As the year draws to a close, we Democrats must take stock of where we do and don't stand. 2008 is the year that the Bush's leave; thankfully as otherwise we would probably lose again. Assuming it all means anything and makes any difference, we Democrats have a great chance at winning in November of 2008. Of course we thought the same in 2000 and 2004 but managed to self destruct. Will history repeat itself? Let's see... Frontrunner The Clintons are dropping faster than a speeding bullet. Around Thanksgiving female columnists began blasting Hillary and it was just one in a series of stinging jabs that has left her campaign reeling. There was the planting questions issue but the key was when female journalists started to turn on her. With Hillary it's not just a woman thing. In just two weeks she dropped ten points. The combination of her gaffs and Obama's turnaround has the race leveling out nicely for the primaries. Very bad news for The (sagging) Clintons as they will have to re-whiteboard their 'look presidential' strategy. Just whose idea was it? And is Obama actually more 'woman' friendly? In my view the worst gaff came when asked about whether she preferred diamonds or pearls. The question was loaded for the flip-floppedyness factor and her answer was surprising; she replied 'both'. God forbid. One or the other would have been fine. But not wanting to offend anyone she straddled the line and shot herself in both proverbial feet. Time to fire somebody's campaign manager. But give credit to Obama. In foreign affairs he questioned whether Hillary's experience as first lady was any more relevant to his living abroad when he was 10, which she publicly criticized as not being real experience. In one fell swoop he destroyed half her credentials while weakening his resume from ages 10-14. Some trade. The other was the smoking pot question. Obama admitted he had smoked it and inhaled. In fact, he stated that inhaling was the idea. This in direct contrast to The Clintons statement that it was smoked but not inhaled. The problem is this can be juxtaposed with the 'I did not have sex with that woman' statement. Two issues have apparently been resolved in the revived Obama campaign. The first is Obama himself has taken the initiative and it has paid big dividends...and Oprah is going to hit the campaign trail for him. The other is that his advisors are clearly whupping the Clintons right now and don't be surprised to hear Hillary announce a major campaign housecleaning. The analysts observe that as the primaries approach we Demos are pondering whether a third term for The Clintons is advisable. The dagger survey of the week showed her losing to all the Repubs but both Obama and Edwards winning. The two stunners are that many voters won't actually cast their vote for her at crunch time and that Edwards is any factor at all. Go figure. Democrats. Edwards in my play book is toast. His main problem has been his inability to shake his own image. On his front he wears a sign 'By Day Proletarian' and on his back 'By Night a Trial Injury Lawyer.' John needs to muss up his hair, put on a dirty T-shirt and go out and shovel manure. But John will be stuck where he is in 2008 unless he changes his look and feel and he's clearly too in love with himself to do that. Several side observations. Hillary's insistence on playing all cards at once, 'I like both diamonds and pearls' is a big negative. The electorate always wants someone that agrees with them, with us rather, but really does not like someone that doesn't have any opinion or waffles; 'both' or 'I voted for it but really didn't.' Another Demo party weakness is our frontrunners have little and poor experience. All count the U.S. Senate as experience and with public opinion pretty much anti-Congress that might be a liability. 'I would have voted for you but I found out you were a Senator'. The two most qualified Democrats, Biden and Richardson, have no chance. Hopefully whoever wins the nomination picks one of them as VP. The Repubs are sure to pounce on our candidate's lack of experience, as well as any Senate experience in a dud Congress. We know it's coming. Right now it's Obama's race to win or lose. Hillary has flubbed and let him back in and it appears he has made his move. Edwards has not been able to hit a nerve and his campaign has plastic written all over it. But mark my words and remember you first heard it here; watch out for a real late surge by Darkhorse Dennis 'Da Man' Kucinich. Da Man's braintrust is currently working out a Vice Presidential running mate between Pee Wee Herman and Hugo Chavez. The advantages are swinging toward Chavez with his 'free gas for votes' strategy. But Pee Wee has the really cool name. As for me, I remain unchanged from last month. Oprah and I are still for Obama...
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