Every day that goes by without a for-sure Democratic nominee for President of the United States is another day that John McCain and the GOP grow stronger. The idea keeps popping up in my head as well as in the news media of a brokered convention. As we all know, this hasn't happened for the Dems since 1952, when they brokered the convention for Adlai Stevenson who was later beaten soundly by Ike Eisenhower.
One thing that I said at the Denver Democratic Convention a couple weeks ago was that if Barack Obama has the lead in overall (non-super) delegates going into the convention, then he had better be the nominee at the end of it. In fact, I would go so far as to say that if he has the lead after the last vote of the last caucus/primary, he should automatically become the nominee.
What a brokered convention (one in which Obama has a clear lead, but HRC walks out of Denver with the nomination) could mean for Democrats is beyond comprehension. Much like Lyndon Johnson's assertion that the Democratic Party would lose the south for 30 years after he signed the Civil Rights Act, the Democrats could very well lose the Gen-Y and African-American vote for 30+ years. Every Obama supporter who has been re-awakened by this movement would be dealt a crushing, completely undemocratic defeat at the hands of the elite of a party whom very few of them have strong allegiances to.
We have to continue to call, write and e-mail every single Super Delegate until they committ one way or the other. All of this sitting on the fence isn't doing anyone any good except, of course, for John McCain and the GOP. Let's make sure that Barack gets the nomination, and the win on election day!
DES MOINES, Iowa — Supporters of Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton are once again ardently courting Iowa Democratic activists as they vie for the support of delegates pledged to departed rival John Edwards.
Edwards finished second in the state’s leadoff precinct caucuses on Jan. 3, but those caucuses are only the first step in a complicated process of picking the state’s 45 pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August.
The next step in that process are the conventions held Saturday in each of the state’s 99 counties, where 13,000 activists gathered to elect delegates to congressional district and state conventions.
The epic presidential race between Clinton and Obama has been reshaped since Iowa’s caucuses, but is no less intense with every delegate carrying weight.
“Every single one counts and that’s why we’ve been here organizing,” said Teresa Vilmain, a field organizer for Clinton.
“We’ve filled all of our slots,” said Gordon Fischer, a former Iowa Democratic chairman who is organizing for Obama.
Obama won the state’s precinct caucuses with 39 percent of the vote, with Edwards narrowly edging Clinton to finish second. State Democratic Party officials projected those results would yield Obama 16 delegates, Clinton 15 and Edwards 14. Though Edwards finished second, Clinton got the extra delegate because of her strong showing in congressional districts with additional weighting.
Those 14 potential Edwards delegates are now in play since he’s dropped from the race. An Associated Press delegate tally showed Obama with 1,603 delegates and Clinton with 1,497, so both camps are competing for every delegate available.
Rob Tully, a Des Moines lawyer and prominent Edwards backer, sent an e-mail to supporters urging them to remain neutral, but there appeared to be movement.
“Barack Obama stands for a lot of the same things that John Edwards stood for,” said Ro Foege, a state legislator from Mount Vernon who switched to the Obama camp.
The county conventions are traditionally sleepy gatherings where party leaders have trouble gathering a quorum to conduct business, largely because the party usually has a nominee by this point. With the race still up for grabs, activists jammed school gymnasiums, auditoriums and meeting halls across the state.
Former Gov. Tom Vilsack, a Clinton backer, spoke to more than 1,200 delegates jammed into a suburban high school gym.
“The reality is we are united on one thing today, we are Democrats, we are proud Democrats and we are going to elect a Democratic president,” said Vilsack, who dropped his own bid for the nomination even before the voting began. “Let us pledge that we will unite behind our nominee — be it he or she.”
Party officials expected results from virtually all the counties by late afternoon. A handful of tiny rural counties were holding their conventions in the evening.
In addition to the 45 pledged delegates, the state has 12 automatic delegates who are elected officials or party leaders. Four of those have endorsed Obama, three Clinton and the rest are uncommitted.
By MIKE GLOVER, Associated Press Writer 21 minutes ago
Democrat Barack Obama expanded his fragile lead in delegates over rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday, picking up at least seven delegates as Iowa activists took the next step in picking delegates to the national convention.
Half the 14 delegates allocated to John Edwards on the basis of caucus night projections switched Saturday and Obama got most, if not all, of them.
Iowa Democratic Party officials said that with more than 86 percent of the delegates picked, Obama claimed 52 percent of the delegates elected at county conventions on Saturday, compared to 32 percent for Clinton. About 16 percent of the delegates picked at Saturday's conventions were sticking with Edwards, even though he's dropped from the race since Iowa held its caucuses in January.
Democratic Party projections said the results mean Obama increased by seven the number of delegates he collects from the state, getting a total of 23 compared to 14 for Clinton and seven for Edwards, with one to be decided.
Twelve automatic delegates bring the state's total to 57. Obama has been endorsed by four of those and Clinton three, with the remainder uncommitted.
Counting Iowa's results Saturday, an Associated Press delegate tally showed Obama with 1,610 delegates and Clinton with 1,496.
Obama won the state's precinct caucuses in January with 39 percent of the vote, with Edwards narrowly edging Clinton to finish second. Projections on caucus night showed Obama getting 16 delegates, compared to 15 for Clinton and 14 for Edwards.
"It means the Obama people are very organized," said Iowa Democratic Chairman Scott Brennan. "They have been working very hard for these conventions."
Brennan said turnout was heavy, with more than 13,000 activists showing up at conventions in the state's 99 counties.
"Today, Iowa Democrats again turned out in large numbers to reject the failed Bush-McCain campaign and its policies," said Brennan.
Edwards finished second in the state's leadoff precinct caucuses on Jan. 3, but those caucuses are only the first step in a complicated process of picking the state's 45 pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August.
The next step in that process was Saturday with selection of delegates to congressional district and state conventions. Party officials said the results Saturday marked the election of 2,173 of the 2,500 delegates who will go to those convention.
The epic presidential race between Clinton and Obama has been reshaped since Iowa's caucuses, but is no less intense with every delegate carrying weight.
"Every single one counts and that's why we've been here organizing," said Teresa Vilmain, a field organizer for Clinton.
"We've filled all of our slots," said Gordon Fischer, a former Iowa Democratic chairman who is organizing for Obama.
Rob Tully, a Des Moines lawyer and prominent Edwards backer, sent an e-mail to supporters urging them to remain neutral, but there was clear movement to Obama when the results were tallied.
"Barack Obama stands for a lot of the same things that John Edwards stood for," said Ro Foege, a state legislator from Mount Vernon who switched to the Obama camp.
"The reality is we are united on one thing today, we are Democrats, we are proud Democrats and we are going to elect a Democratic president," said Vilsack, who dropped his own bid for the nomination even before the voting began. "Let us pledge that we will unite behind our nominee — be it he or she."
Copyright © 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
By MICHAEL LUO and JOHN M. BRODER Published: March 15, 2008
Democrats in Michigan and Florida struggled Friday to resolve the impasse over their disputed January primaries, coming up with a plan to hold a June primary in Michigan while remaining deadlocked in Florida.
The committee penalized Michigan and Florida for holding their primaries early in violation of national party rules, barring their delegates from being seated at the Democratic convention this summer. But with the Democratic contest now a scramble for every remaining delegate, the allocation of delegates from the two states could have a substantial impact on the nomination.
Mrs. Clinton won the primaries in both states, but the contests were not sanctioned by the party, neither candidate campaigned in the states and Mr. Obama did not even put his name on the ballot in Michigan.
Pushing to seat the Florida delegates, at least one top Clinton fund-raiser, Paul Cejas, a Miami businessman who has given the Democratic National Committee $63,500 since 2003, has demanded Democratic officials return his 2007 contribution of $28,500, which they have agreed to do.
“If you’re not going to count my vote, I’m not going to give you my money,” said Mr. Cejas, who was the United States ambassador to Belgium from 1998 to 2001.
Christopher Korge, a Florida real estate developer who is another top fund-raiser for Mrs. Clinton, held an event last year in his home that brought in about $140,000 for the national party, which was set aside in a special account for the general election battle in Florida. But he told committee officials this week that if Florida’s delegate conundrum was not settled satisfactorily he would be asking for the money back.
“If we do not resolve this issue,” Mr. Korge said, “I think it’s safe to say there will be a request for a return of $140,000.”
The anger from Clinton fund-raisers seems to emanate mostly from Florida, where the impasse appears farthest from resolution. Democratic Party officials in Michigan on Friday proposed a new primary election on June 3 to make up for the January election.
The new vote, which would be run by state elections officials but financed with money raised from private sources, is far from a sure thing. It requires approval by the divided state legislature and from the Clinton and Obama campaigns. There is also no assurance that the party can quickly raise the estimated $10 million it would cost to redo the January contest.
Meanwhile, Senator Bill Nelson of Florida, a Clinton supporter, raised the possibility of seating his state’s delegates based on the January vote — which Mrs. Clinton won 50 percent to 33 percent — but awarding each Florida delegate only half a vote at the August convention. That would mean that Mrs. Clinton would narrow the delegate gap with Mr. Obama by a net of 19 delegates, rather than the 38 she would have gained under the January result. She trails Mr. Obama by more than 100 delegates, according to most counts.
Mr. Nelson discussed the plan with Mr. Obama and Mrs. Clinton on Thursday on the Senate floor. A Nelson aide said they told him they wanted the Florida problem resolved but did not endorse his half-a-vote plan. Other Florida Democrats said the Nelson proposal was only one of many ideas floating around.
Mr. Obama has consistently rejected seating any delegates based on the January votes in Michigan or Florida, which he said were unfair because neither candidate was allowed to campaign there. In Michigan, while Mrs. Clinton’s name was on the primary ballot, many Obama supporters voted for “uncommitted,” a line that got 40 percent of the vote to Mrs. Clinton’s 55 percent.
As for the latest Michigan proposal, aides to Mrs. Clinton signaled they were likely to go along with the plan, but the Obama campaign was more skeptical, according to people involved in the process.
“We have to do something,” said State Senator Tupac A. Hunter, a co-chairman of the Obama Michigan campaign, “but I don’t know if this is even legal.”
A Clinton spokesman, Mo Elleithee, said of the Michigan proposal: “Nearly 600,000 Americans participated in the Michigan primary in January, and we have a solemn obligation to ensure that their voices are heard. The best way to make that happen is to honor their votes, but if that isn’t possible there should be a new state primary that doesn’t leave taxpayers footing the bill.”
He said the Clinton campaign was waiting to hear more details.
The plan was negotiated by Senator Carl Levin, Representative Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, Debbie Dingell, a member of the Democratic National Committee, and Ron Gettelfinger, president of the United Auto Workers. The four Democrats, who all claim neutrality in the presidential contest, have been working with state and national party officials and representatives of the two campaigns to try to find a solution to the delegate impasse.
“We agree that the Michigan delegation should be seated at the convention, and without a fight before the Credentials Committee or on the floor of the convention,” they said in a statement Friday afternoon.
A person close to the negotiations, who requested anonymity to discuss private talks, said the Clinton campaign was receptive to the June revote plan but the Obama forces were holding back for now.
The person said that Michigan Republicans, who control the State Senate, said they would not stand in the way. But Democrats, who control the state House of Representatives, are divided between Clinton supporters and Obama supporters. “The Clinton people say they’re not going to block it,” the source said. “The question is what the Obama people are going to do.”
The situation in Florida seemed more intractable, with Clinton supporters arguing the party’s prospects in November could be jeopardized if a satisfactory resolution is not found. Some Clinton backers said they were intentionally withholding their contributions to the party, arguing that Howard Dean, the D.N.C.’s chairman, has left the situation in the hands of the states and the candidates, as opposed to exercising leadership to resolve it.
“My wife and I could max out, and we won’t,” said Ira Leesfield, a Miami lawyer who has given $61,500 to the committee since 1997. “We’re dissatisfied with the D.N.C. not taking the bull by the horns.”
About 250 top fund-raisers for Mrs. Clinton met Wednesday in Washington. Terry McAuliffe, the Clinton campaign’s chairman and a former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, encouraged the donors to pick up the phone and call party leaders, as did Mrs. Clinton.
But Mr. McAuliffe said in an interview Friday that he did not approve of donors’ holding back their contributions to the D.N.C.
A review of records filed with the Federal Election Commission shows that top donors to the committee gave more to Mrs. Clinton than to Mr. Obama. Of 196 people who have given at least $30,000 to the D.N.C. since 2005, it appears 71 of them contributed to Mrs. Clinton, with donations totaling more than $295,000, while 67 gave to Mr. Obama for about $189,000. And 25 gave to both.
Stacie Paxton, a spokeswoman for the D.N.C., defended Mr. Dean’s handling of the dispute.
“While Howard Dean has been working hard to be an honest broker, too many involved have been more concerned with headlines than results,” Ms. Paxton said. “It’s never productive to negotiate through the press, but make no mistake, Howard Dean will continue to lead the effort to find a workable solution that’s fair and consistent with the rules.”
Hillary currently leads Super Delegates by only 30!!
FROM CNN’s Jack Cafferty:
The superdelegates are starting to break for Barack Obama.
Bloomberg news reports that Obama has almost pulled even with Hillary Clinton in endorsements from top election officials, and has cut into her lead among other superdelegates as well.
Since it’s unlikely Clinton can catch Obama when it comes to the pledged delegates, the superdelegates will ultimately be called upon to decide the race.
Bloomberg says according to the two campaigns, of the 313 superdelegates who are members of Congress or governors… Clinton has the backing of 103 compared to 96 for Obama. Since Obama won the Iowa caucuses in early January, he’s gotten 53 superdelegate endorsements — compared to only 12 for Clinton. And since the Texas and Ohio primaries, Obama has picked up 9 more superdelegates, compared to one for Clinton. Sounds like a trend.
One Obama supporter and superdelegate, Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill says, “That’s not glacial, that is a remarkable momentum. I don’t think there is anything that will slow that down.”
The Clinton campaign doesn’t think most of the uncommitted superdelegates will not take sides until the rest of the primaries and caucuses are over. Adviser Harold Ickes says, “We think the momentum has been stopped, not cold, but very much stopped.”
The Washington Post reports that Hillary Clinton has been opening up her Washington home to woo uncommitted lawmakers. It’s not exactly like renting out the Lincoln bedroom… but, hey, whatever works
CNN Election Center
Another day, and another pack of lies from the Clinton campaign. Just 6 weeks before the election in Pennsylvania, the Clinton camp has said that if Obama can't win in Pennsylvania, then he can't win the general election
They are getting desperate.
This is just another in a long series of deceiving and erroneous statements on behalf of Hill-Dog and the Clinton political machine. Just like Barack said in a recent letter to us: weeks ago she was syaing that it was all about delegate count. Now she says it's about who wins more states. Now she says that if he can't win PA that he dooesn't have a shot in the general. She just keeps changing her story to fit whatever helps her in her increasingly negative--and hopeless--campaign against Obama.
The fact of the matter, in my opinion, is that those people who would vote for Hillary over Barack in the primary, would most likely vote for whoever becomes the nominee in November. For her to claim that, if the majority of Pennsylvanians choose her in April, that it has any bearing on the November general election is ridiculous. Why has she chosen to continually barrage Obama, rather than say anything negative about John McCain and the GOP? They are our enemy in this, and Hillary has done nothing but praise McCain in recent weeks. At least Obama has made it clear that he is no friend of the GOP, and certainly no friend of John McCain. With all of the recent polling showing that he has a better shot at winning in November than HRC does, it's clear that this is Hillary's way of further dividing the party. If you want proof, just look at Geraldine Ferraro.
I admire Hillary Clinton and her husband for what they did in the 90s to help disadvantaged people and the country in general. But do we really want two families of politicians controlling this country from 1989-2013? That is both undemocratic, and unamerican. WE NEED CHANGE NOW, and Barack Obama is the only candidate left who truly represents a departure from the politics of the last two decades. Please donate either money or time to help make sure that Barack Obama is sworn in as the 44th President of the United States next January. We can't afford to let this opportunity for a true paradigm-shift in American political thinking (a practical, common-sense approach to government that doesn't ignore disadvantaged people) to pass us by.
Party Puts Offer on the Table
For Immediate Release: March 13, 2008
TALLAHASSEE - Last night, Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen L. Thurman sent a memo to the Presidential candidates, DNC Chairman Howard Dean, and Florida Democratic leaders, urging them to consider a combined vote-by-mail/in-person election.
"Democrats are passionate, and Democrats are energized. We can capture this enthusiasm if we come together around a solution that offers the people of Florida a voice in the nominating process," Thurman said. "If this proposal isn't what the people want, that's okay. We're putting something on the table, but it's by no means a done deal."
<http://www.fladems.com/page/-/documents/2008_vbm_memo.pdf>
You can submit your input by Friday, 3/14/08, at 6:00 PM EST here:
<http://www.fladems.com/page/s/primarymemo>
Q. Does Florida Law allow for this type of election?A. State law does not apply to this election, which would be run by the state party, managed by experienced election management companies and overseen by a reputable accounting firm. Media reports on this subject have been inaccurate. State law does not allow for a state-run mail-in election with candidates on the ballot, but this election would not be run by the state.
Q. How can the Party pull off this election in such a short period of time?A. Two main reasons: The Florida Democratic Party has researched this process for the past year, and the election would actually be run by election management companies experienced in these type of special elections. When the Republican Legislature moved up the state's primary and put it out of compliance with DNC and RNC Rules, we began looking at all of our possible options. Last summer, we proposed a vote-by-mail election to the DNC, and Rules & Bylaws Committee members were very interested in the idea. Unfortunately, there was no funding at the time. Recently, public and private commitments have been made to assist in raising the $10-12 million it would take to run the election.
Additionally, the Florida Democratic Party has accomplished numerous feats in the past three years that no one thought was possible, including paying off an inherited $1 million in debt; building county parties into functional, vote-building organizations; holding a successful state convention that raised nearly $750,000 despite no major presidential candidates in attendance; and picked up a Cabinet seat for the first time since 1998, nine State House seats and two congressional seats all previously held by Republicans (no net loss at any level of government).
Q. Why would you have private companies run the election?A. Florida Law does not allow for a state-run election under the current circumstances. Nevertheless, the process would be transparent and accessible to the public, as required by DNC Rules and in the spirit of Florida's Sunshine-in-the-Government law.
Q. Can you pay for the election with soft (non-federal) money?A. Yes. The DNC's legal counsel informed the Party that this election could be paid for with non-federal or soft money. Florida law places no limits on contributions given to political parties.
Q. Would you have enough time for overseas and military voters to get ballots and send them back?A. Yes. Like the state of Florida does with absentee ballots for military and overseas voters, the Party would mail ballots to these voters 45 days prior to the election.
Q. What is the last day the election can be held?A. We have until June 10, according to DNC rules. Delegate selection must be completed by June 21.
Q. Does the U.S. Justice Department have any involvement in this?A. Florida has five counties that require "preclearance" under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Fortunately, this is a very inclusive process, and we will file the appropriate paperwork. Also, per Section 2, ballots would be printed in English, Spanish and Creole.
Q. How long a lead time will be needed to allow for voter registration?A. Generally, 30-45 days are needed. There is ample time for independents to join the Democratic Party and participate if they wish.
Q. Will Republicans and independents who already voted in the January 29th Republican primary be allowed to switch their registration and vote in the new contest?A. No one who voted in the Republican primary on Jan. 29 will be eligible to vote in the Democratic primary, even if they switch parties. Our voter file enables us to easily identify these voters.
(CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama widened his lead over Sen. Hillary Clinton in the overall delegate count by picking up delegates in Mississippi and Texas on Tuesday.
The Illinois Democrat won handily in the Mississippi Democratic primary Tuesday. Obama beat Clinton 61 percent to 37 percent with 99 percent of the precincts reporting.
With the victory, Obama added 17 delegates to his total while Clinton picked up 11, CNN estimates. The Mississippi win was Obama's second win in a row, having won the Wyoming caucuses Saturday.
CNN Tuesday also projected that Obama was the winner of the Texas Democratic caucuses that occurred March 4. Obama will be awarded 38 of Texas's delegates, while Clinton will win 29 delegates as a result of the caucuses, CNN estimates Watch Obama talk about his win>>
Clinton beat Obama 51 percent to 47 percent in the Texas primary that was also held on March 4, but Obama was expected to win a majority of the 228 Texas delegates due to his caucus win.
Two-thirds of the state's 193 delegates were at stake at the primary, while the remaining third were decided by the caucuses.
With the wins in Mississippi and Texas, Obama now leads Clinton 1,611 to 1,480 in the total delegate count, CNN estimates. Neither candidate is expected to obtain the 2,025 delegates needed to win the nomination outright before the national convention in August.
"What we've tried to do is steadily make sure that in each state we are making the case about the need for change in this country. Obviously the people in Mississippi responded," Obama told CNN after his win.
Clinton's campaign issued a statement congratulating Obama on his win, and said they "look forward to campaigning in Pennsylvania and around the country as this campaign continues."
The state's Democratic voters were sharply divided along racial lines, exit polls indicated.
As has been the case in many primary states, Obama won overwhelming support from African-American voters. They went for him over Clinton, 91 percent to 9 percent. See the ELECTION Results
The state has a larger proportion of African-Americans (36 percent, according to the 2000 census) than any other state in the country. And black voters make up nearly 70 percent of registered Democrats.
But white Mississippi voters overwhelmingly backed the New York senator, supporting her over Obama, 72 percent to 21 percent.
According to The Associated Press, only two other primary states were as racially polarized -- neighboring Alabama, and Clinton's former home state of Arkansas.
The exit polls also indicated roughly 40 percent of Mississippi Democratic voters said race was an important factor in their vote, and 90 percent of those voters supported Obama.
In Ohio, roughly one in five voters said race factored into their decision. About 60 percent of those voters picked Clinton over Obama.
It occurred to me that no matter what happens with the popular vote between now and August, Barack will need our support at the convention. Because both candidates will need the political will of the superdelegates to win the nomination, I implore everyone to volunteer and attend the convention in such great numbers that it will be impossible to deny our presence, our desires, our candidate.
It is no grand leap of faith to envision Barack having won the most states, the popular vote, the most elected delegates, and the largest state in the union, Texas, without having won the nomination for President. His opponent and high level Democrats have been insidious with rumors and propaganda concerning his religion, his age, his popularity, his race, and even his gender. It is not difficult to imagine Barack needing our unyeilding support at the Democratic National Convention.
We CANNOT afford to be caught off guard, as we were in Ohio. Let us not be decieved. The change that we seek in Washington will not come without overcoming some very powerful, well connected, and determined people.
Our opponent does not see failure as an option. And the media will continue to glorify and instigate the Democrat's infighting. Let's remember that we have already won, because WE have realized the power of US. We are ordinary people UNITED to do EXTRAORDINARY things!
Let's be prepared for Denver. FIRED UP, AND READY TO WIN!!!
Convention mailing list: http://www.denverconvention2008.com/index.cfm?page=contactus
Convention volunteer form: http://www.denverconvention2008.com/index.cfm?page=volunteer
Convention student internship-application deadline March 31:
http://www.denverconvention2008.com/files/internapp.pdf
Convention website: http://www.denverconvention2008.com/index.cfm?page=home
Join my friend network: http://my.barackobama.com/page/socialnet/mynetwork
YES, WE CAN!
SI, SE PUEDE!
Martha
I wasn't able to follow the results as they came in last night, but this morning I found out that we had won Mississippi, and by a large margin. The news made me ecstatic. It never ceases to amaze me just how well Obama has done in the southern states. If you had asked me in 2004 if an African-American man could win the south--even in the nominating process--I would have never believed you. For Democrats, this is a great day.I just wish that Hill-Dog would see the writing on the wall. What is she banking on? Pennsylvania won't be enough delegates. Even if they use the tainted, unfair results from Michigan and Florida she won't have enough to take away Barack's delegate lead. I think that as the nominating process continues, the Democratic party will begin to see that she cannot continue to run this destructive, overly negative smear campaign against Senator Obama.Please, if you haven't already, call or write Governor Howard Dean, chair of the DNC, and tell him that Hillary Clinton is dividing this party in a way that is unforgivable. Call the Clinton campaign and tell her to fire Geraldine Ferraro for her insane, obviously racist remarks the other day. If you live in Colorado call Bill Ritter and Diana Degette and tell them to reflect the state's choice for Democratic nominee for President when they cast their superdelegate votes at the DNC in August. If we don't physically call or write these people, they won't have any clue how strongly we feel about Obama, and why he is the best choice for President of the United States.
NOTE: After the writing of this blog post this morning, Geraldine Ferraro stepped down from her ceremonial position on the Clinton campaign. She, of course, made no apologies for her comments, and she even went so far as to say SHE was the victim of racism for being white. I cannot believe her, but I am very happy to say good riddance. I have little doubt that her resignation today was at least in part from people like us calling or writing the Clinton campaign and telling them to clean up their act by getting rid of Ferraro.
CNN projects
Mississippi Democratic primary
Thank you Mississippi !!
Was Hillary Clinton's declaration of victory in Texas last week a tad premature? With the caucus results finally trickling in, it appears it might have been.
According to the latest figures Barack Obama is on course to win the caucus - which decides one-third of the state's delegates - by 56 to 45 per cent, a large enough margin to tip the overall contest in his favour after a narrow 51 to 47 per cent win for Clinton in the primary. Now roughly half the caucus results have still to come in, but, if the current trend continues, Obama is set to take 38 delegates to Clinton's 30, putting the final delegate count for the state at Obama 99 - Clinton 96.
This has got little attention in the mainstream media - NPR is the only major news outlet to have reported it so far - but it hasn't gone unnoticed by the Obama campaign, which has put a little blue Obama logo in the Texas spot on its frontpage map of primary contests. It is a little more optimistic in its delegate projections, totting up 99 for Obama against 94 for Clinton. Meanwhile on Clinton's site the Texas delegate split is notably absent.
Following the NPR report the figures were picked up by a number of reputable blogs, including the Daily Kos and Daily Dish, yet the Obama campaign has so far made little attempt to correct the impression of a stunning Clinton victory in the state. This may be because the Clinton camp is threatening to take legal action over the caucus results, or because the delegate counts will not be officially confirmed until June due to the very convoluted caucusing process (the delegates chosen last week go to county conventions where they pick delegates to the state convention, where the delegates to the national convention are finally selected. Phew.) Or perhaps because Clinton can still lay claim to the popular vote in the primary - but then Al Gore can still claim the popular vote in the 2000 presidential election.
You would think, with Clinton touting her Texas "victory" as evidence that only she can win key battleground states, Obama might want to make just a little bit more noise about this one. The real prize for Clinton in Texas was momentum, and correcting the record at some distant point in the future won't take that away from her.
11 March 2008 Hannah Strange News Reporter, Times Online
To all you devoted Obama supporters. IF you are a delegate OR alternate to the Jefferson County Convention/Assembly, then you SHOULD PRE-REGISTER to be considered as a Delegate for the State Convention or the CD Assembly.
To Pre-Register go this JeffCo Dems web page:
http://www.jeffcodems.org/web/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=156
This is an idea I received in my messages. I thought it sounded like a good idea so I decided to post it to share with everyone. What do you think?
Do Over "Issue" In Florida/Michigan
Things are moving fast on the "do-over" issue and partisans for the Clinton campaign are getting the upper hand on the issue. Granholm, Cris, Rendell, Corzine all support whatever resolution will favor Hillary. Obama supporters are being put in a position to look like we are resisting the enfranchisement of Michigan and Florida voters.
We urgently need to change the dynamic on this. That change is to promote the idea of inviting the Carter Center to come in and resolve the issue. It is proactive, pro-democratic, and will help assure that the solution does not favor either side.
1. Call Barack Obama's campaign headquarters. Request that they ask the leadership of the Democratic National Party to invite the Carter Center for the purpose of mediating a solution to the FL and MI primary problem. Obama phone numbers follow:
Campaign Headquarters: (866) 675-2008
Washington DC Office: (202) 224-2854
Chicago Office: (312) 886-3506 and Toll Free (for IL residents only): (866) 445-2520
Springfield Office: (217) 492-5089
Marion Office: (618) 997-2402
Moline Office: (309)736-1217
2. Call The Democratic National Party headquarters. Request that they invite the Carter Center into this process for purposes of mediating a solution to the FL and MI primary problem. The phone number is: (202) 863-8000
Write to the DNC. The DNC email link is here:
http://www.democrats.org/index.html
3. Call Democracy For America . Request that they call on the Democratic National Party to invite the Carter Center into this process for purposes of mediating a solution to the FL and MI primary process. The phone number is: (802) 651-3200
Write to DFA. The DFA email link is:
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/contact
Internal sniping tarnishes Clinton’s image
Feuding between aides shines spotlight on candidate's management style
WASHINGTON - The morning after Senator Barack Obama shook the Clinton campaign by winning five states in one weekend, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s new campaign manager - Maggie Williams, who had taken over in a shake-up the night before - assembled the curious if demoralized staff.
"You may not like the person next to you," Ms. Williams told dozens of aides who ringed the conference room at the campaign’s Virginia headquarters last month, according to participants. "But you’re going to respect them. And we’re going to work together."
Ms. Williams’s demand was dismissed as wishful thinking by some in her weary audience. But in the view of many Clinton supporters, it accurately reflected the urgent need to overhaul a campaign that at that point had set itself apart for its level of disorder and dysfunction.
The divisions in her campaign over strategy and communications - and the dislike many of her advisers had for one another - poured out into public as Mrs. Clinton struggled in February to hold off Mr. Obama in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
But even as Mrs. Clinton revived her fortunes last week with victories in Ohio, Rhode Island and Texas, the questions lingered about how she managed her campaign, with the internal sniping and second-guessing undermining her well-cultivated image as a steady-at-the-wheel chief executive surrounded by a phalanx of loyal and efficient aides.
"She hasn’t managed anything as complex as this before; that’s the problem with senators," said James A. Thurber, a professor of government at American University who is an expert on presidential management. "She wasn’t as decisive as she should have been. And it’s a legitimate question to ask: Under great pressure from two different factions, can she make some hard decisions and move ahead? It seems to just fester. She doesn’t seem to know how to stop it or want to stop it." Insular management styleOver the last month, Mrs. Clinton, of New York, has become much more involved in the day-to-day operation of her campaign. In addition to Ms. Williams, she brought in two experienced political hands from her husband’s White House — Doug Sosnik, who was a political director, and Steve Ricchetti, a deputy chief of staff.
And Ms. Williams has sought to calm tensions in the headquarters through steps like opening the morning conference call to more aides to foster a greater sense of teamwork. One of her first acts, aides said, was to instruct Mark Penn — Mrs. Clinton’s chief strategist and a polarizing figure in the campaign — to stay off television.
Still, interviews with campaign aides, associates and friends suggest that Mrs. Clinton, at least until February, was a detached manager. Juggling the demands of being a candidate, she paid little attention to detail, delegated decisions large and small and deferred to advisers on critical questions. Mrs. Clinton accepted — or seemed unaware of — the intense factionalism and feuding that often paralyzed her campaign and that prevented her aides from reaching consensus on basic questions like what states to fight in and how to go after Mr. Obama, of Illinois.
By Adam Nagourney, Patrick Healy and Kate Zernike updated 11:56 p.m. ET, Sun., March. 9, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Geraldine Ferraro's Sheer Bigotry:
Obama Lucky That He's Black
Oh, how dare a black man come along and ruin Hillary's party before its even had a chance to begin:
When the subject turned to Obama, Clinton's rival for the Democratic Party nomination, Ferraro's comments took on a decidedly bitter edge.
"I think what America feels about a woman becoming president takes a very secondary place to Obama's campaign - to a kind of campaign that it would be hard for anyone to run against," she said. "For one thing, you have the press, which has been uniquely hard on her. It's been a very sexist media. Some just don't like her. The others have gotten caught up in the Obama campaign.
"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position," she continued. "And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept." Ferraro does not buy the notion of Obama as the great reconciler.
"I was reading an article that said young Republicans are out there campaigning for Obama because they believe he's going to be able to put an end to partisanship," Ferraro said, clearly annoyed. "Dear God! Anyone that has worked in the Congress knows that for over 200 years this country has had partisanship - that's the way our country is."
Behold, the anger of the anti-Barack, Democratic Hillary supporter. And how depressing and bitter they are. Not to mention racist too. But just like Gloria Steinem before her, Ferraro, who was one half of one the worse Democratic tickets in the last 30 years, plays the sexist card even at the risk of further dividing her party. Nevermind that there are currently 16 white female members of the Senate as opposed to one black. Nevermind that one could easily argue that Hillary owes all her political "experience" to her husband. Nevermind the variety of people (including white women) from all walks of life coming out to vote for Barack Obama. Nevermind Hillary's 20-point lead in the polls just back in November When Hillary's behind the wealthy, white, elitist, liberal bigots will come out and play.
posted by Mr. Grey Ghost
Affidavit: Spitzer met with prostitute 'Kristen'
NEW YORK (Reuters) - New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, the one-time "Sheriff" of Wall Street who campaigned on a promise to clean up state politics, battled reports of a sex scandal on Monday that threatened to force his resignation.
A New York Times report linked him to a $1,000-an-hour prostitute, saying he was caught on a federal wiretap at least six times on February 12 and 13 arranging to meet with her at a Washington hotel last month. The Times said he was the man described in court papers as Client 9.
CNN) -- New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer is under investigation for allegedly meeting with a prostitute in a Washington hotel, two sources with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.
One of the sources said Spitzer is identified in a criminal complaint as "Client-9," and that Spitzer's alleged involvement was caught on a federal wiretap.
The governor's statement came four days after federal prosecutors in New York announced charges against four people accused of running an international prostitution and money-laundering ring that catered to big spenders.
According to prosecutors, Emperors Club VIP charged between $1,000 and $5,500 an hour and operated in New York; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; London, England; and Paris, France.
The criminal complaint about the ring did not name any customers, but authorities intercepted text messages, e-mails and telephone calls.
On Monday, Spitzer apologized to his family and to the public for an undisclosed personal matter. "I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family, that violates my or any sense of right and wrong," he said, as his wife, Silda Wall Spitzer, stood by his side.
"I am disappointed that I failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself," he said. "I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family."
Watch Spitzer's apology »
statement came after a New York Times report based on a single unnamed administration official who said the governor had informed his staff he had been involved in a prostitution ring.
Spitzer did not address or deny the report, and he did not take questions.
Federal authorities are investigating allegations Spitzer met with a prostitute in a Washington hotel, a senior source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.
Before the news conference, three Democratic sources -- one in New York's capital, Albany, one in New York, and one in Washington -- told CNN a top Spitzer aide had told them the governor would resign.
"The governor called his senior staff together and told them he wanted to inform them first about a major announcement of a personal nature," a prominent New York Democrat told CNN.
"To say this is a shock is an understatement," said CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, who went to law school with Spitzer.
Toobin called Spitzer, "the straightest arrow I know."
The Republican Governors Association has called on Spitzer to resign to "allow the people of New York to pursue honest leadership."
"The American people are tired of corrupt and hypocritical politicians. The governor of New York is just another in the long list of politicians that have failed their constituents," Nick Ayers, RGA executive director, said in a statement
Spitzer's office, the U.S. Attorney's office in New York and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg all declined to comment on Spitzer.
Spitzer, 48, served as New York's attorney general for eight years before being elected governor
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Spitzer facts
Time magazine names Spitzer "Crusader of the Year" during his two terms as New York attorney general.
Tabloids label him "Eliot Ness," because of his reputation for rooting out corruption, busting white-collar criminals and tackling organized crime.
Spitzer is known for prosecuting several prostitution rings.
He attended Princeton and Harvard, then became an assistant district attorney in Manhattan.
He worked for three New York law firms and decided to run in his mid-30s for attorney general.
The first-term Democrat had been considered a rising star in his party.
http://beta.cnn.com/
I had the honor and the pleasure of voting for Senator Barack Obama at the Denver Democratic Convention on Saturday. It was a great event, but lacked organization, and at the end it got a little chaotic. However, I was happy to get to talk to so many Obama supporters (and a few Hillary supporters as well) and I was lucky enough to be chosen as one of 54 delegates representing the 9th House district and Barack Obama at the State convention in April.
There's still so much work to be done this year, but with any luck we'll be seeing Barack holding up his right hand to be sworn in as President less than a year from now. It can't happen unless we all work together to get him elected.
Right now you can help by e-mailing DNC Chairman Gov. Howard Dean and telling him to get Hillary Clinton to turn down the negative diatribe. It's not helping anybody except John McCain.
You can also help here in Colorado by calling or writing 1st Congressional District Rep. Diana Degette and Governor Bill Ritter and telling them to respect the votes of the people of Colorado by casting their superdelegate votes at the DNC in August for Barack Obama. We chose, and they should respect that decision.
With all of us working together, we can get this job done, get out of Iraq, fix healthcare and make the future better for all of us and our children. Take care till next time.
Hillary attacks. Get the facts.
"I'm not interested in attacking my opponents, I'm interested in attacking the problems of America..."
Hillary Clinton, 11/10/07
Days since Senator Clinton promised she was not interested in attacking Democrats:120Days that Senator Clinton has spent attacking Democrats since making that promise:116
