http://www.richsamuels.com/nbcmm/obama/bfirstcong.html
Allow me to continue winding my watch counter-clockwise; I think it might right itself after a few turns. This is to say, the following video is as relevant now as ever. Certainly, as fun to watch as ever.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYbUCvz1LYE
so hillary has finally co-opted the last, most steadfast piece of the obama campaign: the candidate himself.
suggesting that you get obama with clinton as president is as shameless as it gets.
I wouldn't be suprised to see placards at Clinton rallies enshrined with Barack's likeness and the word VP. It will be a tough call, but thankfully she has the judgement, determination and experience to recognize his unique qualifications to be VP.
all the while, she makes the case that he is unworthy to be Commander in Chief. certainly her picture must accompany the definition of hypocrisy.
any self-respecting democrat who really believes in change can not coalesce around such a candidate, unless of course, one believes there are relative degrees of hypocrisy.
I, for one, would rather opt to vote for nadar. After all, he's right to suggest the Democratic Party is bankrupt if they consider, let alone proceed with, private donor funded re-elections.
gimme a break.
http://www.gopconvention.com/news/Read.aspx?ID=517
ECHO, ECHo, ECho, Echo.....
One wonders what is the real motive behind the GOPs selection of Qwest as telecommunications provider to the RNC.
Qwest, one remembers, is the company that denied participating in the so-called Terrorist Surveillance Program because, in part, they didn’t feel legally comfortable in proceeding without a court warrant and based only on a National Security Letter.
the comments made me laugh especially after phonebanking to WI.
http://weblogs.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/blog/2008/02/barack_obama_is_no_packers_fan.html
This was intially written as a comment to a blog entry. I'm posting it as a stand alone thread under my own name. my apologies for any redundancy............
This link below is my open letter to super delegates. I sent it directly to undecided super delegates in California. A couple days later I received David Plouffe's Super Delegate action email and included this note as part of that Campaign Call.http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/michaelmaheras/C43jIt's imperative to note, as I subsequently learned, the campaign does not want the electorate to contact Super Delegates directly. Plouffe's letter was multi-fold; to ensure the Campaign and its supporter messages are not at odds; and to maintain Campaign control over the highly sensitive and discreet Super Delegate efforts - all the while, reigning in the activists and bringing these Hardballers into the fold through the illusion of inclusion.I know this may sound cynical to some and I’m sorry. I'm inclined to believe this because, in part, a Blog entry of mine which contained contact information for the Undecided California Super Delegates – in this case email and telephone numbers for DNC Members - was deleted without advance or subsequent notice. Poof, it disappeared.This blog entry lived for three or so days – a couple before the Plouffe email and perhaps a day or two thereafter. While I very much understand the nature of this action (how can one prove to others you can control the government if you can’t even control your own supporters) and while I stand by my Super Delegate letter, it’s a major letdown to have the post deleted in this regard.Moreover, they took away the points I received for posting a blog entry. At minimum, I should be allowed to keep those. Come on!
The article to which I refer is below and is followed by backgrounder of Barack’s Illinois Senate experience:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/03/us/politics/03exelon.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/30/us/politics/30obama.html
Imagine a world with agency and regulatory operatives and appointments made by Barack Obama. The experts, academics and leaders will fight for a citizen-centric policy - especially given political capital they are bestowing about this candidacy - if the overwhelming majorities are at all a demonstration of the tender of the people. I feel he came to a reasoned compromise given the political landscape. But, know as we brush our teeth, feed our kids and care for our ill, the Bush Cronies are poisoning us - economically and quite literally - with their lack of oversight and outright arrogant, irresponsible and incompetent management they bring to any number of fronts.
To wit:
TODAY:
CANDY FOR KIDS: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Candy-Blade.html
TOOTHPASTE: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/14/world/americas/14panama.html
YESTERDAY:
BLEED US TO DEATH: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/washington/15fda.html
TRADER SHMOE'S: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tj12feb12,1,1079460.story?ctrack=4&cset=true
MORE TRADER SHMOE'S: http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Business/2008/02/11/food_market_chain_drops_chinese_imports/4071/
WHOLE BARGAIN: http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/theticker/entries/2008/02/12/whole_foods_wont_ban_foods_fro.html
LAST TWO WEEKS:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/31/world/asia/31pharma.html
WHO KNEW WHAT WHEN:
CHINA AND DRUGS: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE4D7143FF930A25753C1A9669C8B63&scp=2&sq=ru+486+tainted&st=nyt
CHINA AND ORGANIC: http://www.nysun.com/article/58606
Hi.
I'm writing to you as a registered Democrat from California. Prior to living in LA, I lived in Humboldt Park, a gentrifying Puerto Rican neighborhood in Chicago. In 1993, at 23, I ran a progressive campaign for a municipal office seat in my hometown of Elk Grove Village, IL (within Henry Hyde's Congressional District.)
Barack Obama has inspired me like no other politician. I’ve never written any member of congress in support of a particular candidate or candidacy; other then my own. Barack’s candidacy stands alone; his uniqueness makes voters feel as if his candidacy was theirs. Barack Obamas' time is ours.
I believe Barack Obama's candidacy is responsible for the overwhelming participation of Democratic voters in this primary season. Just this past weekend, he again won by commanding margins, often in excess of 30% over a democratic rival who lived in the White House for eight years. Yet again, he has proved the adage: If You Build It - They Will Come.
Latinos who know Barack Obama, vote for Barack Obama. He understand the Hispanic Community and has experience addressing the issues that face these Americans. He has proven himself in this regards, to the extent of receiving endorsements from Latino members of congress, including Congressmen Luis Gutierrez, who represents the principally Hispanic congressional district where Elvira Arellano sought asylum.
In your role as a Super Delegate I ask you to pledge your support to Barack Obama, not only to save our country, but to save our democratic party. I implore you to do so within the next week, as time is of the essence. There is abundant ancedotal evidence pointing to the masses that will leave the Democratic train in the General Election if the momentum of Barack’s movement is stopped by forces other then voter will.
If you pledge your support to Barack Obama you will have voted to end the conventional wisdom that polarizes and paralyzes our political process. You will have voted to unite our country; your vote will again bring promise to our global allies and your vote will help open peaceful channels of communication among governments previously deemed hostile. No longer will our enemies claim they respect the American people but don’t like its government. For the first time in generations, they will be one.
I cannot again, as I have done since 1988, vote for the Least Worst Candidate. With Barack Obama as our Presidential nominee, I have a reason to VOTE FOR a Democrat.
Finally, I proffer this declaration as not a threat, but a reality check I hope you don't cash: If Barack Obama is not endorsed by the majority of the Super Delegates I will leave this party and work on behalf of a candidate I can Vote For. To be clear, Hillary Clinton is not that candidate.
Thank you for your consideration and I encourage you to help save our party and our future by pledging your support to Barack Obama for Democratic Presidential Candidate.
The media will have you believe that Barack is a candidate who exclusively appeals to the Youth Voter. All the while the media raised the limits of a Youth Voter to 40 years old. Just 15 years ago, during the Clinton Campaign, these same outlets defined the Youth vote as Under 25 and a generation ago (say, 1968 the year I was born) as Under 30. This disingenuous framing marginalizes the impact of Barack Obama's message and deny his appeal among mainstream voters of all ages. Equating my vote, that of a 40 year old man, to a Youth Vote, is hardly plausible and logically suggests I may live to be 120 years young.
I got carried way, this post is kinda long.......
I'm very upset with Hardball and AC 360. They have gotten me fired up. I'm ready to Go!!
The lead stories and the time these programs spent on them were appalling.The stories were not about the history made this weekend. They were not about our weekend sweep of 5 contests over two days. They were not about how Barack is poised to double the amount of contests he’s won over Hillary. Nor did they mention the huge margins of those victories, nor offer any insight into why and/or who these people are that are propelling his momentum and commanding victories.
However, we did learn from Hillary these voters and wins should be taken with a grain of salt because participants in those contests were not regular people but "activists." CNN &MSNBC allowed this categorization to echo, thereby giving it credence and allowing what should be considered a patriotic word to take on negative connotation; much in the same way they marginalized those who argued against the Iraq War as a fringe element of “activists.” Obviously there was no mention of Hillary's hypocrisy; the evoking of her “activism” on behalf of children, a measure of her “experience.”
We are also encouraged to suspend our disbelief and believe Hillary is "not firing" her Campaign Manager but rather, because "it's a long campaign", is refining the nature of her responsibilities. These programs offer no candid discussion on precedents of this nature; when the Campaign Manager of a Presidential Candidate is fired, removed, whatever’d.
We are treated to stories that frame our vote as less important then the Super Delegates; those Insiders whose vote may be “equal to 9500” of ours. The context of these reports doesn’t motivate voters to participate as a means negate and force the Super Delegates to follow the lead of the electorate, but conversely help to repress or negate voter participation by suggesting the strong influence by party regulars just may outweigh individual voters especially in light of lobbying by heavy hitters like Bill Clinton.
I continue to watch and see minutes of time dedicated to Mike Huckabee and his unveiling of the wheel; Vis-à-vis his elimination of income tax in favor of the "consumer " tax. This floats into the ether without any political, economic or historical context of this perennial campaign proposal from candidates in both parties.
Finally, word came forward about a Barack Obama victory this weekend. He did beat a Clinton, the story teased. Where? In Maine? In DC? I stay tuned to find out. As it was, he won a Grammy for his Audio Book CD. Great slight of hand. Way to redirect the story CNN & MSNBC.Based on what I watched, I came to the following conclusion:
-) Broadcast News is Dead.
