I suspect as we get into the final days of the campaign, that McCain will try to make people feel that Senator Obama will put America at risk by pulling out of Iraq. The economy is a huge losing issue for McCain, so the threat of Al-Qaida will probably be the boogeyman of the election for Halloween. Safety is the primary concern of all humans, so I think this will McCain’s last grasp to try pulling away independents.
If we are to understand this issue, it helps to identify the assertions made against Senator Obama:
First, if we pull out of Iraq, then we can expect Al-Qaida to take over.
Second, that we cannot allow Iraq to ally with Iran, or to fall under their influence.
Third, that it is naïve to talk to our enemies.
Before we look at these ideas, let’s understand a few basic facts:
First, the idea that Al-Qaida, who call for the elimination of all Shiites, will be able to set up a major base of operation in of a majority Shiite country is ludicrous. This misses even a basic understanding of the divisions among Shia and Sunni. There is no way the Iraqi or Iranian Shiites will let Al-Qaida take over. There was a brief period where the Iraqi Sunni’s looked to Al-Qaida as a kind of protector; until they realized that they had chosen a rabid wolf as their watchdog. Once the Iraqi Sunnis realized their “protectors” were willing to let them die as pawns in a religious war, the Sunni’s started to turn their back on Al-Qaida. This was part of what is known as the “Sunni Awakening”. Another fun fact to consider is that one the holiest sites specific to Shia Islam is the Al-Askari Mosue, or the Golden Dome of Samarra, where the 10th and 11th Imams are buried. Al-Qaeda blew it up as part of their effort to spark a civil war. Consider, how long would Catholics hold a grudge if someone blew up the Vatican? Now you see why the idea that Al-Qaeda could operate out of here is a joke.
How the Sunni and Shiites will work this out is still in the air. We won the overthrow of Saddam, but the war is now over religion and who will be in power in a post-colonial state. This is not our fight to win, or to end. The root of much of the fighting in Iraq is a 1400 year old religious split. The past 5 years have only added to the list of grudges to deal with. The only thing that both sides tend to agree on is that they both hate the American occupation, as our troops have ended up killing people on both sides of the conflict. The Sunni’s are probably more concerned about our leaving; as they are outnumbered 9-1 by groups that were victimized by a Sunni led government under Saddam.
The second assertion against Senator Obama; that we cannot allow Iran to influence Iraq, shows an unwillingness to accept the realities of geography and religious alliance. Understanding the above issues, you can see why it is going to be hard to keep Iraq and Iran from being allies. An Iraqi-Iranian alliance is not something we can do much to stop, because Shiites are under siege, and will look to each other for support. Iraqis will turn to the closest port in a storm. Iran would love to keep Iraq from being an enemy at their footstep as they were during the time of Saddam.
An Iraqi-Iranian alliance does not have to be a total threat to our interests. Iran helped us in Afaghanistan, (remember that?) because we were fighting their enemy, Al-Qaida. The biggest threat to evryone’s interests is the danger that Iraq will turn into a religious battle ground in a proxy war between Shias and Sunnis, with Iran on one side, and Al-Qaeda, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Jordan on the other. (Complicated huh?) This full scale civil war could erupt across borders, and bring massive unrest to world oil production, which is scary to the main outside protagonists, Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Before addressing the final point of talking to our enemies, it is worthwhile to ask how Iran became our enemy. In 1953 our CIA engineered the overthrow of a freely democratically elected leader, and reinstalled a nazi-sympathizing monarch. The Iranian President made a mistake; he tried to nationalize his country’s oil industry because they were getting only 16% of the oil money coming from their land. (They wanted half.) This freely elected leader threatened the interests of our friends the British, so we stepped in, and replaced him with a monarch, who ended up slaughtering thousands of his own people. So much for democratic ideals. (Don’t take my word for it, check out President Mohammed Mosaddeq, and Operation Ajax. Most of this stuff is declassified, and we don’t even deny it anymore.)
Iran and Al-Qaida have one thing in common; they don’t hate us for our freedom, they hate us for our hypocrisy. Osama Bin Laden gets a lot of agreement around the world when he points out that America is not really all that concerned about Democracy. We cozy up to plenty of authoritarians and dictator’s when it is convenient, especially if they have oil. Forget yesterday; look at Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea today.
The challenge to us now is to live up to our ideals, and seek a peace that leaves us secure. The only way to get there is diplomacy. Frankly, we can start with Iran. We have an enemy in common; they have helped us before, and could help us again. Prior Iranian leadership made offers to reject terrorism and support for Hizballah and Hamas in exchange for recognition and peace. A future regime could do the same. The Iranian people don’t particularly care for Ahmadinejad, but they are very proud of their nation and history. They will rally behind their government over issues of national pride and identity, and Ahmadinejad plays the U.S. vs. Iranian tune because it is the best way he can stay in power. If we quit taking the bait, his hold on power weakens.
Historically, the Iranians are Persians before they are Muslims, and only turned to radical Islam because the mullahs were the ones standing up to the Shah. Half their population is under 30, and sick of religious rule. This is a 6,000 year old culture that gave us astronomy and geometry, and the earliest recorded statements of human rights. The idea that their government is suppressing education does not sit well in the hearts of most Iranians. Peace with the U.S. is possible here.
Beyond Iran, the rest of the Middle East has a vested interest in things working out well in Iraq; because they can’t handle the refugees from an ongoing war. The Saudi’s, Kuwaiti’s and UAE folks can hire some cheap labor, but have no interest in being flooded with poor people taxing their resources. The refugee problem is already crushing the economies of Syria and Jordan. Turkey is talking to the Independent Kurdish north, because it is in their interest to be at peace with a free Kurdish area of Iraq as part of ending their own conflict with Turkish Kurds. Basically, all the neighboring states have a vested interest in seeing peace in Iraq.
The surrounding states will have to put pressure on their factions to make peace happen, and to support a newly federalized Iraq. Pulling out our military puts the pressure on Iraq and its neighbors to work out a political solution. Our military being there to keep the peace gives the Iraqi’s someone else to blame, and an excuse to not get anything done on reconciliation. The sooner we leave, the sooner they will get to work. Ultimately, they have more to lose than we do if things go to hell there. It is not a perfect solution, but it is preferable to keeping our guys in a shooting range while folks take their aggression out on them.
Talking to our enemies is not a sign of weakness; it is often a sign of wisdom. Khrushchev threatened to bury us, and in the Cuban Missile crisis, he almost did. Within a year, Kennedy was negotiating with him. Eisenhower and Reagan met with the Soviets. The most fervent anti-communist President, Nixon, went to China because he realized it was in our interest. The same perspective of dropping ideology and facing reality needs to come to our middle east policy. Obama gets this, McCain does not.
This has truly been a wonders experience helping to turn this state blue but I would be remiss if I didn’t point out something that something has gotten under my skin since April 2007. That being the complete misinformation given to Georgia students centered on voter registration status and permanent residency status.
I have witnessed firsthand that school administrators, teachers and even financial aid councilors from Georgia HBCU’s practically don’t seem to grasp there is legally a difference between voter status and permanent residency status when related to Pell grants and out of state scholarship requirements.
Surprise, there is a difference and Surprise, many of these school administrators, teachers and even financial aid councilors while they have good intentions have been some of the key persons that have hampered our voter drive operations by encouraging their out of state students not to register to vote in Georgia for fear of losing out of state Pell Grants, Loans and Scholarships.
Despite even the efforts of the Georgia Republican Secretary of State, putting out information to the contrary these persons continue to fill the heads of American future brain trust with nonsense, for example out of state students honor at Atlanta’s Clark Atlanta University being told if they registered to vote in Georgia they would lose their presidential scholarships because they had to be registered in New York State.
Or my favorite one, a school financial aid councilor informed a group of Delaware students registering to vote in Georgia and not the state they are from is a felony. Now these are the men and women we Americans have entrusted with the future brain trust and they can’t even get this simple fact straight how are they going to prepare them for the workforce?
Tomfoolery at its best.
Today, top McCain aide Rick Davis indicated the campaign isn’t in any hurry to slot Palin for a Sunday show appearance — and will do so only if he and other strategists determine it serves the ticket’s purposes, not because some may view it as a required initiation for a major political player.
Appearing on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” show, Davis said:
"I’d never commit to anything in the future. … Our strategy is in our hands, not the media’s. We’re going to do what’s in our best interests to try to win the election. If we think going on TV news shows are [sic] in our best interests, we’ll do it. If we don’t, we won’t.”
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/09/sarah-palin-w-1.html
That's UNACCEPTABLE! What is the McCain campaign trying to hide? At this point, we must INSIST that Sarah Palin be vetted by the media, since it appears the McCain campaign didn't feel it necessary to!
Click the link below to sign a petition demanding that the McCain Campaign give the media access to Sarah Palin! This petition will be circulated to media around the world - please pass it to everyone you know and give them a chance to voice their opinion about how the McCain campaign is trying to use a flash-in-the pan celebrity to turn the tide of this election:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/let-sarah-speak
http://letsarahspeak.wordpress.com
This is an excerpt from a recent article.
820 and 427 and 152
- - -
820 is the number of laws Obama sponsored in the Illinois State Senate.
427 is the current count of the number of bills Obama has co-sponsored in the U.S. Senate.
And the final number, 152, is the most recent tally of the number of bills that Senator Obama has authored. Three of them, including S. 3558 ("A bill to provide for enhanced food-borne illness surveillance and food safety capacity") were moved upon just last week.
Let's look at that quote from Palin again, this time with wiggle words highlighted:
"...this is a man who has authored two memoirs but not a single major law or even a reform, not even in the state senate." (Cheers, applause.)
Actually, it's not hard to find bills by Obama that qualify both as major, and as reforms. As Andrew Sullivan points out:
...it seems extremely weird that she should believe that Obama's record is a total zero.
Read the full story here:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/9/5/04916/71376/372/587456
Sarah Palin
By Patricia Wilson-Smith
The Republican Convention has been nothing if not entertaining. I started to skip the whole thing - I thought it would just be too darned hard to watch so many uppity people casting aspersions on my favorite Senator and yours. But I tuned in, and after three nights of truth-bending rhetoric, name calling and selective memory recall from the Republican smash machine, I’m alright. I’m just fine.
It was yesterday, during Sarah Palin’s speech that a deep calm came over me. Somewhere around the time when Ms. Palin began to mock Senator Obama’s background in community organizing. It was then, right then, that I realized that these people either a) have no idea what they’re up against, or b) can’t admit it to themselves. Either way, I’m golden.
Of what do I speak you ask? Well, you heard it - the notion put right out there for the world to see and hear by none other than the unqualified-one herself, Sarah Palin, that Senator Obama’s work as a community organizer consisted of no ’actual responsibilities’. Which is to say (I guess) that his skills as an organizer have also had no impact on the campaign, or will hold no relevence for his presidency. That’s funny to me. Is it funny to you?
If it isn’t it should be. Way back when, during the days leading up to the hotly contested Texas primary, I found myself in Austin, Texas in a high-rise building phone-banking with total strangers, when Ashley Collier, one of the Obama campaign’s field directors walked up to me and exclaimed excitedly, “Miss Pat, is that you?!?” I had worked with Ashley and many of the other campaign workers in the Atlanta office during the Georgia primary run up. I had helped plan events, held phone-banking nights at the campaign office, etc., and so I had gotten to know Ashley pretty well.
Space was at a premium in the suite of offices that was the epicenter of Obama campaign activity in Austin. I had had to battle it out with retirees and college students for desk space to spread out the call sheets that I was working from each day. To my delight, Ashley advised me that she shared a small cramped office with two other campaign employees who happened to be out of the office on that particular day, and that she would be happy to let me crash with her to do my work while I was there. I was thrilled - it made me feel like a campaign insider!
I’ll never forget the time I spent with Ashley there that day. We talked about her work on the campaign, the crazy ‘Texas Two-Step’, her thoughts about Obama’s chances, and the empassioned men and women that made up the volunteer corps of the campaign. We talked about the success of Camp Obama, and I mentioned to her how tight a ship the campaign leadership seemed to run. And that’s when she said it - that’s when she said the words that made me realize, really for the first time, the true genius of the man for which I had worked so hard.
“(Paraphrasing) Oh, this is all Barack. He’s running every bit of this campaign - he is a brilliant organizer“.
A brilliant organizer. A brilliant organizer. I’ve never forgotten those words, and knowing what I know now about how Senator Obama has been able to inspire millions of apathetic Americans to get off their butts and get engaged, how he’s amassed more money for his campaign through individual donations than any politician in history, how he’s given birth to a new generation of activists and taught them not only how to get and stay involved, but how to organize to get others involved as well? I can’t do anything BUT laugh at the idea that Republicans would belittle his community organizing skills, since it’s the ultimate organized community that is poised to help him kick John McCain’s butt in November.
Yep. I’m truly gratified. Because, though it is not easy to turn from the train wreck, watching night after night, wanting to look away, but being somehow unable to, I have heard nothing, and I mean NOTHING that could possibly be mistaken as truth, and I know what millions and millions around the country and the world like me know - this is Senator Obama’s time, and no amount of name calling, belittling, or posturing from a chorus of Republican loud-mouths will change that.
And so, little Miss Firearms, go ahead and mock Senator Obama’s community organizing past. While you and your buddies shoot moose and swill beer and have a great laugh, Senator Obama’s organized community will continue to do the work that will push us across the historic finish line to a new direction for this country, and a total rejection of the last eight years of damaging, deceptive, destructive, and divisive Bush policies. Let ‘em say what they want - I’m PROUD to be a part of the organized Obama community, and proud of every bit of the journey that has brought Senator Barack Obama to the edge of history - including those days in Chicago long ago.
Hello All,
I have been watching the weekend news, blogs, events, commentaries and emails.
I first have to respond as a teen mother. I had my first child at 15, my second and 18. I have to say my gut and heart goes out to Bristol Palin.
Not only is she dealing with a monumental life changing experience but she is having to do it under the microscope of the worlds press.
Regardless of her mothers decisions, I would hope, as Obama's supporters, representing CHANGE, that we do NOT treat this young mother as young mothers have been treated in the past.
On another note, I am a Teen Pregnancy educator. I have had teen of ALL ranges in my classes. Pastors daughters, welfare mom's daughters, 4.0 students, college stars...in Cobb County.
I will not allow myself to be brought into what is clearly a family issue.
I do however question the allowance of the McCain campaign to do such.
I will be 40 in 2 weeks and this is the first time I have voted in a campaign, been so involved and so emotionaly about politicis.
I would hope that this will not be my last time. I do not think I could bear putting so much of my heart and soul into believing that my 2 month old grand daughter could have a bright future and for it to be destroyed. I could not ever imagine my grandchild "googling" her mothers name.
In our training at Camp Obama we learned about Our Stories....
This is Bristols Story and the story of her future child. Please let HER tell it.
Let's continue Obama's story, his suppoters story, his campaign story.
Bristol and her child will have their own one day.
I'd like to get back to the real issues.
My husband lost his job.
My son paid $2000 for gas last moth as a contractor and was paid back $290, has a newborn who does not have health care and a 2 yr old who was bumped off of Peach Care.
And it goes on everywhere.
We have become distracted.
Thanks for listening,
Debbie
I have hit the ground running in my new position as field organizer with the Campaign for Change here in Gerogia. I was initially told I would be in Fayette County, I even told Dr. Lowery that we were going to win Fayette, but then I got home and they assigned me to Henry County. So, now I have to keep one foot in Fayette and help there where I can. I have been on the phone all morning reaching out to everyone I know looking for connections in Henry County. If you know anyone there plese send them my way.
The telling of the story of Denver is going to have to wait until November 5th after I wake from the long night of celebration! Let me just say this, it was an incredible experience and the highlights for me were connecting with Congressman Conyers, who is working hard organizing Kids for Obama, Dr. Tatum, President of Spelman, Judge Hatchett who is interested in our project in the West End, Jesse, Abdullah, Carol, Jerry, and all the folk whose names I may not remember right now, but whose spirits I will never forget.And I cannot forget the thrill of sharing this experience with my longest Obama family member, Rita Cannon, and one of my newest, Rhonda Joyner. And I will remind you of something we learned first hand, History don't wait for those who hesitate!
Unless you want to meet with me on Labor Day at 6 pm in College Park where I'm going to tell the story and then get to work Tuesday morning.
Peace
It is Tuesday morning, I wanted to write last night, however I poked myself in the eye with a placard at last night's convention and I couldn't see too well. I am going to use this platform to tell the story of my experience at the convention. I will venture to guess that it won't be what many of you are looking for, but it is my experience. Those of you who know me well my life is a bit unconventional and my experiences are about people and connections, so here goes.
My day yesterday started with the Georgia Delegation's Breakfast. I must admit I am feeling a little out of sorts here, events like this aren't really my thing. I can never separate myself from the people I serve, the impoverished, forgotten folk and I struggle often with the excesses and "niceties' of events like this. I am staying true to my mission though and speaking out every opportunity I get. Some of you already know that I have dedicated my time at this convention to two sheros, Fannie Lou Hamer and Stephanie Tubbs Jones, of course in addition to the footsoldiers of struggle, the grassroots organizers, my two favorites, Ella Baker and Hosea Williams, whose spirits I daily look to for guidance.
When I woke this morning and was reflecting on yesterday and the people I have met or seen since I arrived in Denver, I am once again amazed at the synchronicity of my life. Of all the people I could have met, the ones I have met are champions through activism for the causes that I too champion, peace, justice and human rights. Danny Glover, Stan from Kansas, John Conyers, Jesse from Denver, Jimmy and Rosalind Carter, John Waxman, Dennis Kucinich, Michael Eric Dyson, and Cornell West, yes Jesse, I saw him shortly after we parted.
Jesse is a young man my friend Rita Cannon and I met as we were trying to make our way to a function, Uncoventional Women, honoring the women in Congress. I had an extra ticket so I invited him in with us. I was telling Jesse how Rita and I had gone the "wrong" way, and ran into Michael Eric Dyson, (pictures are coming), and that I told Rita that the only other person I really wanted to see that day was Cornell West. Jesse didn't know who Dr. West was, I suggested he might be someone he check out. So, about 4 hours later as I was about to enter the Pepsi Center, who walks right past me but, Dr. Cornell West. I first heard him speak many years ago and he was telling a group of University of Chicago students that we are wasting valuable time waiting for a leader, he said, "We are the leaders we are searching for." While I love Barack Obama, this amazing journey would not be possible were it not for thousands of people across this country being leaders in their respective communities, leading this grassroots movement. We have claimed the power that is inherently ours and have built what I argue is the most diverse social movement in world history, and I have witnessed that diversity first hand.
Once inside the Pepsi center I ran into a friend from Atlanta whom I had worked early on in the campaign with. Once again I was where I "shouldn't" have been, but circumstances led me. Barbara was speaking with a woman from South Carolina. I thought they were friends--in fact they had just met--she is currently living in Ghana. I shared that I have a friend who spends a great deal of time in Ghana, world renowned quilter and textile artist, Edjohnetta Miller, the woman said she didnt' know her. Then, I began to share a story about a multigenerational holistic community center a group of us are planning in the West End in Atlanta. I spoke of Edjohnetta's multigenerational quilting and weaving project in Hartford, CT, the women smiled and said her friend worked with Edjohnetta, she remembered the story, about how the project came about.
While watching the convention last night...sorry gotta go, but I'll try to write a bit more later.
I can tell you this though my evening highlights were seeing Jimmy and Rosalind Carter, Caroline and Ted Kennedy, and Craig Robinson and his baby sister. I truly believe that after listening to that heartwarming tribute Craig made to his sister and then listening to Michelle, anyone who could have a negative word to say about her has no heart and no soul. For more on my thoughts on Michelle look to one of my earlier blogs on this site.
peace
August 2, 2008 in Barack Obama, Black Women, Commentary, Did You Know?, Issues, John McCain, Politics, Polls, Speeches | No comments (edit)
PTTMCHLICMAM? We’ll get to that in a moment.
First an acknowledgment:
It’s getting increasingly harder to write these blog entries, primarily because there’s so much to write about, it’s difficult to settle on something and just, well, write it. But this morning, the McCain campaign has bestowed upon me an incredible gift - the gift of a lifted writer’s block. Thank you, John McCain!
Okay (clear throat). So, if you’re like me, you spent some part of yesterday scratching your head, trying to understand why the McCain campaign thinks that an ad depicting Moses (played by a recently deceased and beloved actor), and showing Senator Obama in various stages of his campaign (sometimes joking, sometimes lifting audiences with one of his soaring speeches) is anything but - dumb. And offensive if you REALLY loved “The Ten Commandments”.
This new ad was just as strange and confusing as the now infamous “Britney-Paris’ ad. The truth is, it was only because I had been forewarned that the BP ad was out there that I even knew it was a McCain ad. The references to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton were strange to be sure, but the ad, like this new one, shows our favorite Senator in front of adoring crowds, and has a constant ‘Obama! Obama!’ chant in the background. If you’re watching these ads and you’re a supporter of Senator Obama’s, you won’t know whether to cheer or collapse on the floor in a fit of confusion. But I can tell you that what I was at NO time tempted to do, was doubt the importance of Senator Obama’s ability to inspire, because (and please listen closely Mr. McCain) that is what real leaders do.
I think the McCaininites have stepped in it this time. If I were writing ads for the Obama Campaign, I would be all over this like a cheap suit, because in attempting to question whether or not Senator Obama can lead, what they’ve really done is shined a light on the fact that as one who has an almost endless ability to inspire, he possesses what is considered to be one of the most important traits of a truly great leader.
That’s Management 101 people. Any random Google search of ‘What makes a great leader?’ will return a list similar to the one below:
1. Visionary 2. Inspirational 3. Strategic 4. Tactical 5. Focused 6. Persuasive 7. Likable 8. Decisive 9. Ethical 10. Open to criticism
Let’s examine, shall we? Let’s see - John McCain is no visionary, and I think that by producing these ads his campaign has all but admitted that he’s about as inspirational as a bag of dirt. His ability to act strategically and tactically? Hmmm - he’s been in the Senate for like, a billion years, so I guess one has to assume that he has some measure of these skills. Let’s keep it movin’.
Watching him on the campaign trail, I haven’t seen much focus, and let’s face it, he is neither persuasive or likable. I’m sure he’s plenty decisive, but he’s proven in the past that ethics could be a problem for him. And finally, if you’ve seen him growl at one of his press corp reporters from time to time, you know he’s not the best at taking criticism. The evidence is overwhelming - the McCain campaign really needs to stop asking whether or not Senator Obama can lead, before someone turns the question back around on them.
This is a slippery slope for a number of reasons. The McCain campaign has to know that any line of attack that assumes that Senator Obama is all glorious speeches and no substance is a direct insult to me and people like me - and Senator Obama has said as much in his responses to these strange ads. And I feel it personally, because by throwing up the whole ‘Obama thinks he’s Moses’ thing, the McCain campaign is accusing me, and all of you, of being Pied-Piper like lemmings, with no real discernible ability to choose a candidate based on the issues, especially if he happens to be charismatic, drop dead gorgeous, and an impassioned and eloquent speaker.
Following that line of thought, there are a lot of great leaders who should have had ad campaigns levied at them chocked full of mocking references to biblical figures. Try to imagine what it would have been like if in 1980, Jimmy Carter’s campaign, desperate to stem the tide of admiration for Ronald Reagan and his good looks, articulate speeches, and Washington outsider status, had resorted to such tactics, perhaps by producing ads comparing him to Jonah, complete with a big whale that spewed peanuts, or hair gel.
The hair gel thing was a reference to Ronald Reagan’s always perfectly coiffed hair. I’ll move on.
Or if in 1960, Richard Nixon, upset by a clear upstaging from a young and attractive John F. Kennedy Jr., had somehow been able to foist ads upon us that compared him to John The Baptist - can’t you just see it? John The Baptist baptizing Uncle Sam in some lame attempt at belittling JFK?
Sounds ridiculous, I know, but no more so than the crap the McCain campaign put out this past week. Sadly, though their methods are goofy, I actually would have been disappointed if they hadn’t come back with something after having to sit through footage of Senator Obama in front of 200,000 chanting Europeans last week, all of whom seemed to be screaming, “We want you to lead the Free World, and not the old guy! We want you to lead the Free World and not the old guuuuuyyyyyy!” That would send any candidate over the edge. But it simply points out McCain’s clear disadvantage to produce these kinds of ads, and does nothing to change the inescapable fact that inspiration is what we want in our leaders. And those of us who know, know that Senator Obama is the near perfect combination of inspiration, brilliance and charisma. And more importantly than that, he knows how to inspire people to action, and then lead them when they move to act. John McCain couldn’t inspire me to even turn up the volume on one of his speeches, let alone do anything else he asked of me.
I understand this is all just politics. I do. But what I don’t get is how the McCain campaign could possibly get away with a line of attack that is first of all offensive, secondly - more than a little ridiculous, and thirdly, borderline blasphemy. Attacking Senator Obama because he’s inspirational? That’s like blasting Kobe Bryant because he’s good at popping 3-pointers.
If the McCain campaign wants to go all ‘can he lead?’ on us, then let us examine the facts, lest we forget:
Senator Obama has lead a campaign that on its own, and without special interest PAC money, has raised over $340,000,000 dollars.
Senator Obama has single-handedly awakened the American people from a long, tortuous slumber, brought on by decade after decade of exclusionary politics, and moved millions of them to get and stay involved in the political process.
Senator Obama has run an organization that at every step of the way has been professional, productive, organized, and meticulous in its dealings with his opponents, the media, and each other.
Senator Obama has consistently stayed on the defensive when it comes to negative campaigning, and has at no time resorted to the childish and misleading tactics that the McCain campaign has this week, and has been adamant about keeping his message about the issues and the needs of the American people.
Yikes - I could go on and on. But the bottom line is, I was not fooled by the McCain campaign’s attempt to lessen the importance of the man who is destined to become the next President of the United States, and I don’t think very many other people will be either. Just check out the blogs, they’re telling the story this morning. I think even McCain supporters are wincing over this one, and it’s hard to blame them. By now, they too are convinced as I am that this is ‘PTTMCHLICMAM’ - Proof-That-The-McCain-Campaign-Has-Lost-It’s-Collective-Monkey-Ass-Mind.
By Thomas Kelley - Jul 17th, 2008 at 6:18 pm EDT
Obama Headquarters, Atlanta, GA. - They meet every Monday at 7pm. They come from diverse backgrounds and different parts of the country as well as Georgia. They put their careers, family, friends and their lives on hold. They work not for money but for the movement that has compelled them to give up six weeks of their summer. They are Obama Organizing Fellows from team 3 out of Atlanta, GA.A glimpse inside an Obama Organizing Fellows meeting is a segmented view of the campaign as a whole. While their individual stories of who they are are unique, the reasons for why they came are distinctly similar; to be a part of something bigger than themselves. While we do not choose history, history does choose us and these Fellows from team 3 are a clear example of carpe diem.
Each week they meet they go through the agenda that is carefully planned to align with their goals of the week. After a brief welcome and introduction, two selected fellows from the team of twelve share "My Story", a two minute background of why and how they came to the campaign. Compelling moments such as these do not happen on a regular basis in life but they do happen once a week in this Fellows meeting.After sharing the challenges of their choice to give up their lives to affect some change in an adopted community, it is time to get down to business. Discussing strategies to register voters and empowering them with a voice, these fellows also create a volunteer plan. Their goal, to recruit supporters of Senator Obama to help take back their country and build a local grassroots campaign from the bottom up.Like every great family they don't agree on everything. However, what they do agree on is implementing platform meetings on policy, house parties to recruit volunteers, and the need to work hard to register the some 850, 000 people who are not registered to vote in Georgia.Their efforts can best be summed up in the words of one Fellow that spoke towards the end of their meeting. "If we can register as many voters as possible we can turn Georgia Blue and that will go a long way to making sure Barack Obama is the next President of The United States."
By now it is a well known fact to my friends and acquaintances that I am an avid supporter of Barack Obama for President of the United States. So much so, that it is shocking how many of my white counterparts have responded to my endorsement. The jokes and forwarded e-mails have been continuous.
“If Obama is elected will the President’s home still be called the White House?” And then the never ending innuendos about how Obama rhymes with Osama or how he will take the oath on a Koran and change the pledge of allegiance to “one nation under Allah.” Now, even The New Yorker magazine has included a front cover caricature depicting Michelle Obama as a gun totting lunatic who “fist bumps” her fully decorated Jihadist husband as the US flag burns in the fireplace in the oval office.
Alarmist may immediately assume such opposition to Obama is a case of blatant racism---but not so fast. Fear and disdain should not be equated. Most of these folks harmoniously work and live around people of other races, yet the cultural divide still prevails at critical points, such as in the case of who should lead the nation.
The fact remains that for some whites there is an unspoken and underlining fear of what will happen once a black man takes office. It doesn’t help that while walking near the CNN Center in Atlanta recently, an African American man, in celebrating my Obama ’08 t-shirt responded, “And when he wins, we’re going to paint the whole city black!”
Some whites fear Obama, not because they don’t like his ideas, as their ignorance indicates their misguided notions of where he stands on critical issues stems from what radio demagogues say and not from Obama himself, but because on some significant fronts they are still afraid of black people. In the minds of some whites the presence of African Americans equals lower property values, underperforming schools, and higher crimes rates.
These unfortunate and largely inaccurate stereotypes reveal how misguided and uninformed society remains about cultural bias, in spite of having made significant gains and progress. Disagreeing with Obama because of philosophical reasons is certainly acceptable and understandable; not even listening to what he has to say or formulating opinions based on what someone else said Obama believes is unacceptable.
Please check out this website regarding millions of disenfranchised Americans in this country, http://www.democracysghosts.org/. If you are passionate about the voting rights of all Americans please join me in reaching out to and registering former felons to vote, as well as Americans currently incarcerated in county jails across this country awaiting trial.
I have been in touch with the ACLU in Atlanta and they have connected me with someone who is going to facilitate our getting into the jail to register voters and provide voters with absentee ballot applications so that they can vote while incarcerated and awaiting trial.
Feel free to contact me if you would like help getting started. If you are in my Atlanta Obama Family and would like to work with me on this let me know. Also, if you have a friend or family member who has personally been affected and would bring a personal passion send them my way.
Peace,
Kathy
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/investigators&id=6188148
This police brutually issue is really sickening. People of New York and the rest of the states need to advocate for change in this state.
This morning in my capacity as an Obama Delegate from Georgia I was filling out a questionaire for the campaign. One of the questions was "Something you would like the campaign to know about you." This was my response:
I would like the Obama Campaign to know that I feel a spiritual connection to Michelle Obama. Sometimes she says things and I think to myself, 'That's what I always say.' Like Michelle, I have an educational background in Sociology and African American Studies, and like Michelle I graduated Cum Laude. Unlike Michelle though, I was 49 years old when I earned those degrees, but like her, I too got out of school in deep debt. I could literally write a book on my Obama campaign experience, so maybe like her and Barack I'll be able to some day retire my debt by sharing my story.
The day that Barack announced he was running for President I visualized Michelle as our First Lady, I was filled with love and pride. Nothing could have prepared me for the flood of emotion I felt the first moment I heard Michelle talk about the real possibility that she would be First Lady. I sobbed; it was a gut wrenching sob, a sob for all of the women of African decent who had ever been Americans, and all of the injustices and terrorist horrors they had suffered at the hands of America and Americans. I sobbed for every child and every man of African decent who have been Americans and had to see their mothers and grandmothers and sisters, and their daughters and thier wives as they were terrorized at the hand of their "fellow" Americans, and the nation that was supposed to protect them, and I sobbed more. Then suddenly the sobs turned to a silent weeping, and then came calm, and a smile and I thought, ‘Yes, the arc of the moral universe is bending, and I felt a personal pride at the thought that one day I will tell my granddaughter that I had the full force of my being bending that arc toward justice.’
9 is the magic number, That’s what it is, It’s a magic number . . . (all apologies to school house rock . . .)
This post is for all Obama supporters, but especially for those going to the convention, and for those talking to Hillary supporters. Nine is the magic number. Remember that, and use it. Before I explain, let me first ask you to consider. If the tables were reversed, and Hillary had cleaned Barack’s clocks, and HRC supporters were coming to us for support of her, how would you feel if they started slamming Barack? You would be angry. All of the emotional energy in you would well up, and even if you were willing to vote for her, you might not work as hard. Even for a candidate who, like it or not, is not that far apart from our person on most of the issues. Think of that when you talk to a HRC supporter. Either of them could win, but nine is the magic number.
So why is Nine the magic number? Because we need nine more senators to have a filibuster proof majority in the U.S. Senate. Ethics reform, health care reform, campaign finance reform, rolling back tax cuts for the wealthy to give breaks to the middle class, rolling back tax cuts on Big Oil to fund and promote green energy, all of these are impossible if we cannot win the senate a 60 seat majority. Thirty two seats are up this year, 23 of them are Republican seats. Five republicans are retiring, leaving their seat with no incumbent, and no democrats are retiring. This is the biggest open seat gap in fifty years. We have a chance to win nine of the twenty three seats, but only if we run strong in the traditional red states. We already have most of the Senate seats from the Blue states.
If we run strong in all fifty states, we will bring a lot of excitement to the Democratic Party in those states, and a lot of registered voters. In the case of Senator Obama, he brings a lot of new voters, and those folks tend to vote solid ticket. Obama will carry the traditional blue states, and he will put in play states with GOP Senators such as Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, and God Help us, both senate seats in Mississippi. (One of the Mississippi seat is Trent Lott’s old seat, and their former Democratic Governor is running for it!) Even if we do not win all the states we run in, the excitement that a strong race brings can win us additional house and senate seats. Here in Georgia, we might win the state for Barack, but the turnout we are hoping for could definitely win us Georgia’s U.S. Senate seat. This is where the battleground is for the Senate. Presidential campaigns carry coattails, but only if you compete.
Nothing personal, but nine is the magic number.
