Slice of Life
This year isn't quite two months old and already it is a sorry state of affairs. You could call it the Year of the Apology. Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden had to apologize for racially insensitive remarks about Sen. Barack Obama. NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip apologized to his sponsor Toyota because illegal giddyup was added to his horsepower for the Daytona 500. .
President Obama: Is the United States ready?
MOSCOW - A person of mixed race with a name that reminds Americans of their main enemies would need a lot of luck to be nominated as a candidate for president of the United States. This is what comes to mind when you think of Barack Hussein Obama, 45, a Democrat representing Illinois in the Senate. Obama, who joined the presidential race on Feb. 10, talks about his name quite openly, in a manner than wins thousands of supporters. He said he used to be called Alabama or Osama, and his middle name really is Hussein, which in Arabic means "small and beautiful." But then, Americans seldom use middle names anyway, and, as Shakespeare put it, "what's in a name?" The main thing is that he, the son of an economist from Kenya and an American from Kansas, now draws bigger crowds than the Rolling Stones.
Team Obama's rapid-fire response
The Los Angeles Times published an article this morning suggesting that Barack Obama, in his 1994 memoir “Dreams From My Father," exaggerated his role in a movement to rid certain Chicago apartments of asbestos. Specifically, the Times suggests that Obama downplayed the role of others in the Altgeld Gardens development and enhanced his own. By 8:05 this morning, Obama's campaign had sent reporters an e-mail titled “About that L.A. Times Story…", offering a five-page, point-by-point rebuttal. “The implication is false, and the article is misleading," it says, arguing that Obama's role in the asbestos removal campaign was key and that he never exaggerated it. Given the detail in the document, it was clear the Obama campaign had been ready for the article and was pulling material together for some time.
Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama in Election Slash and Burn
How does Hillary Clinton possibly expect to win in a battle against Barack Obama in a war of words is the issue of the day. Or should we say words of "slash and burn"? Former Clinton friend, David Geffen hosted a major fundraiser for the Hollywood bunch for Obama. Previously, we had raised over 18 million for Bill Clinton. Geffen then told The New York Times that the Clintons are liars, that Hillary Clinton is coldly ambitious and that the former president hasn't changed his ways. Hillary Clinton's team fired back Wednesday, with a upbeat message with a twist of the knife. ''I want to run a very positive campaign, and I certainly don't want the candidates or supporters to engage in the politics of personal destruction,'' Clinton said when she was asked Wednesday about the brouhaha.
Govs. Perry, Rendell: No VP Interest
Governor or vice president?
That's an easy choice, say two state leaders who have been talked about for a possible spot on the 2008 ticket.
"I got the best job in the world. Ask President Bush," GOP Gov. Rick Perry of Texas said Sunday, dismissing speculation he might be interested in serving as a running mate to the eventual nominee.
Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, also denied any interest in the No. 2 spot. "I like to be my own boss," Rendell said.
The two were in the capital for a National Governors Association meeting.
Texas is among several states considering moving its primary election up to have more of an influential role in the nominating process. Perry said that idea is gaining momentum back home.
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