When I close my eyes...

I can just see James reading the original huffpost article on BO's SanFran comments and getting all fired up and foaming at the mouth and coaching Hillary, nay insisting to Hillary, that she run with it like she has never run with anything before.

He told her the folks in western PA will be up in arms over the comments. He said it might even end BO's campaign nationally. He said all she has to do is run with this and she is in.

Remember that scene from "The War Room" where James gets all excited over Bush printing the campaign materials overseas? He had that same reaction here except it was multiplied 10x.

And he was wrong. HRC overplayed badly and James forgot he wasn't running against a Bush, he's running against the super-skilled Obama campaign.

I think this was James' last big political play and he lost. He ends in defeat. But he did have a lot of victories and many people will always be thankful for the job he did in getting Bill elected.

There's more...

Carville considers loyalty a lost virtue.

"Nowhere in the entire world is disloyalty more rewarded and rewarded well than in Washington."

According to Polonius, the highest loyalty is to oneself, but it helps to remember that Polonius was an idiot.

It's been said that if you want a friend in Washington, you should buy a dog. Unfortunately, there's some truth to that: there are few places in the world where the turncoats and careerists are so highly rewarded and where loyalty is equated with stupidity. Luckily, another bit of wisdom about the Beltway is also true: the people in Washington aren't like the ones in the rest of the country. The American people treasure loyalty. They stick by a friend when he needs them. They forgive him when he's wrong. They understand the difference between politics and friendship. They are true to their ideals and their schools, loyal to their families.

Some may even share EM Forster's preference:

If I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend, I hope I should have the guts to betray my country.

I have always suspected that a bank with "Fidelity" in its title was going to lose my money. The mere assertion of loyalty is often enough to signal betrayal. One of the weaknesses of loyalty is that unlike friendship, it requires some outward demonstration or declaration, and so invites insincerity. It is also, by implication, unconditional, and suggests that though you do not agree with the person or institution to which you are expected to stick, you will do so anyway. In certain types of people, this practically guarantees treason.

Disloyalty That Merits An Insult

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con tent/article/2008/03/28/AR2008032802826. html

Last Friday the New York Times asked me to comment on New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson's endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama for president. For 15 years, Richardson served with no small measure of distinction as the representative of New Mexico's 3rd Congressional District. But he gained national stature -- and his career took off -- when President Bill Clinton appointed him U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and later made him energy secretary.

So, when asked on Good Friday about Richardson's rejection of the Clintons, the metaphor was too good to pass by. I compared Richardson to Judas Iscariot. (And Matthew Dowd is right: Had it been the Fourth of July, I probably would have called him Benedict Arnold.)

I believed that Richardson's appointments in Bill Clinton's administration and his longtime personal relationship with both Clintons, combined with his numerous assurances to the Clintons and their supporters that he would never endorse any of Sen. Hillary Clinton's opponents, merited a strong response.

I was fully aware of what kind of response calling someone a Judas would evoke.

Certainly, it didn't take long for the resign-renounce-denounce complex to kick into high gear.

In a bit of bloviation that brought joy to my heart, Bill O'Reilly pronounced himself "appalled."

Keith Olbermann, about two degrees shy of the temperature necessary for self-combustion, quipped, "So if he's Judas in this analogy, who's Jesus?"

Even Diane Sawyer took the analogy to the extreme, questioning, "Are you saying that he made a deal of some kind when you talk about 30 shekels?"

Others opined that my remark was "tactless" and "ugly."

Heck, I give myself some credit for managing to get the Clinton and Obama campaigns to agree on something -- that neither wanted to be associated with my remarks.

I know enough to know that comparing a former Cabinet secretary and sitting governor to Judas is inflammatory and provocative. I expected the coverage that it evoked.
Was it a desperate gambit for attention? Was I just trying to prove my point that both Samantha Power's resignation from the Obama campaign for calling Sen. Clinton a monster and the Obama campaign hysterically promoting Geraldine Ferraro's misguided statements were equally silly and superficial?

Not really. I was saying what I felt as an individual who -- with no encouragement from the Clintons but as someone who is proud to consider himself a friend of theirs -- thought that Richardson had done something deeply disloyal.

Earlier this month I decried the political environment in which, by whining about every little barb, candidates seem to be trying to win the election through a war of staff-resignation attrition. Politics is a messy business, but campaigning prepares you for governing. It prepares you to get hit, stand strong and, if necessary, hit back. I've worked on enough campaigns to know that the most aggrieved candidate rarely emerges victorious. And for all of the hypersensitivity we're seeing this cycle, this campaign has not been particularly negative or nasty compared with previous elections.

Fully aware of this supercharged environment in which the slightest slight is elevated to the most egregious insult, I waded in -- okay, dove in -- by demonstrating what constitutes a real insult.

I believe that loyalty is a cardinal virtue. Nowhere in the world is loyalty so little revered and tittle-tattle so greatly venerated as in Washington. I was a little-known political consultant until Bill Clinton made me. When he came upon hard times, I felt it my duty -- whatever my personal misgivings -- to stick by him. At the very least, I would have stayed silent. And maybe that's my problem with what Bill Richardson did. Silence on his part would have spoken loudly enough.

Most of the stuff I've ever said is pretty insignificant and by in large has been said off the cuff and without much thought to the potential consequences. That was not the case in this instance. Bill Richardson's response was that the Clinton people felt they were entitled to the presidency. In my mind, that is a debatable hypothesis. But, even more than that, I know that a former president of the United States who appointed someone to two Senate-confirmed positions is entitled to have his phone calls returned.

If Richardson was going to turn on the Clintons the way he did, I see no problem in saying what I said. Because if loyalty is one virtue, another is straight talk. And if Democrats can't handle that, they're going to have a hard time handling a Republican nominee who is seeking the presidency with that as his slogan.

There's more...

It seems that Carville's recent petulant outburst over Richardson not groveling sufficiently for his liege...

Clinton, Obama, Richardson and the 'loyalty oath'

... and his claim of Hillary Clinton as his own personal Jesus Christ by calling Richardson a Judas are inapt.

There's more...

This is an (almost) unbelievable item from TPM Horse's Mouth
(http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/horsesm outh/2008/01/cnn_says_no_mor.php)

After Obama Complaints, CNN Bans James Carville And Paul Begala From Appearing As Analysts Until Dem Primary Is Settled

Don't like the message? Time to kill the messenger! As Greg Sargent reports:

I've just learned that CNN has told top Dem strategists James Carville, Paul Begala, and Robert Zimmerman -- who are CNN mainstays but are all Hillary supporters -- that they will not be doing any more political analysis on the network until the Democratic primary has reached a conclusion.

I'm also told that this move came after the Obama campaign repeatedly complained to high level officials at CNN about the presence of Carville and Begala on the network.

Aaaah. The sweet smell of censorship. Sponsored by the mainstream media, encouraged by a presidential campaign, and endorsed by our friends in the liberal blogosphere:

Carville and Begala's presence on CNN has led to criticism for the network in the past. A few months ago the liberal blogosphere roundly condemned CNN for presenting them as neutral observers without identifying them clearly and frequently as Hillary supporters. In response to the criticism, CNN started identifying them as Hillary backers....

..."People inside CNN are surprised," one person involved with CNN programming told me. "No other network buckled to this political pressure. CNN has removed from its lineup top analysts who know about the national political scene."

But Donna Brazile, Ariana Huffington, Jesse Jackson Jr. and the cadre of Obama supporters who grace the studios of CNN have not been banned. Now how exactly does that work?

Guess we can't call it the Clinton News Network any more.

There's more...

We are putting the Band back together. Carville and Begala are BACK!

http://bourbonroom.blogs.foxnews.com/200 8/01/08/back-to-the-future/#comment-698

Im an old Clintonite.  I originally worked for Harkin, who I was hired by to run XXXXX. After he withdrew from the race, I became a labor rep for Clinton in my home state caucus, did outreeach to XXXXXXX, XXXXXX and XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX and then I went to xxxxx where we won that state and the general election.  

I write that background, which Id rather keep in the "background" (In review, I actually just removed any identifying info - because, well, you'll see...) because I truly have been shocked at how crazy Mark Penn's "strategy" has been.  I have had serious problems with him and have agreed with the condemnation of him,  both from inside the campaign and out.  Its time that we loyal Clintonites point out the obvious.  Penn's strategy and attitude have damaged Hllary's campaign.  Its best we accept this now at the very beginning of this process, correct our heading and move on to win delegates.

Up to now, Penn has made this campaign about him.  He has actively worked to block others from contributing wiser counsel.  To him, its all been about his polling.  Stupid.  He has let down Mrs. Clinton.  Her job has been to hit the road, give the speeches, win the debates.  No fair person can question that she has done very, very well at all those roles.  But the thinking, the strategy, the response - has all been a mess since October 30th when Tim Russert  and the full GE/NBC crew decided to join hand in hand with the Obama campaign and work to damage Hillary.  Did you see Penn's response on "Morning Joe that next day?  Pathetic.   Does anyone think that Carville or Paul Begala would have allowed that situation to take place?  The ridiculousness of the "kindergarten BS?  What idiocy was his response was to that 100% fake controversy!  Madness.

Understand folks this is why Gore FIRED MARK PENN'S ASS IN 2000!

There's never been anyone nicer or harder working than Patti Solis Doyle, but my God, Hillary is running against the frigging Daley MACHINE here - nice wasnt gonna cut it!  The Obama fans think that team clinton has been 'dirty".  Thats just so stupid. (Heres a hint, anyone who actually believed that Bob Kerrey was trying to insuult and hurt Obama doesnt know what they are talking about...or Bob Kerrey.  Anyone who thinks that Shaheen's words were planned and that he was talking for Hillary and not just recklessly, off the cuff to a reporter, doesnt know what they are talking about. Carville and Begala wouldnt have let those BS "scandals' begin, yet alone blossom)  The truth is Obama's campaign has been BRUTAL, with Gibbs using disproved gop-msm attack lines like the Clintons "sold out the Lincoln Bedroom" and Obama repeating the disproved Gerth lines about the Clintons "twenty year plan" over and over and over, including this post sunday night.  The Daley folks play rough! (How many of you Obama folks truly dont understand that Obama IS the Daley Machine.  But now, dressed up, hip, handsome, biracial and with a Harvard degree?  All of ya, huh.  Well, thats gonna have to change!)

It's time for HARDBALL!

Carville is smarter, harder, tougher, more tenacious and better than you folks think he is. A truly brilliant strategic thinker.  Begala, who I  like tons, is a wonderful message guy.  The very best.  He's a true believer and a true fighter.  He will never give up, never, not until the last dog dies.  Axelrod ( a very smart ex Clintonite himself) was wiping the floor with Penn - brainpower wise. Those days are now GONE!  Penn really was no match for Axelrod and Gibbs.  Carville and Paul are.

Man - what a waste its taken this long to get rid of Penns influence.  What a fool, he is the worst spokesman Ive EVER seen and his "no bounce" memo was written days early and obviously was way wrong.  Send that fool back to Gucci Gulch.  Ive even heard he's been overruling Mandy Grunwald's ideas and the brilliant Harold Ickes too.  No one fights harder than those two and it seems Penn has been blocking them at every turn.  They are two of the smartest, hardest people I have ever met or known.  Ever.  That Penn was overruling them was Madness.  

I am on record for saying that i wish for  Hillary/Obama ticket.  I have felt that way for a long time, but most recently I have realized that Penn is such a terrible "strategist" that one great reason to join forces for November would be to have Axelrod take over as the campigns number one going into the general.  The man has shown has skills. I still feel that way bout Clinton/Obama.  The idea that many have that it is going to be EASY, a cakewalk to beat the GOP is sheer folly and foolishness.  Ravings from the unexperienced. I still think Obama loses at the head of the ticket and that Hillary/Obama is unbeatable. In ruth, I think that if McCin is theeir nominee, its our ONLY winning ticket. Experience and Passion.  We win back the White House and we keep it for 16 years!

We are putting the band back together, we can and will win this thing now!  Remember what happened the last time that EVERYONE in politics, the Party and the Media, all but diehard Clintonites counted them out and said it wasnt a question of if they'd hve to quit, but when? Well, they and we stayed and fought and ...two republican Speakers had to quit.  

James and Paul are back.  Now in charge! Happy Day Indeed!

Chris Bowers has shown how the delegate math works.  
( http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?dia ryId=3106)
Hillary will likely be leading in delegate count after Feb 5, even if we continue at this horrible level we are at now.  Even after we lose in SC and if we lose NV.  But when actual Dems only get to vote - we will pick up delegates.  The media doesnt understand this.  (Neither does Stoller it seems! LOL!) Folks, they are idiots.  Every last one of their village of 500. They dont know anything about actual politics.  Team obama has been able to use that as a great advantage, James and Paul wont let that happen.  Those days are now gone.  

The reports of our Death have been utterly premature!

There's more...