How Obama Can Trump the Experience Card

Many pundits ruled out Obama victory early

(NEWSER) - With the election over, what's more fun than calling out all those whose predictions were off—way off. Der Spiegel lists some highlights:

• "He cannot win, Bill. He cannot win." Hillary Clinton, on Barack Obama
• "We'll win Florida." Rudy Giuliani
• "Virginians are really getting fired up for this ticket of McCain and Palin." George Allen
• "Romney for the Republicans, Hillary for the Democrats." Ann Coulter, on the nominees

Negative campaigning is more memorable and brings out voters

(NEWSER) - Except for a few barbs here and there, the 2008 campaign has been as polite as a tea party, and that's not a good thing, reports Reuters. Though many assume negative campaigning turns off voters, it's the negative details that stick and actually spur voters to cast a ballot, researchers say. "Democracy itself requires negativity," says one professor. "We want the right to be critical of those in power." More»

Politico's Simon sees candidate serving voters a steaming bowl of ... porridge

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton works hard to stay in the middle, presenting herself as the "just right" choice between extremes by modulating her language incredibly carefully and emphasizing that she is the only candidate with the experience to effect change. The Politico's Roger Simon looks at a barnstormer so consistent that the length of her stump speech varies by only seconds. More»

Frontrunners dominate Iowa event

(NEWSER) - In a more-amiable-than-usual war of words, the Democrats debated this morning in Iowa, the locale of the pivotal first primary. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards dominated the 90-minute discussion moderated by ex-Bill Clinton aide George Stephanopolous, the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza reports, playing it safe as the lower-tier contenders circled. More»

Clinton chided Obama for untabling nukes— like she did last year

(NEWSER) - A year before Hillary Clinton blasted Barack Obama’s prohibition on nukes against Pakistan, she made one on using them in Iran. The AP reports the frontrunner’s head-shaking rebuke last week—no “president should make any blanket statements” about nuke use—doesn't jibe with her own position last year. “I would certainly take nuclear weapons off the table,” Clinton said in April 2006. More»