Sunday Roundup

The Clinton campaign has never looked as hard into the future -- or the past -- as it did last night. Hillary had already left South Carolina for Tennessee, and Bill was giving a semi-concession speech from Missouri, looking forward to the millions of people who will be voting on Super Tuesday -- since the hundreds of thousands in South Carolina didn't exactly go the way the Clintons had hoped. And he desperately tried to spin Obama's triumph away by telling reporters that Jesse Jackson won South Carolina twice, in 1984 and 1988. But however hard the Clintons are trying to look forward to our Super Tuesday future or drag us into the Jesse Jackson past, there are some stunning numbers in the present they have to deal with: Obama got 295,091 votes to Clinton's 141,128 (more than twice as many). He got more votes than John McCain and Mike Huckabee combined (279,723). He won 78% of the black vote, 25% of the white vote, and 52% of the non-black vote under 30. And he was more than a little responsible for the fact that Democratic turnout was twice that of 2004 (532,000 to 280,000). These numbers are pretty hard to run away from.

Follow Arianna Huffington on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ariannahuff

Comments

[warpspeed9]

I am shocked and appalled at the Swift Boat reporting on the Left sliming the CHARACTER of Hillary Clinton, as opposed to speaking on the issues.

My challenge to you: Tell me please PRECISELY how Obama’s promises are UNIQUE compared to Hillary or Obama:

Here’s the ones I know of

• Obama say he is uniquely going to set a new non-partisan tone, where people are going to want to come together.


Sounds like Dubya’s promises before he went into office.

• Unlike Edwards, Obama is promising to bring the Corporate interests to the Table too, in compromising his changes.

Here is what Paul Krugman notes on this:

BACKGROUND:
Barack Obama says he wants change and that we can have that change without bitter partisan politics.

John Edwards blames the wealthy and corporate interests for our current problems, saying American needs another FDR – a person who took on the hatred of the right, but still effected big changes.

Per Krugman: " Anyone who thinks that the next president can achieve real change without bitter confrontation is living in a fantasy world.”

“Let’s be blunt: pundits who say that what voters really want is a candidate who makes them feel good, that they want an end to harsh partisanship, are projecting their own desires onto the public.

"And nothing Mr. Obama has said suggests that he appreciates the bitterness of the battles he will have to fight if he does become president, and tries to get anything done."

read entire article here:
“
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/opinion/17krugman.html?scp=11&sq=krugman&st=nyt

[warpspeed9]

Arianna,

I have seen projections for months stating South Carolina was one of the FEW states who would go for Obama. South Caroline went for Jessie Jackson in the 1980s, and this did not exactly launch his career.

Again you leave all this out to spin what you want.

[DarrowFan]

No matter how much the media all want to spin it as a "race win" for Obama, you can't get around these numbers:

Obama wins 68% of 18-29 year olds
Obama wins 62% of 30-44 year olds
Obama wins 55% of 45-59 year olds
Obama wins 63% of people who have never voted before
Obama wins 54% of of non-college educated voters
Obama wins 52% of college educated voters
Obama wins 55% of people who make less than $100,000
Obama wins 57% of people who make less than $50,000
Obama wins 52% of people who said the economy was the most important issue

[cacki]

Just watched Obama on George S. On the issue of seating Florida and Michigan delegates at the Dem convention, he completely capitulates to the DNC. Hillary doesn't; she from the start has said she wants delegates seated. She kept her name on the Michigan ballot. I think I finally understand why many the Dem establishment are endorsing Obama--they feel they can control him. Don't be fooled by the fuzzy 'this is the future' talk by the party oldies--it's about control and power; and it's not about giving it to Obama.

[SomewhereInTheMiddle]

We have three sanators that are front-runners, look at their experience levels and see which one is truly tested, had been placed under magnifying glass all his/her life and is a realist. Obama is articulate and gives fantastic speeches but is that enough? (BTW, have you noticed he has changed his presentation of speeches to that of MLK recently?) I think some people were trying to say to Obama that we have known and worked with MLK and you are no MLK!
We need to inspire our young people to look beyong "coolness" qualities and look deeper at issues and candidates and then make a judgement. This is not American Idol people!

[WilliamGossett]

Arianna -

I hope you are right. I hope this is a new dawning of insight in America but I fear not.

You yourself came from Europe as a doctrinaire conservative who saw what conservativism in the US meant. Unlike Europe, where Tories still take care of their people, US conservatives abandon them and tell the less fortunate they are on their own and to suck it up.

Let us hope thata greater percentage of folks here develop the insight that you did.

[scandals&skeletons]

here is what i want to know. since bill is making concession speeches for hillary, lets say she is elected president, does bill make the state of the union address also?

[CharlotteNH]

The Clintons never cease to amaze me. I used to mean that in a very positive way. Not anymore. It was bad enough that they stooped to the dirty, negative campaigning that we all saw. I could not believe that neither Bill nor Hillary could properly congratulate Obama and just "blew off" the SC electorate. The decision of the Clinton campaign to not rein in Bill in the future (as reported last night) raises so many questions. IF Hillary wins the nomination and then the November election, will they, or more importantly, how will they rein him in then? Will he travel throughout the country and the rest of the world making comments that Hillary will then have to dismiss as "maybe Bill went a little too far..."?

I also was disappointed in John Edwards' concession speech to Obama. He used the same remark as the Clintons. What does that mean? Also, I have noticed that Elizabeth Edwards has not been visible lately. I sincerely hope that she is okay - I like and admire her very much.

[deb123]

So Edwards siphons off the anti-HC and anti-BO votes and then makes a deal. With whom? What does he want? He's no dummy and he's staying in against the odds for a reason. Stay honest, Obama! Look in your heart, America. I'm running out of a lifetime and want to see the future looking brighter than when I came in.

[Gabrielle]

OBAMA/KUCINICH 08

[Dannydel]

When I first heard Obama speak, I thought: "he is too good a candidate to have any chance, get ready for yet another disappointment." Now, I'm not so sure. Friday, the motor mouthed 'analysts', who so accurately predicted N.H. (NOT!), were telling us of a precarious and fatal drop in white support for 'O'. And yet, the voters have shown that they are paying attention and that they care, and that they will NOT be manipulated by some t.v. talking head. What a brillliant surprise then, to turn on my television to see mr. Obama making another of his inclusive and awe inspiring speeches, after trouncing the Clinton(s) yesterday. I was a Bill Clinton supporter during his tenure, and I looked forward to Hilarys' candidacy. Then, from out of Abe Licoln country, comes Sen. Obama and the Clintons go into hyper 'sleaze' mode. I am disappointed with them and and encouraged that South Carolinians saw their tactics for what they were, and soundly rejected them. Obamas victory yesterday makes me think the unthinkable. My fingers are crossed and my cynicism is a little less weighty today as I ponder the possibilities.

[ArcasMan]

If Bill Clinton had done a better job during his eight years in office,the Republicans would not have been close in 2000.

So we should let Hillary be president because Bill did such a great job?The disparity between rich and poor increased during the Clinton years,our foreign policy was just more of the same,leading to 9/11.

Our foreign policy during the Clinton years accomplished nothing to promote us in the middle east.

The Clintons play politics,while we live with the consequenc­es.Hillary and Bill will never worry about making ends meet.their rich friends will make sure about that.

I hope that either Obama,Bloomberg,or John Mccain becomes president.­Unfortunat­ely,most excellent women leaders work in the private sector and would not touch politics with a ten foot poll.
If Hillary feels she has good leadership skills,then she confuses the concept of leader and boss.Hillary strikes me as a smart woman,but not inspirational,an essential trait for a good president.
we don't need a boss,we need a leader.

[mrJJ]

Time to turn the page....

Caroline Kennedy "A President Like My Father"

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27kennedy.html?th&emc=th


Frank Rich "The Billary Road to Republican Victory"

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27rich.html?th&emc=th

[green12]

Where are the Constitutionalists to state that Bill Clinton has no authority to make any concession or acceptance speech? If the candidate cannot make speeches for themselves a spokesperson designate is required to speak on their behalf, not unless of course Bill Clinton is Hillary Clinton's spokesperson designate. That seems to be the case as the candidate seldom has anything to say and the spokesperson designate speaks frequently. The candidate is officially responsible for all comments so made. That said the threat has been made on this thread that "Never underestimate the Clintons. This was all just a prelude to the main game, and HILLARY is getting better and better and better. Obama IS A GREAT PACE SETTER FOR HER...." Only Hillary isn't getting any different or better, Bill Clinton is in his game and running in the wolf pack mode. Yes Bill was surprised by the margin of Obama victory. Yes he will take measures to ensure that does not happen again. But will he succeed? May be Obama can relate to hispanics that are legal voters.

[Esgarqui]

Bill Clinton Made a Mistake
Years ago, I met one of the leaders of the Mexican opposition party, National Action Party. During an election I told him that I did not understand why he was working for such a lost cause. He answered that in many respects he felt like a woodcutter trying to bring down an old tree, that had produced scarce fruit that only a few had tasted and enjoyed, and with his ax he, and many others, were blowing away at the base of this tree trying to bring it down to give way to a new tree that would yield fresh fruit for millions to taste and savor.
After 73 years of having existed, the tree was bought down giving way to a new tree whose fruit, true democracy and alternating parties in power are now a reality in Mexico.
Bill Clinton made a mistake comparing Obama with Jesse Jackson. Every true Democrat would be proud of the comparison. Mr. Jackson is one of the many sturdy wood cutters that have inspired many other tree cutters that are bringing down the trees of division, race, gender, class, and creed that will take this great country to new heights. We must support Obama, and other leaders like him, who follow Jesse Jackson and many other leaders who preceded them, chipping away at the foot of an old and useless tree. With our votes, we will help them bring down the tree that has divided this nation