Friday, February 29, 2008

Math is too hard for MSNBC

Just to keep on this point.

MSNBC has still not gotten back to me on this, and I have no evidence that they intend to ever correct their error, or learn how to count.

The issue was not lost on the people from ABC. They, it seems can do math, even if their friends at MSNBC can not.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3445514&page=1

They noted right away that Obama would be 47 if he was inaugurated and would be the FIFTH youngest president not third FIFTH. OLDER THAN BILL CLINTON.

Got it, MSNBC? FIFTH youngest!!!

MSNBC, SHAME ON YOU

It seems that the fine people at the MSNBC news desk are incapable of doing math.

Not, Chuck Todd, of course... his delegate math is impeccable.

I'm talking about something much simpler, and much easier to check.

This is the issue of Barack Obama's age.

On 11:26 AM PST (2:26 EST - notice the quick math there) on MSNBC on this day of February 29th, Contessa Brewer gave a nice little story about how age does not matter for the presidency.

75% of respondents said that John McCain was not too old to be president.
80% of respondents said that Barack Obama was not too young to be president.

Great. What a nice little story. I'm so warm and fuzzy now.

The trouble is that miss Brewer went on to say that Barack Obama would be the third youngest president in history. The third youngest after Teddy Roosevelt and JFK. What?

Really?

Really, MSNBC people?

Can you look things up? Can you do math?

Can you reliably calculate a persons age? Can you get your friend to help?

Can you remember ancient history as long ago as 1992 when Bill Clinton was elected as our nation's third youngest president at the age of 46!!!

Barack Obama will be 47 if he is elected president.

Hmmm.

OK, I'll stop rubbing it in, but this is a major issue because of the Bill Clinton "rolling the dice" comment.

BARACK OBAMA WILL BE OLDER THAN BILL CLINTON WHEN HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT.

OK, I'll say it again.

BARACK OBAMA WILL BE OLDER THAN BILL CLINTON WHEN HE WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT.

This is important only because of the attacks that Bill and Hillary have leveled against Barack regarding his age and supposed inexperience.

Barack Obama will be the Fifth youngest president. oh, and MSNBC, the list goes like this...

1. Theodore Roosevelt, 42 and 322 days
2. John F. Kennedy, 43 and 236 days
3. Bill Clinton, 46 and 154 days
4. Ulysses S. Grant, 46 and 236
5. Barack Obama - possibly, 47 and 169 days
6. Grover Cleveland...


The fact that Barack Obama will be older than Bill Clinton is significant, and should be corrected before the Texas and Ohio primaries.

Oh, and get your damn act together. Most people trust you and will repeat tidbits like this as if they are fact. Seriously. This is not OK.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Super Delegate List Number One

It struck me that the super delegates are getting a lot of attention of late. It also struck me that - aside from a handful of the them - I had no idea who they were.
Well... after a few minutes of web surfing (yes its sad, we all get all our information this way don't we?) I found a reasonable verifiable list.

The list can be found at
http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/superdelegate-list.html

The lead right now for Clinton over Obama is approximately 80 or so. Now, the Clinton strength is clearly in Arkansas, New York and California, but it includes many areas that seem to be places where pressure could be brought to bare. Here is a brief list of District of Columbia super delegates that are for the Clinton candidacy...

DNC Mary Eva Candon (DC)

DNC Yolanda Caraway (DC)

DNC Hartina Flournoy (DC)

DNC Harold Ickes (DC)

DNC Ben Johnson (DC)

DNC Eric Kleinfeld (DC)

DNC Minyon Moore (DC)

DNC Elizabeth Smith (DC)

DNC Marilyn Tyler Brown (DC)

Is everyone here on this list still positive that Hillary Clinton would make the best general election candidate? Even given the 50 point trouncing that Obama took in the DC primary?

Clinton People are Bushian Liars

I can not believe the rhetoric that I am hearing out of the Clinton camp these days.

It reminds me of the kind of crap that comes out of the Bush White House. It really does.
They make arguments that are so obviously partisan and unfair and hope that people don't care about facts since they are just supporting the candidate anyway. Its bullshit. Plain and simple.

Hilary Rosen comes on Hardball today and actually argues that there is some kind of moral equivalence to the Florida/Michigan debate, and the debate over super delegates.

I've seldom heard more self serving fact-ignoring crap out of anyone outside of the Bush administration.

1) Florida and Michigan were ruled by the DNC to have their delegates revoked. This is a fact.

2) The candidates agreed not to campaign in these states and agreed that they would not count.

3) Hillary gets behind, wins the false contests, and wants to change the rules.

Simple as simple gets.

Now, lets look at the super delegate debate.

The Obama campaign has never advocated changing the rules. They have never said the the delegates should 'have' to do anything. They were merely outlining the possible political backlash (which should be obvious to everyone) if they overturn the will of the primary voters. This is just a statement of fact.

The Hillary campaign is a dishonest group of spinning liars.

That being said, I do remember Obama saying that if McCain was nominated that he would take public funding if McCain did. I think that he should honor this commitment. It would not handicap him substantially and would make the race more interesting.