A fun-to-read article on Time Magazine. Clinton mudslinging machine seems to be in need of a complete overhauling. Anyone wishing to oil it?

She is plenty worried I am sure. Her speech afterwards was actually pretty good tho. She acted like she had won and praised her running mates I notice that she kept on with the word "change" which is what they are finding Obamas supporters like about him. I dont think she is going to get anywhere attacking him, I think it will hurt her more.

Hillary will look to "re-invent" herself before NH.

Of course, when you don't actually stand for anything, that is a pretty easy thing to do.

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum

And I totally believe that is what either would deliver as president..............."Change" will be all that is left in the pockets of small business, since both candidates support changes in tax law that would increase small business tax liabilities by an estimated 30%. Never mind that small business employs 80% of America.

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I totally agree. people have to get past his charisma and supposed "change" of government and see what he would actually "do" if elected. See what he stands for and how he votes. I hope he beats the pants off of Hilliary, because I dont think he would win the actual presidency.

Aye, which is why I am all for her falling.

Watching the NH debates on ABC tonight, Hillary did not help her cause.

She went on the attack and she ended up looking foolish. The whole exchange elicted very weird cackling laughs, uncomfortable moments, and unnatural facial expressions. Obama really just took the high road and I think it was effective.

Edwards really looked pretty good though. He might be joining forces again to gang up on Hillary so that he can try to knock Hillary out.... which is perhaps his only chance to get ahead.

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Screw Change!! Let's have a Seamless Transition of Power and Policy.. John McSame in 2008!

Hillary has to win in NH to remain credible. I had hoped that guys like Biden and/or Dodd would do better. Either one would win in a landslide because they have no negatives to speak of. Any of the big three left will have a tough time in november. Hillary because people are tired of the bush/Clinton dynasties. Obama because the Republican attack machine will tear jhim to pieces and Edwards because he is Edwards, a reial lawyer who was on the tickets in 04 and deserves part of the blame.

Speakig of the NH debates, here are some excerpts from leading newspapers:

Mark Halperin’s grades:

Obama A-

Edwards: B+

Clinton: B

Richardson: B-

His comment: Calm, relaxed and comfortably swathed in the new mantle of frontrunner. Very well prepared both substantively and stylistically for what a determined Clinton brought his way, although he might have shown more graciousness when the likeability issue arose. Defended himself but didn’t get drawn into a colloquy that would take him off message.
The Page - by Mark Halperin - TIME

The Atlantic's Mark Ambinder...
Iowa victor Obama had a target on his back, but he’s acquired a Kevlar vest as a frontrunner… he was unflappable.
Marc Ambinder (January 05, 2008) - Democratic Debate Thoughts

Facebook poll post-debate, most presidential:
Obama 46%
Clinton 25%
Edwards 21%
Richardson 8%
Facebook: Obama most presidential - First Read - msnbc.com

Washington Post's Chris Cilizza...
Obama seemed to come into this debate determined to show that he is presidential and he did that nicely. He avoided engaging Clinton on a personal level and insisted that their policy disagreements were legitimate and fair game. That is the strategy of a confident candidate.
Democratic Debate: Edwards Backs Up Obama - The Fix

Josh Marshall...
In general, I think Obama's the winner tonight...the debate can only be understood in the context of the moment. Right now, Obama's on fire. The first post-Iowa polls show him picking up a big post-caucus bump. He needed to come off well. Not make any mistakes. And not let Hillary open up any and strong line of attack against him. And I think he did each one of those things. Which means he gave some reassurance to those who might be hesitating to get on the bandwagon and didn't do or allow anything to happen which significantly change the trend of the moment, which is moving heavily in his favor.
Talking Points Memo | My Take on the Dem Debate

American Prospect's Ezra Klein...
[Obama's] been dominant tonight. In body language, in tonality, in the way he's jumping in to crack jokes during other people's answers. He's acting as if the stage is his, and has been basically successful at making that the truth.
EzraKlein Archive | The American Prospect

ABC News' Karen Travers Reports: Former Sen. Bill Bradley will endorse Sen. Barack Obama in New Hampshire on Monday, ABC News has learned.

Air Spin one:
Air Spin One

Barack Obama, fresh from his victory in Iowa, now holds a ten point lead over Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the race found Obama with 37% of the vote while Clinton earns 27%. John Edwards is the only other candidate in double digits, with 19% support. Bill Richardson is the choice for 8%.

End of the road for Hilly?

I completely agree. Hillary seemed desperate. I'm still not sold on Barack Obama, but he appears to be close to breaking through in a way that our society hasn't seen since Bobby Kennedy. Seriously.

That speech he gave the other night was one of the best speeches we've heard in a long time. Listening to it, and the electricity in that room, you couldn't help but see that there was seriously something big going on there. I said last year that he is the only candidate, that if everything lines up his way, he could charge into the White House the way Michael Jordan charged down a basketball court, and Obama is a knockout punch away from getting closer to that.

At least if the Dems choose him the Republicans can't question his voting record on Iraq. He's been against the war the whole time.

I felt that Bill Richardson actually showed up tonight at the debate and did well for himself. What's with that guy? Is he staying in it so that he can grab enough delegates to affect the outcome if it becomes a brokered-convention type thing?

It's hard to say if Hillary can hold on in New Hampshire. The Independent vote killed her on Thursday and now 63% of Independents in NH are saying they are going to vote in the Democratic primary on Tuesday. That could be terrible for her.

If she loses but it's by a point of two, she can go on and still have a chance by beating Obama in New York and in a few other places, but if Obama gets that Indie vote again and beats her by 9 points or more again, that's it, it's Obama all the way.

Fucking riveting this whole thing if you ask me.

I predict that no matter what happens this month, Hillary and Obama and Edwards will stick it out until SuperTuesday on Feb.5.

Edwards still has a lot of fight in him and he can do well in South Carolina and Nevada later this month. And Michigan was a pretty good state for him 4 years ago too. So it's not like he's just going to start to suck.

Your words are so encouraging. What's more plausible, more and more people are thinking the way you do.

Obama's firm stance on the message of hope, being deaf to Hillary's fighting, mudsinging machine during the campaign, has been helping him gain independents and depoliticised people.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/06/op...on&oref=slogin

I will echo some earlier comments about Obama's performance since his victory speech in Iowa after his quite commanding victory. That speech stirred hope in me from 5,000 miles away.
I also watched quite a bit of the NH debate, and it might have been her worst appearance I have seen from her in a debate. She seemed agitated, not comfortable and ready to attack, but attacking from a position of weakness which makes it look all the more pathetic. She seemed downright catty in my book.

I can certainly understand the comments of comparison to RFK made earlier and I dont disagree. I can only hope and ask religious folks who pray to ensure that a similar fate does not happen that American mourned through in 68.

Very true. He's sucked since day one.

Matt

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De duobus malis, minus est semper eligendum