Apropos of Senator Clinton for Secretary of State.
Are we so stupid that we’ve forgotten her story regarding her adventures in Bosnia? Have the fictions she invented regarding her the “role” she played in Northern Ireland escaped our collective memory? Why is Obama et al even considering the Junior Senator for Secretary of State? This isn’t political theater it is amateur theatrics. The curtain must come down now.
I am not so Machiavellian to believe that Obama will offer the position of Secretary of State to Senator Clinton, in order to rid himself of this "troublesome priest." Saying this, I did not work for Obama to see the return of the Clintons in any significant position, and in fact, have always argued against the illusion of their contribution to Obama's candidacy and victory.
My wife and I voted for and worked for "change." To see Clinton, someone whose consciousness, resides squarely in the 20th Century, seriously considered for a job that will require real substanc and , not an inefficient machines made up of what Camille Pagilia described as "sycophantish... nerds, geeks and vengeful viragos."
Here, at the beginning, is the time or Obama to show some real courage and take control of the Democratic party. His deference to the Clintons is terribly disappointing. (And, I'm writing as a New Yorker who has found no value in her performance as our senator.)
I find the notion of Senator Clinton as a possible choice for Secretary of State absurd, if not insulting. One because of the chaos it will create within New York State, although it will demonstrate, and once and for all that Mrs. Clinton saw the Senate as a stepping stone to the presidency and that expedience—the retirement of Moynihan gave her the opportunity she required and a complaisant State Democratic Party "closed the deal." But on a more serious note, the Senator, whose mental and emotional state remains locked in the 20th Century, is exactly the wrong person to articulate the promise of Obama's presidency out into the world.
And, on a purely practical level, I suspect the Senator's husband's rather vulgar grasping financial habits and practices, and those of his friends and colleagues, will not withstand a casual glance, let alone serious scrutiny. We have in Bill Richardson a fine candidate for the position—so this bit of political theater with Senator Clinton is an unnecessary distraction, unless it's true purpose is to expose the woman for what she is, an empty and vacuous vessel, and to demonstrate once and for all that she no longer brings anything of real value to the Party, in either the literal or figurative sense. Let her serve her term out, and then disappear—into academia or into one of her husband's global initiatives.
Yesterday, Iron Range gave the type of hometown welcome its famous for when nearly 5000 people welcomed Senator Hillary Clinton to Hibbing.
Folks started lining up as early as 3 o'clock for their chance to hear Hillary outline Barack's vision for the kind of change Minnesota needs.
As Hillary looked out at the audience in the Hibbing Memorial Arena, she noted that the folks gathered there were "people who have been at the core of making America safe and making America work."
Just as the iron ore that made the steel enabled us to win these conflicts, Minnesota's Iron Range casts the votes that made the difference in statewide campaigns that elected John F. Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale. You have given more than your iron ore, your steel, and your votes. You have sacrificed for America... Northeastern Minnesota had the highest per capita enlistment rate in WWII, one of the highest in other conflicts after the Great War, and many of you, your children, and loved ones have served and proudly serve today. Our nation owes you a great gratitude. The working men and women of Northeastern Minnesota--the miners, the loggers, the building trades, the steelworkers, the teachers, the laborers--people who have worked for yourselves and your family, your community, and your country. And you deserve better than what you've been delivered the last eight years by the Republican leadership in Washington.
Just as the iron ore that made the steel enabled us to win these conflicts, Minnesota's Iron Range casts the votes that made the difference in statewide campaigns that elected John F. Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, Walter Mondale.
You have given more than your iron ore, your steel, and your votes. You have sacrificed for America... Northeastern Minnesota had the highest per capita enlistment rate in WWII, one of the highest in other conflicts after the Great War, and many of you, your children, and loved ones have served and proudly serve today. Our nation owes you a great gratitude. The working men and women of Northeastern Minnesota--the miners, the loggers, the building trades, the steelworkers, the teachers, the laborers--people who have worked for yourselves and your family, your community, and your country.
And you deserve better than what you've been delivered the last eight years by the Republican leadership in Washington.
Among the veterans in the crowd was retired U.S. Marine Breanna Osterhoudt, who wants to see change in the veterans benefits.
"We'll, I'm here because I'm a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton and Obama. I served four years in the United States Marine Corps, and I think we need a change.
Barack has a plan to help our veterans. The Obama-Biden plan will strengthen VA care by fully funding the VA and improving care for polytrauma vision impairment, prosthetics, spinal cord injury, aging, and women's health. Learn more about the Obama-Biden plan for veterans here.
Hillary spoke of the important role the next thirteen days play in determining whether the country continues down the same course or charts a new course in a new direction:
In these next days, people will be reaching a decision that will impact America for years to come. This is truly a fight for the future and its a fight we must win, and its a fight we have waged and won before. Yes, times may be tough, but we're tougher than the times and you need to look no further than the hardworking, nation-serving, patriotic people of the Iron Range and Northern Minnesota.
In these next days, people will be reaching a decision that will impact America for years to come. This is truly a fight for the future and its a fight we must win, and its a fight we have waged and won before.
Yes, times may be tough, but we're tougher than the times and you need to look no further than the hardworking, nation-serving, patriotic people of the Iron Range and Northern Minnesota.
With such a short time left, we need everyone to get involved and make phone calls, and canvass as part of our grassroots campaign for change.
As Hillary said last night, "So my friends, this is our moment, this is our time... Let's go win the election and change America!"
In my opinion, Senator McCain’s choice of Govenor Sarah Palin as his running mate was both unexpected and brilliant. Unfortunately for Senator McCain but fortunately for Senator Obama, Senator McCain doesn’t get it. He doesn’t understand why she was such a great choice, so he will not reap the full benefits of her selection.
Senator McCain immediately positioned the Governor as the “Anti-Hillary” who will lure millions of disgruntled supporters of Senator Clinton to abandon their allegiance to the Democratic Party and vote for him in November. Why? Because the Governor is female and will therefore satisfy their frustrated desires to vote for a female candidate. In my opinion, Senator McCain’s posturing not only insults the intelligence of Senator Clinton’s supporters, it also demeans the intelligence and the competence of Governor Palin herself.
Consider the fact that as a former mayor and a sitting governor that Ms. Palin has more hands-on “day one” executive experience than the total combined executive experience of the other four major candidates and final contenders – Senators Obama, Biden, Clinton … and McCain.
The American public has shown a consistent recognition of the fact that the presidency is a very high executive office whose occupant requires a correspondingly high level of executive competence – something that is neither required nor developed by long tenure as a legislator. Senators only make collective decisions as members of commitees, but the buck stops on the President's desk. So the nation has elected many governors but very few Senators in the last hundred years. Indeed, it requires a leap of faith to believe that a candidate who has only been a Senator -- no matter how distinguished his or her legislative record -- will become a competent Chief Executive.
My own faith in Senator Obama’s capacity to make the transition from legislator to executive leader was greatly strengthened by the masterful way in which he conducted his primary campaign. I was particularly impressed by his innovative use of Web 2.0 social networking technologies as a record breaking fund raising tool and as a highly effective command and control mechanism for coordinating the activities of thousands of volunteers scattered across 50 states and other voting districts. By following this success with an equally masterful structuring of the Democratic Party’s national convention as an extended healing process, he confirmed my confidence that he will bring our fractious nation together when he assumes office as the nation's “Community Organizer-in-Chief”. But the fact remains that neither he nor any of his final competitors has any hands-on executive experience -- except Govenor Palin.
Therefore my initial reaction upon reading summaries of her resume was disbelief … and embarrassment about my prior ignorance of the existence of this extraordinary person. She’s only 44, but she’s already been a mayor, a governor … AND the mother of not one, not two, not three, not four, but five children!!!. No, no, no. There is no such person. This must be a hoax. This must be Karl Rove’s parting prank or a Rush Limbaugh concoction.
As a to-the-bone-Libra, I regard the fact that Ms. Palin has been a vigorous, articulate proponent of many policies to which I am absolutely opposed as irrelevant to my assessment of her potential contribution to the Republican vote tally in November. She won’t get my vote, but she will certainly attract considerable attention that might generate considerable support from Independent Voters and from Undecided Voters who might be impressed by her extraordinary achievements so far and by the high promise these achievements hold for the future ... unless two things happen:
-- On the one hand, she will not become a vote magnet if the Democratic Party takes her very seriously, recognizes her potential appeal, and vigorously opposes her candidacy.
-- On the other hand, the Governor will not become a vote magnet if Senator McCain continues to position her as a political Barbie Doll for the “sad little girls” who just lost their Hillary Doll.
(Of course, there is always the possibility that Ms. Palin might have skeletons in her closet. However with only a few weeks between now and the November election, there isn’t enough time for her prior indiscretions to have significant impact … unless they were truly, truly scary – a possibility, but more likely just wishful thinking.)
That Senator McCain has no executive experience is indisputable. But I continue to be baffled as to why the press and the pundits let him get away with his unsupportable claims to being “experienced” – even as a legislator. In my opinion his record as a legislator is unimpressive. As Sir Winston Churchill once said of another back-bencher: “He has much to be modest about.”
Mr. McCain has been in the Senate for over twenty years but can make no claim to having authored any significant legislation that was enacted into law with regards to foreign policy, the economy, national defense, the environment, social security, energy policy, science & technology, health care, or education. (Skeptical readers are referred to my tedious compendium of the Senator’s legislative record -- “There’s No There There” – elsewhere in my blog on this site.)
Indeed, the Senator’s name is only on one important piece of legislation – the McCain-Feingold election reform bill. To be sure, he supported important legislation proposed by other Senators, mostly Republicans. But overall, he’s spent over twenty years in the Senate as a non-leader, as a follower who has taken inordinate pride in the fact that he has sometimes followed Democrats. So why does his “experience” as a follower qualify him to become the Leader of the Free World???
Mr. McCain’s long tenure in the Senate has been more akin to an aging playboy’s membership in an exclusive country club -- a playboy with a rich wife and an unspecified number of mansions. Like Britney Spears and Paris Hilton, he’s become a celebrity – more famous for being famous than for anything he’s actually said or done.
Later tonight, Senator Hillary Clinton will deliver the headline prime-time address to the Democratic Convention in Denver.
Here in Minnesota, Hillary supporters will be celebrating Women's Equality Day and honoring Senator Clinton's historic run with Convention Watching Parties.
Hillary supporters, like Jeanine pictured above, are uniting for change and rallying behind Barack Obama.
Yesterday, Minnesota Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, assistant Senate Majority Leader Tarry Clark, and former Minnesota DFL Chair Rick Stafford, Hillary supporters during the primaries and Democratic National Convention delegates, released this joint statement:
On behalf of each Minnesota delegate pledged to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, we are proud to unanimously declare our strong support of Senator Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States. Senator Clinton made history in her run for the presidency and we remain inspired by her courage, passion and leadership. But now we stand united behind Barack Obama.Minnesotans are fed up. They want a president who will be accountable to the voters. They want an honest president they can trust. We’ve always been best off when regular Americans take personal responsibility for the future. With Barack Obama leading the way, regular Americans will be setting the agenda again.Barack Obama has spent his life bringing people together for change. He will continue to reach out to people of all walks of life and across the political spectrum to bring the change our country needs. We are proud that we are unified today as we continue to build a movement for change that wins in November.
You'll be able to stream Senator Clinton's speech LIVE on DemConvention.com
I watched the protesters during the convention last night and listened to the pollsters say that a large majority of Clinton supporters would not vote for Senator Obama and may vote for John McCain. I was immediately sad because Senator Clinton has fought for the rights of women since she was eighteen years old. Her passion has been universal health care. She believes in a comprehensive energy plan for this country. She is a dedicated senator. Senator Obama and Senator Clinton believe in this country. She stayed on the campaign trail for 18 months refusing to relent to the naysayers, refusing to give up, continuing despite pressure to concede because she fought for her constituents until the final vote was cast.
Now her supporters turn on her. They slap her in the face and say that everything you have fought for your entire life means nothing to us because you did not win the election. We are willing to turn back Roe. V Wade, continue to give our money to Oil companies when American families need it to survive. We are willing to deny working Americans universal health care. We are willing for our soldiers to continue to die and be deployed to Iraq. We are willing to vote for John McCain in protest although we know that the country cannot survive another 8 years of Bush. We are willing to accept that there will not be immigration reform and leave our children trillions of dollars in debt. The attitude is we have been wronged so let the country suffer for another 8 years and this will be our revenge.
In 2000 the democrats were robbed in the election. It is unacceptable that we would sabotage our own election then say we support Senator Clinton, but to hell with America.
1968 was a year of turmoil. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in April and then Robert F. Kennedy, a U.S. senator from New York who was campaigning for the Democratic nomination was assassinated in June after winning the California primary. This all occurred after President Lyndon B. Johnson announced on March 31, 1968 that he would not seek re-election. The Democratic Party was split over these assassinations and the Vietnam War.
When Democrats lobbied for the convention to be moved to Miami because they felt unruly protests would occur in Chicago, Mayor Richard J. Daley threatened to withdraw support for Humphrey. When the convention finally began Chicago had over 10,000 police, Army troops, National Guardsmen, and Secret Service agents crammed into the city with the protestors.
Violence broke out during the week as police forced protestors out of places they did not have permits to be at and as protesters clashed with police at they tried to march to the convention site. The Wednesday of the convention is said to b the worst day of protesting and is referred to as the “Battle of Michigan Avenue”. The police stopped protestors and violence ensued as innocent bystanders, reporters, and doctors offering help were severely beaten by police officers.
The 2008 Democratic National Convention is almost upon us and I cannot help thinking back to the 1968 riots. And I have to ask myself, will 2008 become a replica of the 1968 events that shook our nation? Once again our country is torn over a war that many believe should have never begun. The Democratic Party itself is split over Senator Obama and Senator Clinton. Protest groups began to get permits for the convention as early as one year ago. Many anti-war protestors plan to be in attendance and some groups that are considered radical have already devised plans for setting up barricades to the convention itself. This, on top of Denver securing $50 million in federal funds for security.
With the 2008 DNC quickly approaching, I can only wonder what will take place in Denver and is there any reasonable solution to prevent a riot at the convention?
I wrote about this in my blog (http://www.outsiderviews.com) and wanted to share it with the community:
Today, CNN was reporting about continued grumbling between the Clinton and Obama Camps. The talking heads talked about people not committed, people still disgruntled. Well, action speaks louder than words. According to CNN, Terry McAlullif, said that both Senator Obama and Senator Obama's Finance Chair contributed the maximum amount. They're also due to appear together at Unity, New Hampshire Tomorrow. So, hopefully, this grumblings will be put to death.Now, moving on, there is another tidbit about Senator McCain not campaiging on the week-ends. When I read that, I said: so what? Such superficial debates negate the truth and the need to have a substantive debate. I yearn for it. I think the world deserves it. We should demand no less.
Here's what I sent to HRC:
Dear Senator Clinton: As one of your NY constituents, a mother, activist and long-time feminist I salute you for the history-making, tenacious campaign that you waged and the grace you showed in suspending that campaign and conceding that Barack Obama had won our party's nomination. With your powerful endorsement, creative leadership and the passionate work of your supporters and constituents for the fall general election; the future of the Democratic Party and indeed our country looks bright and promising. You have my sincere gratitude and thanks.
NOW it's time to get down to work. Something tells me that there's lots of voter registration still to be done right here in Brooklyn.
Peace,
She wants to become Vice President. Her desire is a logical recognition of two inescapable political options.
1) If Senator Obama is elected with someone else in the VP slot AND if President Obama has two successful terms, then his VP will have the inside track to the nomination in 2016. Conceivably his VP would be elected and reelected in 2016 and 2020. These possibilities will shut Senator Clinton out of a Presidential run until 2020. She will not only be 16 years older, she will also face a fresh new crop of competitors for the nomination.
2) On the other hand, if she is not on Senator Obama's ticket and he loses in 2008, many of his supporters throughout the nation will hold her responsible for his defeat. She would face angry opposition if she tried again to obtain the nomination in 2012.
So much for what Hillary wants. But what does Senator Obama want? I hope that he wants to be the effective President the country so desperately needs at this critical point in its history. A menage-a-trois that includes Senator Clinton and her husband would be unworkable. Senator Clinton reminds us over and over again that she's a "fighter" because she still doesn't get it. The country doesn't need a fighter, and the world doesn't need another hyper-belligererant President. We need a peace maker, someone who will seize every opportunity to devise creative win-win solutions to America's problems and to the world's problems.
At some time in the coming months the Senators will have the ultimate sit-down in a "Back Room" somewhere. I have no doubt that Senator Clinton will threaten Senator Obama with defeat if she is not on the ticket. I also have no doubt that she will be clever enough not to directly threaten to encourage her supporters to vote for Senator McCain or to stay home on election day.
My hope is that Senator Obama will confront her challenge head-on. He has to choose between a clean victory with someone else as Vice President -- a victory that would empower him to become the great President that the world so desperately needs -- versus a Clintonized compromise that would doom his presidency to Clintonian mediocrity from Day One.
Therefore my hope is that Senator Obama will inform Senator Clinton that he cannot have her on his ticket. And he should do so with full recognition that this decision might cost him the support of enough die-hard Clinton supporters to cause him to lose in November. To become a great President, Senator Obama will have to make a number of extremely difficult decisions that involve substantial risks. Selecting the best Vice President is just the first of many.
Up to this point, I have not shared my personal feelings about the discourse of the campaign on the blog because I believe a rational discussion is better than venting feelings on the daily "horserace" aspects of the campaign. However, because it appears the race is finally coming to a conclusion (where our side has prevailed) I feel like I would like to express myself briefly in this blog post.
First, I would like to congratulate the Obama campaign for running a Hell of a race. They beat the 1-6 odds-on-favorite at the beginning of the season. Frankly, they outsmarted her campaign from January 3 to Feburary 22, where the race was won. They withstood a mountain of vitriol, outright lies and a smorgasbord of "bullshit" that the Clinton campaign threw at them. As a matter of fact, "bullshit" is largely what the Clinton campaign became good at over the last three months. Despite some fairly tough events (bitter or whatever and the reverend Wright garbage) they withstood it all.
Through the course of the campaign, my feelings toward Senator Clinton (and President Clinton) have evolved significantly over the last many months. I believe it started with the group of idiots she surrounded herself with like Howard Wolfson and Mark Penn who were spending all their time attacking the other candidates. Their approach was "bullshit first, last and always" and reflected so poorly on Senator Clinton that I began to dislike her personally. I always had cool feelings for the senator, but her management style was irritating at best.
Then came President Clinton's remarks which seemed out of sorts with both reality and the feelings of constituents like myself who are African American. We always knew that President Clinton had a special way of viewing things that largely exonerated his behavior (something that I am somewhat sympathetic with) but we in the AA community did not expect that the years he spent gaining our trust would be violated because of our interest in Senator Obama. What he failed to understand is that "Hillary ain't Bill" in many people's minds. I think many people would have chosen President Clinton over Senator Obama at the beginning of the race and by proxy this included Senator Clinton. However, after the "cleaving" action of his comments, many AA's left the Clinton campaign in disgust. While I would not have voted for Senator Clinton unless absolutely necessary at the beginning of the race (she was my third-to-last choice of the candidates running and probably choice eight or nine of females whom I would rather see as president) I decided that I wouldn't bother voting for her if she somehow became the nominee due to her staff, her tactics and her wholly dishonest behavior.
Without devolving into the "whine-fest" that exists on the public blogs, I have to say that I now largely yell at the television and ignore the rest of what I see when it refers to Senator Clinton and now only make posts regarding delegates and other benign subjects. But, needless to say, I share some of the hard feelings some of the more public bloggers feel. In reality, I don't hold much against Senator Clinton's supports--with the exception of the loud-mouthed and militant ones who would rather cheat their way to victory and have no honor. I, however, plan to donate to Senator Clinton's Democratic primary opponent for senate should she have one and if give the opportunity to vote for Senator Clinton I will not do so under any circumstances.
In my opinion, she is a waste of time and a useless member of the party. I very much hope the Obama campaign does not consider her for any position, most especially Vice President. I am looking forward to the day that I don't have to see her face on a daily basis. And to those who think I'm sexist because of my above statements, you may take a long walk off a short plank. I would happily vote for Gov. Nepalitano, Gov. Sebellius, Senator Boxer, Senator McCaskill, even Senator Feinstein if running for president or vice president. This, frankly, is about Senator Clinton.
I would be telling a fib if I said that I support you as a candidate. I doubt your integrity and credibility. You really gave me food for thought when you tried to pander Democrats with a promise of a repeal of the gas tax. I like 98% of Americans are struggling to buy gas but I am not stupid enough to think that the repeal would filter down to me or that it would be anything more than a band aid rather than a solution to solve our energy and gas crisis. Now after losing in North Carolina and squeaking by in Indiana, you once again play the race card. Did you mention in USA Today that you have failed to get more than 10% of the African American vote and much to your dismay the Democrats cannot win without support. Did you fail to mention that you have failed to get the independent vote or the youth vote or the college educated vote? You failed to mention that 60% of Democrats don’t trust you. They question your credibility. While President Clinton made over 1 million dollars supporting the Columbian Trade Act you want us to believe that you will side with working class Americans to defeat this bill. The other major issue is why you refuse to release the donors for the foundation? What are you hiding? How many special interests have been promised favors for their donations? Your answer is the list will be revealed after I am president when the country has lost the opportunity to know the truth. Is the country willing to take that risk? The country has too many problems to tackle without trying to fight another Clinton scandal.
Senator Clinton, I respect your tenacity. This is your life long dream. It was mapped out by you and President Clinton. It’is difficult to give up a dream. I can understand why you continue in the race but if you truly love America, you would be working to unite the Democratic Party instead of dividing it. The ultimate answer is in the hands of the Super delegates. This election is a must win for Democrats. We must be united. Allowing the race to continue beyond June 10th will be a detriment to the party. Senator Clinton you are determined to win at any cost but this race is not about you. It is about what’is best for the country.
What does a mother of two very young children know about world peace & diplomacy? This mother, Jess, offers some indispensable lessons in the power of listening. The United States needs to realize it no longer holds sway over world opinion; it's time to stop operating from fear & show the world that while we may not give in, we are engaged in a process of listening. Jess trusts Obama to do this.Click here to listen to this episode of Interview4Obama...22 min.
I am BUMMED that I am not in Pennsylvania using my time to help Barack Obama's campaign.
Someone from Pennsylvania - who is not in Women for Obama - called me after it was too late for me to get to the Women for Obama event and told me that there was housing for volunteers that he knew of in that great state. I have tasks here in California that I would gladly have postponed in order to work for something more important than the blankety-blank 'stuff' of my life that can surely wait. Time is of the essence for Barack Obama and I'm still on the sidelines. It's really tough when you know you have much to offer but the path between where you are and the position where what you have to offer could be optimally used is strewn with impassable obstacles.
O WELL.
Recently I read an article about how HRC was fired for lying and other unethical behavior BACK WHEN she worked for the committee that ran the Watergate investigation; this information came from the person who fired her. I read another article that described other incidents in HER PAST that are indicative of someone with a character that is not what most Americans would expect in their leader.
I don't like watching debates and I didn't watch the most recent one. I'm glad I didn't. When I saw the L.A. Times front page the next day I was glad I hadn't watched the "debate"...ABOUT BARACK OBAMA'S PAST! I realize that Barack is too classy a gentleman to stoop to "debating" at the low level at which his opponent feels comfortable, and his campaign staff are likewise restraining themselves. I, however, would not mind if the voters who have not had the opportunity to read what I have read were made aware of the full scope of HRC's PAST so they could make truly a INFORMED choice between the two Democratic Senators.
As a matter of fact I would not mind bringing about that awareness - if I can get some help in finding the best way to disseminate JUST THE FACTS, MAM...'the truth, and nothing but the truth' - in order to at least achieve a balance, if certain people want to discuss someone's PAST.
Barack is committed to maintaining the dignity of his campaign and I admire that. But be advised Mrs. C: You've got my dander up. So it's the past you want discussed, huh? Because he has pledged to have his campaign staff and himself remain on the high road, the best qualified candidate in this contest won't sling mud as his Democratic opponent is doing. But by golly, I am not on his campaign staff - I'm just a regular American who doesn't like the continuing low-minded tactics of Mrs. C and her hubby in trying to get her nominated, so I can!
YES I CAN!
(cross-posted on The Dead Guy)
Main Entry: chi•me•ri•cal Pronunciation: k?-?mer-i-k?l, k?-, -?mir- Variant(s): also chi•me•ric -ik Function: adjective Etymology: chimera Date: 1638 1 : existing only as the product of unchecked imagination : fantastically visionary or improbable 2 : given to fantastic schemes
Thanks to a friend, I was able to attend tonight's musical at the Des Moines Civic Center - "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" (Spelling Bee). It was a fun night, but as I drove home, a bell went off in my head (and no, Spellers, it wasn't Vice-Principal Panch), I recognized that Senator Clinton and her campaign for the Democratic Presidential Nomination can be encapsulated using many of the lyrics from the musical.
So once again, lifelong politicians have taken words out of context and wielded them as weapons back at the person who spoke those words.
Senator Obama was 100% correct when he said after all the promises we have been given about improving the economic conditions, not just in Pennsylvania - but across America, and yet nothing has truly changed, that we are bitter and many of us blame that which we are told to blame: immigrants, people wanting to restrict the 2nd Amendment, the government supposedly trampling our religious rights, and so forth.
That's what Obama was saying. And if you hear the whole conversation in context - you know that is what he said. The American people have been given scape - goats to blame by the people that are really to blame - the politicians that won't do a damn thing to bring about the change needed to restore jobs and better conditions for our country.
But let me tell you something - I'm not bitter - I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore!
I'm sure we all remember Senator Clinton's now famous press event in Ohio when she "...expressed her deep disappointment.." for Senator Obama supposedly saying one thing in speeches and then doing another and saying "...shame on you Barack Obama...".
By now the NAFTA debate has been fact checked to death but it always seems to come back to what Senator Clinton did or did not do as First Lady. Lets giver her the benefit of the doubt and say that she was against NAFTA before she was for it - as First Lady.
Here is what I see as the bigger issue as recent events have brought to the forefront...
In todays Los Angeles Times, there was an article about [now] former Clinton Campaign Chief Strategist Mark Penn being demoted. The reason for his demotion, as you are no doubt aware, is his already [made] public involvement with the Columbian government in their pursuit of a trade agreement. Now on the surface this would appear to be at odds with Senator Clinton's rhetoric, as she has vowed to vote against any such agreement should it make it to the Senate floor. So one could ask - why is a senior strategist of the campaign working both sides of an issue that his candidate opposes to vehemently?
I am not qustioning Senator Clinton's promise to vote against such legislation in the Senate but what would happen if she was President? Does anyone really believe that she had no idea that Mark Penn was working for the Columbian Government and why?
Why wouldn't she be against it before she was for it again?
You can just see the general election ads now. It will 2004 all over again. So Senator Clinton, you were against NAFTA before you were for NAFTA but now you are against free trade?
I have a headache already!
I feel obliged to comment on the evolving HRC Criteria for Winning the Dem Nomination
According to the latest line from HRC and her supporters becoming the Dem nominee now has to be the electoral college and popular vote
HRC's supporters continue to amaze me by how they keep grasping at different criteria for the nomination once they are loosing one argument.
Before Obama won the younger voters in huge numbers, the youth and 30's did not matter but now HRC is aggressively courting colleges and younger voters with a college tour
When HRC still hoped to win as the inevitable establishment candidate, all the primaries and caucuses mattered in all states. When HRC lost in some states, then of course caucuses and "small" "red" states do not matter!!!
When HRC did not need FL and MI to count, then these primaries did not matter but now that the C-Team needs the results in FL andd MI of course it is voter dis-enfrachisement.
HRC had the popular vote then this was the criteria, followed by superdelegates who had a right to be independent in their decision. Recently, the trend of endorsements shows superdelegates lining up for Obama so now this criteria is no longer important
What else could the incredible minds of the HRC come up with now? The electoral college of course Of course now it must be time for the electoral college to count because we are already using the rules of the general election.
Amazing evolution of criteria and changing rules in the middle of the game.
