in that you are probably the first generation of Americans who were brought up in an undivided world, where you have always known people of other ethnicity and cultures but not feel threatened by it. The first generation of a global economy where the internet transcends borders, making you a generation of open-minded, information seekers with a sense of purpose that is very different from my “world.” Quite frankly, yours is a far better world and I feel proud to know that I can entrust the future of this nation into your capable hands. The torch has been passed, thank God!

The only thing that will salvage the Clinton legacy is when they lose both New Hampshire and South Carolina – they should get the hell out of the way of ground breaking World History and support the Obama run for the White House.

Bill and Hillary should step aside and show the Republicans a united front
behind a powerful agent of change and unity – a man who can sell his progressive
change and restore hope and dignity to American culture.

Dr. Kings dream is now a real possibility and the Clinton's should walk the walk
and be part of the flow of history.

Stop the nightmare and join the Dream, catch the vision and go out with some class.

As Barak would say " there is room for you too! "

Obama 08

I hope voters do some homework before voting. Edwards is backing Obama strictly for political gain. He will not bring change, he is just trying to improve his shot at getting to the White House. We need experience to undo what Bush and Cheney have done. Neither Obama nor Edwards bring that to the table.

Moreover, I am sick to death of all the talk about the political aristocracy. Everyone goes on and on about how it is unfair and unethical to judge someone based on gender or race, and yet it is perfectly OK to judge them based off of their spouse. Yes, yes, I am sick, in some ways, of seeing Clintons and Bushes dominating the White House – but is it fair to discount Hillary merely because she happens to be the last of the string? When, in fact, she is almost indisputably smarter than George HW, Bill, and George W put together?

Ok, and what is it with all the "Ice Queen" business? Did anyone read about what she did today in New Hampshire – begging fire marshals to let more people in to hear her speak, ditching her stump speech for Question and Answer, inviting undecided voters to travel with her to her next campaign site so she could talk with them during the ride instead of taking a break from her 22+ hour day. And I seriously doubt that the thousands of children she helped while she was the First Lady think of her as "icy." (An important point to mention, as Obama has yet to mention education in his stump speeches, whereas Hillary has plans to scrap No Child Left Behind and lower college tuition.)

So much of this "Ice Queen" perception comes from the fact that she is a smart, effective woman politician! For God's sake, the woman has to wear a woman's business suit every day – how can she NOT look a little icy? The political machine was built by men, for men, and for a woman to find a way in and appear personable without bringing everyone home-made cupcakes and lemonade is night unto impossible. Eleanor Roosevelt wasn't exactly the sunniest, warmest disposition either, but she got plenty done and won over plenty of hearts, didn't she?

The only solution at this point is to give Hillary the nomination and run Obama as her veep. She has the experience and capacity to lead, and she IS the candidiate that can beat any candidate the Republicans can run. He has the charisma to bolster her campaign and would, no doubt, help to shape her decisions in a positive way. They would make a phenomenal team on the road to the White House and within. And, in the years that Hillary serves as President, Obama will gain the experience and know-how that he needs to match his lovely rhetoric.

I only hope the country comes to it's senses before it's too late. And, trust me, I am not the only person under 25 who feels this way.

Every single piece of evidence points to the contrary – Hillary is hated by as many as she is liked by, which is a bad start for any campaign, and she will surely unite the Republicans behind whichever candidate they finally pick. Obama is generally liked by most (he has a big appeal to the apolitical, too, which is one reason I think he'd win), and he is at least respected by the Republicans compared to Clinton. The Republicans are the ones in trouble because each of their candidates caters to a specific clique and turns the rest off, instead of uniting all the cliques like the Christian moralist Wall Street warmongerer we currently have.

Obama would be in the strongest position of any of the Democrats against any one of the Republicans. Polls have shown Obama beating every single Republican in a head-to-head matchup, while Hillary always loses to at least McCain and brings in far lower numbers. Edwards is too divisive and wants to go to war with the corporations, and plus he's a trial lawyer who made millions off of frivolous lawsuits – I can't see many Republicans jumping the fence to support him.

If Obama considered Richardson or Dodd as his running mate, he'd be in good shape. Or if he chose some governor who has extensive experience (I'm not thinking of anyone in particular.) I think the three front runners have too much bad blood to pick each other, and only Obama wouldn't be a liability as a VP candidate for any of them. Early on, it seemed that Obama and Edwards were teaming up to a degree, but since Edwards called Obama a "corporate sellout" for bringing health insurance companies to the table for a discussion about health insurance (how evil of him), I can't see Obama picking him.

Clinton has TONS of baggage to overcome, she voted for the war and continues to support it, to the disgust of many Democrats and independents. There would be many Democrats who wouldn't support her and would vote Green or something. And Republicans will do anything to stop her – they don't have the same urgency towards Obama, which is why he could handily win.

Actually, I can't believe anyone supports her – she is very smart, which makes her come off as calculating and power hungry by the way she manuevers. It has zip to do with the fact that she is a woman and everything to do with the fact that she (like Romney) is the archetypal politician who will say anything to get elected, cater to whoever she needs to cater to, and will present herself as whatever she thinks the polls want (candidate of change? give me a break!) instead of who she really is. It wouldn't be surprising if the only reason she stayed with Bill was for this opportunity.

Some of the nasty/ugly Hilliary came out – Not good TV.

She will be SOOOOOOO easy to beat. Go ahead, make Hillary the candidate, and guarantee another Republican president. Fools.

The former(?!) GOP operative claimed responsibility for the front page tabloid screaming "Gore LIAR LIAR", and explained how they "leaked damaging info and rumors" about Kerry to the mainstream press "anonymously". The 20/20 reporter even admitted that when Kerry called the media out that they were "using planted GOP negative info" = he WAS right!! Then there are the 527 "Swift Boat" groups.

It's all fine and dandy for Senator Obama to sway his supporters by telling them that he stands for "hope" not for "fear" BUT who will mop up the blood when the GOP JAWS gets done with all the little lambs?! Maybe Obama needs to call on Joan of Arc to fight his battles for him instead!! Or else he needs to be a man and stand up and be honest with his supporters = that he is after all is said and done A POLITICIAN.

I will definitely be out voting for Obama next month and in November.

Get your facts straight. Forty years ago there were more Democrats voting against the 1964 Civil Rights Act than Republicans. While the Act was championed by LBJ, without strong Republican support the Dems would have harpooned that initiative.

Although I am registered as a Republican, I could see myself voting for Obama. Of the Democrats, he is the only candidate who seems to be not merely competent but inspirational (which may be more of what this country needs in 2008). Unfortunately, when he begins to talk specific policy, it comes out as the "same old, same old" watered -down American socialism the Democrats so love. I have yet to see any real innovation or an appreciation for the fact that wealth redistribution, of any sort, is contrary to building a free society. At least his health-care plan isn't as onerous as Hillary's, but they both pale in comparison to, yes, GWB's "ownership society".

Your point is well taken. In the years I have lived in America, Americans are very taken by image with no substance. Your word of caution and failure to understand it was exercised in the Gore vs Bush race and it has re-emerged with the current leading candidates in the respective parties. I would also point out to the caliber of comments are partisan, inane, and vapid. Most are illiterate about geopolitical realities, geography, and cultural nuances. It is Disnyland mentality, instant consumption where everthing is experienced as a commodity but it has glitz with a corresponding lack of reasoned substance.

A previous poster mentioned that Obama may not get the black vote in South Carolina....but I would disagree. I called hundreds if not thousands of voters in SC while i was there, and MANY African Americans plan on supporting Barack...not because of his race, but because of his commitment to the issues that matter most to them: health care, education, and the war in iraq.

This presidential contest is not about race. It is about the issues that confront us all, and no one is more prepared to confront those issues than our next president of the United States, Barack Obama.

Do you really think that a person with the qualification and past of Hillary
can be compared with Jefferson, Lincoln or FDR ??

A high dose of fantism is needed to say so !!

So what did they do? They, yes not just Bill, became Republican-lite and sacrificied the reputation – and most of all sold out the identity – of the Democratic Party. So the pair of them has been in Washington how long now, and nothing has changed since their arrival on the scene. (Health care, education, poverty, corporate greed, lobbyists, energy ...). We cannot afford as a nation to continue in this destructive direction to help vindicate the Clinton reputation and influence on Washington.

I really want to believe her and do not doubt that she has very good intentions but until she started her run for the White House – waving the flag of the air of entitlement – she and all her spineless colleagues passively supported a good share of the failed policies thrust upon our country by the Bush administration.

One big problem here: If she can't form any kind of a resistant coalition within her own party – or across the aisle for that matter – and be an agent of change based on core Democratic beliefs and principles before holding her finger to the political winds, what exactly will motivate her to do anything different as president? And now in desperation when all else has failed – other than negative attacks which will likely start soon – she is adopting the fear factor from the Bush administration in her stump speeches.

As much as I'd like to see a women in the White House, Hillary is not the kind of leadership this country deserves. She is as polarizing as George Bush, and her presidency will be paralyzed from "day one" trying to defend her past support of old guard policies and any promotion of her future retooled policies plus all the personal unfinished business that Bill left behind.

I think everyone is exaggerating the impact of Obama winning the Iowa Caucus. That is one out of 59 states. Hillary Clinton leads in most other important states, including New Hampshire. In terms of delegates, which matter more than just winning Iowa of New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton is far, far above any of her opponents. I think people are underestimating her and the obvious lead she still maintains.

WHERE DOES THIS JERK FIGURE 59 STATES?
HE MUST BE SMOKING THE SAME STUFF...OR NEVER WENT TO SCHOOL
HILARY....NEVER