Organizing for America

Apparently John McCain is a highly superstitious person, and has multiple rituals he performs, and lucky items he has to have on his person at all times. These rituals are documented in a few newspaper articles (one of which is a conservative paper). Take a look at the Bad Astrology Blog, which has a post on this - with links to original sources.

McCain's Bizarre Beliefs

This part is kind of worrisome:

When McCain once misplaced his feather, there was momentary panic in the campaign, until his wife found it in one of his suits. When the compass went missing once, McCain assigned his political director to hunt it down.

What if this happened during a national crisis?

Original Sources:

Washington Times article

Washington Post article

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Young Democrats Argue - Clinton vs. Obama

By Amy - May 6th, 2008 at 8:47 am EDT

Also listed in: 4 groups

Video at YouTube

Transcript for those not fluent in toddler (thanks to my friend for this):

"Oh please, you can't expect her to know how to run a country just because her husband did."

"Excuse me? In addition to being former first lady, she had performed admirably as New York senator."

"That's debatable."

"So is Obama's experience level. Not to mention the question of his patriotism."

"Oh don't bring up this Reverend Wright crap again. If every politician were held responsible for the words of his associates..."

"Or her associates..."

"They wouldn't..."

"This was not an associate. This was his pastor!"

"Right! This was his pastor! Not him! Not his words! You want to talk about personal accountability? How about all the 'misremembered' stories Shrill is spreading around the campaign trail?"

"Oh, and you have a perfect memory?"

"I'm not running for President!"

"Well, Bush did and look what happened."

"Why are you bringing Bush into this? I didn't vote for Bush. I wasn't even born yet!"

"My point is, it's time for men to stand aside and let a woman show America how it's done."

"Then why aren't you bashing McCain too? He's a man. You know why? Because he's white!"

"Oh, please!"

"He's white, and Barack is black, and you're a racist!"

"Well, you're a chauvinist!"

"At least my candidate didn't cry on the campaign trail!"

"Well, at least my candidates middle name isn't Hussein!"

"Oh, you did not just go there!"

"You're right, I'm sorry. That was low."

"Look, let's just come together and stop fighting. Otherwise McCain will win."

"McCain! Yes!"

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Bill Moyers Journal - Essay on Rev. Wright

By Amy - May 3rd, 2008 at 4:13 pm EDT

Here at YouTube Very thoughtful analysis. "Politics often exposes us to the corroding acid of the politics of personal destruction but I've never seen anything like this-- this wrenching break between pastor and parishioner. Both men, no doubt, will carry the grief to their graves. All the rest of us should hang our heads in shame for letting it come to this in America. For the gluttony of the non-stop media grinder consumes us all and prevents an honest conversation on race. It is the price we are paying for failing to heed the great historian Jacob Burckhardt who said 'beware the terrible simplifiers.'"

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The Empire Strikes Barack

By Amy - May 2nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm EDT

Also listed in: Countdown with Keith Olbermann Fans for Obama | The Lighter Side

Someone put a lot of time into this one!

The Empire Strikes Barack video at YouTube.

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Dems Suspense May Be Unnecessary

By Amy - Apr 26th, 2008 at 4:32 pm EDT

Also listed in: Countdown with Keith Olbermann Fans for Obama

Really enjoyed this article on Politico. Makes some excellent points.

Dems' suspense may be unnecessary

(Politico):

By: Elizabeth Drew
April 25, 2008 11:35 AM EST

The torrent of speculation about the end game of the Democratic nomination contest is creating a false sense of suspense – and wasting a lot of time of the multitudes who are anxious to know how this contest is going to turn out.

Notwithstanding the plentiful commentary to the effect that the Pennsylvania primary must have shaken superdelegates planning to support Barack Obama, causing them to rethink their position, key Democrats on Capitol Hill are unbudged.

“I don’t think anyone’s shaken,” a leading House Democrat told me. The critical mass of Democratic congressmen that has been prepared to endorse Obama when the timing seemed right remains prepared to do so. Their reasons, ones they have held for months, have not changed – and by their very nature are unlikely to.

Essentially, they are three:

(a) Hillary Rodham Clinton is such a polarizing figure that everyone who ever considered voting Republican in November, and even many who never did, will go to the polls to vote against her, thus jeopardizing Democrats down the ticket – i.e., themselves, or, for party leaders, the sizeable majorities they hope to gain in the House and the Senate in November.

(b) To take the nomination away from Obama when he is leading in the elected delegate count would deeply alienate the black base of the Democratic Party, and, in the words of one leading Democrat, “The superdelegates are not going to switch their votes and jeopardize the future of the Democratic Party for generations.” Such a move, he said, would also disillusion the new, mostly young, voters who have entered into politics for the first time because of Obama, and lose the votes of independents who could make the critical difference in November.

(c) Because the black vote can make the decisive difference in numerous congressional districts, discarding Obama could cost the Democrats numerous seats.

One Democratic leader told me, “If we overrule the elected delegates there would be mayhem.” Hillary Rodham Clinton’s claim that she has, or will have, won the popular vote does not impress them – both because of her dubious math and because, as another key Democrat says firmly, “The rules are that it’s the delegates, period.” (These views are closely aligned with Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s statement earlier this year that the superdelegates should not overrule the votes of the elected delegates.)

Furthermore, the congressional Democratic leaders don’t draw the same conclusion from Pennsylvania and also earlier contests that many observers think they do: that Obama’s candidacy is fatally flawed because he has as yet been largely unable to win the votes of working class whites. They point out something that has been largely overlooked in all the talk – the Ohio and Pennsylvania primaries were closed primaries [independents could not vote for Democrats], and, one key congressional Democrat says, “Yes, he doesn’t do really well with a big part of the Democratic base, but she doesn’t do well with independents, who will be critical to success in November.”

So, the fact that Mrs. Clinton has shown herself to be a remarkably resilient, tough campaigner, an attribute that the Clintons hope will carry much importance, this Democrat says, “is irrelevant.” This person added: “Many of the superdelegates are not going to be naïve enough to not realize the handwriting on the wall that this thing is going to Obama” – barring, he added, some major event like the Wright matter that he can’t seem to manage. They consider this unlikely. (There’s almost always a “something-might-happen” factor in elections.) As for the Wright matter, a key Democrat on Capitol Hill says, “Though it makes [his Democratic colleagues] a little nervous, it’s not enough to change their minds.” Moreover, the Wright matter may be old news come the general election.

At first, a large number of superdelegates planned to announce their support for Obama following Super Tuesday, but he didn’t do well enough to warrant that; then it was to be after Ohio and Texas; then after Pennsylvania; and some Democrats suggest that if Obama wins both Indiana and North Carolina a number of superdelegates will announce for him then. But the prevailing thinking is to allow the race to play out, avoiding a confrontation with Clinton and her backers, but also letting the pressure grow on her to justify continuing to fight a bloody but lost cause. This is, the thinking goes, the best and perhaps only way to get the thing wrapped up, as they so desperately want to do.

“We may have to go to June, and whoever ends up with the most delegates wins,” a key Democrat says. “Meanwhile, the attention will be on the battle she can’t win, so why is she doing this – from here on out she’s only bleeding the party. The right way to put it is, ‘This is a war of attrition and it’s obvious that the numbers aren’t going to add up, so what’s the point?’” He added, “The hope is that at some point the superdelegates will get frustrated and join the Obama bandwagon.”

This pressure may not be enough to get the tenacious Hillary Rodham Clinton to quit the race, but, says a leading Democrat, “Sometime in June we will make it clear to her that this thing isn’t going to the convention.”

Elizabeth Drew writes for The New York Review of Books. She is the author of numerous books, most recently "Richard M. Nixon" (Times Books, 2007)

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Postcard Campaign - pass it on!

By Amy - Apr 24th, 2008 at 7:35 pm EDT

Also listed in: 5 groups

Great idea for people who want to help the campaign, but can't afford to make donations or travel to primary states to canvass!

It's a project of Ohio Women for Obama.

1. Buy postcards, preferably some that reflect something distinctive about your state or geographic region. (Local pharmacies are usually a good source.)
2. Write a brief, personal message to another American citizen, explaining why you're supporting Barack Obama.
3. Sign your name and your location (city, state).
4. Add $0.26 per postcard for postage.
5. Leave the address section blank; this will be filled in by volunteers in Ohio.

Mail your group of postcards to:

WFO Post Card Campaign
193 E. Rich Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215

Please mail cards no later than April 28th, since Indiana and North Carolina primaries are in less than two weeks (May 6th), BUT please do NOT mention either state or the primary date. That way, any cards received late can be used for other states who still have primaries ahead (such as Kentucky on May 20th, West Virginia on May 13th, and Oregon).

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Hillary Clinton's Path to Victory!

By Amy - Apr 24th, 2008 at 7:21 pm EDT

Also listed in: The Lighter Side

Quite amusing....

Click to go to the video.

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The Fabulous Life of JOHN McCAIN

By Amy - Apr 23rd, 2008 at 9:20 pm EDT

Also listed in: The Lighter Side

(seen on Ezra Klein's blog at the American Prospect)

Click here to go to the YouTube site

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Strange, Yet Funny

By Amy - Apr 22nd, 2008 at 9:13 am EDT

Also listed in: Barack Fans in the Colbert Nation | Jon Stewart and Obama Enthusiasts | Twenty and Thirty Somethings for Obama

found on an Obama community in LiveJournal.

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One Million $$$ for Obama in One Minute

By Amy - Apr 20th, 2008 at 5:05 pm EDT

Also listed in: Barack Fans in the Colbert Nation | Jon Stewart and Obama Enthusiasts | Twenty and Thirty Somethings for Obama

Can it be done? Pledge to make a donation (even just $5!).

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4/20/9268/69865/961/499397

$1 MILLION FOR OBAMA IN 1 MINUTE; GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN "AN OBAMA MINUTE" AIMS FOR MILLION-DOLLAR MINUTE ON APRIL 21ST

NEW YORK, NY - The grassroots campaign "An Obama Minute" (www.AnObamaMinute.com), a website aiming to collect $1 million in contributions for Senator Barack Obama's presidential campaign in only one minute, announced today it has nearly reached two thirds of its goal in pledged contributions. The event will occur on April 21st at 1pm Eastern Time, the day before the hotly contested Pennsylvania Democratic Presidential Primary.

"The goal is to create a vehicle for everyday voters to organize and amplify the extraordinary value of individuals working together," said Scott Cohen, creator of the site and a Manhattan-based photographer. "The power of Barack Obama's campaign is his ability to bridge political and demographic divides and bring people together."

http://www.anobamaminute.com/index.php

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How Hillary Can Still Win (funny video)

By Amy - Apr 19th, 2008 at 4:25 pm EDT

Watch it here.

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Clinton Slams Democratic Activists at Private Fundraiser

By Amy - Apr 18th, 2008 at 9:59 pm EDT

Nice.... really freaking nice.

From the Huffington Post

At a small closed-door fundraiser after Super Tuesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton blamed what she called the "activist base" of the Democratic Party -- and MoveOn.org in particular -- for many of her electoral defeats, saying activists had "flooded" state caucuses and "intimidated" her supporters, according to an audio recording of the event obtained by The Huffington Post.

Click the above link to hear the audio.

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Video of Obama on The Colbert Report last night

By Amy - Apr 18th, 2008 at 9:20 am EDT

Also listed in: Barack Fans in the Colbert Nation | Jon Stewart and Obama Enthusiasts | Twenty and Thirty Somethings for Obama

Here at the Colbert Nation site

Great appearance!

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sign the Moveon.Org petition about the ABC debate

By Amy - Apr 17th, 2008 at 7:42 pm EDT

Also listed in: 4 groups

Hi,

If you missed the Democratic presidential debate on ABC Wednesday night, Editor & Publisher called it "perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years."

Moderators George Stephanopolous and Charlie Gibson spent the first 50 minutes obsessed with distractions that only political insiders care about--gaffes, polling numbers, the stale Rev. Wright story, and the old-news Bosnia story. And, channelling Karl Rove, they directed a video question to Barack Obama asking if he loves the American flag or not. Seriously!

I just signed a petition to ABC and other media that says: "Debate moderators abuse the public trust every time they ask trivial questions about gaffes and 'gotchas' that only political insiders care about. Enough with the distractions--ABC and other networks must focus on issues that affect people's daily lives."

Want to sign it to? We need a bunch of signers for ABC to take this concern seriously.
Click here to sign:

http://pol.moveon.org/enoughdistractions/?r_by=12458-4277268-u6Dleu&rc=confemail

Thanks!

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Last night's debate was a mockery of journalism.

By Amy - Apr 17th, 2008 at 7:34 pm EDT

Flag pins? The Weather Underground?

Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos ran one of the worst debates in history, without a doubt.

I gave another donation to the campaign - I hope you all do the same!

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Bruce Springsteen Supports Obama, Elitists

By Amy - Apr 16th, 2008 at 9:24 am EDT

Also listed in: 4 groups

from Bruce Springsteen's website

Dear Friends and Fans:

LIke most of you, I've been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest.

He has the depth, the reflectiveness, and the resilience to be our next President. He speaks to the America I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit. A place where "...nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone."

At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships. While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man's life and vision, so well described in his excellent book, Dreams of My Father, often in order to distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our Constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment.

After the terrible damage done over the past eight years, a great American reclamation project needs to be undertaken. I believe that Senator Obama is the best candidate to lead that project and to lead us into the 21st Century with a renewed sense of moral purpose and of ourselves as Americans.

Over here on E Street, we're proud to support Obama for President.

Bruce Springsteen

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