Clinton’s “Because I’m A Woman” Excuse Gains Popularity

Please don’t hate me in the morning but I got to just say it.

Hillary Clinton does all women a disservice by using surrogates to spin her newest last gasp excuse. Namely that she is losing her bid for the Democratic nomination because she a woman. Unfortunately, women are apparently being sucked into believing this line of crap. During a visit via satellite by Clinton to the Helen Degeneres show Helen led off with this softball question: “do you think your losing because you’re a woman?” Clinton answered by referencing a SNL sketch. “Well, I’ve never been offered a pillow”, apparently referring to a segment of a candidate debate sketch on the show where one of the CNN debate moderators, who is supposedly bias towards Obama, ask if Obama, "would like a pillow".

Her non sequitur answer shows that she would never actually say that she is losing because of her sex. Because the sex discrimination excuse is basically a fallacy and misrepresents the fact that the reason she is losing is because she has not run an effective campaign or given voters more of a reason to vote for her over Barak Obama, and she knows it. This is one more attempt by the Clinton campaign to fly another trial balloon excuse to cover their failures. It also is an attempt to rally the women voters who still harbors hope that Hillary can be elected the first woman president. It goes like this: the poor woman is being picked on by the male dominated world and she need us to support her now. It’s the warm and fuzzy girl power to the rescue strategy.

Clinton’s campaign also has been using the SNL sketch lately, as it’s main proof that the media has been bias to her campaign. Even though it’s theatrical fiction. Sounds hauntingly similar to the broad right wing conspiracy excuse she used when Bill got caught with Monica. But her spinning really doesn’t fly in the originality or bona fides department.

The MSM has even started to echo this pabulum. Every wannabe feminist talking head on TV seem to be inserting the theme into their daily psychobabble. One of them quoted tennis star Billy Jean King as saying that the demise of Clinton meant, “That my life has been a total waste”. Dee Dee Myer, the former Clinton White House press secretary, was on the morning talk show circuit promoting her new book, “Why woman should rule the world”, (funny I thought they already did) and putting forward the glass ceiling for presidential candidates myth.

I agree that in other areas of life there is definitely sex discrimination. But I’m simply not buying that it exists in the field of presidential politics in 2008 that Clinton would like us to buy. The main point is that most people in the media and in the Clinton campaign are reluctant to admit is that she was not a very effective candidate period. Her experience, record and built in Clinton presidential era negatives have lead to her being at the brink of being eliminated.

In the last few days the Clinton campaign has attacked the press for being overly bias to her campaign. The constant whining has been insidious every sense her highness lost the Iowa caucuses. Which actually happened because of overconfidence, being totally out maneuvered by the Obama ground game in Iowa and elsewhere and Obama’s clearer and more inspired message.

Not because she was a woman. Remember she was the overwhelming favorite at the start of the race and the playing field was tilted in her favor by the party establishment. By attacking the press and inserting the gender bias theme she is attempting to paint herself as the poor helpless woman fighting against a overwhelming male establishment. She may try and take that to the bank to save her legacy later. It also devalues the judgment of women who support Obama because they think he the better candidate.

If she continues this tack she’ll do more damage to women's participation in politics in the future. Instead of laying the blame on her incompetence at running an effective campaign against a formidable opponent, overconfidence and lack of a consistent campaign message, she’ll blame it on being born in the wrong body.

Youngstown Ohio

Bruce Springsteen's song about the decline of the economy of Youngstown and the Ohio rust belt. It seems that in our declining economy today we see the same boom and bust cycle that inevitably hits the working class first and the hardest.

We blame it on poor trade policies like NAFTA and runaway companies taking jobs where the labor is cheapest. We need our government to be willing to fight for the middle class now more then ever. Workers don't really want handouts, they just want a hand and not to be kick when they're down.

Workers want their government to be creative and marshal the country's resources to over come poverty and economic turn downs. We need new ideas, not more protection for bloated corporate profits or tax cuts for the wealthy.

Clinton Campaign Tactics Contemptible

I’m so pissed at Hillary Clinton right now I’ll probably end up voting for Ralph "Wrongway" Nader if she ends up being the democratic nominee. I can't stand this phony pandering person anymore period. Her campaign’s behavior today has literally pushed me over the edge.

The Drudge Report today posted a photo emailed to them by Clinton campaign staffers showing Barak Obama dressed in the garb of a traditional Kenyan tribal elder. Obama wore the garments while on a goodwill trip to Africa in 2006 after they were given to him as a gift. The clothing consists of a tunic and a turban. Drudge infers that members of the Clinton campaign staff intentionally circulated the photo in a attempt to create controversy and the obvious intent is to paint Obama as a Muslim.

“On the very day that Senator Clinton is giving a speech about restoring respect for America in the world, her campaign has engaged in the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering we've seen from either party in this election. This is part of a disturbing pattern that led her county chairs to resign in Iowa, her campaign chairman to resign in New Hampshire, and it's exactly the kind of divisive politics that turns away Americans of all parties and diminishes respect for America in the world." David Plouffe an Obama campaign spokesman told the press today reacting to the leaking of the photo.

The Clinton campaign when contacted by the Associated Press did not deny the accusation. The desired effect Clinton is after here is certainly obvious. Paint Obama as a Muslim or a Muslim sympathizer in the run up to the primaries in the conservative states of Texas and Ohio. It is racist, despicable and offensive. It is beyond Carl Rove tactics. It’s stinks! Hillary owes us all an apology and those responsible within her campaign should be fired immediately.

The intended damage done here goes beyond just Clintons desire to save her candidacy by winning primary elections in Ohio, Texas. It also gives ammunition to the conservatives who want to further fan the false rumors about Obama’s phony Muslim connections in the general election. Simply put it’s reprehensible. It proves Clinton will do whatever is necessary to win at any cost and to further her personal agenda to be President even if it ends up doing permanent damage to the Democratic Party.

Clinton should go away for the good of the party before she and her lame ass husband do anymore damage to our chances of winning in November or bringing about the desperately needed change most of us are seeking.

Nader Becomes Captain Wrongway Peachfuzz Of Presidential Politics

Maybe he should officially change his name to Captian Ralph "Wrongway" NADIR. As many of you familiar with the old Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon series remember Ralph Nadar's new namesake was the owner and captain of the S.S. Guppy and has no clue what he's doing. On his last voyage, he and his crew spent an entire election cycle going in a circle. They went for a sail around the America only to end up discovering they were still in the bay in Florida. In fear of their lives, his crew installed a fake captain's wheel so that Captain Peachfuzz only "thought" he was steering.

Our Moment Is Now

Obama Texas campaign commercial "Our moment is now".

Stick It In Your Earmark

Bill Moyer Journal and Expose, America’s Investigative Reports, hammered Democratic Senator Patty Murray, Representative Norm Dicks and Brian Baird on the Friday evening show in a documentary aimed at the abuse and the lack of transparency involved with the practice of using congressional earmarks.

Both Murray, Dicks and Baird's screw-ups were brought to light by local investigative reporters who revealed that millions of dollars in earmarks given to state businesses, for such things as coast guard patrol boats and helmet mounted battlefield computer displays, ended up being unusable for the purpose for which they were originally intended.

The disturbing thing about the story is that Murray, Dicks and Baird have also received campaign contributions for the various companies who got the earmark money and produced the useless or damaged goods.

“The report focuses on how earmarks for some products were added to the defense appropriations bill even in cases in which the military didn't want them in the first place. They end up selling a product to the military that they're not even using."

John McCain, the presumed Republican nominee may have trouble with his dealings with too may lobbyists but he also has made eliminating earmarks one of the main themes of his stump speech rhetoric. McCain claims to have never used an earmark as a elected official and has stated, if elected president, he will veto any bills that contain them.

As a Democrat I don’t think that earmarks are necessarily a bad thing. Most earmarks provide money, I think it can be shown, for what are very worthwhile projects. The problem is that most earmarks are added off the record and in the dark which opens up the likelihood of waste, corruption and abuse.

They are added in conference committee reports or by direct request from a member of congress and they often give the appearance of a "you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours" deal or arrangement. The receiving entity gets the government money and the politician gets a contribution. Earmarks are ripe for accusations of influence peddling, corruption or even bribery. Especially when campaign contributions are made to the ear marker by the entities who end up received the money, often sums in the millions, for their pet project and/or some would argue boondoggles.

Barak Obama as the nominee of the Democratic Party will probably be in a better position to defend against any McCain attacks on abuse of earmarks. The reason is Obama has worked hard to get the members of congress to disclose earmarks, as he has done, in a attempt to improve overall government transparency.

“Obama's criticism of Washington's insider culture is a linchpin of his campaign; he supports earmarks only for public entities such as schools and hospitals. He secured $3.3 million in earmarks through his own sponsorship, and collected $88 million in concert with other Illinois lawmakers.”

Hillary Clinton is near the top of the list when it comes to earmarks. McCain has been mocking Clinton on the campaign trail about a million-dollar earmark to build a museum at Woodstock, New York that would commemorate the rock festival that took place there in 1968. The press has a field day reporting on expensive studies aimed at the life cycle of hibernating squirrels or how rats procreate. These media reports leave one with the distinct feeling that millions of dollars are being wasted on worthless projects.

“Clinton helped secure more than $340 million worth of home-state projects in last year's spending bills, placing her among the top 10 Senate recipients of what are commonly known as earmarks, according to a new study by a nonpartisan budget watchdog group.”

The problem seems to be that at the very least the practice of earmarking should come out into the light. Members of congress should be required to disclose earmarks so that constituents can see where the money is being spent. Voters could then make the connection between the contributions a elected official is receiving and the earmark.

Under a transparent system elected official would probably be less likely to request earmarks for frivolous or boondoggle projects and voters could more closely examine the influence money has on the actions of their representatives.

Senator Murray, Representative Dicks and Baird owe us all a full explanation why they were not more diligent when it came to spending our money. They also owe us a explanation of what part, if any, contributions played in the debacle exposed on Moyer's show.

But, I suspect that there's probably a snowflake's chance in hell they will make the effort to do so unless someone forces the issue. The least they can do is work to offer changes in the law that would open the practice up to the full scrutiny or the voters and the press. So we the people can. if we choose, connect the dots if necessary in the future when it comes to the use of congressional earmarks.

US Church Membership Numbers Show Little Growth

The National Council of Churches annual list estimating membership in the top 25 denominational churches showing gains and losses. Actual church membership is hard to measure because methods are apparently not very scientific and many nondenominational congregations are not counted. It's presents an interesting snapshot of organized church membership in America.

Click on image to enlarge

Street Smart Obama Has The Experience

As a unadulterated Obama supporter I'm getting sick of the narrative that infers that he lacks the experience to be president. Jack and Jill Politics have compiled a list of Obama accomplishments. It's worth a review and shows that Obama has significant legislative experience both in the Illinois and US Senate.

You should be able to discuss his groundbreaking work to reform the Illinois death penalty including getting confessions videotaped against the objections of a Republican governor plus police and prosecutors.

You should be able to discuss his groundbreaking work to create easily searchable database of federal spending, the Google for Government, bill.

You should be able to discuss his nuclear non-proliferation law co-sponsored with Republican Dick Lugar.

Whether you support Obama or not, you need to visit barackobama.com Seriously. It is your duty as a citizen to be informed and no one is preventing you. Go to the issues page. Click on any issue (e.g. Civil Rights). This may sound hard, but I want you to read it. Jump to the bottom where it says "Barack Obama's Record" and you'll see

Record of Advocacy: Obama has worked to promote civil rights and fairness in the criminal justice system throughout his career. As a community organizer, Obama helped 150,000 African Americans register to vote. As a civil rights lawyer, Obama litigated employment discrimination, housing discrimination, and voting rights cases. As a State Senator, Obama passed one of the country's first racial profiling laws and helped reform a broken death penalty system. And in the U.S. Senate, Obama has been a leading advocate for protecting the right to vote, helping to reauthorize the Voting Rights Act and leading the opposition against discriminatory barriers to voting.

Now go to the Ethics page. And READ IT NOW. You'll find more on his record saying:

• Federal Ethics Reform: Obama and Senator Feingold (D-WI) took on both parties and proposed ethics legislation that was described as the "gold standard" for reform. It was because of their leadership that ending subsidized corporate jet travel, mandating disclosure of lobbyists' bundling of contributions, and enacting strong new restrictions of lobbyist-sponsored trips became part of the final ethics bill that was signed into law. The Washington Post wrote in an editorial, "The final package is the strongest ethics legislation to emerge from Congress yet."
• Google for Government: Americans have the right to know how their tax dollars are spent, but that information has been hidden from public view for too long. That's why Barack Obama and Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) passed a law to create a Google-like search engine to allow regular people to approximately track federal grants, contracts, earmarks, and loans online. The Chicago Sun-Times wrote, "It would enable the public to see where federal money goes and how it is spent. It's a brilliant idea."
• Illinois Reform: In 1998, Obama joined forces with former U.S. Sen. Paul Simon (D-IL) to pass the toughest campaign finance law in Illinois history. The legislation banned the personal use of campaign money by Illinois legislators and banned most gifts from lobbyists. Before the law was passed, one organization ranked Illinois worst among 50 states for its campaign finance regulations.

Now go to the Veteran's page.

Record of Advocacy: As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, Obama passed legislation to improve care and slash red tape for our wounded warriors recovering at places like Walter Reed. He passed laws to help homeless veterans and offered an innovative solution to prevent at-risk veterans from falling into homelessness. Obama led a bipartisan effort in the Senate to try to halt the military's unfair practice of discharging service members for having a service-connected psychological injury. He fought for fair treatment of Illinois veterans' claims and forced the VA to conduct an unprecedented outreach campaign to disabled veterans with lower than-average benefits. Obama passed legislation to stop a VA review of closed PTSD casespassed an amendment to ensure that all service members returning from Iraq are properly screened for traumatic brain injuries. He introduced legislation to direct the VA and Pentagon to fix disjointed records systems and improve outreach to members of the National Guard and Reserves.
that could have led to a reduction in veterans' benefits.

Media Matters offers a rebuttal to the Politico's argument claiming Obama's done nothing to affect people's daily lives. It as links to actual bills passed. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote in 2005 about Obama "shuns limelight, builds record" putting to rest this notion that he's been distracted by his presidential bid since arriving in the Senate In "Judge Him By His Laws," The Washington Post's Charles Pierce wrote "People who complain that Barack Obama lacks experience must be unaware of his legislative achievements. One reason these accomplishments are unfamiliar is that the media have not devoted enough attention to Obama's bills and the effort required to pass them, ignoring impressive, hard evidence of his character and ability." Finally, I implore you to check out this dailykos diary, "Yes, Obama has a lot of Substance (now with a graph!)"

You can compare Senator Obama and Senator Clinton on govtrack to get an overview of their success rate in the Senate. But both of them have done a solid amount of work. Most of their efforts never made it out of committee (to be expected in a GOP-controlled Congress).

Obama has more elected experience than Hillary Clinton. He's been accountable to voters for longer. All Obama supporters need to repeat this. It's true, she's been around a long time and has her hands on some great achievements, but her job was rarely at risk. While in the IL legislature, Obama sponsored over 800 bills, with most in healthcare, poverty and crime. Check this NY Times story and graphic.

John McCain. Mr 25 years in the Senate and 100 years in Iraq has surprisingly little to claim in the way of significant achievements. Big up to Matt Yglesias and Carpetbagger.

Thanks again to Jack and Jill Politics for this content.

Hillary Debate Closing Statement Stolen From Bill and John Edward's Speeches

Shocking! God I thought it was her best moment in the campaign. I thought maybe she's really not a robot after all. The real Hillary finally comes to the surface. Turns out the commander in chief of the plagiarizing police force stole part of her closing statement from first gentlemen in waiting Bill and John Edwards prior speeches. Roll the video and see for yourself.

I think she called it "change you can Zerox".



Here the Edwards content:

What Democrats Should Do About The McCain Scandal

For Democrats it’s time to take the high ground. Perhaps Johnny boy had an affair. But who really cares? I don’t want to be the sex police when it comes to McCain or anyone else. It is not my business to question whether he broke his vows to his wife or not. It simply not anyone’s business what John McCain does behind close doors or on corporate jet trips.

The NYT story made me reflect back on the Bill Clinton and Monica scandal. I felt it was unfair for partisan Republicans to attempt to impeach Clinton for what was a rather stupid sexual indiscretion. It seemed stupid of Bill Clinton that he would get involved in something that would risk his reputation and legacy. History shows that such sex scandals are nothing new or for that matter that unusual.

The Clinton sex scandal more importantly raised certain questions about his ability, in his last two years as president, to effectively move forward the Democratic agenda. But again the sexual aspects of it were really not anyone's business outside the Clinton household.

The question remains for anyone attempting to judge McCain’s alleged sexual indiscretions is would you want your sex life to be judged in a similar way if you were caught in a similar situation?

I think the more important concern is did the alleged relationship influence McCain in his role as a US Senator and as the then Chairman or the powerful Senate Commerce Committee? The New York Times story really talks more about McCain’s apparent tendency to be blind to being manipulated by lobbyists because of his tendency to be rather arrogant about his image as the uninfluenced untouchable maverick when it comes to his relationship with them. It's the whole strait talk express image which, by the way, is beginning to wear a little thin.

But McCain may have read his own press clippings too much.

I think what's more important is the image of the true McCain that is emerging. I am the all mighty John McCain and how dare you question my integrity on anything. With the militaristic fly boy Johnny is very much about duty honor and integrity 24/7. Even if in the end your probably wrong. Just what we need another arrogant stubborn petulant presidency. This type of behavior got McCain sucked into involvement in the Keating Five scandal that almost cost him his political career a decade ago.

Today he defiantly denied any wrongdoing or that there was any liaison between him and Vicki Iseman the woman and telecommunication lobbyist at the center of the scandal. Time will tell if there is more incriminating evidence to show that Isemen unethically influenced McCain into helping out her corporate clients in the Senate.

McCain has a tendency to take the high ground on issues like torture and campaign financing, opposing tax cuts for the rich or accepting federal funding of his campaign only to crumble when it appears to be politically unpopular to the Republican base or his chances to be elected president.

So much for McCain being a REAL maverick.

When he is confronted about the apparent hypocrisies he gets angry that anyone would question his motives his honor or his integrity, a McCain personality trait that could prove fatal to his run for the presidency.

Los Angeles Skid Row An American Third World

A compelling video about Los Angeles's skid row asks the question how could this happen in one of the richest nations in the world. Los Angeles's police chief called their Skid Row "the worst social disaster in America." This segment is part one of five.

Via: Good Magazine Video By Lindsay Utz, Sam Slovick

The Same Old Folks Doing The Same Old Things Won’t Do Anymore Or Why Overwhelming Pent-Up Demand For Change Should Carrying Obama To The Nomination

"This is our moment".

Apparently few in the old guard press or the entrenched political establishment get it and of course there's those women over fifty, Chis Matthews and Catholics who, according to exit polls, continue for some reason to support her highness Hillary even though she's supports a woman right to choose.

How could this upstart Senator from Illinois actually win the Democratic Party’s nomination? Daily expressions of astonishment from those inside the mental beltway indicate just how out of touch they are with the powerful political undertow that is now at the gates of the palace demanding a fundamental change in the way our government operates. How could this of happened?

WELL WERE SICK OF IT. We’ve had enough and we are showing up at the polls in record numbers desperate to take back our beloved country from the robber barons, phony politicians, party hacks, fringe groups, social conservatives, religious fanatics, gay bashers, jingoists and their big media lackeys, and the Bush Clinton Bush Clinton Bush Clinton line of succession.

Has a broad throw the bums out movement finally bubbled to the surface and taken form? I think the answer in part is yes and it may not be limited to the occupant of the White House. But there are certainly forces that are also serendipitously at work here that involve the timing and times and the ebbing of the boomer generation's power.

Because we all know that the presidency is not the only place where change is needed. In fact change is needed across the board. Harry Reid would be a good place to start in the Senate. How ineffective and useless has he been? Hopefully he'd be replaced by another democrat with a backbone and who hasn't been bought and sold by big business.

Barak Obama has masterfully tapped into this feeling for change in the country and he has become its standard bearer. The voters have demonstrated they do not want the same old cast of characters anymore and that they are willing to trust this relatively young and inexperienced principled idealistic young Senator from Illinois with the fate of the nation.

A big part of Obama's appeal is based in the perception that he is has not been jaded by years of political infighting and debauchery in Washington, DC. "They want me to wait till they've stew and boiled the hope out of me" Obama often points out in his stump speech. He also talks of Martin Luther King's reference to the "urgency of now".

After years and years of extremely bad government is it any wonder why this is happening. But the pundits and hack politicians who help create the mess just don’t get it. Stuck in their self-fulfilling echo chamber of divisive sound bites and gridlock politics they accept the broken process as the gold standard. They accept the politics as usual as the normal. They guard their mediocrity as if it were the arch of the covenant. They accept failure and government incompetence as the norm. They defend the reprobate politicians and spawn and promulgate their continuing existence and hold on power.

Meanwhile we have watched the leaders of this country for the last quarter century, both Republican and Democrat become more and more out of touch with the real aspirations of the people.

Let them eat tax rebates!

They often act oblivious to the obvious grievances of the people. It appears to the average American that nothing is really being done. We are fed up and we want something better. Isn't this one of the recurring American narratives of ridding ourselves of the rot at the top.

I think of supporters at the Obama victory speech after the Iowa caucuses chanting at the top of the lungs WE WANT CHANGE, WE WANT CHANGE, WE WANT CHANGE. Who wouldn’t after looking at the list below. Maybe we have finally had enough.

• Were is Osama Bin Laden
• It's the economy stupid
  
• Endless war and confusing military priorities
• Bombing or innocent civilians during military operations
• Supporting despotic leaders
• Ignoring the constitutional
• Ineffective Foreign Policy
• Progress on domestic security
• No health care
  
• Unchecked domestic spying on citizens
• The destruction of our environment
• No national progress towards energy independence
• Widespread government corruption, scandals and inefficiencies
• Racial, gender and sex discrimination
• The intrusion of religion in the matters of the state
• Loss of our moral standing in the world
• Disintegration of our public schools and failing students
• Mistreatment of veterans
• No border security or cohesive policy on immigration
• Plundering of the treasury
• Unchecked corporate power
• Politics based on division
• Government sponsored torture
• Regressive Taxes
• Cohesive national election reform
• Crumbling national infrastructure
• Dependence on Automobiles
  
• Crime
• Bad trade policy
• Protection of the food supply
• Drug safety
• Treating illegal drug use as a health issue
  

Hawaii Looking Like Obama Blowout Too

First results from Hawaii and later updates click here:

11:00 pm Hawaii first results Obama 77% (2258) Clinton 23% (666) 8% of precincts reporting

12:20 pm Obama 74.3% (5436) Clinton 25.6% (1875) 26% of precincts reporting

1:00 am Obama 76% (11691) Clinton 23% (3584) 51% of precincts reporting

A Vote For Clinton Is A Vote For More Of The Same Old Shit

Do cheese heads in Wisconsin stand in the last gateway to a new and better future for liberal politics?

The horse race narrative loving media is giddy over the fact that the Clinton campaign has returned to the full contact Clinton school of below the belt politics. The producers over at CNN and MSNBC see it as a sure ratings booster and the end that justify the means I'm sure. F#*k journalistic relevancy fairplay or the good of the country. It's Bill finger waging, Hillary, Monica, Whitewater, the Clintons, Chelsea's honor and the rest of the whole freaking stupid Clinton dynasty soap opera.

Screw the real issues!

Like this asinine non-substantive argument generating from Clinton communication director Howard Wolfson and others about the supposed meaning of Barak Obama alleged plagiarism of a colleague’s speech.

This is total horse shit. How many poor people or workers is this waste of time helping? None.

But with the Bill and Hillary the facts are not really important. Which is of course Obama’s often made point. Sure Obama gives good speeches but his website and recently release follow up economic plans have reforced his rhetoric on exactly where he stands on the main issues of the day. These meat on the bones positions papers have existed from the beginning of his campaign on the web. If you listen to Clinton you'd think that being able to inspire people is a negative.

This ignores the fact that the bully pulpit of the president of the United States is often how things really change in this country. The president must have the ability to do the heavy lifting with presidential rhetoric as well as the political back room arm twisting. If a president can inspire and motivate people with speeches in favor of his ideas then he can also get his legislation passed by the congress.

The often-used Hillary argument over the difference in health care plans is at best nothing more then a hair splitting spin fest. Many experts actually think the Obama plan is better and god knows what either plan will look like once it has been through the congress in two years.

The Clinton message seem to be we need more of the same. And don’t get your hopes up either. Apparently vision hope and change is not that important if you listen to the Billary campaign machine rhetoric. More of the same old divisive them vs. us bullshit is just fine with them.

How dare we have dreams or actually be able to articulate them! More of the same infighting is what we need.

Yesterday Clinton attacked Obama for not agreeing to use Federal campaign financing, which he inferred he would consider last year. It so happens to also be the same spin the McCain campaign used to attacks Obama. Apparently the Clinton argument now is the that the Democratic nominee should be just as hamstrung as the Republican candidate when it comes to finance their campaign in the general election.

Bull shit.

Hillary co-ops the Republican argument to make political points knowing she wouldn’t agree to being limited in fund raising herself if the shoe were on the other foot in the general election. Just win the nomination baby and that crap will be out the window.

The Clintons are so desperate to maintain what they see as their rights as aire to the presidential throne that they will do and say anything. Frankly I can now see more clearly why the Republicans are so polarized against them.

Today there’s a story surfacing that the Clintons want to turn this into a knife fight by not honoring the loyalty of even the pledge delegates. Making overtures that they would attempt to get them to flip prior to or at the convention. The will of the voters who elected these pledge delegates is not to be honored because winning is everything.

Personally you’d have to rip my arm from my body and hold it in the air to get me to change my allegiance from Obama to Clinton were I a pledged delegate that made it to Denver. That’s unless I got offered the ambassadorship to the Republic of Ireland. Not!

I don’t know about you but I’m not interested in the politics of phony pandering anymore with the Clinton style of post feminist subtle under tones of racial or gender dividing. Take your Kevlar pantsuit-wearing ass out of here please. Haven’t your boomer generation based methods of dividing the electorate into camps done enough to totally gridlock the system already? It time for us citizens to move it on down the road when it comes to control of the government and the political parties.

Not only I’m I tried of the same old stupid arguments supporting the same right wing nuts, but I’m sick of the same old tired sixties era hair splitting arguments coming from the hacks on the left too. This means you. Get over yourselves for god sake for the good of the country the world and future generations. This is the same old politically divisive shit that the Clintons embody and continue to promulgate ad infinitum.

Just in Case You MIssed It Obama Supporters Should Vote In Primary

Why you may ask? Didn’t we just have a caucus? Well if enough Obama supporters don’t take the time to vote on February 19th and Clinton does well of even wins the primary you can be sure that the Clinton campaign will use the results to support her somewhat twisted argument that the caucus states are unfair and don’t really reflect the will of the people.

So Obamatrons make sure you fill out that absentee ballot or get down to your polling place. Also if your voting by absentee be sure to complete the political party declaration on the ballot envelope. Apparently many absentee voters are invalidating their ballots by not completing the declaration.

Was Obama Robbed In New York Primary Vote

There is a wild story in today's New York Post. Apparently many heavily African American legislative districts in Brooklyn and elsewhere showed 0 votes for Obama in February 5th primary. Recounts are underway that now give Obama the lead in these neighborhoods. What the fuck is up with that? NYT story here.

Republicans Pin Their Hopes On Hillary

One emerging Republican election strategy may hinge on the hope that Democrats will vote overwhelmingly in the remaining primaries for Hillary Clinton giving her the nomination. Because of the polarizing nature of the Clintons, conservatives are beginning to see it as a possible key to a Republican victory in November. The conservative magazine National Review cover story promoted the idea in the current issue.

How better to unify the party the argument goes than to nominate Hillary.

The fracturing of the Republican Party moderate, right and social conservative wings brought about by the likely nomination of the erratic grump John McCain could quickly heal should Clinton stage a comeback and win the Democratic nomination. Rightwing nuts would once again be energized in defiance at the thought of the Clintons once again occupying the white house. Crossover voting in the primaries could be crucial to making the nominating Clinton strategy viable.

The Wisconsin and Texas elections are open primaries that allow voters to vote for anyone regardless of their present party affiliation while Ohio is a modified primary that requires that the voters change party registration to crossover. The situation could be ripe for Republican cross over voting in these key states therefore rigging the outcome and bringing about what Republicans perceive would be the best match-up against McCain in November.

Clinton Should Have A Debate With Herself

Hillary Clinton keeps calling for debates with Barak Obama. From the looks of this Edwards campaign ad it would appear she be better off having a debate with herself. Then maybe we know where she really stands on some important issues.

Obama Takes 7 Point Lead In Gallup National Poll

Barak Obama took a significant lead over Hillary Clinton in tracking of Gallup Poll Daily national Democratic voters’ nomination preferences.

Clinton Not Ready On Day One When It Came To Her Own Campaign

Hillary Clinton has set up more firewalls in Texas and Ohio. We find her campaign for the white house these days in full battle stations mode. The “ready on day one” rhetoric aimed at Senator Obama being repackaged and once again redeployed. “All hat and no cattle”, she twanged in San Antonio last night.

To quote Clinton communications director Howard Wolfson "We don't make distinctions between delegates chosen by million of voters in a primary and those chosen between tens of thousands in caucuses. And we don't make distinctions when it comes to elected officials who vote as super delegates at the convention.” Sounds like it a fight to the death even if she doesn’t have the majority of the pledge delegates when she reaches the convention in Denver. She’s been running for president since college so whatever it takes I guess. It’s her imperial right to be the first female president.

I think it’s valid to ask if Clinton was ready on day one in the competence and decision making department on day one of her own campaign. Certainly it’s a valid consideration and an indication of her management skill isn’t it? Was she competent when picking her key campaign advisors and functionaries, several of whom have been fired, and was she competent in developing a winning campaign strategy. Had she not pulled off a miracle win in New Hampshire the election could of been over by now.

She certainly can’t blame her poor results thus far on press or gender bias alone. Especially since the field was tipped severely in her favor from the get go. But, it could be that the real problem is the Clinton brand itself. Politics is like baseball where they fire the manager and not the shitty player.

Clinton has shown poor judgment when dealing with the operation of her campaign and worst judgment in other more serious areas. Like her Iraq war vote and support of Bush and Lieberman with her vote to pave the way to possible war with Iran. Also she takes some of the blame for the failure to bring about national health insurance during her husbands first term.

I think there’s a pattern here. Exercising poor judgment blaming others when results are bad or triangulating that she was somehow hoodwinked by the process.

One of the other new themes of the Clinton Texas Ohio offensive appears to be that Obama is all hope and no substance. Something we’ve heard before. Any voter worth their salt that buys into this one has not been listening to Obama or visited his website where they can find position and proposals on all the major issues of the campaign waiting for their review.

More Clinton hallow rhetoric. Something she excels at. But she wanted to have a conversation with America. I suspect that we should get ready for the conversation to get loud filled with desperation and nasty.

Hillary Creates Rules Of Game And Then Attacks Them When She Loses

Hillary Clinton continues to bash the caucus system. In the latest attempt to spin away her defeat by wide margins in several caucus state over the weekend Clinton devalued these caucus states as "not being representative of real voters". To a certain extent this is true because it takes some commitment and effort on the part of a voter to participate. It is true that the caucus system must be reformed to increase participation or junked entirely in favor of a full primary election.

It is also true that the caucus system is the party's way of controlling participation, fund raising and increasing grass roots activist participation. With a statewide voter primary election party bosses lose direct control over the apparatus and invite challenges from insurgent candidates that can threaten their control of the party.

But aren't calls for reform of the presidential nominee selection system for the future not the present?

The main problem I have with Clinton's criticism is that she and her operatives and the party establishment have devise the system that she now is calling unfair to her candidacy. The system was not created in a vacuum. Clinton the early front runner and overwhelming favorite to win the nomination at the beginning of the primaries helped set the rules for the game and now when she starts losing the game she calls the rules unfair. She can't have it both ways. God knows Hillary has been planning to run for the presidency from the days she and Bill finished law school. The playing field has always been tipped in her favor because the Clintons have controlled most of the party operatives and DNC members from the beginning.

I'm sure they all thought it was going to be a cakewalk for Clinton to the nomination. Even though they wonld never say that. Firing her campaign manager isn't the problem either. The problem seems to be with the Clinton brand itself. If Obama's momentum continues you should expect Hillary to get dirty and god knows what she'll conjure up in an attempt to try and stop Obama.

Paul Krugman Continues To Make Up Negative Stuff About Obama

Paul Krugman’s column in the NYT today once again takes a land of make beleive swipe at Barak Obama.

When he’s not trying to promulgate the baseless attacks on Obama’s health care plan that fill Hillary’s rhetoric he’s reaching new levels of fiction writing with negative stuff he's making up about Obama as he goes along.

Today prognosticating is that Obama followers are basically a “cult” and not a real political movement. His proof of cult status can somehow be found in Bush’s theatrical performance of wearing a flight suit at the mission-accomplished speech on the deck of a carrier. A wild parallel to draw at best and rather unimaginatively stupid at it's worst.

"I won’t try for fake evenhandedness here: most of the venom I see is coming from supporters of Mr. Obama, who want their hero or nobody. I’m not the first to point out that the Obama campaign seems dangerously close to becoming a cult of personality. We’ve already had that from the Bush administration remember Operation Flight Suit? We really don’t want to go there again."

The problem with Krugman and so many other robots of the establishment media is that they are tied to the way things are and the status quo so tightly that they can’t make the quantum leap that's necessary to recognize the seismic shift that’s taking place, and that the Obama candidacy represents. Was John F Kennedy’s run for the presidency a cult too? Or the movement built around Nelson Mandela?

If you want real change to come about with your government are you to be branded a member of a cult and apparently easily brainwashed? Krugman's premise apparently being that all of us attempting to chart a new course for American politics are probably naive. Bullshit!

Krugman openly admits in the piece he’s a Hillary partisan. Really? He also attempts to make the case that Obama supporters are really just Hillary haters. She's sort of a love hate type I admit but my experience from last Saturday's Washington Caucuses was just the opposite. Many like Clinton but prefer that Obama be the party standard barer. Most democrats I know, even the die hard Obama supporters like me, would support Clinton if she wins the nomination. We just think Obama's represents the change we really want.

Obama Wins A Grammy Too Hear An Audio Excerpt

Amy Winehouse wasn't the only one who won a Grammy last night. Barak Obama won for "The Audacity of Hope" spoken word version of his best selling book.

In winning the award Obama beat out Bill Clinton who was nominated for "How Each of Us Can Change the World". Click on the player below to hear an excerpt from the Grammy winning book.

We Want F*#king Change! Super Delegates Should Reconsider Their Support Of Clinton

Well the people have spoken and Clinton has won Douglas County.

Let me be one of the first to call for Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell and Jay Inslee et al to reconsider your pre-caucus endorsement and be willing now to support Barak Obama who has won the Washington State Democratic caucuses overwhelmingly and decisively. There is no doubt now who most Democrats in Washington State want to be the party's nominee. You as our elected leaders and subject to the will of the voters should be willing to support the peoples choice.

With massive turnouts and a festival atmosphere at many of the larger caucus sites democracy was amazing. This was almost, but not quite, better then sex. The Democratic Party in Washington should begin today to get the method of choosing a candidate straightened out so that it is either a statewide primary election or a caucus system. Congratulations to most of the voters who were able to figure the current system out in time to participate fully.

The election would indicate that voters overwhelmingly want a split from the politics and the political personalities of the passed and desire a CHANGE in the way the business of the government has been conducted in the passed.

Barak Christine and Me

Look for me in the background with the cowboy hat and the Veterans for Obama sign where Washington Governor Chris Gregoire announces her endorsement of Barak at about 37 seconds into the video. Yes we can....

John McCain's Temper Watch How Long Before He Blows His Top

There are some who question John McCain’s temperament should he become president. I for one believe that a public blowout is probably only a matter of time. And as a Democrat I’m hoping it happens during one of the general election debates. I also think that McCain’s emotional makeup is fair game during the campaign.

Is it fair to question the emotional stability of anyone who will have his finger on the nuclear trigger and who has already professed, “there be other wars”. in some self fulfilling prophecy. This is the same elderly man who central campaign theme is based on the use of American military power to deal with his often used description of “radical Islamic extremism” which he conjures up obsessively. His talk of 100 years of occupation in Iraq justifying it with an out dated ideology that calls for the presence of American forces in every corner of the world. Maybe if we had paid more attention to protecting the homeland with our vast military, and not the Saudis 9/11 could have been prevented.

"I have a temper, to state the obvious, which I have tried to control with varying degrees of success because it does not always serve my interest or the public's." John McCain

He also talks about it not being the American occupation of these countries that matters only the number American casualties it takes. Justifying the extraordinarily expensive deployments of American forces everywhere and the interference in the internal affairs or other nations on the number of American forces being killed rather then the foreign policy it represents. The collateral mortality rates of anyone else who happens to be involved or potential damage to American moral authority in the world are not important I guess.

Some press reports have argued that McCain’s rather well know temper was the product of his years of captivity as a POW in North Viet Nam. But his military medical records apparently substantiate that the problem existed before the captivity. Much of the temper issue has been ignored by the media in what is consider by many to be a form of hero worship or love of the narrative about his “maverick’ image.

But I still think he’ll blow sometime soon under the pressure of the campaign. When it happens I think voters will be faced with the proposition of whether they would trust McCain to control his emotions in a world crisis or when considering the use of our nuclear weapons should that have to be considered.

Boomers Hillary Standing In The Doorway And Blocking Up The Hall

Can’t play with others was the cliché that people use when talking about people that had a hard time assimilating or working with others. Unfortunately the same cliché works when you’re describing the entire generation of baby boomers. I was born in January 1947 making me one of the first of this generation that eventual life experiences would mold into a generation that felt at home with conflict and polarization.

We came to accept this way of thinking and acting as completely normal. The fifties, sixties, and seventies became our generational war of attrition that would eventually form our id and the political habits we practice today.

These times were of course earmarked by paradigm destroying movements and the encouragement of mind bending personal experimentation of every kind. Out of this whirlwind came the civil rights movement, women’s movement , the environment movement, the sexual revolution, all of which were rapped in the lifestyle or self realizing escapism for many of us. Timothy Leary urged us to turn on, tune in, and drop out. Which many of us were more than happy to do.

On the right it was all about making money and trying to protect the country from communist and what was conceived to be the destruction of traditional American values. Oh, throw in the government fabricated and divisive seemingly endless war against the spread of communism being fought in Viet Nam and you had enormous conflict and strife. We drank it in and dropped it into every pore and orifice of our bodies. Death and destruction were everywhere joined with the heady feeling of a generational change.

In 1965 I joined the army, being the good Irish Catholic boy I was at the time. My older brother was already headed for Viet Nam as a member of the Marines then and it seemed a natural right of passage for me also. The three years I spent in the service radicalize me and turn me against the establishment when I returned home. My government had lied. I got married and had children. I became an outsider and a drinking problem took on new meaning. I got divorced. I was at war with myself and blamed the system. The years went by.

Everything more or less was divided into black and white, war and peace, hate and love, male and female, gay and strait, left or right, progressive or conservative, Democrat or Republican.

Every one was forced consciously or otherwise to take sides. These protracted battle lines drawn so long ago unfortunately still exist today. Many of the lighting rods of the present day right and left were the same individuals at the ramparts at that time when the boomer generation came of age.

Hillary Clinton is a product of this generation and it shows in her and Bill Clinton’s modus operandi political style. Add the major political parties made up mostly of boomers and you get the conflicted and divisive political warfare they call democracy. Many still unable to put the shovel down even though they’re at the bottom of the hole, but still able to label the opposite side as intransigent. Often these factions and individuals are unable to see or accept responsibility for the glaring shortcomings on their side of the street. One of the more common political character flaws of the boomer generation.

"Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin"

Bob Dylan

If you’re a boomer it goes that you must take sides and help with digging the foxholes. On the right of course we have tons of examples personified in the Carl Roves and Tom Delays of the world. On the left we have the triangulating jelly fish misnamed progressives who often have their heads in the clouds. Blaming the right for everything that's wrong with society. Totally intolerant of conservatives or Republicans points of view and full of enough political correctness to be annoying to even the reasonable. Lately it’s been the National Organization of Women cooking up things to keep the fifty year feminist war against men going but mostly succeeding only to marginalize their message in the eyes of many.

Boomers must realize they are in the way. Why must we continue fighting these old ghosts just to continue to feed our generation’s egos based on a delusional idea that somehow OUR generation has some special gravitas or right to screw up the world? The problem we find ourselves in today is that the body politic is polarized into two camps and broken. It's destructive and badly in need of replacement or complete relegation to the far reaches of the political hell that we find ourselves living in today. We run the chance of losing everything that potentially good about OUR nation and the role it could play in bringing about a better world.

"We are the ones we've been waiting for". Obama said yesterday. It's a problem with our souls. It's a battle within each of us. For the boomer generation it maybe said that if you can't lend a hand then at least get the hell out of the way.

This is the moment that Barak Obama and others are speaking about. It’s time for change and the end of political labeling and cynicism. Something many boomers seem to have a hard time even acknowledging exists. Still stuck in the same old tired political clichés and arguments that don't work anymore or work only to divide. These same boomers still can't see the forest for the trees when it comes to the actual vision Obama puts forth because they are unable to see the world without division or cynicism. They offer us more of the same thing over and over again apparently expecting a different result.

Lap Dogs Of The Corporate Press

Now this is pretty funny.....

Vashon Island For Obama Caucus Flyer

Click on image to enlarge

Mc Murray Middle School Vashon Island February 9th 1:oopm. Door close at 1:30pm and caucusing begins.

Remember that your vote in the Primary scheduled for February 19th DOES NOT COUNT when selecting who you prefer for president if your a Democrat. Democrats, Independents and Republicans who wish to support a Democratic candidate for president in the primary must attend the Democratic party caucus to participate in selecting their presidential candidate. For more information call 206 529-3859

Yes We Can!

Black Eyed Peas musical tribute to Barak Obama's Campaign for President.

Obama Website Overwhelmed By Flood Of Hits

Click on image to enlarge

In what could be a sign of a fury of interest in Barack Obama in the run up to Feburary 5th primary. The campaign website was overwhelmed today and posting the following message to visitors. Developing......

Will Clinton Scandals Sink Democrats In The General Election?

The New York Times broke a story today that concerns Bill Clinton questionable dealings with and Canadian mining company involved with uranium mining in Kazakhstan.

This should raise a red flag with voters about what else is out there about the Clintons that could come to light in the future.This and other potential scandals could put in jeopardy the Democratic Party's chances of winning the presidency in November if Hillary Clinton ends up being the nominee? And does this latest allegation about Bill Clinton underscore the slime ball track record of the Clinton's political dealings in general?

Obama The Video Fired Up And Ready To Go

A new video by members of Pearl Jam and the Total Experience Gospel Choir in response to Edith Childs "Fired Up, Ready to Go" chant that was started in Greenwood, SC.

via: Bergevin Brothers Music

New Hampshire Polling Discrepancy Bradley Effect Or Diebold Effect?

I don't necessary like conspiracy stories. But this one about votes being miscounted by Diebold machines in NH may need to be followed up on. Apparently vote totals counted by machine differ when the same votes are recounted by hand, and Obama and others apparently didn't get votes they should of been credited while Clinton got votes she shouldn't have.

Where ballots were counted by hand, Clinton averaged 34% and Obama 38%. Although the recount was conducted after a request by Dennis Kucinich it was not completed because he could not afford to pay for it.

via: The Progressive Populist

Carter Has High Praise For Obama But Probably Will Not Endorse A Candidate

Jimmy Carter has never endorsed a presidential candidate prior to the nomination since leaving the White House. When ask about the presidential race he said this about Obama. See video via WSJ below.

"Obama's campaign has been extraordinary and titillating for me and my family."

"We have four children with their spouses, we have eleven grandchildren, four or five of them are married, and all of them, except one, are for Obama."

"I think that Obama will be almost automatically a healing factor in the animosity now and the distrust that relates to our country and its government."

Hillary's Oh My God Facial Expression Comics?

Click on image to enlarge

Has anyone noticed Hillary's Oh My God facial expression that she uses every time she's at a campaign rally. It sort of drives me nuts. It's like she shocked because she just saw Monica Lewinsky in the crowd. But whatever it represents, it doesn't seem that sincere except as more Clinton campaign theatrics spin.

Obama Edwards Holds Clinton Under 50% in Florida With No Campaigning

How electable is spin mistress and truth twister Hillary Clinton? Her negatives are apparently so high that she can't even get a majority of the votes in a meaningless primary without opposition. She's the only candidate who broke Party rules and campaigned in Florida. Makes you wonder what the final outcome would of been if there had been real competition. Also if you combine Obama and Edwards vote totals it's a virtual tie with Hillary's total.

Many of the votes she received were cast by absentee or long before Obama's latest bounce coming out of South Carolina. Voters making up their minds in the last week broke heavily towards Obama.

Real Cool Obama Poster

Via: Obey Giant

Hillary’s New Strategy To Steal The Nomination Emerging

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) needs to setup a fair, equal and transparent process to award the presently disenfranchised state delegates from Michigan and Florida before the national convention. Unless they do there are sure to be bitter allegations that the nomination has been stolen by the candidate that is not nominated.

The probability of arriving at the August convention in Denver with the nominee still undetermined due to a lack of enough delegates now seems plausible, 2025 are needed. The importance of the excluded delegates from Michigan and Florida therefore loom extremely large. Florida has 210 potential delegates and Michigan 156, and if they are reinstated they represent enough delegates to possibly tip the balance and determine the eventual nominee.

Hillary Clinton realizes this clearly as demonstrated by her recent overtures to get these banned delegates reinstated. The Obama camp has resisted the temptation to involve itself with these delegates and so far has pretty much played by the Party rules previously agreed to by all the candidates, including Clinton.

But true to the Clintons moral compass readings it is apparently acceptable to cheat if it means you’ll be victorious in the end. Party leaders must stop this apparent attempt to circumvent the rules that could lead to a stolen nomination.

Even though it is a violation of her pledge not to campaign in the states involved in the controversy she has been doing just that, and demonstrated by her efforts this week aimed at influencing the vote in Florida and her trips there where polls show she leads by a large margin. In fact she is planning a victory rally tomorrow in Florida.

In the Michigan primary held on January 18th Clinton received 55% percent of the vote and uncommitted received 40%. Obama was not on the ballot but the uncommitted vote maybe an indication of his voter support in Michigan. The most recent polls in Florida breakdown is Clinton at 50% Obama at 26%. Clinton almost daily pandering aimed at the voters in Florida may have raised her popularity there while Obama has been slow to develop a public strategy to deal with the problem.

This is why the DNC needs to act now to create a fair way to determine who will eventually be awarded these outlawed delegates before it actually becomes a potential black eye to the party by ending up in a bitter floor fight at the convention or worse.

Florida and Michigan will be important states in the fall general election. It will be crucial that the DNC not alienate the voters in these states further by not allowing for some sort of compromise over the participation of their delegates in the nominating process.

I suggest a round of caucuses in June or July be held where the candidates will have time to actually fully campaign beforehand. Then the delegates should be awarded based on the outcome.

Real Young People For Obama

via: youbama videos made by real people who support Barak Obama

The Only Thing We Have To Fear Is Fear Itself

Four years ago Democrats were so desperate and fearful about finding a viable presidential candidate that they hoped would beat George Bush they ended up with John Kerry. So unnerved were the lefties at the thought of George Bush for another four years that in the end everyone collectively swallowed hard and commenced to throw Howard Dean and John Edwards under the bus in favor of Kerry, the war hero and liberal Senator from the most liberal of all the states, Massachusetts.

Kerry started out with a handicap in the eyes of voters in what turned out to be the red states. He represented just another Northeast snob liberal.

It became the paramount concern of Democrats to find a candidate who was electable. Not necessarily the best, in their estimation, simply electable. So Kerry’s experience and military service seemed like a smart move for voters based on the anticipated national security theme the Republicans telegraphed they were going use as bludgeon on the head of the Democratic challenger no matter whom it turned out to be.

Remember that goofy salute thing he did the night of his acceptance speech. Reporting for duty! It was like badly staged vaudeville.

Later on Kerry, a honorable and well intentioned man, seemed to have problems articulating his vision to the masses. During the presidential candidate debates Bush even seemed to hold his own. Something Democrats found hard to believe at the time. Kerry had the propensity to a long-winded and rather esoteric speaking style that left many wondering when he finally finished just what he meant to say.

Kerry was intelligent but apparently unable to really communicate a clear vision to the masses of what his election would do to protect and better the nation. This hampered him throughout the campaign.

The Kerry campaign was not prepared for the dirty tactics of the likes of Carl Rove and his surrogates and allowed the Republicans to turn his image as a Viet Nam War hero into that of a malingering yellow cowardly opportunist and flip flopper. Actually flipping the truth that to this day astounds anyone who saw it happen right in front of their eyes. Bush of course was the real malingerer not Kerry but those facts somehow got overlooked or failed to resound. From this form of character assassination the term “swift boating” was coined. Many say Kerry did not respond quickly or strongly enough to the lies.

Really wasn’t the 2004 election really about how fear was used by the Republicans so effectively against a confused and fear ridden Democratic Party base.

Soon after Kerry was nominated Democrats began to have buyer’s remorse about him. But it was far too late. The argument being that they probably should of stuck with Dean or perhaps even Edwards. We should of gone with our gut feelings it went. Instead we were forced into the lesser of two evils predicaments. I don’t like either of them but oh what the hell.

Remember the fear that transcended America that election year? Terrorists everywhere, war in Iraq, and 9/11 fresh in our minds. Fear ruled us. The Republicans used this fear to their advantage. The democrats were unable to play the fear card for they feared they would seem weak, a habit they still fall into today in the Congress. Even after gaining seats and majorities in the 2006 Congressional elections they are still often paralyzed by fear of appearing soft on terrorists, immigration, crime or you name it.

“I accept chaos. I am not sure whether it accepts me. I know some people are terrified of the bomb. But then some people are terrified to be seen carrying a modern screen magazine. Experience teaches us that silence terrifies people the most.” Bob Dylan

It’s a fear to stand up to fear or reject fear or afraid to appear afraid. Their self -reliance has failed them over and over again. Maybe this is why the approval ratings of the Congress are at historic lows. They simply lack the courage or their convictions. if they really have any.

Fast forward to the current nomination process and once again we see fear as a factor. Clinton saying in so many words that the terrorist we’ll get us if you don’t elect me. But she calls it the experience factor. Once again many Democrats who support her are quick to point out the commander in chief ready on day one Clinton rhetoric when indicating why they support Hillary. A false argument basically. For both Obama and her are at least equally experienced, to deal with terrorists. But Clinton subtlety injects the fear card to make her point.

I think if you are the fearless type you are naturally driven to Barak Obama, The visionary, the healer, the coalition builder, the future and who the young understand intuitively. Life is not worth living if you must live it in fear.

Things always turn out badly when your fear makes your decisions for you.

Will fear once again make Democrats choose their nominee badly? Will we again choose someone who tells us to be fearful of the future? Or will we have the courage to reject fear.

NYT Frank Rich On "Billary" Or How The Democrats Can Snatch Defeat From The Hands Of Victory

The NYT columnist Frank Rich fasinating piece on the risks for Democrats if they should nominate a BILLARY Clinton ticket and the unforseen and unvetted potential for new Bill Clinton scandals that could be lurking.

Caroline Kennedy Gets It

Caroline Kennedy endorsed Barak Obama tonight. She gets it. Kennedy realizes that leaders like Obama are a rare thing in American politics and don't come along often, perhaps once in a generation.

A president like my father, Kennedy labels Obama.

Unfortunately there are many well meaning and sincere women out there that are hypnotized by the quest for the holy grail of electing the first woman president. Even though their reasons for doing so are base predominantly on gender and not on her character, electability, leadership, or vision, or her well known negatives.

Can you say President John McCain? Nominate Hillary and you'll probably have to learn how.

Many of these women have probably not focused on much more then the fact that Hillary has a vagina just like they do and somehow that's enough to qualify her for the job. But, of course, that shouldn't really have anything to do with being elected president should it?

The truth perhaps is that Hilliary Clinton's time has actually passed and that she is not the right person for the job or the times in with we live today. She's so sixties.

Another thing. One of the most annoying things progressive women, who are under the spell of Hillary, should be asking themselves is why has Hillary allowed Bill to dominate the campaign to the extent he has. I think it is more than just arguable that there was a backlash against Bill's acting out in the South Carolina. Perhaps a sign of what to expect
from a first husband Bill if she actually is electable.

His behavior marginalizes and diminishes her stature as some one who wants to be the first woman president. Plus no one is really voting for Bill Clinton's for president are they?

There's A Pox On The House Of Clinton

In The South Carolina primary the MSM was wrong and most of all the Clintons were dead wrong in spite of what will be attempts to lower everyone’s expectations about the outcome of the election emanating from the Clintons that are sure to follow in the next few days.

This was a good old country boy ass whipping folks.

The South Carolina exit polls show that Bill and Hillary Clinton’s subtle attempts to make Barak Obama into another Jessie Jackson stereotypical BLACK candidate or bring him down in the political mud where the Clintons reside has failed and perhaps evened backfired.

I think it is because vast numbers of Americans in 2008 apparently don’t care about Obama’s race or care anymore for Bill Clinton’s outdated political campaign shenanigans. Or for that matter for what the Clintons really represent; the past, dirty politics, lying if necessary to get someone to vote for you and political slash and burn divisiveness.

So wake up if you haven’t already and smell the new coffee people!

History may look at this night as the turning point and beginning of the begining of the end of Clinton machine presidential aspirations and the leadership of the Democratic party and the rise of Senator Barak Obama's star as the true, legitimate and viable candidate that actually represents the REAL generational and political change America is demanding in these troubled times.

Clinton Election Eve Robo Calls Aimed At Edwards

The Clinton campaign apparently still thinks John Edwards is a threat. Anti Edwards robo calls started last night on the eve of the South Carolina vote happening too late for Edwards to respond. Listen to the recording of the call and read the transcript a The Page.

Vashon Island Obama Supporters To Meet Saturday

Second Organizational Meeting

Saturday, January 26
1:00 PM
Duration:2 hours
Location:Vashon Public Library
17210 Vashon Hwy. S.W .
Vashon, WA 98070

Come and meet other supporters who live on Vashon Island! Learn what you can do to help! This is a follow-up to our initial organizational meeting. We will be checking in on our progress towards the goal of making sure that the Vashon precincts get a decisive Obama turnout.

Meanwhile in South Carolina...

I Don’t Need Your Stinking Rebate Check But How About Massive Infrastructure Repairs

I probably don’t speak for a lot of people out there drooling for the postman to arrive but isn’t this tax rebate check stimulus plan some sort of political ruse?

I guess everyone going to get a tax rebate check this summer if they paid taxes last year and didn’t make over a certain amount of money. Of course, I’m not about to look a gift horse in the mouth in an election year either am I? But isn’t this just a form of massive pandering to potential voters by both ineffective no ideas political parties. I guess studies show that these cash giveaways help but aren't there better ways to stimulate the economy?

Like thousands of long-term high paying jobs that would be created by a massive repair and upgrading of the nation’s infrastructure. It pretty much agreed that the country’s infrastructure is falling apart. Think about the bridge in Minnesota that fell down as being just the tip of the deteriorating infrastructure iceberg. How about the Viaduct situation, the 520 bridge or mass transit in and around Seattle.

How about all those roads, bridges, ports, docks, drinking water facilities, solid waste facilities, waterways, locks, airports and mass transit systems ad infinitum nationwide? There has been some political rumblings by Senator Dodd and Hegel already.

Don’t we need some sort of massive “war on the infrastructure” program? Wouldn’t it created thousands of high wage jobs for a sustained period of time and therefore be killing two birds (sorry vegans) with one stone by stimulating the economy and pumping billions of dollars into the hands of businesses and their workers while at the same time repairing the nation’s crumbling infrastructure.

This has got to at least compare in scope to the promises the presidential candidates are making about creating all those new green jobs WHEN we becoming energy independent. So why not do both. I can hear the Republicans yelling it's Socialism already.

So America lets roll up our sleeves and put everyone back to work getting paid real money from real jobs so they can buy real buliding materials at the Home Depot. Not to oversimplify, but wouldn't it beat dropping bombs on people in Iraq or arming the Saudis?

I wouldn’t need your stinking rebate and I’d be really stimulated for sure.

Harry Reid Sells Out On FISA Bill And Sides With Republicans On Filibuster

Harry Reid Senate Majority Leader apparently has sided with the Republicans on the pending FISA filibuster planned by Senators Chris Dodd, Feingold and others over Telecom company immunity . Harry's excuse, it would wreak havoc on his “schedule”.

So Harry Reid’s schedule is more important then your constitution rights according to Senator Useless.

Reid threatens to make the Democrats opposing FISA “really filibuster” the bill if they persisted. Something he never required of the Republicans on Iraq or children’s health coverage bills that were before the Senate previously. This guy is a gutless telecom lobby and Republican shill. Why didn’t Reid ever hold the Republicans to such proceedural strictness or make them actually filibuster Democratic proposals? Here’s the back story and the link so you can tell Reid what you think.

Next question is: How do you go about getting a new Senate majority leader?

Liar Liar The Nation's Pants Are On Fire

Some smart ass once told me there are three forms of dishonesty.

• Blatantly misrepresenting or misstating facts
• Withholding truth or not saying what needs to be said
• Delusional lying or inablility to recognize the truth from a lie

A study release this week documents that President Bush and other administration officials lied about Iraq 935 times in the run-up to the beginning of the war. This is news you say. Certainly only the ignorant can really be surprised by these allegations. Now all we have to do is get the researchers to figure out how many other lies Bush and his cronies have told us involving the workings of the rest of the federal government during his reign, or on second thought, perhaps we’d better not.

The 935 lies certainly add credence to the argument that Bush and Cheney should of been impeached by now. It's hard for the congressional pot to call the kettle black I guess. Dishonesty is so rampant in government today. But to standby and do nothing in the face of all the breaches of trust seems pitiful especially since thousands of people have actually died because of it.

I guess it would be what is lied about isn’t it? How many lies does it take to destroy a nation’s faith in its government? One or millions of lies?

To keep it totally fair they could do a study of all the lies told by all the members of the Congress followed by a study of all the federal agency heads then slowly begin to work their way down to the state level and finally finish up at the local city council level.

No, perhaps they’d finish up with the Port of Seattle.

Or we can just save the time and money and take it for granted that most of these phony assholes are lying or misrepresenting total sacks of shit in the first place. Like the old joke, how do you tell if a politician is lying? Their lips are moving!

History shows us that the fear of not being reelected makes liars of most political types.

Now there are some honest politicians out there and I'd appreciate if you list their names for me in the comments section. When we discover one we practically canonize them as living saints because the species is such a rarity. We name bridges after them, the town square, the playfield and the sports stadium. Oh I guess they don’t do that with sports stadiums anymore. Of course, that’s only if they are only telling little white lies that are construed later to be for the taxpayers own good.

As most of you have probably gathered if you every read my blog I like Barak Obama. Why you may ask yourself? I think we have reached critical mass in the lying department as a people and probably are at a point in our nation's history where we should at least make some small effort to identify politicians who are honest or at least demonstrate some character.

I think Obama is closer to actually being honest then, lets say, the pathological lying Bill or Hillary Clinton. So SHIPOOPI! Like that guy in the Vern Fonk commercial says. God even John McCain seems more forthright than them. McCain dishonesty is more of the delusional variety (see above) although lately Bill, the white house husband to be, has sort of gone off the board in that area.

The Clintons lies so much that they don’t even realize that they are in fact lying sometimes.

Part of Obama’s appeal is he promises to be honest with the American people. Because of this I think he’s the leader that we need to begin to cut down on the dishonesty we have running rampant in government. All this lying has got to stop or we aren't going to have a country worth a shit in short order.

Former President of Chicago NOW Refutes Clinton Misrepresentation On Choice

Here a video by former President of Chicago NOW on HIllary's misrepresentions about Obama position on choice.