Good Morning, ‘Sweeties’
EmailG’morning. Back from a few days off. My thanks to Rick Klein, who did a great job filling in for me.
Last night, in addition to Sen. John McCain’s "Saturday Night Live" cameo — in which he said the next president should be "very, very, very old" and also urged Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to keep fighting — the show satirized the NBA’s "There Can Only Be One" ad campaign.
In the meantime, reviewing my e-mail folder, it seems I missed "sweetie"-gate (can you imagine the kerfuffle if McCain called a female reporter "sweetie"?)
Of more consequence, there was the Obama-McCain (and Rubin-Bush) dust-up over Hamas. And former Sen. John Edwards, D-NC, endorsed Obama, as he seemed to hint he might do a few weeks ago in that interview with People magazine.
But looking forward… After Obama wins the Oregon primary Tuesday (assuming he does), he will, from Iowa, announce that he has won the majority of pledged delegates. That may be an achievement deserving of bragging rights, but it’s of no official significance. This is a battle for overall delegates, not just pledged delegates. Obama and Clinton need 2,026 delegates to win the nomination, according to the Democratic National Committee rules.
I do think Sen. Obama has to be careful as to how much he makes Tuesday’s likely achievement a victory lap. He hasn’t won yet, Clinton is still in the race, and even if her victory is improbable, it is not impossible.
That said, the Clinton campaign will push back on Obama’s announcement, saying the actual number is 2,210, since the Clinton campaign includes those unrecognized contests in Michigan and Florida. This is delegate math according to Bizarro World. The DNC rules state 2,026 delegates are needed. (It used to be 2,025 — but with the two special House elections in Louisiana and Mississippi, it’s now 2,026. And the Clinton Bizarro World number has changed from 2,209 to 2,210.)
- jpt
CPAC: Romney Struggles to Convince Voters 
Obama Backs Off Birth Control Battle?
Yup. I guess we should assume he’s rested and ready to restart his Hillary-bashing/Obama lovefest.
Posted by: Cardsgal | May 18, 2008, 11:54 am 11:54 am
I don’t know why the “sweetie” comment is getting such play when Obama told the diner manager in Texas during a photo “not to worry he wasn’t coming on to her that was his cell phone vibrating in his pocket” I mean is the sweetie comment worse or referencing a possible hard on which the lady clearly knew was a phone??? Either quote is not very Presidential….I’m just saying.
Posted by: DG in NC | May 18, 2008, 11:56 am 11:56 am
LOL
Good morning Jake, sweetie.
This election is too funny:-)
Posted by: Bridget | May 18, 2008, 11:57 am 11:57 am
Welcome Back, Jake!!!
Here is how we get to 2210, rather than the previous 2209:
Previously the Hillary campaign had argued that 2,209 was the magic number. But if you add in the surprise election of Dem Travis Childers in Mississippi special election, the new threshold for winning a majority of the overall delegates — Florida and Michigan included, of course — is 2,210.
While many have argued and maintained that 2025 is the true number, that number predated the formal petition to seat FL and MI.
Now consider this:
It’s the map not the math. In addition to the popular vote, the electoral map shows her with a cushion and Obama with a deficit. She has won 311 electoral votes to Obama’s 217.
Also:
She is ahead in the popular vote by 50,000 votes, counting Florida and Michigan which must be counted. She intends to continue to lead in the popular vote when June 3 comes around and everyone has voted.
This is hard data to ignore. If the SD’s do so, Dems will loose in the GE.
Posted by: countallthevotes | May 18, 2008, 12:01 pm 12:01 pm
I find Obama’s flirtatious manner (he’s called lots of people sweetie, he called someone else beautiful and has made all kinds of other questionable comments) really obnoxious, and can’t believe he hasn’t been criticized more for it. Good grief. It’s obvious he thinks he can continue to get by on charm and charm alone. This isn’t a beauty contest (though since he HAS gotten by without being scrutinized too carefully, I guess I can see why he thinks it works for him).
Posted by: Beth | May 18, 2008, 12:02 pm 12:02 pm
Beth,
I agree. While “sweetie” may be used as a term of endearment, overwehlemingly by much older folks, his use had nothing to do with enderment. It was a professional setting; he was asked a direct question by a professional female reporter. It was condescending and dismissive. His body language spoke volumns, as he turned from the reporter.
Posted by: countallthevotes | May 18, 2008, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
I fail to see what sweetie has to do with a Presedential contest. I am tired of meaningless so called news being off as newsworthy.
Healthcare,war in Iraq, economy, Abortion rights, education, energy. etc
Posted by: jld1959 | May 18, 2008, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm
I guess he thinks he is all that and then some just like the Kennedy boys. He is such a smart a$$ and full of him self wait until it gets thru to him that he has been used by the he man women haters club he is MCgovern reborn you can take that to the bank. If she slams him tuesday he has a really big problem.
Posted by: Bishop | May 18, 2008, 12:12 pm 12:12 pm
jld1959,
Whenever Obama commits a gaffe or has undesirable associations, or contrdictory positions, Obama supporters say that is not relevant. LOL
Over half of the dem voters are women. Trust me, “sweetie” is relevant, especially when the primary opponent is Hillary Clinton.
Posted by: countallthevotes | May 18, 2008, 12:16 pm 12:16 pm
The question is why can’t Obama win Kentucky? Hillary will win KY by 25-30. Obama will say he is the nominee, but in PR he will loose again. What a nominee he is…The first thing after he will be KING Obama is a loose. HAHA
Posted by: Bridget | May 18, 2008, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
If he doesn’t know how to address a woman in the working place then he should drop out and go home .
IT WAS A PUT DOWN,
Posted by: Bishop | May 18, 2008, 12:21 pm 12:21 pm
At least Rick Klein didn’t have a total man crush on Obama like Jake does. We missed you sweetie, but it was nice to have a MAN stick up for Hillary, even if it was just a little. And good luck to Obama with his “Mission Accomplished” party Tuesday night. Obama has accomplished p—–g off just about every group in this country, and he still thinks he’ll win in the GE. Must be all the rigged elections they have planned for November.
Posted by: calli | May 18, 2008, 12:24 pm 12:24 pm
The divider is Howard Dean and his left wing conspiracy.They use the anti-Clinton machine put up by the republicans in caucuses states to advance BO. These votes won’t count in November. But their strategy is to push Hillary out, using that artificial advantage and then they use the negative projection already at work by the republican machine to accuse Hillary of divisiveness.
They play with fire. BO is their puppet. Hillary supporters don’t support him for that reason, nothing to do with racism. Don’t focuse on that because that card is theirs.
The superdelegates can have their say, and of course the voters have to support Hillary massively in the coming primaries.
Go to NY Times, to Times Topics, to Most popular, Bill Clinton and related Hillary Clinton. Read “Mrs Triangulation” by Matt Bai and “When Hillary Runs, Old …(excuse I don’t remember the whole title, but it’s by David D. Kirkpatrick dated Feb 19, 2007. You will figure out the whole thing.
Posted by: jane | May 18, 2008, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
Bridget, the question also could be why can’t Clinton win MO, VA, IA, WI, NC, MN…? We can go on and on about that, but the truth is that both candidates are very good. So they are going to win their share. It would be foolish to think that one has to sweep all the states to claim victory. Obama has won in all the major catagories, including most delegates, which is what counts.
Posted by: Craig | May 18, 2008, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
Jake, since you were gone, have you checked out the boycott all of us sweeties are organizing? Thank you.
Posted by: RL in Illinois | May 18, 2008, 12:33 pm 12:33 pm
Welcome back sweetie-pie. Jake, I just don’t think Obama can win over many of the Clinton supporters. The hateful things that have been said by Obama supports and the MSM about the Clinton’s went WAY too far. An article in the Chicago Tribune says it all “Devil in a pantsuit or the demonization of Hillary Clinton” says it all. I have family in N.Y. N.J, PA and FL. but I only know one who is going to vote for Obama. I know Obama supporter like to say we would vote republican anyway. That is not true, I have never voted for a republican and I will not start now but that will not stop me from voting independent.
Posted by: Tina from Florida | May 18, 2008, 12:35 pm 12:35 pm
Craig,
I think this delegate system is the most undemocratic system in the word. Caucuses are too.
Obama can’t win the swing states. Why???He always outspent Hillary, so the money mean nothing. I respect him, but I don’t think he can win the GE.
Posted by: Bridget | May 18, 2008, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
the big question has the media pushed the mad little sweeties over the edge they sure as heck have been giving it thier best but “we won’t back down” and we are smart enough to communiate and setup groups without them there is a rage coming wait and see the backlash for this party is only just begun IMO
Posted by: Bishop | May 18, 2008, 12:43 pm 12:43 pm
Countallthevotes:
Are you paid by the Clinton campaign? You just spewed back their desperate talking points on how they think they can continue to change the goalposts.
Wow! Isn’t it time to put all that to rest?
Obama 2008 — Yes, WE CAN!!!
Posted by: jackt51 | May 18, 2008, 12:45 pm 12:45 pm
Well doesn’t surprise me when Obama say stuff like that, the glamorous, refine “acting like a white” guys is not the real Obama we know here in Chicago.
Obama is a pretty smart calculated dude, he can definitely put a good act when is need it!
But again, most people would get away with it if they have millions of dollars, patrons and party lords twisting arms and shielding him from scrutiny and most of the media avoiding any criticism on Obama.
The press is doing exactly as they did at the beginning of the Iraq war, they lost their credibility and avoided any criticism or they would be called anti patriotic, now is the same, they avoid all criticism to Obama afraid of the race card waving in their faces.
Shame of the press when they big money but their opinion and they are sold out to the big powers!
Posted by: Peter in Illinois | May 18, 2008, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
if may of the Obama supporters here TRULY want to stop the war in Iraq, then I suggest you face the fact your candidate is going to lose in the GE.
heck, the whole process is so poisoned at this point, Hillary probably couldn’t win either even though all credible analysis says she’ll hand McCain his head while Obama loses big time.
“After Hillary Clinton’s historic 41-point victory in the West Virginia primary, two questions loom: How long will Barak Obama cling to his shattered dreams of the presidency, and how much damage will be done to the Democratic Party by his stubborn and divisive refusal to accept the obvious?”
Posted by: Linda, OKC | May 18, 2008, 3:19 pm 3:19 pm
Senator Obama calling a professional woman ‘Sweetie’ while she is working shows this man can not think rationally on his feet. If I called my doctor, lawyer or even the utility man sweetie, honey or darling, I would be rebuked and charged double. And he says he is Presidential material. WOW.
It was a sign of disrespect.
Posted by: Mary | May 18, 2008, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm
Obama is a jerk. He seems to think his cocky arrogance is endearing. It is disgusting and insulting. I am a life-long democrat, but I wouldn’t vote for Obama if he were the last candidate on earth.
Posted by: Nancy | May 18, 2008, 8:44 pm 8:44 pm
There are more voters supporting Hillary than BO despite the party sending out attack dogs like Joe Andrew, and John Edwards, the back-stabber who claims to work for the poor, while Hillary getting most of their votes. John Edwards, nonetheless tries to sway the votes of the working class, the middle class, the poor to BO’s favour.
The voters don’t trust Edwards, the early quitter of the campaign. The one who has no stamina to hold on to the finish line. The proportional rule in the party denies clear winners and the nomination should be resolved in the convention.
Having Hillary piling her wins on BO, the party is so afraid now that they are trying to mislead the public about the goal post.
They are nothing but scums who try to screw voters; specially those in MI and FL who turn out in record number.
This is a time for determination and tenacity. Go Hillary all the way.
Since the beginning there are serious discriminations against Hillary, it does not help the country to pretend that it doesn’t exist.
BO is just a phony with only his poetic promises of change while he has no record of being a reformer; not like Hillary who is given ample credit of making SCHIP possible (from FACTCHECK).
Todd Spivak of the Houston Press has documented how Obama accomplished next to nothing in his first six years in the Illinois legislature.
Then Emil Jones Jr. an African American with thirty years in the legislature made Obama a sponsor of 26 bills that became law. This is how BO portrays himself as a highly successful legislator.
This is just like giving him the ball at 1 yard line and carries him in on his back.
Has Obama repaid Jones? Yes. He has provided tens of millions in earmarks for Jones’ district.
In reality, he has taken considerable money and support from all sorts of corporate and other special interests. Remember his Bittergate talking to billionaires in San Francisco! He is not a reformer and never will be.
Posted by: John_Lai | May 18, 2008, 8:56 pm 8:56 pm
How can the voters trust Edwards at all or Kerry.
Kerry and Edwards might have been Pres and VP a few years back if they had won against Bush and Cheney.
So I, for one, was appalled when John Kerry came out and endorsed Obama over Edwards, now Edwards endorses Obama. This is just too weird and smarmy for my tastes.
Someone must be pulling some strings behind the scenes.I know Obama has a database of small donors worth a small fortune to Dems running this season but something just seems very odd about these endorsements.
This Obama mania is also kinda scary, is our nation so in need of a Father figure we are making this mortal man into a god. This has shades of past leaders who were adoringly supported and turned out to be monsters. Not in anyway saying that about Obama, it speaks more to our citizens.
Are we so wanting a leader who can walk and chew gum at the same time and read a telepromter better than the rest of the candidates that we are projecting our hopes and dreams onto him.
I do believe we are. Projecting everything we want him to be and if he is not…what then?
And for me Kerry and Edwards as Pres and VP although I voted for them …are just making me uneasy.
Is it just me?
Posted by: LL Barra | May 19, 2008, 12:39 am 12:39 am
“That may be an achievement deserving of bragging rights, but it’s of no official significance.”
I think you may have used the wrong wording here. Surely reaching a majority of the elected delegates is of “official significance”. I think what you were trying to say is that it does not signal the end of the primary, which is a lot different than being of absolutely no official significance.
Posted by: jozsef | May 19, 2008, 1:20 am 1:20 am
Nancy wrote:
Obama is a jerk. He seems to think his cocky arrogance is endearing. It is disgusting and insulting. I am a life-long democrat, but I wouldn’t vote for Obama if he were the last candidate on earth.
______
Go ahead Nancy, vote for McCain out of spite. Maybe you’re down for another 5000 soldiers killed before McCain’s 2013 pull-out. Or maybe you’ll stay home which would only contribute to the 5k caskets. The US is going into an economic nose dive, fyi.
You must have amnesia or you’re 20 years old in which in either case you seem to forget Clinton’s arrogance and cockiness, but on an entirely different level. And I voted for him twice.
Sounds like you’re a Hillary supporter, and I’m not here to criticize her. Unfortunately, she couldn’t work her campaign, she thought Bill would slam dunk it, the wheels fell off and now she’s broke. There’s no sexism in that. Comments by quacks like Chris Matthews and Limabaugh and stupid toys mimicking her are.
I support Barack Obama, but would vote for Hillary in a heartbeat if she were the democratic nominee because it’s not about me.
Posted by: Sally | May 19, 2008, 7:19 am 7:19 am
Not to worry Barry will never make the cut in the GE..It is not possible. No he can not….no one can win with just one minority.
Hillary supporters will vote for ANYONE BUT BARRY!!!
Posted by: HP Boston | May 19, 2008, 7:49 am 7:49 am
Thanks for the familiar attribute of “sweetie”, but it really is inexcusable.
Obama has no foot to fall back on when it comes to sweetie. Affable as he may be (as far as I know), no person should be throwing out those terms of endearment if you don’t really know the person you are sweet talking. It is fake.
That said, as a Obama supporter, WELCOME BACK JAKE. Maybe ABCNews thought they’d continue to keep the traffic up by having a replacement blogger BUT why not let your space retain your unique stamp? Rick, great!, but does not have your pluckiness especially when I don’t agree and keep reading anyway.
If John McCain said sweetie, he’d be pilloried.
Posted by: Genna | May 19, 2008, 7:57 am 7:57 am
Jake is back and you must Jake you must lead this troubled troop. We here are in desperate need of help!!! HELP!
PLEASE INSTRUCT THE SPELLING OF LOSE IS TO NOT WIN!!!!
LOOSE IS YOU HAVE A SCREW LOOSE!!!
Wow thanks I was losing it!!!
Posted by: HP Boston | May 19, 2008, 8:04 am 8:04 am
sally yes Vote for Obama, maybe you open your if one of our cities is wiped off the earth if Obama wins!!!
Posted by: spock | May 19, 2008, 11:55 am 11:55 am
sally – yes Vote for Obama, maybe you will open your eyes if one of our cities is wiped off the earth if Obama wins!!!
Posted by: spock | May 19, 2008, 11:56 am 11:56 am
Yes there is a voter backlash coming, and it’s called Hillary Democrats. I cannot for the life of me understand what is wrong with the DNC. Do they not see, hear or understand the rage that is boiling in this party over the disrepect shown not only to Hillary, but President Clinton as well? Do they just choose to ignore it, or do they not understand the warning signs? How can anyone be so deaf, dumb, and blind? I know there are hundreds of thousands of formerly loyal Democrats that have already sent in their letters informing the DNC that they would not send a dime of money to the DNC until Florida and Michigan have been seated, and I know that just as many have already sent in letters telling the DNC they had switched their party affiliation to Independent from Democrat in protest of their treatment of Hillary Clinton and the surrogate assasins that have bombarded the airwaves in their attempt to force Hillary out of this race. And still they sit on their hands and fumble around, clueless as to the anger that is prevalent in this party. At this point, I really wonder if they will even comprehend the reality when John McCain waltzes into the White House. Will they still be wondering what in the world happened when McCain takes the oath of office, of do you think something will click by then?
Posted by: jdona | May 19, 2008, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
Anyone who calls me sweetie a) doesn’t know me very well, and b) doesn’t think me important enough to learn and call me by name
…but it ain’t THAT big a deal to change my vote in Nov
Posted by: phillygirl64 | May 19, 2008, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm
How can the Democrats even be represented by “unprofessional candidate” least for a President?
Democrats really are out of touch by
suggesting that OBAMA represents the views of America. He doesn’t represent the views of hard working americans by calling them clinging to gun when they are “bitter”. Now OBAMA dare to demean the WOMEN of this great country starting with that lady reporter by calling her SWEETIE?!! How much AROGANT THIS MAN OBAMA (A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE)
would be? What OBAMA did in a work place is called Sexual Harassment. IS OBAMA trying to change the meaning of Sexual Harassment according to his terms? WHAT A JERK AND ARROGANT MAN..
I hope he is not the nominee so I can still vote for the democrats. If he is the nominee then I will vote for MCCAIN.
Posted by: James, Independent, KY | May 19, 2008, 8:35 pm 8:35 pm