WASHINGTON, April 27, 2008
"Historic" Election Isn't The Half Of It
Bob Schieffer Says This Unprecedented Campaign Is Even More Surprising Than Promised
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It's 2008, and there's Crown Royal on the campaign trail. Would we have seen Richard Nixon or Harry Truman do this with a camera present? (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
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Play CBS Video Video Schieffer: Times Are Changing In light of the current presidential race between a black man, a woman, and a 71-year-old, Bob Schieffer notes how the landscape has changed in terms of political firsts during this election season.
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Video Race Dividing Dems? Is race dividing the Democratic Party? Howard Wolfson, Communications Director for the Clinton campaign, and Barack Obama's Chief Strategist David Axelrod discuss the ongoing race for the nomination.
We keep hearing that no matter what, this is an historic election - the possibility of the first woman president, or the oldest person to win the presidency, or the first African American to win and all that.
It will be November before we know which of those things happen, but we've already seen some firsts, or at least some pretty weird stuff.
Who'd a thought we would ever see one of Richard Nixon's daughters supporting a Democrat - but there was Julie Nixon Eisenhower's name listed as a contributor to the Obama campaign.
Who'd a thought the first African American who had a real chance to be president would be defending himself against charges that he was a condescending elitist?
Who would have believed that a politician would call in the cameras to record her drinking whiskey? But there was Hillary Clinton knocking one back for the TV boys.
It must have worked - she won Pennsylvania.
But I just can't get it out of my mind how politicians with a drink in their hand used to give it to someone else, or just turn tail and run, when they saw a camera.
The times they are a-changing. Are they ever!
Else we would never have known Hillary Clinton liked duck hunting.
I guess we're not to the historic part yet, but so far it has been interesting.
By Bob Schieffer
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Add a Comment See all 17 Comments
- It''s not racism stupid,
It''s Elitism! - Reply to this comment
- I watched Jeremiah Wrights speech to the NAACP last night. It was the most politically motivated racist speech I''''v ever heard. And it looks like the NAACP backs him up 100%.
Posted by truthyness at 05:51 AM : Apr 28, 2008
Ooooh, you just attacked the whole black church because you went after Jerry. I''m tellin'' on you.
Yup, given a chance to distance themselves from this loon, it amazes me why anyone instead cozies up to him. Obama''s troubles with this fool are only now starting to come home to roost (sorry, couldn''t resist). - Reply to this comment
- Either one of them: Obama or Hillary are waaaay better than the dingbats who have ruined our nation for the past 8 years. Either one has my vote for sure over Mcbush.
- Reply to this comment
- A man identified generally as black could be elected President of the United States. A woman could be elected President of the United States. However, just as it took President Richard Nixon, a confirmed and well recognized anti-communist, to make the break through with China, that man or woman will not be a Democrat. An American Maggie Thatcher could be elected. I might well vote for her, should she appear. A black man who comes up through the Republican Party, fighting his political battles and winning enough of them to gain high elective office, proving his electibility along the way, could win the Republican nomination and the general election. John Kennedy was the last northern liberalish president. He wasn''t a real liberal like Adlai Stephenson, but he was a "sort of" liberal. In modern America the Democrats can only elect conservative southern white men middle-of-the-roaders.
- Reply to this comment
- Obama is not an African American, any more than I am a Russian-Greek-French American. -- We are both Americans. -- I wish everybody would stop trying to draw lines between people based upon the shade of their skin. -- It is just so wasteful of time and effort, and adds nothing to the quality of our communications. -- Thank you!
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Posted by marizara at 07:57 AM : Apr 28, 2008
Well said, and thank you for being a voice of reason. Such voices are becoming few and far between. - Reply to this comment
- Obama is not an African American, any more than I am a Russian-Greek-French American. -- We are both Americans. -- I wish everybody would stop trying to draw lines between people based upon the shade of their skin. -- It is just so wasteful of time and effort, and adds nothing to the quality of our communications. -- Thank you!
- Reply to this comment
- I watched Jeremiah Wrights speech to the NAACP last night. It was the most politically motivated racist speech I''v ever heard. And it looks like the NAACP backs him up 100%.
- Reply to this comment
- The sad part is that we''ll never know whether Obama would have made a good president or not. Chances are he''d be too much of a nice guy - like Jimmy Carter - and thus be a rather ineffectual president. But boy, do I hate the thought of having the white witch of washington calling the shots in the oval office. It doesn''t get much worse than that.
- Reply to this comment
- All the choices suck so it truly is historic. Who ever gets in will be the pawn of the giant corporations who are the real forces behind the scenes. We have Black Metrosexual who is a child, the half dead white guy who thinks we are still in the 50s and the white women who is in bed with more corporations than her husband had affairs. -Nice crowd. Makes me want to go to sleep and have someone wake me up in mid Nov.
- Reply to this comment
- The bottom line....Obama just does not represent
the values of most Americans.
Posted by truthyness at 10:34 PM : Apr 27, 2008,,,
American values are not taught in school, one has to discover and learn American values on ones own and most just think its freedom of speech. Two of the most important values are not even taught in school, money management, most don''t even know how to balance a checkbook or how to save properly, and what is an American and how do you know when someone is being un-American? How can you have American values when most don''t even know what they are? American values are more than freedom of speech! America excludes large segments of its population from Professional Health Care and Higher Education. Sooner or later the haves run into the have nots and the haves accuse the have nots of not having American values and the have nots take their frustrations out on society! America is only as strong as its weakest link and eventually the haves run into the have nots and its not pleasant! The problem is much deeper of course but many trace the current problems to God and Prayer being taken out of schools, I agree! A sick "have not" American without Health Care can take down a lot of "Have" Americans just being around them or preparing their food in a restaurant, so its stupid not to cover every American anyway! - Reply to this comment
- The bottom line....Obama just does not represent
the values of most Americans. - Reply to this comment
- Good Show again today Bob, you made a good point, old news pros were interested in researching a news story and presenting a very informative news package to its viewers, the ratings were an after thought, but today, ratings are the primary goal, the primary thought and in that context stories seem to go in the direction of achieving a higher rating rather than achieving the "complete" truth!
- Reply to this comment
- It''s a different campaign for sure. May the best American win........A little pour of Crown Royal needs two thankful hearts in front of a campfire alongside of a beautiful lake at sunset. Just stay away from the wheel folks. Be responsible is all most people ask.
- Reply to this comment
- Bob Schieffer you are the best thing that has
happened since Walter. You are truely great
journalist.
Yeah, I can''t wait for the "swift Boaters"
Goodbye Osama. - Reply to this comment
- This has got to be the absolute most boring and shallow campaign ever put on by either major party. When all the finalists are losers who really gives a rat''''s backside who "wins"? The American electorate winds up yet another bunch of losers, just like the candidates. H---, a random drawing would produce a better President than any of these 3 will ever be. Same goes for every other office currently decided by megabucks a.k.a. votes.
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Posted by tucanofulano at 04:37 PM : Apr 27, 2008
+ report abuse
LOL Yeah I know, it''s rough being a Nazi these days huh? There hasn''t been this much excitement in THIS state since JFK ran all those many years ago. People were lining up in TEXAS days before the actual vote to vote early. EVERY Democratic Vote has broken ALL previous records and the number of NEW Members to the party as created the biggest political party history... yeah it''s boring I guess IF your a fascist... if you are a true American though it''s about as good as it gets. Sieg Heil Bush - Reply to this comment
- This has got to be the absolute most boring and shallow campaign ever put on by either major party. When all the finalists are losers who really gives a rat''s backside who "wins"? The American electorate winds up yet another bunch of losers, just like the candidates. H---, a random drawing would produce a better President than any of these 3 will ever be. Same goes for every other office currently decided by megabucks a.k.a. votes.
- Reply to this comment
- I''ll admit its been interesting, and the Swiftboaters haven''t even fired their shots yet.
- Reply to this comment
