UNDISTINGUISHED SERVICE: ABC News and The New York Times review Hillary Clinton's long and ineffective tenure on Wal-Mart's board of directors
Barbwire / Daily Sparks Tribune / 2-3-2008

BARBWIRE: The crying game
Daily Sparks Tribune 1-13-2008

It took a president: Point to Hillary

      The latest dustup over Sen. Clinton's remark that it took a president to get the Civil Rights Act of 1964 passed is unfortunate since she was entirely correct. JFK tried and failed. Only a former senator majority leader loaded with the outstanding favors, political muscle and intimidating ego could have gotten that law through the very racist congress of 1964. Then, LBJ followed up with the Civil Rights Act of 1965, which allowed Richard the Rotten in 1968 to begin turning the KKK south into the Republican stronghold it remains today. The whole idea that Mrs. Clinton's statement somehow denigrates the work of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is ludicrous. King applied the very necessary political pressure, but without LBJ in the Oval Office, the landmark legislation never would have made it. This is the analysis of someone who lived through it as a poly-sci student at Fresno State where we discussed and analyzed it to the exclusion of all else, including girls and football. All Americans should defend Mrs. Clinton against this irrational, unreasoned criticism. Be well. Raise hell. — AB

Nevada culinary workers and bartenders unions endorse Obama

Nevada teachers union sues Democrats to help Hillary
Special "at large precincts" for on-duty hotel workers challenged
New York Times 1-13-2008 (Free registration may be required)

WONDER WHERE THE YELLOW WENT? On Dec. 23, I recalled an old campaign manager's bugaboo: Never use yellow. It originated with Memorabilia Man, a Carson City resident who displayed his world class collection of campaign detritus at the Nevada Legislature more than 30 years ago.

He noted to a reporter that most winning campaigns use the colors of Old Glory and that yellow has an irritating habit of losing. I've kept a count. Red, white and blue have the game fixed – most campaigns use them. But yellow always has a hard time breaking .500.

Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, uses RWB nationwide but went yellow in Iowa, as did former Arkansas Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee, the upset winner of the GOP primary.

So what does Huckleberry Hound's Iowa victory prove? Not much, other than most Iowa polls were wrong and that yellow, indeed, lost at least half the time, perhaps more. Democrat Chris Dodd used yellow on his website. John McCain uses ochre, which I have always included in my yellow stats. Fred Thompson uses a tannish beige. (The jury's still out on that one.)

THEY'LL NEVER LEARN DEPT. On the Jan. 4 PBS Newshour, both John Edwards and Hillary Clinton were shown making New Hampshire speeches with yellow signs behind them. Sen. Edwards was apparently the victim of over-enthusiastic freelancing by "Steelworkers for Edwards." Sen. Clinton's bout of yellow fever was apparently contracted by her own campaign, the graphic equivalent of using one's own foot for target practice. Perhaps she was trying to please the gun lobby.

From Blasts from the past, Daily Sparks Tribune 1-6-2008

FROZEN FULL FRONTAL HILLARY. Regular Barbwire readers may remember an ancient bugaboo I often invoke during election season. It originated with a Carson City man who displayed his world class collection of historical political paraphernalia at the Nevada legislature in the mid-1970's.

Memorabilia Man noted two trends. First, candidates who use red, white and blue win most often. (Which may happen because most candidates employ Old Glory.)

He also noted that those using yellow usually lose. I've kept a running count of such campaigns for many years, and mellow fellows rarely break .500. Sen. Clinton is using red, white and blue nationwide, but green and (aargh!) yellow in Iowa.

So I unscientifically predict that Billary will bomb because of colorful trouble in corny River City.

Be well. Raise well.

From Hearty Hometown Heroes Hurting, Daily Sparks Tribune 12-23-2007

For something grounded in reality, read this report
from our man on the ground in Waterloo, Iowa.
Beef Wellington, anyone?

FULL FRONTAL HILLARY. Sen. Clinton, D-NY, pulled a maneuver worthy of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, who legendarily once sent a reporter to ask an outrageous question of a political leader Hearst wanted to hatchet.

"He'll never admit it," said the journalist.

"I want him to deny it and we'll print that," quoth the prototype of Citizen Kane.

Madame Clinton's New Hampshire campaign chairman asked if surging Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., had engaged in drug dealing as a youth. Hillary, of course, said it was an unauthorized statement and that the perp had resigned.

But she still got the smear out worldwide.

She's responsible whether or not she knew, and given the high level of the accuser, that will always be in doubt. Hillary just swiftboated her main opponent.

Shameful.

From Blackguards and gold stars, Daily Sparks Tribune 12-16-2007

A CHRISTMAS WISH FOR SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON: An intense makeover by heavyweight speech and drama coaches. The presidency is decided not by what you say, but how you say it. Not by what you stand for, but how you look standing there. Cosmetics make the king or queen in our superficial media scene.

From Christmas stockings 2007: Full frontal Hillary, Daily Sparks Tribune 12-2-2007