Justin Webb's America

Fast Forward

• Justin Webb
• 28 Feb 08, 10:21 PM GMT

If all this talk of Texas and Ohio et al is leaving you a little unsatisfied now and you want to fast forward to the general election campaign this New York Times piece seems to me to be straight from October 2008 and you can substitute Hillary if you want to for the other chap because she too will have to acknowledge that the US CANNOT allow Iraq to go entirely "to hell", to use Tim Russert's elegant phrase.
And I am happy to have found something really meaty to read in USA Today - not an everyday occurence - which lays out the simple fact that it is going to be close. I still believe - as I said before this process started - that McCain can win.

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Slopes off?

• Justin Webb
• 28 Feb 08, 03:29 PM GMT

Alex van den Bergh raises a ghastly prospect particularly for those of us hoping to get a week's skiing in before the summer. He (or she) is right of course: equally it is possible, is it not, that Clinton could win the most votes in Texas but lose in terms of delegates allocated? (Because of the complexity of the system which gives extra weight to activists and areas that have voted heavily for Democrats in the past.)

I wonder about Nick Payne's suggestion that she should get personal: I have seen her do it before live audiences and she does not seem able to do it in a way that comes across as authentic.

Greta, I salute your learnedcontributions.

Apologies to Abby and others who have pointed out that the Nation of Islam was NOT founded by Mr Farrakhan as I incorrectly suggested.

John Lewis raises the New Hampshire Cowardice Issue as we should call it: do you think we will dare report it even if she throws in the towel and moves to Canada? I'm going to take a day off that day.

And Brett I hear what you say about Israel: I heard someone suggesting the other day that Obama had made a major mistake by failing to name Israel among America's top three allies in the world. Does it matter electorally for Obama if he does upset Jewish voters? Anyone remember the story about what James Baker is alleged to have said about the need for Jewish support for the Republican Party in his era?

Keith suggests (Obama Rolls with the Punches) that Mr Obama lets others do his dirty work for him and I thought it was indeed striking that when the Senator was asked about that statement he said airily that it was a fight "at a staff level!" What does that mean? Does he take responsibility for it or not?

This claim from K Tyson is interesting. "Obama's office in Houston is flying the Cuban flag with a big picture of Che on it." Is it true?

I read the debate on socialism in Obama on Poverty - and noted Margaret's comments in particular. I am sure many Americans who lack the time to read blogs (I sound like Hillary here) would agree. As for the debate aftermath: the first paragraph of this Washington Post piece sums it up.

But much, much more interesting - do please take a look at the West Wing video to be found here - it's worth waiting for after the advert - for a fascinating explanation of why Obama and The West Wing really are linked (as someone suggested on this blog some time ago, I seem to remember).

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