Did anyone really think that Obama had a chance of winning Nevada? Yes, Obama is popular and charismatic. That’s great. But what people don’t realize is that Latino voters are more likely to vote for Hillary, a white woman, than for Obama, a black man. This is where racial politics comes into play.

During this election, Latino voters will play a deciding role in presidential politics. Most Latino voters are turning away from Republican candidates due to the “anti-immigrant” stance many of these candidates have taken in their policy-making decisions. And amongst minority groups, there has always been racial conflict between Blacks and Latinos. Sad, but true. So I predict, that in California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas Hillary will be the winner.

Ron Paul’s second place finish in Nevada as reported on the news tonight must be counted as a victory.  Now let’s see if the (rest of) the media finally wakes up and notices.  I say “rest of” for those of you who may not know I host a radio show, ”Live! with Lisa”. (www.livewithlisaradio.com).  Congrats to you Ron Paul supporters for getting the vote out.

GE (NBC) was behind the debate exclusion. Kucnich explains

Is it possible this country is not ready for integrity. I would hate to think so. Is it possible this country will only respond to flash, Kucinich does not portray a “flashy” style. His strength is in his consistent voting record, sound ideas with written plans, integrity, and courage.

FYI, GE owns (from Wikipedia):

Media Too many to list, but includes NBC, local channels throughout the US, MSNBC, Bravo, Sundance, A&E, 80% of Vivendi (watch those video games). Wondering about truth in the media…..hm.

Commercial Finance

Consumer Finance Loans, Credit, Care Credit (offered by many physicians and veterinary groups), and more, including Wal Mart, GAP, Stein Mart, ExxonMobile credits, etc.

Healthcare Major competitors are Seimens, Philips, and Toshiba.

Industrial Which includes security systems.

Infrastructure Aerospace, water systems, Oil/Gas, Transportation, and more.

They partner with Provident Bank to provide credit cards.

Here is Dennis Kucinich in a CNN debate from some time ago, where he mentions Yucca Mountain, the site proposed as a nuclear waste repository:

Actually Dennis Kucinich was doing well in the polls not too long ago, that’s why corporate interests don’t want Kucinich in a debate. Wake up America!

!!!

Slideshow: Some Firework shots, New Year celebration in Vienna 2008 . Copyright: Matthias Wurz

What can I say? Today, almost exactly three months after my first entry in my blog here I have reached 1,000 unique hits! This is amazing, because this is not a commercial site, and I have no time at this stage to strategically develop it, or contribute as regularly as I wish. Nevertheless, there were always readers here, even at times when I had not written anything for weeks. I can only say: Thank you very much!

Let us celebrate this day with some fireworks! And let me also wish you and your families my best regards for the New Year 2008! Despite that I was ill during the holiday season, I was able to watch some of the excellent firework displays from my own apartment on New Year’s Eve, and some of the pictures you can see here now.

Please come back regularly, as I shall be contributing almost daily. This blog is, however, different, from most other blogs, as the entries are much longer. This is because I am drafting stories for the newspaper, or analyze and comment political events, rather than quickly reporting them as any other news agency, paper or television station. It takes time to write and consequently to read. This is, after all, a blog for readers – for You!

The coming days are exciting as ever: Tomorrow are the elections in Graz, and the tension of what effect the racist campaign of the far-right FPÖ has on the overall election result is one I shall be commenting tomorrow. Also, the Democratic Caucasus in Nevada takes place today, and its equally unpredictable result shall give me the opportunity to comment on the political phenomenon Barack Obama.

Lots to come and lots to read! Stay on course, comment on what I am writing and, if applicable, disagree with me. That’s what journalism and writing blogs is all about.

If they were writing an SAT test today, that might be a correct response. Right now most people are expecting Hillary Clinton to carry the day in the Nevada Caucuses, but there are a lot of unknowns floating out there that may make the polls wrong once again. First, caucus type primary elections are very difficult to forecast. Second, this is the first time many Nevadans will be voting in a caucus and thus it is exceedingly hard to find the people who will actually be voting tonight. Third, Clinton’s allies lost their attempt to ban caucus sites near the casinos where many expected Obama voters will be working. (In case you didn’t hear about it the Culinary Workers’ Union endorsed Obama and since many of them will be at work on Saturday night, they’ll need a caucus site near work in order to participate.) The fourth and final reason I think Nevada will prove fascinating is that Edwards may do far worse than people think and those votes (just a guess here) may break in favor of Obama by the end of the night. In any case this should be an interesting night for the Democrats.

Oh and if Obama wins here, Clinton will need to do very well in the upcoming super-duper Tuesday, since Obama will almost certainly win South Carolina.

AP: ‘Republicans are bracing for a possible surprise first-place showing by long-shot Texas Rep. Ron Paul’ in Nevada

AP
January 16, 2008

A last-minute federal court battle over caucus rules underlines the importance Saturday’s vote in Nevada has assumed as a potential momentum-builder in the Democratic presidential campaign.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards are in a statistical dead heat in polling here with little more than two days to go. And Nevada’s sizable blocs of Hispanic, union and urban voters could provide an indicator of where the race is headed on Feb. 5, when hundreds of delegates will be awarded in states with significant minority populations.

By contrast, Republican candidates have stayed away from the diverse electorate and unfamiliar electoral landscape as Nevada voters weigh in earlier than ever before.

No major GOP candidate has set foot in the state for two months, and some Republicans are bracing for a possible surprise first-place showing by long-shot Texas Rep. Ron Paul, the only Republican to broadcast TV ads in Nevada.

Read Full Article Here

I apologize – The Clintons are not really monsters, but they are extremely tough on the campaign trail.

Since Hillary’s loss in Iowa, I’ve noticed a much louder and more assertive former president. This it seems has helped Hillary rally, especially in New Hampshire, where it looked like she would lose handily.

With Bill taking on more of an assertive role, I have to ask myself – if by voting for Hillary, am I voting for Bill as well? To most Americans, this is a great thing. Bill reminds them of the good old days, pre 911.

But for me, a 25-year-old male, it’s tough to remember the good old days during the height of the first dot-com boom. All I know is that we live in an America that is divided, and even worse, we live in a world that is filled with hate for America.

That’s why I’m excited by the new face of politics that Barack Obama brings to the world and the Democratic Party. Respecting our enemy as if they are our friend is an approach I can respect as America strives to regain trust amongst co-existing nations. With Obama at the helm, I believe we will have stronger allies and a better shot at waging war against future terrorist cells.

I haven’t always been sure of my endorsement of Obama, but I’ve kept a close eye on the campaign trail. Thus I have seen the Clintons’ work their magic. Needless to say, that magic turns me off to the game of politics as usual.

Take for example, the Hillary’s struggle with African-American voters. Recent polls have shown that she has fallen considerably behind Obama. She even administered the help of Bob Johnson, the ceo of Black Entertainment Television. During a speech, he ruthlessly bashed Obama for trying marijuana as a teen. If he has such a problem with that, why air music videos that promote smoking and getting high?

In addition, Clinton supporters filed a lawsuit against caucuses being held at Casinos. At first, I thought the Clintons could deny any involvement. However, when Bill was asked about it he became very offensive. Such a strong denial showed me that he had some strong convictions about the situation. I find it amusing how no one in the party had a problem with it until Obama won the support of the unions that work at the casinos.

That lawsuit and the ensuing outburst was the straw that broke the camel’s back and spurned me to write this article.

On the Go Woody Wire, this is Woody saying, “Go Obama.”

Well I, for one, think these The Wire -related titles are going beautifully.

The AV Club interviews hirsuite ginger lovely-man Glen Hansard.

PopMatters lists its favourite TV performances of 2007. So many lists from them this year.

USA Today has a preview of Breaking Bad, the new AMC original series following in the successful footsteps of Mad Men.

Pitchfork has video of the ’secret’ Radiohead show at 93 Feet East last night.

Mother Jones has some thoughts on the upcoming Nevada primary.

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler put some girlshapedness into comedy with Baby Mama, check out the trailer here at BuzzSugar.

Want to listen Justin Lee Collins and Chris Moyles sing Delilah? Of course you do! Although it would surely be better without Chris Moyles.

Penn Badgley and Blake Lively are not dating. Okay! People tells you again.

Election analysis and discussion is sooo in right now. Salon has more politic-speak.

Martin Scorsese’s Shine a Light, his Stones concert document, is to open the Berlin Film Festival.

Check out Conan’s Strike Diary on Entertainment Weekly.

Still shell-shocked by Brad Renfro’s death? I know I am. Also sharing their thoughts are Sir Ian McKellen, who has blogged about it, Renfro’s The Client costar Susan Sarandon has released her own statement, and writer, film-maker and photographer Bruce LaBruce has blogged a couple of his memories…

Gawker received a legal letter from the Scientologists following the outbreak of that Tom Cruise video. You saw the video – now check out a video from the ceremony itself, here’s Cruise picking up that award…

Kirsten Dunst stars in the latest Miu Miu ad campaign. Je voudrais the bag in the first photo, s’il vous plait?

Ahhh, a portrait of Stephen Colbert is hanging in the Smithsonian, between the loos, near the American Presidents, after he impressed the museum’s director with his hacky-sack skills! Genius.

“This portrait will only be here for a limited time, so refresh yourself at the drinking fountain while contemplating this portrait of Colbert while you can.”

Edwards and Obama LIE about not taking money from lobbyists
Obama claims at the Nevada debate: “I don’t take money from federal lobbyists…” when in fact all 3 democratic candidates take money from lobbyists

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjh9TpcpkCU

Who Takes Money From Lobbyists?

Hillary Clinton: $567,950
John McCain: $340,365
Mitt Romney: $229,475
Rudolph W. Giuliani: $212,100
Fred Thompson: $90,000
Barack Obama: $76,859
Duncan Hunter: $30,900
John Edwards: $18,900
Mike Huckabee: $6,964
Ron Paul: $0
Dennis Kucinich: $0

By the way, some of the people who dropped out took money too, but I cut the list down for ease of use. One could argue that Kucinch or Hunter really aren’t in the race anymore, but they’re still polling in some places. Paul is definitely still pulling support, but not a ton.

However, Mike Gravel and Alan Keyes do not make the list because they weren’t serious in the first place. Sorry guys. Better luck next time.

Found via Open Secrets.

Source

The Las Vegas Journal-Review endorsed Barack Obama today, and had this to say regarding Hillary Clinton and her campaign:

“She’s a one-term-plus-a-year senator whose lackluster legislative record rivals Sen. Obama’s. Other than that, the ‘experience’ in question must surely refer to her presence as a witness and enabler during her husband’s presidential terms,” and that Nevada Democrats should “ask themselves whether they really want to spend two months later this year watching a re-run of the horror movie ‘It Came From Little Rock,’ with the sound turned up much too loud — or if they’d rather make it a real contest this fall. If they prefer the latter, they’re better off backing Barack Obama on Saturday.”

Tonight’s Democratic debate on MSNBC was sold by organizers as the “first” debate focused on Latinos and issues of race (actually, it was the Univision debate that did so). Though we heard many a promise to end the war, strengthen the “middle class” and so on, by the end of the 2 hours it was clear that Clinton, Obama and Edwards have little more than the waste at Yucca Mountain to offer voters out West

Debate questions and responses centered on the economy and the war – both top issues for Latinos – the substance was, as expected lacking, severely so.

Most despicable to me were responses to Tim Russert’s question about the Solomon Amendment, a Federal statute requiring univiersities to provide military recruiters access to detailed personal information – telephone, address, grades, etc- of students. Universities not implementing this politically parasitic law get their federal funds cut. ALL 3 candidates said they’d “vigorously enforce” a law many of us have seen keep poor, unknowing students and their families vulnerable to the biggest predators on earth-the Pentagon.Brian Williams did his part to slant the debate towards non-Latino interests by asking why English “should not” be adopted as the official U.S. language. Russert then quoted an uinformed, stupid and article in the New Yorker, which repeated unproven statements that Latinos would be unwilling to support a black candidate. To his credit, Obama dispelled it by talking about his huge support among Latinos in Illinois, a seriously Latino state.

And nuclear bomb-maker General Electric’s MSNBC network denied succeeded in denying serious and fiery anti-war candidate Dennis Kucinich.

A BIG BRONX CHEER AND BOOOOOO TO MSNBC FOR FAILING LATINOS AND ALL OF US.

1/07/08 Mrs. Clinton said on the Today Show today with Matt Lauer that Barack Obama “hasn’t done the spadework necessary to be president”, as though she has. Now imagine if Trent Lott, or Mitt Romney, or Ross Perot had said that Barack Obama “hasn’t done the spadework necessary to be president.” Nothing that happens in the Clinton campaign is coincidence. Where is the Reverend Sharpton on this?

I applaud the value people place on objectivity in the news. However, let’s not let the desire for objectivity turn into a shrill intolerance for those with whom we disagree. There is an audible segment of society which will not hear NPR, CBS, CNN, etc., or read The Washington Post or the New York Times, etc. because of their liberal bias, perceived and otherwise. I don’t join that segment.