The Remaking of the State Department

Mark Ralston-AFP/Getty Images

I was a big supporter of Obama over Clinton all through the 2008 elections, and was skeptical of her cabinet appointment, but you know what-- I think she is going to do a good job at State. And I know that her arrival is going to be a huge relief to the staff and diplomatic corp all over the world.

I know many folks who work for the embassy here in Japan and others around the world.

This group, more than most, has been truly held hostage for 8 years. Most are career foreign services members-- and believe profoundly and deeply in diplomacy, cultural understanding, global cooperation and good will. Imagine that is your core belief and you have to work under the Bush administration for 8 years. Many former state folks left, and others held on-- feeling that if they abandoned their posts things would get worse. That at least by hanging in there they could try to mitigate some of the anger and justified disgust at the USA's foreign policy under Bush and Co.

The film footage of Hill's arrival at the State Department says it all. There was cheering and yelling and ear to ear grins. And this from a normally pretty sedate and understated crew of folks.

If Bill stays out of the way, and If Hillary allows herself to be guided by her better angels-- this could turn out to be a fantastic decision. Time will tell.

cross posted from Fighting Liberals

There's more...

Obama's National Security Press Conference, 1 December 2008

(First 11.5 minutes of today's press conference with President-Elect Barack Obama announcing his national security team; does not include conclusion, acceptances and press questions)

I woke up at an odd hour today, my sleep definitely out of whack, and after deciding I would not be able to drop right back off, I turned on the television hoping for more than diet tips and small claims court. I was just in time to see yet another Barack Obama press conference, this one announcing his national security team, as follows:

Secretary of State -- Senator Hillary Clinton of New York
Secretary of Defense -- Robert Gates (currently in this position)
Attorney General -- Eric Holder, former Deputy Attorney General of the United States
Secretary of Homeland Security -- Janet Napolitano, Governor of Arizona
Ambassador to the United Nations -- Dr. Susan Rice, former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs
National Security Advisor -- General James Jones, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, former Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and former Commander, United States European Command

A transcript of this press conference is available from the Chicago Sun-Times here.

Let me begin by saying what an unholy relief it is to be able to once again face speeches from a President (Elect) with trust and interest, instead of fear and embarrassment. I know you know what I mean.

I think Obama is using this series of pressers in a number of ways. First, he's assuming power, respectfully but definitively, and it's being ceded to him by our frat-boy loser who patently cannot wait to go cut mesquite an hour north of where I live and be allowed to openly drink himself into oblivion. (Deeper oblivion, I should say.) To quote Vice President Elect Biden from today's speech, "These are extraordinary times, and that's not hyperbole". We are in death-rattle need of leadership, and watching it pull on hip boots is giving everybody except the End-Timers a chance to breathe again.

Second, he's re-educating America to expect communication, useful information, and respect from its government. Like, speaking in, whoa, complete sentences, you know? No code words, no bluster, no shoddily-concealed lies, no fear-mongering, and no "dumbing it down". I'm pained by how unusual it looks and sounds. And I very much appreciate how he is all business. These are not joking matters he's bringing to us. I'm more than ready to be around grown-ups again.

It reminds me of my second-favorite "News of the Weird" story, concerning a deputy sheriff who went to an isolated campground on his patrol and had to use the outdoor toilet there. A one-holer with a large aperture, to be specific (it matters to the story). As he was pulling back up his pants, his wallet fell from his back pocket and into the opening. However, he thought he was lucky because the offal had not been emptied in quite a while and was both at a high level and relatively thick, in viscous terms. His wallet remained on the surface in plain view, a few feet down. He grabbed hold of the side and leaned in -- money can be washed, after all.

You can guess what happened. When he splashed upright, he was up to his neck in it. He hadn't radioed in his pit stop, and no one thought to look for him for hours. He wound up spending the night standing in the crapper. When they finally found him the next day, and he had been safely extricated, one of his colleagues began laughing. Bad move: The deputy tried to kill him.

We have a long way to go before we'll feel like laughing about what's been done to our nation. If ever.

Obama is also using his professorial skills, so very evident in his campaign, to teach us how to think logically and deeply again. He is an oddity, a charismatic who is not an ideologue but instead a pragmatist. Intelligent thought and analysis is at its heart very practical. Our current rule by punditry is full of white boy sound and fury passing as intelligence, but is usually more emotion-laden than a slumber party prank phone call spree.

In particular, Obama seems to be trying to teach our media how to ask rational, probing questions, a skill few of them apparently possess. Today the press corps was obsessed with Hillary (CDS in full spate) or if Obama wanted India to bomb Pakistan for the Mumbai tragedy. He dealt with both graciously the first time, even managing to get a laugh at one reporter's expense by (gently) pointing out how the press wants to dredge up campaign rhetoric again. The second time he was asked the same questions, he was more clipped and brief, but not in that sulky, dim-eyed Republican way. He simply wasn't going to reward bad behavior, and the issue on the table was not Clinton or threats of war. In fact, when you heard Clinton's acceptance, it was extremely clear she's making herself part of Obama's administration. Her remarks were the most eloquent of all the acceptances, and the most supportive of him as a leader. But -- right over the heads of the press corps.

Watching many of these reporters try to adjust to direct, clear language, complicated ideas and responsible government is like watching Vince Vaughn discover his new girlfriend in a movie actually wants to have conversation with him: They're simultaneously resentful and intrigued. This should be fun to watch unfold.

Years ago, I had a chance to hear Anne Lamott speak at the annual Art and Soul Conference at Baylor University. She said things that literally changed the direction of my life, but when she paused to drink down a glass of water before taking questions, she gave us her personal ground rules: She wasn't interested in being attacked or disrespected, and would not participate in any form of it, even that deft academic version which leaves working class folks like me wanting to say "What the fuck do you mean?" She said she only wanted to hear honest questions, not pontifications or arguments. If someone wanted to pontificate or argue, they could write their own books, thank you. And if somebody chose to ignore her guidelines, or tried to slip one over on her, she said she would smile at him (she added it was almost always a him, because men having such a hard time listening to powerful women without arguing at least in their heads) and go on to the next questioner without reply.

It worked like gangbusters. Only one guy tried to weasel past the verbal barrier, and she did exactly what she'd warned: He and his multisyllabic quasi-harangue was left hanging as she called on the next person. We all roared in laughter, the weasel crept away, and the questions (and answers) got very, very interesting. Obama is likewise trying to give us all room to be smart, connected, and decent, to have a conversation where we may disagree without shouting each other down or scoring points off each other. We sorely need it.

Another irritating attempt at "gotcha" journalism which surfaced twice was repeating the Right-Wing derision about assembling a "team of rivals", as if the only form of governance of value is surrounding yourself with those who dare not argue with you. (We see how well that's worked.) Obama brushed by it. I wish he'd used the chance to point out that McCain tried to run his campaign on how much he disagreed with Duyba, a myth we all saw through, and that was never questioned by the right-of-center press as unworkable difference of opinion.

My other major impression of this particular press conference was jubilation at seeing 50% of the population of my nation represented among his choices. And not just sisters, but one of them a Sistah. Susan Rice's background is in African affairs, which may not be spotless but certainly bodes well for Africa being treated as a player on the world stage.

But next time, folks, can we please either have a dais for short people to stand on so they aren't blocked by mics on the podium, or, even better, raise the camera angle so we get a full view of their faces?

I'll leave the commentary on the political meaning of these appointees to others, except to say none of them would have been my choice. But, then, I'm a liberal. I'm sorry to see Senator Clinton leave the Senate. She's been a strong force for women there. Likewise, I'm sorry to see Arizona lose Napolitano as Governor. I wish Obama's team wasn't so loaded with hawks, but then he is a hawk (and definitely not a liberal), so it was to be expected. I agree that Gates isn't of the same stripe as Rumsfeld and Wolfowitz, but that's hardly a recommendation, is it? Still, I'm willing to accept Obama's exhortation that he's interested in competence and effectiveness over ideology, at least for the time being.

That's another bit of job retraining he's having to bring to our government, the ability to recognize competence and effectiveness, to reward it and learn to expect it once again. What a concept.

There's more...

Stop HHS Promoting Religious Minority Beliefs Ahead of Medical Care and Science

Stop HHS Promoting Religious Minority Beliefs Ahead of Medical Care and Science

Back in July I wrote about Bush's attempt to redefine contraception as "abortion" and allow any health care worker in a business receiving federal funding to refuse medical services to women if they find such care "objectionable". Despite rigorous effort by Senators Hillary Clinton and Patty Murray, and public action facilitated by activists such as those on this blog, the Department of Health and Human Services under Michael Leavitt has rolled on like a tank to enact this new rule. You can read more about it at Planned Parenthood's action site, where you can speak out yourself. I'm also copying in below the press release sent out about this travesty.

It reminds me of the lowest form of home invasion, where after everything valuable is stolen and a house is trashed, on their way out the door the criminals take a dump in the corner. That's what the Bush regime is doing these final days.

Hurry, Tom Daschle. Hurry.

SENATORS CLINTON AND MURRAY INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO STOP NEW HHS RULE THAT WOULD UNDERMINE WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE

WASHINGTON, DC — In light of reports that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is preparing to enact a rule that would undermine critical health care services for women and families, Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) and Patty Murray (D-WA) today introduced legislation that would prevent the HHS rule from going into effect. The proposed HHS rule would require any health care entity that receives federal financing to certify in writing that none of its employees are required to assist in any way with medical services they find objectionable. The proposed bill would keep HHS from moving forward with this rule.

"In the final days of his administration, the President is again putting ideology first and attempting to roll back health care protections for women and families. The fact that the EEOC was never consulted in the drafting of this rule further illustrates that this is purely a political ploy. This HHS rule will threaten patients' rights, stand in the way of health care professionals, and restrict access to critical health care services for those who need them most. Senator Murray and I are standing up once again to the administration against this rule and will continue to fight for women's reproductive rights. President Bush is making a last-minute attempt to undermine women's health care, but our legislation will stop this rule and ensure that women can continue to get needed health care," said Senator Clinton.

"It's now clear that the Bush Administration is so desperate to move their political agenda forward that they are even willing to ignore the advice of their own appointed lawyers. But patient protection and access to care should never take a back seat to politics," Senator Murray said. "Senator Clinton and I are introducing this legislation to ensure that the health of patients always come first. For eight years this administration has worked to undermine women's health but they won't get away with it on their way out the door."

"This midnight regulation is another outrageous attempt by the Bush administration to deny women access to vital health care information and services," said Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards. "Planned Parenthood applauds members of Congress for taking on the task of undoing the abysmal policy mandates and we stand ready to work with them to ensure women have access to the full range of reproductive health care options."

Senators Clinton and Murray have led the effort to block HHS from implementing this new rule. Following a meeting with HHS Secretary Michael O. Leavitt on September 23, Senators Clinton and Murray led a group of 28 Senators urging Secretary Leavitt to halt the proposed HHS rule. Senators Clinton and Murray on called for the meeting with Secretary Leavitt on August 8 after Secretary Leavitt failed to reply to several letters from the Senators and instead defended the proposed HHS policies on his personal blog.

The senators have worked in the past to stop efforts by the Bush Administration to put in place ideological barriers to women's health. They successfully led the fight to secure an administration decision on the over-the-counter sale of Plan B emergency contraception after more than three years of Administration delay.

There's more...

Hillary on the List for Secretary of State

Talk is coming and going about the cabinet. Both last week and yesterday Hillary's name has come up for Sec. of State. I think she would do a good job in this post, though I was really hoping it would go to Bill Richardson. As an American Abroad I also feel a new face on our foreign relations would be better. The Clintons do come with a HUGE presence that is not always helpful.

CHICAGO (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is among the candidates that President-elect Barack Obama is considering for secretary of state, according to two Democratic officials in close contact with the Obama transition team.

Clinton, the former first lady who pushed Obama hard for the Democratic presidential nomination, was rumored to be a contender for the job last week, but the talk died down as party activists questioned whether she was best-suited to be the nation's top diplomat in an Obama administration.

The talk resumed in Washington and elsewhere Thursday, a day after Obama named several former aides to President Bill Clinton to help run his transition effort.

There's more...

Old Time Rock and Roll

Hillary Clinton speaks at the DNC, Day2, August 26, 2008. photo Getty.

Hillary Clinton Brings It Home For Barack Obama

Two sentences in and she had me.

Barack, Barack, President, Barack.

We were semi-joking in the Blogger Lounge at the Pepsi Center (located within the unassigned media filing center on the Admin Level) that Senator Clinton's first words would be, "Alright, Bitches. Here's how it's going down. If just 145 of you change your vote on the Role Call, this baby is MINE."

It would have been something.

This was better.

Clinton owned the room in two sentences, and she never lost it.

Bloggers -- people who in the long, hard primary months had been screaming invective at Hillary day after day, tired month into endless month, were cheering her on, "You GO Girl" and "Damn", "Wow", and "Bring it, Hillary!"

Hillary Clinton brought the Party together and she did it with style.

After a rousing opening, she spoke directly to her supporters, asking them them why they had truly supported her. Was it about her personally, or was it to bring health care to people, and to stop the war in Iraq?

At every opportunity, Clinton kept weaving in -- to her words, her mood, her smiles -- that Barack Obama DOES have her personal, full and unconditional support.

People believed her.

Then she did a call back which brought the house down. She said (paraphrasing), we know something about how to do this. We've done it before. We're Democrats. As I remember, there was a guy named Clinton who did pretty well when he was President. (THUNDEROUS APPLAUSE.) And when Barack Obama is President, we'll do even better. (Pepsi Center fucking EXPLODES.)

It was the performance of a life-time.

Everyone afterward in the Pepsi Center I spoke with, thought she had given an astonishing speech.

I don't believe any part of it was forced. I don't think she was doing this because she had to. Yeah, she had to. And no, what we saw, was the real deal. It was genuine.

I've been watching the Clintons since I was a paramedic student at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 1979. I know their public face and I've seen enough of their private face to know when they're faking it, putting it on.

Last night... there was nothing faked going on. Hillary Clinton genuinely supports Barack Obama for President.

This speech will not repair Hillary Clinton's reputation in New York State as a Senator. However she has four years to go back home and get to work. She has time, time to go into Harlem and Brooklyn and Queens, and the Bronx, time to go church to church, pumping funds into constituent services, spending time in her communities, doing work as a Senator. I am certain that part of the negotiations between the Obama and Clinton camps included that President Obama will come campaign for Senator Clinton in New York, as well as be seen supporting her in the years to come. She has time to rebuild and recover; the damage is repairable.

Hillary Clinton... You gave it all you had, up to and crossing the line; no one can say you didn't give it everything. Last night you passed the torch to Barack Obama who is continuing up the mountain. You turned around and are coming down. WELL DONE.

Bill Clinton... Your turn.

Update: I'm back in the Pepsi Center, watching the DAY 3 roll call vote.

It just came around to New York State.

Hillary Clinton announced the votes of New York State, and then asked the Permanent Chair of the DNC, Nancy Pelosi, to suspended the remainder of the Roll Call Vote, and have the Convention nominate Barack Obama for President of the United States by acclamation.

Moved, Seconded, Carried.

Classy move.

Barack Obama IS now the Nominee.

What's next?

There's more...

HRC Knocks it Out of the Park

I was a bit nervous about Hillary's speech tonight. What would she say? How would people react? What would happen?

I have to say, I loved the speech. She did a great job. I think she hit all the points that needed to be made. She did it her way, and she sounded sincere and determined to help. I can't imagine how any real Hillary supporters could not have gotten the message at last that if you support her issues and what she has worked for in her career in terms of education, health care and women's issues then you cannot vote for John McCain. And more than that-- That you MUST devote your self and your efforts to getting Obama into the White House.

I was proud of her. And with all the nastiness of the end of the primary-- I had not been proud of her for a while. I understood her pain, and felt frustrated with many of the sexist crap she had to deal with, BUT I did not agree that somehow she was cheated out of her nomination.

But that is all behind me now. She did it! For me-- she was the HRC I used to know and love. Strong, Smart, Compassionate and determined to support her country and her party above her own ego or political aspirations.

She was great. And the crowd was so supportive. Obama and Hillary delegates alike. It was a good night. More photos and comments as soon as I can pry my eyes back open.

There's more...

Why Biden Got It (and not HRC)

Blue Gal (short:) It's the people, stupid.

Want to know WHY it's Biden for VP and NOT Hillary Clinton?

Go. Read.

If you don't have Blue Gal bookmarked, you are so missing the good stuff...

Ya know...

The best fun of being in Denver isn't going inside Pepsi Center or Invesco. I agree with Markos. I don't give a damn about going in. Under other circumstances, I'd actually prefer to work from The Big Tent the whole time.

No... The real fun is the core of the progressive blogosphere, all these people we work with all year but so rarely get to spend time with in person. We're all in the same room, hanging out together, working from the same place.

Now THAT is rock and roll.

I mean, BLUE GAL is around somewhere. Tomorrow, she's likely to come over and say hi. How cool is that?!

There's more...

When You are Rich I Guess You Can Buy a Huge Microphone

photo From the The Duchess of Cornwall's visit to the British Memorial Garden at Hanover Square, New York. Sir Evelyn and Lady de Rothschild.

Prominent Dem Abroad Lady Lynn de Rothschild who served on the Dem Platform committee this cycle perpetrates a hit piece on the Democratic Party Nominee a week before the convention.

Barack Obama can use the words ‘the American dream’, but they don’t resonate,” she said. “He magnified the problem by going to Berlin and calling himself a citizen of the world.” She also resents a lack of effort to pay off Clinton’s $20m campaign debt. “He has provided her with a pittance compared to what the Clintons have given Obama,” Rothschild said. “Her debt could have been cleared within 10 days. It’s ungracious.”

Rothschild has not yet made up her mind. “I haven’t ruled out voting for McCain,” she said. “I like him a lot.” She is waiting to see who Obama picks as his running mate and has her heart set on Clinton. Sarah Baxter Times of London

Lady de Rothschild in addition to being a long time Clinton supporter and donor (The Rothschilds spent the night of their wedding dinner in the Lincoln bedroom at the White House when Bill Clinton was president) was helping on the DNC Platform committee this year. Yes, a democrat threatening in the international press to support John McCain-- helped craft our platform.

The story goes on to reference all the key talking points in Rovian-art style.

1. He's not really American
2. He's elitist (seriously a Rothschild called him elitist)
3. He's a usurper (Machiavellian meme)
4. He's unelectable

Nice.

Do I sound resentful? Damn straight. I was a Howard Dean supporter and then a Dean delegate to the convention in 2004 and was told, after we lost, that party unity was more important. I turned around and threw my heart into everything I could do to help get John Kerry elected.

In 2008 I ran for DNC and was told after winning that I should understand that now I had a responsibility to put Party first. I was told that some of my firebrand rhetoric would not be appropriate and that my job as a DNC member would be to help promote my state party. Unity being the key word in that story as well.

And yet, here is a prominent Dem Abroad, who is representing Americans Overseas on the platform, coming out with a list of GOP talking points against our candidate.

So unity is for the grassroots-- but not the leadership? Unity can be used to tell the grassroots in 2004 to behave but not party members like Lady de Rothschild now? She can say what she wants and then, in a recent email from an elected officer in Dems Abroad, she is praised for all her work on the platform.

What's the difference between her and me? cold.hard.cash. And that buys her a pass to say anything she wants about the nominee in the press and still be a leadership voice in the DNC.

*Update Lady de Rothschild follow up on foxnews.



oh, and on cnn she slams again but this time going under her pre-Rothschild maiden name so she can tout the "elite" meme more credibly.

There's more...

In a Town Called Unity

UNITY, N.H. — Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton set off on their maiden political voyage on Friday, trading their rivalry from the presidential primary battle for a newfound display of harmony intended to set a fresh tone for any Democrats still harboring bitterness from their grueling duel.

It was a day of choreographed unity — their destination was a rally here in this small western New Hampshire town — with the two senators appearing together before the cameras for the first time. Three weeks after suspending her campaign, Mrs. Clinton renewed her endorsement and pledged to do all she could to help Democrats win the White House in the fall.-- New York Times

Ok-- start your engines ladies and gents, let's get this thing done. What are you planning in your areas to get out the vote? What are your plans to raise awareness? What is your donation strategy? (Budget now, we need you.) Are you registered to vote yet? If not, why the hell not? Plan now how you are going to get at least 2 other non registered friends or family to participate this year. Each and every one of us needs our own personal field plan. We have just about 4 months left. What are you going to do to help end this 8 year nightmare?

One of my friends went to the Unity NH event and posted this photo of the buses lined up in neighboring town pick up points. This was just at one pick up stop of many... I think the repubs are in some serious trouble.

There's more...

That Was The Week That Was—Part One:

The End Of The Beginning Is The Beginning Of The End...

Oh thank God it's over.

This past week, that is.

It was a bearish one for me, as I was toiling on a project I'm hoping sends a little coin my way, and it's bringing back the heart-rending memory of the loss of The Big Fella one year ago, and yes...in seeing the “It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”-ish finale of the Democratic primary season.

Just. Brutal.

The personal work was hard enough to get through—changes on a project started long ago, that new eyes and a new time dictated some serious alterations on. But it was the thinking about Steve that really weighed on me. Loss is difficult for me—in huge and overly childish ways, and this blog is a thing that has helped me grow up a little bit in handling it. But I'm human. Disgustingly, unshakably so—and as I found myself grinding through that project, I couldn't help but think of how things would be if The Big Fella, one of the best writers I've had the pleasure to know, were here now.

Would he have gotten “The Big Gig”? Or would something he'd written during this oh-so-fertile newsy period in the last 365 days caught fire in that way things do, and he have at the very least gotten his just due as a journalist and expert chronicler of the America and world we all live in? I don't know if “survivor's guilt” is the exactly apt framing for these feelings, but thoughts of “What if? and “Why Him” so permeated my thinking that it made it somewhat difficult to do the thing he did such a bang-up job of—which is to write. I could sort of feel him over my shoulder a lot this week—peering in, as if to say “So, one year hence...“How do you feel about this. Are you any better than you were at this than you were last first week of July?”

That's one hell of a question. But I realize it was me asking it of myself just as much as any paranormal apparition's doing so.

Haggling over the answer is a non-starter for me—quite literally, as time is such a Damoclean sword that to linger over the answer too long is to in effect answer it. “No. You ain't. 'Cause a real writer doesn't get put off his game wondering if he's any good. 'Said writer's too busy bustin' his ass trying to do good work in the first place.”

Corporate mantras make for awful life lessons, but that damn Nike tag sums it up well. “Just Do It.”

And I have.

The world however did its best to trundle in like a wild, hungry bear into my pastoral campground of creativity. Particularly the 72 hours spanning from Saturday evening to well into the inky pre-dawn of Wednesday.

It was “The Final Comedown.” “The Brawl For It All”. “The Supa-Dupa Thrilla Between Chocolate and Vanilla”. The Clinton / Obama Reality Show's thrill-packed season finalé as it were.

I caught a good chunk of the big DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee meeting that Saturday, and realized again how important tone is in putting across a message. From the impassioned (maybe too impassioned) advocacy of Florida's Bob Wexler on Obama's behalf, to the unfortunate, smarmy lawyer-joke come-to-life of Cinton backer Harold Ickes. Facts matter, yes—but by God, presentation is nothing to sneeze at, and Ickes for all his lawyerly acumen managed to almost single-handedly torpedo public opinion for his cause, thanks to his almost hissing, contemptuous delivery. I was outright flummoxed that someone wasn't put up there who was a bit more sympathetic and able to connect with folks—in the room and in the homes of TV viewers. And when that impromptu uprising took place at the end of Ickes' huffy jeremiad, I had to pay attention. Taking the facts of what happened with Florida and Michigan into account, along with precedent and the byzantine wonkery that is state election rules. I found the meeting's outcome at the very least Solomonic, and at best, fairly well-reasoned.

But it was that group of noisy protesters (who a friend in local politics would later derisively dub “The Boneva Brigade”) who kind of stole the show, and one in particular—New York's own Ms. Harriet Christian, who would steal folks' breath away with one extended, YouTube-a-licious, verbal earth-scorching that peeled away a mask and revealed something ugly but known, and unhealthy but undeniable in 21st century America. Namely, the herpes-like nature of much of modern-day American racism. It never really goes away, but the outbreaks can be ugly to look at. If you haven't seen the clip, here's Harriet—with nary an amiable Ozzie in sight to put a smile on things.



I was out at a Starbucks working on my project when I checked on the internet—specifically FireDogLake—where I stumbled upon Ms. Christian's optimism-stomping rant. She managed to make Harold Ickes look like Captain-Fucking-Kangaroo. I watched her venomous tirade several times, wincing at her spitting of the words, “An inadequate Black man.”—words unprompted by any racial foreshadowing whatsoever by her questioner. She went there all by herself. In fact, it's clear that she was already “there” from jump, but she simply wanted to let the world know “where she was from” opinion-wise. I had my headphones unplugged for a couple of the listens when a woman next to me asked if what I was watching was coverage of the RBC meeting and I said “Yes.”

She asked me if the woman I was watching—the batshit Ms. Christian— was a delegate or something, and whether she had heard her say “what she thought she'd heard” on the YouTube clip. “No. She's not a delegate, she's a supporter.” I answered, and I sadly also said “Yeah. She said what you thought she said.”

The woman asked if she could see it again, so I obliged her.

Before I knew it, there were three other people looking on over us, and when Christian hit that sour, end of “The Muppet Show” talking point note—one woman looking on said, “Oh yeah. Thanks for that one, honey. Way to represent New York. Fucking idiot.” The original woman asked “Is she drunk?”. The guy to my right said, “That's no excuse. Alcohol don't make you do things you wouldn't do. It just removes your inhibitions. That's the real her right there.” The other young woman looking on simply said. “Wow.” and shook her head in disgust. There were the obligatory requests to see it again and I acquiesced, as the group seemed incredulous, and fortunately, the WiFi signal happened to be a free one that bleeds into the Starbucks bubble, so it was no skin off my nose. The clip was just starting to go viral when we were watching it, but the young man near me simply noted, “People in NY are gonna remember her name, and that face and voice. I'd be real careful once I got back home if I was her.”

“If she gets someone at the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) who remembers her, that'd be interesting.” I said, noting without having to elaborate the preponderance of African American clerks who handle your business there.

“Hope she can cook, 'cause eating out's gonna be an adventure for awhile.”, he chuckled. “You never know...”

“Then there's the mail, maybe her super, all kinds of people she may depend on who ain't gonna take kindly to that clip either.” I said.

“Ohhhhhh, maaaaannnnnn. Awk-warrrrrrrd!”, he barked in a perfect Fred Armisen voice.

Such is the potential price of stupid when you live and fuck up in the world's biggest little town.

On to Monday, and my work was interrupted several times by my buddy from uptown who works with people in Rep. Charlie Rangel's office.

“Charlie wants this shit over. He's catching hell from his people.”

“We're in limbo here. Nobody in town can endorse Obama yet. It'd make the Clinton people crazy. But the pressure! Brooklyn's ready to say 'Fuck it' and go.”

“You wanna come to the thing? I can get you in. The food's supposed to be off the hook!”

No thanks. Work to do, man.

Tuesday rolls in like a tidal wave on crack as the day is unavoidably full of minute-to-minute reports of early exit polling and then, a report about a concession from Senator Clinton that is quickly rescinded. But too late—it's a media wildfire, and my buddy calls me up with some news, saying that Rangel's really pissed, because “it has to end tonight, and he's getting signals that they're gonna drag this shit out.” I get a follow-up call from homeboy and he hips me that “It's on. The super-delegates are gonna be released today 'steady'.. Five an hour to put Obama over the top and squash this 'fucking Bataan death march' shit”.

Of course, I couldn't get Blogger to do a Goddamned thing to post on my news , so I put this up at Democratic Underground:

(Click to enlarge)


And so it went that afternoon. Every 25 minutes a call from buddy boy counting 'em off—through the twenties and then the teens.. The last count-call he was at nine needed to lock things up.

“This shit is done but for the shoutin'.”

I toiled on, half-listening to the news when my pal calls again saying it's gonna be “radio silence” for a while as the end event for Sen. Clinton was going to be held in the subbity-sub-basement at the new Baruch College complex off Lexington Avenue near Little India—the pocket nabe off Kips Bay in Manhattan where all the Indian restaurants are concentrated, “This is how they want it.” I ask if I can still get in to see—just out of curiousity.

He laughed so hard into the phone he almost hurt my ear.

“Man, I don't know what the fuck I was thinking. My ass can barely get in, and I've got reason to be there. Lock-down mode, br'uh. They ain't playing.”

So, I watched from home while working on my project, and saw instead of Senator Clinton's event...what simply had to be one of the worst political speeches ever delivered—by a person who didn't have an axe imbedded in their skull or wasn't Leon Spinks after nineteen novocaine needles jabbed in his jaw.

Good God. Who told John McCain it would be a good idea to grandstand on the Dem candidates final big day with a speech that reeked of John Candy's batshitteldy amiable Mayor Tommy Shanks from SCTV? His people know he doesn't have the goods—“the skillz, son!”—to pull this off on a no-pressure day, so how many brain-eating, mad-cow burgers were consumed by his handlers to make them think this ode to oratorical oafishness seemed like a good idea? Normally, I can sort of half-listen / half-work when speeches are on, but this one? This disaster required my full attention. I couldn't look away. Calling it a train wreck is an understatement.

It was a twenty-five car derailment of a special shipment of cutlery spilled everywhere—just before the locomotive plowed a gaping hole through the security fence of a Home For the Criminally Insane. A multi-stage tragedy.

They posed him in front of a green background, leaving him looking like a dollop of runny cole slaw on a bed of wilted lettuce. And the speech itself was a hodgepodge of monotonous line-readings that would have gotten him cut from the community ensemble from “Waiting For Guffman”. It doesn't help that Stevie-fucking-Wonder reads a teleprompter better, and McCain seemed as if he were told to not go into “Angry Old Man Yells At Cloud” mode, and then, fearing he wouldn't listen, his handlers dosed his Postum or something. He came off almost drugged, and he exhibited an annoying little chuckle that scanned like he was hallucinogenically seeing everyone in the crowd as characters from a vintage “Funny Face” drink mix ad.

It was that damned bad.

So bad, even FOX News had to smack it down. I'd love to tell you what he said, but that would be like describing what a hairy, 450-pound streaker said while screaming and running across the stage during a performance of Othello. You just ran your sloppy ass across a stage, man. Fuck what you had to say!

Olbermann and crew on MSNBC mercifully cut away mid-turd pinch by McCain to go live to the Baruch College bunker where Senator Clinton was addressing her supporters.

And yes, I said “addressing” her supporters because I had NO reason to believe that she would be capitulating in any way that night. And she most certainly did not disappoint. From the moment Terry McAuliffe (“McAwfuliffe”) hit the stage looking higher than a NASA satellite, crowing “The next President of the United States” as Ms. Clinton's intro, I knew: “If It's Tuesday, And Terry's Talking, It Must Be Bullshit.” There would be no acknowledgment of what a large number of the remaining 299,997,000 Americans not in Baruch College's bowels already knew by that point. The shit was done. The 2118 delegate number was easily eclipsed and would steadily mount even before the reports on the Montana totals came in. But there in that warm, enveloping cocoon of irreality, the Senator could bait, switch, tease and cajole for one last grand time with people who would NOT question her whatsoever. What in the last crazy final weeks of this campaign would lead one to think this was going to end tidily?

Please.

It was a rousing speech. meant to fire up her base and little else, in spite of the final, ugly math she surely knew as she strode onto the dais. The “supers” had in effect called her into the coach's office and said “Oh, and bring your playbook”. The dreaded “Turk” had spoken. But she was going home to the folks after being cut from the team and blithely telling them that she'd not only made the final roster, but thrown for five nifty TDs in the practice scrimmage that day. Ouch.

Now, let's slow it down here for a moment folks. Yes, a lot of that braggadocious roaring last Tuesday was indeed hubris-driven. The old inevitability thang is hard to shake still, some 18 months later, even when you've lost and the porters are sweeping peanuts and mustard packets down the stadium steps. The Clinton effort was deemed from the start as a dominant force “on paper”—a “Fantasy” team that could not lose based on the numbers. And it had been something akin to that for the years before this campaign when it was clear to power brokers, interested parties and folks looking to get a leg up that she was going to run. Am awful lot of those people / organizations did a lot of nice things for the Clintons and were probably assured access at the least, and specific deeds at the most when they re-ascended. A lot was invested in this campaign ending with her at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue by people you don't just say, “Eh, we tried.” to. Imagine a casino where a person supposedly has a major “in” at a table. Said person is backed by folks who want to capitalize on that “in”, so they float that person a lot of capital up front, assuming the investment's a solid lock with this “in”. Throw the player a hundred now 'cause you know they're bringin' back a thousand, right?

Except, the “in” doesn't pan out. Some mook from outta nowhere sits down at the table and cleans up like a 30-gallon drum of Tide™, Roll, BOOM! Roll, BOOM! Roll, BOOM! He cleans up for what seems like an eternity, racking up a fat stack of chips. You eventually win again. but he's so depleted your stack from your losses, you can never really catch up. He's got the “in” now, and you're in a position where the people who backed you for what looked like a sure thing won't be pleased if you fold.

So...off comes the pinky ring onto the table. “Clonk!” The watch. The gold money clip and the keys to the car. Fuck how you get home or if you even do get home at this point. You are betting it all on the big, unlikely Goddamned miracle that if it came in a movie, you'd throw your popcorn at the screen.

“Snake-eyes”...all the way down the line.

You're busted. No car, No watch. No ring. And a chorus line of bad checks bouncing like caffeinated Can-Can girls.

There's still those people behind you. The ones who kept you flush and hooked you up in return for capitalizing on that “in”.

What do you tell them? You make like you can still win. And that's what that speech last Tuesday night was about—as well as keeping the rank-and-file support base's spirits up in the face of reality's swift kick to the ol' nads. I understood it. The tone was not what people looking for an ending to all the rancor and getting on with the business of fucking up the GOP standard-bearer, Professor Irwin Corey's act were looking for (Count me in that heckling number), but I had a feeling based on my discussions with my buddy that this was all gonna be settled in short order. Especially when he called me after leaving “The Bunker” and cryptically, but perfectly summed up what his connected pals were calling the oddly haughty display.

“Man, a dude next to me shook his head and said 'Oh God. 'It's 'Top of the world, ma!'”

“Top of the world, ma!” As in Jimmy Cagney's wild-eyed, literal flame-out at the end of the classic film “White Heat”. Trapped, Hopelessly outgunned. Brutally outmanned. Even if you've seen it a thousand times, the visuals still speak volumes.



It wasn't pretty. But again, I understood it.

There was no time to dwell on it though, even with the bug-eyed pans of the speech's tone and content by the talking head-class...

...Cause the surreal shit was coming hard on its heels. Barack Obama was now, now somehow officially The Presumptive Democratic Nominee for President.

Um...can I keep it real with you? Just reading those words on a page or computer screen—“The Presumptive Democratic Nominee for President.”—and considering who he is...well, the sentence still looks like something written in an indecipherable alien language to me.

I...just wanted to get that out there.

(End of Part One—Continued in Part Two)

There's more...

Obama Statement on Clinton Endorsement

Senator Barack Obama:

Obviously, I am thrilled and honored to have Senator Clinton's support. But more than that, I honor her today for the valiant and historic campaign she has run. She shattered barriers on behalf of my daughters and women everywhere, who now know that there are no limits to their dreams. And she inspired millions with her strength, courage and unyielding commitment to the cause of working Americans. Our party and our country are stronger because of the work she has done throughout her life, and I'm a better candidate for having had the privilege of competing with her in this campaign. No one knows better than Senator Clinton how desperately America and the American people need change, and I know she will continue to be in the forefront of that battle this fall and for years to come.

Obama campaign.

There's more...

Hillary Clinton Endorsement Speech

Hillary Clinton Endorsement Speech Part 1


Hillary Clinton Endorsement Speech Part 2


Hillary Clinton Endorsement Speech Part 3


Hillary Clinton Endorsement Speech Part 4

Remarks of Senator Hillary Clinton

National Building Museum

Saturday, June 7th, 2008

Washington, D.C.


Thank you so much. Thank you all.


Well, this isn't exactly the party I'd planned, but I sure like the company.


I want to start today by saying how grateful I am to all of you – to
everyone who poured your hearts and your hopes into this campaign, who
drove for miles and lined the streets waving homemade signs, who
scrimped and saved to raise money, who knocked on doors and made
calls, who talked and sometimes argued with your friends and
neighbors, who emailed and contributed online, who invested so much in
our common enterprise, to the moms and dads who came to our events,
who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and
whispered in their ears, "See, you can be anything you want to be."


To the young people like 13 year-old Ann Riddle from Mayfield, Ohio
who had been saving for two years to go to Disney World, and decided
to use her savings instead to travel to Pennsylvania with her Mom and
volunteer there as well. To the veterans and the childhood friends, to
New Yorkers and Arkansans who traveled across the country and telling
anyone who would listen why you supported me.


To all those women in their 80s and their 90s born before women could
vote who cast their votes for our campaign. I've told you before
about Florence Steen of South Dakota, who was 88 years old, and
insisted that her daughter bring an absentee ballot to her hospice
bedside. Her daughter and a friend put an American flag behind her bed
and helped her fill out the ballot. She passed away soon after, and
under state law, her ballot didn't count. But her daughter later told
a reporter, "My dad's an ornery old cowboy, and he didn't like it when
he heard mom's vote wouldn't be counted. I don't think he had voted in
20 years. But he voted in place of my mom."


To all those who voted for me, and to whom I pledged my utmost, my
commitment to you and to the progress we seek is unyielding. You have
inspired and touched me with the stories of the joys and sorrows that
make up the fabric of our lives and you have humbled me with your
commitment to our country.


18 million of you from all walks of life – women and men, young and
old, Latino and Asian, African-American and Caucasian, rich, poor and
middle class, gay and straight – you have stood strong with me. And I
will continue to stand strong with you, every time, every place, and
every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for.


Remember - we fought for the single mom with a young daughter,
juggling work and school, who told me, "I'm doing it all to better
myself for her." We fought for the woman who grabbed my hand, and
asked me, "What are you going to do to make sure I have health care?"
and began to cry because even though she works three jobs, she can't
afford insurance. We fought for the young man in the Marine Corps
t-shirt who waited months for medical care and said, "Take care of my
buddies over there and then, will you please help take care of me?" We
fought for all those who've lost jobs and health care, who can't
afford gas or groceries or college, who have felt invisible to their
president these last seven years.


I entered this race because I have an old-fashioned conviction: that
public service is about helping people solve their problems and live
their dreams. I've had every opportunity and blessing in my own life –
and I want the same for all Americans. Until that day comes, you will
always find me on the front lines of democracy – fighting for the
future.


The way to continue our fight now – to accomplish the goals for which
we stand – is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all
we can to help elect Barack Obama the next President of the United
States.


Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he
has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him, and
throw my full support behind him. And I ask all of you to join me in
working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me.


I have served in the Senate with him for four years. I have been in
this campaign with him for 16 months. I have stood on the stage and
gone toe-to-toe with him in 22 debates. I have had a front row seat
to his candidacy, and I have seen his strength and determination, his
grace and his grit.


In his own life, Barack Obama has lived the American Dream. As a
community organizer, in the state senate, as a United States Senator -
he has dedicated himself to ensuring the dream is realized. And in
this campaign, he has inspired so many to become involved in the
democratic process and invested in our common future.


Now when I started this race, I intended to win back the White House,
and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the
path to peace, prosperity, and progress. And that's exactly what
we're going to do by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the
doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009.


I understand that we all know this has been a tough fight. The
Democratic Party is a family, and it's now time to restore the ties
that bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share,
the values we cherish, and the country we love.


We may have started on separate journeys – but today, our paths have
merged. And we are all heading toward the same destination, united
and more ready than ever to win in November and to turn our country
around because so much is at stake.


We all want an economy that sustains the American Dream, the
opportunity to work hard and have that work rewarded, to save for
college, a home and retirement, to afford that gas and those groceries
and still have a little left over at the end of the month. An economy
that lifts all of our people and ensures that our prosperity is
broadly distributed and shared.


We all want a health care system that is universal, high quality, and
affordable so that parents no longer have to choose between care for
themselves or their children or be stuck in dead end jobs simply to
keep their insurance. This isn't just an issue for me – it is a
passion and a cause – and it is a fight I will continue until every
single American is insured – no exceptions, no excuses.


We all want an America defined by deep and meaningful equality – from
civil rights to labor rights, from women's rights to gay rights, from
ending discrimination to promoting unionization to providing help for
the most important job there is: caring for our families.


We all want to restore America's standing in the world, to end the war
in Iraq and once again lead by the power of our values, and to join
with our allies to confront our shared challenges from poverty and
genocide to terrorism and global warming.


You know, I've been involved in politics and public life in one way or
another for four decades. During those forty years, our country has
voted ten times for President. Democrats won only three of those
times. And the man who won two of those elections is with us today.


We made tremendous progress during the 90s under a Democratic
President, with a flourishing economy, and our leadership for peace
and security respected around the world. Just think how much more
progress we could have made over the past 40 years if we had a
Democratic president. Think about the lost opportunities of these past
seven years – on the environment and the economy, on health care and
civil rights, on education, foreign policy and the Supreme Court.
Imagine how far we could've come, how much we could've achieved if we
had just had a Democrat in the White House.


We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and
accomplished too much.


Now the journey ahead will not be easy. Some will say we can't do it.
That it's too hard. That we're just not up to the task. But for as
long as America has existed, it has been the American way to reject
"can't do" claims, and to choose instead to stretch the boundaries of
the possible through hard work, determination, and a pioneering
spirit.


It is this belief, this optimism, that Senator Obama and I share, and
that has inspired so many millions of our supporters to make their
voices heard.


So today, I am standing with Senator Obama to say: Yes we can.


Together we will work. We'll have to work hard to get universal health
care. But on the day we live in an America where no child, no man,
and no woman is without health insurance, we will live in a stronger
America. That's why we need to help elect Barack Obama our President.


We'll have to work hard to get back to fiscal responsibility and a
strong middle class. But on the day we live in an America whose
middle class is thriving and growing again, where all Americans, no
matter where they live or where their ancestors came from, can earn a
decent living, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we
must elect Barack Obama our President.


We'll have to work hard to foster the innovation that makes us energy
independent and lift the threat of global warming from our children's
future. But on the day we live in an America fueled by renewable
energy, we will live in a stronger America. That's why we have to
help elect Barack Obama our President.


We'll have to work hard to bring our troops home from Iraq, and get
them the support they've earned by their service. But on the day we
live in an America that's as loyal to our troops as they have been to
us, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must help
elect Barack Obama our President.


This election is a turning point election and it is critical that we
all understand what our choice really is. Will we go forward together
or will we stall and slip backwards. Think how much progress we have
already made. When we first started, people everywhere asked the same
questions:


Could a woman really serve as Commander-in-Chief? Well, I think we
answered that one.


And could an African American really be our President? Senator Obama
has answered that one.


Together Senator Obama and I achieved milestones essential to our
progress as a nation, part of our perpetual duty to form a more
perfect union.


Now, on a personal note – when I was asked what it means to be a woman
running for President, I always gave the same answer: that I was proud
to be running as a woman but I was running because I thought I'd be
the best President. But I am a woman, and like millions of women, I
know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious.


I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of
every last one of us.


I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never
dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter's future
and a mother who wants to lead all children to brighter tomorrows. To
build that future I see, we must make sure that women and men alike
understand the struggles of their grandmothers and mothers, and that
women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay, and equal respect. Let us
resolve and work toward achieving some very simple propositions: There
are no acceptable limits and there are no acceptable prejudices in the
twenty-first century.


You can be so proud that, from now on, it will be unremarkable for a
woman to win primary state victories, unremarkable to have a woman in
a close race to be our nominee, unremarkable to think that a woman can
be the President of the United States. And that is truly remarkable.


To those who are disappointed that we couldn't go all the way –
especially the young people who put so much into this campaign – it
would break my heart if, in falling short of my goal, I in any way
discouraged any of you from pursuing yours. Always aim high, work
hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. When you stumble,
keep faith. When you're knocked down, get right back up. And never
listen to anyone who says you can't or shouldn't go on.


As we gather here today in this historic magnificent building, the
50th woman to leave this Earth is orbiting overhead. If we can blast
50 women into space, we will someday launch a woman into the White
House.


Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass
ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in
it. And the light is shining through like never before, filling us
all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a
little easier next time. That has always been the history of progress
in America.


Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and
those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. Think of
the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery.
Think of the civil rights heroes and foot-soldiers who marched,
protested and risked their lives to bring about the end to segregation
and Jim Crow.


Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote.
Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children
of all colors could go to school together. Because of them, Barack
Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the Democratic
nomination. Because of them, and because of you, children today will
grow up taking for granted that an African American or a woman can
yes, become President of the United States.


When that day arrives and a woman takes the oath of office as our
President, we will all stand taller, proud of the values of our
nation, proud that every little girl can dream and that her dreams can
come true in America. And all of you will know that because of your
passion and hard work you helped pave the way for that day.


So I want to say to my supporters, when you hear people saying – or
think to yourself – "if only" or "what if," I say, "please don't go
there." Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving
forward.


Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high
to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what
still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure
that Senator Obama is our next President and I hope and pray that all
of you will join me in that effort.


To my supporters and colleagues in Congress, to the governors and
mayors, elected officials who stood with me, in good times and in bad,
thank you for your strength and leadership. To my friends in our labor
unions who stood strong every step of the way – I thank you and pledge
my support to you. To my friends, from every stage of my life – your
love and ongoing commitments sustain me every single day. To my family
– especially Bill and Chelsea and my mother, you mean the world to me
and I thank you for all you have done. And to my extraordinary staff,
volunteers and supporters, thank you for working those long, hard
hours. Thank you for dropping everything – leaving work or school –
traveling to places you'd never been, sometimes for months on end.
And thanks to your families as well because your sacrifice was theirs
too.


All of you were there for me every step of the way. Being human, we
are imperfect. That's why we need each other. To catch each other
when we falter. To encourage each other when we lose heart. Some may
lead; others may follow; but none of us can go it alone. The changes
we're working for are changes that we can only accomplish together.
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights that belong to
each of us as individuals. But our lives, our freedom, our happiness,
are best enjoyed, best protected, and best advanced when we do work
together.


That is what we will do now as we join forces with Senator Obama and
his campaign. We will make history together as we write the next
chapter in America's story. We will stand united for the values we
hold dear, for the vision of progress we share, and for the country we
love. There is nothing more American than that.


And looking out at you today, I have never felt so blessed. The
challenges that I have faced in this campaign are nothing compared to
those that millions of Americans face every day in their own lives.
So today, I'm going to count my blessings and keep on going. I'm going
to keep doing what I was doing long before the cameras ever showed up
and what I'll be doing long after they're gone: Working to give every
American the same opportunities I had, and working to ensure that
every child has the chance to grow up and achieve his or her God-given
potential.


I will do it with a heart filled with gratitude, with a deep and
abiding love for our country– and with nothing but optimism and
confidence for the days ahead. This is now our time to do all that we
can to make sure that in this election we add another Democratic
president to that very small list of the last 40 years and that we
take back our country and once again move with progress and commitment
to the future.


Thank you all and God bless you and God bless America.

There's more...

Hillary Speaking Live Now in NY

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/22887506#22887506

Nice opening recognition of Obama and his supporters.
Now talking about breaking barriers. Fans Very excited!

Naming her supporters by categories, and passion. Some unruly shouting but she is doing a nice job.

She is making the case that she has the support to get the electoral votes in Nov. From the swing states.

She is making the case that they did the right thing, staying in while "pundits and Nay-sayers" said to get out. Record voters, across every state.

"Committed to Uniting our Party."

Talking about what she has seen through this primary, and how Pres. Bush does not see any of is and any of our problems.

"None of you is invisible to me, you never have been."

"A lot of people are asking, "what does Hillary want?" End war, health care, education. And the 18 million Americans who voted for me to be respected and heard and to no longer be invisible."

Supporters are calling Denver, Denver, Denver...

Mentioning Catholic supporter who gave her a rosary.

Naming all the states she has won/ winning.

She will be making, NO DECISIONS TONIGHT. Huge Applause. Go to my website and share your thoughts. She will be consulting with leaders to determine the best way to move forward.

Thank you...

Thanked her campaign, and her family, and mom, who will be 89 tomorrow!

Last story,voter she met in SD. "What are you going to do to make sure I have health care?" Shameful that someone like this voter could have these problems. I will keep faith with her and everyone I met...

Standing near statue of Liberty, the fallen towers, a constant reminder.
We embrace all of our people. We can do it together. (me paraphrasing)

God bless you, and God bless America.

There's more...

Clinton Wins Puerto Rico

With 85% reporting:

Clinton  219,536 68%
Obama    102,304 32%

Currently +18 delegates to help close her 210 gap.

There's more...

DNC Meeting Live Video Cast

Sausage making is messy and you never know what you are going to get...

There's more...

What Should They Read?

The New York Times Book Review this week has an interesting segment; Truth To Power. They asked famous writers to recommend some summer reading for our 3 presidential candidates. One of the best, I thought, was the first one from Junot Díaz.

I believe in books as only a deep reader can, but even I cannot imagine that any book would change any of our candidates. But just in case:

McCain: War Hero needs to read his fellow Vietnam vet Joe Haldeman’s novel “The Forever War.” McCain’s willingness to keep the nation in Iraq for, say, 100 years is a sign that for all his war hero posturing McCain has truly forgotten the young people we’ve damned to this folly we call Iraq. Perhaps Haldeman’s marvelous novel will crack Pharaoh’s heart. But don’t bet on it.

Hillary: What to recommend to a driven, brilliant, flawed woman who has no problem threatening to obliterate Iran, should they attack Israel? I recommend Peter Balakian’s “Black Dog of Fate,” in an attempt to cure her of her genocidal impulses. Armenians know all about being “obliterated,” and perhaps that nation’s suffering and miraculous survival will crack Pharaoh’s heart. But don’t bet on it.

Obama: A warrior-hearted black man running for president in a country that bends over backward to deny its white supremacist tendencies? Now here’s a cat who truly is an optimist, who really believes. For the honorable senator I recommend Leslie Marmon Silko’s “Ceremony,” a) because it’s a perfect novel about our country and b) because “Ceremony” is all about love and hope, and Senator Obama is going to need a ton of both to get through this one with his warrior-heart intact.

There are a bunch of other interesting people who weigh in, Scott Turow, Barabara Kingsolver and John Irving (and more.)

So GNB readers, I put the same question to you. If you could speak some truth to power and give our candidates each one book to read what would it be and why?

There's more...

DNC Rules Against Clinton

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's prospects of persuading Democratic officials to override party rules and recognize all delegates selected in the Florida and Michigan primaries suffered a setback yesterday after lawyers for the party ruled that no more than half of those delegations could be legally recognized.

Democratic National Committee lawyers wrote in a memo that the two states must forfeit at least half of their delegates as punishment for holding primaries earlier than DNC rules allowed. Clinton (N.Y.) prevailed in both contests, although the Democratic candidates had agreed not to campaign in Florida and Michigan, and Sen. Barack Obama removed his name from the Michigan ballot.

The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee is scheduled to meet Saturday to make a final determination on Florida and Michigan, which would have collectively awarded 368 convention delegates. But in the memo, party lawyers determined that full restoration, as sought by Clinton, would violate DNC rules, although it did note a loophole that would allow her to carry the challenge to the first day of the Democratic National Convention in late August.

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe told reporters that the senator from Illinois is prepared to forfeit a portion of his delegate lead, as part of a compromise to resolve the Florida and Michigan flap. "We don't think it's fair to seat them fully," Plouffe said of the two delegations. But he added, "We're willing to give some delegates here" in order to put the matter to rest. wapo

No surprise here. It was a fantasy that after Florida and Michigan decided to flip the DNC the bird that they would get all of their delegates seated. In other news Nancy says AW HELL NO...

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she will step in if necessary to make sure the presidential nomination fight between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama does not reach the Democratic national convention - though she believes it could be resolved as early as next week.

Pelosi predicted Wednesday that a presidential nominee will emerge in the week after the final Democratic primaries on June 3, but she said "I will step in"...SFGate.com

Obama should be within 10 delegates of the golden 2,026 number by next week.

Can. He. Go. All. The. Way.

There's more...

Clinton Sorry For Remark About RFK Assassination

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday invoked the 1968 assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in explaining her decision to remain in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, comments that drew criticism from aides to Sen. Barack Obama and cooled speculation that the two may form a joint ticket for the general election.

Yeah, ya think?

Jebus what a boneheaded comment. Bobby Kennedy? Are you shitting me? When I first heard this I thought she was taken out of context or misquoted or a can of soup had fallen on my head. But no, it was true.

My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right?" she continued. "We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. --WAPO

Hunh? Your husband had the nomination wrapped up well before California, who are you kidding? Bobby Kennedy was shot on June 5th, not really the "middle of June."

How bad is this campaign? Well, it is sinking 2 political careers, Hillary's and Bill's. Watch how this week is going to be all about Hillary riding out the shitstorm of this unbelievable stupid thing to say.

There's more...

Misogyny... Or Something else?

Why Did Clinton Lose?

The primary fight is over. Hillary Clinton has lost.

Everything you're seeing now is theater, designed to let her gracefully ease her supporters from backing her for President, into backing the nominee of the Democratic Party, Barack Obama. Clinton will concede officially by June 15.

What she is doing now -- from the joint fund at the DNC with Obama, Clinton and the DNC -- lets her start to retire her campaign debt, campaign in a larger sense for party unity, and make clear to her supporters it is indeed over. The General Election has began -- which is why President Bush is attacking Senator Obama.

So...

That means it is time for "looking back" articles on Clinton's loss.

Let's start with the Washington Post.

Washington Post

Misogyny I Won't Miss

By Marie Cocco

Thursday, May 15, 2008; Page A15

As the Democratic nomination contest slouches toward a close, it's time to take stock of what I will not miss.

I will not miss seeing advertisements for T-shirts that bear the slogan "Bros before Hos." The shirts depict Barack Obama (the Bro) and Hillary Clinton (the Ho) and are widely sold on the Internet.

I will not miss walking past airport concessions selling the Hillary Nutcracker, a device in which a pantsuit-clad Clinton doll opens her legs to reveal stainless-steel thighs that, well, bust nuts. I won't miss television and newspaper stories that make light of the novelty item.

I won't miss episodes like the one in which liberal radio personality Randi Rhodes called Clinton a "big [expletive] whore" and said the same about former vice presidential nominee Geraldine Ferraro. Rhodes was appearing at an event sponsored by a San Francisco radio station, before an audience of appreciative Obama supporters -- one of whom had promoted the evening on the presumptive Democratic nominee's official campaign Web site.

I won't miss Citizens United Not Timid (no acronym, please), an anti-Clinton group founded by Republican guru Roger Stone.

Political discourse will at last be free of jokes like this one, told last week by magician Penn Jillette on MSNBC: "Obama did great in February, and that's because that was Black History Month. And now Hillary's doing much better 'cause it's White Bitch Month, right?" Co-hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski rebuked Jillette.

I won't miss political commentators (including National Public Radio political editor Ken Rudin and Andrew Sullivan, the columnist and blogger) who compare Clinton to the Glenn Close character in the movie "Fatal Attraction." In the iconic 1987 film, Close played an independent New York woman who has an affair with a married man played by Michael Douglas. When the liaison ends, the jilted woman becomes a deranged, knife-wielding stalker who terrorizes the man's blissful suburban family. Message: Psychopathic home-wrecker, begone.

The airwaves will at last be free of comments that liken Clinton to a "she-devil" (Chris Matthews on MSNBC, who helpfully supplied an on-screen mock-up of Clinton sprouting horns). Or those who offer that she's "looking like everyone's first wife standing outside a probate court" (Mike Barnicle, also on MSNBC).

But perhaps it is not wives who are so very problematic. Maybe it's mothers. Because, after all, Clinton is more like "a scolding mother, talking down to a child" (Jack Cafferty on CNN).

When all other images fail, there is one other I will not miss. That is, the down-to-the-basics, simplest one: "White women are a problem, that's -- you know, we all live with that" (William Kristol of Fox News).

I won't miss reading another treatise by a man or woman, of the left or right, who says that sexism has had not even a teeny-weeny bit of influence on the course of the Democratic campaign. To hint that sexism might possibly have had a minimal role is to play that risible "gender card."

Most of all, I will not miss the silence.

I will not miss the deafening, depressing silence of Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean or other leading Democrats, who to my knowledge (with the exception of Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland) haven't publicly uttered a word of outrage at the unrelenting, sex-based hate that has been hurled at a former first lady and two-term senator from New York. Among those holding their tongues are hundreds of Democrats for whom Clinton has campaigned and raised millions of dollars. Don Imus endured more public ire from the political class when he insulted the Rutgers University women's basketball team.

Would the silence prevail if Obama's likeness were put on a tap-dancing doll that was sold at airports? Would the media figures who dole out precious face time to these politicians be such pals if they'd compared Obama with a character in a blaxploitation film? And how would crude references to Obama's sex organs play?

There are many reasons Clinton is losing the nomination contest, some having to do with her strategic mistakes, others with the groundswell for "change." But for all Clinton's political blemishes, the darker stain that has been exposed is the hatred of women that is accepted as a part of our culture.

Was Clinton's loss due to Misogyny?

No.

And I don't think Ms. Cocco is saying so either.

What she is saying is, in running for President, Clinton exposed how deeply the sexism, the hatred of women, the fear of women goes in the United States.

I agree.

In addition to the generalized sexism in America, let us ask...

Is there a lot of hatred of this particular woman?

Yes. The right-wing media has worked in concert since 1992 to define who the Clinton's are. A large part of that has been a deliberate intentional effort to paint Hillary Clinton as an emasculating bitch. Her negatives are enormous. She's not liberal enough for the far-left liberals, and the conservatives hate her with a fiery passion.

Then we get to the campaign. Hillary Clinton came into the 2008 campaign with the best organization in democratic politics, and a political history -- which means people owed her favors -- going back decades. This was when she (and President Clinton) were calling in their markers.

Except they screwed up. Their overconfidence and vaunted trust in their inner-circle, cost them everything. They believed they would win the nomination by Super Tuesday, and they should have. If they'd simply paid attention to how the nomination is actually won, instead of their theories about how it could be won, Hillary Clinton would have won the nomination on Super Tuesday and no one else would have come close.

Instead, Clinton -- on the advice of Mark Penn and crew, ignored the caucuses, and went with a "big state" strategy. FAIL.

There simply weren't enough delegates in the big states, given proportional representation, for Clinton to win the nomination outright. And by failing to set up a GOTV operation in the smaller caucus states, Clinton gave the younger, inexperienced Obama organization the opportunity to run the table in the small caucus states for two straight months, giving Obama an insurmountable lead in pledged delegates, and a momentum, financial, and media advantage Clinton would never again be able to match, let alone beat.

After all, in the planning of the Clinton campaign, the race was to have been over Super Tuesday. Her team had no plans for a primary campaign past February.

The primary race wasn't lost by Clinton because America hates women, although it cost her. The race was lost because Clinton picked poor advisers and trusted them to a fault about a vital strategy. Obama didn't win because a wave of change sweept across America which he rode to victory, although it helped him. He won because he was in the right position at the right time, when Clinton made an unforced error, and he had perfectly positioned his campaign when she made her error.

Obama understood the rules -- WIN.
Clinton didn't understand the rules -- FAIL.

Racism, women hating -- both are present in America in large quantities. But neither made the crucial difference in the 2008 Democratic Primary.

The crucial difference was, Obama understood the rules deeply; Clinton didn't.

There's more...