Dean is first!

This ad made me laugh out loud. enjoy... http://www.clearspring.com/widgets/47e7d...

 Suing DNC for discriminating against white people in FL, using Rule 11 to get to the Supreme Court.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/2024

Pretty pathetic, huh?

strip the teflon off condi.  start protesting at stanford, too.  how about a waterboarding skit?  make it friggin hard for 'little miss first.'

**************

excerpts from 'winning ugly in texas and sparring in pennsylvania,' the washington spectator, april 15, 2008...

commenting on the '3 am ad'........."'They won it ugly,' said an Austin political consultant associated with neither campaign. 'They lied about NAFTA and ran on fear.  What they did will come back to haunt the party in Texas.

[snip]

"The consultant was present...at the January 1993 'Austin summit,' when then-Governor Ann Richards brought Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari and President-elect Bill Clinton together to promote NAFTA....NAFTA was the centerpiece of Bill Clinton's first term.  [Treasury Secretary] Bentsen was pushing it, and Bentsen's staff was working on it.  It was a priority for the administration, and Hillary was part of the team."

how many of those working class voters, shafted by NAFTA, cast their ballots for hillary?  she hurt a lot of women and their families.

pundits have been wringing their hands about hillary's supporters crossing over to vote for mccain.  well, here's something to think about on the other side.  the passionate commitment of younger voters in texas to their candidate, barack obama, and not to the democratic party is evidenced in down-ballots left blank.  if their guy is denied the nomination, the obama democrats might not come back.  i'll be one of them.

***************

a good, punching ad against mccain, dnc!

***************

shoutout to obama's campaign:  start hitting mccain on the privatization of social security and the keating 5 savings and loan disaster.  those will grab seniors.

What the heck is this all about?  Were these young people really repugs?  Why not vote the down ticket?

"pundits have been wringing their hands about hillary's supporters crossing over to vote for mccain.  well, here's something to think about on the other side.  the passionate commitment of younger voters in texas to their candidate, barack obama, and not to the democratic party is evidenced in down-ballots left blank."

HC calls for 2 debates in OR. 

Call ins to the TV station posted the stats just now

54% want them to debate

46% do not 

kos said she "demanded" two debates.  BS.  She asked and challenged.....It's interesting to now watch the news and then see how the CM and net interprets it.  She made NO demands.  Will I end up saying that she's being unfairly discussed in the CM and on the Net?   Stay tuned.

**************************************** 

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Hillary Rodham Clinton is challenging her Democratic presidential opponent, Barack Obama, to two debates in Oregon in the run-up to the state's May 20 primary.

Clinton won a victory over Obama in Pennsylvania on Tuesday but still trails in the delegate count. She said Oregon voters deserve a chance to hear both candidates debate on the "real issues" facing the state.

"I encourage Oregonians to pay attention in the weeks ahead; to see how Sen. Obama and I address the issues that people in Oregon care about," Clinton said in a statement issued by her campaign.

Obama campaign spokesman Nick Shapiro said a decision will be made shortly about whether Obama will debate Clinton in Oregon. But Shapiro also said Clinton's call for more debates is "an old Washington game."

"There have been 21 Democratic debates and four one-on-one debates with Sen. Clinton, all televised nationally," he said. "Sen. Obama's focus is on meeting directly with Oregon voters about the issues that really matter to them."

Clinton's campaign spokeswoman, Julie Edwards, said there have been no presidential debates in the Pacific Northwest. She said last week's debate on ABC-TV was the most watched of the presidential campaign.

"There clearly is desire among voters to hear about the issues," she said.

Former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to campaign for his wife in Oregon on Friday and Saturday. The campaign said it would issue details soon on the times and locations of those events.

http://www.katu.com/news/18074109.html 

Well, that was just a kos diary...but look at the discrepancy between the kos voters and the Oregon voters who called into the news station. 

If BO declines, it will negatively impact Oregonians.  A debate would benefit BO, since he's not as well known here as she is and a debate would reach a much wider audience than if he just stumps around.

He'd get to strut his stuff. 

"I'm more optimistic -- the way I interpret those numbers, that means that 7 percent of Americans would consider voting for a black Muslim for president...just kidding. The sad truth is that some racism in America is going to be with us for a long time."

 Ick!

"He'd get to strut his stuff. "

seashell since you said you aren't going to vote, what do you care if they debate?

I'd love to see them fill the biggest venue, throw out the media, no moderator, and do a little Lincoln/Douglas discussion

the crowd would talk about it for years

Good morning, everybody

That was an infellicitous comment, Sea.  Not appropriately respectful.

Did leave a comment on the Condi editorial.  See, they do like to be fed. 

Obama could actually get to 2025 without any more super delegates with a couple of big wins.

I would think Oregon would be pumped up and ready to do the honors.

login still doesn't work--

Howard Dean is first.

Yes he is.

If you can stomach it - here's Hillary putting words into Obama's mouth at the AAM meeting in PA. She gets booed for being cheeky.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/4/14/...

Gallup has Barack up after bitter-gate.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/106504/Gallup...

just wanted to express a little outrage at Clinton's claim she leads in the popular vote, because it eliminates caucus states in the count (and includes the straw poll in Michigan where Obama wasn't even on the ballot)

well, the most valid complaint about a caucus is that it is too hard, takes too much time and effort, so attracts only motivated activists

super delegates are super motivated activists ... you want the support of super delegates while dissing the base? Clinton must not want Iowa's

 Hi Phil,

Frankly, I think enough of the debates.  Let each caniddate hold town hall meetings.  These really haven't been debates anyway; just quiz questions.  Real debates take time, they go back and forth analyzing various points.  Or, the Lincon Douglas Debate format would also serve.

Read Maureen Dowd's article.  As much as she is snide, she hits home with some uncomfortable truths.  Hillary's taunts are like the school yard bully's, but they are getting heard.  She has knocked the train off the tracks, which is probably a good thing in the short run, if Obama can outmaneuver her, and he has to.  

We're talking raw, gut, leave-no -survivors politics.  It makes my stomach hurt, but the world arena is no place for people who can't stand up to it.  I believe careful  reasoning, thoughtful talking will convince the American people, and we have to believe in it, but HIllary like some half crazed drunk will continue to disrupt, catcall, and issue challenges.  Are we still in that stage of development? 

Why I can't spell candidate, I don't know.

Yes, the White House authorization to commit physical assaults on restrained detainees who represented no threat to their handlers was clearly unlawful (though not necessarily illegal since the individuals were acting under the color of law) because such behavior had not been permitted by a legislative act by Congress.

The Bush Administration is trying to argue that government is like any individual, whose actions are classified according to their intent or purpose, not just by the result.  But, intent is only significant in the assignment of guilt and punishment phase of a judicial review and the nature of an act is not transformed on the basis of who does it and that standard doesn't apply ot the agents of  government anyway.  All of their actions have to be permitted ahead of time.  If there is a purpose clause in a law, it's not a blanket "whatever it takes" permission slip.

The recent decision on lethal injection in "capital punishment" cases is a relevant example.  The court ruled it to be a permitted act.  But, it's an act that's predicated on punishment having been determined according to legal procedures.  The big hole in the detainee treatment is that the individuals being held are innocent.  And that's not just a technicality, an assumption that sets a trial (adversarial contest) in motion.  For the simple reason that there is no trial.  You can't posit a technicality in a process, if there is no process.  And, of course, if the detention were a prelude to a trial, then the assaults to extract information would render the defendant technically innocent, anyway.  So, while it may seem like a Catch-22 from the perspective of the captives, it's pretty clear from the perspective of the detention staff that they committed unlawful acts and, at the least, need to be dismissed from their positions.  After proper procedures have been followed, of course.

storms nearby so I have to shut down

planters can't run in mud, food prices are going to go higher

bbl

Pat and Phil, downthread

Yes, America countenances some really negative behaviors from its people because they are lacking in self-restraint.  It used to get them tagged as "ugly Americans"  For some people, the bully is actually an icon and Pat's suggestion that a person has to be able to put up with it shows how come.  Bullying behavior is not sufficiently sanctioned by social approbium.  When rude behavior isn't stopped in its tracks it often escalates into aggression and then we end up having to put people in prison.  Lots of people end up in jail because they are lacking in self-control and, as I pointed out before, a lack of self-control is a consequence of an authoritarian social organization.  If people are externally directed there's no opportunity for them to become self-directed and, if they're not self-directed, they're not likely to exhibit self-restraint.

Hillary's boisterous emissions are an example of a lack of self-restraint.  (that's a scary realization) 

#9 Monica,

 Insightful analysis, Monica.  We certainly do have a bullying mentality in our society, and for some people that represents strength, dominance.  But, I think the world can hardly tolerate that anymore. There is too much complexity, interconnectedness, and frankly too many emergencies that have to be dealt with.

 I liked Obama's contacting Lugar, is it Frank? Lugar, to work on reducing nuclear weapons.  Right away he reached out, not just for publicity purposes as in Hillary's co-sponsoring the flag burning amendment, but because he felt it was a critical issue and he wanted to work on it with Lugar, who is a Republican.  That's the kind of ethics, thinking, and behavior I believe we need so much, but if the old style authoritairan, money-influence-power connections are still in play, that's what Hillary is used to dealing with.  Not good enough and dangerous now. We need to move away from those kinds of politicians.

good morning all.  I woke up to a stomach-turning comment from Carl Bernstein on CNN - you all probably heard it last night, but I pretty much shunned the pundits until this a.m.  it seems some in Hillary's campaign are now facing the fact that she really can't win, but that's okay because she's done so well she can DEMAND the VP slot, setting her up for 2020, when she will still be younger than McCain.  or perhaps even 2012, if the golden boy doesn't do so well.  Obama would need a food-taster/tester for sure. 

change the goalpost, win at any cost - this woman and her campaign crew are simply out of their minds in their lust for power!  this campaign is going to leave mud on a lot of their careers as they continue tp postulate this crap with a straight face.  you know that nasty, demeaning 'c' word we women hate so much?  it pops into my head every single day lately - the trashiest of female insults pops into my head because it's the only word in my vocabulary I can find to describe how I feel about Hillary now. 

but the sun's peaking out onto a greener world this morning!  we had a bit of rain last night after more than a week of unseasonably warm weather and growing things are a couple weeks ahead of themselves now.  guess I'll brew a pot and wander out to see what's newly risen from it's winter bed - maybe it will calm me down! 

Morning Jo,

It's still pretty brown here.  We seem to have gone from a cold, windy winter to hot summer in one week.  There's a high level warning for wildfires out.  I'm afraid we may have a hot, windy, dry summer.

I'm pretty upset, too, Jo, Monica, and Phil.  That's why I'm up.  We need so much to move away from the militarism, violence, aggressivenss, greed, and corruption that we've known for too long in this country.  That Hillary's people will do anythng to disrupt, to gain attention, to frankly destroy makes my stomach hurt.

I'm getting to the point where all I can do is pray  to whatever forces in the universe that will help us help ourselves.  We are such a destructive, no boundaries species. 

Well, off for a cup of coffee. The dialogue as always is important and I believe helps us as we go along. 

hi Phil - sorry to hear you're getting more storms.  I hear the Costcos and WalMarts, etc are limiting/rationing sales of imported rice now - most of them are out of basmati and don't expect to get more for some time.  I'm planting more veggies this year.  we have so many great farmer's mkts in the area that I usually don't bother, but I think this year I'll need to grow more and can, freeze and process more than I have in quite some time.  sending my prayers to the hungry across the globe.

morning Pat - it's lovely to have a morning chat and coffee with you - you are up early!

Jo in Vermont take Ellis's advice to rae and make some tea, eat some chicken soup, spend the afternoon napping in a blanket and turn off the tv. Pat you can too. I may join you.

Fred in OR this MODO is really good so I'm putting your link on this thread.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/23/opinio...

Susan Rowe that ad was excellent. It targets Silicon Valley types and does not talk about universal healthcare -- rather about portable insurance -- prolly much less vulnerable to attacks from Repugs.

I think Obama would be better off w/o Trippi who I suspect of being the one saying folks will endorse, then the endorsements don't happen. I also think Obama would be better off if Clinton didn't have a new campaign manager b/c her campaign seems to have taken off since he came on board.

ttfn

BTW, if you paste the code for the Careyoukeep and it doesn't work, you may have to take off the last </object>  That's what Bluehampshire wanted.  DFNH doesn't want the code noway.  Hannah liked it as it came.

as I think back over the primaries, I feel that if CA had started their early voting just a week or two later we wouldn't be in this situation right now.  I really think CA would have gone to Obama if they saw him winning a few before they cast those early votes.  if's dont't really matter now, tho, do they?

good advice Annilow - much of my day yesterday was like that, after another interview and taking my Mom shopping in the morning.  it didn't really help!   but I appreciate your and Mike's advice.  the days I spend with my Grandkids are the days that go by quickly and with lots of smiles - then they go home and I wonder what their world will look like when they grow up.  these are desperate times and the last thing I want is a desperate person leading this country.

7:10 AM EDT

Ah, the TV, the radio, the online -- Election Center 2008 -- well screw the pun(k)di(ck)ts !  It's all distractions from what the grassroots want and need -- the Eyes On The Prize.

Anni - I think Trippi's just chiming in from the sidelines - he was an Edward's guy, wasn't he?  

listening to Washington Journal - a felllow just made an astute comment: this war is the largest earmark in American history.

 I think anyone who posts here and says they won't vote this year should be shunned also.

WTF?? Call yourself independent or whatever.

I call you stupid.

I think investors are running up the rice, wheat prices. anything for a buck.

I was at Costco the other day and this oriental man was loading up two trailers of rice. I said "you really must like rice" He said he had a restaurant. Well buddy, how much rice do you sell?

He had about 40 large bags or rice.

linda - our little local Chinese restaurant serves about 3 cups of cooked rice in their 'small' containers - they really pack it in!  that's another problem Americans need to address - our eating habits and the huge portions we expect.  we're making ourselves ever sicker and poorer.

7:42 AM EDT

learning from each other:

http://allafrica.com/stories/200804230801.html

Sierra Leone: Ugandans Learn From Country's Post War Recovery Experience

The Independent (Freetown)

23 April 2008
Posted to the web 23 April 2008

A four-man delegation from Uganda, which arrived in the capital Freetown on April 16 left on April 22 after acquiring experience on various issues ralating to post- war recovery in Sierra Leone.

The delegation learnt how Sierra Leone "rose from the ashes of an eleven years war". They made enquiries on various issues ranging from resettlement, reintegration, reconstruction and post- war development in general.

...

Bishop Todworg said, "Siera Leone is chosen as a case study because it has had similar problems with Uganda"

Both countries have gone through wars in which they encountered similar problems such as amputation". He expressed admiration for the reconcilitory spirit exhibited by Sierra Leoneans in post-war era. "All that we have seen will be taken to Uganda for the people to impement", the bishop said.

...

Hi Jo, Linda b, Annilow, rdorgan, yes, more coffee, calming down, trusting in the good sense and good will of most people.  Yes, we can do this.  I still believe it.

Linda b are you addressing the thoughts of some of us who said we won't vote for Hillary?  We, my husband and I, are working for local candidates and state candidates.  We will certainly vote.  We've just decided for the first time in our lives we had to draw a line in the sand.  We can't vote for someone we feel will continue the destructive policies we've had for at least the last 7 years.  It's a conscience vote, and we'll vote Green in the presidential slot when the time comes if Hillary is the nominee.

I think when it comes down to it, we all have to live by our consciences, what is it after we have thought, talked, read, studied, the best thing we can do?  I know that all of us just by participating on this blog are activist to some degree. That is good and needed.

Well, back for more coffee and some reading.  The latest National Geographic is all about China.  Peter Hessler who writes about china, his first book River Town, is a featured writer.

Have a beautiful happy day. It makes a difference. 

Talk about an off-putting email.  Dodd used these simulated internal communications to some good effect, but this one is rude.

From the desk of:                                    ROY J. CARTER




April 23, 2008

Ryan,
 
In looking over the calendar, as well as the budget, I am growing increasingly concerned regarding our Get Out The Vote effort.

I just received a notice that on May 10th Dole and Foxx are doing yet another fund raising event. This time in Mooresville, the price tag...$200-$2000 per person.

We are less than two weeks away from the Primary and per our last budget meeting I have not seen movement on the following GOTV needs we discussed:
          
           Get Out The Vote Phone Calls- $1,500
           Buttons and Stickers: $300
           T-Shirts: $1,100
           Yard Signs- $1,200
           TV ad for week before Primary $1,600
           Election Day hand outs: $2,400

We must raise the money we need to come out of this Primary ready and able to meet Foxx head-on.

I know everyone will be busy with their assigned tasks for the DFA/NCAE Rally tomorrow but I want a meeting with the finance team first thing in the morning. Please have a contribution report from ActBlue on hand.

Thanks for all your hard work, let's keep up the momentum for this final push.
It is time to make this happen!

--Roy
http://www.roycarterforcongress.com

From: Ryan M. Eller [mailto:Ryan@RoyCarterforCongress.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 23, 2008 7:50 PM
To: 'email@roycarterforcongress.com'
Subject: RE: 13 Days Out
 Roy,
I certainly understand your anxiety. We really must come up with this last minute money if we want to show folks that our district is ready for a change. I especially need the resources for direct voter contact.
I will notify the finance team of our meeting first thing in the morning, everyone is very excited about the rally, but this is a priority and the team understands that.
Hopefully some folks will step up and contact their friends and family as well.
 God Bless,
 Ryan
www.RoyCarterforCongress.com

hi Pat - I have to say that if Hillary gets the nod, I will still be voting my conscience in voting for her.  I agree with your assessment of her and under other circumstances I might refuse to vote for her, but I cannot in good conscience allow McCain to become POTUS.  I respect your decision and understand it because I have been fighting with this myself.

as for the conservative values conversation - it's the word conservative that is the clincher for me.  yes that conversation is necessary to address the problems this country (and the world!) faces, I just think they're pointing their fingers at the wrong people.  it isn't just 'conservatives' who are the bad actors - it's evil people.  and there are many evil people who identify as dem or indy, so I will repeat, this bashing all who may be 'labeled' as conservative is bad for all of us.  evil doesn't have another label, conservative or otherwise.  it's simply evil.  jmpov.

I guess everyone has to make their own conscious call.  Does not voting make it easier for McCain to get elected?  How does that affect the Supremes and civil rights issues that affect our kids?If by not voting and McCain gets elected, are the vote withholders partly guilty for enabling the McCain presidency?  The conscious call goes both ways.  I could even say that voting, and not actively participating in a Hillary election (my position and assumes of course, she is the nominee) enables a McCain presidency.So which is more irresponsible?  Not voting and helping McCain get elected?  Or voting the lesser of two evils?  Many on this blog are tired of having to make a shallow choice.  Sometimes, all options are very not very good.  So even if Hillary fails the affordable healthcare issue again.  And drags her feet getting us out of Iraq.  And has an economic plan that still favors the rich more then the poor.  And blathers on about nuking Iran.  And has to drag her useless POS husband along behind her as Bubba tries to take over her Presidency.  She is still bound by the Democratic Party structure.  If she is elected and becomes out of touch with the public desires, like Bubba was, Dems will lose Congress at the midterm elections again.  And it will be an instant replay of Bubba1. 

omg!  is this really Chris Matthews, being honest and blaming the media for letting Hillary's voters think she has any chance to win this?  did hell freeze over when I wasn't looking? (tried to imbed the vid, but it didn't take)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/22/chris-matthews-the-media_n_98086.html

Look.  It's not possible for Hill to get the nomination.  Only peeps in lala land (including Hill) think it's remotely possible. 

It's exceedingly unlikely that McCain will keep from exploding. . . .  Look this is a man who called his wife a cunt (in public, and in front of reporters) after "a long day" -- and that was just campaigning for the Senate. . . .  

So every body: just chill.  

Wow.  The last post is 44, I just posted and showed up at #19.

Danny boy, your time is just about up. . . .  

since it seems that I'm low man on the totem pole today, please note that there are new coomments WAY UP THERE around the #19 mark (may have 'shuffled' since I found them!)

FIX THE DAM BLOG!!!!!!!!!

the crowd would talk about it for years

yes!  any other format would just be so much more media bs.

Asking if Obama supporters will vote for Clinton, should she be the Democratic presidential nominee, is a rhetorical question.  It's a loyalty test for and a vote of confidence for the policies of Chairman Dean, who would clearly favor an Obama candidacy but remains neutral out of respect for the Party and his role in it.  He has ably demonstrated the benefit of a strategy to elect Democrats from all regions of the country, throughout the political spectrum of a big tent party, by appealing to voters who are religious, independent, moderate, discouraged by the political process, or any of these.  His policy represents political pragmatism, not a rejection of doctrinaire liberalism, as anyone who knows about him can verify.

Clinton will not be the nominee.  Her chances evaporated months ago.

Hi Jo and dog soldier,

Both good arguments from you, and yes, they will keep resonating. There's no easy, sure, right all the time answer, and you can count on it that the discussion will continue in our house.  I would have voted for Hillary, but this campaign has horrified me in many ways.  The deception, the willingness to burn the house down to get attention, the use of racism, taunting, etc.  well, I don't have to repeat the list because we all know it now by heart.

Jo, the discussion of conservatism.  I'm thinking you are referring to my rant, and yes, it was, against the Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter spewings.  I think you are right about the term conservative, in that there's nothing wrong at all and much that is right about conservatism. For instance, conserving the environment, conserving principles that have guided us well, being careful not to throw the baby out with the bath in adopting new policies.  In fact, I think Howard Dean has a nice mix of conserative, liberal, progressive, moderate.  I think we all probably do on this blog.

What I rail against is the out of context conclusions, the bias, the name calling, the labeling, the lack of thinking through an issue that ideologues of every stripe demonstrate, and probably at times we all do too.  But, this kind of propagandizing seems to dominate the media and the conversation. When Barack Obama calls for a national dialogue about issues, that's what I believe we most need.  The pundits: Cal Thomas, Joe Scarborough, Chuck Green in Colorado, Mona Charon, George Will, so many have no balance at all and they are basing their conclusions and evidence on assumptions that are down right scary, eg. Cal Thomas and fundamentalist Christianity and Armageddon.

Well, I'm glad you spoke up, and I also agree there are plain, damn evil people out there and probably always will be.  Please, please, please, let compassion for  humanity, good sense, honesty, and a new way of solving problems and talking to one another prevail. 

Puddly, thanks for telling us to chill.  Yes, there's anxiety out there.

And Tom, keep on keeping on with your logic and reasoning.  Whether I'm convinced or not, it's keeps me thinking.

By the way, my father played football for Notre Dame.  I went to the U. of M. football games mainly to hear the band play the Hawaiian War Chant.  I'm hopeless. 

Sorry, Puddle, not Puddly.  hmmm.

I'd beg to differ that Barack is not well known in Oregon. He made a swing through there. Also, when I was in Oregon last night I saw tons of Obama signs - including some in LO, Portland and Eugene. Tons of bumper stickers for Barack - nada for Hillary. He's known now and 21 debates is enough. Clinton is looking for free media. This whole debate issue is a joke.

You can find funnies on Hannah

CAREYOUKEEP

and

John Stewart's IF--YOU 

There is a diary over at DKos that's title reads: *Obama is fighting a two-headed monster - Clinton and the Republicans*. True that. I would add it's a four-headed monster, both Clintons, Republicans and the traditional media. Just read the top stories at Real Clear Politics - one is by Robert Novak, Karl Rove, etc. And another story asking why can't Barack do well with certain voting blocs. Let's turn this around - it's Clinton who can't win the educated voters, the young voters, the AA voters. This has become laughable.

Jo wrote:

 I cannot in good conscience allow McCain to become POTUS. 

Alas Jo, it's not up to you. The Democrats have enabled Bush, now they're givig McCain the presidency.

9:14am

This post will probably be buried like my last one, but I have a suggestion:

Monica said that you're using the same software as DNC--only it works for them.

Ask their techs to please come over and fix this dysfunctional f-king Blog!

9:17am

Pat, thanks for understanding how I fell and especially for this:

What I rail against is the out of context conclusions, the bias, the name calling, the labeling, the lack of thinking through an issue that ideologues of every stripe demonstrate, and probably at times we all do too.  But, this kind of propagandizing seems to dominate the media and the conversation. When Barack Obama calls for a national dialogue about issues, that's what I believe we most need. 

I suppose we've been conditioned to do this - react defensively and ultimately play the same game as the 'evil-doers'!  I know I do, but I try to stop myself when I think like that before I speak/type - as most of you have seen, it doesn't always work out so well....!   from what I've read of political history, it's almost always been this way in American politics, but I can tell you that from my own perspective it escalated to a much meaner level when the Clinton's came to town.  I'm not blaming them for it, because it was certainly their opponents who escalated it to a new level, but I do think if they'd taken the high road a few times we might not be as deep in th