A portion of Antarctica six times the size of Manhattan broke off
this month.
** PEW RESEARCH NATIONAL POLL: OBAMA LEADS CLINTON. In the latest Pew national poll, Barack Obama leads Hillary Clinton, 49% to 39%.
Large majorities of white Democratic voters view Obama as honest, inspiring, patriotic, and down-to-earth. Obama’s personal image surpasses Clinton’s on almost every personal attribute tested in the survey, except patriotism.
In addition, roughly twice as many white Democrats say the word “phony” describes Clinton than say it describes Obama (30% vs. 16%). And the gap is even larger in perceptions of likability; 43% of white Democratic voters say the phrase “hard-to-like” describes Clinton, while just 13% say it describes Obama.
The Wright controversy has not heightened the public’s impression that Obama’s race will undermine his chance in the general election if he is the nominee. Only 21% say Obama’s race will hurt his chances, compared with 25% who held that view in January.
One-in-ten voters believe that Barack Obama is Muslim; 14% of Republicans, 10% of Democrats and 8% of independents think he is Muslim.
Fewer Democratic voters now think that a long primary contest is a good thing for the party. Just 44% think it is a good thing for the party that the nominating contest has not been settled. A month ago 57% expressed that view.
** CRUDE OIL SHOOTS UP AMIDST IRAQ CRISIS. With John McCain and Barack Obama again concentrating their political fire on one another — both on the economy and geopolitics (Obama says McCain is a do-nothing on the economy, McCain that Obama is a tax-and-spender) — one of the key dividing lines between the two, Iraq, is in renewed turmoil.
Shiite militiamen, mostly associated with Moqtada al Sadr, are breaking away again from the main government. The heavily protected Green Zone in Baghdad is coming under rocket and mortar fire, and one American there has just been killed. Skirmishes are taking place then and in several areas of the country. Sadr has called a strike and many service and health workers are responding to his call.
The US is relying principally on Iraqi forces to put down the Shiite militia uprising. A year ago, those forces would have been totally unable to take the field, much less contest Sadr’s forces.
** A FUTURE TICKET? OBAMA AND BLOOMBERG. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s warm introduction of Barack Obama at the Democratic presidential frontrunner’s major economic address at Cooper Union in New York this morning raised that as an intriguing prospect. This is something to watch. It would certainly be an intriguing trump card with regard to Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s inflammatory comments about Israel and Palestinians. And Bloomberg, an undoubted success as New York’s mayor, not to mention a highly successful media mogul, certainly has the management chops. Perhaps he would be a different type of Dick Cheney.
NWN TECH PROBLEMS UPDATE. There are still some problems posting comments in the Forum. The problem has been intermittent, and a reader has posted a work-around in the Forum section.
** WHERE THEY ARE TODAY.
Barack Obama gave a major economic speech this morning in New York City. He was introduced at the event by independent New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Obama has a fundraiser in New York later today.
Hillary Clinton campaigns across North Carolina in Raleigh, Fayetteville, and Winston-Salem.
Bill Clinton campaigns across in Pennsylvania in Pottstown, Reading, Carlisle, Lewistown, and State College.
John McCain campaigns in Denver, Colorado and Salt Lake City, Utah where he does fundraising.
** NEW CALIFORNIA POLL GOOD FOR OBAMA, NEGATIVE ON STATE GOVERNMENT. In the new Public Policy Institute of California poll, Barack Obama runs notably better than Hillary Clinton. Obama leads John McCain, 49% to 40%. But Clinton is in essentially a statistical tie with McCain, 46% to 43%.
In California, Obama’s favorable rating is 61%. McCain’s favorable rating is 49%. Clinton’s favorable rating is far less, at 45%.
On state matters, the mood of the public and voters has notably soured. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s job approval rating has slipped to 49% among voters. This is far less than the stratospheric 60s of last year. But two years ago, 49% was a goal.
Schwarzenegger remains much more popular than the Legislature, of course. The reasons for the negativity? Economic woes and the state’s chronic budget problems. Californians appear to be moving into the embrace of a combination of program cuts and revenue increases to solve the budget issue.
On two high-profile initiatives set for the June statewide primary election, dueling eminent domain Props 98 and 99, one is headed to defeat while one may pass.
The one that is going down is Prop 98, heavily funded by landlord interests, who inserted anti-rent control and anti-renters rights language into it. 37% say they’ll vote yes, while 41% are no. On Prop 99, prospects are better, as it starts with 53% support.
** SCHWARZENEGGER LIVE WEBCAST THIS MORNING. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and state Public Utilities Commission president Mike Peevey join officials of ProLogis and Southern California at a proposed solar energy project in the Southern California city of Fontana.
Schwarzenegger will discuss his Million Solar Roofs measure and renewable portfolio standard goals, which are running behind schedule, in the event, which will be webcast live at 10 AM.
Congressman John Murtha explains why he’s for Hillary Clinton: Experience.
He’s one of a handful of superdelegates to back her since Super Tuesday.
Obama has over 60 since then.
** UNDECIDED DEMOCRATIC SUPERDELEGATES FROM CALIFORNIA. With former President Bill Clinton coming to the California Democratic Party convention this weekend in San Jose to try to pry loose some new superdelegates for his wife’s campaign, here is the list:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rep. Jerry McNerney, Rep. Pete Stark, Rep. Mike Honda, Rep. Sam Farr, Rep. Jim Costa, Rep. Lois Capps, Rep. Howard Berman, Rep. Henry Waxman, Rep. Bob Filner, Rep. Susan Davis, DNC state chair Art Torres, DNC vice chair Alexandra Gallardo-Rooker, DNC member Edward Espinoza, DNC member Inola Henry, DNC member Aleita Huguenin, DNC member Carole Midgen, DNC member Bob Mulholland, DNC member Christine Pelosi, DNC member John Perez, DNC member Robert Rankin, DNC member Crystal Strait, DNC member Keith Umemoto, DNC member Vernon Watkins, DNC member Steve Ybarra
** HILLARY CLINTON HITS NEW NATIONAL FAVORABILITY LOW. The new Wall Street Journal/NBC News national poll shows Hillary Clinton, not Barack Obama, hitting a new low in favorability. Clinton is down to 37% favorable in this poll, with 48% unfavorable. Barack Obama dipped from where he was two weeks, earlier, from 51% to 49% favorable. His unfavorable rating is 37%.
** OBAMA EXPANDS LEAD IN NORTH CAROLINA. A new Public Policy Polling tracking poll of the North Carolina primary shows Barack Obama expanding his lead in the wake of the Rev. Wright firestorm. It’s now Obama 55%, Hillary Clinton 34%. Clinton has been making a serious effort in North Carolina. And there was some evidence a week ago that Obama had dropped there amidst the Rev. Wright firestorm.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer, bringing you English-language, jargon-free, fast-paced coverage of global and Russian news from the new Russia Today channel.
You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti.
While it’s quite foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND U.S. ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Crude oil is trading in the $102 to $103 per barrel range on news of a freshly weakening dollar.
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| Comments (104) |
I could spend half my time writing about Bill Clinton …
>Chris M :
Did anybody see what Bill Clinton said today?
[firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/...]
This man needs some rest.
Mar 27, 2008 10:17 PM
Incidentally, NWN passed 54,000 comments sometime in the past week.
Incidentally, NWN passed 54,000 comments sometime in the past week.
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