Who Can Win It All?!?

But Which Democrat Can
Win It All in November?

By CHRISTOPHER COOPER
February 13, 2008; Page A8

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, knotted in the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination, are increasingly sniping over who is most capable of defeating Sen. John McCain in the fall.

As Mr. McCain continues on his seemingly inexorable journey to the Republican nomination, Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton are frequently citing polls and carefully selected evidence to demonstrate they match up well against the Arizona senator in a head-to-head battle.

Right now, Mr. Obama has the stronger argument: In nine polls in the past two months that are posted by RealClearPolitics.com, the Illinois senator tops Mr. McCain in eight of them, with several of the most recent showing him winning by more than the survey's margin of error. Mrs. Clinton, by contrast, loses seven of the nine head-to-head contests, but only slightly.

But polls have proven volatile this political season, and at this point neither Democrat is close to a lock for a theoretical November victory. Both candidates display weaknesses that could hinder their electability.

The Clinton campaign harps on Mr. Obama's lack of big-time political experience -- a knock that the Republican National Committee has already begun making. This week on its Web site, the RNC issued a series of Valentine's cards, one of which lampooned Mr. Obama's Washington resume. "Three years in the U.S. Senate qualifies me to wish you happy Valentine's Day," the card says.

A sweep pushed Barack Obama ahead in the delegate count, but Hillary Clinton hopes to take Texas. John McCain attacked Clinton and Obama, not knowing which candidate is his direct opponent.

"I think the first thing that we've seen time and time again is that the GOP attack machine redefines the Democratic candidate. Hillary has withstood this process," Mark Penn, a senior Clinton adviser, told reporters this week.

But by touching on Mrs. Clinton's Washington experience, Mr. Penn also flags what could be one of her weaknesses in a general election contest: her past as an outspoken and hands-on first lady, joined at the hip with her husband, who was impeached by a Republican Congress.

In an interview earlier this week on WJLA Channel 7 in Washington, Mrs. Clinton was asked by an email correspondent whether she could guarantee that Bill Clinton could refrain from giving "fodder to Republicans" by remaining free of scandal during her term in office.

"I can assure this reader that that is not going to happen," Mrs. Clinton said, before backing off slightly. "You know, none of us can predict the future, no matter who we are and what we are running for, but I am very confident that that will not happen."

Mr. Obama says that in most cases, he thinks his supporters would fall in line behind Mrs. Clinton, should he fail to win the nomination, and her supporters would do the same for him, since the two agree on most policies.

But in a recent debate, Mr. Obama said he believed he had one edge: the Iraq war. Mrs. Clinton initially supported it, Mr. McCain has consistently supported it, and Mr. Obama has consistently opposed it.

The question of who is more electable in November isn't just being mulled by voters and the front-runners. An aide to John Edwards, who recently dropped out of the Democratic race, said the former North Carolina senator is torn over whether to endorse a politician he considers intimately tied to a dysfunctional political system, or to take a chance on a relative newcomer who may not have the toughness or the experience to go up against special interests in Washington.

Mike Huckabee, who runs a distant second to Mr. McCain for the Republican nomination, told reporters yesterday that while he admires Mrs. Clinton's grasp of policy issues, he thinks Mr. Obama has an advantage, adding that the Illinois senator "has energized an enormous level of the electorate" -- and not just Democrats.

Mr. Obama continues to show an inability to win many of the big states that in the November election will be winner-take-all. Although Mr. Obama easily won his home state of Illinois, Mrs. Clinton beat him handily in California and New Jersey -- two states where campaign organization and name recognition were key to victory.

MORE ON ELECTIONS

• Washington Wire

• Complete Coverage

• Electoral Compass

• Political Market

• Video

Mrs. Clinton also won a straw contest in Florida and is favored to win in Ohio and Pennsylvania -- states that have been crucial to presidential victory. Mrs. Clinton has said she considers this a strong demonstration of her ability to appeal to a broad swath of the U.S. electorate.

Who is most prepared to face Republicans in the fall general election? In the end, it might be who the Republicans -- and perhaps their standard-bearer -- attack that gives the best indication. Asked several months ago who he thought might win the Democratic nomination, President Bush said he believed Mrs. Clinton would.

Asked over the weekend on Fox News what he thought about Mr. Obama, Mr. Bush was quick to throw a punch. "I certainly don't know what he believes in," Mr. Bush said. "The only foreign policy thing I remember he said was he's going to attack Pakistan and embrace [Iran President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad."

The comments bent quite sharply what Mr. Obama has said about the subjects -- that he would authorize a strike on "high-value terrorist targets," if he was certain they resided in Pakistan, and that he would be willing to meet with rogue leaders such as Mr. Ahmadinejad in an attempt to settle differences.

Write to Christopher Cooper at christopher.cooper@wsj.com

interesting diagram...

Graphic

http://www.pixelpress.org/chernobyl/

Chernobyl Nuclear Destruction.

Daily Show

You might like this babe,

You have reserved tickets to attend a live taping of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Please print out this e-mail and bring it with you. If you would like to cancel your ticket request, please e-mail tickets@thedailyshow.com

FIRST NAME:	[ Alexander ]
LAST NAME:	[ Shea ]
DAYTIME PHONE:	[ ]
EVENING PHONE:	[ ]
MOBILE PHONE:	[ ]
E-MAIL:	[ alexander.shea@stern.nyu.edu ]
TICKETS:	[ 2 ]
DATE:	[ 2/12/08 ]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

733 11th Avenue

Between 51st and 52nd Street

New York, NY 10019

requesttickets@thedailyshow.com

212-586-2477

It's also in your email box! =]

Obama Interview on WSJ

The Wall Street Journal: What don't folks know about you?

Michelle Obama: I'm really funny and fun to be around. I'm very sarcastic … works wonders in a room when you see the movement in my face or intonation in my voice… . But sarcasm doesn't translate in print … [Consequently,] I've cut back on it, because I don't want that to be the story.

WSJ: What do you like least about this presidential run?

Mrs. Obama: What I like least is the gamesmanship of politics … I don't watch the debates … I don't mind being in tense situations; I just don't like watching folks in them. I never liked watching my brother's basketball games, either.

WSJ: You famously made your husband quit smoking to get your blessing for his run for president. But do you give him a break when he's under stress?

Michelle Obama: I told him, "Figure out another coping mechanism." Barack is doing the Nicorette gum instead.

WSJ: How are your daughters [Malia, 9 years old, and Sasha, 6] handling their father's presidential run?

Michelle Obama: Malia is starting to ask: "What's the impact? If Dad wins, will I finish my school year?" She's indicated she would have some ambivalence. She said, "I want Daddy to win because I think he would be a great president." But she checked to see if she has permission to be happy if he doesn't win. She asked, "Dad, how will you feel if you don't win?" He said, "I'll be fine." She said, "Good."

WSJ: How do they handle your departures to campaign? On this day, you're hitting events in New York and Connecticut.

Michelle Obama: Malia asked, "Where are you traveling to now, Mom? Try to have a good time." My goal is to keep things as normal as possible for the girls as long as possible ... continuing with the play dates, school, activities.

WSJ: With Mr. Obama traveling almost nonstop, are you doing anything differently with your daughters?

Michelle Obama: Without Barack there in the morning, the girls and I have "snuggle time" in my bed. I turn on the lights and we stay there cuddling … have deep conversations and talk about what it would be like if we could stay in bed all day but that wouldn't be realistic, we wouldn't learn to read…

Valentine's Day thoughts...for a guy

Ok so i was laying in bed ready to go to sleep and I jumped up because I thought I would give you something more to read during work tomorrow.

Things I respect about YOU, ALEX.

1. You are a hard-worker. NOt lazy. You will always jump up to help someone out with something and you always suggest ways in which you can help such as "Can I help you clean your room."

2. You take the initiative to pursue God together such as today when you made a point of us praying together, even though nothing was wrong between us.

3. YOu seek out means for self-improvement and follow through in improvement

4. You are a good teacher and love to talk and teach about things you are passionate about

5. You are willing to look at other points of view and reconsider your own (such as women in the church and many other things as well)

6. You take big leaps of faith to act loving even when I'm acting disrespectful or unloving to you.

7.You are easy going, and enjoy partaking in things even if its only to enjoy the fact that I enjoy them (ie going to the opera or watching chick flicks)

8. You take risks and leaps of faith (like taking the job in Washington DC)

9. You want to save up money for the future, and you are always willing to sacrifice your own happiness now for your parent's and your future family's happiness later

10. You love and pursue God.

11. You love and pursue friendships and people

12. You keep in touch with your friends (which I don't very well) which is part of the reason that you have many

13. You don't conform to images because it's easy (ie the stereotyped stern, asian or christian) you just are who you are and I respect you for that.

14. You are giving

15. You care about your family and your culture

16. You try your hardest to love and understand me even when I'm more confusing than a rubrics cube.

I love you baby. You're the only man for me!

The Bible as a Graphic Novel

“We present things in a very brazen way,” said Mr. Akinsiku, who hopes to become an Anglican priest and who is the author of “The Manga Bible: From Genesis to Revelation.” “Christ is a hard guy, seeking revolution and revolt, a tough guy.”

No doubt. In the Manga Bible, whose heroes look and sound like skateboarders in Bedouin gear, Noah gets tripped up counting the animals in the Ark: “That’s 11,344 animals? Arggh! I’ve lost count again. I’m going to have to start from scratch!”

Abraham rides a horse out of an explosion to save Lot. Og, king of Bashan, looms like an early Darth Vader. The Sermon on the Mount did not make the book, though, because there was not enough action to it.

The Manga Bible sold 30,000 copies in Great Britain, according to Doubleday. The print run in this country is 15,000, and it sells for $12.95."

Babe, this would be interesting to read! Full Article

Don't give up baby. I love you!

Chilly

On weather.com it said it felt like 8!!! degrees with windchill when we were out there on broadway today. and later tonight it will feel like -4 with windchill OUCH!

John Stewart hates Boston!!!