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Daily Archives: Jan. 8, 2008
Hillary showed she is human
Jan. 8, 20081:11 p.m.
Hillary Clinton’s vulnerable campaign moment Monday, when her eyes welled with tears and her voice broke, has pundits debating whether voters will see this as a sign of weakness or a rare authentic moment from a guarded and overscripted candidate.
The media are making too much of it. It’s not a big deal. After all, Mitt Romney has had more than one teary moment in recent weeks. If anything, it shows Clinton in a more human light — and for her, that’s a positive.
The problem is bad timing. After months on the campaign trail, she finally gave voters a glimpse of her personal, emotional connection to this race. But it probably comes too late to make a difference. And coming on the eve of her likely loss today, it will be seen by some as self-pitying and manipulative.
Obama, Huckabee appeal to hope, not fear
Jan. 8, 20081:08 p.m.
New York Times columnist Frank Rich on Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee:
“The two men are the youngest candidates in the entire field, the least angry and the least inclined to seek votes by saturation-bombing us with the post-9/11 arsenal of fear. They both radiate the kind of wit and joy (and, yes, hope) that can come only with self-confidence and a comfort in their own skins.â€
Meanwhile, columnist David Brooks contrasted the differing leadership styles of Obama and John McCain, both of whom appeal to independents and want to end the political gridlock : “Obama and McCain both offer ways to end this gridlock. Obama wants us to rise above it by rediscovering our commonalities. McCain hopes (to) smash it with fierce honesty and independent action.â€
Clinton era may be over
Jan. 8, 20081:04 a.m.
The Clinton team touted New Hampshire as a friendly “firewall†state that would stop Sen. Barack Obama’s roaring momentum after his Iowa caucus victory, but that strategy appears to have gone up in smoke.
On the eve of the New Hampshire primary, several polls showed Obama with a double-digit lead over Hillary Clinton, with independents breaking decisively for him.
She’s almost certainly going to lose New Hampshire, which means she’ll likely lose South Carolina, too. And then Obama’s momentum will be hard to stop. Are we witnessing the end of the Clinton era in Democratic politics? Sure looks like it.
Review security gaps at City Hall
Jan. 8, 20081:02 a.m.
The Monday crash involving an angry man who drove his car through City Hall might be dismissed as just an isolated, bizarre incident. But what if the car had been packed with explosives?
Al-Qaida might not be an immediate threat in Wichita. But the threat of domestic terror attacks such as the bombing that devastated Oklahoma City must be taken seriously.
“It certainly exposed a weakness in our system,†said Chris Carrier, the city director of public works.
City and county officials should review security and shore up vehicle barriers at public buildings to guard against this kind of vehicular assault.
No free ride, no lottery cash for kids
Jan. 8, 20081:01 a.m.
A Reader Views letter writer on today’s Opinion pages puts forth two of the most persistent notions in Kansas — that the Kansas Turnpike would one day be toll-free and that the Kansas Lottery would fund public schools.
Any thinking that the turnpike, built in 22 months and opened Oct. 25, 1956, would end up a freeway was put to rest by its initial lower-than-projected revenues. Over the years, more bonding has occurred to pay for improvements. No tax dollars support the turnpike.
Though 70 percent of Kansans in a 1985 survey favored using lottery money for public education, the law that passed the Legislature and won voters’ support the next year earmarked the revenue for statewide reappraisal, economic development and prison construction.
Must-see TV for open government
Jan. 8, 20081:00 a.m.
Many defining local decisions are made by the 14-member Metropolitan Area Planning Commission, chaired by M.S. “Mitch†Mitchell. Yet few citizens can attend its Thursday afternoon meetings. So good for the city of Wichita for deciding to add the commission meetings to the schedule of the city’s cable Channel 7, starting at 9 p.m. Friday. Letting more people see what goes on at these meetings will serve open government, which is why Vice Mayor Sharon Fearey has sought the broadcasts. Now, can’t city officials find a better time slot?
