Call it a well orchestrated smear campaign or a case with its own merit, we'll call it an important political betting strategy.  Hillary Clinton currently sits as the favorite to be elected next US President in 2008.  With even odds at Sportsbook.com (see website here), she'd probably be a bigger favorite if not for the fact that there is stiff competition breathing down her throat (specifically, Barrack Obama and a few dark horses that could gain steam down the road.

But those opposed to Clinton cite a possible wrench thrown in her campaign hopes.

"There is an unprecedented situation of a Presidential candidate's campaign being placed in the hands of a three judge panel reviewing evidence of ******* conduct," claim those opposed to Clinton's Presidential run.

The opposition is strong and - regardless of what transpires - could dramatically affect odds of Mrs. Clinton becoming the next US President.

Peter Paul - who in 2000, became central to a campaign fund-raising scandal involving Senator Hillary Clinton - has filed suit against his former legal counsel Judicial Watch, and its current president Tom Fitton, and directors Paul Orfanedes and Chris Farrell, over fundraising abuses, legal malpractice, and professional ethics, false advertising, as well as copyright infringement.

The complaint [PDF: 2.79MB] alleges that the public interest group raised millions to support Paul's whistleblowing activities against the Clintons and then withheld the money from its intended purpose.

Paul claims he was the largest contributor to Clinton's 2000 campaign, alleges the New York Democrat solicited and accepted his illegal contribution of more than $1 million and falsified statements to the Federal Election Commission.

Carrie Stroup has been covering the 2008 Presidential Betting Odds picture for Gambling911.com Odds Found Here

Paul's attorney, Colette Wilson of the U.S. Justice Foundation, argues in the brief filed with the California Court of Appeal that Sen. Clinton's actions violated Title 2 section 437 of the U.S. federal code, which states: "Any person who knowingly and willfully commits a violation of any provision of this act which involves the making, receiving, or reporting of any contribution, donation, or expenditure aggregating $25,000 or more during a calendar year shall be fined under Title 18, or imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both."

"This is the first time a court of competent jurisdiction – not a grand jury or prosecutor – will be reviewing a charge of criminal conduct against Hillary Clinton," Paul said.

Paul acknowledged to WorldNetDaily, however, that the appeals court could rule in his favor without a finding on the alleged criminal violation.

Wilson said that if the court does find Sen. Clinton engaged in criminal conduct, the finding would not compel the FEC to take action.

But it would be "very persuasive," she said, and the FEC could refer the case to the attorney general for a criminal indictment.

The Clintons' longtime attorney, David Kendall, referring to the charge that Senator Clinton violated the criminal statute said "Any such allegation is totally false and totally unsupported."

Bush expected to say the word "Evil" under 2 1/2 times this year during this State of the Union Address
 

Carrie Stroup here and Tuesday evening will mark US President George W. Bush's seventh State of the Union address.  And while Bush is not likely to mention the war on internet gambling, one online betting website had been offering odds on how many times the President uses important catch phrases like "Terrorism" and "Iraq".  

In the 2006 State of the Union address, Bush repeatedly referenced the
word "terrorist" (or variations such as terrorism and terror) a total of 20
times in a speech that lasted just 51 minutes, a rate of about one
reference every two-minutes when you consider a large portion of the speech was dedicated to applause from the pro-Republican Congress. The speech wasalso littered with almost 20 references to "freedom".

In fact, in the five State of the Union addresses since September 11,
2001, Bush has used the word terror an average of 24 times per speech, with a record 36 mentions in the 2002 address. Freedom has been said an average of 13 times per speech in that same span while the word "evil" has been included an average of three times. By comparison, in his February 2001 State of the Union address, Bush used the word terror only once, freedom eight times and did not mention the words evil or "democracy".
Sportsbook.com odds on the number of times Bush will say these words
during his 2007 State of the Union address on January 23, 2007.

Evil Over/Under 2.5 (-120)
Terrorist/Terrorism/Terror Over/Under 19.5 (-120)
Al Qaeda Over/under 3.5 (-120)
Freedom Over/Under 15.5 (-120)
Democracy Over/Under 2.5 (-120)
God Over/Under 2.5 (-120)

Many other political betting props are currently still available at Sportsbook.com (see website here) including the latest betting odds on who will win the 2008 Presidential Election.  Sportsbook.com has proudly served the online gambling community since 1997.

Carrie Stroup here with some important news related to Hilary Clinton who on Saturday announced her bid to run for US President in 2008.  At Sportsbook.com (see website here) Hilary Clinton is an even favorite to win the 2008 US Presidential race.  Barack Obama continued to come in with 6 to 1 odds.

Sportsbook.com, the largest online sports betting operation, enables you to bet online using your Visa or Mastercard and features the highest credit card acceptance rates available today.  For a limited time only you can receive a  20% cash signup bonus when opening an online sports betting account with your Visa or Mastercard

The former First Lady is expected to disclose plans to form a presidential exploratory committee on her Web site, according to Democratic officials familiar with the matter.

Clinton's planned announcement, coming days after Sen. Barack Obama shook up the 2008 race with his bid to become the first black to occupy the White House, establishes the most diverse political field. Clinton is considered the front-runner, with Obama and 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards top contenders. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who would be the first Hispanic, intends to announce his plans on Sunday.

With millions in the bank, a vast network of supporters and top status in nearly every poll of Democratic contenders, Clinton has launched the most viable effort by a female candidate to capture the White House. She is the first presidential spouse to pursue the office; her husband, Bill, served two terms in the White House from 1993-2001.

In her first run for the Senate from New York in 2000 -- a state where she had never lived and where she was branded a carpetbagger by many -- Clinton won a landslide victory. Through dogged campaigning -- including a "listening tour" of the state's 62 counties -- Clinton was able to convince voters even in the conservative upstate region that she would represent them effectively in Washington.

Clinton's 2002 vote authorizing military force in Iraq has become a significant political challenge -- angering activists who want her to repudiate her vote and aggressively seek to block Bush's proposed troop increase.

She has toughened her criticism of the conduct of the war and Bush's handling of the conflict, and she recently called for capping troop levels in Iraq at around 140,000. She has rejected calls from liberal groups and Edwards to cut off funds for Bush's planned increase in U.S. troops.

Betting $100 on Hilary Clinton to become the next US President as of press time January 20, 2007 would pay out $100   You would have to lock these odds in now, which still have value.  Gambling911.com forecasts that Clinton will eventually be listed with odds of 1 to 3 and upwards which would require gamblers to wager $300 just to win $100.

You can read more of my pieces on my Blog Here and be sure to check out political betting here

Sportsbook.com Gives Obama Longer odds of 6/1 from 3/1 of becoming next US President

Carrie Stroup here.  Sportsbook.com (see website here) has given Barack Obama longer odds of becoming the next US President.  This could have something to do with other potential candidates gaining steam (John Edwards for example).

Obama's odds had been shortened all the way down to 3 to 1 last week from 10 to 1 odds.   A bet placed now would pay $6 for every $1 wagered

Obama said Tuesday he is taking the initial step in a bid that could make him the first African American president of the United States.

Obama announced his intentions to file papers for a presidential exploratory committee on his website, www.barackobama.com. He said he would announce more about his plans in his home state of Illinois on Feb. 10.

"I certainly didn't expect to find myself in this position a year ago," Obama said in a video posting. "I've been struck by how hungry we all are for a different kind of politics. So I've spent some time thinking about how I could best advance the cause of change and progress that we so desperately need."

Sen. Sam Brownback (R)


(Gambling911.com commentary) Barack Obama Odds to Win in 2008 Shortened: With almost two years until the next election, Barack Obama is now listed with 3 to 1 odds of becoming the next US President in 2008 and those odds are likely to be shortened further as well. That bet would pay out $3 on every $1 wagered at Sportsbook.com. John McCain and Rudy Giuliani are tied with 6-5 odds to win the Republican Party nomination. Newt Gingrich has high name recognition, and the highest negatives. Odds are 4-1 he will capture the Republican presidential nomination. Mitt Romney's odds are 6-1 and Sam Brownback's are 8-1.

(Boston Globe) Romney event nets more than $6.5m: Former governor Mitt Romney put on an unusual public fund-raising display for his presidential campaign yesterday, raising more than $6.5 million in an effort observers say was designed to intimidate rivals looking to challenge him for the conservative vote. But one of those likely opponents, Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, chose to highlight Romney's past moderate positions on abortion rights and gay rights, announcing that seven conservative Massachusetts activists will back him over Romney.

(The Hill)Many candidates sharply cut their private travel: Some members of Congress preparing for heated contests in 2008 have sharply curtailed their private travel since lobbying scandals brought the issue to the forefront over the last couple of years. ... The move came the day after a Center for Public Integrity study showed a steep decline in private travel among all members and staff in the year before June 30, 2006. ... Not all members changed their travel habits. Presidential hopeful Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) and vulnerable Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) all continued to travel at about the same rate.

Sen. Pat Roberts (R)

(AP) Presidential hopefuls press for Senate action: Presidential candidates from both parties are urging the Senate to set up an independent office to probe ethical questions involving fellow senators. That could be a tough sell. ... Obama and McCain argue that, after the lobbying and ethics scandals that contributed to the Republican defeat in the 2006 midterm elections, the Senate must create an independent office to assure voters that it is serious about enforcing ethics rules. But Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., one of six members of the ethics panel, said the nonpartisan group has done its job, and the new office would simply add another step to the ethics process. He said the office of public integrity is "in danger of becoming a backboard for political tennis balls" with each side filing partisan charges.

(AP) Bush declares federal disaster after storm: President Bush has declared portions of western Kansas a major disaster, clearing the way for federal dollars to help the state recover from winter storms that left thousands without power. ... But Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., complained that the declaration was not an adequate response because it only offers the state access to two of the seven major types of public disaster assistance. In a meeting Monday at the White House, Roberts urged President Bush to expand the declaration to include other aid such as assistance for public utilities, roads, bridges, water control facilities and public buildings. Roberts said federal officials did not appear to realize how devastating the storm had been or how quickly action was needed.

Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R)

(The Hill) Dems grapple with 'surge': As liberal lawmakers voiced greater opposition to escalating the war, the White House appears to be trying to ward off criticism for appearing to ignore the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, which proposed more diplomacy, notably with Iran and Syria. President Bush has conducted a series of bipartisan briefings with lawmakers. He is meeting today with 14 lawmakers, including Reps. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.).

-----

It was - and still is - one of the funniest bets ever offered by an online gambling company.  When President George W. Bush made his State of the Union address last year, Bodog.com (learn more about this company here) offered betting on, not what Bush was going to say in his address, but rather - how many times he was going to say certain things.

Betting odds included such things as: During President George W. Bush's 2006 State of the Union address, how many times will the President say the following words: Iraq ? Evil ? Patriot Act ? Weapons of Mass Destruction?

Odds on Obama shortened from 10/1 to 3/1 this week

Carrie Stroup here!  Wanna bet on Barack Obama to win the 2008 Presidential election?  Unfortunately, you'll no longer be getting those 10 to 1 odds that would have paid $10 on every $1 bet if he were to win. 

With almost two years until the next election, Barack Obama is now listed with 3 to 1 odds of becoming the next US President in 2008 and those odds are likely to be shortened further as well.  That bet would pay out $3 on every $1 wagered at Sportsbook.com (see website here)  Like I tell everyone, LOCK THESE ODDS IN NOW BEFORE THEY CHANGE AGAIN.

Of course there are no guarantees that Barack Obama will win the election.

Democrats and Republicans focus on 2008 Presidential candidates
Sportsbook.com has odds on all the potential party leaders
 
The next Presidential election is 22 months away but the race by Democrats and Republicans to carry their party standard on November 4, 2008 is already hot according to the folks at Sportsbook.com.

Will Barack Obama challenge Hillary Clinton for the Democratic presidential nomination? Will John Edwards slip up the middle? On the Republican side, will John McCain be pushed aside by the more liberal Rudy Giuliani, or will Newt Gingrich make a winning Hail Mary pass? Sportsbook.com, the world’s largest online sportsbook and casino, has odds on both the potential Democratic and Republican party nominees.

Ever since Hillary Clinton transformed herself from First Lady to the Junior Senator from New York, she has been tagged as the Democratic Party’s front runner. Sportsbook.com gives her 4-5 odds to win her party’s nomination. Across the United States polls show more Republicans think she will win that prize than Democrats. Still, other polls in key early primary states say she is the front runner among voters who get to elect delegates to the nominating convention.

Barrack Obama’s possible entry into the race is causing concern to other candidates. Almost 20 per cent of Americans think he will be nominated. Odds he will win his Party’s prize are 3-1. All the Obama excitement is taking some steam out of John Edwards’ campaign. The former vice presidential candidate on the 2004 Kerry Democratic ticket is mounting an aggressive campaign but odds makers give him a 7-2 chance he will be on the ballot in 2008. Those are the same odds for Al Gore who has kept his presidential ambitions alive through humor and his critically acclaimed and much viewed film, An Inconvenient Truth.

John McCain and Rudy Giuliani are tied with 6-5 odds to win the Republican Party nomination. Pollsters and analysts send mixed messages about both. Giuliani is favored by 34 per cent of his own party members, compared to McCain who pulls in 26 per cent of the support of Republicans. But McCain is way ahead of Giuliani when it comes to being perceived as the strongest candidate – both Republicans and Democrats agree on that. McCain is currently viewed as the front runner and Giuliani is hampered by the perception that he won’t stick it out.

Newt Gingrich has high name recognition, and the highest negatives. Odds are 4-1 he will capture the Republican presidential nomination. Mitt Romney’s odds are 6-1 and Sam Brownback’s are 8-1.

Odds on candidates winning their party’s 2008 Presidential Nomination:

Get all odds on the 2008 Presidential Election here



Democratic Candidates
Hillary Clinton 4-5
Barack Obama 3-1
John Edwards 7-2
Al Gore 7-2
Tom Vilsack 6-1
John Kerry 8-1
Joe Biden 11-1
Wesley Clark 15-1
Bill Richardson 16-1


Republican Candidates
Rudy Giuliani 6-5
John McCain 6-5
Newt Gingrich 4-1
Mitt Romney 6-1
Sam Brownback 8-1
George Pataki 11-1
Condoleeza Rice 13-1
Mike Hucklebee 15-1
Colin Powell 35-1
Jeb Bush 50-1

Gambling911.com's own sexy reporter, Jenny Woo, has selected her Top 10 Sexiest Men of 2006 with a bit of a surprise at the top.

"Yes it's true, I've always had a secret crush on British Prime Minister Tony Blair," Woo admitted from her stomping ground in Miami Beach.

Carrie Stroup here.  John Edwards is making another run at the presidency with a call to cut poverty, global warming and troops in Iraq.  Edwwards was the running mate to John Kerry in the 2004 Election. 

Edwards made his announcement from hurricane ravaged New Orleans.  As of December 28, 2006, John Edwards was listed with 15 to 1 odds to become the next President of the United States at Sportsbook.com (see website here).  The payout would be $1500 for every $100 bet. 

Edwards will have tough competition with Hilary Clinton now an even favorite at Sportsbook.com and Barack Obama with 6 to 1 odds (shortened from 10 to 1).

Edwards scheduled his kickoff in New Orleans, still devastated from last year's Hurricane Katrina. He chose the site to highlight his signature concern of the economic disparity that divides America.

"I'm here to announce I'm a candidate for president of the United States," Edwards told NBC's "Today Show" Thursday, one of three back-to-back interviews by the candidate on morning news shows. "I've reached my own conclusion this is the best way to serve my country."

Edwards said the difference between his message to voters in 2004 and his 2008 presidential bid is that, "I've learned since the last campaign that it's great to identify a problem ... but the way you change things is by taking action."

YOU think you know about politics? If so, you could make a killing on some of the special markets available on the political future of several countries.

It's not worth betting on who will be the UK's next prime minister, as Gordon Brown is an unbackable 1-10 with Ladbrokes (see website here) to succeed Tony Blair, with John Reid a distant second-favourite at 11-2.

Read more articles here