I haven't seen this diaried yet - but Obama just was asked if he would be Vice President.

Political Radar

ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: While in Casper, Wyo., today Sen. Barack Obama ruled out the possibility being a vice presidential candidate during an interview with CBS' Montana affiliate KTVQ. Here is a transcipt of what he said.

Q: You’ve raised $55 million in February and in your speech today you said "I was against the war in ’03, ’04, ’05 -- all the way on through 2010, and you specifically mentioned Hillary Clinton and John McCain. Could you ever see yourself on the same ticket as Senator Clinton?

A: Well, you know, I think it’s premature. You won’t see me as a vice presidential candidate -- you know, I’m running for president. We have won twice as many states as Senator Clinton, and have a higher popular vote, and I think we can maintain our delegate count -- but you know, what I’m really focused on right now, because all that stuff is premature, is winning this nomination and changing the country.

"She's a fighter!"   Hillary has finally found her voice, and with boxing imagery, has recast herself as the real "fighter" in this race.

Crediting the historic industrial role of Ohioans in the hard-hit steel and manufacturing industries for turning the middle class into an economic engine of national prosperity, Clinton said, “I’m here today because I want to let you know, I’m a fighter, a doer and a champion, and I will fight for you.

Obama needs to turn this back on Hillary.  She's a fighter all right - but a fighter only for the sake of fighting.

Hope and change are a bit played out.   Obama needs to lay down the hammer on Clinton by striking a new theme, one that will resonate positivity while sticking a gigantic shiv into Hillary's back:

"Dignity."

It has echoes of Karl Rove and George W. Bush in their run to "restore dignity" to the White House, which in turn was a reference to the scandals of the Clinton years.   But for eight years, the Republicans have shown that they do not have a monopoly on "dignity."  Far from it:  their scandals, their corruption, their ethical breaches, their affairs, their thievery, their fearmongering, their racism and jingoistic division.  All of these show that the Bush Administration failed at its most fundamental promise, to restore dignity to the White House, and to America.

The pundits and the polls and, well, the math, all suggest that Obama is the front-runner to win.  So, the speculation has begun - who will be Obama's VP?

Chris Cizilla of the Washington Post spitballs a few suggestions for Obama:

The Fix - Veepstakes

1.  John Edwards

2.  Tim Kaine

3.  Kathleen Sebelius

4.  Jim Webb

5.  Tony Zinni

However, after last night's debate, and Hillary's conciliatory closing (where she said she was "honored" to share the stage with Barack), you have to think that Hillary Clinton would be on that short list.  What do you think?

Now cross-posted at MyDD.com for your enjoyment

MyDD Link

This is for all those who have not yet been infected with the PLAGUE that is Obamamania...  Yes, for those REAL DEMOCRATS out there who want the real news.

I fully expect to be flamed, drawn, and quartered for this, but there's been a brand new disclosure in the Rezko/Obama front that demands attention.

We all remember Tony Rezko, right?  The indicted former "Friend of Barack" who, while under indictment, just so happened to go splitsies on a land purchase with the Obamas in 2005.  Rezko (through his wife, Rita), bought a vacant parcel of land for full price - $625,000 - while the Obamas bought the adjacent house for $1.65 million - a full $300,000 off of the asking price!!!  

We also remember how quickly Obamabots POUNCE on any mention of Rezko's name or any suggestion of any impropriety in this deal...  How quickly they suggest that Obama's huge discount simply reflected real estate economics.

Well, well, well...  Guess who decided to show up late to the party with a story to tell?   The Sellers

There she goes again!  This time, Hillary is outraged that MSNBC's David Schuster dare describe Hillary's trotting out her daughter to campaign for her as "pimping."  Women to the barricades!  Down with MSNBC!

Just two days ago, her message was that the Obama money machine was forcing her to dip into her personal wealth and leading her staff to forego pay!  She won New Hampshire when she cried about how tough the campaign was for her.  

It's a pattern all right, but it's not a pattern about the media:  it's a pattern of behavior about the kind of leader Hillary Clinton wants to be.

As expected, on the heels of delivering the Democratic Response to the last (and by default, therefore the best) GWB State of the Union, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius endorsed Barack Obama for President.

I know we all know this but I hadn't seen this diaried yet.

Sebelius Makes It Official

Oh there are so many things I could write about today - the FISA stand-off, Super Bowl predictions, poor Heath Ledger's family, but no, I'm going to write about primary season, and, just for kicks, since we seem to be celebrating the anniversaries of things lately, like Roe v. Wade, and "10 Years Since Monica," I thought I'd write in the motif of one of my all time favorite movies, Rushmore - also celebrating it's 10th anniverisary.

"Sic transit gloria" indeed.

(Note:  This is the most irrelevant, half-assed excuse of a diary ever.   Flip ahead at the risk of being both insulted and bored at the same time).

I've read this kind of quote from voters in Nevada, Michigan, Iowa and New Hampshire.  If you are a Hillary supporter, do you recognize this sentiment?

At North Las Vegas’ Rancho High School, Maria Arqueta, a 46-year-old recently laid-off restaurant worker and former Culinary worker, said she sided with Clinton primarily because she hopes a Hillary Clinton administration could restore the upbeat economy of Bill Clinton’s presidency.

Echoing the same theme, Planet Hollywood porter Javier Martinez said: “When her husband was in office, things were good for us.”

Las Vegas Sun:  Culinary Caucus

Bill and Hillary Clinton perpetuate this myth when they reference the "good old times" of the Clinton Era.   The fact is - presidents have very little control over the economy.  That Clinton takes credit for the booming economy in the 1990s demonstrates a fundamental bankruptcy of her campaign.  She is literally promising something that she cannot deliver.  Hillary supporters - don't you find this problematic?

In 1992, Bill Clinton won the Presidency on the slogan, "It's the Economy, Stupid."   In 2008, it looks like Hillary Clinton is trying to steal a page out of her husband's playbook.   All three candidates have castigated the mortgage industry for pushing "subprime" loans on homeowners and their too-easy lending practices, and Hillary is proud to proclaim that she has taken the lead on this issue.

Hillary Clinton has received laudatory praise from her fans on this site and in the MSM for her economic stimulus plan, part of which includes various measures to purportedly help homeowners affected by subprime lending practices.  She's made a "rate freeze" part of her stump speech - pandering to voters who are concerned about increases in their mortgage rates.  

However, the reviews are in:  her plan would essentially destroy the economy and hurt thousands of homeowners in the process.  What's worse is that Hillary has shown a consistent aversion to honestly discussing the costs of her plan on American homeowners.

The emerging storyline heading into the Feb. 5 primaries:  the rift between the Latino and African American communities.  Governor Bill Richardson has taken to calling Super Tuesday, "Hispanic Primary Day."

Obviously, the existence of this rift hurts Obama heading into a weekend that could make or break his campaign.  Obama is having some trouble breaking through to the Latino community.  In Adam Nagourney's New York Times article on "Obama's Uneasy Pursuit of Latinos," there's this distubing (for Obama) anecdote:

“Many Latinos are not ready for a person of color,” Natasha Carrillo, 20, of East Los Angeles, said. “I don’t think many Latinos will vote for Obama. There’s always been tension in the black and Latino communities. There’s still that strong ethnic division. I helped organize citizenship drives, and those who I’ve talked to support Clinton.”

But does Obama have a February Surprise?

I'll do my best not to unduly characterize this lawsuit or the TRO.   As you know, the Nevada's teacher's union, the NSEA, filed a lawsuit seeking to enjoin the Nevada Democratic Party from hosting 9 At-Large Precincts on the Las Vegas Strip.   This lawsuit was filed within days of the endorsement of Barack Obama by Culinary Union.

The lawsuit in and of itself did not change anything.   Last night, however, the wheels were set in motion by the NSEA to officially block the Nevada State Democratic Party from hosting those 9 At Large Precincts, through a motion for a temporary restraining order (to be followed up with a motion for a preliminary injunction).

The dominant theme of anti-Obama critics is that he's a man of "pretty words," but no action.   We hear it from the Clinton's, who say that it took an LBJ - a master insider - to get civil rights legislation passed, not MLK.   We hear it from Edwards supporters, who say that they want a fighter, someone who will punch the corporate interests in the mouth and keep punching, not someone who preaches peace.  

Not that Obama is MLK by any stretch - but, in terms of the various theories of how to effect social change, he's MLK-esque in his approach, and it's like he's got LBJ on one side (Clintons), and Malcolm X on the other (Edwards).  I feel like I've seen this movie before.

The question on the lips of every pundit on NH Primary Day was:  if Hillary loses, will she quit?

Some speculated that a resounding Obama win would be the start of an Obama steamroller to the convention, and suggested that it was in the interest of the "Clinton Brand" to save face and quit the race.

The Clintons denied the speculation heading into the vote, expressed confidence in their team, and waited and watched as they pulled out a stunning but narrow come-from-behind victory.  Then, the punditry switched - did this reverse the Obama momentum from Iowa?   Obama supporters fretted and worried (and volunteered and gave).  

It is clear that there were three factors that played into the stunning NH primary win by Hillary:

1.   Hillary's Cry Heard 'Round the World

2.   Hillary's Play of the Gender Card During the Debate

3.   Bill's Complaint About Unfair Media Treatment

Critics of Obama deride his proclamations of "hope" and "change" as empty slogans.   But could there be anything more vapid and empty than a campaign based on "you go girl" identity politics and displays of emotion?

Screw candidate diaries.

With 26% of precincts reporting, I hereby make it official:  New Hampshire is beyond stupid.  As an Iowan, I'm proud of how my state performed.  I am sick and tired of being associated with those contrarian, Volvo-driving atheists from "chowda" country with their snowshoes and turtlenecks and perpetual winter.  Let us keep our quirky caucuses.  Let another state have the first Primary!

It was the Spring of Fred, the Summer of Rudy, the Fall of Mitt, and now heading into the homestretch, it is increasingly apparent that this will be the "What the Huck" Winter of Huckabee.

Now, we all know that Huckabee has weakenesses:  DuMond, immigration, taxes, evangelicalism.   That said, Stephen Colbert likes him, as does Chuck Norris, so he can't be dismissed as a potential cross-over candidate for "Blue Dogs" or "Reagan Democrats."    

How does your favored candidate "stack up" with Huck?   Not just the issues, not jsut the polls, but the big picture.Rasmussen says that he's in a dead-heat with both Hillary and Obama.

It's true - I read it here on the Great Orange Satan.

Obama Goes Negative

That's right - a hit piece against Sen. Barack Obama authored by TomP, a dedicated John Edwards supporter who has posted almost every day on blogs such as My DD and Daily Kos in support of John Edwards, and who, along with fellow compatriot jsamuel, regularly published the "Edwards Evening News Report."

That's right - an Edwards campaign operative goes on the OFFENSIVE with half-truths and campaign propaganda directed against Barack Obama.  

Is that the sound of "America Falling," TomP?