The Obama Camp is Fuming today over a Picture That is being Circulated with The Illinois Senator donning traditional Muslim clothing as a goodwill gesture during an overseas trip. The Picture in and of itself is Not troubling, it’s the Kind of Silly thing Politicians have to do from time to time. The Pictures appearance has been attributed to the Clinton Campaign. That is Troubling, but not surprising. She is a Politician after all, and attack ads that put Opposing candidates in a bad light are par for the course. But it’s not an attack ad, it’s just a picture. curious. It is odd, there is nothing to be gained here by putting the picture out. But,be that as it may, I have an even bigger issue with the People who Published it initially and attributed the pic to The Clinton Campaign. The Drudge Report. I cannot help but think that there is some level of blame to be given to the people who put out the photo. If the Clinton Campaign puts a Photo of her Rival, Senator Obama, out there (no definitive proof of that BTW) in light that some may see as less then flattering, It stands to reason that the Publisher of the Photo in question is at least partly to blame. And There is the Fact that Hillary says she has no Idea who gave that photo to The Drudge report: A fairly long excerpt from a story about this follows: Link for the Story here:—> http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/02/clinton-on-phot.html
“I know nothing about it,” Clinton told ABC affiliate WFAA. “This is in the public domain. But let’s just stop and ask yourself: ‘Why are you — why is anybody concerned about this?’” Clinton said that she found questions about whether her campaign leaked the photo to be “really laughable.”
“This is one more attempt by my opponent’s campaign to change the subject,” said Clinton, “From his health-care plan that won’t cover everybody, from an economic plan that won’t produce jobs, and from a record that is pretty thin when it comes to national security and standing up for our country around the world.” The former first lady argued that there are photos of her from around the world wearing “the costume of the country” she was visiting. “Every time I traveled to foreign countries, I wore the costume of the country. You can find dozens of pictures of me in different parts of the world,” said Clinton. “You can find me wearing African outfits, Latin American outfits, Asian outfits, when you travel to foreign countries, it’s a sign of respect. What does that have to do with anything?”
During a Monday conference call with reporters, Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson said that the former first lady’s campaign “did not sanction” the leaking of the photo. But he stopped short of denying whether a Clinton aide may have passed it to the Drudge Report. “I’m not in a position to ask 700 people to come in,” said Wolfson.
I, for one, think the same as Hillary here. What possible harm can come of this photo of Sen. Obama? It is Silly to think that anyone would think it is bad for a Politician to wear something like that in a country where that is traditional dress. I am Doubtful that Anything tactically and politically advantageous that could possibly be gotten from The Clinton Campaign putting this photo out. Maybe it was Drudge Himself. Maybe the Obama Campaign did it. Maybe Even McCain, But I cannot see Why the Clinton Campaign would WILLINGLY, shoot itself in the foot like this. She would KNOW that this would be the result of Putting out a photo like this. This doesn’t look to me to be Her or her campaign’s Handiwork. This sounds like someone Else’s handiwork, and I am not sure that time will tell who, but the Damage, to the Clinton Campaign, is done. She would not do that herself, nor would she allow her people to do something so blatantly stupid like putting out a photo as harmless as this and try to make it look like a bad thing.
Foolishness. And if it IS Hillary’s Handiwork, It is stupid and wrong. Somehow tho, it doesn’t look like that to me. It might be from Obama’s Camp, But To be Honest, It Wouldn’t surprise me if it was Drudge himself. Wouldn’t be the first time he’s foisted crap On the Populous, Like the Bill Clinton Illegitimate baby story, and the Sidney Blumenthal Wife beating story, neither of which was true, but both were passed off as true by Drudge when they came out. I can’t help but blame the Clinton angle here on anyone but Drudge Himself, He is Not the Most sophisticated, scrupulous, or indeed intelligent gentleman around, seeing the examples given. And Only a Non politician would be so silly as to think this kind of photo would mean anything at all. Worse than it possibly being drudge tho, It could be some well meaning Idiot from Either camp, trying to make One of the Candidates, in their Mind, look bad. That seems even More likely then drudge, now that I think about it. In which case, It is up to a) media outlets to make certain the things they get that say “From The Clinton camp”, or “From the Obama camp” or whatever are legitimate. and b) The Candidates themselves have to be Much more careful with the stuff they send out, as well as have more control of the people they authorize to put Official campaign literature out.
We Democrats, six Months ago, were acting in an intelligent and civil manner, and it was the Republicans who were attacking each other with fury. Now the shoe is fully on the Other foot. It did not look good for the Republicans when they were doing it, and Now, when the Dems are doing it, it Looks worse. Not only are there attacks, but they are, from both sides, stupid and childish and Improper in every direction, in a way that the Republicans could not and would not willingly match. I Must ask the Following of My Democratic friends. Cut It Out. This crap is not Necessary. We ARE Better than this. To show the entire nation, and indeed the world, this crap, shows them, incorrectly i think, That that is what we are really about. Nothing could be further from the truth. We Are about ISSUES. We are about making things BETTER. What the world is being shown now is BULLSHIT. You Want to Lose the American Public? and with them The election in 2008? Just keep it up. You will Push the American People to The Republicans, when they are Desperately looking for an alternative. Don’t be Fools. Remember, we are the American people, when we tell you to do something, it would be well for you to do it. And I, representing the viewpoint of the Average American, are telling you to Stop The Stupidity before it stops you. Now.
That’s It for Politics.
No run today. Not enough time. No Guitar stuff today. I played a lot at work, and for a few minutes when I got home, but I don’t have time to play anymore. Or write much more for that matter. I have to go put together a Bookshelf and a DVD Case. Wish me luck putting this crap together. I’m Gonna need it.
Jam On!
Today’s Nuggets: As societies grow decadent, the language grows decadent, too. Words are used to disguise, not to illuminate, action. (you liberate a city by destroying it.) Words are to confuse, so that at election time people will solemnly vote against their own interests. Gore Vidal
Political language — and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists — is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. George Orwell
The history of liberty is a history of resistance. The history of liberty is a history of limitations of governmental power, not the increase of it. Woodrow Wilson
Final edit 12:47 am edt 2/26/08
