What Caught My Eye Today

2008 Presidential Campaign - Hillary Clinton accused Barack Obama and his allies of trying to stop people from voting as some of his backers have called on her to drop out of the presidential race. The Obama campaign rejected the charge, dismissing Clinton's criticism as "completely laughable." Dude, this whole campaign is becoming completely laughable. Obama leads the overall race for the Democratic nomination with 1,631 delegates, including separately chosen party and elected officials known as superdelegates. Clinton has 1,501. Clinton almost certainly will end the primary season narrowly trailing Obama in the popular vote and among pledged delegates. Obama has said Clinton should stay in the race as long as she chooses while indicating a lengthy primary battle would not help the party's position in the general election. For those of you unfamiliar with 'doublespeak,' that was it. Obama has been picking up superdelegates at a rapid clip while Clinton's success with that group has slowed considerably. Maybe that explains why Obama doesn't have a problem with Clinton staying in the race--she's falling further behind the longer she stays in. I'm guessing that if she was picking up momentum, Barack would be singing a different tune.

NATO - President Bush left for his farewell NATO summit and a final heads-of-state meeting with Russia's Vladimir Putin as he tries to salvage a foreign policy legacy frayed by the Iraq war. Good luck with that, Mr. President. Seeking to reassert himself on the world stage in the twilight of his term, Bush will press NATO for more troops in Afghanistan, try to keep up momentum in the alliance's eastward expansion and attempt to ease strains with Russia. Anyone want odds on how successful he might be. Let's start at 10 to 1. But with Bush even more unpopular overseas than at home, he could have a hard time swaying world leaders at this week's Bucharest summit as they look to whomever will succeed him in January 2009. Okay, maybe not high enough, how about 25 to 1? Lame-duck status will not be Bush's only obstacle as he ventures abroad for the first in a series of international conferences marking his final year in office. Right, I forgot about the lame-duck thing. Any takers at 50 to 1? Overhanging his travels will be the 5-year-old Iraq war, which has damaged America's credibility with friends and foes alike. The latest spike in fighting has increased doubts of further drawdowns of U.S. forces before Bush leaves office. 100 to 1? He will also be trailed by a financial crisis at home that has roiled global markets and sharpened criticism of his economic record, once seen as a bright spot of his legacy. Oh never mind.

Zimbabwe - Riot police in armored carriers deployed in two townships as suspicions grew that President Robert Mugabe was trying to rig Zimbabwe's most important election since independence. More than 48 hours after polls closed, only 66 of 210 parliamentary constituencies had been declared, showing the ruling party one seat ahead of the main opposition. Two of President Robert Mugabe's ministers lost their seats. No results have been announced for the presidential vote, in which Mugabe faces the most formidable political challenge of his 28 years in power. The opposition has accused the veteran leader of delaying the issuing of the results in a bid to steal the election, which Zimbabweans hoped would help rescue a country ravaged by an economic crisis. Seven European countries and the United States expressed concern over the delay, and called on Zimbabwe's Electoral Commission to quickly release the results, especially for the presidential election. I'm not so sure the United States is in the ideal position to criticize delayed election results. Does anyone remember the 2000 presidential election. That race had to go before the Supreme Court, and still the guy with fewer votes was declared the winner.

Peru - What is it about Peru and archaeological discoveries? A gold necklace found near Lake Titicaca in Peru dates back more than 4,000 years and is the oldest gold artifact found in the Americas. Radiocarbon dating of nearby material suggests the necklace, made of rolled tube-like beads, was made around 2100 BC. Researchers discovered the necklace next to an adult skull in a burial pit at Jiskairumoko, a hamlet settled by hunter-gatherers from 3300 to 1500 BC. So when you see knock offs at your neighborhood Cartier or Tiffany & Co., just remember where you heard about the original.