An Occasional Note on the 2008 Campaigns, No. 4

::A Wisconsin Wipe-out in the Offing?::

It’s grainy, it’s indistinct, it’s a worry. In this news video of Obama leaving John Edwards’ home in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, does he stroke his chin or wipe his nose or mouth before he shakes hand with Edwards? Just asking because there’s a ghastly ad on TV here, which unfailingly has me changing channels, in which people are passing germs onto each other by not washing their hands after touching their mouth or nose or sneezing.

The truly odd thing about the video is, Why was Edwards out at the SUV while Obama was still inside? It’s kind of like when a host really wants to get rid of a guest and can’t seem to do it politely, so gives up and goes out to their car in the hope they’ll be lured into following. Of course, I’m reading absolute nonsense into this little heli-clip, but it’s getting major airplay on national TV. Who knows what voters in tomorrow’s Wisconsin primary are reading into that visit, if at all?

The other primary tomorrow is in Hawai’i, where Obama was born and spent most of his childhood, so he’ll probably do well there. No surprise that he did well in the Chesapeake Primaries, as they’re known locally, in Virginia, Maryland, and DC last week.

::Nasty! Nasty!::

At the time of last week’s primaries, one of the network mega-entertainment news shows featured Obama and Clinton. I was totally shocked by the graphics they used in the background when the presenter introduced the segment. Clinton looked like one of those truly scary “before” images from the wrinkle cream ads that users of a free Hotmail account are terrorized by if they’ve been silly enough to put their real age in their user profile.

She certainly seems to bring out the “loud” in her supporters and detractors, from Hillary Nutcrackers to this T-shirt worn by one of the pro-Marines protestors in Berkeley last week. Jeff’s a heavy metal guitarist whose work can be heard here.

Another blue-collar white male for Hillary. Not.

::The trickle down effect::

Residents of the City of Oakland are anxiously watching what happens with the nomination because if Clinton wins it and then the presidency, it’s likely that Oakland’s mayor, Ron Dellums, will be going to DC as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He’s being criticized in the local press for spending so much time on her campaign and in DC that urgent city needs are being ignored.

In line to take a shot at the mayoralty should that open up, is State Senator Don Perata, who is now almost out of a job since voters in the California primary nixed an attempt to extend politicians’ terms in the State legislature. Perata recently sponsored a gun buy-back plan along with the Oakland Police--$250 cash for any gun turned in, no questions asked. Reportedly, dealers from as far away as Nevada turned up with guns that still had the price tags on them for a lot less than $250—and walked away richer.

ENDS

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--PEACE--

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