Can Hillary make the difference for Obama?
Click the play button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say.(PHOTO CREDIT: AP PHOTO)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
If someone in the Obama camp doesn't turn this into a campaign slogan, they're not as smart as I thought they were. "No way. No how. No McCain.” With those words, Hillary Clinton finally hit one out of the park last night for Barack Obama. Our John King got it right last night when he said Clinton is "a big game player" and this was a "big game speech."
It might have been the best speech she ever made, calling for party unity and for her 18 million supporters - the "sisterhood of the travelling pantsuits" - to back Obama in November. One of her better lines was, "We don't need 4 more years of the last 8 years.”
Clinton also lashed out at John McCain on the economy, health care, Social Security. Another good line: It makes sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities because these days they're awfully hard to tell apart.
Watch: Cafferty: Can Hillary help?
Joe Biden turned out to be "bounceless"in the polls but Barack Obama might just get one from Hillary.
It was interesting that in her speech Clinton said she was honored to be there as a proud mother, Democrat, senator, American and Obama supporter. With her husband looking on in the audience - she made no mention of being a proud "wife."
Hillary Clinton plans to attend Obama's acceptance speech at Invesco Field tomorrow night. But her husband is reportedly not going to be there. Bill Clinton speaks tonight… and while he's good, he'll have to bring his "A" game to top his wife's performance last evening.
Here’s my question to you: When it comes to Barack Obama winning the White House, can Hillary Clinton make the difference?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
How much do you have in common with Obamas?
Click the play button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say.(PHOTO CREDIT: AP PHOTO)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Michelle Obama's speech last night was meant to convince Americans that her family is just like the rest of us.
The wife of the presumptive Democratic nominee talked about things like family and hard work – that should resonate with millions of people across the country. The idea is to calm the fears of some that Barack Obama is different and unknown with an exotic background.
Michelle Obama described herself as a daughter, wife and mother coming from a blue-collar background – her dad was a city worker in Chicago. She talked about the anxiety her husband felt when driving their oldest daughter home from the hospital as a newborn, and what she thinks about when she tucks her two girls into bed at night.
Watch: Cafferty: Relate to Obamas?
Mrs. Obama said her husband is an ordinary man, joking about his love of basketball. She talked about his being raised by a single mother and grandparents who "scrimped and saved" so they could give him opportunities they never had. She also tried to put to rest questions about her own patriotism, declaring,"I love this country".
At the end of her speech, viewers were treated to an unscripted moment between her two young daughters and her husband via a live video hookup. The girls evaluated their mom's speech and told their "daddy" that they loved him. A moment that could go far in cementing the image of the Obamas as an American family like any other.
Meanwhile, a new Gallup poll suggests Michelle's speech could make a difference, with more than half of Americans saying a candidate's spouse is an important factor in their vote.
Here’s my question to you: How much do you feel you have in common with Michelle and Barack Obama?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Hillary’s advisers skipping Obama speech?
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/26/art.clinton.plane.gi.jpg caption="The Washington Post reports that some of Clinton's top advisers will be absent for Obama's speech on Thursday."]
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Hillary Clinton is expected to be a cheerleader for party unity when she takes the stage tonight in Denver, but there may be less there than meets the eye. Reports are that tensions continue to run high between the Clinton and Obama camps.
The Washington Post reports that some of Clinton's top advisers will leave town before Barack Obama accepts the party's nomination on Thursday night – that includes Terry McAuliffe who was Clinton's campaign manager.
One Clinton supporter who is staying on for Obama's speech says it would be unrealistic to expect that there wouldn't be tension between the two groups... and that the convention is a good chance for the two groups to bond – which is hard if you're leaving Denver.
Two longtime Clinton backers who are leaving early have excuses: one says it's for his daughter's weekend wedding and the other for an overseas business trip.
Nonetheless, the Democratic Party is probably not as unified as Barack Obama and many others were hoping it would be at this point. Obama was forced to address reports that Hillary Clinton was never even vetted to be his running mate, saying he did in fact consider her. Meanwhile, John McCain is now out with his 4th ad using Hillary Clinton's words from the primaries against Barack Obama. The infamous 3 A.M. ad is back with the announcer intoning, "Hillary was right."
This is not the way the Democrats drew this up.
Here’s my question to you: What message does it send when some of Hillary Clinton's top advisers plan to skip Barack Obama's acceptance speech?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Could not picking Hillary cost Obama the election?
Click the play button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
I have started writing a weekly column for CNN.com. This week the headline is "The Beverly Hillary-billies come to Denver." (You will be able to read it tomorrow on cnn.com.)
Despite all the rosy assurances from both sides, there are signs of lingering deep bitterness between the Obama and Clinton camps. And it's a division and bitterness you could see coming in South Carolina. And John McCain is using Hillary Clinton like a baseball bat to hit Barack Obama over the head, using her own words from the primaries against him.
The Clintons will have ample opportunity to try to heal the wounds this week at the convention, but I'm beginning to wonder if they're capable. Hillary speaks tomorrow night, former president Bill Clinton on Wednesday night.
Watch: Cafferty: Clinton overlooked?
According to CNN's own poll, 66% of Clinton supporters – these are registered Democrats who wanted Hillary to be the nominee – 66% say they're backing Obama. That's down from 75% in June. At the same time, the number of Clinton Democrats who say they will vote for John McCain has gone up 11% since June.
And this may be the telling number. Only 59% of Hillary's supporters say the selection of Senator Joe Biden as Obama's running mate was an "excellent" or "good" decision. Among all registered Democrats that number jumps to 73%.
Here’s my question to you: Is it possible that not picking Hillary Clinton as a running mate could cost Barack Obama the election?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Polls tighten, should Obama go negative?
Click the play button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The polls indicate the presidential race is tightening.
CNN's latest poll of polls shows Barack Obama leading John McCain by just one point - 45 to 44 percent. That's down from a 3-point lead in yesterday's average of polls and down considerably from a few weeks ago.
While Obama was vacationing in Hawaii last week - McCain had the stage almost all to himself. Suddenly the Russians rolled into Georgia and McCain was in the catbird seat. Also some of McCain's negative ads - a la Paris Hilton and Britney Spears "celebrity" spot - seem to have resonated with voters. And it looks like McCain made inroads with some members of the Republican base with his interview at Rick Warren's church.
Watch: Cafferty: Obama go negative?
All of this creates a problem for Barack Obama who has gone out of his way to run a positive campaign based on the issues, and for the most part has chosen not to engage in the schoolyard stuff that characterizes U.S. politics. He may no longer have that luxury.
Obama is now out with some hard-hitting tv ads running in local markets in key battleground states. He spent 400-thousand dollars on Sunday alone to run two negative spots - more than 600 times - focusing on the economy and McCain… in places like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Florida.
These new ads have been complemented with a tougher tone on the stump where Obama is going after McCain for saying Iraqis would greet Americans as liberators and for challenging Obama's patriotism.
Some Democratic strategists say Obama's aggressive tone reflects the reality of the race and say he should have gotten tougher sooner.
Here’s my question to you: In light of tightening polls, does Barack Obama have to go negative against John McCain?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Why do military donations favor Obama over McCain?
Click the play button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
When it comes to the money race, it appears Barack Obama is ahead on the battlefield. Members of the military are donating more money to Obama than to the military man John McCain. A lot more money.
A nonpartisan organization called the "Center for Responsive Politics" reports U.S. troops serving abroad have given almost six times as much money to the Democrat Obama as they have to the Republican McCain.
Watch: Cafferty: Military $ for Obama?
These are pretty shocking results when you consider that historically military donations favor the Republican. Also, McCain is a decorated war hero who spent almost 5 years as a POW in Vietnam. He graduated from the U-S Naval Academy and was a naval aviator for 22 years. His military experience is a big part of his candidacy. Obama has never served a day in the military.
It might just mean that Obama's message of being against the war in Iraq is resonating with the people who have been called on to fight it. Obama says he would pull out all combat troops from Iraq within 16 months.
McCain has been a staunch supporter of the war and insists the U.S. will only withdraw troops when the conditions on the ground are right. At one point, McCain suggested the United States could be in Iraq for 100 years.
Here’s my question to you: Why are members of the military donating more money to Barack Obama despite John McCain’s military background?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Has Hillary taken over the convention?
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/08/15/art.clinton.denv.gi.jpg caption="Hillary Clinton will give a prime-time address at the convention. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)"]
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
The Democratic National Convention is shaping into quite some party for Hillary Clinton.
Her name will be placed into nomination. She'll give a prime-time address, introduced by her daughter Chelsea. Her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will get his own plum speaking slot on a separate night. She will also have her own production team to create the introductory video that precedes her speech – the same people who produced Bill Clinton's biography video "The Man from Hope" in 1992.
And, there's now language in the party's platform that refers to the "18 million cracks in the highest glass ceiling," and suggests that media sexism contributed to Hillary's defeat. All this makes it easy to forget that Hillary Clinton is the loser.
Barack Obama and Clinton say they agreed to put both of their names into nomination after weeks of negotiating. It's meant to help unite the party and head off potential embarrassing problems at the convention from Hillary supporters. You can bet Obama wants a drama-free convention and sees this laundry list of concessions as a way of keeping the peace.
Others suggest this amounts to little more than extortion. One expert says the Clintons have "got Obama hostage and are exacting their ransom" with all of these convention demands. New York Daily News columnist Michael Goodwin writes that "Obama blinked and stands guilty of appeasing Clinton”. He points out by giving in to her, Obama doesn't stand to get any votes he wouldn't have gotten anyway, and that those who refuse to accept him as the legitimate winner probably won't change their minds because he's caved in.
If he can't stand up to Hillary, how's he going to fare against Vladimir Putin?
Here’s my question to you: When it comes to the convention, has Barack Obama let Hillary Clinton take over?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
What would Powell endorsement mean for Obama?
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FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
For a moment there, it looked like Colin Powell was going to endorse Barack Obama.
But the former Secretary of State has denied a report that he would publicly back the Democrat for president at the party's convention. Several sources say he hasn't made up his mind yet, and Powell himself insists he won't be going to the convention in Denver. However, despite Powell's immediate denials, the reporter who broke the story on Fox News yesterday stands by it – saying that the Obama people expect Powell to endorse him.
Powell indicated earlier this year that he was considering endorsing a Democrat or Independent. He said he was keeping his options open and called Obama an "exciting person on the political stage."
An adviser to Powell says that he likes and admires John McCain, which would factor into any decision he makes. But another source close to Powell says although he's known the Arizona senator for over 30 years, he hasn't found a reason to vote for him yet. That's not such an encouraging sign if you're John McCain.
One of the things Powell is waiting for is the vice presidential picks from both candidates. A Powell aide says that a decision to back Obama wouldn't be a surprise, but a decision to attend the Democratic convention would be.
Nonetheless, for Obama, hope springs eternal. As long as Powell hasn't said no, the possibility remains that one of the most popular people in this country could still come out and support him.
Here’s my question to you: What would Colin Powell's endorsement mean for Barack Obama?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Can swift boat author sink two Democrats?
Author of swift boat book that attacked John Kerry in 2004 is now going after Barack Obama. (PHOTO CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Summertime and the swift boats are sailing.
The author of the book that attacked John Kerry's record on a Vietnam War Swift boat, and ultimately torpedoed his campaign, is now going after Barack Obama.
Jerome Corsi is out with "The Obama Nation", which will debut at number 1 on the New York Times best-seller list this Sunday. It portrays Obama as a radical liberal who's tried to cover up his connections to Islam. The book also questions whether Obama's drug use as a youngster ever ended. Real nice stuff.
Critics say that a lot of the book's accusations are unsubstantiated or just not true. Corsi has a record of putting out lots of wild theories in other books that call into question his credibility. And, Obama's campaign says the book is "nothing but a series of lies that were long ago discredited".
Nonetheless, political attack books – like "Unfit for Command" about John Kerry – have become a pretty effective tool in campaigns. The former Democratic presidential candidate was criticized for responding too late to the swift boat attacks.
This is why Kerry along with some of his former top aides say the Democrats have to fight back hard and quickly this time around. Kerry launched a web site yesterday questioning the claims in Corsi's book. And, his former chief strategist says Obama's campaign has to "debunk every single assertion" in the book, although he acknowledges it's a fine line to walk in not drawing too much attention to the book in the process.
Here’s my question to you: Can the author of the swift boat book sink two Democrats in a row?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Placing Hillary’s name in nomination?
Click the play button to see what Jack and our viewers had to say.
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
Some Hillary Clinton supporters want to make sure that the upcoming Democratic Convention doesn't turn into a "coronation" of Barack Obama.
A humorless organization called "The Denver Group" ran an ad in a Capitol Hill newspaper demanding that Hillary's name be placed in nomination at the convention and demanding that speeches be allowed in support of her nomination. They're just full of demands.
Watch: Cafferty: Clinton in play?
And if they don't get their way they are threatening a revolt. The ad says, "Will Howard Dean and the DNC turn the Democratic Party into the Boston Tea Party?" More demands. They demand a roll call vote on her nomination... presumably after those speeches they are demanding. This despite the fact that she lost and dropped out of the race months ago.
Of course, Clinton herself hasn't ruled out the idea of placing her name in nomination – saying her supporters would experience a "catharsis" if their voices were heard. Another group of Clinton supporters is planning a march in Denver on the same day that she is expected to address the convention.
And there are Clinton delegates who have started collecting signatures to place Clinton's name into nomination.
They say their effort is about respect. Baloney. In their heart of hearts, what they really want is to wrestle the nomination away from Barack Obama. They won't be able to do it, but in the process of trying, they can go a long way toward diminishing the historic nature of Obama's achievement, disrupting the convention, taking the spotlight away from the nominee, and slowing his momentum going into November. Is this what they call party unity?
Here’s my question to you: In order to satisfy Hillary Clinton’s supporters, should her name be placed in nomination at the convention?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
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