John Edwards Demonstrates Why He Is Ready For Prime Time

American politicians and pundits spent yesterday making asses of themselves. Who will ever forget John McCain strutting around like a little popping jay announcing that he alone was ready to handle the kind of crisis resulting from the Bhutto assassination. Roger Simon of the Politico bought the McCain line hook, line and sinker. In fact he bought it so completely somebody needs to check Simon's sources of income.

Personally I was shocked at how quickly Joe Scarborough and Chris Matthews shamefully turned the assassination into some sort of media event favoring Hillary Clinton. Clinton and Obama engaged in a day of childish pronouncements that amounted to "vote for me, unlike my opponent I know how to handle an assassination."

But then there was John Edwards, who with a single dignified comment showed us how a President of the United States should act in the face of tragedy.

Decorah, Iowa – Today in Decorah, Iowa, Senator John Edwards made the following statement:

"I want to say a word about the terrible tragedy that occurred in Pakistan earlier today. It's a terrible thing for the process of democratization in Pakistan, it's a terrible thing for the stability of Pakistan, and it's very important that we, America, and those of us who are running for president of the United States, be a strengthening and calming influence in these kinds of times.

"I met the former Prime Minister a few years ago. We spoke together at a conference. And she spoke then about the importance of the democratization process, her personal commitment and risk of her own life, which she recognized, and how the democratization process in Pakistan was, I think her words were, 'baptized in blood.'

"I spoke to President Musharraf a few minutes ago and I urged him to continue the democratization process because of how important it is to the Pakistani people and how important it is to his country. I also urged him to allow international investigators into Pakistan so that, for the rest of the world, there can be credibility in determining what the facts were and what actually occurred.

"It's very important for the Pakistani people, for the stability of the world and for America's interests, that the democratization process continue, and I believe this is the time for America to be a strong and calming influence in a difficult and unstable environment."

That is the kind of thing a President says.

There's more: "John Edwards Demonstrates Why He Is Ready For Prime Time" >>

The Clinton Campaign Has Another Bad Idea

Let me see if I can explain this story simply. Hillary Clinton is betting no one can explain it clearly enough to implicate her. I think I can do it. Here goes. First some background.

1. Iowans are just like everybody else. A candidate can knock an opponent's poll numbers down by going negative.

2. Iowans don't like negative ads. They punish any candidate who goes negative.

3. Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton are in a virtual 3 way dead heat in Iowa.

4. Hillary Clinton wants to knock both John Edwards and Barack Obama down.

Now a little story. Clinton Campaign strategists are lounging around a hotel room table drinking boxed wine. They are asking each other the same question over and over "What can we do?" "What can we do?" Then after about the third glass of wine somebody comes up with a clever idea.

"Why don't we have a friendly union put out a flier attacking Barack Obama's health care plan?"

"We can't do that, Iowans will punish us and Edwards will move up."

"Not if we make the flier look like it was put out by the Edwards campaign. Since it is coming from a union and not the campaign Hillary's name won't be mentioned anywhere on the flier."

"You don't think they will figure it out?"

"Those dumb Iowa hicks aren't smart enough. The media won't punish us. They didn't punish George Bush when Karl Rove spread the word that John McCain had a black love child."

Here is your pop quiz. Can you guess what the Clinton campaign did next.

1. After the wine wore off sober heads nixed the idea? or

2. They put the plan into action hoping nobody would notice?

If you picked 2 you would be right.

Sadly for Hill and Bill MSNBC is reporting that somebody noticed. The Edwards campaign is screaming foul. The only thing not known is whether the folks at the top of the highly organized and professionally run Clinton campaign actually approved the stunt. What is known is that the AFSCME is backing Clinton and this morning it has a lot of egg on its face.

This is the second Hillary Clinton dirty trick we have reported this morning. She must be in real trouble in Iowa. I am beginning to think that Hillary is auditioning for a role on "Desperate Housewives."

There's more: "The Clinton Campaign Has Another Bad Idea" >>