Original Title:  Obama's Audience

As I watched the replay of the speech tonight on C-Span I was at first so disappointed that it couldn't be broadcast in prime time, in the evening, coast to coast, and especially in Pennsylvania.

Then it hit me.  The critical audience for the speech today was was not in Philadelphia, or even in Pennsylvania.  Those who need to hear this speech, and those who most definitely will hear it, are the super delegates who are as yet uncommitted.

These delegates owe it to their country to listen to this speech.  It should be copied on DVD and mailed to each super delegate.

Dan Abrams is taking on Marcy for trying to get commitments from candidates in exchange for their support.  Marcy has been a staunch opponent of NAFTA.  

Unlike Abrams I think she is doing the right thing.

She wants them to meet with our business and labor leaders to help them hone in on the real issues, a decent conversation about the industrial heartland.

Abrams is an a******, and Marcy is putting him in his place!

I see nothing wrong with Marcy sticking up for her district.  If she can get support for her district there is nothing wrong with it.

That stalwart conservative weekly business journal, Barron's, has some words of wisdom for all voters:

Call it "maturity," "seasoning," or some other sweet euphemism, but if Corporate America is any guide, McCain's advancing age is likely to become an issue with the electorate as the primary contests give way to the real deal: Executive-search giant Spencer Stuart says the median age of chief executive officers of Standard & Poor's 500 companies is a much younger 55.
Only 12 S&P 500 corporations have CEOs over 70, and Viagra-maker Pfizer isn't one; its CEO, Jeffrey Kindler, is 52.

And if the response I got from knocking on doors Friday in the wealthy Cleveland suburb of Bay Village is any indication, many R's that read Barron's may be crossing over Tuesday for Barack.

Bill Clinton will continue to serve as Hillary's hit man.  But Obama should no longer join the squabble.  He should rely on the Ted Kennedy's to take on the former President, and keep above the fray.

There are a number reasons why these surrogates can be much more effective than Obama.  First, they have more credibility because they are not, themselves, candidates.  Second, Obama avoids the label of being an angry man.  Third, the endorsers can lecture the former President much more effectively than the younger Obama.

Bill Clinton will continue to present a formidable Obama with a formidable challenge.  The use of surrogates, especially older senators and governors, to parry the Bill Clinton attacks can be an effective counter.

First, let me say that not only would an attack on Iran be in violation of International Law and the U.S. Constitution, but also contrary to the best interests of the U.S.  And I support a resulution that states that Bushco has no authority to do so.

But let's assume that you think like the neocon wingnuts that currently reside at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.  You believe in preemptive strikes, teaching them a lesson, and all the good things that such thinking brings.

Well two stories out this week in the Financial Times explains that actually Iran is having quite a bit of trouble and the reformists are coalescing.  The statement today by Gates that the US has no options in Iran and there is no value in opening up a dialogue with them is totally wrong.

Details below.

The Senate Finance Committee has added a provision for $8.3 billion in tax breaks for small businesses to the minimum wage bill.  Dems agreed to the breaks because, according to Committee Chair Max Baucus (Mont - D) the incentives were necessary to help the minimum wage increase pass the Senate AND avoid a veto by Bush.

`By acting today, we can help to create a sounder minimum- wage bill.  We can help to create a minimum-wage bill that can get more than 60 votes and pass the Senate. And we can help to create a minimum-wage bill that the president will sign.

But the tax cuts were rendered revenue neutral by a dozen revenue raising proposals, including a million dollar cap on deferred executive compensation.  Is this good pragmatic action by the Senate or a betrayal of values?  more below

The Senior Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee made a significant statement today to open the hearings.  Chairman Biden opened the hearing with some great comments.  And before Sec. State Rice gave her statement, Senator Lugar made some pretty important comments about Iran.  

But will he follow through?

Quotes and comments below the fold.
Sen For Relations C'tte Transcript from WaPo

ABC news has just released the complete transcript of a lengthy discussion with Manoucher Mottaki, Iranian foreign minister.

ABC: So President Bush said today that the U.S. would be willing to talk to Iran specifically about Iraq, but only on the condition that Iran stop its uranium enrichment. Is that a condition that Iran is willing to meet?

Manoucher Mottaki, Iranian foreign minister:...I think if any party is going to put any condition for any negotiation, that is the Iranian side not the American side.

ABC Interview with Manoucher Mottaki

Iran says why waste time negotiating if Bush isn't willing to change policy in Iraq!  More below the fold

In a bold move today the NYT and Leverett thumbed their noses at the administration and dared to print what the White House had barred because of security concerns.  An example:

But Tehran was profoundly disappointed with the United States response. After the 9/11 attacks, xxx xxx xx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xx set the stage for a November 2001 meeting between Secretary of State Colin Powell and the foreign ministers of Afghanistan’s six neighbors and Russia. xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxx xx xxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxx Iran went along, working with the United States to eliminate the Taliban and establish a post-Taliban political order in Afghanistan.

Redacted Op Ed NYT

But don't despair!  If you follow the links found at the companion article What we wanted to say...

You can "fill in the blanks" of this quote acrostic piece.

Freedom is on the March!  More below the fold...

The conservative Chicago columnist Robert D. Novak asks the question if Edwards is Labor's Man in'08?.

 Edwards is a leading prospect for backing from Andrew Stern's Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and James P. Hoffa's International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the unions that led the breakaway, forming the Change to Win coalition. Stern and Hoffa are wary of early decisions, and there are things about the Edwards operation that their unions do not like. But their interest in him reflects largely unspoken discontent in Democratic ranks over a choice limited to Clinton and Obama.

Have you read the Open Letter to the American People from Iran's President?  Or just the spin?

Full Text Translation of Iranian President Ahmadinejad's letter

Every thinking person (rule out current administration) who has examined the issue has agreed that the US needs to engage Iran in dialogue.  That includes Gen. Wesley Clark (Ret.) who just stated on C-span that we need to do so, as well as Jim Baker.

The letter talks about the shared values between the Iranian and American people and asks for a dialogue.  Let me quote the values addressed in the letter:

How far the mighty have fallen.  Poor George is now dangling at the whim of Sadr, the big supporter of Maliki.  My big concern is that Bush will react in his typically irrational way causing more problems if that is possible.

Whether Bush has been hung out to dry because of Maliki's anger at the leaked memo (which Buchanan claims was written purposely to be leaked) or because Sadr has told him to stay away is not clear.  What is clear is that George looks like a fool.

Of course it is not a civil war.  It may turn into a huge Shiite v. Sunni Arab blow out.  Thanks George.