Obama insults middle-America

The chatter over Obama's condescending and insulting remarks concerning rural, Middle American voters has lit up the airwaves and has Clinton and McCain--especially Clinton--in attack mode. Before a crowd of elite liberal donors in San Fransisco, Obama said:

"You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing's replaced them," Obama said. "And it's not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

So working-class people anxious over jobs and the economy respond by turning to guns, religion, racism, and anti-immigrant attitudes (Orwellian double-speak that really describes opposition to illegal immigration). Because only uneducated people care about small-minded, primitive, and outdated notions like guns and religion, right? Many Democrats, including former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack and Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh, have recently criticized Obama for suggesting that only uneducated, bitter people are religious, care about 2nd Amendment rights, or oppose illegal immigration. And Obama refused to apologize for his remarks initially--responding with incredulism that anyone would dare question him, and instead, the messenger of hope negatively attacked his critics--something a typical Washington politician does.

This comes weeks after Obama offended millions of pro-life Americans, parents and couples who have adopted by equating having a baby with an STD and being "punished." Obama once said "to know me is to love me." He has to be asking himself Where is the Love? right now, because he sure isn't feeling it after all of these gaffes.

Obama/Clinton would lose to McCain/Rice in NY

Everyone has been talking about the Democratic dream ticket, but the Republican dream ticket of John McCain and Condoleeza Rice has also been the subject of rumors and speculation in recent weeks, especially after the Drudge Report confirmed from several sources that Rice is actively seeking the VP spot and has been making the rounds with conservatives, recently speaking before a meeting of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR).

The Marist Poll out of New York has data to back up the GOP dream ticket. When asked, New Yorkers were more likely to support a McCain/Rice ticket over an Obama/Clinton ticket, 49 percent to 44 percent. When matched individually, Clinton edges out McCain by only 2 points, 46-48 percent, and McCain leads Obama 48-46 percent in this bluest of blue states.

A McCain/Rice ticket would have coattails that extended far beyond the presidential race--it could also aid local candidates here in KS as Nick Jordan seeks to oust Dennis Moore and either Lynn Jenkins or Jim Ryun against Nancy Boyda.

Oh, and Condi Rice has solid approval among the American public according to the recent Pew Research Poll: she enjoys a 56 percent approval rating and gets majority approval from independents--who will be critical to McCain's success later this year.

Kansas Jayhawks: 2008 National Champions

Rock Chalk, Jayhawk!

Hillary going all the way...

The Konnection has spoken to a Democratic source--one of the delegates to the DNC who has close ties to Hillary Clinton's campaign. Our source confirmed that Hillary has no intention of leaving the race and despite what happens in the last few primaries, she plans to fight at the convention to have Michigan and Florida seated--which could possibly give her a lead in the popular vote and reduce Obama's margin in the delegate count.

Our source, who is close to the campaign and speaks with the Clintons regularly and the campaign weekly, says the Clinton campaign is focused not just on changing the minds of superdelegates, but also on flipping regular, supposedly "committed" pledged, state delegates as well. Of course, pledged delegates are supposed to be committed to voting according to the results of their state's primary or caucus, but there are no provisions or penalties that outline any consequence if they don't vote that way--and there is precedent for a state's delegates to vote differently on the convention floor.

Our source says the Clinton campaign has already been successful in chipping away at Obama's support among pledged delegates. Phone calls from high-profile Clinton surrogates have convinced 2 of Obama's 33 pledged, Colorado delegates to switch to Clinton. And those speaking for the campaign on condition of anonymity say this is only the beginning of a highly coordinated strategy to peel away Obama's superdelegate AND pledged delegate supporters while fighting to have Michigan and Florida counted on the floor of the convention by issuing a formal request to the credentials committee. Our DNC source says the Hillary campaign is also floating around an idea where she would run as president with Obama as VP and only serve one term, allowing Obama to run in 2012. But Obama's campaign scoffs at that offer, and Hillary is unwilling to settle for anything less, so a sure fight is brewing.

My Democratic informant's revelations were confirmed last week by Hillary herself as she spoke to Fox News' Greta Van Susteren:

VAN SUSTEREN: "What about the pledged delegates right now? Are they likely — do you have any position on them sort of moving over in one direction or the other?"

CLINTON: "Well, you know, delegates are free to exercise their judgment, all delegates, whether you are from a caucus or you are from a primary or your so-called appointed delegate..."

GOP gains on Nixon in MO governor's race.

Acc. to a new poll from Scott Rasmussen:

GOVERNOR - MISSOURI
Jay Nixon (D) 46%
Sarah Steelman (R) 39%

Jay Nixon (D) 48%
Kenny Hulshof (R) 37%

This poll was done March 24th among 500 likely voters.

With polls showing McCain routing Obama by 15 points and Hillary by 9 points in the Show-Me state, the margin in the governor's race is likely to continue to decrease.

JCCC set to approve armed security guards

Another reminder that in the wake of tragedies at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois Univ., institutions of higher learning cannot afford to wait for authorities to arrive on the scene. Johnson County Community College has taken a good preventative first step in arming its security guards. Rep. Ben Hodge (R-Olathe), a JCCC Trustee, has more on the subject over at Kansas Progress.

What say you? With the Supreme Court expected to rule shortly in the case of Heller v. D.C. on individual 2nd Amendment rights, gun rights has become a hot-button issue again. There are only a handful of states that do not have concealed-carry laws, and in most states, 2nd amendment rights and concealed-carry provisions don't apply on college campuses. Should this be revisited? Or should we at least look at actually arming the usually ill-equipped and unuseful public safety and security forces on most college campuses?

Obama describes the "typical white person"

This audio interview says it all. Between Michelle "I've never been proud of my country" Obama with her thesis based on racial division (despite receiving and Ivy League education) and the radical anti-Semitic and racist rants of Reverend Wright, Obama's campaign was already in desparate straits. Now, Obama is so nice to condescend and tell us what the "typical white person" thinks about minorities. Unbelievable.

Memo to Obama: Focusing on race, which is the antithesis of your campaign, will not help you--it will just drag you down. Why not propose real solutions to problems facing the black community such as reform in public education in inner city schools, economic redevelopment in the form of block grants, initiatives to sustain family life and sound finances, and an emphasis on job training/vocational programs? Sadly, Obama just wants to throw more tax money at the same failed government programs and institutions, doing little to really help those who live on the margins.