Clinton's Calculated Cackle Or Hillary Goes Dean

Last Sunday, September 23, 2007, Hillary appeared on all five of the major morning talk shows. During each appearance she let loose a demented sounding cackle.



The New York Times' Patrick Healy reports that Hillary's cackle is a reaction to pressure:

And then, less often but more notably, she copes with the pressure by using The Cackle. At Wednesday’s Democratic debate, for instance, former Senator Mike Gravel complained about her vote on an Iran resolution and said he was “ashamed” of her. Asked to respond, Mrs. Clinton laughed before responding, as if to minimize the matter.

I disagree. I find the Clinton Cackle, like her feigned twang, to be just another one of her politically calculated staged behaviors.

Hearing the Clinton cackle, I can't help thinking of Howard Dean's yowl. That yowl forever pegged Dean as a raging lunatic.

Will Clinton's calculated cackle have a similar result? There are already at least six YouTube videos of Hillary's cackle. The most viewed video highlights Hillary laughing off Senator Mike Gravel's complaint.

Gingrich Won't Run

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has decided not to run for president.

Gingrich recently said he would run if at least $30 million was contributed to his campaign by October 21.

Gingrich, 64, has hinted for months that he would join the 2008 presidential race if he determined no other candidate appeared able to take on the Democrats in 2008. I guess Newt didn't get that $30 million.

McCain On Bomb Bomb Iran Video

John McCain talks to WNYC's Brian Lehrer about his "Bomb Iran" remark.



If you haven't seen it, here is the video of McCain's "Bomb Iran" remark.

Hillary, Obama Diminish Dems' Enthusiasm

An August survey conducted by Democratic pollster Celinda Lake finds Hillary and Obama trailing former New York mayor Giuliani in the 31 Democratic-held House districts regarded as most imperiled in 2008:

Giuliani takes 49 percent to Clinton's 39 percent, while the former mayor's lead over Obama is far smaller, 41 percent to 40 percent. "Despite Obama's relative advantage over Clinton, both candidates are significantly underperforming against the generic Democratic edge in the presidential and even against party identification," Lake and Gotoff wrote.

The survey shows that those Democratic lawmakers' reelection chances are hurt if the Democratic nominee is Hillary or Obama:

While the average lead of Democratic House members stands at 19 percentage points in the 31 vulnerable districts -- all but two of which are part of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's incumbent-protection program known as Frontline -- that number sinks considerably when the lawmakers are linked to either front-runner.

[. . .]

Whether the question named Clinton or Obama, the Democratic incumbent's lead shrank to an average of six points: 47 percent to 41 percent with Clinton leading the ticket, 44 percent to 38 percent with Obama as the nominee.

So much for the conventional wisdom that Democratic voters are excited about Hillary or Obama becoming the Democratic presidential nominee and that the Republicans cannot regain control of the House.

Happy Biden Withdrawal Day

On September 23, 1987, Delaware Senator Joseph Biden withdrew from the Democratic presidential race following questions about his use of borrowed quotations and the portrayal of his academic record.

When will Biden withdraw from the 2008 presidential campaign?

Hillary: I'm Not A Lesbian

Hillary Clinton officially declared she's not a lesbian:

"It's not true, but it is something that I have no control over. People will say what they want to say."

That's how Hillary responded when asked by an editor of a gay magazine, "How do you respond to the occasional rumor that you're a lesbian?"

Now we know.

Wesley Clark Endorses Hillary

Retired U.S. Army General Wesley Clark, who sought the sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, was considered a 2008 presidential wannabee, and continues to run his WESpac political action committee, has endorsed Hillary:

Clark, the former supreme allied commander of NATO, praised the New York senator as "a remarkable person" with the skills and experience to be president.

"She will be a great leader for the United States of America and a great commander in chief for the men and women in uniform," Clark told reporters in a conference call with the former first lady.

It's nice to see Hillary get an endorsement from someone who isn't a political adulterer, an impeached judge, or whose endorsement otherwise raises ethical concerns.

Support Victory In Iraq

If you believe it is more important to win the war than to end the war, sign this petition to tell Congress that the American public wants to win.

Hillary's Fugitive Fundraiser A Fugitive Again

Hillary's fugitive fundraiser failed to appear for his bail hearing on a grand theft charge. No, not 15 years ago, but again today:

A warrant was issued this morning for Democratic fundraiser Norman Hsu, who failed to appear for a bail hearing on a 15-year-old grand theft charge.

San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Robert D. Foiles ordered Hsu, Hillary's felonious fugitive fundraiser, held without bail.

Hsu, a fugitive from justice since 1992, was jailed Friday after a judge ordered him to post $2 million bail. Hsu, turned himself in after first news accounts, then his lawyer, identified the Democratic fundraiser as a fugitive.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Hsu's attorney, James Brosnahan, explained that he had lost contact with Hsu and that the financier had failed to deliver his passport as promised:

"Mr. Hsu is not here and we don't know where he is," Brosnahan said outside court. "We expected him to be here."

Brosnahan told Foiles that a legal assistant for his law firm went to Hsu's New York City condominium last week and spent 90 minutes searching for Hsu's passport.

[. . .]

"We don't know if he has his passport," Deputy Atty. Gen. Ralph Sevilla said. "What we do know is that a bench warrant has been issued."

Back in 1992, before becoming one of the Democrats' go to bag men, Hsu disappeared after pleading no contest and agreeing to serve up to three years in prison for defrauding investors in a Ponzi scheme.

This is all sounding strangely familiar. We have seen unusual Clinton campaign contribution scandals before. The 1996 scandal saw 120 people connected to the Clinton fundraising efforts either flee the country to avoid questioning or plead the Fifth Amendment.

Clinton campaigns need to be scrutinized closely. The 1996 Clinton campaign wasn't and we had a situation which may have compromised American national security - the Chinese tried to influence our election.

Clintonites should have learned from 1996. The same people who worked in the 1996 Clinton campaign are running Hillary's presidential campaign, Terry McAuliffe, for example.

Hillary now says she is going to give some of Hsu's tainted money to charity. But why only two percent?

Clinton campaign contribution scandals don't start or end with Hsu. The George Soros-funded group, Americans Coming Together, headed up by a Clinton confidant and Hillary presidential campaign advisor, Harold Ickes, signed a settlement agreement with the Federal Election Commission to pay a $755,000 fine for campaign finance law violations. That fine was levied because over $137 million was improperly spent on Kerry's presidential campaign. This settlement was the third largest penalty ever paid to the FEC. The FEC released details of the agreement on August 29.

The Hsu campaign fundraising scandal goes beyond Hillary. Hillary's felonious fugitive fundraiser also contributed to Californicators, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, just to name a few.

More Californication

W.C. Varones has the goods on the continuing fallout from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's Californication.

I continue to ask why Hillary associates herself with political adulterers?

Four Considered For Attorney General

The White House has narrowed the search for a new Attorney General to four men:

Aides called around, asking about four candidates: former deputy attorney general Larry Thompson (who would be the first African-American A.G.), former solicitor general Ted Olson, former deputy A.G. George Terwilliger, and current Solicitor General Paul Clement (the acting A.G. once Gonzales leaves).

I'm rooting for Thompson.

According to Newsweek's Michael Isikoff and Richard Wolffe, Gonzales told friends he resigned last week at the urging of his wife. Perhaps a more important reason was concern over the possibility that Gonzales had lied to Congress. Concern over such allegations led to a collapse in White House support for the embattled Attorney General.

President Bush Visits Iraq

President Bush arrived at Asad air base in Anbar province Monday to meet with top military commanders, the U.S. ambassador, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and provincial tribal leaders:

The president stopped in Iraq en route to an economic summit in Australia and ahead of a briefing in Washington September 15 by the top U.S. commander in Iraq, Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker.

The president was spirited out of the White House late Sunday and driven to Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. Sixteen hours before he was scheduled to leave for the summit, Bush boarded Air Force One as it sat in a hanger and the aircraft departed after dark.

This is the President's third visit to Iraq. He also went to Iraq at Thanksgiving 2003 and in June 2006.

According to Reuters President Bush is accompanied by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser Steven Hadley, and Defense Secretary Robert Gates:

The President's visit to Anbar province can only highlight the remarkable success of U.S. efforts in Iraq's largest province. Only a year ago Anbar was seen as a lost cause.

The Washington Post reports National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said President felt he had to make this visit "in order to put himself in a position to make some important decisions."

President Bush plans to eat dinner with U.S. troops.

Obama, Edwards Join Democratic Boycott Of Rogue Primaries

Barack Obama and John Edwards join three other Democratic presidential wannabees in pledging to boycott states that break party rules by holding early primaries

In signing the pledge, the five candidates promise not to campaign in states holding rouge primaries:

I shall not campaign or participate in any state which schedules a presidential election primary or caucus before Feb. 5, 2008, except for the states of Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina, as "campaigning" is defined by the rules and regulations of the DNC. It does not include activities specifically related to raising campaign resources such as fundraising events or the hiring of fundraising staff.

Their pledge leaves Hillary as the only Democratic candidate planning to compete in Florida and Michigan.

A pact to ignore tens of millions of diverse Americans by a selfish, four-state alliance of party insiders.

That's the reaction of Florida Democratic Party chairwoman, Karen Thurman.

A week ago, Democratic Party officials decided to disenfranchise Florida voters, unless the state party agrees to hold its primary later in the 2008 election calendar.