On the Road
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
* Ok. Here's the deal on the Democratic side.
* Hillary Clinton is not only holding onto a nearly 20 point lead in
the http://www.realclearpolitics.com/polls/: Real Clear Politics website poll average, but she announced
that she had raised about $22 million for the third quarter while
Barack Obama - who had kicked Hillary's enormous (nevermind)- had
raised about $20 million.
* This is the first time this year that Obama's campaign had fallen
behind the Hillary Clinton campaign in fundraising.
* The Barack Obama campaign has been trading on the (a) total amount
raise and (b) the number of donors to offset the fact that Hillary
has been leading in the national polls since about 1937.
* The polls show Hillary is leading Barack by something on the order
of 40% - 20% as an average of the national data.
* We have talked here before that even Democrats understand that we
are a nation under attack and don't trust Obama to protect us
which is why he is stuck at about 21% of the Dem vote.
* Now that Hillary has beaten Obama in fundraising and continues to
lead him in polling, Obama's folks decided the moment has come to
decide the issue.
* Here in Iowa, we are told that the famous (or infamous, if your
name is Howard Dean) Iowa caucuses will be held in early January.
If Obama is to be taken seriously as a contender for the
Democratic nomination, he has to do well here. Very well here.
* As of now, according to the latest Gallup poll, Hillary, John
Edwards and Obama are statistically tied in Iowa.
* So, yesterday, Obama made a pitch to the MoveOn.org wing of the
party by declaring, according to the Associate Press, he "called
for ridding the world of nuclear weapons."
* Fairy tales can come true; it can happen to you !
* Again, according to the AP, Obama said:
"The best way to keep America safe is not to threaten terrorists
with nuclear weapons - it's to keep nuclear weapons and nuclear
materials away from terrorists. "
* Which is about like saying... actually, there is nothing to compare
that to.
* Barack Obamba is stuck in the low 20's in the national polls. And
the reason he has flatlined is because even anti-Iraq-war
Democrats are not willing to turn over control over "the button"
to someone like Barack.
* However, we are talking about a Democratic primary and, therefore,
traditional measurements of sanity should not be taken.
* Barack Obama has got to roll the anti-war dice. We are in early
October and if Obama doesn't begin to close the gap in the next 30
days, this baby is over.
* So, Obama has got to begin attacking Hillary from the Left.
* Obama comes up with some half-witted statement calling for,
according to the AP, "ridding the world of nuclear weapons."
* All we are saaaaayyyyyying, is give peace a chance.
* Again, according to the Associated Press:
"Obama cites his early opposition to war as evidence that he has
the judgment to be president despite arriving in Washington less
than three years ago."
* Which is a straightforward pander to the MoveOn.org bunch.
* Obama might get away with this and, if he does, Hillary will have
to move to the left to match up with him.
* If that becomes the case, heaven help the Democratic party.
* Appealing to the radical Left fringe of the Democratic party is no
way to win an election.
* One can only hope they keep it up.