Flag City Politico

Let's Play Hardball!

A 'Hardball' Senator?
The possibility of the host of MSNBC's "Hardball" Christopher Matthews, running against Senator Specter of Pennsylvania, a Republican, for Mr. Specter's senate seat in Pennsylvania is intensifying. >>
Seth Gitell
The New York Sun

Chaos over Paul cuts short gathering
After a super-majority of Ron Paul supporters captured control of the Republican state convention Saturday, state party officials abruptly canceled the event without electing delegates to the national convention. >>
Anjeanette Damon
Reno Gazette-Journal

Coming soon to the XBOX360 and PS3 platforms

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Clinton: $2.3B in earmarks
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) has requested nearly $2.3 billion in federal earmarks for 2009, almost three times the largest amount received by a single senator this year. >>
Manu Raju & Kevin Bogardus
The Hill

The New, New Math
Despite the recent show of strength by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., the odds against her winning the Democratic presidential nomination are as imposing as ever — and probably worse. >>
Charlie Cook
National Journal

Sometimes all you can do is poke fun

Gov. Jindal Flattered by V.P. Rumors
Governor Bobby Jindal appeared on NBC's "The Tonight Show" with host Jay Leno and said while he is flattered by the rumors Senator John McCain could choose him as a running mate, he is happy in Louisiana. >>
ABC News

For McCain, There's Only One Perfect Candidate for Veep
We all hear the same names mentioned as prospective running mates for John McCain: former Office of Management and Budget Director and one-time U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and even former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge. >>
Stuart Rothenberg
Real Clear Politics

With one week to go...

North Carolina

• Obama 49%-44% (Survey USA 04/26-28)
• Obama 51%-37% (Rasmussen 04/28)
• Obama 51%-39% (Public Policy Polling 04/26-27)

Indiana

• Clinton 50%-42% (Public Policy Polling 04/27-28)
• Clinton 52%-43% (SurveyUSA 04/25-27)
• Obama 47%-45% (Howey-Gauge 04/23-24)

Election Day in 189 days.
Inauguration Day in 266 days.

-RSKnopfJr

Around the Country: Bill vs. Barack

Bill vs. Barack
On the Thursday before the Pennsylvania primary, Bill Clinton spoke to a crowd of college students at a gymnasium in Lock Haven. The event was typical of the stops—forty-seven of them—that the former President had made in the state during the seven weeks leading up to the vote. >>
Ryan Lizza
The New Yorker

Barack's Blues
After spending the campaign answering questions about whether he's too green, too black, or too red (as in states where he's winning) -- and now that his opponents' husband has gone purple -- all Sen. Barack Obama has to do next is show that he's blue enough (of collar) to be president. >>
Rick Klein & Mike Elmore
ABC News

NV Gov to endorse Clinton
Mike Easley, two-term North Carolina governor in his final year, will endorse Hillary Clinton at a rally in Raleigh tomorrow, according to sources in the governor's office and sources close to the Clinton campaign. >>
Mike Memoli, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro
MSNBC

Is Hillary Preparing to Run in 2012?
Does Hillary Clinton really believe she can overtake Barack Obama among elected delegates? No way. The math is dead against her and she’s a realist. Even after Pennsylvania, Obama still leads by more than 140 in elected delegates. They’ll likely break even in Indiana and he’ll win North Carolina where one third of the vote is African-American. After that? If she wins Kentucky, West Virginia, and Puerto Rico by 15 points and they break about even in Guam, North Dakota, Montana, and Oregon, she’ll still trail him by at least 130 votes among elected delegates. >>
Dick Morris & Eileen McGann
FOX News

Indiana, a Different Kind of Midwestern State
A few days spent on the campaign trail in Indiana confirmed one fact: Barack Obama's got a pretty good hoops game, which isn't a bad thing to flaunt in Indiana (or North Carolina) -- as long as TV clips of him flitting across the court like a 35-year-old don't have the unintended effect of making him look even younger in the eyes of voters worried about his greenness. >>
Alec MacGillis
Washington Post

Obama: flag always in my heart
Barack Obama defended his commitment to patriotic ideals this afternoon, telling a town hall meeting in North Carolina that "I always have the flag in my heart." >>
Mike Dorning
Chicago Tribune

Wright to Obama: 'Coming after you'
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright said Monday that he will try to change national policy by “coming after” Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) if he is elected president. >>
Mike Allen
Politico

-RSKnopfJr

What was the top story of the week?

poll conducted April 19-27, 2008

-RSKnopfJr

Pennsylvania Primary Results

After a long, long, looooong six weeks, the winners are...

REPUBLICANS

JOHN McCAIN - 72%
MIKE HUCKABEE - 12%
RON PAUL - 16%


DEMOCRATS

HILLARY CLINTON - 54%
BARACK OBAMA - 46%

75% of precincts reporting - updated 04/22/08 10:30p

Peek at Pennsylvania

The early Pennsylvania exit polls that came out at 5pm...

Obama - 52%
Clinton - 48%

Key demographics...

Men
Obama 53%-47%

Women
Clinton 55%-44%

White
Clinton 60%-40%

Black
Obama 92%-8%

First estimates are that 52% of registered Democrats are making it to the polls (compared to 28% from 2004). It just continues the trend that this election is energizing people.

More from ABC News...

Negative Campaign Tarnishes Clinton, Obama
Despite all the down-to-the-wire campaigning, preliminary exit poll results indicate that nearly eight in 10 Pennsylvania voters made up their minds at least a week ago, and six in 10 decided on their candidate more than a month ago -- a higher number of early deciders than the norm in Democratic primaries to date. >>

The final polls showed Clinton winning PA by 6% (her internals have it at double-digits). We'll start to get an idea in less than an hour.

-RSKnopfJr

WIR 041808

Looking back, there was a lot going on this past week so it is hard to decide what was really important...although, we'll try. Vote in the poll to the right and let everyone know what you think what the top story of the week was.

DEMOCRATIC DEBATE & AFTERMATH
The Pennsylvania Primary is less than a week ago, so ABC did their best to help the PA voters get in-depth knowledge of how the candidates come across on the issues...NOT!  ABC News has been ripped apart left and right (or should I say, left and left? ha! ha!) for the questions they presented to Clinton and Obama.

Who Lost the Debate? Moderators, Many Say
Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos, the moderators of Wednesday night’s presidential debate on ABC, became the subject of a fierce and somewhat unexpected debate themselves on Thursday, as viewers, bloggers and television critics lamented what they described as an opportunity lost: a chance to ask the two candidates for the Democratic nomination substantive questions early and often. >>
Jacques Steinberg
The New York Times

Even though message boards have been mostly negative, give ABC News credit. Even they covered the aftermath of what happened and addressed it during a newscast (click here to go the the video).

POPE BENEDICT XVI VISITS USA
The Pope's first visit to the United States comes as our country is in the midst of selecting the next President. It is interesting to compare how President Bush has been treated during his tenure, a spiritual person who has often been criticized for the way he shows his faith, with this election cycle. It is the first time I can remember Presidential political forums that were about faith, spirituality and religion...only. I hope the next President feels that they do not have to hide who they are or what they believe.

Pope: America needs to be a land of hope for all
Pope Benedict XVI presided over a Mass celebrated in 10 languages Thursday, calling the United States a land of opportunity and hope but decrying that the nation's promise has been left unfulfilled for some. >>
Victor L. Simpson
My Way News

Not to be outdone, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart had their own unique take on the Pope's visit (NOTE: certain individuals may find some of the content in the video offensive. You have been warned. If you do not want to watch, click here for an alternative video. Seriously - don't blame me later.)

TIME MAGAZINE GOES GREEN
Question: What do the September 14, 2001 and April 28, 2008 issues of Time Magazine have in common?

Answer: They are the only two times that the magazine's cover border has not been red.

Significant? Perhaps. But that's not really the story that is making this a big news item.

Iwo Jima Veterans Blast Time's 'Special Environmental Issue' Cover
For only the second time in 85 years, Time magazine abandoned the traditional red border it uses on its cover. The occasion – to push more global warming alarmism. The cover of the April 21 issue of Time took the famous Iwo Jima photograph by Joe Rosenthal of the Marines raising the American flag and replaced the flag with a tree. The cover story by Bryan Walsh calls green “the new red, white and blue.” >>
Jeff Poor
Business & Media Institute

In a political year where even a Republican President is (somewhat) addressing environmental concerns, it is just disheartening to see an effort get lost in a storm of political correctness. Maybe Time did mess up, but I have to believe they did not do it with the thought of offending the soldiers.

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Other nominees for story of the week:

• McCain's economic plan
• HuckPAC
• Lieberman to speak at Republican Convention?
• Colbert in Pennsylvania

Remember to vote in the poll in the right to select your story of the week, and share your comments with others.

Pennsylvania Primary: 4 days away
Election Day: 200 days away

-RSKnopfJr

After his first three months in office, how is Pete Sehnert doing as mayor?

poll conducted April 14-18, 2008

-RSKnopfJr

What...me worry?

One week from tonight is the Pennsylvania. There has already been quite a bit of stories about Clinton and Obama over the past few weeks as the media tries to find something to fill their columns and air time, so thank goodness the primary is right around the corner.

Just so we are all on the same page moving forward, here is how the two candidates stand coming in to this next contest:

 

The latest polling from Pennsylvania still shows Clinton maintaining her lead, staying between 5-9% in the latest polls. Obama wants to get past next week without receiving too much damage (or having Clinton narrow the lead much), before he heads into North Carolina and what still looks like the next win he can put into his column.

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Whether it was intentional or not, shouldn't the chairman of the Associated Press be the last person to make a mistake like this?

For Obama and McCain, the Bitter and the Sweet
So much for the liberal media. John McCain and Barack Obama both appeared before the nation's newspaper editors yesterday. The putative Republican presidential nominee was given a box of doughnuts and a standing ovation. The likely Democratic nominee was likened to a terrorist. >>
Dana Milbank
Washington Post

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In case you missed it, Stephen Colbert is in Pennsylvania this week.

Colbert reports at Penn
The Colbert Nation has become the Colbert Campus, as Stephen Colbert, the Emmy award-winning comedy host, has descended upon Penn's Zellerbach Theatre for the week. >>
Colin Kavanaugh
The Daily Pennsylvanian

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And finally, from the "Who called this one first?" department. One of the headlines straight from the pages of TheCourier.com today - RiverPlace? Developer, lawyers aren't talking. I'm glad everything about this was settled months ago. Instead of the city seal, the council chamber should hang up a poster of Alfred E. Neuman with the words 'What...me worry?"

-RSKnopfJr

How is Findlay City Council doing?

poll conducted April 3-14, 2008

-RSKnopfJr

On the trail

A week from Tuesday is Pennsylvania. Who knew I missed the pace of multiple primaries week after week, or the melodic tone of Chris Matthews voice?

Richardson says pressure from Clinton camp 'really ticked me off'
Before he endorsed Barack Obama, before he drew the wrath of the Clintons and was likened to Judas, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson nearly endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton for president. But Richardson hesitated, and as the Democratic campaign turned ugly, he grew angry. >>
Los Angeles Times

Ed Rendell makes a difference, one vote at a time
If you've ever shaken your head and wondered who the heck pollsters call to get their results, we now have an answer: Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell. >>
PennLive.com

The Other Obama
The blaring music that pulsated from the speakers was all but lost in the pandemonium. >>
The Chronicle

Dems plan $40M hit on McCain
Wealthy Democrats are preparing a four-month, $40 million media campaign centered on attacks on Sen. John McCain. And it will be led by David Brock, the former investigative reporter who first gained fame in the 1990s as a right-wing, anti-Clinton journalist. >>
Politico

Now, check out this link. It is an animated movie from The News & Observer. The title...Barack Obama - Jedi Master.

Combine that with this video, and you can see how strong the force is with him. Coincidence...or destiny?



Aside from politics, I am not sure if you had the opportunity to watch ABC to see Diane Sawyer's story about this professor, but it is something to watch with your family and learn from. If this doesn't give you a lump in your throat, or make you hug your loved ones a little tighter, than something must be wrong. It is inspirational, touching and heartbreaking at the same time...truly must-see-tv.

-RSKnopfJr

Patterns?

Let's see if you find a pattern with the following...

Obama Raises More than $40 Million
The Obama campaign has issued a press release saying it raised more than $40 million in March. This amount is less than the $55 million it raised it February -- but it's still a significant haul. >>
MSNBC

Hillary Raises $20 Million in March
The AP is reporting -- and First Read has confirmed with a campaign source -- that Clinton raised $20 million in March, about half of Obama's haul for the month. Still, as the AP notes, it is Clinton's second-best monthly performance. >>
MSNBC

Obama close to Bush record
The "over $40 million" the Obama campaign says it raised in March would put the total contributions the Illinois senator has raised in his presidential campaign at approximately $234 million — enough to surpass both the $200 million mark as well as the $215 million that 2004 presidential nominee John Kerry raised for that presidential primary season (then the Democratic record). >>
CNN

Jane Fonda: 'Obama!'
Jane Fonda, the actress and ardent anti-Vietnam war advocate who visited North Vietnam during those hostilities, has endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president. >>
Chicago Tribune

Carter Hints at Support for Obama
Former President Carter wouldn't quite say it, but he left little doubt this week about who he'd like to see in the White House next year. >>
Breitbart

Why the Democratic race could end in North Carolina
The end could be near. Or the endgame, at least, of a surprisingly drawn-out Democratic presidential contest. Four months and 42 states after the opening Iowa caucuses, the primary in North Carolina on May 6 now looms as a pivotal final showdown between Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. >>
USAToday

Speaking of North Carolina, here is a look at the latest polling that shows Obama slowly pulling away...

Not to worry Clinton-backers - here are the numbers from Pennsylvania that show Clinton maintaining her lead (once again, see if you can find the trend - here's a hint, in a March 16 poll, Clinton led 56-30)...

Some good news, however, for the Clinton campaign...

DNC stance surprises campaigns
The Democratic National Committee said Tuesday that Florida and Michigan members will be seated on the three standing committees — including the critical Credentials Committee—at the party’s 2008 national convention, a position that could affect the selection of the Democratic nominee. >>
Politico

Just when things are looking up, something always happens...

Clinton Denies Saying Obama 'Cannot Win'
ABC News Eloise Harper Reports: Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., denies she told Governor Bill Richardson, D-N.M., that her Democratic nomination rival, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., "cannot win" a general election against presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. >>
ABC News

At least one thing about this election is certain...

John Edwards says would not accept VP nomination
Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said on Thursday he would not accept the nomination for U.S. vice president as he did four years ago. >>
Reuters

-RSKnopfJr

How are the Hancock County Commissioners doing?

poll conducted March 26 - April 2, 2008

-RSKnopfJr