The Clinton campaign keeps claiming an advantage for Hillary because she can win the big states, such as Pennsylvania and Ohio and Obama can’t.

Win these states? These are primaries, against Obama not McCain, where also she often has the advantage of support from officials such as Pennsylvania’s governor and Philidelphia’s mayor.

It is nonsense to contend that Obama would not do well in these states. Does Clinton believe that those who voted for her in the primaries will suddenly become Republicans?

SUB-ROSA NEWS

MCCAIN REFUSES TO TAKE VP OFFER

From his front porch in Sedona, Arizona, Senator McCain held a brief press conference to deny any interest in being the vice presidential candidate on a ticket headed by Senator Clinton. Showing traces of his well known hot temper, the Senator berated the Clintons for spreading rumors of such a bipartisan ticket. (off the record, he used the word "monster")

He disposed of the thought of any meeting with Senator Clinton, saying that any such meeting would be secret and " how the ___ could a meeting be secret if I talked about it?".

The conference concluded with the Senator noting that he was already the candidate in first place and asking " Can't those _____ Democrat candidates ever find a worthy Democrat?"



MSNBC CANCELS TUCKER CARLSON SHOW

In a press release today, cable network MSNBC announced that it is canceling the Tucker Carlson program, effective at the end of this week. It explained that it had run out of time slots for the show. In its 33-month run, Carlson's show has had two names, four time slots and multiple formats. MSNBC's prime time slots were already taken by the Chris Matthews re-run, Keith Oberman, Dan Abrams, and at 10 p.m by its heralded investigation program.

The network's coveted 6 p.m. time slot will be filled by either Lou Dobbs or Ann Coulter, depending on the outcome of pending negotiations.



ANTI-PLAGIARISM GROUPS JOIN FORCES

The Plagiarism Watchdog Group and the Committee for Honesty in Speeches announced today the formation of a joint venture to monitor, call out and criticize plagiarism in political speeches. This action comes in the wake of the dust-up over the use of lines previously used and suggested by his friend Deval Patrick, Governor of Massachusetts.

The announcement included these examples considered to range from beyond the pale to reprehensible:

"mistakes have been made", used by countless politicians and office holders after its introduction by President Warren Harding.

"It is time for a new beginning", obviously not original with the speaker; likewise, "time to turn the page" and "We're a better, stronger country than we were four years ago."

"Don't change horses in midstream" used by George W. Bush, probably lifted from FDR.

"Tax and spend party", originated by Ronald Reagan, repeated by Republican candidates.

"Call upon the better angels of our nature", stolen from Abraham Lincoln.

"I stand here on the shoulders of others", often copied from the speeches of others.

"Change", and "fired up and ready to go", from Obama, to Clinton, McCain, and others.

"God Bless You and God Bless America", signature line from George Bush, copied by many with impunity and without attribution.

"I'll be ready on Day One", lifted from Hillary Clinton and used by many, including Shaquille O'Neal

Yahoo and Murdoch Said to Be in Talks

Yahoo executives, marketing consultants, and web designers are now considering changes to the Yahoo front page. There is agreement on the masthead:

YAHOO - Honoring the Legacy of George W. Bush

Other entries under consideration are:

The Wall Street Journal (link) - The World's Newspaper

The Iraq Nation - a story of success

The Pat Robertson Page

Television: Fox News - the Really Balanced Network (link)

Politics: The Perfidy of the Democrats.

The Rupert Murdock Story - Pathway to Greatness