Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Clinton's Ads
Since I present myself to you, my reader(s), as an Old Democrat, it's time I weighed in with an opinion or two about the presidential campaign. This morning I received, by e-mail, an advertisement for Hillary Clinton. Here's part of the text of the ad:
Dear Friend, The Obama campaign is already on the air with their first ad in Pennsylvania, putting their fundraising advantage to work. They're going to spend every dollar they've got to end this race in Pennsylvania, and we can't let that happen. In Texas and Ohio, your incredible support kept us competitive, and today this race is close thanks to what you did for Hillary. Now the Obama campaign is going to do everything they can to try to beat Hillary in Pennsylvania. They're going to try to outspend us 3-1 on the air -- and their first ads are already up and running. We cannot let them have that advantage. Hillary needs your help now to level the playing field in Pennsylvania and beyond.
The ad goes on to request a donation to the campaign for Hillary Clinton for President.
Now, I have no problem with political ads that ask me to send money. Sometimes I send money; usually, I don't. I have a problem with this ad in that it implicitly attacks Senator Obama for outspending Senator Clinton. My own opinion is that these two candidates already get so much free publicity from the newspapers and television and radio news that they could just as well continue to campaign without spending another dime on advertising themselves. To me, the ad just cited seems a bit hysterical. The message could be interpreted as "That (bad) Obama is outspending me in an effort to BUY the election. Don't let him get away with it. Send money."
It is sad that Clinton and Obama, and particularly Clinton are so intent on defeating each other, that is, each one trying to defeat the other, that they ignore the real enemy: John McCain. The important thing for us Democrats is not the choice between Clinton and Obama. The important thing is to prevent the election of Republican McCain to succeed Bush next year and continue the ruinous Bush program of wearing out our military force in Iraq, continuing to pile up the national debt, ruining the environment, ruining the economy, and so on. Clinton and Obama would do the Democratic Party and the Nation a great service if they would stop campaigning against each other and start campaigning against John McCain and the Republicans.
If the Democrats can refrain from shooting themselves in the foot by continuing this pointless campaign between Obama and Clinton, they are in position to win the Presidential election this fall with anyone - even Alben Barclay, Truman's Vice President, who dropped dead nearly sixty years ago.
Dear Friend, The Obama campaign is already on the air with their first ad in Pennsylvania, putting their fundraising advantage to work. They're going to spend every dollar they've got to end this race in Pennsylvania, and we can't let that happen. In Texas and Ohio, your incredible support kept us competitive, and today this race is close thanks to what you did for Hillary. Now the Obama campaign is going to do everything they can to try to beat Hillary in Pennsylvania. They're going to try to outspend us 3-1 on the air -- and their first ads are already up and running. We cannot let them have that advantage. Hillary needs your help now to level the playing field in Pennsylvania and beyond.
The ad goes on to request a donation to the campaign for Hillary Clinton for President.
Now, I have no problem with political ads that ask me to send money. Sometimes I send money; usually, I don't. I have a problem with this ad in that it implicitly attacks Senator Obama for outspending Senator Clinton. My own opinion is that these two candidates already get so much free publicity from the newspapers and television and radio news that they could just as well continue to campaign without spending another dime on advertising themselves. To me, the ad just cited seems a bit hysterical. The message could be interpreted as "That (bad) Obama is outspending me in an effort to BUY the election. Don't let him get away with it. Send money."
It is sad that Clinton and Obama, and particularly Clinton are so intent on defeating each other, that is, each one trying to defeat the other, that they ignore the real enemy: John McCain. The important thing for us Democrats is not the choice between Clinton and Obama. The important thing is to prevent the election of Republican McCain to succeed Bush next year and continue the ruinous Bush program of wearing out our military force in Iraq, continuing to pile up the national debt, ruining the environment, ruining the economy, and so on. Clinton and Obama would do the Democratic Party and the Nation a great service if they would stop campaigning against each other and start campaigning against John McCain and the Republicans.
If the Democrats can refrain from shooting themselves in the foot by continuing this pointless campaign between Obama and Clinton, they are in position to win the Presidential election this fall with anyone - even Alben Barclay, Truman's Vice President, who dropped dead nearly sixty years ago.
Labels: Alben Barclay, Barack Obama, Harry Truman, Hilary Clinton, John McCain, ruinous Bush programs
Saturday, April 07, 2007
A Pessimistic Prediction
Looking at the front-runners in the present Presidential race, I predict the following nominees:
For the Republicans, Mitt Romney
For the Democrats, Hilary Clinton
Although at present Romney seems to be in trouble with the Religious Conservative wing of the Republican Party, he has a year to convince them that, as a Mormon, he follows the teachings of the Church with regard to same-sex marriage and abortion. The Latter Day Saints Church is very conservative with regard to such things. It's also conservative with regard to government programs of assistance to the poor, the aged, and oppressed minorities. These matters should be settled through non-governmental organizations, like the LDS Church. That Church provides generously for Mormons who are out of work by providing jobs and food for them and their families. These teachings are very appealing to other religious conservatives. Romney will have them eating out of his hand by the end of the year.
I predict the Democratic Nomination to go to Clinton. She has the best organization. She is the best known. Her principal opponent, Barack Obama, is a Negro. Many Americans have a secret reluctance to vote for a Negro as our nation's leader. Clinton has a similar problem because she is a woman.
Romney will be our next President.
Why am I pessimistic? If we Americans could elect a Democrat, there would be a chance for a worth-while reform of our broken medical care system. With Romney, or any Republican, the only thing that won't be vetoed is a scheme similar to the one in Massachusetts, in which the insurance companies are still running things and putting profit ahead of high quality health care, as they must, because their stockholders will demand it.
Romney will convince the majority of Americans who oppose our war in Iraq that he will bring it to an end, just as Richard Nixon ended the war in Viet Nam. Romney may even have a "secret plan" for ending the war. The Democrats will have been unable to end or even slow down the war by election day next year. In fact, we may even be at war with Iran by then. Romney will have a secret plan for ending that one, too. The Republicans will be respected again and Romney will have a cooperative Congress.
I hope I'm wrong.
For the Republicans, Mitt Romney
For the Democrats, Hilary Clinton
Although at present Romney seems to be in trouble with the Religious Conservative wing of the Republican Party, he has a year to convince them that, as a Mormon, he follows the teachings of the Church with regard to same-sex marriage and abortion. The Latter Day Saints Church is very conservative with regard to such things. It's also conservative with regard to government programs of assistance to the poor, the aged, and oppressed minorities. These matters should be settled through non-governmental organizations, like the LDS Church. That Church provides generously for Mormons who are out of work by providing jobs and food for them and their families. These teachings are very appealing to other religious conservatives. Romney will have them eating out of his hand by the end of the year.
I predict the Democratic Nomination to go to Clinton. She has the best organization. She is the best known. Her principal opponent, Barack Obama, is a Negro. Many Americans have a secret reluctance to vote for a Negro as our nation's leader. Clinton has a similar problem because she is a woman.
Romney will be our next President.
Why am I pessimistic? If we Americans could elect a Democrat, there would be a chance for a worth-while reform of our broken medical care system. With Romney, or any Republican, the only thing that won't be vetoed is a scheme similar to the one in Massachusetts, in which the insurance companies are still running things and putting profit ahead of high quality health care, as they must, because their stockholders will demand it.
Romney will convince the majority of Americans who oppose our war in Iraq that he will bring it to an end, just as Richard Nixon ended the war in Viet Nam. Romney may even have a "secret plan" for ending the war. The Democrats will have been unable to end or even slow down the war by election day next year. In fact, we may even be at war with Iran by then. Romney will have a secret plan for ending that one, too. The Republicans will be respected again and Romney will have a cooperative Congress.
I hope I'm wrong.
Labels: Barack Obama, Ending the War, Health insurance crisis, Hilary Clinton, Massachusetts plan for universal health care, Mitt Romney
