The Candidates
From Foxnews:
Were you watching at 6:25 when Democratic strategist Bob Beckel dropped a bomb on us? He said he’d heard through his political pipeline that a big shoe was about to drop on the Obama campaign. It has something to do with Michelle Obama. Beckel wouldn’t say anything more other than this explosive story may happen tomorrow. Do you think the GOP has something up its sleeve that could blow up Obama’s campaign? If so, when do you think they’ll unleash it?
Any wagers?
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:15 am
Yesterday’s post, perhaps?
http://race42008.com/2008/06/02/i-dont-think-so/
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:15 am
The fact that this comes from a Democrat is meaningful. But is Beckel a Hillary shill?
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:18 am
Doesn’t it make more sense for the GOP to wait until after the Democrat Convention to potentially destroy the nominee?
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:19 am
No. Search for Bob Beckel on youtube, and alot of videos will come up that are either pro-Obama or neutral. I’m sure he likes Hillary just fine, but I’ve seen no indication that he’s the tank for her.
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:21 am
The same Bob Beckel who wrote this piece o’ crap?
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/05/the_mccain_blowout_fallacy.html
For now, I’m skeptical.
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:31 am
Eh, if the GOP has anything, they’re not going to release it anytime soon. I think Beckel is just buying in to the whole Whitey video rumors. Even if the video exists (which I doubt), it won’t be a big deal because the press will just play it off like she said “Why’d he” anyways.
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:32 am
This “story” is getting way beyond old and stale. Until this “video” actually shows up, it’s not even worth talking about. A classic case of the media talking to each other, thereby self-reinforcing the rumor. In other words, everybody seems to know somebody who knows somebody who’s seen this “video,” but nobody seems to have first-hand knowledge of it (let alone actually posting the damn thing.) Kind of defies the laws of probability, doesn’t it?
June 3rd, 2008 at 8:41 am
I’m sick of waiting for something interesting to happen.
Beckel’s a serious man, though, and I doubt that he’d say something like this unless he was sure of it.
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:45 am
I agree somewhat with both #7 and #8. The people talking about this video are not loonies — Beckel and Larry Johnson are both people of substance and experienced enough to not be taken in easily.
At the same time, so far it’s nothing but talk. I realize that if the RNC (or some similar group) is holding the video, they have no reason to release it yet. But that assumes there’s only one copy — how likely is that?
I’m still in wait and see mode, but growing increasingly skeptical.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:09 am
Does anyone know if Michelle Obama and Louis Farrakhan were ever together on a panel? That alone would not be a good thing.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:11 am
stone, johnson, and becket. these are not random blog loons, these are serious people.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:31 am
Matt: Also note that none of those three has actually claimed to see the video.
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:39 am
If the video is in the hands of the RNC or McCain campaign we won’t see it until after the convention. I’m sure McCain would much rather face Obamam than Hillary and thus will wait until Obama is officially the nominee. If a devastating video surfaces that can in any way breathe life in to the Clinton campaign and give her even a small shot at finding some way to get the nomination the RNC or McCain campaign will hold back.
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:36 am
It’s absurd to think that the GOP would drop it now. Absolutely absurd. Democratic superdelegates are not profiles in courage. If an Obama scandal dropped that actually hurt him in the polls to the point that he could no longer win, they would absolutely jump ship to Hillary. And Hillary now leads McCain by some ridiculous margin in the EC. I mean, come on. This thing isn’t coming out until September at the earliest.
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:18 pm
If there is a tape, releasing it now makes the most sense: 1) it would hurt Obama tremendously in the general election rendering him unelectable, 2) if superdelegates switched and “stole” the election, as has been said, it will make ‘68 Chicago look like a picnic. Releasing it in October would look slimey.
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:22 pm
15. Agreed, but I really doubt republicans have a video of Michelle Obama ranting in church.
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:48 pm
It seems to me that the real issue here is not what the Republicans may do, but if in fact Michelle Obama has a history of sharing speaking events with Farrakhan… if this is the case, it is highly likely that something is out there, i.e., even a photo would be devastating. And if she indeed is caught saying what is rumored, than it’s shame on her, and not on the Republicans or media for exposing it. If the situation were reversed, and McCain’s wife was recorded saying something racist, would the Dems be chastised for exposing it? I think not, nor should they be. When you step out on the field of battle, you are fair game, and have to take responsible for the consequences of your actions. Period.