McCain closes Obama's lead in a poll…..that includes "leaners"….

An interesting poll, taken by the Associated Press-Ipsos shows that McCain is basically tied with Obama.

Quote:

An AP-Ipsos poll taken in late February had Obama leading McCain 51-41 percent. The current survey, conducted April 7-9, had them at 45 percent each. McCain leads Obama among men, whites, Southerners, married women and independents.

Clinton led McCain, 48-43 percent, in February. The latest survey showed the New York senator with 48 percent support to McCain’s 45 percent. Factoring in the poll’s margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, Clinton and McCain are statistically tied.

However, here’s the thing that kind of makes this poll a joke:

Although the race between Clinton and Obama remained unchanged, there were a few shifts in whom voters are choosing:

• The gender gap has mostly disappeared, with Clinton losing her advantage among women. In February, 51 percent of Democratic women supported Clinton while 38 percent were for Obama. Now they’re statistically tied at 44 percent for Clinton, 42 percent for Obama. That is partially offset by a decline in male support for Obama, down 7 points to 50 percent, while Clinton gained 10 points among men. She is now at 42 percent.

• Obama and Clinton are now statistically about even among households earning under $50,000. In late February, Clinton led 54 percent to 37 percent, but now it is just 48 percent to 41 percent.

• Obama now leads Clinton among self-described moderate Democrats, 51 percent to 35 percent. Previously they were 45 percent Clinton, 40 percent Obama.

The poll questioned 1,005 adults nationally. Included were interviews with 489 Democratic voters and people leaning Democratic, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.4 points; and 369 Republicans or GOP-leaning voters, with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 5.1 points.

I mean, how fixed can a poll be? If that wasn’t a bad poll, I don’t know what is. Rolling Eyes Frustrated

Leaning?!?!?! That could mean anything, how do we know those people weren’t lying?

I really do not think that this will really matter, the general public and those paying attention, know the John McCain is going to be equated with Bush and his Policies and people will not vote for him. Obama will win, I think, I would be wrong. But I highly doubt people will vote for him.

Others: MSNBC, Wake up America, TalkLeft and PoliGazette (via Memeorandum)

Clinton is ahead in the polls in PA.

This according to a TIME Poll. It really does not matter however, because Obama has a lead in delegates.

I guess, that is why I don’t understand the MSM’s attempt to paint this as an attempt to steal the nomination. Not like that is going to happen, if you think that the super-delegates will switch to her, you’re crazy, they will do the will of the people.

I just don’t understand why Hillary just doesn’t concede defeat and hope she gets a VP nod, like the rest of them. Rolling Eyes

Anything to inflate her ego, I suppose.

Others: TalkLeft, Telegraph, Marc Ambinder, The Moderate Voice, PoliBlog (TM), Donklephant, The Page, PoliGazette, Below The Beltway, Political Machine, TPM Election Central, Southern Political Report and more via Memeorandum

Attack reported by Student was a Hoax

(H/T and thanks to Michelle Malkin)

Remember the attack that I reported here two days ago?

Turns out that it was a hoax.

The Story from TylerPaper.com:

A 13-year-old girl who claimed she was attacked by a group inside Athens Middle School was caught on a surveillance camera causing the injuries to herself.
The girl now faces disciplinary action from the school and will be charged with filing a false police report, AISD superintendent Fred Hayes said during a news conference today.
The parents of Melanie Bowers have since sent letters of apology to school and law enforcement investigators.

Not only is this an insult the Hispanic community, it’s an abuse of our Law Enforcement. I am quite glad to see that she will be charged.

Video:

Jewish Racism by a Obama Supporter!

The Article: Reverend Eric Lee’s Anti-Semitism: A Personal Story (via Pajamas Media)

On April 4, 2008, at a Los Angeles event commemorating the assassination of Martin Luther King, the African-American fraternity Alpha Kappa Psi gave Israeli-American Daphna Ziman its Tom Bradley Award for community service. Then the event’s keynote speaker, Reverend Eric Lee, turned to Ms. Ziman and launched an anti-Semitic diatribe. Roger L. Simon interviewed Ms. Ziman.

Watch this Video:

That’s the saddest thing I have ever had to watch. I think Senator Barack Obama needs to publicly condemn this, there’s just no call for it.

I look for this to be the big story in the next couple of days.

Update: Thankfully, this is being picked up, several Bloggers have started talking about it: Roger L. Simon and Classical Values

Clinton's Poll Ratings do the Fade….

There’s no denying it. Clinton is slipping, so says Gallup:

Personally, I don’t see why she stays in. Because it will only ruin the party. But that’s your Liberals for you.

Others: The Daily Dish, Talking Points Memo and TPM Election Central (via Memeorandum)

Early Evening Political Humor

Political Blog Wars are so amusing to watch.

Mainly because both sides talk past one another. Not once do they listen to the other side.

Go see what I am talking about. I think that’s the reason why the main stream media hates us Bloggers so much. I doubt one could argue the fact that most Bloggers, especially Political Bloggers, like me, always feel the need to be right and to get the last word.

To me, watching a Blog war, is like watching a roman conquest. Flaming boulders being shot back and forth, it’s quite amazing. Grown people, squabbling like children.

But then again, that’s Politics.

Chris Matthews makes New York Times Magazine

As much as I hate to admit it, I like the guy…..and I’ll explain why.

The article: Chris Matthews, Seriously. (O.K., Not That Seriously.) by MARK LEIBOVICH (via New York Times Magazine)

Quote:

Whenever Chris Matthews says something he likes, which happens a lot, he repeats it often and at volumes suggesting a speaker who feels insufficiently listened to at times. “Tim Russert finally reeled the big marlin into the boat tonight,” Matthews yelled — nine times, on and off the air, after a Democratic debate that Russert moderated with Brian Williams in late February at Cleveland State University. Matthews believed that Russert (the fisherman) had finally succeeded in getting Hillary Clinton (the marlin) to admit that she was wrong to vote in favor of the Iraq war resolution in 2002. “We’ve been trolling for that marlin for what, a year now?” Matthews said to Russert.

The reason why I happen to like Chris Matthews is because he has a redeeming quality. The quality is, that no one, I don’t care who they are, cannot sell a line of B.S. to Chris Matthew’s, He just doesn’t let it happen. Michelle Malkin went on his show and tried it, and Chris Matthews made her look like an idiot. Needless to say, she never went back there.

As he does say on his show, he is tough, fearless and blunt. In fact, Media Matters for America AND Media Research Center both, have expressed their disdain for the guy. I mean, how many people can say, that they have effectively pissed off both Liberals AND Conservatives? Not many.

There’s one part of this story that I refuse to believe, because it’s just too unbelievable.

Quote:

According to people at NBC, Matthews has not been shy in voicing his resentment of Olbermann. Nor, according to network sources, has Olbermann bothered to hide his low regard for Matthews, although when I spoke to him, Olbermann denied any personal animosity toward Matthews and told me that he appreciates his "John Madden-like enthusiasm for politics."

I’m sorry, I just do not buy this at all. Keith Olbermann is professional of the highest order. I do not believe for one minute that Olbermann and Matthews have any problems at all. In fact, I tend to believe that they get along great, I also think they tend to agree much more than people know. I mean, how else would Olbermann get away with using Matthew’s trademark "Ha!" on his OddBall segment? It just does not add up. I tend to believe that the author of this article either doesn’t watch Keith’s show or just was reporting on gossip. Do you think that Matthew’s would allow his voice to be parodied, if he didn’t like someone? I highly doubt that, Matthews is not that stupid.

I recommend reading the article, it’s a bit long and it basically exposes Chris Matthew’s faults and his good points. It was handled fairly and honestly, and I think that is what Chris would want.

Chris Matthews has written some books, might want to pick one up:

Amazon.com: Life’s a Campaign

Amazon.com: Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think

Amazon.com: Hardball

Amazon.com: American

ASIN: B00009V2NO

Amazon.com: Kennedy and Nixon

Others: TalkLeft, The Other McCain, Shakesville, Romenesko and more via Memeorandum

Did Petraeus Overplay His Hand?

Philip Carter thinks so…

The Article: Petraeus Overplays His Hand (Via Intel Dump @ WaPo)

Except that in making this pitch, Petraeus and Crocker overplayed their hand. They overstated the threat posed by al-Qaeda in Iraq in an effort to justify the mission — a mindset that has generated a deeply flawed strategy. They also overplayed the surge’s success — downplaying or discounting factors that likely did more to create today’s improved security conditions. While their "Anaconda" strategy looks cool on a PowerPoint slide, it confuses the issues of control and influence, putting too much stock in America’s ability to engineer success in Iraq. And, perhaps most tellingly, the two men made the case for perseverance without placing Iraq in the context of vital U.S. national interests, offering only apocalyptic predictions of what would happen if we don’t stay the course.

Andrew Sullivan weighs in:

But that was their carefully prescribed task. I don’t fault them. They’re not responsible for overall strategy. At one point last year, I was worried that Petraeus was being used politically. I was wrong. He’s been a magnificent general, in a near-impossible situation. Ditto Crocker. Along with Patrick Fitzgerald, they strike me as among the most impressive public servants of our time.

Now that is a bit overstated, I think, Because I personally believe that General Patraeus is, in the Bush Administration’s eyes, a pawn. A Pawn in a Neo-Conservative chess game.

While I admire Patraeus for doing his job, I think he knows what he is doing. He’s keeping his head down, and doing his job, and when the President is out of office. He will write a book, that will basically indict his bosses. I could be wrong, but I think General Patraeus is holding his cards to his vest and will tell all, when it’s all over with.

Should be interesting indeed.

Others: Washington Post and SWJ Blog

Memo to Speak Nancy Pelosi: Will you please STFU?

You know, I always thought this ~~Closet Lesbian~~ woman was a feckless Bitch, and now I know it!

The Article: We Need a New Direction in Iraq, But Petraeus and Crocker Offered Many More Years of the Same (via The Gavel, Speaker Pelosi’s Blog)

Quote:

The Iraqi ~~people~~ government is not worthy of the sacrifice of our troops or the cost that the war is having on our readiness and our economy. We need a New Direction in Iraq, but what General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker offered today was many more years of the same.

……and Just what the hell is Worthy, Speaker? What is?

A War started by YOUR Party?

Funding for your Aids carrying Homosexuals, that YOU represent?

This crap right here, is the reason why I refuse to align myself with that party!

Why didn’t she just say that the Iraqi PEOPLE weren’t worth the sacrifice?!?!?!

I’m sorry, but Democrats hate America man… I’m really wondering now, who I am going to vote for.

Sure, I know Bush put us into this War, I know this, But is it so wrong to want to fix what we broke? Is it so wrong to want to exercise some personal responsibility? Angry

But then again, we are talking about the feckless Liberals, like the Government we have here in Michigan.

Others: BLACKFIVE

A good Book:

Amazon.com: Liberal Fascism

It's always them pesky hackers…. Sometimes

Now this is FUNNY! Rolling on the floor

The Article: FBI probe: Lieberman campaign to blame for crashing own Web site – The Advocate

A federal investigation has concluded that U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s 2006 re-election campaign was to blame for the crash of its Web site the day before Connecticut’s heated Aug. 8 Democratic primary.
The FBI office in New Haven found no evidence supporting the Lieberman campaign’s allegations that supporters of primary challenger Ned Lamont of Greenwich were to blame for the Web site crash.
Lieberman, who was fighting for his political life against the anti-Iraq war candidate Lamont, implied that joe2006.com was hacked by Lamont supporters.
"The server that hosted the joe2006.com Web site failed because it was overutilized and misconfigured. There was no evidence of (an) attack," according to the e-mail.
A program that could have detected a legitimate attack was improperly configured, the e-mail states.

I would tend to believe that someone is feeling a wee bit silly right about now. Tongue

Hey Joe, How’s it feel to eat crow?

Others: Crooks and Liars, Eschaton, The Carpetbagger Report, Talking Points Memo, Some Guy With a Website …, BlondeSense, Shakesville and more via Memeorandum