Speaking at the annual meeting of the Associated Press yesterday, Barack Obama offered up yet another expression of regret for his "bitter" remarks but again didn't apologize for them.

As I said yesterday, I regret some of the words I chose, partly because the way that these remarks have been interpreted have offended some people and partly because they've served as one more distraction from the critical debate that we must have in this election.

In other words, he doesn't accept the words offended some people, only that the way people interpreted them may have been offensive. And, he dismisses them as a "distraction."

He also repeated his life story: [More...]

In the grand scheme of things, I find this funnier than I do problematic, but hey, it's election season. Cindy McCain has been outed for using Food Network recipes on John McCain's website and passing them off as "McCain Family Recipes."

• Ahi Tuna with Napa Cabbage Salad (pdf) (I recommend adding a teaspoon or two of garlic chili sauce to the recipe so it's a real chili lime sauce)

• Passion Fruit Mousse (pdf)

• Farfelle Pasta with Turkey Sausage, Peas and Mushrooms (pdf).

Manfred Mann, 1976.

This is an open thread. See you all tomorrow.

Philadelphia Democrats held their Jefferson Jackson Dinner tonight. Both Hillary and Obama spoke separately.

Hillary rose above Bitter-Gate, never mentioning it, and included Obama in her praise:

"Neither Senator Obama nor myself could have dreamed we would be right here asking you for your votes," Clinton said, praising the pioneers of the civil rights and women's rights movements. "We are the beneficiaries of the work and sacrifice that so many of you and countless Americans have done over so many generations."

Obama went on the attack: [More...]

By Big Tent Democrat

Speaking for me only

While I think this Wall St Journal blog post Jeralyn pointed out to me is right that ARG is a lousy pollster, I do find it ironic that Survey USA's poll ranking survey is referenced, but its Pennsylvania poll showing Hillary Clinton ahead by 18 is not. Instead, this strange comment from the Quinnipiac pollster is featured:

I don’t see that much movement in Pennsylvania myself,” Mr. Richards said by phone from Harrisburg on Monday. . . . Both pollsters agreed that Sen. Obama hasn’t been hurt much by his remarks about small-town Pennsylvania voters last week. . . . Mr. Richards said, “My hunch is [the remarks] won’t make much of a difference because most voters who might feel insulted by his comments were already Clinton voters or [R]epublicans who weren’t going to vote for him, anyway.”

(Emphasis supplied.) I never trust a pollster who is providing me with punditry. Mr. Richards lost a lot of my trust with that. In addition his expectations of what tonight's polling is going to be also is bothersome. SUSA is the world's greatest pollster right now based on the record and based on behavior. Maybe the Media will notice some day.

Earlier, Big Tent Democrat wrote about the SUSA Indiana poll taken 4/11 to 4/13. Some additional notes (Full Poll Results here):

Of the 1,600 polled, only 571 were likely Democratic voters. Of those who identified themselves as Democrats.

Among the Democrats, 60% preferred Clinton to 37% who preferred Obama. Among Republicans, it was almost the reverse.

Among the age groups, Hillary had the 18 to 34 group by 49%, Obama was at 43%. As to the African American vote, Hillary had 23% to Obama's 72%.

Bump and Update: The Chicago Sun Times now has the testimony and more details, including that Michelle Obama was at the party and the date:

When Tony Rezko held a reception at his home for Iraqi-born billionaire Nadhmi Auchi on April 3, 2004, White House hopeful Barack Obama and his wife were also there, Stuart Levine testified just now at Rezko's trial.

Auchi is the man who provided Rezko a $3.5 million loan that Rezko did not disclose to the court -- resulting in his January arrest. "Mr. and Mrs. Obama were there, were they not?" Rezko lawyer Joseph Duffy asked. "Yes, sir," Levine said. Obama and his aides have said Obama has no recollection of ever meeting Auchi.

Here's the Sun-Times article about Obama meeting Auchi at the Four Seasons, which I reference below.

Original Post:

There was a surprise at the Tony Rezko trial today. The Government's star cooperating witness, Stuart Levine, said Barack Obama was at a party for Iraqi-born billionaire Nadhmi Auchi at Rezko's house. [More...]

By Big Tent Democrat

PPP has Obama up 20. Civitas has Obama up 18. The funny thing is these polls confirm what we have seen in the recent PA, IN, KY and WV polls, and in Ohio - demography is political destiny.

For example, in the PPP poll, Clinton leads among whites 51-35 and Obama leads among African Americans 90-10 (Interestingly, I think the Civitas poll seems much more favorable to Clinton as the undecided number is much higher for whites in that poll. To wit, it is probably a lot closer than 18.) Expected turnout in NC? 65% white, 35% A-A. Obama can lose whites 3-2 in NC and still win the state. In Indiana, Obama gets 35% of the white vote too. Problem is 90% of the electorate will be white in Indiana.

Obama on the campaign trail today:

“Around election time, the candidates can’t do enough. They'll promise you anything, give you a long list of proposals and even come around, with TV crews in tow, to throw back a shot and a beer,” Obama said, stirring laughter from an audience of steelworkers and steel industry executives.

First he mocks her as Annie Oakley, now he goes after her having a drink on a Saturday night (video here) -- something she's done with reporters in tow before.

Hillary hits back:

“With all due respect, this is the same politician who spent six days posing for clichéd camera shots that included bowling gutterballs, walking around a sports bar, feeding a baby cow, and buying a ham at the Philly market (albeit one that cost $99.99 a pound). Sen. Obama's speeches won’t hide his condescending views of Americans living in small towns," Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said in the statement.

By Big Tent Democrat

Speaking for me only

This is offensive:

Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) on Obama: "I'm going to tell you something: That boy's finger does not need to be on the button. He could not make a decision in that simulation that related to a nuclear threat to this country."

Davis apologizes.

By Big Tent Democrat

The new world's greatest pollster, SUSA, releases a new Indiana poll:

[T]hree weeks until the [Indiana] primary, Hillary Clinton defeats Barack Obama 55% to 39% . . . Clinton had led by 9 at the beginning of April, leads by 16 mid-month. Here's where the movement is occurring: Among men, Obama had trailed by 2, now trails by 12, a 10-point swing to Clinton. . . . Among Democrats, Obama had trailed by 12, now trails by 27, a 15-point swing to Clinton.

By Big Tent Democrat

Jay Rosen writes a great piece on the relationship between the media and blogs and the Obama Gaffe. I can't do it justice. Read it all.