I've come to a decision today. Since my vote is irrelevant to the outcome (I live in NY, and if NY is a battleground state, the Dems have no chance anyway) I will take advantage of the luxury of not mattering, and if he is nominated, I will refuse to vote for Obama. A man I dislike backed by a cult I have come to loathe.

Would I hold my nose and vote for him if my vote mattered, if I lived in a swing state? Probably, but I'm grateful there is no need in my case to put it to the test.

There are two new Youtube videos. One of President Clinton in blackface singing "Mr. Bojangles" and another one of Hillary Clinton popping basketballs with an icepick.

Sid Blumenthal.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/200...
http://journals.democraticunderground.co...

That might be door #3. But surely there's more...

See http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/5...

Here's the deal, Clinton visited Valpraiso, Indiana where a factory used to be called Magnequench that made parts for smart bombs. In 1995 it was sold to the Chinese, a sale that had to be approved by CFIUS. At the time of the sale, the Chinese promised they would keep the manufacturing in the United States (it's unclear if the promise went into perpetuity or until 2005). Either way, the factory moved to China in 2003. Clinton has been complaining about the move to China (not about the sale) and saying that Bush had the power to stop the move - since the factory makes defense parts - and did not.

But notice how ABC writes it up:

"We went to Valparaiso," Clinton told voters in Princeton, Ind., last night, "where there used to be a plant called Magnequench that made the magnets that helped to guide the precision-guided missiles, the so-called smart bombs. You've seen those — they take off, they go down the chimney, they were incredibly sophisticated and these magnets, you know — not the kind you put on the refrigerator, like we all do — but these really sophisticated magnets were instrumental making that happen."

Clinton continued, saying, "Well, a Chinese company bought Magnequench and then they decided that they were going to move the whole company from Indiana to China. Now the president of the United States has the authority to veto that kind of a move, but Senator [Evan] Bayh begged the Bush administration not to export it — it was going to lose jobs but it was also going to lose the know-how, the technical sophistication that created those magnets. President Bush and his administration wouldn't, basically wouldn't even give Evan Bayh the time of day. Those jobs left, and along with them went the savvy to make the magnets."

What Clinton doesn't tell voters is that Magnequench was originally sold to Chinese interests during her husband's administration, which okayed the move despite concerns about national security and eventual job loss. Experts say the Chinese acquired the "technical sophistication" that created the magnets long before George W. Bush took office.

ABC says that the Clinton Administration okayed the "move" meaning "sale" which appears to be deliberately confusing because the issue is less the sale, than the move of the factory to China.

Now at the end. the ABC piece says that Clinton is raising a legitimate issue about all of the NEO magnet producers moving to China. And it identifies one of its main sources as an Obama supporter. But you have to get to the end to see that.

Maybe the Chinese should've been allowed to buy the company and maybe they shouldn't have been. But from what I can tell, Clinton hasn't complained about the sale, she's complained about the move. Of course, if news agency's are going to refer to the Clinton Administration approving the "move" meaning sale, then it's going to be a lot harder to understand what's happening.

As for the Kos diary, the Evan Bayh memo appears to have been written to complain about the move, but blames it on the initial sale. Certainly, in retrospect, it would seem like the sale was a bad idea. But it does seem that the Clinton administration got assurances the factory wouldn't be moved (at least until 2005) and the factory was moved anyway in 2003 without the Bush Administration doing anything to stop it. David Sirota is also already pushing this story.

See http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/...

Whether this qualifies as a smear at this point is unclear. It's pretty typical push back. I think the angle that's most likely to make it a smear is combining the push back with the standard "she'll say anything to win, she's a lying bitch" meme.

And personally I think it's fantastic that the jobs lost when a company that moved overseas during the Bush Administration are being blamed on the last democratic president. Fan-tastic.

he's very visible lately, and helps Hillary too much everytime he is, so they have to attack him with something to keep him off the trail for a while.

Smear #3: Hillary killed three Hoosiers in the Clinton Library with the Wrench! Then ate them!

I am a Hoosier -- and my grandpappy was one of Hoosiers that Hillary Rodham Clinton killed with a wrench and devoured, right in front of the rest of the family!

What hasn't yet been reported is that she then shat out my grandpappy's digested remains all over my memaw's grave!

Sob!

that's it, i guess--or else they're just throwing tons of stuff out to see what sticks.

They've been doing "they do it too!" alot as a standard smear--maybe something trying to eliminate Hillary's appeal to working-class voters? There was a stupid coffeemaker thing they could use, i guess (which is kinda like Bush 1 and the supermarket scanner, they think?).

See, the OFB "caught" Blumenthal sending emails out, quoting what the wingers were saying about Obama, under his own name. And you know what, kid? Blumenthal uses a serif font... ZOMG!

It's smart, though, in a burningly stupid kind of way, give credit; they're trying to equivalate on Krugman's column today.

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

Bet the rent on it

------------------------------------------------
POLITICS, n.
A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage. - Ambrose Bierce

This would be it.

And Obama supporting PAC sends out advertisements which look a lot like the official ballot, with Obama's named already checked off. Many voters tried to turn them in as their vote.

Now, really this isn't a big deal, I agree with BTD on that. There are a few problems, the fact that it is a fake ballot if supposed to be prominently claimed, and other than some fine print at the bottom, there isn't one.

But, that's pretty much the same situation with the WVWV issue, yet you don't see the blogs screeching about this, do you? And no, I don't think we should go there either, it's this nasty little thing called principles.

Bill Clinton for First Dude!!!

“President Bush has fucked everything up so much,
he’s made it hard for a white man to become president!”
-- Chris Rock
------------------------------------------------
POLITICS, n.
A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage. - Ambrose Bierce

I find that you guys are juss a little bit crazier than last time I checked.

America is going to have a Black, progressive, community activist for President. Sorry. Get used to it.

Cap'n John Brown

See Susie.

Cap'n: I don't doubt it. Just not in 2008, since Obama, as Lord Kos himself points out, is not progressive. And the "community activist" part is pretty dubious as well. And it all sounded so good, in the beginnging, too. Before we got to know the man better.

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.

"America is going to have a Black, progressive, community activist for President."

I agree, but not this year.

------------------------------------------------
POLITICS, n.
A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage. - Ambrose Bierce

I can get behind johnbrown. I just think Obama is not the candidate to win. I think it is vitally important that the first AA Democratic nominee, not crash and burn as Obama is doing, so as not to damage the hope and necessity of achieving an AA President.

And if he won it without resorting to the worst Republican tactics, all the while pleading innocent, I might be able to get behind him, regardless of win or lose.

Bill Clinton for First Dude!!!

since the previous two didn't pay off and we all know those are the media's favorite subjects.

And thank God that Bill has the secret service with him as witness - so, probably a past affair.
I think they will produce the AA love child of Bill and some poor, naive (and too young)AA girl.
This has the added benefit of there not being enough time for DNA testing.

LarryinNYC over at TL called them the Lee Atwater wing of the Democratic Party--very choice.

there's coffee all over it now. Obama, Mr. I Love Ronald Reagan, progressive? Seriously?

happily immune to all religious indoctrination

America is going to have a Black, progressive, community activist for President. Sorry. Get used to it.

After all, no one by that description is running for president.

Since it's on the Cheetopia rec list:

Hat tip: BDBlue.

[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.