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Those candidates' spouses

Michelle Obama seemed to be complaining in Winston-Salem yesterday that "they" keep raising the bar for her husband, presidential candidate Barack Obama.

"They tell you to raise money, you raise money," she said at Winston-Salem State University. "They tell you to build an organization, and you build an organization.

"And you work hard and you reach that bar. Sometimes you surpass the bar and you look around and all of a sudden the bar has moved. The bar has changed on you, and you wonder what happened."

I wonder what she was talking about. The "bar" for her husband is 2,024, the number of delegates needed to win the Democratic nomination. He's not there yet. But it won't shift. If he reaches it, he'll move on to the next bar: 270, the number of electoral votes required to win the election.

Addendum: Our video link to Mrs. Obama's speech yesterday.

Bill and Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, disagree about a proposed trade agreement with Colombia.

Bill Clinton supports it because free trade is good policy. Hillary Clinton opposes it because free trade is bad politics.

You're not in Kansas, Hillary: In an interview with NPR's Michele Norris yesterday, the New York senator compared herself to the Jayhawks basketball team.

"It would have been like calling the championship game last night, with two minutes left to go, because somebody was ahead -- and that's not how it turned out," Clinton said, addressing suggestions that she should quit the race.

But, Hillary, you're trying to win in North Carolina. We don't want to hear any more about Kansas.

Maybe Michelle Obama is right about that bar after all: In the same NPR interview, Clinton questioned how committed "committed" delegates ought to be.

"But Clinton's campaign has also suggested that pledged delegates -- who are awarded to each candidate based on the results of primaries and caucuses -- should also be allowed to switch their allegiances," NPR reported.

" 'There is some fundamental misunderstanding of the way this whole nominating process works,' Clinton says. 'Every delegate has the right to choose whom they will vote for. ... At the end of the day, there is no requirement that anybody do anything other than make their own best judgment.' "

Now, that's the way to make a comeback -- take points off your opponent's score and add them to your own. Those Clintons! They will find a way to win.

If only Carolina could have done that to Kansas.

Comments (9)

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just saying said:

Remember, this is the same Michelle Obama who said she wasn't proud to be an American. Anything she says doesn't surprise me.

Really, the Obama camp shouldn't let her speak at public events. She's only going to harm her husband's chances of getting elected president.

Doug said:

What about Bill? Does he help or hurt?

You're not in Kansas, Hillary: In an interview with NPR's Michele Norris yesterday, the New York senator compared herself to the Jayhawks basketball team*Doug

Wait a minute! Hillary is a proven warrior in the field of warfare and sports. She singlehanded wipe out a Muslin sniper team 10 years ago and to prove that she is a superior basketball player, She slammed dunk Sinbad during the sniper attack. And to really prove that she understands Kung Fu, she wack Bill with a leg kick to his private parts when he fess up to the affair with Monica.

Somehow one gets the feeling that we are reading a Wonder Women comic book?

just saying said:

I don't see how Bill Clinton could be anything other than a tremendous asset. In fact, Al Gore probably would've been elected president in 2000 had he not distanced himself from the Clinton administration.

I didn't agree with all of the man's policies, but we was a very popular (and, I hate to admit it, largely successful) president. Sure, there are many people who couldn't stand him, but those folks wouldn't vote for a Democrat anyway. Bill Clinton is a guy who could pull a lot of swing voters over to Hillary's side.

It always struck me as odd that so many liberals seem to despise Bill Clinton, as if he was some sort of traitor to the cause. In reality, his moderate agenda is exactly why he was able to get elected for two terms and why he was able to get things done once in office.

But as a Republican voter, I'd love for the Democrats to keep nominating liberals like Gore, Kerry, Edwards, etc, and then wonder why they always seem to fall short come election time.

Doug said:

I agree with you. Would we even be talking about Hillary if it weren't for Bill? Would she be a U.S. senator? Could she claim 35 years of experience on? Could she say she knows both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue?

No. But she does have Bill, and that's a powerful asset.

Sam said:

I don't think Mrs. Obama was referring to her husband's campaign when she made her comment, but the struggle to get ahead with just succeeding in Life. That said, I am an Obama supporter but sure wish this lady would chill. She's a real turn off most of the time and comes across as a black woman with ATT-TEE-TUDE. A chip on her shoulder. I feel she should be trying harder to allow us to see her as a person and a future First Lady rather than shooting off statements which she doesn't clarify and which are sometimes offensive.

But as a Republican voter, I'd love for the Democrats to keep nominating liberals like Gore, Kerry, Edwards, etc, and then wonder why they always seem to fall short come election time* just saying

Keep thinking that program republican way! You have got a 800 lbs smackdown coming your political way very soon. Move over Obama, your rock star career is over and McCain is headed to the nearest old age resthome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lUhVFpwhgE&eurl=http://www.jonesreport.com/article/04_08/09ventura_911.html

Dave Ribar said:

Doug:

Isn't there another candidate's spouse? Apparently, being an addict and thief (who also abused her position as the head of a charity) doesn't qualify as poor behavior. Yet "seeming to complain" and using third-person plural pronouns, gasp, does.

Doug said:

Back to your usual tactics, Dave? Unless I attack someone you don't like, I'm not entitled to criticize someone you do? Sorry, I don't want to play that game.

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