Is The Ship Sinking?

Barack Obama started strongly in his half-draft campaign for the presidency. In the first two quarters, he out-raised and out-organized Hillary Clinton despite the Clinton machine’s readiness for her campaign, turning an expected coronation into a real contest. However, Obama’s numbers have begun to falter in polls and fundraising, and now a member of his national committee has switched sides:

A longtime Democratic fundraiser has abandoned Barack Obama’s campaign to help rival Hillary Rodham Clinton win the party’s presidential nomination.
Bob Farmer, who was a top fundraiser for several past Democratic presidential candidates, had served on Obama’s national finance committee.
Farmer did not respond to a request for comment after a message was left at his home in Bal Harbour, Fla. But Kirk Wagar, Obama’s Florida finance chair, said Farmer let him know he was switching sides without saying why.

The Obama campaign noted that Farmer had never raised any funds for the candidate to mitigate his switch, but that misrepresents Farmer’s impact. Farmer served as an idea man, a generator of fundraising strategy. His presence also gave the Obama team more credibility and heft.
His departure strips it of both, to a larger degree than his addition. The timing suggests that Farmer concluded that Obama has no possibility of beating Clinton, and he wants to position himself with a winner. His exit will undoubtedly force others to evaluate their position in the campaign and ask themselves what they plan on doing after March 2008. It also confirms what many have said all along — that Hillary has the nomination sewn up, barring any unexpected catastrophes.
Farmer made the first jump off the ship. We can expect more to follow.

25 thoughts on “Is The Ship Sinking?”

  1. Obama ran to build a war chest. He isn’t spending much, for this very reason. Obama has the money to buy influence in the state and play kingmaker within the state’s Democratic party. He has always had the Chicago media in his back pocket, now he has enough dough to fight all downstate comers. He is in the Senate for life.

  2. We must wait until some votes are cast…
    But the Machine seems to have paid everyone off quite well.
    The Democrat Partisans are eager to return some of the most corrupt politicians in modern memory to the White House.
    The same who lied about the Genocide in Rwanda, ignored the most dangerous threat to the Free West for 8 years, and left the USA far more vulnerable to the attacks on 9-11.
    If Liberals hate the GWOT, why would they want to return the unethical Couple who greatly enabled it’s possibility, by doing nothing when the FIRE still seemed manageable.
    The Democrat Partisans simply do not care, being obsessed with a political bigotry, having repeatedly lied to the American Public in the MSM.
    They even have convinced a number of Americans we dont’ have a good economy, when perhaps this is the greatest stretch of Economic success in our History.
    Bill and Hillary inherited growth in 1992, and left the Office with a Recession. The major factor in this event was the raising of taxation, inflation of economic data, and failure to address corporate corruption.
    It is ironic that Enron was being given questionable loan guarantees by the Clintons, and later that Enron, Tyco, Global Crossings, World.com, etc., would all later be prosecuted by a Republican led Justice Department.
    But Democrats want to return to the folly…
    Amazing.
    They removed Senator Packwood, but embrace Bill Clinton.
    There is no logic…
    Even today, Hillary Clinton lies to the American Public about her vote to authorize force in Iraq, saying it didn’t mean just that.
    And some Conservatives actually seem to buy into her ‘tough talk’ on stage, as she flops the next week.
    One day she will talk with despots, the next she will not.
    You cannot make this stuff up.
    Incredible.

  3. They’re quoting him with approval in Dubai:
    Most recently, presidential hopeful and Illinois senator Barack Obama (whose name was mistakenly used two days ago by a Republican presidential candidate trying to refer to Osama Bin Laden!) made his views on Iran heard in a recent op-ed he wrote. Obama contended, “The first and most important avenue to contain Iranian aggression” should be “direct diplomacy”, which of course his rival New York Senator Hillary Clinton had once described as “naïve” and “irresponsible”.
    Obama also condemned a Senate resolution that urged the Bush administration to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organisation. He rightly argued that the resolution “opened the door to an extension and escalation of the ongoing war in Iraq to include military action against Iran”.

    http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/07/10/26/10162735.html
    If some Arab wannabe-journalist is quoting Obama as having “the right stuff” surely that should tell real Americans just exactly how wrong the stuff he’s spouting really is.

  4. Well for the sake of the GOP I hope Senator Clinton does win, but I just don’t see it. The thing is, if the Democrats were smart, they’d put Governor Richardson up for office. He’s a much better candidate, he’d appeal to a lot broader base of voters, and he has executive experience.

  5. I was on the Obama bandwagon myself and made a small donation to his campaign, but he just doesn’t seem to have the desire to go for the throat in the way that modern politics requires.
    I’d say the same for Fred Thompson. He just doesn’t seem to want it in the way you have to in order to put up with the grueling schedule.
    I hope he stays in the Senate and does some good things there.
    Those of you who believe that Hillary will be an easy candidate to defeat in the fall are fooling yourselves. Republicans went to far in their criticisms of her in the 1990’s and now every time she appears and doesn’t look like Satan’s Love Child it causes people to reconsider all the partisan rhetoric they’ve heard in the past.
    She is a disciplined, strong candidate. And if Rudy is the GOP candidate, she’ll actually be the one with the best marrriage history.

  6. Uh, Teresa, Fred Thompson no longer is in the U.S. Senate. He’s in a far more productive job as a candidate for President of the United States. Anyone who underestimates Fred is making a serious mistake.
    As for Rudy Giuliani, he’s already done more for New York than Hillary Clinton could ever dream of doing. She was elected in large part because Andrew Cuomo, Bill Clinton’s Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, spread many millions of federal tax dollars around New York state to grease Hillary’s first election to the U.S. Senate.
    Wanna compare marriages? Giuliani’s personal life was colorful, but at least he DIVORCED the previous two wives. Hillary’s continuing tolerance for her husband’s serial infidelities speaks volumes about her character. And who, exactly, is Susan Thomases?
    No one but a fool thinks that Hillary Clinton will be easy to defeat. At the same time, the most grandiose and overawing of candidates sometimes turn out to have feet of clay. Many people in the Democrat Party already know about the Clintons. The question for them is, “Do you want another dose?”

  7. Guys, Guys, Guys, Barack Obama is Hillarys stalking horse. He is there to absorb the left wing money and support that might otherwise go to John Edwards or some other left wing candidate. As soon as Hillary has enough support to ensure her nomination/coronation he will adroitly step aside to wait his turn in 2016. She may even choose him as VP candidate but I doubt it. Way to many negatives for the party trying to win back the NASCAR, Christian crowd.

  8. quickjustice says, “Giuliani’s personal life was colorful, but at least he DIVORCED the previous two wives. Hillary’s continuing tolerance for her husband’s serial infidelities speaks volumes about her character.”
    ——————————
    Do you actually know anything about Giuliani?
    After getting his annulment from his marriage to his cousin, he marries Donna Hanover. During that marriage he conducted a HIGHLY VISIBLE affair with an aide named Cristyne Lategano. He later gave her a $250,000 yr city job. (Her previous job was selling sneakers.)
    In 1999 he started having an affair with Judith Nathan. Mother’s Day weekend 2000 came. So how did the then mayor celebrate? While his wife was home in LA visiting her family, he & Judy took a stroll along 2nd Avenue with the press in tow. The pictures of the mayor and his paramour greeted his wife & kids as a Mother’s Day gift.
    For the next year he and Donna fought like cats and dogs over who would get to live at Gracie Manor. Rudy finally moved Judy in and married her there after kicking Donna and the kids out. (And also after paying Donna $8 million dollars not to drag his infidelities all out in court.)
    Hillary will look good for trying to save her marriage by comparison. And at least Chelsea still speaks to her parents.

  9. The democrats and the republicans, are running different shows.
    And, while it’s hard to think Hillary can win; it sure gives her mile-age to have helped Obama get recognized by Blacks. Because that means? He’s got the spotlight, now. Not Al Sharpton. And, not Jesse Jackson.
    Well? When you’re maneuvering teams; that’s nice “tag work.” Right there.
    While the republicans? What if it’s NOT about a “house divided” … so much as a very white crowd, in a very white house? It’s like going to the Opera. And, understanding how crowds announce themselves, even in a free country. Full of choice. HINT: Opera does not achieve “cross-section.” Though at times it can have a Maria Callas, and a Pavarotti. That produce audiences willing to part with big bucks. Just to hear them LIVE. (Yeah. No longer live.)
    But I think you’d get my drift; if I’m trying to say, that what you have here, isn’t broad-ranged enough. It’s not static. But it’s as white as you can get. When it comes to guaranteed audience.
    Yes. Hillary can win.
    In the differences between the debates; her’s worked better. She’s getting polished.
    Guliani? Barely hanging on; and pandering to catch a few voters. (Which may be a handicap, ahead?) And, GUiliani is your best bet.
    Ya know, if you owned a thoroughbred. And, you could enter this thoroughbred into the Triple Crown races; would you be aware, that a horse, (being human), can get tired out if he’s not handled right?
    How can Hillary win?
    She needs to do just a smidgen better than 50%. Less, if the race goes 3-way. With some unknown horse flying out of the wings. Won’t be Ross Perot, though. But would need that sort of enthusiam; where Ross Perot got people in 50-states, collecting hundreds-of-thousands of signatures; to get him up on the ballot.
    Bush #41, had no media friends, back in 1992. So, it was easy to see the TV blasting away; giving Ross the coverage. You see the republicans owning this type of “machinery?” I don’t.
    But, I’m trying to say that Hillary’s chances aren’t hopeless.
    That the system in place has given her better exposure. While the debates for the republicans? Stays stuck on the Ron Paul “joke.”
    But so many Americans are now dishearted with Irak. With Bush. And, are suffering from fatigue.
    No. They won’t be so tired they couldn’t hold their noses, while they vote. Voting’s gonna tell the story.
    We just have to wait. Opera, by the way, is wonderful. But so few people would be willing to sit through it. Not even one aria at a time.

  10. As predicted, Obama is imploding with many verbal and physical gaffes. As the pressure mounts, expect more Obama faux pas’s from him.

  11. That lapel pin scandal was the death blow to his campaign. It also kept various GOP resignations and guilty pleas out of the headlines that week. Lucky coincidence, that.
    All joking aside, a straw poll at the values voters summit rated Obama twice as high as Rudy, who was pretty much dead last among the GOP. The NYT wrote glowing stories about Rudy’s performance without mentioning his abysmal showing. Yes, the NYT.
    The recent puff pieces about Crime Buster Rudy probably can’t gloss over the racketeering indictments of his expartner, Bernard B. Kerik, whose bid to head DHS nearly put the Mafia inside the Department of Homeland security. Yikes!

  12. Angry Dumbo says:
    “He is in the Senate for life.”
    Maybe, maybe not. If he does decide to stay in the Senate, he may leave Illinois and move back to Hawaii to replace the aging Senator Dan Inouye. He’s treated like a rock star out there, much more so than in Illinois. And the weather’s not too shabby either.
    On the other hand, if Hillary loses in 2008, he may run for the White House again in 2012.
    As for this year, his ship was never supposed to get very far anyway. Hilly has been the Anointed One for the DNC since the day in November 2004 that Jean-Claude Kerry obeyed her order not to fight the Ohio vote count.

  13. “She is a disciplined, strong candidate. And if Rudy is the GOP candidate, she’ll actually be the one with the best marriage history.”
    Oh yeah, she looks wonderful. She’s married to an accused rapist. She’s an enabler. God I hope her crew jumps on Rudy’s marriages then the smut that she calls a marriage can be brought back into full view. Perhaps 60 minutes will re-run the Juanita Broddrick interview just to remind everyone. He won’t even have to bring up all the others or the blue dress.
    Bring it on Tersea.

  14. Ya know, I remember 2000. I thought, then, that Bush was a very weak choice. And, yes. It was Gore’s race to lose. So he did.
    But in 2000 I also remember Hillary’s run. When Guiliani “got the call” from Pataki; dictating to him, to climb down! Pataki didn’t want Guiliani in any political job, that would have given Pataki heartburn.
    Then? Just to make sure the republicans could make another error (on top of asking Guiliani to “step away from the plate.”) They found their own silk pony. Rick Lazio. Go ahead. If you remember. Go have a competition about “hair.”
    Rick Lazio tanked.
    But even up against a lightweight, Hillary ran the best race, across the USA. Giving her political career a boost; while she won New York State HANDSOMELY. How handsome? She got more votes than Gore. So, it’s the difference in knowing, that while holding their noses, New York Stater’s gave Gore the edge, over Bush. But Hillary took it in a LANDSLIDE.
    Now?
    I dunno.
    It’s like the blogosphere, on the right is a club. No. Not a club you’d use to beat your opponents. But a “club.” You join because like people do all sorts of things to block out the sunlight you’d get … if just ordinary people came to chat. And, didn’t have to express their faith in your religion.
    But I gotta tell ya. As the months have been passing; I don’t think Bush has done the republican party a single favor. That means? He’s a heavy horse, holding back the team from scoring. Or at least “scoring better.”
    Ron Paul? Wasn’t he supposed to be the Pat Paulson of this year’s campaign? Or the Don Knotts? Good for comedy routines on TV. But not really a player. No. Not really.
    Yet he got to hold center stage! He’s the one up there, treating Irak like it’s a big mistake. And, like it or not; he’s positioned now, that he gets recognized. Not everybody up there among the “ten little indians” would get name recogition, right now.
    And, this “church” … which is a place for social conservatives … You think this is a large church? Why? It’s mostly lily-white. And, middle-aged. It seems so polite! But no one is accepted, if they fall off the bandwagon.
    Oh, yeah. I’ve flopped off Bush’s bandwagon, before. (Steve Den Beste, back in those days, propped me up, again.) And, then came Arik Sharon. Giving no indication that Israel was having a problem.
    Now? With Laura Bush in a burka? Making rounds of her favorite arabs hospitality?
    Or, our Army? What’s this with PR? You think the enemy is at TNR? Gee. I thought the enemy is in irak. And, I don’t like any of the players. Not a sunni, shi’a or kurd, is worth our blood. And, our treasure.
    Bush? He’s okayed $3-trillion on this deal.
    Personally, I wish we could’a removed Saddam’s head much cheaper.
    Personally, I think James Baker in this white house is bound to cause problems. He’s just not all that popular.
    You think Hillary’s not popular?
    You think Bill Clinton hasn’t got gravitas?
    You think you win by spitting out RINO’s to anyone who might vote for your ticket; but they’re not pure enough?
    I’m just asking.
    And, no, it doesn’t feel good to think this can portend a downward spiral.
    Anyway, like in all horse races, you’re taking your own good money, to bet on a horse that will be running down a set-track.
    Ya know what? You could lose money.
    Beyond that? How can you bet outcomes on future events?
    Believe it or not, there are lots of Americans, now, who are very, very fatigued.
    Oh, and you still have Larry Craig sucking republican oxygen.
    Wanna talk about a blue dress? It’s been discounted.
    Larry Craig on the other hand, is still trying to pass himself off “as not gay.’ And, toilet sex is just a variety of sex that happens, without men having to even one silly word.

  15. Day Trader, you don’t mean the Warner married once to Elizabeth Taylor?
    Do you mean Mark Warner?
    Was Mark Warner the black governor? Or am I thinking of somebody else?
    ANyway, I think you’re right. A southerner would be an excellent balance;
    And, to think, once, I thought the nod would go to McCain.

  16. Carol, Good to hear from you. I was afraid you were in one of those California fires. Love your posting. I have family members who ask me whats Carol think? So your words go even further. Like Duncan Hunter myself,and hate any socialist.

  17. NahnCee asked
    “So…. who *would* Hillary put up as her V-P candidate? Bill?”
    Which “Bill”? Not her husband.
    Bill Richardson would give her the Hispanic vote. He’s also a former Bubbah Cabinet Member, so she has all his secret files.

  18. Teresa,
    How come when a sitting Democrat President of the United States commits adultery in the Oval Office, with a subordinate in the workplace no less (that would be Bill Clinton) the Soccer Moms of Amerioa, and the national women’s group NOW, all gave him a pass on his behavior?
    But when a real threat named Rudy comes along, he’s “bad”?
    When are the brownies going to be done?

  19. Dear Del Dolemonte,
    Bill Clinton’s “fondling” of his cigar, and Monica Lewinsky, has been discounted.
    This means that in the market place, Bubba’s behaviors are well known. And, his wife won her senate seat, in 2000, fair and square.\
    While there have been rediculous, and petty, fights among republicans. Take into consideration, Pakaki’s jealosy of Guiliani. SO he stomped on him. Using hsi GOP insider tricks, to pull Guiliani out of the Hillary race; and substituting, the GOP’s silk pony, Rick Lazio. Hillary ate his lunch!
    When the 2000 campaign was over; Gore teetered. he lost his own state of Tennessee. A state that Fred Thompson just rolls out of bed, and collects.
    And, New Yorkers withheld votes from Gore. You know how I can tell? Hillary had hundreds of thousands more votes, in New York State, than Gore got. Sure. Gore got votes. SHE GOT MORE VOTES.
    Hillary’s also done well. She won her re-election, in 2006, easily. Guiliani didn’t challenger her. I’m sure he thinks the NY GOP is a shit house. And, he wasn’t going to touch it with a ten foot poll. It lies wrecked.
    Now? In order to get nominated to the presidential spot on the republican ticket, Guiliani has to PANDER to the social conservatives.
    What if the pandering sticks to him?
    I know there are people who think Bill Clinton was disliked. NOT TRUE. (Heck, even Monica Lewinsky was in love with him! Did you see how the GOP House judiciary couldn’t lay a glove on her? That testimony was televised.) Later, Tom DeLay would say that the House impeachment was his big political error. He tries to justify it with moral certainty. But he blew away Jim Rogan’s career. In 1998, when voters in California extracted a price for the “impeachment show.” One republican seat at a time.
    Politics. Its a mean and dirty sport. It’s not meant to make men saints.
    And, right now, with the stakes high, it seems that the republican debates, while very, very entertaining … could be losing more voters, ahead, rather than gaining speed?
    Ya know? I’m just asking. I have no magical tea-leaf reading cup that foretells the future.
    Heck, maybe, we’ll have hurricanes, and such bad weather, on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 … that only 400 Americans will go to the polls.
    Volunteers will fall asleep waiting for the crowds to show up and vote.
    And, then? Well counting the results will be very easy.
    AHEM. I do not do fortune telling. I don’t believe anyone does.
    I’m just asking questions. It seems like something is tilting the playing field. Insults to Hillary? I don’t think they’re sticking.
    I think, instead, that she’s gaining momentum.
    Which means you can compare and contrast the two parties approach to “debates.”
    Hillary gets Obama. Who gets to take the limelight away from Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson; two dudes NOT invited to Oprah’s home. For Obama? While campaigning is tiring; and probably not all that much fun if you have to do it … He’s well ahead. Hillary’s not hurting, either. And, she doesn’t seem to be getting tired. What’s to tire her out? The Silk Pony neighs?
    The republicans have run into head winds.
    And, Bush, with nothing better to do, is still looking to give the saudi’s land. Honest. I guess he feels obligated now that his wife has a new burka.
    Did you know when the saud’s visited Bush in Crawford, not only was the airport told NO FEMALES IN THE TOWER! Bush was TOLD! NO DOGS ALLOWED.
    If Bush really likes his dogs, that had got to have hurt.
    By the way, try to tell me I can’t have my dogs. See what I do to ya. WHile I leave you standing in the street.
    True Stories.
    And, what a drag on the republican ticket.
    No. I didn’t come to these thoughts all at once. Worse, the thoughts come unbidden. As if pieces of the puzzle are coming together in ways I just didn’t expect. It’s okay. I’m the only one.

  20. Carol,
    “Bill Clinton’s “fondling” of his cigar, and Monica Lewinsky, has been discounted.”
    Only if the Clinton smear machine doesn’t bring up Rudy’s lawful divorces. If her minions choose to mention Rudy’s marriages as they did a few weeks ago, Hillary’s enabling of her husband’s habitual adultery during their entire marriage including rape charges will be fair game.
    There’s nothing wrong with reminding people exactly who the Clinton’s are on a personal level along with their politics. She can only wear that pink dress so many times.

  21. Del Dolemonte & patrick neid —
    I don’t think what Clinton did with Lewinsky was right. But the fact that all of you who lambasted Clinton are perfectly OK with all of Rudy’s adultery and giving mistresses well paid goverment jobs for which they are not qualified shows what utter hypocrites YOU are.
    Sure, both Rudy & Judy G have been “legally” divorced two time each. It did not keep them from carrying on an extremely public affair while Rudy was married and kicking Rudy’s wife and children out of their home. There is a reason Rudy’s kids hate him.
    If you think Hillary — who for whatever reason — stuck with her marriage doesn’t look better than a philandering pig like Rudy to most women in this country you are kidding yourself. Believe me, Hillary is praying every day for Rudy to be the GOP candidate.

  22. Uh, Hillary got less votes than Gore in the state of NY in 2000. She got 3.75 million to his 4.11 million. She only had 55% of the vote to his 60%.
    But I guess that’s the secret to Hillary’s success. Her supporters simply lie to make their points.

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