|
|
|
|
|
|
Bush's Last Day
01/20/2009 |
|
|
|
|
| |
2008 Presidential Election 
Sun Jul 20, 2008 at 22:21:53 PM EDT
|
|
Of all the narcissistic professions, writing an opinion column has to be at the top of the list. Joan Vennochi must think a lot of herself to believe that what she has to say is worth reading on a weekly basis. In the case of this latest column, "The Audacity of Ego", it certainly was not.
I'm no psychiatrist . . . but then, neither is Vennochi. I would not diagnose her as a narcissist, although she does have that "sense of self-importance" thing going on. No, I assume she must have got the latest GOP talking points about Obama - the ones that portray him as a latte-drinking elitist and empty speech-giving guy who is way too earnest and . . . also, a self-centered, ego-driven politician. Yipes!!!
And McCain, according to Vennochi, . . . he is . . . er . . . humble?
|
|
There's More...
:: (5
Comments, 165 words in story)
|
|
Thu Jul 17, 2008 at 16:22:35 PM EDT
|
(Isn't being able to rally your countrymen/women by speaking clearly and eloquently part of a president's job description? Well, it should be. - promoted by Jan A)
McCain v Obama
For a few days I have been mentally preparing to listen to a McCain speech. I thought I would have to endure 30 minutes of his droning on about the same old, same old politics I have easily ignored for the better part of the last 10 years. One night I finally sat down at my computer to watch the most recent McCain speech. The longest speech I found was only 5 minutes. McCain was talking about his plan to increase domestic oil drilling, build many more nuclear and "clean" coal power plants, assist auto makers in bettering their product so to sell more cars, improving schools, giving working class Americans tax cuts and innovate in the field of renewable energy sources in order to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
These are the same solutions we have been attempting for the last 50 years. I remember being a young woman trying to listen to a Bush's campaign speech and hearing the same promises about oil, power plants and education. The point of moving away from oil, coal and nuclear energy, is that these resources are dying as they slowly kill us and our planet. The same cliché campaign promises every presidential candidate has ever promised are not going the answer to the problems.
McCain also talks in negatives terms, "this is what I will not do, this is what is wrong, these are the things he won't do, and this is what should have been done." When ever an interviews asks what he will do to change something, how things should be done, to paint the picture of how he is going to fulfill his promises; he stumbles, he looses the fluidity of his speaking, he looks away or he proceeds to rudely talk right over the interview for several minutes while they make repeated attempts to engage him in a conversation, again.
When McCain is on the stage his audience claps and laughs as if there is someone standing behind the camera holding up signs to remind the audience that he just made a good point or that he was funny. McCain's jab at Obama's energy policy was "for a guy who's campaign slogan is 'Yes we can' he sure says a lot of 'no we can't" I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
|
|
There's More...
:: (4
Comments, 367 words in story)
|
|
Fri Jul 11, 2008 at 11:48:58 AM EDT
|
|
One morning, on my way to work I was listening to a male Virginia resident argue against a black man, namely Barack Obama, being president; the reason being that a black man would put too much emphasis on the black agenda. This led me to wonder, what is the black agenda?
In an attempt to identify what the black agenda is I started listening to many of Obama's speeches. After a half dozen of these I recognized a general theme of equality and justice; equality in education, employment opportunities, justice and equality in our legal system, and the accessibility of health care to all people. A black man, who has never limited the scope of this goal to a specific skin color, is merely opening the dialogue to expand the reaches of equality and justice. Does equality and justice for all people define the black agenda? As a young white woman, I have not experienced inequality or injustice because of the color of my skin, but that doesn't limit my understanding of the vital importance of education for all children, that opportunities in employment are essential, or that justice in our legal system should be the standard not the exception and that health care is a basic requirement of life. This is my agenda for everyone, no exclusions made.
Obama never once stated that this justice and equality should only be extended to people of his same skin tone. He speaks of these ideals for all people because all people deserve the chance to flourish, to have hope. Equality and justice must take root deep in the human agenda; this is what all people want for themselves, for their families. The question we need to ask ourselves is do we want this for everyone regardless of how different they may seem from ourselves, from our families? As a people we are all covered in the same garment of the human condition. The pain a mother feels when a child is lost to war or poverty is the same whether you are in Sudan, Iraq or the south side of Chicago. The triumphs and strife's of life feel the same to every single living person on this planet. There is a connection among us all; this is why we can no longer cover our eyes when injustice is right in front of us. We can no longer accept that our human brothers and sisters suffer from injustices handed down to them by crooked cops, indifferent judges, and torturous prisons off our southern coast or lack of access to health care.
In conclusion, as a young white woman, I stand for this so-called black agenda because acceptance, justice and equality are the human agenda. All people deserve a chance to know Love, to feel hope, to learn, to be healed when they are lost or sick. These principles are not idealistic or naïve, they will need to become our human standard if we are ever to stop famine, poverty, war, and all the other sufferings of this planet. To the caller from Virginia I would invite him to open his heart enough to recognize himself in the eyes of another person and to walk with us to create a more perfect world. I am with Obama in his message of hope and change because I believe we are all one people and we have an obligation to be each other's keeper. Hope is not an ideal; it is the fuel of change.
|
|
Discuss
:: (1
Comments)
|
|
Sat Jun 07, 2008 at 14:32:00 PM EDT
|
Applause!!! Applause!!! Brava, Hillary!!!
I had my doubts about Hillary's ability to pull this off. No more. This is one classy lady.
More on flip
|
|
There's More...
:: (1
Comments, 318 words in story)
|
|
Fri May 16, 2008 at 15:29:47 PM EDT
|
|
If the Clinton staff had read any of Susan H.'s early diaries (like this or this or this or, a bit later, this) about the campaign's attitude, strategy and behavior before and during the NH Primary, they might have seen some red flags waving long before they turned into the hindsight reflected in this piece by Michelle Cottle in The New Republic - What Went Wrong?.
For instance, the staff interaction with those in the media trying to cover the campaign:
"The way we handled [the press] was a mistake on our part. What we're hearing is that we truly treated people badly and weren't accessible enough or open enough. We had bad relationships with reporters, and it probably bit us on the ass."
And to this I would add, not recognizing bloggers as being a vital part of the media message.
And then there's the $$$$$
"There was financial mismanagement bordering on fraud. A candidate who raised more than a quarter of a billion dollars over the years had to pump in millions more of her own money to stave off bankruptcy."
|
|
There's More...
:: (4
Comments, 396 words in story)
|
|
Mon Apr 07, 2008 at 06:09:21 AM EDT
|
| |
Congressman Bill Delahunt talking about Senator Barack Obama running for President and the 2008 DNC in Denver. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
The worldwide bonfire of hope for Barack Obama campaign |
|
|
|
There's More...
:: (0
Comments, 625 words in story)
|
|
Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 12:31:58 PM EST
|
|
As the forensic examinations of last night's primaries continue ad nauseam and we listen to phrases like "comeback kid" and "fighting from behind" in reference to Hillary Clinton, consider this fact: Three weeks ago, according to polls, Obama was 17 percentage points behind in Ohio and, depending on which poll you looked at, between 7 and 16 points behind in Texas.
Despite the dismal polls numbers in January and February, which eventually "rose" on the day before the primaries to put Obama within "striking distance" in Ohio (between 6 and 10 points) and very slightly ahead in Texas (or slightly behind in half the polls), Obama was called the favorite by most of the cable television gasbags and much of the public went along for the ride.
So now, the media banners read Hillary Fights Back in Texas and Ohio. The real headline should be Hillary Hangs On in Texas and Ohio.
|
|
There's More...
:: (2
Comments, 316 words in story)
|
|
Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 13:44:20 PM EST
|
Today Senator Christopher Dodd, my second choice for Democratic nominee, endorsed Senator Barack Obama for president.
Dodd said Obama was "ready to be president and I am ready to support him in this campaign."
The two men appeared together at a news conference. Dodd is the first of the Democratic campaign dropouts to endorse another candidate.
He said Obama "has been poked and prodded, analyzed and criticized, called too green, too trusting and for all of that has already won" more than half the states and millions of votes.
"It's now the hour to come together. ... This is the moment for Democrats and independents and others to come together, to get behind this candidacy," he said.
Endorsements usually don't mean that much to me, but I will take this one pretty seriously. Dodd has stood up for many of the issues that are important to me. He is a principled man and I trust his judgment.
|
|
Discuss
:: (1
Comments)
|
|
Sun Feb 24, 2008 at 23:35:42 PM EST
|
|
When McCain was broke, he applied for and was granted matching federal funds to continue his bid for the GOP nomination. Now that he's the probable nominee he wants to back out. Here's the problem, he used the promise of incoming federal funds to get a loan. That's against the law.
Now the DNC is calling him on it and filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission.
"This is a classic example of someone who talks one way and does the other," DNC Chairman Howard Dean said today. "Our purpose here is to get him to obey the law."
Give 'em hell, Howard!
It seems that Mr. Straight Talk McCain is more like Senator McCon. The Republicans are all whining and crying foul. Oh, I forgot. There are no laws for Republicans.
On flip, some of the implications if McCain is forced to accept federal funding and the cap that goes with it.
|
|
There's More...
:: (4
Comments, 188 words in story)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mon Feb 11, 2008 at 11:56:58 AM EST
|
HERE is one of the best explanations about what the current delegate counts for Obama and Clinton "really" are. Please note, because it has been pretty much obscured by most of the electronic/print media, Obama is ahead in "elected delegates".
Taking a closer look at the CNN figures, which put Clinton ahead of Obama in total delegate votes (including "pledged" superdelegate commitments), Obama is ahead among popularly elected delegates (excluding the appointed superdelegates) by 986 delegates to 924 for Clinton. This Obama advantage in the popularly elected delegates is likely to increase over the next few weeks until the "showdown" in Texas and Ohio. But the outcome of even those races -- if Obama continues with much momentum -- remains unclear.
Does this remind anyone else of the gubernatorial race at the state nominating convention in 2006?
|
|
There's More...
:: (1
Comments, 278 words in story)
|
|
Thu Feb 07, 2008 at 15:50:50 PM EST
|
|
Well, the writing was on the wall and Mitt decided to read it. Boy, I wish I had been a fly on the wall at the CPAC meeting today. I wonder if Mitt teared up and if Grover Norquist or Rush Limbaugh handed him a tissue to dry his eyes.
The Republicans sure dodged a bullet this time around. If Mitt were the GOP nominee, Democrats could run a ham sandwich against him and won. McCain, a bit tougher.
Here's the video of Romney's withdrawal speech. I admit I couldn't listen to the whole speech. I have an automatic shut off button that activates whenever I hear Romney's voice.
Bye-bye, Willard. We, here in the state you repeatedly dissed on the road to Pennsylvania Avenue, are not amused.
|
|
Discuss
:: (0
Comments)
|
|
Mon Feb 04, 2008 at 20:15:41 PM EST
|
|
John Edwards' name will be the first one on the ballot on Tuesday in Massachusetts. It will be very hard for me not to fill in the little circle next to his name. He, more than any of the other candidates, identified the reason why the poor and middle-class have had no voice in their government and why there will be no change until they do.
If I vote for Edwards despite the suspension of his campaign, I will be attempting to send a "message." But, judging from the past media coverage of Edwards, my vote will probably be listed under "Other" and ignored. Add to that the fact that a significant number of Edwards supporters and endorsers have already decided to switch their allegiance to either Obama or Clinton and any message I send will be more like a note to myself. I know that Edwards would have made a great president. I don't need to remind myself of that. The fluidity of delegate situation is such that, even if Edwards earned a couple of delegates here, they could switch to any candidate at the convention.
With those circumstances in mind, I have decided to vote for one of the front runners. But which one?
|
|
There's More...
:: (0
Comments, 799 words in story)
|
|
Sun Feb 03, 2008 at 12:07:22 PM EST
|
|
TODAY at 1pm: Call with Congressman Delahunt and State Rep. Dorcena Forry in Response to Negative C
Economic advisor Austan Goolsbee will join conference call to set the record straight on Obama's economic policies
SOMERVILLE , MA -Congressman William Delahunt, State Representative Linda Dorcena Forry and Obama economic advisor Austan Goolsbee will host a conference call today at 1:00 pm EST to discuss a new negative mailer from the Clinton campaign to voters in Massachusetts .
As momentum swings to Obama, the Clinton campaign has resorted to misleading attacks on Senator Obama's economic polices. The call hosts will set the record straight on Obama's plan and fight back against this last-minute attack.
For more information about the mailer, please contact Reid Cherlin at rcherlin@barackobama.com.
|
|
Discuss
:: (0
Comments)
|
|
Sat Feb 02, 2008 at 09:08:17 AM EST
|
| |
|
|
| |
With hundreds of thousands of ballots cast across the country, for the first time in MoveOn's history, we've voted together to endorse a presidential candidate in the primary. That candidate is Barack Obama.
Something big is clearly happening. A few weeks ago, MoveOn members we surveyed were split. But with John Edwards bowing out, progressives are coming together. Obama won over 70% of the vote yesterday, and he's moving up in polls nationwide.1 As comments poured in from MoveOn members across the country, the sense of hope was inspiring. Here's how Christine Y. in New Jersey put it:
"I've never felt so strongly about any one candidate in my entire life. He's truly an inspiration to all of us—especially the younger generation. I will stand by him 100% for as long as he's willing to stand up and fight for this country!"
What does MoveOn's endorsement mean? People-power. Together, we are 3.2 million Americans who care about our country and want change. Half of us live in states with primaries or caucuses this coming "Super Tuesday."
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
There's More...
:: (0
Comments, 770 words in story)
|
|
Thu Jan 31, 2008 at 10:46:20 AM EST
|
|
Edwards spoke for me - Obama, Clinton, not so much. The issues that Edwards focused on - taking on the money-for-access culture in Washington, offering a practical path to a single-payer health care, promising to use the power of the presidency to give a voice to unions, the poor and the floundering middle class, getting our troops out of Iraq as soon as possible - are the reasons I supported him. For a long time, he was the only candidate talking clearly about these things and offering specifics on each of them.
Now with less than a week to go until the Democratic Primary, it's down to two candidates.
Barack or Hillary? Clinton or Obama? I am having a really hard time with the decision. I will continue to mull it over during the remaining time, but if I had to vote today, I would mark my ballot for Edwards because I am truly torn.
On the flip, I mull out loud.
|
|
There's More...
:: (4
Comments, 589 words in story)
|
|
Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 22:49:33 PM EST
|
|
I am watching anyway and, as they say, misery loves company. :>) I will stop when my brain freezes.
Is stimulus package good?
Romney: Agrees with plan to get money in hands quickly Would make tax cut on lower income permanent Create jobs Wants FHA loan expansion
McCain: Wants to make Bush tax cuts permanent to prevent uncertainty - It's like a tax increase if not made permanent - Also cut corporate income taxes to keep jobs here - No pork barrel projects added to bill - New investments in equipment can be written off - Cut tax rates - Encourage savings - Stop spending
Guiliani: Stimulus package okay - Doesn't go far enough - Should be more aggressive - Make tax cuts permanent, reduce corporate, capital gains - We competing with world - If it overtaxes overspends jobs go elsewhere - Permanent package - Real analysis of regulations - Excesses of Sarbannes Oxley
|
|
There's More...
:: (0
Comments, 829 words in story)
|
|
Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 10:57:03 AM EST
|
|
Brad Blog has the latest updates on the recount in NH. Citing large voting disparities in four sampled voting districts (ranging from just under 5% to over 10%), Rep. Dennis Kucinich has written a letter to NH Secretary of State William Gardner requesting a full, statewide hand count of all the Democratic primary votes cast on January 8th.
Excerpt from Kucinich letter:
"The magnitude of the variances in the four voting locations raise questions about the integrity of the internal vote accounting procedures in use in Hillsborough County," wrote Kucinich. "A reconciliation of the records of votes cast to voters who signed in and received ballots should have detected these problems; why multiple locations with large over-voting discrepancies went undetected in Hillsborough remains unexplained."
The sample recount commissioned by Kucinich was officially suspended early yesterday (1/23) because of "lack of funds." The excuses given for the large disparities in Ward 5 of both Nashua and Manchester were that votes for vice presidential candidates (a quirky option that NH includes on its ballots) were accidentally counted as presidential votes. This may be true, but since the VP numbers didn't change after the recount and the votes were machine counted, it does seem strange.
Brad Blog is in the process of following up on this explanation originally broadcast on a local television news show which cited Secretary of State Gardner as its source.
|
|
There's More...
:: (2
Comments, 186 words in story)
|
|
Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 11:22:11 AM EST
|
| |
Obama Campaign Responds to Speaker DiMasi’s Attack on Barack Obama |
|
| |
SOMERVILLE, MA— The Obama campaign released the following response to Speaker DiMasi’s attack on Senator Obama today:
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Statement from state Representative Jamie Eldrige: |
|
| |
“Another day, another negative attack from Senator Clinton’s team. The truth is, what voters are looking for in this election is judgment. For all of her experience in Washington , Senator Clinton got it wrong on the most important question she faced as a U.S. Senator: she voted for the war in Iraq . Barack Obama had the judgment to stand up and oppose the war, even when it was considered politically dangerous to do so. That’s the kind of character that the Bay Staters I meet are looking for in our next President.” |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Statement from Obama Campaign Spokesman Reid Cherlin: |
|
| |
“It’s not surprising to hear this kind of tired attack from members of the establishment. The real risk in this election is playing the same political game with the same political players and expecting a different result. People here in Massachusetts are looking for real change, and the more they learn about Obama, the more they know he’s the candidate who can make it happen.” |
|
|
|
Discuss
:: (1
Comments)
|
|
|
|
|
|
