Underwhelming: Reactions to Gore Endorsement of Obama

Al Gore: Chicken Little or Just Chicken?



Reactions on yesterday's endorsement of Barack Obama by Al Gore was underwhelming. They ranged from "Yawn" to "timid" to complaints of Gore's "lousy timing".

Perhaps one day someone will write a chapter about Al Gore in a new book titled “Profiles In Uncourage.”

Democratic presumptive Presidential nominee Barack Obama finally got what he and former rival Senator Hillary Clinton had pined for all these months — THE endorsement from former Vice President Al Gore.

But it came so late in the game that the person who’ll be most impressed with it will be Tipper Gore.
--Joe Gandelman, The Moderate Voice:
Obama Gets “The” Endorsement: The Lousy Timing of Al Gore

Al Gore unquestionably has taken to heart his role as an elder statesman -- he stayed so far above the fray of the Democratic presidential race that the fray was fast becoming an afterthought when he finally bestowed his imprimatur on Barack Obama today.
--Don Frederick, LA Times Blogs:
Al Gore Wraps His Arms Around Barack Obama

Much the same reactions were, seemingly, everywhere on the Net.

And this a guy who could have ended the Democratic race in April if he wanted to. The fact that he stood on the sidelines and said nothing shows the absurdity in calling Al Gore a “leader.”
--Doug Mataconis, Below the Beltway:
Al Gore's Portrait in Timidity

Exactly what Gore was waiting for in the past two weeks since Obama sewed up his party's nomination is unclear. Maybe he just wanted to go to Michigan where his prize-winning environmental pitch is so very less welcome than other places that don't make so many large cars.

The belated endorsement of Barack Obama by former vice president Al Gore seems to have underwhelmed a number of early writers.

Or maybe he was waiting until his endorsement meant absolutely nothing.

Anyway, as The Ticket reported, Gore said all the right things in his endorsement speech, except he noticeably left out the last Democratic president, the one who chose to elevate Gore from has-been senator to his running mate and has been the only Democrat elected president twice since World War II, which is like the Middle Ages for today's voters.
--Andrew Malcolm, LA Times Blogs:
Early reaction to Al Gore's Obama endorsement: Yawn

One fact wasn't mentioned by the above writers.

Al Gore has had so much practice the last 8 years playing Chicken Little, he might just have morphed into a chicken.

by Mondoreb
images:
* vegetarianorganicblog
* Cerrco

Ann Coulter Endorses Hillary

Tales of the Blancasphere



Recently my gal pal Ann Coulter shocked everyone with her apparent endorsement of Hillary Rodham Clinton. When presented with the all-too-possible match up of Hillary Clinton and John McCain, Ann demonstrated most effectively the right's disdain for the senior senator from Arizona.

Now don't misunderestimate Ann.

She is no dummy. She knows on which side of her bread is buttered.

Ann is what we call in the industry a whore. Whether she is selling her penis cum pussy in a back alley, or her dignity on Fox News, Ann sells herself with every appearance.

Like anyone who markets, Ann understands that when times are a changing, you need to change your product. No one markets buggies anymore.

Well, almost no one.

All those crazy Amish in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin seem to be stuck in the 19th century. But you get the idea. When an idea is no longer attractive, the savvy, less concerned with integrity will always flip and flop to the changes in the wind.

Ann is just hedging her bets, while applying a bit of reverse psychology. Even if things go poorly, and we end up with Hillary as the President, Ann will have endeared herself to the new Commander Gal, and will have guaranteed herself a position as a talking head for at least four more years.

This is the pragmatic side of Ann Coulter.

You know the side.

It's the same side that is responsible for deriding gays, while hanging out with them all the time. It's the same side that condemns abortion, while promoting the procedure to all of her promiscuous pals. It's the same side, which chides Hollywood and the literary elite, all the while hanging out with stars and glitterati.

But there is also a side to Ann, which is pure genius. She uses reverse psychology to promote her own agenda.

By convincing the Democrats that she will vote for Hillary if John McCain becomes the Republican nominee, this tricks the Democrats into voting for Hillary, a much more flawed candidate, over Barack, a much more difficult to beat candidate. If Democrats think Hillary will win over McCain, they will vote for her, permitting we Republicans to destroy her by November.

So don't be concerned by the reports that Ann has gone over to the other side. She is just being pragmatic, and is trying to use reverse psychology on the Democrats to get the candidate we can beat.

I won't tell if you don't.

by Blanca DeBree
image: blancasphere
Source: Ann Endorses Hillary

MORE Tales of the Blancasphere Blanca DeBree spins more hair-raising tales from the Blancasphere. Here's two recent ones: * Oh my God! They're dropping like flies! Somebody call Mike Huckabee, I think it's the Rapture! * Faggot Please

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Ron Paul: Campaign Picks Up More of Everything

More Endorsements, More Cash, More Delegates

"Jane Roe" Endorses Paul



The Ron Paul campaign continues to pick up three things: money, endorsements and the scorn of pundits.

It may also looks like the Texan Congressman will be picking up some delegates later today.

It's been speculated that at least part of the reason Fred Thompson dropped out of the contest today was due to money--or lack of it. And Mike Huckabee's campaign staff is said to be working for free, also due to a lack of money.

Meanwhile, the Paul campaign collected another $2 million dollars on MLK Day, most of it in the form of small donations (under $50).

Meanwhile, Paul has picked up three endorsements in the last 24 hours.

The first from Gary "Veto" Johnson, former governor of New Mexico.

Yesterday, former New Mexico Governor Gary "Veto" Johnson announced that he is supporting Dr. Paul for president. Governor Johnson is an icon to small-government conservatives and libertarians for his long-standing commitment to the principles of the Founders. You can read our press release here.

The second endorsement came from well-known financial commentator, Donald L. Luskin.

This morning, Ron Paul also received the glowing endorsement of Donald L. Luskin, a prominent financial commentator on CNBC and Chief Investment Officer for Trend Macrolytics LLC. You can read Don's editorial in National Review about why Ron Paul is right for America here.

And finally, Dr. Paul, an ardent foe of abortion, received an endorsement on the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade of "Jane Roe" aka Norma McCorvey.

On the 35th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling, Norma McCorvey (a.k.a. "Jane Roe," who later changed her views on abortion in the mid-90s) gave Paul her official endorsement today.

"I support Ron Paul for president because we share the same goal, that of overturning Roe v. Wade. He has never wavered on the issue of being pro-life and has a voting record to prove it. He understands the importance of civil liberties for all, including the unborn," she said at a press conference in Washington this morning.

Paul accepted the pro-life activist's endorsement, saying of abortion: "It is still one of the most crucial issues of our day that we deal with this. As much as I talk about economic liberties, and civil liberties, and trying to avoid the killing overseas, I think the issue of life is paramount."

On Fox earlier today, Paul blamed the Federal Reserve for the weak economy.

Paul blamed the Federal Reserve for the current economic conditions; stock markets worldwide fell Monday after Wall Street declined last week. On his Web site, he said the Fed has taken the United States “into a terrible crisis.”
Paul told an overflow crowd at a suburban New Orleans hotel Monday that the Fed has allowed the dollar to weaken, which in turn, he said, has hurt the middle class and led to inflation.

“I would enjoy being the next president to get rid of our central bank,” he told supporters. The crowd gave him a raucous welcome, chanting at one point, “Who dat? Who dat say they’re gonna beat Ron Paul?” — a riff on a popular football chant for the New Orleans Saints.

Paul called for the abolition of the federal income tax.

Ron Paul's prescription for staving off recession is likely to strike a chord with many voters--especially around April 15.

He wasn't above saying "I told you so".

Paul had warned that the current economic crises would develop and has blamed the Federal Reserve for creating it. Paul said, “The Fed has again taken our country into a terrible crisis. Who else is talking about honest money that cannot be printed up at will by DC bureaucrats? My opponents in both parties are all some variety of print-and-spend Keynesians.”

Paul continued, “Only we are telling the truth, about who is to blame for this recession, and how we can build real prosperity with sound money, no IRS, no deficit, and strict obedience to the Constitution. And, of course, no hyper-expensive, hyper-dangerous empire all around the globe.”

Paul is campaigning for Louisiana's 47 delegates and is expected to reap his fair share of the delegates in the Bayou State.

Coming off his second-place showing in Nevada, the campaign is upbeat and the continued strong fund raising is expected to continue.

The vast majority of Paul donors are far underneath their limit of $2300, a concern for other campaigns that have depended on large bundled contributions.

Back to Louisiana. This assessment was offered by "best of New Orleans".

"The biggest surprise to come out of Louisiana's GOP delegate process thus far involves Ron Paul, the Texas congressman mounting a quasi-libertarian campaign that has been defined by its grassroots organization. Dore says the Paul campaign dropped off a 'whole slate" of delegates about two weeks ago " a surprise showing that wasn't expected. If any controversy arises from the delegate process, it will be from Paul's camp. 'We're being watchful, though, because we want to make sure all of the delegates were registered Republicans before the Nov. 30 deadline," Dore says, adding there was a great deal of interest expressed by nonparty voters about switching to the GOP in support of Paul. 'We started contacting registrars of voters in 17 parishes yesterday about roughly 90 people, the vast majority of which were signed up for Ron Paul.""

While other campaigns are reporting problems, name recognition is still the largest problem the Paul campaign must overcome.

That's the state of the Ron Paul campaign on Tuesday January 22, 2008.

by Mondoreb
[image: ronpaul2008]
Sources:
* Jane Roe endorses Paul
* Ron Paul Raises Nearly $2 Million on MLK Day
* Paul Blames Federal Reserve for Weak Economy
* Ron Paul Calls for Elimination of the Federal Income Tax



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