Althouse: "Hillary can be relentless and like a sledgehammer delivering tendentious but probably effective attacks."

January 22, 2008

"Hillary can be relentless and like a sledgehammer delivering tendentious but probably effective attacks."

"But whatever you think of those attacks, Obama isn't very good at defending himself."

Josh Marshall on last night's debate.

(My comments on the subject are back here, delivered contemporaneously.)

25 comments:

Dr. Cookie said...: Obama was a little flat-footed. But Hillary, ugh. How about four years of her pit bull approach to getting her way, plus her snoozing, pushy, overbearing, sleazy husband too.; 1/22/08, 7:40 AM
Peter V. Bella said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/22/08, 7:42 AM
Peter V. Bella said...: Sometimes I believe that education, especially Ivy League education, is wasted on some people. Barak Obama demonstrated this last night.

He was asked-"Do you think Bill Clinton was our first black President?"

If he was truly intelligent he would have answered the question and moved on. If he had common sense, he would have given the correct response.

But, he had to show how smart he was and how nice he is.

His answer should have been short, concise and to the point? Actually it should have been one word, said forcefully, emotionally, and loudly- NO!; 1/22/08, 7:44 AM
Modern Otter said...: I thought Obama's "first black President" response was one of his more agile moments. But later on, during the post-debate spin, I all but stood up and cheered when Roland Martin got all over Toni Morrison's case for saying something so stupid: "If he was the first black president, he wouldn't have let 400,000 people in Rwanda die."; 1/22/08, 8:19 AM
Joaquin said...: Obama better learn to get dirty and slug it out with The Clintons.
Last night he was slapped around by Hillary, and when he was thrown softballs, he tried to finesse his answers.
I know that it's hard going up against The Clintons, but he better 'man-up'
He was asked-"Do you think Bill Clinton was our first black President?" His answer should have been: "that has to be the dumbest question I've been asked so far in this campaign'; 1/22/08, 8:23 AM
George M. Spencer said...: But what a voice he has! How does that big bass sound come out of that thin frame?

Hillary's a violin or flute, peppering with attacks.

Edwards plays banjo and well. But it's still a banjo.; 1/22/08, 8:25 AM
Peter V. Bella said...: "that has to be the dumbest question I've been asked so far in this campaign'

That would have worked even better. It would have got a good laugh.

This race is between Obama and Clinton. Edwards is just trying to figure out who he will throw is support to. He will just keep strumming until he breaks a string.; 1/22/08, 9:17 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Do you think Bill Clinton was our first black President?" His answer should have been: "that has to be the dumbest question I've been asked so far in this campaign'

Am I the only one to think that had a white candidate said he'd have to see his dance moves to determine if Clinton was a 'brother', that candidate would have been crucified as a racist? Heck why not ask if he liked fried chicken and watermelon as well. Oh wait, Obama is black so its cool.

Somehow though I picture Obama looking more like Erkel than say, Puff Daddy on the dance floor.; 1/22/08, 9:20 AM
From Inwood said...: Some say that Hillary is trying too hard to be tougher than any man.

I say that Obama is trying too hard to be not as tough as any man.

Advantage Hillary.

Tip to Obama: Study the Y2K Lazio tapes.; 1/22/08, 9:26 AM
Elliott A said...: Obama better stop trashing Reagan if he hopes to have a chance against McCain. The Reagan Democrats will not look kindly on their views or their votes being trashed. Reagan gave us almost uninterrupted economic expansion for the last 25 years with virtually no inflation. Incredible amounts of jobs were created to where we need to import workers. The prior 25 years had only two three year expansions with rampant inflation inbetween. Reagan's foreign policy won the cold war and freed Russia and eastern Europe. To say his ideas were bad and his only positive was the ability to get the legislation through an opposite party congress is dishonest. His ideas were so bad that 49 states voted for him in 1984. Hopefully, Obama is only lying to the primary voters.; 1/22/08, 9:34 AM
KCFleming said...: Hillary Clinton is Eliot Spitzer in drag.
""Listen, I'm a f***ing steamroller, and I'll roll over you and anybody else," Democrat Spitzer angrily yelled at Tedisco"

Hillary Gabriel: Sledgehammer
You could have Bill's steam train
If you'd just lay down on your backs
You could have his aeroplane flying
If you bring your blue votes back

All you do is call me
Ill be anything you need

You could have his big dipper
Going up and down, all around your bends
You could have his bumper car, bumping
This amusement never ends

I want to be your sledgehammer
Why don't you call my name
Oh let me be your sledgehammer
This will be my testimony

Can I get a witness?; 1/22/08, 10:11 AM
Swifty Quick said...: Preposterous as it is, there are nevertheless a lot of black people out there who got enthusiastically behind the meme that Clinton was "the first black president," and Obama runs the risk of alienating them if he disses on the concept.; 1/22/08, 10:15 AM
Meade said...: Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan Ronald Reagan.

Senators, I remember Ronald Reagan. I was a Reagan Democrat in 1984. Ronald Reagan (with the Beatles) won the Cold War. You, Senator Hillary and Barack, could give ostentatious thanks for Ronald Reagan every day for the rest of your long liberal lives (and really you should) and still your approval ratings combined would never amount to even two drips in Ronald Reagan's bucket.; 1/22/08, 10:20 AM
Meade said...: Wolf Blitzer: "Do you think Bill Clinton was our first black President?"

Barack Obama: What if he was? Why would it matter?; 1/22/08, 10:26 AM
reader_iam said...: Wolf Blitzer: "Do you think Bill Clinton was our first black President?"

Barack Obama: "Do you?"

***

I think that was a really dumb, "gotcha" question (I thought the original statement, way back when, was dumb, too).

But if Blitzer really wanted to ask it, I think it would have been MUCH better to ask it of H. Clinton.

(Or all three candidates--with Obama in third position. Since the squirm and the setup is really all that was about.); 1/22/08, 10:59 AM
reader_iam said...: Sometimes I believe that education, especially Ivy League education, is wasted on some people.

Blah blah blah.; 1/22/08, 11:00 AM
reader_iam said...: I think Obama's "dancing" part of the response could be seen in a different light--as a comment on the merits of the question itself, the fact that it was even asked and the thought behind asking it, and even the meme itself.; 1/22/08, 11:17 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: I think Obama's "dancing" part of the response could be seen in a different light--as a comment on the merits of the question itself, the fact that it was even asked and the thought behind asking it, and even the meme itself.

I don't disagree. I just think that had a white candidate said that, he or she would have been pilloried in the media.; 1/22/08, 11:21 AM
Meade said...: Sarcasm would be a normal response to the stupid question, however, it would be un-presidential.; 1/22/08, 11:24 AM
reader_iam said...: Hoosier Daddy: The context would be entirely different, therefore the equivalence is misplaced. That's how I see it, anyway.; 1/22/08, 11:29 AM
reader_iam said...: Meade: I agree, but in my case, I was "hearing" the "Do you" in a tone of sincere, friendly interest--not sarcasm.

Think about it. Wouldn't that have been wonderful?; 1/22/08, 11:40 AM
Meade said...: reader, Yes - the "Do you?" answer would have been perfect. The answer he gave, sarcastic or not, was lame.; 1/22/08, 11:45 AM
From Inwood said...: Someone (not on this thread) asked me what I meant by studying Lazio's Y2K tapes, saying: why study a loser?

Answer: To avoid doing what the loser did, especially when, as now, Hillary had nothing substantive to offer in Y2K but balanced the tough guy/victim positions.

OK, "says simple; does hard". When dealing with Hillary, a male has to decide how far he can go w/o losing the "from Venus" vote & how far he must go in not losing the "from Mars" vote.

And, Ecclesiastes IX, 11 tells us that the race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong, but Damon Runyon tells us that that is the way to bet (on the swift & the strong, that is).

Proverbs XV, 1 tells us that a soft answer turns away wrath. Not apparently in Hillary's case.

Quotes like the above make me understand the separation of Church & State!; 1/22/08, 12:00 PM
Jennifer said...: Well, she's certainly not the only high class diva who finds it necessary to wield the sledgehammer from time to time.; 1/22/08, 9:05 PM
hdhouse said...: ahhh the wonders of the rushing stream....wadders on, nimrod in hand, the angler drops the fly in a quiet eddy..the line glistens in the sun as it gently edges toward the rock and there is a momentary glimpse of a fin as the great fish takes the bait.

for the fish, the fight is on. for the angler the fight is over.; 1/23/08, 6:10 AM