Tone mellows before primary

By Ryan Alessi
RALESSI@HERALD-LEADER.COM

While Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton appears poised for a big victory in Kentucky's primary Tuesday, it could be a case of winning the battle but losing the war.

The May 20 elections in the Bluegrass State and Oregon could effectively deliver Barack Obama the nomination if he collects enough delegates from those two states to push him over the necessary threshold of 2,025. He needed roughly 150 more delegates before Tuesday's contest in West Virginia.

Perhaps sensing the end is near, both candidates have changed tones in their rhetoric during speeches in Kentucky and focused on party unity and defeating Republicans instead of each other. This transition from primary race mentality to general election campaign talk could help explain why Kentucky isn't receiving the same level of attention experienced by other states with recent primaries, such as Indiana and North Carolina.

Obama and Clinton have each given one speech in Kentucky this month and both were focused largely on unifying the party and replacing the Republicans in the White House.

"There may be some bruised feelings and people may be frustrated ... but Democrats are going to be unified," Obama said in Louisville Monday night, which could be his only stop in Kentucky after he cancelled a Tuesday stop in Lexington to return to Washington for Senate votes.

Obama argued that the protracted race has had some benefits to the party. "First of all, this long contest has meant that every person across this country has had a chance to vote," he said.

Democrats in West Virginia got their chance Tuesday and, as predicted, overwhelmingly picked Clinton.

Kentucky and Oregon voters are up next. And some observers and even Clinton-supporters say the results from those states could afford both candidates reasons to finally end this contest, which began in early 2007.

"It might well be a good time because she'll obviously carry West Virginia today and Kentucky next week," said Terry McBrayer, a former Kentucky Democratic Party chairman and longtime Clinton supporter who will serve as a superdelegate at the party's August convention in Denver.

Kentucky would give Clinton her chance to end on a high note, he acknowledged.

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Comments

[KYJurisDoctor]

"it could be a case of winning the battle but losing the war."

If you remove "it could be" and replace it with "it IS" you'll get it right.

[Obama for President]

For all you folks out there who complain about the amount of "experience" Obama has check out these facts:

Experience:

* Barack Obama - elected politician for 10 years before running for President.
-- State Senate 1997-2004,
-- US Senate 2005 - present

* Hillary R. Clinton
-- State Senator 2001 - present
- elected politician for 6 years before running for President

* Ronald Reagan
- - Governor of California 1967 - 1975
- elected politician for 1 year before running for President in 1968 - he lost that bid.
- elected politician for 8 years BUT out of politics for 1 year before running for President in 1976 - he lost that bid.
- elected politician for 8 years BUT out of politics for 5 years before running for President in 1980 - he finally won that bid.

* Abraham Lincoln
-- State Representative 1834 - 1842
-- U.S. House of Representatives 1847-1849
- elected politician for total of 10 years BUT held NO elected political office for 11 years directly before running for President in 1860.

* Thomas Jefferson
It should be pointed out here that Thomas Jefferson had only held an elected office for 1 year, and was only 33 years old when he drafted the "Declaration of Independence."

Looking at what Jefferson accomplished with 1 year of political experience, I guess there really is a lot to be said for a young man who has not been tarnished with experience in political corruption and the good that untarnished person CAN do for a country.

[Obama too liberal]

You know, 12:43, you are right. There have been others with little government experience who have been elected president. So how about this, Obama is too liberal. His solution to everything is to let the government take it over, and raise your taxes. When you hear CHANGE, think HIGHER TAXES. That is not the answer to our challenges.

[obama is wrong for america]

Pastor Wrong is enough corruption for this kentuclian! If Obama is our nominee I will be voting for McCain!

[Clear choice]

Some people want to paint Obama as the next JFK. Well, in the famous words of LLoyd Bentsen, "(Barack), you are no John Kennedy!"
Neither is he a Jefferson, Lincoln, or Reagan. He is a product of the Chicago political machine and the blame-america-first church of Rev. Wright...hardly a background to produce statesmanship.

McCain spilled his blood, broke his bones, was imprisoned and tortured off and on for 5 1/2 years, and almost died in a foreign land to serve his country. He knows the dangerous world in which we live. He is not naive enough to think you can negotiate with lunatics like Ahmadinejad or Chavez. His own son served in Iraq to no fanfare.

John McCain entered politics out of the inspiration of Ronald Reagan. There are things in his long record of public service that all of us can applaud, and others that each of us may disagree with. However, he is a consensus builder who is not afraid to cross the aisle to get things done. He has strong convictions, but is no idealogue. His record is that of a moderate conservative, much in line with mainstream and main street America.

McCain will tackle America's immense challenges with bipartisan support. He will decisively deal with the unavoidable mess in Iraq in a way that honors the sacrifice of so many men and women, and insures the future security of the U. S. We will be much safer with him as Commander in Chief.
To me, McCain is clearly the stronger candidate, and more in tune with my values.

[historybuff]

Well then clear choice your morals and convictions don't ammount to much! Johnny McCAIN will probably not survive his first term to begin with. He shows his mental lapses already in the faux-pas in his speeches. The man can hardly read his teleprompted scripts. It doesn't surprise me that states like Virginia and Kentucky vote for the likes of McCain. I have travelled through the area and have visited acquaintances there and seen the true MASON-DIXON devide. I remember entering a restaurant in the area and was fawned over by our waiter,that is until Shania Twains drummer J.T. joined us.After waiting for over a half hour we literally had to grab our waiter for service. O yes J.T is black , and said this was common in that pert pf the country. Man, I was sure glad to be a Canadian at that juncture. You folks don't need to instruct other nations on how to treat their minorities, you have enough prejudice of your own. I guess the guy on the main street in Virgina said it all with his 'White Power" sign. Man big country ....small minds.

[Clear choice]

Hey, you uppity numbskull at 3:31, you were being overly sensitive; some restaurants in Kentucky give EVERYONE poor service, regardless of color. And, I can't speak for Virginia, but in Kentucky, they are not "minorities"; they are our friends, neighbors, fellow church members, co-workers, and family...just a little more tanned. For heaven's sake, my son-in-law is black and my granddaughter is beautifully bi-racial, just like Barack, and my son-in-law is for McCain, too. So take your judgmental, uppity attitude not just north of the Mason-Dixon line, but somewhere where the sun doesn't shine!