Undecided in Iowa

 

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The Ghost of Clinton Past doesn't stop there. Back in 1992 Bill Clinton used to weave this line into his stump speech, citing his wife's input on health and education as a reason to vote for him: "My wife, Hillary, gave me a book that says, 'The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result'."

Now Obama happily uses an echo of that line while responding to Clinton's suggestion that the Illinois senator represents "a roll of the dice."

"Lately, since we've been doing well, some of my opponents have been saying, 'He may sound good, but we're not sure we can go with someone who hasn't been in Washington so long. He's a risk, a roll of the dice'," Obama said in Williamsburg.

"But the real gamble in this election is playing the same Washington game with the same Washington players and expecting a different result. That's the definition of insanity. Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting somehow that things are going to turn out differently. We can't take that risk. Not this time. Not now. Because the stakes are just too high. In this election, it's time for us to turn the page."

As it happens, Hillary Clinton agrees that the stakes are high—too high for a novice candidate to win the nomination. In fact, the most powerful of several new Clinton ads is called "Stakes." After pictures of a soldier's helmet and a foreclosure sign, the voiceover says, "America at a crossroads demands a leader with a steady hand who will weather the storms, solve our problems, rebuild our middle class and renew our greatness." Yet the closing line undercuts the notion that this is a tried and tested leader: "Hillary Clinton. A New Beginning."

How can you be new and storm-weathered at the same time? Iowans will find out if they watch their 6 p.m. newscast on Jan. 2, when Clinton will air a two-minute ad—four times the normal length of a commercial—to make her closing argument across the state's media markets on the evening before the caucuses.

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Member Comments

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 01/04/2008 1:02:06 AM

    This is the comment I posted a couple of day agos. I am an American and I know my people. ALL My analysis were correct and backed by facts. I proved to be the most accurate going back months. Hopefully, people will learn that if you research and back your arguments with facts you will find the truth. I like Hillary and Edwards but they need to understand that they cannot overcome their records, they sold out to the same forces that have been "Punishing us for the last decade . Edwards cannot implement what he says and Hillary is haunted by the bill thing that is why she has to be careful not to go to negative. I will offer my advise on what the losers should do tomorrow. NO ONE LIKEs BEING CAUGHT WITH THEIR PANTS DOWN. OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT. DcooPer and deeP thinker you should study THE LIKEABILITy FACTOR and understand that I know more than all these Political Pundits and . Phd's. Did you see kieth OBEIRMAN and all those funny PeoPle on MSNBC. THey are dumb. They really looke devastated. Everything they believed in and all their Pundits were wrong. They were so one sided, Hillary. THe media has to recognize that more and more PeoPle do not believe them. They rePresent corPorations who have been indoctrinating us to sPene like wild animals and go into debt. DEbt financing. YOu know with CHINA. Everyone should read my comments and decide for temselves. Mitt Romney is a true clown just like Guilliani. His lies make me weeP like I said all along. His solution to health care is too offer Packagaes which PeoPle cannot afford. This man has just fliP floP too much and has followed the BUSH DOCTRINE. THAT EX Pired two years ago. I look forward to seeing his comPlete defeat in a couPle of weeks. Romney does not rePresent change HENRY TAFT BENSON. MY PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THROUGH THE MIRAGE. OBAMAMcCain for President. I backed every Post with facts. I am a Proud graduate of UMD in Maryland. I graduated four years ago and I am Part of a movement behind OBAMA that wants the best for ALL AMERICANS, EVEN GINGRICH and some of my friends who ridiculed my Posts. I have also had a loyal following of comment makers including suPPorters of all Parties. GOd Bless America.they have awaken a sleePing GIANT.
    eddiewhere @ 01/02/2008 4:21:43 AM
    Comment: Deep Thinker, Obama has been a success his whole life, He is far beyond his years and has always excelled above his peers. You need to research his eight years as an Illinois state senator. Obama is very intelligent and has proven it time and time again. He never got a free handout. He worked hard and accomplished more than anyone else his age in his field. That is a fact. What has Obama done that makes you think that he is not ready to be president, deep thinker. NO ONE LIKES BEING CAUGHT WITH THEIR PANTS DOWN. OBAMA/McCain ticket for President. We can move forward or we can go backwards. It is your choice.

  • Posted By: eddiewhere @ 01/04/2008 1:01:27 AM

    THis was comment three days ago.
    eddiewhere @ 01/01/2008 3:37:52 AM
    Comment: NO ONE LIKES BEING CAUGHT WITH THEIR PANTS DOWN. EXPERIENCE.AND JUDGEMENT. WHAT CAN HILLARY DO THAT OBAMA CANNOT. THIS IS THE QUESTION I HAVE BEEN ASKING MYSELF. I THINK THE WORLD WILL WELCOME OBAMA AND AT LEAST GAVE HIM A FAIR CHANCE. REPUBLICANS WILL SWALLOW THEIR PRIDE AND WORK WITH OBAMA. THEY WILL NEVER DO THAT WITH HILLARY. HILLARY AND EDWARDS ARE GOOD PEOPLE, HOWEVER THEIR VOTING RECORD AND THEIR LACK OF COURAGE HAS LEAD ME TO QUESTION WHETHER THEY HAVE THE RIGHT INSTINCTS AND JUDGEMENT TO BE IN OFFICE. I REALLY THINK THEY WOULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE UNDER AN OBAMA PRESIDENCY. OBAMA WILL NOT TRY AND CONTROL EVERYTHING.
    sANDY, EDWARDS IS DESpERATE. thIS MAN FOLLOWED JOHN KERRY. HE WILL DO AND SAY ANYTHING. EVEN IF HE MEANS IT NOW IT IS TOO LATE. OBAMA AND CLINTON ARE TOO SMART, THEY KNOW THAT WHAT YOU SAY TODAY COULD FINISH YOU TOMORROW. ONLY A CANDIDATE WITH NOTHING TO LOSE WILL SAY WHAT EDWARDS IS SAYING. WHAT HAS HE DONE. BE HONEST. HILLARY IS pROUD THAT SHE WENT AGIANST HER pRINCIpLES TO GIVE BUSH A BLANK CHECK. WHY. IT WAS GOOD FOR WESTERN NEW YORK. HILLARY IS NOT STUpID IF THE WAR HAD NEGATIVE ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES IN BUFFALO, SHE WOULD HAVE VOTED AGAINST IT. TRANSpARENCY IS SOMETHING NIETHER pARTY WANTS. NO ONE LIKE GETTING CAUGHT WITH THEIR pANTS DOWN AND THEN LECTURED ABOUT JUDGEMENT CALL..

  • Posted By: Evolutionist @ 01/03/2008 10:42:10 PM

    A muslim who has a name almost the same as Osama Bin Laden,....great....its time for me to move the hell out of this country

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