Kraniak_the_Maniak's Blog

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"Rasmussen Reports will soon end our daily tracking of the Democratic race and focus exclusively on the general election competition between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama."

The MyFox family of web sites has an agreement in place with the Rasmussen Reports where we get weekly, sometimes daily poll results from this very credible and unique organization. Today Rasmussen deemed that the race is over for Hillary Clinton.
(read below)

From Rasmussen Reports: Senator Clinton has remained close and competitive in every meaningful measure, she is a close second and the race is over. It has become clear that Barack Obama will be the Democratic nominee.

At the moment, Senator Clinton’s team is busily trying to convince Superdelegates and pundits that she is more electable than Barack Obama. For reasons discussed in a separate article, it doesn’t matter. Even if every single Superdelegate was convinced that the former First Lady is somewhat more electable than Obama, that is not enough of a reason to deny him the nomination.

With this in mind, Rasmussen Reports will soon end our daily tracking of the Democratic race and focus exclusively on the general election competition between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.

Kudos Rasmussen. Let's get the game on. I have written many times in my blog about how Hillary cannot mathematically win her party's nomination. She can only negotiate her way to the title. This serves no one but herself. No one can question her resolve or toughness, but she is dividing the Dems, and the longer she stays in the race, the better the chances of McCain grabbing swing votes in November.

If you're a McCain fan, this may please you. And don't worry about the the Dems getting all the highlights right now, the damage being done by two intra-party delegates going after each other far outweighs the heavy publicity. I'm sure the McCain campaign is probably itching to get into to it with someone right now. Having one candidate to focus on will make life for the strategist much easier.

When you plan a campaign there are two things to consider: Getting YOUR MESSAGE out and attacking the opponent by pointing out where you stand differently on the issues. Where it gets dirty is when it gets personal and has no bearing on the issues. That's a topic for another blog. Right now, I for one am looking forward to a new fight, some real debate between two candidates from two different parties with many different stands on the issues.

Hillary is in the way now. It's time to say goodbye and support Obama. She can do a lot of damage to McCain by getting back on Capital Hill and using the Senate Floor as her bully pulpit. In a sense this would be a means to attack McCain on his home turf. There's some free advice from a political junkie to the Dems.

Bottom line is this: Obama has the delegate lead that cannot be overtaken, period. Hillary needs to step down for the good of her party so that everybody from both parties can engage in what may be the best election year since Kennedy vs. Nixon. So many issues with the Iraq War, the economy, global warming and health care.

Rasmussen is working to focus on the issues that matter. Hillary get out of the way please, so the rest of us can do the same thing.

What's your take?

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The special counsel to the Detroit City Council has released it's report on how the council should proceed and deal with Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's civil lawsuit and subsequent undisclosed confidentiality agreement that spelled out how much money the city would pay out to former police officers. The amount 8.4 million dollars. The scandal: seems limitless if you believe everything you read.

There's is so much to digest, and you can find everything on this web site about the Mayor's scandal that your heart desires of you simply search the word "Kilpatrick." Here's what I think matters right now, and then I want to get your thoughts.

1. Q: Does the City Council have enough evidence and the authority to remove Mayor Kilpatrick from office?

A: The answer is probably yes, but the problem is that the process of doing so could take many months and cost millions because the Mayor's spokesperson Anthony Adams says they would fight such action in a court of law. SEE THE ADAMS INTERVIEW HERE

2. Q: The Mayor and his administration say they are not distracted by the ongoing scandal and that they simply continue to work toward moving the city forward. How can that be?

A: Look, there is now way that business leaders in the city and business leaders who are thinking about doing business in the city cannot consider the ramifications and trustworthiness of Kilpatrick and his administration. Fox 2 has spoken to several business owners who may feel compelled to give to the Mayor's defense fund in fear of retribution of getting shut out of deals if they don't. Some say he is waving his $300-million dollar city enhancement package as a carrot to business leaders to support him in order to get a piece of the pie. This is not a good way to do business, and what company not already involved in the city would want to get involved knowing this type of strong arm bureaucracy tactics. 

The Mayor and his staff say they are not distracted by the scandal and that all they will do and continue to do is work to move the city forward.  Kudos.  I hope that's true.  I find it hard to believe.  This attitude should have been expressed during the state of the city speech, which was awesome until the end when Kilpatrick went on his personal tirade -- dropping the N-word, going after Ken Cockrel and blaming the media for his problems.  Fair or not, I don't know how anyone can look at the Mayor and not immediately think about the scandal.

Moreover, I don't how the Mayor and his legal team and PR folks cannot spend countless hours working to defend the accusations.  They do.  How is that not distracting.

At the end of the day the City Council probably has the grounds to dismiss the Mayor, in spite of an ambiguous city charter.  The thing is if they pursue dismissal, it will likely cost millions of dollars and countless hours of legislative time that the city just cannot afford.

The only way this mayor leaves office is if he resigns, loses next year's election or gets convicted on perjury or misconduct charges.  The odds:  50:50 at best or worst depending on your point of view.

SO WHAT IS YOUR POINT OF VIEW?  LET ME KNOW.

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Right now the North Carolina Republican Party is running an ad on their web site and soon on broadcast television, showing an excerpt from former the pastor of Presidential Candidate Barack Obama, one of Reverend Jeremiah Wright's so called hate speeches, then adding a voice over and graphic saying that Gubernatorial candidates Bev Perdue and Richard Moore are supporting Obama and therefore support Wright and therefore the duo is too extreme to get elected in North Carolina.

GOP Candidate John McCain says the party should not run the ad.  See if you agree with him, watch this tripe, then read my take and add your own please.



Here's the deal: I'm not weighing on what's he's said in the past, I'm weighing in on those who would capitalize on the hype of this man.

Yo North Carolina GOP, what a stretch to imply that Bev Perdue and Richard Moore support the Reverend Wright because they support Obama. Given that philosophy... the millions who voted for Obama thus far in the primaries and caucuses also support Wright. WRONG. If a candidate is Catholic, does that make me Catholic? This is pure exploitation and a distraction from real issues. It may be fair to question Obama about his relationship with Wright, but it is not fair to link all that support Obama to Wright. Ridiculous.

This Sunday in Detroit, Reverend Wright will be the keynote speaker at the NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner, part of annual Freedom Weekend event the organization uses to raise funds and awareness about itself and its agenda.

53rd Annual Fight For Freedom Fund Dinner
Theme: "A Change Is Going To Come "
Keynote Speaker: Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr.
5:00pm Cobo Conference Center

Yo NAACP. Surely you could have found someone less divisive to speak your fund raising dinner or does the hype help you sell tickets? What is the point of having this man speak? I am not black, but I can understand the points the Reverend makes in the speeched that have garnered so much attention, but I am not black and I have not lived in this country as black person, so what do I know about it? I do know this... this is not the way of Dr. King. Any talk of hate -- only begets hate. An eye for an eye -- and we all go blind. This does not mean be a victim. Stand up. Protest. But lose the hate, it serves no one. How will having the Reverend Wright speak at the dinner help the NAACP? Would he have been asked if there was no controversy surrounding him? How is this moving people forward?

SOMEBODY ENLIGHTEN ME -- I WANT TO KNOW.

Strike up the music the band has begun
The Pennsylvania Polka
Pick out your partner and join in the fun
The Pennsylvania Polka

This primary is pointless if you do the math
The Pennsylvania Polka
No matter who wins here, there's no end to the path
The Pennsylvania Polka

Here's the deal:

Right now Obama has 1648 delegates (including latest est. on Super-D-s)
Clinton has 1509 delegates (including latest est. on Super-D-s)

Needed to win: 2025

This translates into Clinton needing to win 94% of the remaining primary votes
or Obama needing to win 68% of the remaining primary votes.

Neither will achieve the number before the convention. Unless one of the candidates concedes, how do you declare a winer?

Clinton will argue that she's won the big states; important to a general election.
Obama will argue that he's won more votes, more delegates and that in the end  is what will take to win the general election.

For her Clinton to support her argument, she must win Pennslyvania. She loses here and she has a much harder time wining the big state argument. The only states remaining are Indiana, North Carolina, Kentucky, Oregon, Kentucky and Montana. There's also Guam and Puerto Rico. The question is, will she concede if she loses in Pennsylvania?

If she doesn't, then she clearly is hurting her party and the party's chances of winning in November. If she only wins by a small margin she also places her party in danger of losing the big election. Why you ask?

The negative campaigning that has reached a fever pitch in Pennsylvania is only going to get worse. A drawn-out drama in Denver at the convention will not help the Dems either. In spite of grabbing the headlines for the duration of the summer, the only publicity is good publicity does not work here.

The Pubs can point to the disarray of the Dems.  The splitting of voters between Obama followers and Clinton followers may take more than a few months to mend.  Right now the two Dem camps are focused on each other, and rising animosity is palpable.  It may be hard for loyal followers to throw their support to what they currently see as the enemy camp.

The sooner the party's nominee is decided, the better the chance of healing and full support.  Obama is not the one who should concede at this point because he is clearly in the lead.  It comes down to Clinton, and it seems clear to me the only way she can win is to argue her way to the title.  She is a lawyer, and a good one.  But what's legal is not always right.  What's procedure is not always proper. The fall out could mean a McCain win.

Advice to Clinton:  Listen to the Pennsylvania Polka.  If the bands not overwhelmingly playing your tune (say a 56% or greater victory) then get off the dance floor for the good of your party.

What's your take?

And then McCain said, "We can be slow as well to give greatness its
due, a mistake I made myself long ago when I voted against a
federal holiday in memory of Dr. King. I was wrong and eventually
realized that, in time to give full support for a state holiday in
Arizona."

On the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's death, Senator John McCain made those remarks from the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, the place where King was gunned down.

McCain admitted that he made a mistake. It's hard for anyone to say how genuine that is given our mistrust of politicians, but it was a very smart move for someone who is running for president.

McCain can now move past this issue that was certain to come up on the campaign trail. He can say he admitted it was a mistake, that he shows he can change and that this is just the reason someone like should be elected president. No politics and an ability to show compromise or admission of wrong doing.  In step with his non-partisan approach.

Sincere or not, this should play well in the days leading up to November. Of course his retractors will say what the hell took him so long.

What's your take?

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Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life — longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over, and I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land. So I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything, I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. — the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

King delivered these prophetic words the night before he was assassinated. People inside his inner circle say in the days leading right up to April 4, 1968, that he often spoke of his own death.  The night he gave this speech in Memphis, many of them cried as if he was delivering his farewell address.  King frequently received death threats. It's amazing to me that he would deliver this speech the night before he died.

It seems as though King delivered the perfect words on the eve of his death. A wonderful entrance into the next world, forgetting what caused his exit from ours and how much this world could still use Dr. King's leadership.  A wonderful message to leave behind for the rest of us.

There are many prophets in the bible, and I think if it were still being written today, King would be considered a prophet.

If the criteria for prophet is: standing up against hate without using violence and your message of love is for all people. If what you do changes the world in which we all live. This is grounds for being called prophet.

From where I'm sitting there are two prophets from the last century: King and Ghandi.

King did not get to the promise land with us, he got there before us. It's our job to find him there by doing what he did, Love thy neighbor as thyself.

For more on Dr. King check out the View from a Mountain Top website.

Who do you think is worthy of being called a prophet?

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The husband of U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow told police he used the Internet to make a date with a prostitute and paid her $150 for sex at a hotel, according to a police report.

Thomas Athans, 46, co-founder of the liberal TalkUSA Radio network, was stopped by police who were investigating Internet-based prostitution at the hotel, according to a police report obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press under the state Freedom of Information Act.

Henry Kissinger said "power is the ultimate aphrodisiac." Then why the hell do these guys have to pay for sex. Here's the thing with Athans, his wife is the one with the power. I wonder if she will stand by her man on the podium as he publicly apologizes, the way that Eliot Spitzer's wife did, Kwame Kilpatrick's wife did and Bill Clinton's wife did.

My guess is NO WAY!! First of all how stupid do you have to be make arrangements on the internet, with a cheap prostitute no less. $150 is a deal compared to what Spitzer paid.

Secondly my wife would cut my you know what's off if I hired a hooker. I think that's what's been talked about the most around the office water cooler. Why do these women stay with their man? We'll see what the good Senator does. Let me ask you what you would do if you caught your spouse cheating? Would you stay wit that person?

What message is being sent to society when these women stay with their cheating man?  Is it one of forgiveness and a great example of the life-long commitment of marriage or do these women come across as victims attracted to power? Since Senator Stabenow has the power in the family it will be interesting to see how she handles this. 

What's your take?

Michigan Democrats are said to be close to an agreement with the party's two presidential candidates on holding a do-over primary.  Party officials met with both campaigns
yesterday. The clock is ticking: a vote would have to be held by June 10th.

A primary could cost up to $12 million, but Govs. Ed Rendell of Pennsylvania and Jon Corzine of New Jersey, who are both supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton, have said they're prepared to raise $30 million for new primary elections in Michigan and Florida.

A team of four Michigan Democrats is charged with coming up with a solution to the problem of seating the state's delegation at the party's national convention in Denver -- U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, Democratic National Committeewoman Debbie Dingell, U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick and UAW president Ron Gettelfinger. They talked Thursday with both the Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama campaigns to try to get closer to a solution on a do-over primary. A mail-in vote touted by Levin earlier this week has fallen out of favor, especially with the Obama campaign.

Do-Over Primary Options: Which option would you choose? Another full primary Mail-in vote Caucus No Re-do, Let it stand

Given how close the race is now between Obama and Clinton, should Michigan restore it's political voice by hosting another Primary?

The first time around in January, only Clinton and Dennis Kucinich were on the ballot.  No Obama.  As you likely know our vote didn't really count anyway due to a penalty imposed by the Democratic National Party because Michigan moved up it's primary date in violation of national party rules.

If you restore the delegates in time for the convention, what percentage of them are going to be allocated to Obama.  He wasn't on the ballot in January, but 30% of the votes went to uncommited.  How do you split that up?  What would have happened if he was on the ballot?

Now many pundits are calling for a re-do, perhaps sometime in June.  This could make Michigan and Florida, a state that's in exactly the same position as we are, as the coronation states.  Bottom line: OUR VOTES COULD DETERMINE THE NOMINEE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?  SHOULD WE HOST ANOTHER PRIMARY?

I am writing this blog before the results of Super Tuesday have come in, but I don't think the tone of my thoughts are going to change much when I wake up tomorrow.

Clinton vs Obama.  This race is will not end until this August's convention in Denver.  These two are neck and neck, and the magic number of delegates needed to win the nomination will not appear until all the primary's and caucuses have been held.  Even then there will be some wrangling and the uncommitted delegates may play the spoiler.  Lookout for John Edward's folks to play a role here.

Bottom line is this:  If the Dems want to win the White House back they should think about a "Super Ticket" on the heals of this Super Tuesday.

Clinton with Obama as the Veep or Obama with Clinton as the Veep.  That would be a very tough match-up for any GOP ticket to punch.

On the Republican side it looks like Romney is in big trouble.  McCain looks to surge to the finish with Huckabee nipping at his heels.  Can McCain beat a dynamic duo like Obama- Clinton?  Is Lieberman his running mate?  Is this bi-partisan approach enough to overcome the ticket of change.

Expect some big drama from now until election day.  The Primary Party is over and now the Primary Candidates remain.  Who do you see on the November tickets, I'd love to know.