In this corner, formerly successful television personality who, for reasons I cannot explain, has quite an effect on me, Katie Couric.

And in this corner, obnoxious host of a second rate evening political news show, Keith Olbermann.

First Couric hinted at Olbermann’s ridiculous rants in the past few months against Hillary Clinton, and the uncalled for and little recognized sexism that he and others in the media pushed against Clinton.

Now Olbermann is on the attack.

Let’s be honest folks, it’s pretty obvious that Clinton suffered from pronounced sexism from the media. From nutcrackers being sold in her image at airports, to men with signs saying, “Iron My Shirt,” at her events, all of these things went unnoticed by the media. If somebody were selling Barack Obama watermelon’s or holding racist signs at his rallies, do you really think that wouldn’t make the front page of the New York Times?

I like Couric, even though I do not consider her a great journalist. She’s a personality, and a fun one. Olbermann is a great journalist as well, but is shrill and obnoxious and works in dramatics rather then in rational arguments.

But I do enjoy a good feud. I hope Couric does a special YouTube video mocking him. Possibly a “Countdown” of sorts, highlighting the many ways Olbermann sucks.

Read more here.

Okay, I’ve decided, I don’t want Hillary Clinton to be Obama’s Vice President. Not because I think she wouldn’t be a benefit to him (because I think she would), but rather because I think she’s too strong of a voice to be stifled by the office of the Vice Presidency. She can do SO much more not being VP.

She could be the next Ted Kennedy (post his 1980 race against the Democratic incumbent, President Jimmy Carter), a tower for the moderate liberals that make up the working class of this country. Her powerful voice on health care wouldn’t go anywhere in the VP slot.

She could hold out for the Supreme Court. Some say she’s too old (being 60, most President’s nominate younger Justices in order to cement their legacy on the courts). But her mom just turned 89. I think that’s a good sign that Hill ain’t knock knock knockin on Heaven’s door anytime soon.

She could rule the state of New York, be the next Patrick Moynihan, either in the Senate or elsewhere (as Governor perhaps?!?).

The people who speak ill of her do so with passion, and I respect that. But I feel like they don’t acknowledge the fact that she’s done something no other woman has done in the history of this country, win 20 primaries and have 18 million people vote for her. She let us see that a woman can do this, that the glass ceiling isn’t as strong as we thought. I’ve said it before, sexism is more accepted in America then racism, and we’ve seen it unfold in front of us during this primary. We’ve also seen the racism unfold. Hate her politics, her style, even her personally, but acknowledge what she’s done for the next woman down the line who will run and will win.

 Hillary and Jackie

- Paul Begala

HuffingtonPost.com 

Ask my ten-year-old Little Leaguer, Charlie, who his all-time favorite baseball player is and you won’t hear Jeter or Berkman or Big Papi. Nor even Mickey Mantle, whose autographed picture hangs in Charlie’s room — a gift from The Mick to Charlie’s dad.

Without hesitation Charlie will say, “Jackie.” As in Jackie Robinson. Not only was Jackie one of the greatest to ever play the game, his very presence in the game changed it forever and for the good.

So it is with Hillary. Her presence in the presidential campaign has not only been impressive on the merits, it’s been historic for what she has had to overcome just to do her job. The sexist signs: “HEY, HILLARY: IRON MY SHIRT!” “QUIT RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT AND MAKE ME A SANDWICH!” The Hillary Clinton nutcracker (get it?), and all the rest.

I expected that. What I did not expect was for the so-called mainstream media to behave little better than the bigots on the streets outside her events.

• The radio clown Glenn Beck called Hillary a “stereotypical bitch” and yet is treated as if he had something serious to contribute to CNN Headline News and ABC.
• MSNBC gave a platform to the magician-cum-comic-cum-crank Penn Gillette, who said Hillary did well in March because it was “White Bitch Month.”
• Alex Castellanos, on a night when Hillary was winning a primary by 35 percent, told CNN’s audience that Hillary is called “a bitch” because, well, some people deserve to be called by that epithet.
• MSNBC’s Chris Matthews said Hillary owed her entire career to her husband’s marital mistakes (and then, manfully, apologized).
• The Washington Post broke the news flash that Hillary, in fact, has cleavage.

Her figure, her clothes, her hair, her voice - all of it mocked and savaged in a way unimaginable if she were a man. She has not only endured the jeers and the sneers and the smears, she has triumphed over them. She never answered their hate with rage. She just went on winning.

Just like Jackie.

Women have been running for President since 1872, when Victoria Woodhull ran on the Equal Rights Party platform. And yet no woman — from the estimable Shirley Chisoholm to the remarkable Pat Schroeder to the impressive Elizabeth Dole — has ever won even a single primary. Until Hillary. She not only won 20 primaries, she earned 17 million votes in the primaries — more than any woman before her. And more than any man before her as well.

To be sure, she’s made her share of mistakes. As a strategist I have long seen her effort as an example of a candidate outperforming her campaign strategy at every critical juncture. Still, Jackie Robinson struck out hundreds of times.

The Democratic Party has decided, wonderfully, bravely, remarkably, to double-down on history this election. And so Hillary’s struggle against sexism has played out parallel to Barack Obama’s graceful and courageous rise above racism. He, too, has endured taunts and threats and bigotry. He, too, has answered hatred with dignity. He, too, knows how Jackie must have felt.

So when Barack praises Hillary’s tenacity, her trailblazing spirit, it is not patronizing, as some Hillary supporters have suggested. It is, I think, an empathetic expression of a powerful truth. Nobody — not even her husband — can fully appreciate what Hillary has overcome. Except Barack.

For me this primary season ends where it began: with the firm conviction that there is no need to vote against anyone, but rather to vote for someone. I am so proud of the person I voted for. I do not know if a gal who grew up following the Cubs in the National League and the Yankees in the American League has ever stopped to think of the trailblazing Dodger. But I know this: if you ask Charlie who his favorite politician is, he unhesitatingly replies, “Hillary.”

Barack Obama is the Democratic Nominee for President of the United States. HOLLA!

I was (and am) a Hillary supporter. But I can’t help but be ecstatic over the fact that we not only have nominee but also such a dynamic one. Kerry didn’t excite me, Gore didn’t move me at the time (I love him now), but Obama, he’s a thrill!

I’m sure I will have more colorful words later on. Right now though I’m just overwhelmed with excitement. Today I am proud to be an American!

Even though I’ve switched my support to Obama, I totally agree with this chick!

When news broke yesterday about Hillary Clinton’s statement on RFK not getting the nomination until June (and saying the word assisination), at first I didn’t put the connection together with RFK and Obama. Then the hoopla began. Seriously? Do you really think she intendted to imply that Obama could potentially get assassinated, and THAT’S why she remains in the race? Come on people!

Read her op-ed.

I seriously am sick and tired of this ridiculous double standard that the press puts upon Clinton. I support Obama now, but it disgusts me to see the way the press handles Clinton. Obama calls a reporter “Sweetie” in Oregon, that barely makes the news. Why? Is it not a sexist remark? Is it not demeaning? Of course it is, but Obama said it, so it’s alright. He slipped, no big deal.

Come on people!

I have a theory that the root of Obamania lies in the hopes that he will nominate Oprah as his VP.  I suppose that’s not such a bad idea, she could single handedly pay off the national debt and still have enough left over to buy everyone in America a George Forman Grill (it really does cut the fat in half people!).

Alright, I’m going to say it, white people wish they were black.  Not because they want to be pulled over more regularly or have a desire to never see accurate representation on network TV, but rather for the stereotypical reasons.  As stereotypes go, having soul, a dance step or two, and a mean hand in the kitchen ain’t such a bad thing to be known for.  I’m gay but you don’t see me going around singing showtunes with a lisp.  Why?  Because that’s a shitty stereotype!

I support Hillary Clinton.  I live in a culturally diverse area in Brooklyn.  It’s made diverse because I’m the only white guy on the block.  I like living here, I feel comfortable, but I want to be accepted by my neighbors.  On my way to the subway I will wear an Obama button, stand on the platform with my chest out, as if saying, “Look, look, see, I’m down with you guys.”  I’ll blare 2Pac on my iPod.  Standing there, head bouncing back and forth, “Wow, he’s prolific.  What an artist,” I’ll say to the young man standing next to me.  He’ll walk away, but only because he saw or friend or something, yeah, that’s it.

So maybe I should support Obama.  If it will give me street cred, it’s worth it.  And maybe if he does nominate Oprah as VP, then she’ll have some say over his cabinet.  I’m holding out for Dr. Phil to be the Surgeon General and putting Rachael Ray somewhere in there, maybe as the Attorney General.  Now that’s an America I want to live in!

A conversation with my friend over at Contextual Musings inspired me to write this entry.  One of the things I hate most about this Presidential election is that so few people can actually have an intelligent debate about Clinton/Obama.  Many only talk of aesthetics, and not just race and gender aesthetics, but personality crap and irrelevant points that frankly should not be apart of who you are going to vote for for President.  So thank you Jeffrey, you’re viewpoint is like an ice cold can of Diet Sprite, refreshing with few calories! 

I’m sick of the words “hope” and “change.”  They tell me nothing.  It’s like when you ask somebody, “How do I look?,” and they respond, “Fine.”  “Fine” tells me nothing, it’s bland, beige, non-descriptive.  When Obama talks of change, rarely is it ever followed with anything other than a swipe at the past (the 90’s and Clinton).  Take the e-mail his campaign sent out, in Obama’s words, “Tonight, we know one thing for sure — our time has come, our movement is real, and change is coming to America.  At this moment in history, the stakes are too high and the challenges too great to play the same Washington game with the same Washington players and expect a different result.”  Seriously?  So change has nothing to do with health care, education, global warming? 

 I’m not saying that he would not do great things for our country if elected President, nor am I alluding that he is weak on the issues.  He’s a Democrat, I’m a Democrat, we share the core belief’s of the party. 

What I am saying is that if you’re running for President and you want my vote you have got to give me substance and not just emotional words to trigger a reaction. 

Last night I was out celebrating Fat Tuesday.  Naturally the topic of conversation was on the election.  Talking with many Obama supporters, I asked them why they were supporting Obama.  The general response was, “He will bring change to Washington.  He’s a beacon of hope for a new America…”  Those are fantastic points.  But then I asked them to look past the symbolism behind their arguement and give policy posistions for their reasons.  Many were caught off guard, stuttered, and usually spouted off the generic core belief’s of the Democratic Party that both candidates share.

After listening to many of Obama’s supporters last night, my support for Clinton grew stronger.

Obama is correct, we do need a change, a change in rhetoric.   

So I’ve stewed on this for a while, read the policies, watched the debates, and have decided that my support lies with Hillary Clinton. 

 I never thought I would be a single issue voter, and I’m not entirely one now, but my main issue in 2008 is health care.  It hits close to home, my family needs universal health care NOW, and her plan is the only one that directly speaks to the concerns my family is facing.

Beyond just health care, I strongly believe that a vote for Clinton is a vote for experience, somebody ready “on day one.”  A vote for Obama is one for change, a role of the dice.  Right now, when we’re facing the looming threat of a recession, we’re still at war and 47 million people go without health insurance, that’s too much to just role the dice with.

Barack Obama is an amazing politician, I respect and believe in what he has to say.  But his lack of experience is the very thing that keeps me from supporting him.  Will he be a Kennedy or a Carter?  That’s too much of a risk for me.

Is it possible not to feel like a big old blob when you’re sick?  All I want to do is go to the gym, but I know that I should not.  I often confuse my sickly weakness for laziness.  I will rest tonight, hoping that this weekend the sun shines on my weak self and allows me to hit the pavement and/or gym mat.  Wish me luck!

I hate that I don’t have cable on night’s like tonight, because the debate between Obama and Clinton is going to be off the hook.  Watch if you can, and think of me pouting at my computer obsessively refreshing my web browser on CNN.com.  Ugh!