Battle For Democratic Nomination Will Go On..And On...And On

The four primaries in Ohio, Texas, Vermont, and Rhode Island on Tuesday confirmed one thing, and one thing only for the Dems: the nominating process will not be over soon, despite the potentially fractious ramifications to the party base and even the two candidates vying for the top spot. The staggering momentum of the Obama Express may have slowed significantly three days prior to Tuesday as polls reflected large numbers of voters swinging their support to the Clinton camp at the eleventh hour. It will be interesting to watch how things play out from day to day until the Pennsylvania primary, especially how each candidate and their respective staffers and strategists conduct themselves and frame their discussions and criticisms.

Obama is likely to stay on the high ground publicly but one must think that the Obama camp is reconciling itself to the reality that the negativity and allegations made against their man must be counteracted. This is likely to happen on the staff level. Senator Obama has essentially placed himself in the position of self-contradiction, were he to go the traditional 'attack politics' route. We may hear, but not from Senator Obama's mouth, word of Whitewater, undisclosed financial statements, and so on in the ensuing weeks. The Clinton campaign is likely to stay on the offensive; it is, afterall, working.

The likely course of events winds this mess in the hands of America's superdelegates. Stay tuned here at Wax Politic this week for a new article everyday spotlighting the role of the superdelegates, who they are, what they mean to the party, and how important their voices and votes will in fact be to the outcome of this race.

The hotly contested bid for the Democratic Presidential nomination is just now warming up. The always resilient senator from New York is proving to be the second "Comeback Kid" of the Clinton family. First was her surprise win in New Hampshire. Second, she was counted out but victorious in California. Now, she rallies to take home wins in Texas and Ohio. Pennsylvania looms large for Obama and Clinton in the weeks to come.

Price Tag of War in Iraq: 3 Trillion Dollars

Three Trillion Dollars!! And that's just how much the war in Iraq has cost thus far. That figure does not at all factor in the next hundred years of funding the occupation. That is how long the United States is going to be there, correct?

In a new book, "The Three Trillion Dollar War," Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard Economist Linda Bilmes conservatively estimate that the decision to invade Iraq after the attacks of 9/11 have placed immense strain on the U.S. economy, one that is not likely to lessen anytime soon.

Stiglitz, a former World Band chief economist and his co-author have indicted the Bush administration of deliberately "low-balling" cost estimates and keeping a second, secret set of documents from the American public. Read more at democracynow.org and leave a comment for discussion right here at Wax Politic.

Clinton Campaigns In Ohio- Counts on Women for Comeback

This week Senator Hillary Clinton has stepped up the rhetoric when it comes to banding together women voters, especially in Ohio and Texas. As the race between she and Senator Obama intensifies, she has begun to more regularly emphasize the pioneering aspect of her run at becoming the first female president in United States history.

"I am thrilled to be running to be the first woman president, which I think would be a sea change in our country and around the world," Clinton remarked to a group in Cleveland, Ohio this week.

Clinton holds a strong double-digit lead amongst women voters in Ohio. They will have to report to the polls en force in Ohio, and Texas as well if Senator Clinton is to step back into the hunt. It is far from over.

Democrats say that women in Ohio respect Senator Clinton for her strength and the barriers she has broken down in providing opportunities for all women. She stopped by a Bob Evans in Rio Grande, Ohio on Thursday and snapped off shots with the all-female wait staff. Their admiration for her was apparent. Hillary Clinton is proud of running as a woman but insists she wants to be judged on her merits alone. Those women who support her will undeniably vote for her based on her experience and strength of character and policy knowledge. Many women voters have been quick to point out that they give her their support because they can also relate to her as mothers and daughters themselves. For certain engagements, the Senator has been known to bring along daughter Chelsea, and mother, Dorothy Rodham.

67 year old Kay Israel, a school teacher from Zanesville, Ohio, said of her preference for office, "I respect Hillary's strengths as far as overcoming obstacles against all odds... I admire her effort to make history. She's smart. She's educated. She knows the issues."

Senator Clinton will indeed call upon the full support of her female base in attempting to draw Senator Obama into a dead heat heading into the final days of this most contentious lead-up to the Democratic National Convention. She will need them now more than ever before.

Latest Report From Obama Camp- Columbus, Ohio Rally

Barack Obama made his first stop after last night's MSNBC debate with Senator Hillary Clinton in Columbus, Ohio at a packed to capacity rally at St. John's Arena. Supporters and adorers alike were in their slim wooden, not-so-comfortable seats as early as 8:30 this morning and waited as the Senator from Illinois arrived an hour and a half late traveling down I-71 from Cleveland. This hardly dampened the frenetic energy in the building.

After a couple of not-so-memorable introductions and attempts to 'pump up' the crowd by County Treasurer Richard Cordray, (and much more excitingly), Heisman Trophy winner and former Ohio State Buckeye, Eddie George, the steamrolling Obama glided onto stage. Signs were handed out that read "Obama is Superman," and one got the feeling, sitting to the left of the marching band and just below the press docket, looking into the crowd, that many in attendance would have to agree.

Obama hit back playfully at GOP sure-thing nominee, John McCain, for taking out of context an answer he had given to a hypothetical question posed to him about what he may do in response to a build-up of Al Qaida in Iraq. Obama promised he would act "...if al-Qaida is forming a base in Iraq."

To that, McCain: "I have some news. Al-Qaida is in Iraq. It's called `al-Qaida in Iraq."

Touchee, went Mr. Obama: "I do know that al-Qaida is in Iraq and that's why I have said we should continue to strike al-Qaida targets," he told excited supporters.

"But I have some news for John McCain," Obama added. "There was no such thing as al-Qaida in Iraq until George Bush and John McCain decided to invade Iraq. ... They took their eye off the people who were responsible for 9/11 and that would be al-Qaida in Afghanistan, that is stronger now than at any time since 2001."

Senator Obama is keeping things even-keel for now as he surges ahead of his rival from New York in many Texas polls and is strengthening in Ohio, where he has a strong base. Warring words are kept to a minimum, the prudent strategy for a surging frontrunner. Clinton camp must now be prepared to battle for all four states on March 4th.

Nader Much Funnier Than Huckabee

Ralph Nader is right. If the Democrats cannot win this one in a landslide, they should close down. Gosh, it sure is great to have old Ralph back in the race. His curmudgeonly-old-crank demeanor and rumpled, ill-fitting suits will be a welcome compliment to Hillary’s ridiculous smile and point routine and custom-tailored power-suits. Same thing for Obama’s dramatic earnestness and McCain’s tough-but-fair granddad thing.

Huck(abee) has been my favorite presidential candidate since Kucinich dropped out, mostly because of the cartoonishness. His suits are off-the-rack. They fit him very well, but not because he has had them made or even altered. They fit him because he has the all-American body type that off-the-rack suits are made for. He doesn’t believe in evolution and he is prone to strip down to shirtsleeves, strap on an electric bass and rip off Boston’s “More than a Feeling”, despite the fact that the band has asked him to stop using their song to promote an agenda that they find abhorrent. He honestly believes that we should have God rewrite the constitution and his wife is an ace with a shotgun. The two of them have a lake in Hope, Arkansas named after them. His middle name is Dale. He is proud of the fact that he believes the world is only 6000 years old, and he wants to be president. That would be freekin’ hilarious.

That’s why I was for Huck.

Now that Nader’s in, I have to change allegiances. He’s much funnier than Huck. Especially now that he has begun to turn into Columbo. Actually, he’s more like a muppet version of Columbo. His stringless marionette stature must be a clothier’s worst nightmare, since it is impossible even to custom-make clothes that fit it.

Many of history’s most hilarious individuals were called Ralph. There’s Malph, Wiggum, Waldo Emerson… and now Nader. Democrats still call him a spoiler, claiming that he gave Florida to Bush. They are just jealous because they aren’t all that funny. Nader, on the other hand, is milk-through-the-nose funny. Plus, he didn’t spoil anything. Florida was given to Bush by the Supreme Court. Besides, these days our electoral procedures and machinery are so completely fucked, the election itself starts off spoiled.

We might as well vote for the funniest candidate. That’s Nader. Check out some Nader humor:

“Dear President Bush:

I was listening to your address before the self-described Conservative Political Action Committee gathering in Washington, D.C. last week, while reviewing materials on occupational hazards in the workplace.”

The funny part is that he actually was listening to Bush’s address while reviewing materials on occupational hazards in the workplace. This one’s even funnier:

“Controlling what is now corporate capitalism in all its varieties and contradictions is the task of organized civic values, law and order, quality competition, shareholder power over executives, consumer information, judicial remedies, and environmentally benign technologies. These checks, along with self-restraint by businesses (out of what used to be called "enlightened self-interest"), are needed to keep capitalism in its proper place so that a democratic culture can flourish toward the greater purposes of life for present and future generations.”

Democratic culture… hilarious. Organized civic values, self-restraint by businesses… this guy is pure comedy. Did I mention he looks like a Muppet Columbo?!?

McCain Denies Allegations

John McCain has vigorously denied having had any inappropriate relationship with a female lobbyist. Team McCain is scrambling to minimize damaging implications that the story could have on his integrity. McCain's camp confronted with the real clear politics of a presidential nomination season, referred to the timing and release of The New York Times article as "gutter politics." There is concern that even a hint at marital impropriety could damage his reputation even more with social conservatives on the Right.

"At no time have I ever done anything that would betray the public trust," said McCain, a four-term Arizona senator and a hero of the Vietnam War.

The GOP does not want to see their party base splintered anymore, but most Republican insiders seem to think that any lasting effect on his image would only be amongst independent voters, not the GOP rank and file. The McCain staff and his supporters have turned their anger at The New York Times, questioning the timing and prudence of the article.

Is Hillary Clinton On The Ropes?

With convincing wins in both Hawaii and Wisconsin this week, Senator Barack Obama has run up his primary winning streak to ten in a row. Not all is comfy in the Clinton camp. Aides to Senator Clinton know too well the disparity of the media scrutiny each candidate endures is not even close. With many more years in Washington than her opponent from Illinois, Senator Clinton is often times scrutinized much more rigorously. At a time when her campaign is touting her experience and policy direction as an advantage, Senator Obama rides a wave of public favor and lax media scrutiny, perhaps because of his perceived "new kid" persona. Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania: they all loom large in Clinton Country. These particular primaries have become must-win's for Senator Hillary Clinton.