Bill Clinton: Cover-Up hiding Hillary’s Chances

SusanUnPC is links to this story:

(CNN) — Former President Bill Clinton said that Democrats were more likely to lose in November if Hillary Clinton is not the nominee, and suggested some were trying to “push and pressure and bully” superdelegates to make up their minds prematurely.

“I can’t believe it. It is just frantic the way they are trying to push and pressure and bully all these superdelegates to come out,” Clinton said at a South Dakota campaign stop Sunday, in remarks first reported by ABC News.

Clinton also suggested some were trying to “cover up” Sen. Clinton‘s chances of winning in key states that Democrats will have to win in the general election.

” ‘Oh, this is so terrible: The people they want her. Oh, this is so terrible: She is winning the general election, and he is not. Oh my goodness, we have to cover this up.’ “

Yes, it’s not just the voters in the recent primaries rallying to Senator Clinton’s support. Voters all over the country are exhibiting buyers remorse and today’s Homind Views makes that dramatically clear. Hillary doesn’t have just a good chance of beating McCain — as of today, she’s got a 100% chance of beating John McCain in the election this November.

Take a look, Hominid Analysis of polls and Simulations:

On Friday, Sen. Hillary Clinton had a 99.9% chance of defeating Sen. John McCain in an election held then. Today after the release of five new polls, Clinton’s chances have increased ever so slightly.

After 10,000 simulated elections, Clinton wins 10,000 times (and there were no ties). What does this mean? It means that the state head-to-head polls used to generate a simulated election indicate that Clinton would win a general election held now. That is, her expected win of 320 electoral votes is well above the “margin of error” (or sampling variability).

This doesn’t mean she wins with certainty in November…it means she would win in an election held right now.

Here’s more from President Clinton:

The former president said Sunday that the media had unfairly attacked his wife since the Iowa caucuses, repeating an often-used charge that press coverage had made him feel as though he were living in a “fun house.”

“If you notice, there hasn’t been a lot of publicity on these polls I just told you about,” he said. “It is the first time you’ve heard it? Why do you think that is? Why do you think? Don’t you think if the polls were the reverse and he was winning the Electoral College against Senator McCain and Hillary was losing it, it would be blasted on every television station?”

He added, “You would know it wouldn’t you? It wouldn’t be a little secret. And there is another Electoral College poll that I saw yesterday had her over 300 electoral votes. … She will win the general election if you nominate her. They’re just trying to make sure you don’t.”

As President Clinton says, we’re in a virtual fun house. All weekend we’ve been told that it’s all over. Give up. “They” won’t let Hillary win. But all over the country Hillary’s getting stronger — the Democratic Nomination is a virtual tie.

And this one won’t be over ’till August.

Anglachel says it’s in Obama’s court

I was going through withdrawal today and then, miraculously, I see that Anglachel has a post.  Missed the Bus is her way of talking everyone off the ledge.  Not everyone is there but some of us are getting a bit testy with the ones who are getting hysterical.  Like we want to line up and slap the person spazzing out like they did in the movie Airplane.

According to Anglachel, Obama is in a bit of “a tight spot” on this whole FL and MI delegation thing:

But, we’re looking at a lady or tiger situation here, or rather a co-dependent win with the lady and a crushing defeat you will never recover from tiger. Fail to seat Hillary’s supporters while their votes still count and you lose in November. Seat them and you risk losing the delegate lead and get relegated to VP. (And, yes, Hillary will make Obama her VP without batting an eye.) If you still somehow managed to squeak out the delegate count, you instantly make her VP, thereby legitimizing your biggest political opponent, or you lose in November. There’s no recovery from that. Failing to give respect and power where it is due only strengthens your opponent for the next round.

To be honest, he has completely failed my test.  Waiving the rules is something he should have done months ago.  And now he is essentially saying. “Don’t look at me, it’s all in the DNC’s hands.”  Not so fast, Barack.  We know how the DNC has been stacking the deck for you.  Donna Brazile has allbut threatened to take her dishes and go home if the Superdelegates do their jobs and nominate the more electable candidate.  You can *try* to pin it on the DNC but that’s just a cowardly way out.

So, now he is no leader, not confident and a coward.  Great!  Just great.  And this will be our leader of the free world after George W. Bush relinquishes his throne.

Not. Bloody.  Likely.

Hillary has fun in Puerto Rico, but she’s still at work

Impervious doesn’t begin to describe Hillary’s ability to campaign under adversity. She’s been in Puerto Rico since Saturday:

(I can’t figure out how to embed this video)

Hillary Dancing

And (from Jeralyn at TalkLeft)

Here is Hillary Clinton’s plan for Puerto Rico. Hillary, Bill and Chelsea have been actively campaigning there all weekend. Today, they attended a Memorial Day celebration in Capitolis. She also is hosting conversations with Puerto Rico families in Bayamon and Guayama. Later she will attend a union rally for civil servants in Ponce and another event in San Juan.

Hillary has accepted an invitation from Univision for a debate with Obama on issues of import to Puerto Rican voters.

Ah, now there’s a dream…..

While we wait for the debate that will never happen, let’s all have a beer and a dance with Hillary.

Virtual Memorial Day Barbeque

The BFF is already at the bike race and I’m dawdling. I have to leave in a few. But when the race is over, ew’re having a barbeque for two. Here’s out menu:

Appetizers:

King crab legs

Boiled New Potatoes with Baba ganouj

Peppadews, cornichons and olives

Main Menu

Smokehouse barbequed salmon with grilled onions on cialbatta rolls

Roasted corn

Caprese salad

Cole slaw

Dessert

Chocolate chunk cookies with macadamia nuts

To drink: Sangria in a box, Pinot Grigio

The potatoe appetizer couldn’t be easier. To make, boil some small new potatoes until tender. Cut in half. Top with a gollop of baba ganouj (purchased from the storae).

What are you having today?

Recount

I fell asleep for the last 15 minutes of Recount last night but I kind of know how it ends. I’m not going to review too much of this quirky film. You can do that in the comments. But I will say that we probably underestimated the level of absurdity in the 2000 election.

The most effective feature of the film for me was seeing the recount from both sides and how each side approached it. The Gore side wanted to play by the rules, initially, and took a diplomatic approach as exemplified by the almost cluelessly passive Warren Christopher. The Bush side was in full haka mode and was going to fight to the death. The weren’t especially bright but man were they vicious.

There was one particular scene that is instructive for the pro-Hillary bloggers and French Foreign Legion types that we are. Almost immediately, James Baker banned newspaper Op/Ed pages from the premises while Warren Christopher used them for guidance. And how did that work out? This is my point about disconnecting yourself from the media. The media, Obama campaign and the DNC are now engaged in a type of psychological warfare on us. I’m not being paranoid. Every one of you has experienced in one form or another even as recently as yesterday at the hands of Big Tent Democrat. And where is HE getting it from?

You have to protect yourself, immunize yourself, don’t take it personally. They are desperate to get Hillary to drop out and their intent is to undermine our resolve in any way possible. If you pay attention to the media, you will think that all of the forces of the universe are arrayed against her and that her cause is hopeless. But if you talk to your friends, you will find that a good many of them genuinely like her, want very much to vote for her in the general election and are depressed about her chances but not quite willing to give up hope. So, it isn’t true that everyone in the universe wants her to quit. It is just the people who stand to lose the most power who are screaming Surrender Dorothy.

The newest meme from them is that by staying in the race, she is hurting Obama’s and the Democrats chances in the fall. But the exact opposite is true. The longer Obama stays in the race, the more he hurts *her* chances and the Democrats chances in the fall. He is a walking, talking disaster waiting to implode the party on election day. The Superdelegates have to be watching the numbers and know that he starts out not with a wide lead over McCain but nearly dead even if not a bit behind. And this is before the media turns on him. Before the evils that lurk in the mud hatch out. Before half of the party walks off in disgust because it no longer has anything to offer us. He is toast. We can all see it. We know that the sun rises in the east and will set in the west and that Obama will lose this fall.

But Hillary can win. We just have to make sure that the rest of the country knows that we aren’t giving up. We’re not into diplomacy or negotiation in FL or MI. Both delegations must be seated fully with power to affect the outcome. We need to make a ruckus to show we are not going to passively hand over our votes and then disappear so Obama’s young undisciplined hooligans can throw a kegger in Denver. We are going to stick this out to the bitter end and we will be in their face until they recognize that Hillary is the best candidate we’ve had since 1992 for the presidency.

Now, I don’t want to hear about anyone spending this Memorial Day crying into their glass of Sangria in a box. Turn off the news, put down the paper and recuperate for next week. Have a picnic, barbeque or join me in Somerville, NJ for the annual Tour of Somerville Bike Race. We’re going to be OK if we stick together.

Monday Memorial Day: We Will Wait Upon the Shore

This is my Dad. he was about 20 years old when this picture was shot. It was the fifties and he participated in the Korean War.

He was a very bright guy. He attended Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, the same school that graduated Dan Marino. But something happened in his final two years of HS. There was a dispute with the administration of the school. I never found out what it was but if I’m not mistaken, it was a matter of honor for my Dad and Grandfather. So he transferred to a vocational school and studied to be a draftsman. Sometime after his graduation, he enlisted. The academic world is the worse for it as my father had a great passion for history and would have made a wonderful professor.

He served for several years. Then he got out of the Navy, joined US Steel as a draftsman and met and married my mom. I was born during a recession. My father was laid off and in desperation, he rejoined the Navy. The Navy recognized this smart dedicated man and sent him to learn nuclear welding and reactor maintenance. It was the golden age of nuclear air craft carriers, submarines and reactor design. My Dad was there for all of it.

Then came the Vietnam War.

I owe my love of politics to the Vietnam War. My Dad was away on sea duty for much of the sixties during my childhood. His tours of duty would stretch for 8 months at a time. We would follow him from port to port across the country. Every night, I would watch Walter Cronkite on the news and follow the war and the civil rights movement. I knew that a lot of daddies died in Vietnam but my Dad would probably not be one of them.

When we knew our Daddy was coming home from a tour, my sister and I would get giddy with anticipation. We would put our best clothes on and go to the dock and wait. I still remember the smell of salt water and oil that swelled around the pier as we gazed out to sea waiting fot the ship to come in. Finally, we saw it slowly pull in to port. The sailors, dressed in brilliant and crisp white uniforms would array themselves on the deck. The deck was festooned with hundreds of fluttering triangular flags. The sailors stood at attention, their feet planted wide, their head and shoulders thrown back proudly. Nobody waved. It was all very formal. The anchor ceremony took place with a line of sailors lowering the weight and securing the ship to the pier with thick ropes and chains.

Then, one by one, each sailor would wait his turn to request permission to go ashore. They would salute the commanding officer and fairly run down the ramp to the arms of their families. From a distance, it was difficult to tell which one was my Daddy, but soon, we would see a tall man with a slightly off kilter walk, headed in our direction, his sea bag over his shoulder, full of presents from exotic places. He would kiss my mother for a looooong time as we bounced up and down. We would give him kisses and hugs and my sister and I would fight over who would sit behind him in the car on the way home.

The shore leave never lasted long. In about a month, we would take him to the dock and the whole ritual would be performed in reverse.

It wasn’t until the 70’s before he got permanent shore leave, more or less. He made chief and ran his own welding shop. He was one of the Navy’s most highly sought welders. They flew him all around the world to fix reactors on submarines. He spent some time in a research facility where the Navy perfected its reactors. When, after 20 years in the Navy, he finally retired, he was recruited my a commercial nuclear company to tend to its reactor. He put everything ship-shape and when Admiral Rickover, the father of the nuclear Navy, came to visit this famous reactor after my Dad put it right, the Admiral’s praise for his work was my Dad’s finest hour.

But the Navy did take his life. Or at least that is what my family and I believe. My Dad was exposed to a lot of toxic materials during his naval career. He died in 1995 from bladder cancer. He is buried in Ft. Indiantown Gap National Cemetery amidst the verdant rolling hills of his native Pennsylvania.

I was a pall bearer at his simple military funeral. My mother was presented with the folded flag. My sister gently wept as they played Taps. Myself and my brother, a Sergeant in the Army, accompanied him to his final resting place. As I sat the casket down, something strange happened to my hand. I could not pull it away from this gentle family man with the serious disposition that I inherited. The smart man who never swore, never got a single tattoo. Who was quick to anger but never held a grudge. Like a magnet, he held me there. Then, with a great effort, I pulled my hand away.

I miss him. But I miss him as I did when I was a child. He is not gone forever. He is merely at sea. Someday, we will all meet again. My family will forget the foolishness of life and wait upon the shore where there will be a happy reunion.