By Hook
"Women voters could drive Democratic choice; Candidates woo female caucusgoers" by Marcella Bombardieri, Globe Staff | December 21, 2007
DES MOINES - Women are likely to make up 60 percent or more of Democratic primary voters and caucusgoers in many states, including the crucial first state of Iowa, according to pollsters, political analysts, and campaign organizers.
While women have long been a majority of Democratic primary voters, stronger efforts this time by candidates to attract women who either haven't voted in primaries or who voted Republican in the past mean that female voters are expected to dominate the nomination process more than ever before.
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, in particular, are wooing first-time female caucusgoers in Iowa, who could determine the outcome because the contest is so close. Clinton has surprised many longtime political observers with her strong pitch to voters about making history. She could have played down her gender, but embraced it as an important aspect of her candidacy.
Her campaign in Iowa is also especially focused on first-time female caucusgoers. EMILY's List, a group that backs Clinton and other female Democrats. The group plans to bring 5,000 to 10,000 of those women - who are active voters but who have not caucused before - to the Jan. 3 caucuses to support Clinton.
Given that only 124,000 people caucused for Democrats in 2004, that could have a major impact on the outcome. To reel them in, EMILY's List is using mailings, automated phone calls, and a website called yougogirl.com, which offers a guide to caucusing and even includes recipes that can be made ahead of dinner time, because caucuses will take place around that hour.
In interviews across Iowa, many women bristled at the idea that a candidate would do anything different to capture their attention.
Valerie Connell, 28, a ticket office manager at Iowa State University who was undecided:
"I hate the phrase 'women's issues.' I am more concerned about the environment and Social Security than having a woman president. And I don't care what Oprah says."
No one does!
She's NOT one of the REALLY the important ones!
By Crook
"Clinton surrogates throw the jabs" by Marcella Bombardieri, Globe Staff | December 21, 2007
GRUNDY CENTER, Iowa - Hillary Clinton's campaign is exhibiting signs of a split personality.
Touring Iowa this week, she has criticized Barack Obama only implicitly as she focused on showing a softer picture of herself as a loyal friend and tireless public servant, tearful old friends and grateful constituents by her side.
At the same time, her surrogates and supporters have been increasingly busy sharpening their knives for Obama.
The latest examples: A major union backing Clinton is mailing fliers in Iowa that attack Obama's healthcare plan, but never mention Clinton's name. It quotes John Edwards instead, prompting his campaign to cry foul yesterday.
Talk about your SLICK and DIRTY POLITICS!
Jennifer O'Malley Dillon, Iowa director for Edwards, in a statement:
"There have been a lot of misleading tactics and tricks in the last few weeks, but we've just never seen anything like this before."
And yesterday, after the New York Times published a story about Obama's record of voting "present," instead of yes or no, while an Illinois state senator, the Clinton campaign organized a conference call for reporters with three disapproving members of Congress.
Yeah, right on the FRONT PAGE!
Can there be ANY DOUBT LEFT that the New York Times ACTIVELY PROMOTES Clinton and Ghouliani?
Bill Clinton also gave a surprisingly stern critique of Obama on PBS last week, seeming to compare him with a "gifted television commentator" and asking, "When is the last time we elected a president based on one year of service in the Senate before he started running?"
When was the last time we DIDN'T elect some shit-headed governor from some Southern state as president, 'eh, fat-fuck shitter?
1980?
Even though Hillary Clinton has shied lately from speaking directly about Obama, the contrast between the two of them is a constant subtext. And yesterday she said it is "not smart" for a president to meet personally with the president of Iran without conditions, something Obama has said he would do.
Don't gag on Zion's cock, Hill!
Clinton, at an event where three military leaders and a diplomat vouched for her foreign policy credentials:
Yup, GLOBALIST-APPROVED Hitlery!
"It's tempting any time things seem quieter for a minute on the international front to think that we don't need a president who's up to speed on foreign affairs and military matters. Well, that's the kind of logic that got us George Bush in the first place."
And YOU have AGREED with him ALL the WAY, Hill?
WTF?!?!
Little Miss Bilderberger here is being GROOMED for the office!
"President Bush is quietly providing back-channel advice to Hillary Rodham Clinton, urging her to modulate her rhetoric so she can effectively prosecute the war in Iraq if elected president."
Of course, what the New York Times won't put in print can be found on their website -- if you search hard enough:
"Obama Even With Clinton In New Hampshire: Poll"
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are locked in a dead heat among New Hampshire voters ahead of the state's primary contest next month, according to a USA Today/Gallup Poll released on Friday.
Clinton, a New York senator and former first lady, and Obama, an Illinois senator, are tied at 32 percent, with former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards at 18 percent, according to the poll.
In the tightening Republican race there, Mitt Romney, former governor of neighboring Massachusetts, leads Arizona Sen. John McCain 34 percent to 27 percent.
Among other Republicans, former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has largely bypassed New Hampshire to focus on later contests in larger states, has 11 percent. He is effectively tied for third place with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Rep. Ron Paul, each with 9 percent, USA Today reported.
Yup, RON PAUL STILL RISING in the POLLS!!!!!!!!!!!
USA Today said the survey's fundamental finding is uncertainty, with more than 40 percent of voters in both parties saying they might change their minds before the January 8 primary."
"Paul Shaping Up As Spoiler in GOP Race"
Yeah, he can't win so he's a "spoiler!"
I think that ALL the OTHER CANDIDATES are SPOILERS!!!
How do you like that?
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) -- It wasn't long ago that Rep. Ron Paul was an anti-war asterisk in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Then his campaign raised a record $6 million in a single day.
Now the libertarian-leaning Texas congressman is looking like a possible spoiler, with an eclectic, tech-savvy following and an astounding $18 million in donations raised in less than three months.
Some of his better known rivals might have cause for concern. Polls give no indication that Paul can win any primaries or caucuses. But his appeal to independents, in particular, could make a difference in contests in New Hampshire, which votes on Jan. 8, or in Michigan, where a primary is scheduled one week later.
Sen. John McCain of Arizona, for one, hopes to appeal to independents in those states, both of which he won when he first sought the White House eight years ago. Paul's literature says he never voted to raise taxes, a point that could get him a look from backers of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Other contenders have been losing ground slowly in statewide New Hampshire surveys -- former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani or former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson, for example -- would be hard-pressed to explain it if they wind up trailing a man who says the United States needs a more humble foreign policy in an age of terrorism.
The attention is going to an 72-year-old physician who pursued an interest in free-market economics and a career in politics. Addressing a breakfast audience recently, he was as scathing in his denunciation of President Bush's stewardship of international relations as he was of Bush's economic policy.
Mr. Paul, drawing a connection between the war and unmet needs in this country:
''I want the foreign policy of our Founding Fathers. No entangling relationships. [That means trade with Cuba, ending penalties against Iran and -- above all -- getting U.S. troops out of Iraq]. All this death and destruction. We blow up their bridges, we're taxed for that. Then we're taxed to rebuild their bridges and our own bridges are falling down."
That's why I am for him!
Paul's vision of the nation's economic future is not pretty:
''When empires go too far their currencies are ruined because all wars are fought through inflation. That means the trillion-dollar operation that we have (overseas) is coming to an end. I want to bring it to an end gracefully, not wait for a dollar collapse.''
He is RIGHT!
While Paul says his critics sometimes accuse him of being a good candidate for the 19th century, his campaign appears to be aided to an unusual degree by the energy and enthusiasm of supporters skilled at using the Internet to their own advantage.
He is the only candidate whose name is emblazoned on a blimp. It was last reported over Maryland en route to New Hampshire, and has its own Web site, which in turn contains a daily tracker, flight plan, live video feed and blimp blog.
Because the effort says it is independent of the campaign, donations to keep the blimp aloft are not limited by federal election law. But the publicity it produces draws attention to Paul.
The campaign is employing more traditional tactics, as well.
Fergus Cullen, the New Hampshire Republican party chairman who is neutral in the race, said Paul's campaign has sent more campaign mail to households than any other organization has. Radio advertising is heavy, although paid television advertising has been relatively modest so far.
Cullen, despite current polls in New Hampshire show Paul in single digits:
''I believe there is more support than public opinion polls are picking up. I believe that he is appealing to anti-establishment Republicans and independents, and there are a lot of them.''
Independents account for about 42 percent of the electorate in the state, and outnumber both Republicans and Democrats.
Cullen predicted the Texan would poll more than 10 percent -- a significant threshold because it would guarantee him at least one delegate to the GOP nominating convention next summer.
All right!
Cullen doubts Paul will hurt any candidate more than another:
''I believe most of Ron Paul's supporters would probably not participate in the primary [without him in the race]."
Yup!
Paul's campaign has been active in Iowa, too, although his relative lack of an organization in that state makes it harder to have an impact in the caucuses on Jan. 3 that mark the campaign's first test. In recent days, the campaign has purchased 30-minute blocks of time for Sunday for a statewide appeal. Campaign mail has begun in Michigan, whose primary is Jan. 15.
Paul was noncommittal when asked how he intended to spend his surprisingly large treasury, answering only that he was getting ready to compete in primaries in 20 states on Feb. 5.
Beyond the campaign's official moves, a second independent effort involves supporters sending letters to independent voters in Iowa as well as elsewhere. A Web site devoted to the effort claims more than 500,000 letters sent to potential Iowa caucus-goers alone.
Jesse Benton, a campaign spokesman, said the blimp and the letter-writing campaign were examples of spontaneous support:
''We couldn't control it if we wanted to, and we don't want to control it.''
Yup!!
Ron is just the SPOKESMAN (and a darn good one)!!!
WE ARE THE MOVEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!
