Justin Webb's America

Youngsters and seniors

• Justin Webb
• 27 Jan 08, 10:28 PM GMT

WASHINGTON DC: I wonder if my wife captured the essence of the Obama message to young people when - half-watching his victory address from the sofa - she mis-heard the chant "Yes we can!"

"Why are they shouting 'Next weekend!'?" she asked.

Rather a fitting rallying cry for a campaigned fuelled so much by cheery youngsters, with time on their hands and hookups political and personal on their minds.

On a weightier note: this from the Boston Globe on what appears to be a highly significant endorsement, following the Caroline Kennedy New York Times op-ed:

"Kennedy confidantes told the Globe today that the Bay State's senior senator will appear with Obama and Kennedy's niece, Caroline Kennedy, at a morning rally at American University in Washington tomorrow to announce his support. That will be a potentially significant boost for Obama as he heads into a series of critical primaries on Super Tuesday, Feb 5."

Let's hope the senior senator steers clear of senior moments like the one hilariously captured here...

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Obama over Bill

• Justin Webb
• 27 Jan 08, 02:30 AM GMT

WASHINGTON DC: The biggest issue after this Obamonster win is surely the future of the president. Not Bush, Clinton. Two facts from South Carolina: the first that Bill Clinton's advocacy was of marginal importance, at best, in a place where he has a real constituency (black people).

To quote the AP on the exit polls: "Bill Clinton's campaigning in the state was cited as an important factor by nearly six in 10 voters. Overall, those who said it was important voted in favour of Obama, though by smaller margins than those who said it was unimportant, suggesting the former president's effort may have helped Hillary Clinton slightly."

I see that President Clinton - did I really hear him tell an admiring audience the other day that he was not in politics any more? - has been out comparing Obama with Jesse Jackson. Is that just a touch heavy-handed?

This is an interesting endorsement just in, but where is the Endorser-in-Chief: Oprah? I saw someone on CNN (I think) suggesting she "man marks" Bill around the South now - why not?

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