How can Obama recapture his momentum?
Sen. Barack Obama greets supporters during a campaign event in Reading. Pennsylvania. (PHOTO CREDIT: AP)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Exactly one week from today and again the nomination will pretty much be sitting there for Barack Obama's taking. Win Indiana and win North Carolina by an even bigger margin and the remaining undecided superdelegates will likely start breaking his way in big enough numbers to mark an end to this marathon. But if he loses Indiana to Hillary Clinton, questions about Obama's electability will linger.
He's got to find a way to do better in Indiana than he did in Pennsylvania among blue collar voters. The superdelegates want to see that he is not out of touch with a big piece of the democratic base. Pennsylvania hurt Obama, Clinton painted him as an elitist. And his words about people being bitter stuck to him and pulled him down.
Some people inside Obama's campaign told the New York Times he is bored with these primaries and is anxious to move on to the general election campaign against John McCain. But Indiana looms large. He can't afford another Pennsylvania.
Here’s my question to you: With one week until Indiana and North Carolina, what does Barack Obama have to do to recapture his momentum?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Will the stimulus checks stimulate the economy?
(PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The federal government began sending out checks to taxpayers this week as part of its economic stimulus plan.
130 million payments totaling more than $110 billion will eventually be made to citizens who filed a tax return for 2007. The minimum amount is $300 with $600 going to single taxpayers who earned less than $75,000 and $1,200 going to couples who earned less than $150,000. Uncle Sam will also pay $300 for each child under the age of 17.
The idea is to give our sagging economy a shot in the arm. Officials hope people will spend the check as opposed to using the money to pay down debt or simply saving it. But surveys indicate most folks will send it to the credit card companies, put it in their gas tanks, or stick it in the bank.
Retailers smell all this money and are already announcing promotions designed to get you to come to them so they can empty your pockets of all this additional dough.
But at the end of the day how much impact this will have on an economy that is likely already in recession is questionable.
It's important to remember this is an election year, and this was one of the very few items both parties could agree on in Washington all year long. The politicians figure tossing bread crumbs to the masses creates the impression they care what happens to any of us. I seriously doubt it.
Here’s my question to you: How much of a difference will the stimulus checks make to our economy?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How much has Rev.Wright hurt Obama's campaign?
Click the play button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say.
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
It seems like Reverend Jeremiah Wright is going out of his way to make sure the United States does not elect its first African American president. Which is strange in light of all the complaints Rev. Wright has about the way white people have done things in this country.
Just as the controversy over Wright was dying down, he showed up at the National Press Club in Washington yesterday with a can of gasoline and got the fire going again.
Among other things he praised Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam who also reportedly provided Wright's security. He accused the United States of terrorism, said the government created the AIDS virus to cause the genocide of racial minorities, and defended the view that Zionism is racism.
And this is from someone who is supposed to be Obama's friend. Hillary Clinton should send him flowers. He may have done more damage to Obama's chances in an hour yesterday morning than she has been able to do in 15 months of campaigning.
And it leaves Barack Obama in a very awkward position. What's he supposed to do now? The first time around he rejected Wright's comments without throwing the man under the bus. He can't afford to be that generous this time.
Here’s my question to you: How much damage has Reverend Wright done to Barack Obama's chances of becoming President of the United States?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
@jackcafferty on Twitter
Recent Comments