Echoes of '04

The motivations and intented audience for Barack Obama's Father's Day speech have been getting some of the attention as a byline to the death of Tim Russert.

I suspected that the speech was intended by Obama to show that his words give better insight into his values than the "Reverend" Jeremiah Wright. This speech given on Sunday was Obama at his iconoclastic best. His comment regarding the absence of black fathers from the lives of their families is very similar to the speech that Obama gave at the 2004 Democratic Convention where he spoke about the "slander" that a black child with a book is "acting white." It is the kind of truth that only a black man in the United States could have experienced and speak honestly about.

I don't think that he was really trying to get to men, he may really be that sincere, but his speech will have a greater effect on women. Women seem to be a weakness in the Obama supporters, it may be Single mothers, older women, the Hillary Clinton pantsuit-set, this is what they all want to hear. An appeal to values, about family, and responsibility.

It's almost conservative. Family values has been a rallying cry for the GOP, it's popular and is usually very effective in bringing voters to your side. This definitely doesn't hurt Obama in any significant way that I can see, it will be interesting to see how much it helps Obama with older white voters, specifically women.

It's post-racial, post-feminist,

Tim Russert dies of heart attack

Tim Russert, NBC Washington Bureau Chief and host of "Meet the Press," has died of a heart attack. Russert was a former Congressman from Buffalo/Upstate New York.

This leaves a pretty big hole in the NBC political team, not the mention "Meet the Press." NBC does have several other pundits, including Tom Brokaw, Chris Matthews, and several others that could potential host the long running Sunday morning show.

We are going to be missing an insightful and thoughtful voice during this pivotal election.

Nightmare Team

Hillary conisidering VP position

As Barack Obama increasingly adds to Hillary Clinton's long odds for winning the nomination, Hillary is coming back down to earth. Not too long ago Hillary was chastising Obama (immediately after a debate where she said it was her deep honor to be on the same stage) for a negative mailing. Even more recently, the very possibility that she would lose was ridiculous, and therefore wouldn't even consider a the possibility of being Obama's Vice-President.

Hillary told a group of Empire State legislators today that she would consider a position as Vice-President.

It is still a terrible idea, especially for Obama. But at least the Clinton's are trying to make nice, in their own way. The two Clinton's would take up too much of the spotlight. Bill especially. Bill has lost his touch, his game is gone. It's sad really, it's like he doesn't realize that the microphone is on. He really needs to have less of a personal stake in it, or it needs to be more about him. It was always about his personality and empathy anyway, the fact he could actually govern was an added bonus.

I think that Richardson really makes the ticket work. He is possibly more qualified than Obama, especially in the international arena, and instead of trying to balance a ticket it plays to both of their strengths and several hot button issues. Race, immigration, energy policy, the war in Iraq, these two are uniquely qualified to talk about these issues. They are descendants of recent immigrants and have accomplished far more in that short time than generations of Americans have. Richardson conducted negotiations with Saddam Hussein and was Secretary of Energy.

If Hillary doesn't concede to Obama today, she will do it soon. She needs to make nice before the convention, and let the healing begin.