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[Dan]

Alter now says another source claims there are no focus groups and nothing has changed with Christie's position on a presidential run.

Another source, close to Christie and v-reliable, says there are no Christie focus groups and nothing has changed. I trust him.

So... false alarm?

 

[Mr. E. Yis]

A lot of people here in NJ don't like Christie, Reps and Dems alike. He is corrupt and hypocritical. But while people here would be happy for him to get out, no one wants to see him run the country like how he did this state.

 

[Diablos]

LOL, Rove and co. are ganging up on Perry because they probably want Bachmann to be _the_ anti-Romney. Perry's a dumbass and they know it.

Call it a stretch, but even though her polling might now show it now, I think Bachmann might surprise everyone and get the nomination. Remember when McCain was at the bottom of the list? Look what happened.

And I think she's electable. She's charismatic and, certainly for US political standards, pretty damn good looking.

Obama's slippin', yo. Can't seem to break through 40%. The bar has been lowered again. He's one step away from falling into the red (i.e. the mid-30's). Remember that Clinton's lowest approval rating was 37%, however this was before the midterms in 1993, so he had more time to bounce back plus the economic realities were a bit different.

Also, Christie doesn't have a chance in hell if he runs.

 

[GoutPatrol]

I don't think NJ hates Chris Christie, he's at like 43%.

Just saying, I don't think I've heard anyone anyone in my state say they like him. Literally, ever.

 

[Diablos]

Just saying, I don't think I've heard anyone anyone in my state say they like him. Literally, ever.

Your state is small; PA should just absorb it

 

[gcubed]

LOL, Rove and co. are ganging up on Perry because they probably want Bachmann to be _the_ anti-Romney. Perry's a dumbass and they know it.

Call it a stretch, but even though her polling might now show it now, I think Bachmann might surprise everyone and get the nomination. Remember when McCain was at the bottom of the list? Look what happened.

And I think she's electable. She's charismatic and, certainly for US political standards, pretty damn good looking.

Obama's slippin', yo. Can't seem to break through 40%. The bar has been lowered again. He's one step away from falling into the red (i.e. the mid-30's). Remember that Clinton's lowest approval rating was 37%, however this was before the midterms in 1993, so he had more time to bounce back plus the economic realities were a bit different.

Also, Christie doesn't have a chance in hell if he runs.

you really need to jump off of the "Michelle Bachmann has a chance in the general election" bandwagon

 

[Incognito]

LOL, Rove and co. are ganging up on Perry because they probably want Bachmann to be _the_ anti-Romney. Perry's a dumbass and they know it.

rove's animosity towards perry has a long history and has been documented here quite well. as for rove ganging up on perry to propel bachmann, that's ludicrous. rove wants to win first and foremost, and that means nominating romney.

 

[Diablos]

you really need to jump off of the "Michelle Bachmann has a chance in the general election" bandwagon

The south and even much of the midwest would pick her while Romney's stronghold would be the northeast and west. The south is the epicenter of GOP politics so she has a huge advantage. I think they'd break for Bachmann before Romney.

 

[Vestal]

Call it a stretch, but even though her polling might now show it now, I think Bachmann might surprise everyone and get the nomination. Remember when McCain was at the bottom of the list? Look what happened.

And I think she's electable. She's charismatic and, certainly for US political standards, pretty damn good looking.

Obama's slippin', yo. Can't seem to break through 40%. The bar has been lowered again. He's one step away from falling into the red (i.e. the mid-30's). Remember that Clinton's lowest approval rating was 37%, however this was before the midterms in 1993, so he had more time to bounce back plus the economic realities were a bit different.

Also, Christie doesn't have a chance in hell if he runs.

Thanks I needed a good laugh.

 

[GhaleonEB]

LOL, Rove and co. are ganging up on Perry because they probably want Bachmann to be _the_ anti-Romney. Perry's a dumbass and they know it.

Call it a stretch, but even though her polling might now show it now, I think Bachmann might surprise everyone and get the nomination. Remember when McCain was at the bottom of the list? Look what happened.

And I think she's electable. She's charismatic and, certainly for US political standards, pretty damn good looking.

Obama's slippin', yo. Can't seem to break through 40%. The bar has been lowered again. He's one step away from falling into the red (i.e. the mid-30's). Remember that Clinton's lowest approval rating was 37%, however this was before the midterms in 1993, so he had more time to bounce back plus the economic realities were a bit different.

Also, Christie doesn't have a chance in hell if he runs.

She makes Palin seem moderate, sane and stable. Thanks for this. :lol

 

[Diablos]

Well in that case I hope Bachmann wins because Romney would probably kick Obama's ass.

 

[Vestal]

The south and even much of the midwest would pick her while Romney's stronghold would be the northeast and west. The south is the epicenter of GOP politics so she has a huge advantage.

political extremist dont get elected president

 

[ToxicAdam]

Oh, Diablos ... I've been reading your posts for seven years now and you seem to be getting worse with age.

 

[GoutPatrol]

Your state is small; PA should just absorb it

If anything south Jersey should just join Delmarva and put the stars and bars on their state flag.

 

[PhoenixDark]

LOL, Rove and co. are ganging up on Perry because they probably want Bachmann to be _the_ anti-Romney. Perry's a dumbass and they know it.

Call it a stretch, but even though her polling might now show it now, I think Bachmann might surprise everyone and get the nomination. Remember when McCain was at the bottom of the list? Look what happened.

And I think she's electable. She's charismatic and, certainly for US political standards, pretty damn good looking.

Obama's slippin', yo. Can't seem to break through 40%. The bar has been lowered again. He's one step away from falling into the red (i.e. the mid-30's). Remember that Clinton's lowest approval rating was 37%, however this was before the midterms in 1993, so he had more time to bounce back plus the economic realities were a bit different.

Also, Christie doesn't have a chance in hell if he runs.

Jesus christ dude, coming from me: no

Bachman has no chance at the presidency, much less at the GOP nomination. The party won't let her win. If this is going to be a 1964 election of extremists getting their ass kicked, Rick Perry will wield the banner not Bachman. Palin has damaged the party's credibility enough, they won't stand for more.

 

[Incognito]

diablos, wtf? you trolling us?

 

[gcubed]

The south and even much of the midwest would pick her while Romney's stronghold would be the northeast and west. The south is the epicenter of GOP politics so she has a huge advantage. I think they'd break for Bachmann before Romney.

The south and midwest would vote for a pile of shit with an R next to it, that does nothing to prove she is electable.


At least PD is worried about someone who actually has a chance to beat Obama.

 

[FLEABttn]

And I think she's electable. She's charismatic and, certainly for US political standards, pretty damn good looking.

Is the bar being raised or lowered when we've shifted from "He's a guy I could drink a beer with" to "I'd fuck that"?

But I don't agree that she's make it to the general election. She's unpalatable to too many people.

 

[Patrick Klepek]

LOL, Rove and co. are ganging up on Perry because they probably want Bachmann to be _the_ anti-Romney. Perry's a dumbass and they know it.

Call it a stretch, but even though her polling might now show it now, I think Bachmann might surprise everyone and get the nomination. Remember when McCain was at the bottom of the list? Look what happened.

And I think she's electable. She's charismatic and, certainly for US political standards, pretty damn good looking.

Obama's slippin', yo. Can't seem to break through 40%. The bar has been lowered again. He's one step away from falling into the red (i.e. the mid-30's). Remember that Clinton's lowest approval rating was 37%, however this was before the midterms in 1993, so he had more time to bounce back plus the economic realities were a bit different.

Also, Christie doesn't have a chance in hell if he runs.

You need to take a break from the day-to-day polls, my man.

 

[GaimeGuy]

rove's animosity towards perry has a long history and has been documented here quite well. as for rove ganging up on perry to propel bachmann, that's ludicrous. rove wants to win first and foremost, and that means nominating romney.

Or he thinks perry has the best shot, and lashing out at perry allows him to vent his personal disdain for perry while allowing perry to distance himself from Bush (even though policy wise they hold a lot of similar views.)

it's a win win. Your personal enemy, your political ally and best chance at victory. You get to lash out at him and make him more appealing to "independents" at the same time since it separates him from a toxic name in Bush.

 

[Clevinger]

Over Romney or even Perry? I doubt that. Although Perry's gaffes and sheer stupidity is making me reconsider that position

Yes. PPP says independents currently hate the GOP candidates more than Obama. At least for now.

 

[ToxicAdam]

The south is the epicenter of GOP politics so she has a huge advantage.

 

[GhaleonEB]

You need to take a break from the day-to-day polls, my man.

There was a period during the 2008 election when I was a poll junkie, absorbing and fretting over every poll to come out. I demolished me, I was a yibbering hyperbolic monkey after a few weeks. I tuned out and sanity returned.

Diablos never tuned out. He has my sincere sympathies, and serves as a warning to others.

 

[ClovingWestbrook]

Well in that case I hope Bachmann wins because Romney would probably kick Obama's ass.

You're seriously losing it man. Step away from the keyboard and just, I don't know, become a monk or something.

 

[Diablos]

diablos, wtf? you trolling us?

No.

Is the bar being raised or lowered when we've shifted from "He's a guy I could drink a beer with" to "I'd fuck that"?

But I don't agree that she's make it to the general election. She's unpalatable to too many people.

a. Depends on how you want to look at it but that could very well happen.
b. Nothing surprises me when it comes to who conservatives will vote into office (hello, insane Tea Partiers infecting the GOP House majoirty).

Or he thinks perry has the best shot, and lashing out at perry allows him to vent his personal disdain for perry while allowing perry to distance himself from Bush (even though policy wise they hold a lot of similar views.)

it's a win win. Your personal enemy, your political ally and best chance at victory. You get to lash out at him and make him more appealing to "independents" at the same time since it separates him from a toxic name in Bush.

Yeah, I was thinking this too. Even if Rove has a legitimate disliking of Perry, a lot of voters (particularly moderates) view him as a GWB-type. Rove knows how toxic Bush is to the party in that regard. Thanks for not calling me a psycho.

 

[gcubed]

There was a period during the 2008 election when I was a poll junkie, absorbing and fretting over every poll to come out. I demolished me, I was a yibbering hyperbolic monkey after a few weeks. I tuned out and sanity returned.

Diablos never tuned out. He has my sincere sympathies, and serves as a warning to others.

I take breaks from this thread when poli-gaf is in doom mode.

a. Depends on how you want to look at it but that could very well happen.
b. Nothing surprises me when it comes to who conservatives will vote people into office (hello, insane Tea Partiers infecting the GOP House majoirty).

there is a difference between winning a localized house race and winning the presidency.

 

[Diablos]

It's early, this can change. We've seen nothing out of these candidates yet.

 

[Incognito]

there's no 21 dimensional chess going on with rove vis a vis perry. the bushies, like most everyone else with a small grasp on reality, recognize that perry cannot win the general election. the fact that rove and other bushies are able to go to town on perry is only secondary to their work to ensure that an electable republican is nominated.

 

[ToxicAdam]

It's early, this can change. We've seen nothing out of these candidates yet.

Yes, it can get worse for Bachmann as Perry swallows up all the attention and she reverts to the single digit candidate she was destined to be.


---- /// ----

In other news, Newt Gingrich is in this to win it!

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is traveling this week, and again next week, to the critical primary state of New Hampshire. But in between stops in the Granite State, he's taking his campaign somewhere a little less critical -- Hawaii.


The latest release of Gingrich's publicly scheduled campaign events shows that the former House speaker will be a guest on a talk radio show broadcasting out of New London, New Hampshire today. Later in the day, Gingrich and his wife Callista Gingrich will travel west to a screening of their documentary "A City Upon a Hill" at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library, in Yorba Linda, Calif.


After attending more campaign events on California, Gingrich next travels to Wailuku, Hawaii, where he and the Maui Republican Party will meet with local activists at a church on Saturday. His next public event is at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, when he'll discuss the American founding with students at a prep school in Makawao, also on the island of Maui.

 

[Diablos]

there is a difference between winning a localized house race and winning the presidency.

True, but they won seats all over the map which speaks to the mood of the GOP electorate.

I am not trolling nor am I completely losing it over poll numbers, just noting the fact that Obama has reached a new low and he has less than a year now to make considerable improvements while the craziest batch of GOP candidates we've ever seen are going to fight like hell to challenge him. There are times I "tune out" as well.

 

[GaimeGuy]

I take breaks from this thread when poli-gaf is in doom mode.



there is a difference between winning a localized house race and winning the presidency.

45% of the country had no problem voting for a ticket which would have put Sarah Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency with that heartbeat belonging to the oldest elected 1st-term president in US history. This was during a year where the republican brand was in tatters and against one of the best run and funded campaigns in history.

 

[RustyNails]

Diablos is like a random boss battle that appears every now and then and poligaf has to battle him

 

[GaimeGuy]

Diablos is like a random boss battle that appears every now and then and poligaf has to battle him

A wild diablos appears!

 

[RustyNails]

A wild diablos appears!

*Diablos casts Doom on poligaf*

 

[speculawyer]

In other news, Newt Gingrich is in this to win it!

You gotta admire Newt's trolling and blatant abuse of donors and supporters. He may pass Palin in the ability to fund a non-stop vacation with political donations.


Yeah . . . Hawaii . . . you might win that state Newt. Sure. The dark blue home state of Obama. Good luck with that.

I guess he has a better chance of winning Hawaii than winning Greece.

 

[TacticalFox88]

*Diablos casts Doom on poligaf*

The Countdown ends election night.

 

[besada]

beseda was Perry always like this? Or is the national spotlight too big for him and he's doing and saying things slightly out of character?

He's not messaging to the general electorate, he's messaging to the Tea Party and saying exactly what they want to hear. He'll keep flinging red meat to the base until he can wreck the other GOP candidates, and then he'll start walking it back, counting on how few people are actually paying attention right now.

That's the thing that most people don't get. Almost no one but political junkies are paying any attention to the candidates at the moment, which gives him free reign to fire up the worst of the GOP base. The closer to the GE we get, the less rabid he will seem.

Perry says what he needs to say, when he needs to say it, because he has no compunctions about lying or changing his mind. He assumes the electorate are stupid sheep that have memories lasting about three weeks.

 

[Joe]

i think rove is piling on perry because they want to break him down then build him up. rove will be in perry's corner soon enough, you'll see. get attention for being against him, then get even more attention for turning a corner and promoting him.

 

[besada]

Really?

That's what I'm seeing. I don't know how many folks, or whether it's going anywhere, but apparently there's a call for him to get into.
http://www.businessinsider.com/more-pressure-on-paul-ryan-to-run-for-president-2011-8

 

[mckmas8808]

LOL, Rove and co. are ganging up on Perry because they probably want Bachmann to be _the_ anti-Romney. Perry's a dumbass and they know it.

Call it a stretch, but even though her polling might now show it now, I think Bachmann might surprise everyone and get the nomination. Remember when McCain was at the bottom of the list? Look what happened.

And I think she's electable. She's charismatic and, certainly for US political standards, pretty damn good looking.

Obama's slippin', yo. Can't seem to break through 40%. The bar has been lowered again. He's one step away from falling into the red (i.e. the mid-30's). Remember that Clinton's lowest approval rating was 37%, however this was before the midterms in 1993, so he had more time to bounce back plus the economic realities were a bit different.

Also, Christie doesn't have a chance in hell if he runs.

LOL!!! Bachmann is not elected and you know it! Stop it with this madness.

 

[Diablos]

45% of the country had no problem voting for a ticket which would have put Sarah Palin a heartbeat away from the presidency with that heartbeat belonging to the oldest elected 1st-term president in US history. This was during a year where the republican brand was in tatters and against one of the best run and funded campaigns in history.

Exactly. Do people forget this? Obama was insanely popular in 2008, the GOP brand was ruined -- 45% still voted for McCain and Palin. It probably would've been even closer if they were running against Hillary. Palin may have hurt the party in some ways, but a lot of people still voted for a ticket with her name on it, knowing damn well that McCain's age was a problem. Bachmann is from the same tent of crazy that Palin is, even if crazier (and she speaks better). Nothing in US politics surprises me anymore. I'm not saying that Bachmann is a shoo-in or anything close, but it's a bit too early to write her off 100%.

I'm not obsessing over poll numbers so much as I am saying: Obama basically has a year (well, less than a year) to improve how people think about what he's doing. If he can't do this, and the GOP candidate runs a good campaign (as they often do), there's a serious opportunity to shut Obama's chances for a second term out for good.

A year might seem like an eternity in US Presidential politics, and typically it is, but the problem is that it's tied to a recovery that is seriously stalled, and everyone is paying attention to that. Unemployment sucks. The crappy economic realities we are suffering through drag on at a snail's pace and that's what Obama has to be worried about. It's hard to imagine unemployment getting below 7% and the recovery seriously picking up steam within a year. If things don't get much better, or especially, they get worse, just about anyone could beat Obama given the right circumstances.

 

[mckmas8808]

He's not messaging to the general electorate, he's messaging to the Tea Party and saying exactly what they want to hear. He'll keep flinging red meat to the base until he can wreck the other GOP candidates, and then he'll start walking it back, counting on how few people are actually paying attention right now.

That's the thing that most people don't get. Almost no one but political junkies are paying any attention to the candidates at the moment, which gives him free reign to fire up the worst of the GOP base. The closer to the GE we get, the less rabid he will seem.

Perry says what he needs to say, when he needs to say it, because he has no compunctions about lying or changing his mind. He assumes the electorate are stupid sheep that have memories lasting about three weeks.

Oh god....this is scary to read, because Perry's calculation might be right. With youtube and twitter I hope he doesn't get away with it this and next year.

 

[Diablos]

Also, the first thing I said when I brought up Bachmann was to call it a stretch. And it is. I'd appreciate it if you would at least consider that before going "LULZ DIABLOS THINKS BACHMANN HAS THE NOM IN THE BAG!!!" I'm simply saying that if economic realities do not improve or get worse, given the fact that this is the craziest bunch of GOP candidates we've ever seen (save Romney, but he'll do whatever it takes anyway, thus selling his soul), a LOT of crazy, unpredictable things could happen. Sorry if people think I'm trolling, geez.

 

[Invisible_Insane]

Exactly. Do people forget this? Obama was insanely popular in 2008 [with liberals], the GOP brand was ruined--45 still voted for McCain and Palin. It probably would've been even closer if they were running against Hillary. Palin may have hurt the party in some ways, but a lot of people still voted for a ticket with her name on it, knowing damn well that McCain's age was a problem. Bachmann is from the same tent of crazy that Palin is, even if crazier (and she speaks better). Nothing in US politics surprises me anymore. I'm not saying that Bachm ann is a shoo-in or anything close, but it's a bit too early to write her off 100%.

Many people, myself included, did see McCain's age and health issues as particularly worrying with respect his choosing Sarah Palin. But she wasn't at the top of the ticket, and the, "she may as well have been" argument is not a very good one. You are fundamentally failing to appreciate the ways in which the two-party system constrains the behavior of voters--plenty of people, I'm sure, despite not particularly caring for Sarah Palin (or John McCain, for that matter) because they had no serious other option.

Michelle Bachmann is not a serious contender to win the GOP nomination. Calm the fuck down.

 

[TacticalFox88]

Also, the first thing I said when I brought up Bachmann was to call it a stretch. And it is. I'd appreciate it if you would at least consider that before going "LULZ DIABLOS THINKS BACHMANN HAS THE NOM IN THE BAG!!!" I'm simply saying that if economic realities do not improve or get worse, given the fact that this is the craziest bunch of GOP candidates we've ever seen (save Romney, but he'll do whatever it takes anyway, thus selling his soul), a LOT of crazy, unpredictable things could happen. Sorry if people think I'm trolling, geez.

......Crazy things can and I dare say WILL happen. But what you speak of is ludicrous.

 

[PhoenixDark]

there's no 21 dimensional chess going on with rove vis a vis perry. the bushies, like most everyone else with a small grasp on reality, recognize that perry cannot win the general election. the fact that rove and other bushies are able to go to town on perry is only secondary to their work to ensure that an electable republican is nominated.

The problem is that Romney is the only one left, and no one likes him. Perry gives the business/corporate wing of the party a reason to support someone other than Romney, with Christie refusing to enter.

Rove has come out the gate attacking Perry but it might be too late.

 

[Diablos]

Michelle Bachmann is not a serious contender to win the GOP nomination. Calm the fuck down.

I am calm. Please read my previous post.

......Crazy things can and I dare say WILL happen. But what you speak of is ludicrous.

Well, yes, it's certainly the craziest. Beyond that it's either Perry or Romney getting the nom -- which I think is still the most likely scenario (imagine that)!

Honestly guys, I feel really, really bad if you feel like I'm trolling you or downgrading the quality of the discussion in here. That's not what I'm trying to do.

 

[besada]

Oh god....this is scary to read, because Perry's calculation might be right. With youtube and twitter I hope he doesn't get away with it this and next year.

And if you look at what he's saying, I have a difficult time believing any of it is accidental, because it's all straight out of the Tea Party/Hard Right playbook:

The Fed is bad and Bernanke is worse? Check.
Global warming has been politicized for financial gain? Check.
Obama should be impeached? Check.

Gibbs made a comment about expecting Perry to ask for the President's birth-certificate, which was stupid, because Perry doesn't have to. Instead, they've found themselves an Air Force officer who just happened to choose now to stand up and make a big deal about it, so Perry will be able to give support to the Air Force officer (a double tap for supporting this brave soldier and a way for him to remind everyone that he was an Air Force officer), without actually ever coming out as a birther, and Gibbs has helped put the issue back into the media spotlight with his question.

Perry does sometimes let his mouth get away from him, but it's almost always in a cocky, telegenic way, such as the infamous "Adios, mofo" that probably got him more votes than it cost him, or the "secession" comment, which was perfectly targeted to win him the love of the Tea Party -- which allowed him to undercut Debra Medina and blow Kay Bailey out of the water.

The red meat throwing also forces Mittens to either move right, at which he gets clobbered for being a flip-flopper (which is already a problem for him), let it slide, which makes him look weak, or respond in favor of bankers.

Once past the primaries, he'll just refuse to discuss or acknowledge any of these statements and focus on jobs. He knows that reporters are spineless and as long as he keeps saying the same thing, no one can make a story out of it.

That's one of the things Bush taught him, vis a vis the Bush coke problem. In the early days of the Bush campaign, liberal and Democrats all over the place were saying he was doomed because it was common knowledge he was a coke-head and after the trouble Clinton had with a little weed, surely that wouldn't fly with the electorate. Instead, Bush basically refused to discuss the subject, and after a couple of weeks, reporters stopped asking.

And the closer he is to winning, the less they'll ask, because reporters who get stuck on a campaign bus for a year and a half are reporters who need access for the books they want to write, and the more likely he is to win, the more likely their campaign coverage becomes a best-selling book. The reporting system on candidates creates a financial incentive for the reporters to cover for candidates.

 

[Diablos]

The problem is that Romney is the only one left, and no one likes him. Perry gives the business/corporate wing of the party a reason to support someone other than Romney, with Christie refusing to enter.

Rove has come out the gate attacking Perry but it might be too late.

I think it is a little too late. That said, it's way too early to close the book on Romney.

 

[Clevinger]

And if you look at what he's saying, I have a difficult time believing any of it is accidental, because it's all straight out of the Tea Party/Hard Right playbook:

The Fed is bad and Bernanke is worse? Check.
Global warming has been politicized for financial gain? Check.
Obama should be impeached? Check.

Gibbs made a comment about expecting Perry to ask for the President's birth-certificate, which was stupid, because Perry doesn't have to. Instead, they've found themselves an Air Force officer who just happened to choose now to stand up and make a big deal about it, so Perry will be able to give support to the Air Force officer (a double tap for supporting this brave soldier and a way for him to remind everyone that he was an Air Force officer), without actually ever coming out as a birther, and Gibbs has helped put the issue back into the media spotlight with his question.

Perry does sometimes let his mouth get away from him, but it's almost always in a cocky, telegenic way, such as the infamous "Adios, mofo" that probably got him more votes than it cost him, or the "secession" comment, which was perfectly targeted to win him the love of the Tea Party -- which allowed him to undercut Debra Medina and blow Kay Bailey out of the water.

The red meat throwing also forces Mittens to either move right, at which he gets clobbered for being a flip-flopper (which is already a problem for him), let it slide, which makes him look weak, or respond in favor of bankers.

Once past the primaries, he'll just refuse to discuss or acknowledge any of these statements and focus on jobs. He knows that reporters are spineless and as long as he keeps saying the same thing, no one can make a story out of it.

That's one of the things Bush taught him, vis a vis the Bush coke problem. In the early days of the Bush campaign, liberal and Democrats all over the place were saying he was doomed because it was common knowledge he was a coke-head and after the trouble Clinton had with a little weed, surely that wouldn't fly with the electorate. Instead, Bush basically refused to discuss the subject, and after a couple of weeks, reporters stopped asking.

And the closer he is to winning, the less they'll ask, because reporters who get stuck on a campaign bus for a year and a half are reporters who need access for the books they want to write, and the more likely he is to win, the more likely their campaign coverage becomes a best-selling book. The reporting system on candidates creates a financial incentive for the reporters to cover for candidates.

OK. And despite all that, why exactly do you think Obama is going to beat him?