Jesse Jackson goes nuts about Obama's nuts!

The nutty professor or what? No, just Jesse Jackson sounding off at the mouth. Whatever has Barack Obama done to him, except, of course, look electable? Jackson claimed Obama was "speaking down to black people" by telling them they need to take responsibility for their own lives. I am sure responsibility means being given opportunities to florish and to be successful without seeking handouts on every occasion.

The thing here is that Jesse Jackson is still in the old school of Democratic politics. He needs black people to see him as a "community leader" whereas Obama is going to be a leader for the WHOLE community. So Jackson gets niggled here and there.

His comments about Obama were intended to be private but were picked up by a Fox News microphone on Sunday. Fox News, eh? They get everywhere. Jesse should have seen that one coming! He believed the microphone was switched off. You don't say!

During his remarks, made in a casual conversation with another guest after finishing an interview, Mr Jackson said that Mr Obama had been talking down to black people, adding, “I want to cut his nuts out.” Not very becoming.

Barack Obama said, in a speech made on Father's Day in Chicago, that too many black men, "have abandoned their responsibilities, acting like boys instead of men. And the foundations of our families are weaker because of it." I'd say it was right to make an issue of the obvious, because without tackling the truth head-on, how is anyone going to help anyone? Jesse Jackson needs to get a grip. Good role models do indeed make for good citizens.

Jesse needs to thinks about the nuts he's talking, because he doesn't look like he's got the political balls at the moment!

Obama to be beaten below the belt?

Politics is a tough game. It should be just on your policies alone. Possibly on your character or even your demeanour. After all, who wants a grump as President or Prime Minister?

In the USA, politicians have failed abysmally to dent Barack Obama's position. Dodgy pastors, a supposedly racist grandmother, or even his schooldays haven't turned up anything. Hillary Clinton tried. Husband Bill had a go. To no avail. Obama came through.

Now the Republican Party think they’ve found a weapon that could wound Obama. It is his own voice as recorded for the Grammy Award-winning audio version of his 1995 memoir, “Dreams from My Father.”

“I think the audio version makes a much more immediate impact” than the print version of his memoir, said conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt, who has played audio excerpts from the book on his syndicated radio show. “It turns out to be very jarring to many ears to hear Obama talking about his youthful adventures, his attitudes on race.” Hewitt seems pleased by all this. I think it just shows how devoid of Christian charity these so-called "conservative" talk show guys really are.

Boris Johnson was quite right. We don't want antisceptic politicians. But we don't want liars, cheats, and miscreants either. After all, who has not done something, or said something crass or cazy in past times. It's not as if Obama's committed a heinous crime.

I'd suggest the Republican Party treads carefully, otherwise they may get the odd floozy popping up to say she had a night of passion with McCain. On second thoughts, that might not stop him in his tracks. But you get the drift.

Let's have a nice clean fight, boys. If it gets nasty - well, who knows what can come out of the various closets with unlocked doors?

Hillary's last hoorah!

Hillary Clinton has less than 24 hours in which to concede victory to Barack Obama. With super delegates peeling off into the Obama camp, Jimmy Carter joining the rest of his extended family in backing the senator from Illinois, it seems for her it is over when it's over, as over is now. She did well. She was the first woman to break the mould so to speak. Bill may not be going to be First Gentleman, but he can console himself with the possibility of being the second gent on the block, if that's what the V-P's spouse will be.

Clinton has said she is "open" to becoming Obama's vice-presidential running mate. This comes as the US primary elections draw to a close, and she may well be wise to say such a thing. A bruising convention will do nobody any good. One that is more of a rally, well that will be what the Democratic party faithfull will want to see. With a ticket that has both on it, all parts of the party will be satisfied. Hillary should heed that great American saying "Well, you do the math!". As it stands, the arithmetic is not on her side.

Clinton campaign chief Terry McAuliffe said the reports of her V-P thoughts were "100%" incorrect.

"I can honestly say as chairman of this campaign that until someone has the numbers, this campaign carries on. The race goes on. We've got two important votes today and then tomorrow we've got to work the super-delegates and we believe we can persuade enough super-delegates to come over and support Senator Clinton." That is bold talk, but I think I will wake up tomorrow morning hearing that Obama is the nominee. What a year it's been for him!

It's all over for Hillary

I felt that Barack Obama had the Democratic nomination in his grasp weeks ago. I still think he will be the nominee and that Hillary Clinton has missed the boat this time. She needs to decide whether she folds her tent now, at the end of the month or in June. Fold it she will have to.

This particular race is not about her being a woman and him being from an ethnic minority background. This is all about change. Obama has sensed that, as did Ron Paul for the Republicans. Americans are fed up with having to do two or three jobs to make ends meet. They are at the end of their tethers over fickle financiers and corrupt corporations. The war in Iraq has stretched their patriotic hearts to bleeding point and they see their jobs exported in return for cheap Chinese merchandise.

Is it any wonder that they want change? It wouldn't matter what colour Barack Obama was, he'd still come through. It is his message that resonates not his skin tones. He will be in the White House not for who he is but for what he has promised to do. Make lasting change happen!

John Edwards - damned if he does, damned if he doesn't!

Senator John Edwards isn't exactly sitting on the fence. That would put him slightly above the fray. No, I put him in the corner of the stockade with a fiesty filly on one side and a charasmatic steer on the other. Whichever way Edwards goes, he's bound to get kicked!

In a People Magazine exclusive (as they say!) John and Elizabeth Edwards have been waxing in a fairly lyrical way about what they like (and dislike) about Clinton and Obama. All very good, but it's more that just curate's egg philosophy. It's really just saying they aren't telling us who they support. At least Jimmy Carter said everyone in his family was backing Obama, but he couldn't go that far (nudge, nudge; wink, wink) as he was a Super Delegate.

So what is the bottom line? They can't say. After all North Carolina is John Edwards territory and it may be the spark that sets off a second revolution, so he's staying mute. The couple said they will not endorse either remaining candidate, saving their political capital for their own causes – his, fighting poverty; hers, fighting for universal health care.

I have a hunch Elizabeth Edwards is more astute politically than her husband. Achieving the goal of universal health care will help alleviate poverty but fighting poverty, although laudable, is fairly nebulous and does not guarantee a more healthy population. My guess is that the pair of them will need to find a compromise over the symbolism of electing the first woman as president or the first first-generation African-(Kenyan)-American as president.

It really is make-your-mind-up time in the Edwards' kitchen. Anymore dithering and it will be a touch of the Harry Trumans. Heat of the kitchen, and all that!

Obama shows no reverence to the reverend

Barack Obama has quite rightly distanced himself from the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., who has some flaky ideas indeed. Whatever else one may think the American government has done or not done, only a moron could think that it might have brought AIDS to black neighbourhoods and that it has conducted terrorism. Obama said of Wright, "I may not know him as well as I thought". That is true of many friendships and relationships.

Some are saying that this may be a pivotal moment in Obama's campaign. I can't think why. Just because an ageing pastor comes up with some odd-ball comments, it does not mean anyone remotely associated with him thinks the same. If that was the case, we could all catch this thought disease and end up thinking all kinds of stuff.

Poor choice of words - all round!

Barack Obama has been accused of denigrating the white working class of America, previously known as blue-collar workers (this election is reverting to the old stereotypes!). All he did was get his words muddled up. He has been reported as saying they were "bitter" but he meant to say they tended to find solace in religion and guns. Best to keep off religion and guns in election year, I'd say. They don't mix at the best of times, but then guns are bit like fishing and football. It's a religion to some!

No sooner had Obama finished eating his words, then along comes Rep. Geoff Davis (pictured) from Kentucky. He's had to apologise for using the word “boy” to describe Obama. Davis was recorded (by a mischief-maker, no doubt!) saying, “I’m gonna tell you something. That boy’s finger does not need to be on the button.” Davis then told the crowd, at a Republican fundraiser, that he participated in “closed, highly classified national security simulations" with Obama. All he did was to talk of a younger man (three years younger!). I would hardly think a mean thought entered into it, apart from thinking Obama was not fit to be president.

What this says is that you have to pick your words carefully when out on the election stump. Say boo, and it's a whole gaggle of geese that start flapping and hissing. Both men have had to grovel, saying they had a "poor choice of words". Who hasn't been in such a situation? Only a paragon of virtue, and there isn't one of them in the race!

Gallup Daily: Obama 49%, Clinton 44%

Gallup reports today that Barack Obama continues to hold a five percentage point, 49% to 44%, advantage over Hillary Clinton in national Democratic voters' nomination preferences. He appears to have overcome his slight setbacks of January and the pastor thing!

Come the next set of primaries and I think it will be a done deal for him. The White House beckons.

Poll shows Obama's support weakening

Senator Barack Obama’s support among Democrats nationally has softened over the last month — particularly among men and upper-income voters — as voters have taken a slightly less positive view of him than they did after his burst of victories in February, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll. This doesn't surprise me. After all, it's the upper-income types that have been helping to manipulate the US economy in their favour to the detriment of others. Obama has seen that the wreck caused by monetary spivs has to be addressed. They may just feel he could cause them to feel the pinch!

The poll shows Obama leads McCain, and that not much else has changed. Just the well-off may not be in his camp! But they gave up on makeshift stoves and beans a long while back!

Jimmy Carter almost says "Yes!" for Obama

Jimmy Carter is just about to come out in favour of Barack Obama. That will help seal the nomination. I venture to say that Hillary Clinton will have packed her bags by the end of the month. Done and dusted. It'll all be over.

Carter was very effusive on a visit to Africa. "My children and their spouses are pro-Obama. My grandchildren are also pro-Obama," Carter told a Nigerian newspaper. "As a superdelegate, I would not disclose who I am rooting for, but I leave you to make that guess." Umm! Now who would that be, Jimmy?

Chelsea Clinton says it again!

Chelsea Clinton has again berated a questioner for asking about "that woman". Have good manners left the political arena too? It's nobody's business because it has nothing to do with this campaign.

She told her questioner at a student center at North Carolina State University yesterday, “It’s none of your business….That is something that is personal to my family. I'm sure there are things that are personal to your family that you don't think are anyone else's business either.’’ She did add this, however, "I don't think you should be voting for or against my mother because of my father.'' Good answer!

There was a time when politicians didn't want their relatives popping up. Jimmy Carter had his brother, Ronald Reagan had his son, and Bill Clinton had his mother! Hillary Clinton, though, can't be too upset by her daughter's interventions. In fact, Chelsea can't be too upset by her own remarks. If ever she runs for President, she has already put down her markers!

Hillary's Highs turn to Low Poll Ratings!

MSNBC have conducted a poll and they seem surprised that Hillary Clinton is dipping in the Democratic race. "As expected, one of the two major Democratic candidates saw a downturn in the latest NBC/WSJ poll, but it's not the candidate that you think," reports Chuck Todd. How come he thinks we would be surprised? It only goes to show how out of touch these pundits really are!

It's not going to be rocket science, Chuck! Obama will get the nomination and Obama will beat McCain. Obama will be President! Always assuming that no skeletons are about to come out of an unknown closet somewhere.

Why do I think this? Because Americans want change. They want it to happen, so that the sleazebags and legalised crooks are no longer in control. Obama has been given the airtime to vent this message. If only Ron Paul had been given the same opportunity, but, hey, shucks Chuck, that's life, isn't it?