The Brian Lehrer Show

I would love to know how Obama is going to handle the press attacking him now that he is the "front runner." For example, last night CHris Matthews asked an Obama rep about a legislative achievement that his candidate had, while not asking the Clinton rep a similar question.

sorry, but this thing is over. and Hillary already decided to go negative, and she will continue in that direction. the way that Texas breaks down is that Latino voters are younger there than elsewhere and are therefore more likely to vote for Obama. also, the delegates are based on 2004 turnout- so Dallas and Houston have more sway than they might otherwise. Thus the african american vote is almost equal to that of the latino vote...and there are caucuses at the end of the night. so he will win Texas. yesterday the polls in texas were 50-48- today they will go further towards Obama.

How can McCain claim foreign policy experience when every Bush foreign policy he's supported has been an unmitigated disaster?

OBAMA AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

In Wisconsin exit polls, Wisconsin voters narrowly PREFERRED Obama to Clinton as commander-in-chief.

any voter that claims he or she doesn't know enough about obama's record is not expending enough effort to learn about him. just because the media is not reporting on obama's record/policies, does not mean he doesn't have them. i'm quite tired of voters who don't expend enough effort to really research their candidates.

I am a democrat. If Obama is the Democratic party candidate, I will either vote for McCain or not vote at all. That means a de facto vote for McCain.

"Obama is an unknown commodity" and "there are too many gaps"...what does this mean? Read Obama's two books, and you'll know exactly what he's been doing ever since he graduated from Harvard Law School. Make an effort! Learn about your candidates!

Good for you Taher. I am not a Democrat but left leaning and if Hillary is the Dem candidate, I will not vote for her nor McCain. That means a defacto vote for McCain.

This is one independent [who has always voted Democrat] who will sit out this election rather then vote for Barack Obama.. the fancy platitudes , mr smooth...the mass media obsession with an empty suit...Democrats say hello to President MCcain!!

As an Independent (usually a conservative) if John McCain is the Republican nominee, I will vote for Obama. Why? We need to clean house throughout this country. Lifetime politicians and corrupt corporations that run the government need to go.

I also am a life long Democrat, but like your other callers I would vote for the Republican candidate for President this Fall if Mrs. Clinton is not the nominee. Mr. Obama is too much of an unknown for my comfort. He is a great orator, but if were it not for television, I don't think Americans would even be considering his candidacy seriously.

They will get what they asked for as they did with Bush. Masochists all of them. How sad the american electorate are. Yikes. We ARE doomed. I need a drink (and I'm allergic to alcohol!!)

Obama belongs to a black nationalist church.

is that going to be an issue?

So, if Hilary's not the candidate, these people are gonna just drop voting for a democrat all together? All this Obama anxiety is rooted in assumptions. Forget about how these candidates make you "feel". Look at what they want to do, plain and simple. I don't see how McCain can be more appealing than Obama, but that might be generational.

harvery, have you read anything about obama? have you read about his history, his policies, or his record? it's out there. put forth some effort and you'll be happy with the soon-to-be democratic nominee.

Of all the issues out there the supreme court has to be one of the most important. Once that is overwhelmingly fixed as a conservative bastion (as it surely will be if McCain wins)it won't matter WHO the president is for the next 50 years. If you are a democrat you have to vote the party this year - now more than ever it is not just about the next 4 years.

Joan R. #29,

I respect your views but I am worried about Hlllary vs. McCain. He beats her on her supposed strengths of experience and toughness. She will be playing in his arena. But with Obama, there is a huge contrast. Even just the appearance. She is effectively one generation younger than McCain, he is 2. Obama is very camera-friendly, McCain is not. McCain is yesterday, Obama is tomorrow (and you could argue that Hillary is yesterday). So I am concerned about the same issue but I see it differently.

well said Chris [33]! Seriously dems, 4 supreme court justices will be in their 80s' by 2016. Vote for the party!

After listening to this segment i am thoroughly convinced that even in liberal erudite new york there is an extremely uninformed group of voters who can't be bothered to pick up a book and read! Obviously this group of so called democrats receive most of their information about their candidates of choice from entertainment programs like the evening news.

if you don't know anything about McCain nor Obama...stop relying on the gossip columns and the political spin masters! visit your local library and sort it out!

It never seizes to amaze me how scared of the unknown American Citizens are now. Look back to the founding of this country. EVERYTHING was unknown. I don't understand since people are unsure of Obama's experience/background they will instead vote for a candidate who they KNOW goes against the very foundation of what they support. I want more diversity in politics and business, for that matter. People that are open-minded, ask questions, pool resources, find strength in differences and work together to create something better is what we need and is fundamentally American. Let's, for once, put our faith in each other and figure it out together. Obama is helping to motivate this very thought and we can turn it into action. This is a wonderful opportunity.

Unfortunately people don't understand what their vote really means. It's like the guy in Florida who says "hey man, Bush isn't my fault, I voted for Nader in 2000."

The Supreme Court is the primary issue for most people who care about morality (modern secular doing right by people), and freedom. That sounds a lot like Democrats to me.

this racist country is not ready to elect a black man to the presidency.

i will on the other hand be voting for the democratic nominee

clinton, I agree. "I just don't know a thing about him" is a lame excuse

Harvey

Have you taken a look at the number of places where Obama has given speeches? If anything he has underperformed during the TV debates.

And to all you who ignore.. just log on and learn about the candidates!

For starters, learn about his voting record in the

Senate:

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/o000167/votes/

We already know that someone with very little experience can be President. He's been sitting in the White House for the last 8 years. Compared to him, Obama has a wealth of knowledge and experience in both legislating and foreign policy experience. As a former Illinois resident, who helped put Obama in the Senate, I know enough about him to know that he is capable of doing the job. I have always admired Clinton and ideally I would like to see them both on the ticket, although I see it increasingly unlikely.

But to simply say he can't beat McCain, is not true. How did Bush beat Al Gore, a long-term Senator, and VP for 8 years?!? How did Bush beat John Kerry, long-term Senator? Both of those opponents outweighed GWB in experience by leaps and bounds, and yet he still won. Why? People wanted a change. People want a change now, too.

It really bothers me that so many people in NYC are anti-Obama, but for what I truly suspect are hidden reasons they aren't really willing to admit. Is it racism? I don't know. Is it that he has a Muslim background, even though he is not, nor ever has been of that faith? Possibly. All I know is that it feels shameful sometimes when I hear hollow reasons for dislike for Obama, when I think there are deeper, more personal reasons.

The Democrats have two really great choices, as opposed to the Republicans' choices between the lesser of evils. How can such a choice for the Democrats spawn such anger and divisiveness.

I am a life long Democrat and quite liberal. If Obama is the Democratic nominee, I will have to vote for McCain. It will be the first time that I vote non Democrat in my entire life.

Senator Obama is a wonderful orator, and very likeable, but it takes more than rhetoric and charm to lead our country, especially now.

His policies are inconsistent and I feel his lack of experience in foreign policy is dangerous.

So, never say never, if it comes to it, I have to vote McCain.

hjs, you're not an American and you post from outside the country so we do you use the word "our" how come you don't have the guts to tell people where you're really from?

If it aint gonna be Hillary I'm votin McCain because at least he was tortured and we owe himsomething as a war veteran with Barack Ohama it's like who the heck is this guy. And yes, he does look like a member of the Mickey Mouse club and he doesn't even need a hat.

Remember - the democrats (and the way they run my party) are the ones who brought us John Kerry (and ultimately George Bush)and disenfranchised two states in the primary season. I am looking for a competent party that furthers the values of the spectrum from left to center. My party keeps shooting itself in the foot and letting crazy hawks run away with the economy (or did I mean to say war machine economy)and it's going to happen again. (Who knows what Bloomie has up his sleeve).

i definitely feel several things going on here that make me unhappy.

1. the insurgent democratic candidate who mobilizes the youth vote starts to have old guard withdraw party support because they would rather lose than have a signifigant change in the party's power structure.

2. bitter clinton supporters who's sense of taking her candidacy so personally that they cannot support someone who upsets her, despite the closeness of their positions on issues.

3. the refusal of the clinton camp to stick to the high ground in a losing race. this selfish destructive inner-party campaigning just lessens the chance of a democrat in the white house. ("oh well, better a republican than someone besides hillary!" they say, "obama's such an unknown quantity")

4. this is an absolutely crucial presidency for democrats, as an earlier poster has expressed, for supreme court reasons alone. McCain's election will probably lead to a repeal of the roe v. wade decision!

5. the issues do matter!!! and that is why i support barrack obama.

pull it together democrats, your potential future president needs you to think/act/vote for the greater good.

I can't believe that people would vote for McCain over Obama. On what issue, exactly? Because you support the war in Iraq, the way McCain does?

Linda didn't you notice that GWB was not elected but appointed? It had nothing to do with change!

ab I feel like many democrats I hear - I like Obama for a lot of reasons but I think Hillary is smarter and tougher and it has nothing to do with racism, in my case, or sexism.

Shame on all you folks who assume that the Hillary supporter who might support McCain in the fall is a racist. I've posted before about how I prefer Hillary, but, granting everyone the fact that racism exists in America, I resent being told that I'm racist because I'm undecided between Obama and McCain.

This is why liberalism gets a bad name in America and why the Democrats see this split between so-called Starbucks voters and Wal-Mart voters (pundits use different names, but you get the drift). Starbucks voters can be a pretty arrogant lot, as exemplified by this garbage about how Hillary-as-first-choice-but-McCain-as-second-choice voters must hate blacks.

You can disagree about the validity of the complaints against Obama, but no one should assume they're rooted in racism. Questioning someone's ability to deliver on the rhetoric has nothing to do with racism. Preferring someone who has actually proposed universal health care in the past has nothing to do with racism. Preferring someone who won't automatically lose an election that turns on a national security scare has nothing to do with racism. Realizing that McCain is not George W. has nothing to do with racism.

So enough with the racism charges, or else you're going to send people into the McCain camp in the fall not because they hate Obama, but because they hate Obama's supporters.

#62 - It is quite a leap for a lifelong Democrat and liberal to vote for McCain especially since Obama is a lifelong Democrat and a liberal. I could understand not wanting to vote for the triangulator, Republican-lite. It really requires explanation beyond doubt of experience. You speak of experience in foreign policy. Well, Cheney and Rumsfeld and Powell have vast experience, look what we got. I don't care about their experience, I care about their policies and principles, and who they walk with.

In good faith and an attempt to understand, does your view have anything to do with concern about Israel?

Andy - look at the McCain campaign - he fell into last place for a long time and now he is front runner! It ain't over till it's over for Hillary and Barack. The race is neck in neck. And the conclusions of all the varying primaries are confusing too because some are caucuses, some are open - and the party itself is an issue. It keeps failing us.

I agree with chestine, even though she stole my name a long time ago.........

bob,

I was born in USA, I grew up in NJ and I've lived in NYC for 10 years.

we don't have to be 'foreign' to look at OUR country critically. OUR country is on a downward spiral and putting your head in the sand isn't going to change that.

It is very disturbing to read that many people would vote for McCain over Obama simply because he has more experience. Let's begin voting on the issues folks. If you want to know more about Senator Obama, I suggest that you listen to Brian Lehrer's discussion of Obama's record at http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/01/21#segment92181. It is very informative. As a young person(I am 25 years old) and a law student, I am very inspired by Senator Obama and the change that he represents. All of my peers are inspired as well. This is the first time that we feel as though we have a candidate that represents our needs and perspectives. Its time to move forward.

Chris O never fails to play the anti-Israel card, no matter what the topic...

Wow, there is a lot to say, but I will only say this. As voters, dem or repubs, we have to look more at the facts and not the spin. Look for primary source material so make you mind.

As far as the Clinton supporters and their reactions, I would hope that they feel this way from the initial shock and anger that thier candidate seems to be losing. I would hope that once Mr. Obama wins the nomination that they take the time to listen and realize that he is a great candidate and offers a superior opportunity to take our country in a profound change toward the better.

I would remind everyone that Mr. Obama has created a vast network of volunteers and organization that has out campaigned the Clintons that had the entire establishment including big money behind them. He has managed his campaign and finances better. He has engaged many more voters than in the past and he has asked us to get involved in our government. The fact that he wants us to get involved should show you he wants to be held accountable. That is something new and powerful.

Re: Clinton "experience" vs Obama "experience":

It's not always an issue of how much experience you have but what you do with that experience. I am astounded that after 8 years as First Lady, and presumably grasping the danger of Bush's unilateral "go it alone" / "rush to war" approach to Iraq, that H.C. would vote war powers for Bush and then say it was intended to give him a diplomatic required stick against Iraq. A real dilpomatic stick would have required the support of a strong coallition of the worlds leading nations earned through years of diplomacy and long tern success in Afganistan. With so much "experience" how could she (and so many other Dems) have shown such poor, poor judgement. This is how: She simply "bet the farm" that the Iraq invasion would be a success and drank the neocon Kool Aid.

John McCain's adherence to Bush's policies is equally depressing. Continued use of unilateral militarism as the foundation of foreign / defence policy will ultimatly prove to be the "Maginot Line" of the 21st century. As for Obama, if he vigorously gets himself out in front of the American people in a straightforward enthusiastic way, he will win. If his campaign drifts into a shallow hip "dark side" of vague "hopes" recited in slick videos and starts to just look like an advertizing rollout for the latest Ipod, people will be turned off and reject him. At least that's my opinion.

Dear Mr. Lehrer, I have been listening to your radio program for many years. I have always had great appreciation for the ways you deal in depth with substantive issues and for the impartiality you show when bringing controversial matters up for discussion. It was therefore surprising to me when this morning David Cruz, your replacement today, while discussing the Obama-Clinton race, decided to accept only three calls from listeners, all of them from women who said they were democrats who would prefer to vote for McCain rather than for Obama should the latter be the democratic candidate. This at best shows a lack of sensitivity to the issue. Since you have screeners for the calls you ought to be able to determine who intends to say what before the caller goes on air and thus offer to your listeners a more balanced set of viewpoints. Obviously, based on the results we have seen in the primaries, there are more people shifting from Clinton to Obama than vice-versa.

Sincerely

Hernan

I would like to know who was screening the calls for the show today?

I find it hard to believe that there were no Obama supporters out there?

I hope you are reporting the news/views and not creating it.

What an odd segment. Was it screened to only have people who are against Obama? Usually WNYC is at pains to highlight every single viewpoint. I'm not sure what happened here.

Of course I am not playing the anti-Israeli card, as Megan provocatively accuses me. Barry, now #27 said he is a lifelong Democrat and liberal and I wondered how he could vote for McCain, a lifelong Republican and conservative, over Obama, a lifelong Dem and liberal. It makes no sense - how could this be? So I asked whether it has to do with Israel, since there are smear campaigns against Obama, some of which have taken root in the Jewish community. If Barry says yes, then I would understand. But alas, Barry may never answer my good faith question.

Just a note that the question to callers in this segment was posed to independents or Clinton supporters who may be swayed towards McCain if Obama is indeed the Democratic candidate. Thus, the calls that were brought to air reflected this initial request for comments.

While the BL Show does occasionally do "open phones" we also try to solicit specific perspectives and angles that are of interest to our listeners.

Thanks for listening, and for keeping the comments on this board productive. Best,

-BL Show-