Obama trounces, trounces, trounces, trounces Hill ‘n’ Bill
January 26th, 2008 at 09:17pm Chuck Sweeny
I am always delighted to see the word “trounced” in front of the word “Clinton,” and I’m enthused that Barck Obama won South Carolina in overwhelming fashion, with 55 percent of the vote against the tag team of Hill ‘n’ Bill Clinton, who got 27 percent, and John “Two Americas” Edwards, who received 18 percent.
Obama won throughout the state, in poor counties, in the richest county, among black women and white men, the young. He proved that his coalition strategy of brining diverse groups together has defeated the Clintonian politics of divide and conquer, “the old Saxon game” to quote from a Scottish folk song about the English.
Obama has been toughened by the Clinton attack machine, which pulled out all the stops in South Carolina. Bill Clinton peeled the thin curtain off the old Democratic Party establishment’s attitude about blacks — vote, but don’t get uppity — and it wasn’t pretty. Even Saturday he was doing it, comparing Obama’s win with Jesse Jackson’s victories in that state, which is his birthplace. Bill, after all, came up in politics under the sponsorship of segregationist Sen. J. William Fullbright, who knew how to keep blacks in their place in Arkansas while projecting the aura of liberal statesman around the world.
So, Bill knows fullbright-well how to play the race card. Only trouble is, gee whiz, it doesn’t work in this generation.
Best line of the night was delivered by Republican commentator Bill Bennett on CNN. He said that Obama should turn Billy’s “fairy tale” line about him to advantage, saying that some may call his campaign a fairy tale, but in reality it is the American Dream. Bennett seemed actually inspired by Obama. Bennett acknowledged that Republicans want to run against Clinton, not Obama, but that it would serve the country better if Obama would rid America of the Clintons now, not later.
I wonder if he’ll go home to the Democrats from whence he came?
Now Obama heads to Super Tuesday, Feb. 5, with 22 states holding primaries or caucuses, and many of those states — California, the biggest state, for instance — have Democratic power structures solidly in the Clintons’ camp. We’ll now see whether Obama’s grass roots change brigades can overcome the Clinton Wreckin’ Crew.
AT this point, even with the SC big win, it’s still an uphill climb for Obama. I think he ought to put Oprah back out on the road.
Entry Filed under: Obama trounces
9 Comments Add your own
1. Behme Up Scotty | January 28th, 2008 at 9:28 am
I’m surprised you know who Oprah is, Chuck. Your lack of knowledge on Heath Ledger, and pride in it, kind of calls into question your ability to discuss celebrities.
That said, what is it about the Clintons that you hate so much? If you like Obama, it cannot be their liberal politics.
2. Quintessential Ray | January 28th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Chuck, thank you for engaging us. I gotta expand on what Scotty said. I thought the first rule of journalism was no rooting in the press box…no homers. You for Obama simply because he’s from Illinois? In that case you might as well advocate Paul Logli for the White House. I think he’d be a good candidate, don’t you? What about you, Scotty?
3. Chuck Sweeny | January 28th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I am a columnist. I am on the Editorial Board. I get paid to have an opinion.
4. Behme Up Scotty | January 28th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
Chuck I get the feeling that you don’t like this whole blog/comment thing. You don’t take time to explain things or answer questions. All you want to do is spout your opinion.
Why not explain that at a newspaper, there are many different types of writers. Reporters are supposed to present the news in an unbiased manner, giving both sides. Columnists (defined by the picture on top of their regular writing for the most part) are paid to present their opinions. Editorial writers are paid to present the opinions of the newspaper as a whole.
See, that’s a way to educate your followers without snarkiness.
5. Quintessential Ray | January 28th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Chuck, I have no problem with you having opinions! I was just wondering if you were pro-Obama/anti-Clinton because Obama’s from Illinois.
Scotty, what about Logli for the chief exec?
6. Chuck Sweeny | January 28th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
I think Obama represents a refreshing change from the past. And, frankly, I’m just so tired of the Clintons. I want them to go away.
Barack is much more liberal than I am personally — I voted for for Bush 41 in ‘88, Bill Clinton in 92, Bob Dole in 96 and twice for W.
This year I’m not excited about any of the Republican candidates. I do think that the GOP would much rather run against Hillary than Barack, because they know a lot of Republicans will vote for him in November.
I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense ideology-wise, but American politics has never been that ideological in the European sense.
7. Behme Up Scotty | January 28th, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Hmmm…..Obama is a fresh face. I’m tired of the Clintons…..This is the type of astute political analysis we can expect from the Register Star?
Are we tired of the humming economy we had under Bill Clinton? Sure would be nice to have that back. How about the budget surplus he left office with? Given our huge deficit right now, I have to believe people would go for that again.
It is not that I am a Clinton supporter. It is just that I believe someone should back their opinions up with a little more than…”I’m just tired of the Clintons.” Let’s talk about the issues, not how well a guy can give a speech. After all, you are a political reporter, right?
8. Quintessential Ray | January 29th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Scotty, I’m telling you, he likes Obama because Obama is from Illinois. If Jim Thompson were running, Chuck would have the lawn signs piled up. Logli too.
9. Gary | February 1st, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Yup OBAMA is just another SLICK TALKER who has never done a thing for Illinois, but CHUCK seem`s to think so. Hey Chuck what about LOGLI ? Isnt doubble dipping against the law ? Also no one here has to tell my about Chuck Sweeny. I no all about him. We come from the same blood line.
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