Howard was the first politician, the first leader, the first healer of America for many of us.

Thanks and praise to him.

"Are you going to San Francisco ?":

http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_6193488?source=rss

Sierra Leone Refugee All Stars mine West African sounds in S.F.

Article Last Updated: 06/21/2007 04:42:56 AM PDT

PERHAPS you've already seen the documentary film about the Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars, which made its Bay Area theatrical premiere in March at the great Red Vic Movie House in San Francisco.

Even if you missed the film, which shares the same name with the group, you still might want to check out the Sierra Leone's Refugee All Stars when they perform on Friday at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.

All of the band members once lived in Sierra Leone's capital city, Freetown, before they were forced to flee during the country's decade-long civil war.

Although their story is quite harrowing, their music is uplifting. The joyous dance music, which draws from traditional West African sounds, roots reggae and folk styles, is all about delivering messages of peace and love. The band's debut, "Living Like a Refugee," addresses such issues as the plight of refugee life and the terrors of wartime.

Showtime is 9 p.m. Tickets are $21. The Great American is at 859 O'Farrell St. Call (415) 885-0750 or visit

bbl

I'll just sit back and watch the criticisms of Barack and now of Michelle that seem to be the mainstay of this blog for certain commenters here.

Not a mainstay--just a natural reaction to unwarranted hype

I'll just sit back and watch the criticisms of Barack and now of Michelle that seem to be the mainstay of this blog for certain commenters here.

___________________________________________________________________________

rd,

Sooooo, Obama is not to be scrutinized? critiqued? questioned? put to the test? Im quite certain there must be an Obama blog out there where they sing nothing but praise for him.......

It appears the intellect of most here alows them to give no candidate a free pass or ride.

Moore power to Al Gore


Thursday, June 21st 2007, 4:00 AM
Print Email Suggest a Story


Michael Moore


Is Michael Moore waiting to throw his weight behind an Al Gore White House bid?

The director said Tuesday at a lunch for his new film, "Sicko," that the man he wanted to see as the next President of the United States had not entered the race yet.

And he followed it up, obliquely, with some warm words for the former veep.

"He's smart, funny and has humility," Moore said of his fellow liberal documentarian, who took home an Oscar this year for "An Inconvenient Truth."

http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/bwiddi...

whining and falsely making a statement doesn't make it so. Who really is doing the attacking here?

On what issues and where exactly are the Republican candidates running away from Bush?  Certainly not on Iraq where all of them affirmed their commitment to staying in Iraq for as long as it takes.  Certainly not on the issue of human rights.  Certainly not on the issue of civil rights.  Certainly not on the issue of taxes or the economy.

Yes they have criticized Bush but they don't disagree with him.  And yet the corporate run media want the American public to think that the Republicans have somehow become more moderate, more mainstream.  Its fiction.  And we should do our best not to allow these types of lies become fact.  This cartoon is a complete fabrication and DFA should not grant it any legitimacy.  Wherever it is published it should be challenged by a LTE.  The Republican candidates must be exposed for the truth.

And so should Democrats.....

Good luck Governor Dean.

Stick to you guns in Florida. Why is it they don't want to pay attention to laws and rules, expecting they can do as they wish and you should appease them and accept their improper action.


Gooooooo Howard!

Hillary Booed?--awwww

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-scher/what-the-boos-were-about_b_52985.html

Sen. Hillary Clinton being booed during her remarks is likely to be the big story coming out of Day 3 of Take Back America. What the boos were actually about is likely to be misreported.

 The Politics on the Hudson blog gets it right: "They jeered the Democratic presidential hopeful when she blamed the Iraqi government for the continued violence that has bogged down U.S. troops."

Why get booed for that?

Because a lot of people are sick and tired of what's become a stand-by cop-out bipartisan talking point: that the Iraqis are solely to blame for the chaos and de-stablization.

As if the Iraqis invaded and occupied themselves.

The debacle cannot be turned around until blame is properly placed. Not on all the Iraqi people. Not on the propped-up Iraqi "government." Not on America. Not on Americans. Not on the troops.

But on the individuals in Washington who planned the occupation, voted for the occupation, fund the occupation, and continue the occupation.

The Washington media are likely to miss the true nature of the boos, because this grassroots frustration at the constant blame-shifting has rarely been given the media megaphone. That it's the Iraqis fault has become accepted fact.

*****************************************

Tom's and my senior senator (Levin) continually spreads this rubbish too, together with the fallacious claim that we have to fund Bush's evil occupation in order to "Support the troops".

Democratic members of the War Party need their butts kicked!

Morning Folks,

 I have a computer again.  Mine was filled with gunk, pine pollen, dust, utterly clogged.  The people who cleaned it out for me told me that the magnetic fields attract dust and it needs to be blown out at least once a year.  Now, it's humming away like a happy bird.

Read Seymour Hersh's article in the June 25 New Yorker last night and cried.  The craven, malicious, and vicious behavior of the Pentagon, Rumsfield, Cambone, the White House reminds me of the Nazi regime.  It breaks my heart that this country has come to this and those in power have maintained power at every cost of truth, justice, honor, commitment to country and the Geneva Conventions.  We are truly brought down and have demonstrated the depravity of the worst of ditatorships.  How any Democrat or even honest  Republican for that matter could vote to continue funding this war, to supplying the Pentagon with weaponry and support for their secret programs is beyond  conscience.  There simply is no excuse.

So, while there is hope with the activism, discourse, and coming together of those who want this country to live up to its commitments to ethics, justice, the well being of its citizens, and the cooperation and dialogue with other countries, Abu Ghraib, Extraordinary Rentition, the detainment of people designated as enemy combatents, the secret programs of the Pentagon, Quanatanamo, the loss of habeas corpus are such stains on our honor and history that they will be remembed as even more egregious than Vietnam.  At least LBJ in deciding not to run for a second term recognized the will of the American people.  

My son graduated from the New Mexico Military Institute and I remember the sorrow and shame expressed by the general who spoke at the ceremonies.  The honor of the army was stained by Vietnam.  Now with the collusion of politics between the military and the White House there is no question of honor or truth, only  punishment for those who speak out, who seek the truth, and so General Tecuba was punished. 

 Other generals whith whom he has served who were his personal friends turned against him because he sought the truth in  his investigation.  How on earth have we supported, elected, and sustained such cowardly, conscienceless liars in the White House and the Pentagon?  How did we come to this and what do we do about it?

National polling has Clinton starting to pull away from the field of candidates. These numbers at this point in time are worth little, although they do reflect name recognition and may indicate the power of Clinton’s campaign machine.

Second quarter fund raising numbers come out at the end of the month. Rumblings planted in the press suggest that Obama will outpace his competition, essentially mirroring Howard Dean’s accomplishment in 2003. The comparison’s not precise, because Dean was truly under the national radar in June 2003 before online supporters unexpectedly kicked his fund raising into another gear. Will this be Obama’s sleepless summer?

 How did we come to this and what do we do about it?

Elect Dennis Kucinich. He'll cut the Pentagon and the Military-Industrial complex down to size. We don't have to spend more tha everyone else combined on defence to be secure. And we've been shown dramatically, that no matter how large our armed forces, we can't rule the world.

If Democrats nominate Clinton, or Obama, they'll get what they deserve...........

Hi Huron John,

I think that would be one way, and I agree with Dennis Kucinich, did even when Howard was running but thought that he just couldn't get elected.

Frankly, I really want to see Bush impeached and indicted and imprisoned.  How are we ever going to establish accountability otherwixe?  What will it take to hold leaders accountable for the crimes they commit?  Are we too cowardly as a people to demand that our leaders follow the law, that the president defend and support the Constitution?  What are we made of as a people? 

Pat in Colorado
Thu, 06/21/07
9:36 am

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hi Pat,

Just a few lines to say that your son should not feel anything less of himself if thats the case.

Im sure he has recieved a great education and invaluable training in several fields uncommon to conventional schooling. Lifes greatest lessons lay ahead and will be learned.

Perhaps, somewhere down the road we wil be a better and people out of all of this.

cheers

Hey Pat,
welcome back.

You just reminded me, with all the dirt I'm clean off my monitor, I suspect there's a good bit under the keys. I should grab the can of air and blow them out, too.

I have a construction site across from me and with the dryness and wind here, I get SWIRLS of dirt on everything.


______________________

John 14. absolutely correct.

John wrote "If Democrats nominate Clinton, or Obama, they'll get what they deserve."

What is it your predicting they'll get?

AWESOME!!!

Didn't know about this.  Wish I was able to do that.   Good luck all!

On June 21st, 2007, people from across the country will be gathering at Millennium Park, Chicago to begin an 800-mile march to Washington, DC. They will demand an immediate withdrawal of US Troops from Iraq and the impeachment of those leaders who oppose it...

If you are interested in joining the march or belong to a group that would be interested in hosting the march along the route, please see the websites below:

Map of the march route:

http://marchofthepeople.org/route.php

Page for those who would like to march:

http://marchofthepeople.org/march.php

Page with the requirements of/suggestions for hosting a rest stop:

http://marchofthepeople.org/images/RestStop_Checklist.pdf

Page for those who would like to host a rest stop:

http://marchofthepeople.org/cgi-bin/comments_enter.cgi?host

 

Thanks Michael Ellis, for your good words. 

My son Dan revered the army, believed in the ideals of honor and truth, protection of people and country, and the education was a good one.  He resigned his commission about five years ago.

I think there are various personalities and temperaments who need the kinds of structure the military can provide.  I also think there is a strong sense of wanting to protect and live honorbly.  The generals in Seymour Hersh's report are deplorable.  The collusion and secrecy behind torture and detainment, as I mentioned, are reminiscent of the worst kind of dictatorship.

These people in the article, both civilian politicians and military come off as greedy, cowardly, authoritarian, without ethics, without conscience, desiring only to protect themselves.  They are insiders of the most despicable kind.

I guess in my anger and sorrow I can't even find the words to express how wrong this all is.

BBL 

Hi LInda in SFNM,

I wrote a message, and somehow, it disappeared.  It may show up, who knows?

With respect to computers, I didn't realize that the magnetic fields attract dust and other particles.

I have come to think of my computer as a portal to the world, and really, I can't think of any other tool more revolutionary than the Internet and computers.  They may allow us to save ourselves.

BBL 

21.  Pat, I so agree.  When you think of the communities it connects you to, the information you are able to obtain and the work that you can do, all from one computer...amazing.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE! 

Finally a medical explanation for Bush.............................

Dehydration does not only happen to athletes. Anyone can lose too many

fluids. This can happen even while doing everyday tasks such as

mowing the lawn or even playing on the beach. Signs of severe

dehydration include nausea, inability to speak clearly, confusion and

high body temperature. Keep your body fluids at a proper level. Drink

enough fluids to make up what you lose before, during and after any

activity where you sweat heavily.

23. Mike, absolutely and another ingredient to dehydration is alcohol. I bet he has experience with that.


People in Arizona dehydrate alot. Hot and dry.


Sadly, one of my cousin's is currently in a wheel chair, can't move her legs and has trouble with her speech. The Doctors said it is not a stroke or anything else that caused it but SEVERE DEHYDRATION. This happened on a trip from Phoenix to Dallas, her legs got week and couldn't move them and the rest is now history. I really can't believe it. They're putting her in therapy, but I don't know where this all will head.

Pat,

 I think they actually meant to say static fields attract dust and stuff into computers, not magnetic fields.  Magnetic fields would attract iron filings.

Of course, if your computer space is full of iron filings, I stand corrected, 

Six Nobel Peace Prize Recipients Oppose Iraqi Oil Law
Submitted by davidswanson on Wed, 2007-06-20 21:43. Media
The Nobel Womens Initiative
In support of the Iraqi people, in opposition to the Iraq oil law
While the Bush administration has repeatedly claimed that the war in
Iraq is not about oil, U.S. oil corporations are poised to take
control over the 115 billion barrels of known oil reserves - 10
percent of the world total. The Bush administration's proposed new oil
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=nod...

25.

rich^kolker
Thu, 06/21/07
10:44 am



Of course, if your computer space is full of iron filings, I stand corrected,



ROFLMAO

I once took an Air Force physiological training course, and among the subjects was dehydration.

They told us "if you're thirsty, you're already a quart low," so drink even if you don't think you're thirsty. 

Also, for those of us who live in humid climes, a trip to an arid area may make us think we're not losing fluids because we don't feel "sweaty."  What's happening is the seat is evaporating quickly, so we need to be particularly careful in dry conditions. 

Finally, a rough guide to hydration is your urine, which should be close to clear if you're fully hydrated.

A useful topic for the first day of summer. 

I have a question and would appreciate the benefit of people’s honest perspectives on it. Excluding some of the more radical and daring policy proposals of Kucinich and Gravel, can you even stick a piece of paper between the positions on most major issues of the Democratic candidates? There are a variety of approaches but, ultimately, aren’t they basically variations on the same solutions and policy objectives?

I say this because after the primary season, liberals will be asked to join ranks behind the party’s nominee. I’m sure as with Kerry, there will be objections to this and major disagreements with a lot of the candidate’s platform. Still, in history, can you recall the last Democratic administration with whose acts and policies you had no disagreement? No, because there wasn’t any.

Despite that, in the aftermath of the 2000 elections, will left leaning voters be willing to take the position that there is no substantive distinction between the candidates representing the Democratic and Republican Parties, making abstention or a third party vote a worthwhile option? I think the potential danger of this is underscored by the second Bush term.

Defend our Courts!

Please forgive the short notice, but our courts are
being infiltrated at all levels with corporatists,
yes-men, and enemies of our rights. It is critical
that we stop these confirmations because wherever we
fail to stop them we will suffer thereafter with the
ensuing tyranny of their decisions.

Bush has once again nominated a judge with dubious
credentials. In question is Leslie Southwick for the
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. And PFAW has responded
with a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Please read it for detailed background information
about this candidate:
http://media.pfaw.org/05-30-07_Southwick...
Southwick's rulings and statements show that he is not
committed to equal justice and has no place on the 5th
circuit court.
Please add your voices of concern or condemnation.
This court is particularly critical as it is a federal
appeals court. If we citizens cannot protect our
courts from right-wing ideologues, we will have
nowhere to turn for justice.
The confirmation hearing is scheduled for Thursday,
6/21, and we hope to stop this nomination in Committee
before it goes on to the full Senate, so please call
in when you get this. Even if the confirmation clears
the Committee, it still can be stopped in the Senate.
So it is not too late to voice our opposition. And all
calls and emails will be very valuable.

Senators Feinstein and Kohl in particular my be
wavering. Can you take a moment to call them and ask
that they vote against Southwick's confirmation?
Sen. Diane Feinstein (CA) (202) 224-3841
Sen. Herb Kohl (WI) (202) 224-5653

If you do call these two Senators, could you please
notify Color of Change how your call went:
http://www.colorofchange.org/southwick_c...

You can contact all the Senators in the Judiciary
Committee here:
http://judiciary.senate.gov/members.cfm

PFAW is also hoping to keep track of the number of
calls here:
http://pfaw.kintera.org/CallReport.

If you still have the time, please sign this letter:
http://actions.pfaw.org/siteapps/advocac...

And another one here:
http://civilrightscoalition.org/campaign...

Tom, why does it matter to you and why do you limit the question with exceptions, therefore limiting a response.

You yourself said numerous times, regardless of Obama positions and policies, you are supporting him for his good speech.

If those you don't care about his policies and are willing to ignore them, because he sounds good to you, well, that's pretty self explanatory.

Just got off the phone with Senator Kohl and his aid said Senator plans on opposing Southwick, he's received alot of calls that past couple of days.

Senator Feinsteins office not happy campers.

ALERT...have CALI zip code ready.

Linda wrote "Tom, why does it matter to you and why do you limit the question with exceptions, therefore limiting a response."

As I said, it’s vitally important to me in the aftermath of 2000. I have liked many of Obama’s speeches, but I don’t remember saying either that I’m supporting him, or supporting him for that reason. I thought I said that of the current candidates, I believe most in his vision and guiding principles, and that I find him the most inspiring.

I’ll repeat that I have disagreements with most Democrats, the same as other people do, the same as Josh Frank and Ralph Nader have with Howard Dean and Al Gore. For purposes of this conversation, however, I’m asking people not to get all Josh Frank on me.

A President gets two or three personal priorities. Redeeming our global standing will be one of the tasks.

If we elect Al Gore the healing would begin in November. We can expect a return to reason.

But John Edwards statement that he would close Guantanomo by executive order on Jan. 20, 2009 would be a giant step also.

Universal health care and attacking the root causes of poverty seem his other priorities besides ending the war.

I have heard Hillary speak eloquently on children's issues.

Obama seems determined to end partisan bickering on Capitol Hill and bring us all together.

as my wise retired veterinarian used to say "you can't hide your priorities to others, even if you fool yourself"

12.  

National polling has Clinton starting to pull away from the field of candidates. These numbers at this point in time are worth little...

As we found out when Howard was running. That's why I'm ignoring polls now, they make me {yawn}. Wake me up around October 2008.

Being open:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070621/ap_on_el_pr/on_the2008_trail_39

Obama makes his budget requests public

By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer

7 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Democrat Barack Obama on Thursday revealed the 113 budget items he has requested in the Senate — known as "pet projects" or "pork" in the language of budget reform — and challenged his fellow presidential candidates to do the same.

Obama's more than $300 million in earmark requests range from $33 million made along with other senators for a nationwide project to promote civics among students to $125,000 to add turn lanes and traffic lights at an intersection in rural Oregon, Ill.

"As a matter of transparency and good government, Obama thinks it's important that voters know who their candidates are, what their sources of income are and whether they have any potential conflicts," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said. "We would hope that other candidates follow suit in disclosing their earmarks as well."

Obama is the first presidential candidate to release his earmark requests. Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., is the only candidate besides Obama to release tax returns .

Earmarks are at the center of a partisan debate in Congress over ethics reform. House Republicans are demanding that Democrats live up to a promise of more openness in acting on these special projects.

...

16.

Tom Bearse
Wed, 06/20/07
10:43 am

"I’m not supporting Obama, if I’m supporting him, because of his record or even some of his policy positions."


I’m not supporting Obama, if I’m supporting him, because of his record or even some of his policy positions. Like Dean, it’s because I trust in his vision and leadership, the ideals he has stood for and espouses.

Rich #24,

I just talked to my husband about "Magnetic/static fields".  I am an idiot, of course, but the people who repaired my computer did say magnetic fields.  My husband, who is a techie, said that it's the same thing: the magnetic fields attract dust and other particles (not just iron filings), and distort.  For instance, he said, that  stereo speakers were shielded because the magnetic fields attracted particles that distorted the sound.  Cables have a braided insulation that protects the fields as well.

Now, you realize that I'm parroting to the best of my ability, the response I got from my husband and the computer people.  

This is a silly little idea I got when reading the article about the unusual research projects the Pentagon was involved in, such as the gay bomb idea.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/Story?id=329937...
My idea is, although I haven't smoked 'funny cigarettes' or even unfunny ones for many years, why don't they make a marijuana bomb? What I remember from pot smoking is that everything seems hilarious. It would be hard to aim a gun or throw a grenade if under the influence of grass, huh. Back to lurking for now.

""The worst situation is to be boring and not say anything, which is not a winning strategy. If you're authentic 100 percent of the time, you're going to make mistakes, which the media will pounce upon and distort. But you're also going to reconnect with ordinary people who make mistakes themselves every day in their lives."

Guess who said that?  Yep, Howard Dean said that.   And he sure got pounced on.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian

And he also said the netroots could spot phonies, and we can.   And if our Democrats start beating the war drums on Iran....they will lose me.  

Just got a email from MoveOn (I'll check out my plans, could be tight, since I'm working that Sat and see if can join this great cause that day and the work of Al Gore's and others):

Dear MoveOn member, 

7/7/07. That day could go down in history as the day that  turned our planet back from the edge of disaster. On 7/7/07, millions of people around the world will gather for Al Gore's Live Earth concerts to save the climate.

We've been waiting for this moment, and now you can be a part of it. Over 750 MoveOn members nationwide will open their homes to participate in the MoveOn Town Hall on the Climate Crisis and then watch the concerts. But we still need a host in Mansfield—can you step up to the plate?

The night's shaping up to be super special. We'll gather together to tune into the concerts and share ideas about how to turn the climate crisis around. And we won't just be talking about the problem, we'll get to hear from each of the Democratic presidential candidates about their plan for fixing it.

We'll invite the guests—all you need is a TV, a DVD player, and a space where people can gather. Can you share your living room on Saturday evening, July 7th so folks in Mansfield can be part of Live Earth and MoveOn's Virtual Town Hall on the climate crisis?

http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/create.html?action_id=86&id=10557-5273165-nkwGsQ&t=2

It's a great way to spend a Saturday night—with friends, making history.

...

40.

* rdorgan
Thu, 06/21/07
11:40 am

I appreciate your comment and sharing the thought, but I didn't say that, Tom did, I was merely reposting in a previous comment he made up thread a few.

March of the People, Chicago to Washington DC
http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/21265...

It’s received wisdom by now that I’m some Democratic shill or, in the estimation of some, a reactionary Republican plant. But I would like to say in my own poor defense that I was not an early supporter of Obama and did not succumb to his cult of personality until the end of last year, when I became confident from Al Gore’s statements that he did not wish to run again. I tended to think Gore would oppose Clinton if she became the prohibitive favorite, and they well may, but I believed he would throw his support to whoever her most viable primary opponent was.

These are shadows of the future, but at least some of you remember my campaign here, with Chris, to support Nancy Skinner’s attempt to unseat odious Bush petting zoo resident, Joe Knollenberg, here in Michigan’s 9th Congressional District.

I wrote an email in June 2005 to Nancy before she had made a decision to run, in which I quoted Sitka, in his guise as DeaNC, from the blog, saying ""I got my head chewed off on this blog back in 2003 or 04 for suggesting that people take a good look at Nancy Skinner before jumping on the
Barack bandwagon. Now he's gone completely over to the dark (DLC) side and we have one more DINO stabbing us in the back."

Nancy kindly replied by writing "Hi Thomas, [Ha, ha. She called me Thomas] Funny, I broke from the rest of [my] fellow opponents and endorsed Howard Dean for the presidency because I respected his courage. And many Deaniacs preferred the safety of Obama. Be careful what you asked for. Thanks for the e-mail! Nancy"

The postscript to all this is that Nancy announced at her website on 10/14/06 that Obama was endorsing her candidacy. Here is some of the press release with a link:

"US Senator Barack Obama visited Michigan Friday to rally the top of Michigan’s ticket – Governor Jennifer Granholm and Senator Debbie Stabenow. At a fundraiser in Detroit, the rising Democratic star who is often mentioned as a potential presidential candidate, offered up some strong words of support for Democratic Congressional Candidate Nancy Skinner.

"‘I first met Nancy Skinner on the campaign trail. Nancy was my one of my sharpest opponents in that race and I heartily endorse her in this race. . . . Obama’s campaign manager in that race, Jim Cauley, has been an informal advisor on team Skinner."

http://nancyskinner.mediarica.com/2006/10/16/barack-obama-and-rfk-jr-endorse-skinner/

So things evolve. I don’t feel I can hold a grudge if Nancy won’t.

I want a President that says "I represent all the people, so I will listen for the words of the voiceless; who have no office on K Street." and has a sensitivity to the effects of policies on the daily lives of the common man.

That is a tall order when you have to have access to power and money to even consider running.

Hillary made that effort at the health care hearings she held, when she gathered regular folks together to hear their stories, and shut the door in the face of those that profit on others suffering. She has the "scars to prove it". By the last couple of years her husband had totally caved to those powers and many Democrats have continued the accomodation.

I want a President who will go to the mat for the "little" people against those interests and I'm not sure Obama is made of that stuff. 

Tom -

Thanks for your comments.

I give you credit for trying to stay engaged here.

I wasn't for anyone in particular, after Howard announced in mid-Mar 04 that he was no longer running for president, and reluctantly backed my senator Kerry for prez (I still remember going over the border into NH to a Dean rally in Peterborough in early Jan 04 and while getting out of my car, saw a young woman driver, with a Kerry for Prez bumper sticker on her car, purposefully backing into the spot against the building so IMO no one would see her sticker), I thought I would never feel compelled the same way to back a candidate in the future like I did for Howard.

Well, when Barack announced in Jan this year, I was already watching him and was waiting to see if Gore would announce.

I decided not to wait anymore then and decided to get into campaigning for Barack from the get go (essentially when Hillary announced she was running), especially when I felt that I had discovered Howard not until the Fall of 03 and had felt a bit of guilt since then that if maybe I had heard of him before and had gotten involved with his campaign before the Fall 04, that my little bit might have contributed in a small way to his winning Iowa, winning New Hampshire.

Oh well, enough of history and of my story.

Hillary Booed?--awwww

Huron John
Thu, 06/21/07
9:25 am

Reply to this

What was really heinious was the fact that they had Hillary police stationed around the room to shut up any dissention.  Totally right wing tactics.

A friend tells  the story that after she shouted "Bring the Troops home"  She was tapped on the shoulder and told to show the Senator some respect.  The friend shot back, "When is the Senator going to show some respect to the 3500+ that have died and bring the rest of the troops home?"  She wasn't bothered by the thought police anymore.

47 Phil

Agreed totally on your last statement in that post

Ok, back to the salt mines for me.  will try to check in later.

Listening to Bloomberg last night, what I "heard" behind the lines is that if Republicans nominate some american taliban type from the far right with an ideological agenda other than the people's business, he will cut them off from the middle.

Gore will never run as an Independent so would have to commit by November at the latest whereas Bloomberg could wait til after super tues.  and if he did  go/no go based on the results.

I don't think he would intervene if it were Al v. Rudy

Phil wrote "I want a President who will go to the mat for the 'little' people against those interests and I'm not sure Obama is made of that stuff."

What made you think Howard Dean was? 

other than when I spell out caucus rules or the Iowa Platform for you all, remember that all of my posts are with a silent IMHO and I am on no payroll and speak for no one but myself

Obama has gained here at the expense of Hillary, which I think fair since their policy differences as Tom spelled out are hard to distinguish, so it is a popularity contest between those two.

In the end I suppose I would support either over any Republican because of the symbolism of electing Obama and his message, and the Hillary sitting behind the desk in the oval office would make mostly good decisions.

they are in the middle of the pack on my other selection criteria

phil, california farm stuff:

http://environmentalcommons.org/CA-AB541...

Howard Dean had a single message "You have the power."

give me a break, Tom, he even extended it to the pick-up drivers with the confederate flag decal

Drive-by posting. rdorgan's firsty post is most excellent!!!!!!

Carl Levin is a major disappointment. Feingold called him a flip flopper. I'm still holding out for a Feingold or Gore run in '08.

Have a great day!!!!!!

good bill mprov, should be Federal legislation, thanks

the rain has stopped here, bbl

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

mary, the staffers here all understand when I tell them I'm waiting for Gore

His topping the Wisconsin poll continued to make local news this morning on their stations

Nader to offer 'real choice' in presidential race


Simon Tisdall in Washington
Thursday June 21, 2007
Guardian Unlimited


Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader on the campaign trail in 2004. Photograph: Jeff Chiu/AP


Ralph Nader, the independent candidate blamed by many Americans for George Bush's election victory in 2000, says he is considering a run for the White House next year - even at the risk of dishing the Democrats again.

The left-of-centre Mr Nader, who made his name as a consumer rights campaigner, won only 2.74% of the national popular vote seven years ago. But his 97,448 tally in Florida is widely believed to have thwarted Democrat Al Gore, who lost the state - and the presidency - to Mr Bush by 537 votes.



Mr Nader said he knew he would be accused of acting as spoiler again if he decided to run. But it was essential that the country be offered a real choice in 2008 and it would be the Democrats' own fault if they did not win, he said.

"The two parties are still converging. I really think there needs to be more competition from outside," Mr Nader told the Politico newspaper today. "Democrats have become, over the years, very good at electing very bad Republicans. Democrats always know how to implode, how to waver, how to not be authentic.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections08/...

Phil wrote "give me a break, Tom, he even extended it to the pick-up drivers with the confederate flag decal."

Phil, I will always give you a break.  Just ask.  My question comes from the concern of others, including Keith Rosenthal who were trying to warn us that Dean was a dangerous, pro-corporation conservative who cared nothing for the interests of ordinary people.  Rosenthal wrote:

"In 2000, Anthony Pollina ran on the Progressive Party ticket against Dean in the gubernatorial race getting close to 10 percent of the vote–clearly tapping into a broader feeling among ordinary people that there was a need for a real alternative to the twin parties of the status quo. Far from being the lesser-evil in Vermont, Dean was the evil that many working and poor people in Vermont felt very tangibly. Illusions in Dean and the Democrats as a lesser-evil to the Republicans only served to mute the necessary struggles that were needed to fight against his right-wing policies.

In the end, that’s what the debate between the Democrats and Republicans comes down to. We automatically lose every time if we accept a framework for this debate that says we must, to be ‘realistic,’ always vote for the lesser of two evils– the least awful of two pro-business candidates.

"Thinking that the Democrats are any better for us than the Republicans is like thinking that the bully who pushes you down and steals your money is worse than his friend who helps you up but shares in the bully’s spoils.

"That Dean will prove to be a conservative in office of is frankly admitted by BusinessWeek, which assessed Dean’s politics this way:

"Dean had a knack for positioning himself and never lost an election. Those who know him best believe Dean is moving to the left to boost his chances of winning the nomination. ‘But if he gets the nomination, he'll run back to the center and be more mainstream,’ predicts [Vermont Republican businessman Bill] Stenger. Says Garrison Nelson, a political science professor at the University of Vermont: ‘Howard is not a liberal. He's a pro-business, Rockefeller Republican.’"

http://www.isreview.org/issues/32/dean.shtml

Let me put it in a nutshell.  All Democratic office holders have left wing critics.

Howdy Mary. Hope your house stuff is going well.


I'm off, too.


Time for a COOL change
Gore
2008

I doubt that Gore would make his decision based on who was up or down in the horse race because of the similarities noted by Tom, rather it would be on personal reasons as to where he thought he could continue to be the best citizen of the planet.

seashell

we do allow independents to caucus if they change their voter registration to Democratic when they sign in, and we have an official category of "Uncommitted", who can reserve delegate slots for later.

The Democrats hope, our countries hope, and indeed, the hope for the world.

new wellstone trainings:

http://www.wellstone.org/camp/category_p...

Hi again,

I wrote a message, and it evidently didn't post.  

On PBS tonight "Black Grace: from Canon Creek to Jacob's Pillow" a dance group composed of Maoris, Samoans, and other Pacific Islanders will perform at 7 PM Mountain time.  They bring traditional movements to ballet.  I think it should be very exciting for people who are interested in dance.

When we visited Hawaii this past winter, we went to the Polynesian Cultural Centere where we saw traditional dances.  The Maoris seem to have the fiercest, most warlike movements along with the Fijians.  The Hawaiians, to me, have the most graceful and lovely movements.  The Samoans also have a very graceful style, but they have a comedic style as well, called Fale Aitu.

All living cultures have to make transformations.  To see what the Pacific Islanders have brought to modern dance ought to be interesting and powerful.

My friend said that the military has a long history of collusion, secrecy, and keeping in-house those mistakes and egregious incidents so as not to bring dishonor on themselves.  Which, of course, brings dishonor on themselves.  Seymour Hersh in his article suggests that the policies for torture go right to the White House, which complicates things.  We have a criminal administration in this country, unlike any we have ever had before. They should be impeached, indicted, convicted, and imprisioned, and not to do so, means that we approve.

 Three cheers for Chicagoans in your march to Washington DC!

11.

Pat in Colorado
Thu, 06/21/07
9:36 am

Tell your son we all love him for serving. The motto for the Army is duty, honor, country.
They have it wrong.
The motto is really honor, duty, country because without honor it is impossible to prevent the wrongs that are so easily done by the strong on the weak.

vb wrote "Carl Levin is a major disappointment. Feingold called him a flip flopper. I'm still holding out for a Feingold or Gore run in '08."

Bill Richardson criticized Edwards for supporting Reid-Feingold because it has loopholes that allow the president to keep troops behind for training Iraqis and protecting other soldiers. The reason these complaints about liberal Democrats seem unproductive to me is because its like horses on a carousel. You can feel condescending to the horse in front of you who you think is more reactionary, but all these horses are behind you at the same time. I mean, even though Edwards and Feingold are major disappointments to him for their cowardice on Iraq, isn’t Bill Richardson a major disappointment to people? I heard he was. What’s worse, you have the Keith Rosenthal and Josh Frank horses cantering behind you.

Did Dean speak at the TBA conference?   I have seen videos of most everyone else.  I went to the TBA site and no mention of his event.

Let me put THIS in a nutshell.

ALL officeholders have critics.

Criticism is not valid on its face, but neither is it invalid.  Not all criticism "is created equal", and the argument "X was criticized who you supported, now Y is criticized by you who is 'like X', therefore your criticism of Y is invalid" is not a valid argument.  It assumes an equivilence of criticism, and equivilence of the topic of the criticim, and an equivilence of the situation.  None  of those are likely be true in comparing criticism of different candidates by different people in different election cycles.

More generically:

People support/vote for candidates for a variety of underlying reasons, including:

Issues (do you agree?)

Trust (do you believe what the candidate is saying?) 

History (does the candidate's CV match what you're looking for?)

Situation (does the candidate fit the times?)

Magic (is there just something about this candidate that you like?) 

68.

Tom Bearse>>>
Especially, since Richardson previously endorsed the Feingold/Reid Bill and just before making that announcement at the TBA conference to slam the candidates for their support, he tried to have his website scrubbed of the evidence of his previous support that was HIGHLIGHTED "I support the Feingold/Reid Iraq Bill", but many got copies of his page before it was scrubbed.  Ooops, looks like more disguises being dropped.

OK, really off now.

Be well all 

Rich wrote "Criticism is not valid on its face, but neither is it invalid."

I've noticed the same thing.

Pat could you link to your poem again? The link din't work for me the first time? My people bring you dance with an oumpa tuba, and no one has confused polka with ballet ; comedic style maybe with the short pants They had a show on Iowa Public last night about the resettlement of refugees from SE Asia and it brought back memories of the family of Thai Dam I sponsored. I kept touch for 20 years or so but not lately, the kids are professionals and the next generation is headed for college.

another plank of Edwards I like is the guarantee of a year of college without debt for kids of whatever economic means 

Linda wrote "Richardson previously endorsed the Feingold/Reid Bill and just before making that announcement at the TBA conference to slam the candidates for their support, . . ."

How do you like that?  Bill Richardson is a major disappointment.  Next!

Phil wrote "another plank of Edwards I like is the guarantee of a year of college without debt for kids of whatever economic means."

John Edwards did disappoint Bill Richardson, but he is terrific. 

How do the Democratic candidates do using Rich's criteria, specifically, 1) issues, 2) trust, 3)history, 4) situation  and 5) magic?

Gore will never run as an Independent so would have to commit by November at the latest

Why November? He doesn't need to waste time and money on the puny early caucuses and primaries. 

I should post one on thread comment before I go:

The Bush veto count should be up to 30 by now instead of three. Put Democratic proposals into bills that force Republican candidates to have to vote with Bush on sustaining the veto if they aren't just pretending to run from him.

I don't see how this guy can have it both ways -- isn't the reason we never got to see the transcript/guest list from the infamous energy meetings he had at the beginning of the Bush regime that he was claiming it fell under 'executive priveilege'?

http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Cheney_tel...

Cheney tells agency that Vice President's office is not part of the executive branch
Michael Roston
Published: Thursday June 21, 2007

nothing puny about Florida or California, Sitka, and to get delegates there is a legal process for getting on the ballot, which allocate delegates, nearly half of which will be decided in three weeks

people tune out around the holidays, but the nations families travel and talk over them and I sure wouldn't want to miss that word of mouth opportunity

Everyone knows the story of the progressive political science professor and activist from Minnesota who rocked the political world by winning a long-shot race for the U.S. Senate 17 years ago. His name was Paul Wellstone

Now another progressive political science professor and activist is seeking to rock the political world in next Tuesday’s (June 26) Special Election for U.S. Congress from Southern California. His name is Peter Mathews.

Peter is not your typical politician. He’s a PDA activist who would immediately join the Out of Iraq and Progressive Caucuses, and would immediately become a co-sponsor of HR 508 for Iraq withdrawal, HR 676 for single-payer Medicare for All, and H Res 333, Articles of Impeachment against Cheney.

What Peter Mathews needs NOW is phone-banking into the district. Please help PDA help Peter by making a generous donation today to PDA (mark “Matthews” in the Special Fund Drive box near top of donate form).

And volunteer today to do virtual phone-banking by contacting PDA California coordinator Dr. Bill Honigman at DrBill@pdamerica.org. Dr. Bill will provide you with phone numbers and a script.

PDA is generating phone calls into the multi-racial Long Beach/Carson/Compton district. Peter is a well-known activist in the area. He’s of Indian descent, and speaks fluent Spanish. PDA has endorsed him, as have national progressive leaders.

So donate now to PDA in support of our Mathews work. And volunteer for Mathews by contacting Dr. Bill at DrBill@pdamerica.org

Everyone can pitch in during these final days.

In peace,

Tim Carpenter
National PDA Director

nothing puny about Florida or California

I wasn't referring to those states. In fact, it's the filing deadlines for those two which should determine when Gore would announce his candidacy. 

He doesn't need to worry about people tuning in at the right time because his announcement would cause instant media saturation. And by waiting until Hillary knocks off Obama and the other pretenders he would be the alternative who their supporters could rally around against her.

Hi,

Dog Soldier #65, thank you.

Phil,  #71 I think you would like New Verse News, an online political poetry site.  Here's the link:

News http://www.newversenews.com

My poem on July 15th can be found on the left sie of the screen, To-Do List. 

Really, have to go do some work now.  Fun and interesting being here as always. 

Cheney tells agency that Vice President's office is not part of the executive branch

A branch unto himself -- with more priviliges than a real presdent. 

Impeach him, DCDem wimps. It's not like you're going to get anything else done with Bush and the GOP senators obstructing everything anyway.

Did Dean speak at the TBA conference?   I have seen videos of most everyone else.  I went to the TBA site and no mention of his event.

___________________

Yes Howard was the very last speaker at the TBA conf. and he was a hit.

As we waited for him to be introduced I stood up from my seat in the front row. I looked between the speakers and there was Howard talking to someone. He looked around at me and I waved. He gave me a big Howard smile and said 'Hello". When he came to the podium, he was met with a 5 minute standing ovation.

As every one sat down I yelled "we love you Howard". Over half the audience piped in the same.

Howards message was about morality. That no matter what you are "republican or democrats". Morals should be the same.

I will put the video up when it is posted.

This was great, here is the video from Jason Alexander. who spoke on "Who took America?"

Funny but serious too.

Enjoy.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3316129511262190332&hl=en

The TBA speeches can be seen at www.ourfuture.org.

I also stayed for the Politico news conference with the Greenberg polling group.

Obama was first and Edwards was second.

Only 40% of the attendees voted for this straw poll.

I got to the Hillary speech about 15 minutes early. My friends had saved seats in the first row.

The area in front of the stage was blocked off and secret service was all ove the place.

She was booed by Code Pink who made complete asses of themselves. Even at Nancy Pelosi's speech, when she talked about Iraq and Darfur , which was a hot topic, there they were, in front of the audience, wanting the media attention. They lost me.

I didn't think Hillary's speech was well thought out. She was on appeasment central (gee who would have thunk it).

The only "media" I saw there was John KIng from CNN. But I was so busy I may have just not seen them.

I thought the best speeches I heard were from John Edwards, who was very direct and specific. The best received were Barack Obama and Howard Dean.

The best workshops were the Katrina one and the executuve branch one with joe wilson and john podesta.

New thread.

How do the Democratic candidates do using Rich's criteria, specifically, 1) issues, 2) trust, 3)history, 4) situation  and 5) magic?

Fair question.

I can only answer for me, that none of the current candidates do very well on my personal scoresheet.  A few comments...

I really like John Edwards on issues.  He sold me on issues with his talk at DFest, particualrly talking about providing free (for 10 hours a week of work) college tuition and books for anyone who gets into college, public funding and universal health care.  Where Edwards has big problems with me is trust.  I just get the feeling he's picking most of his positions to get the nomination, and would back off if selected/elected.

Hillary Clinton doesn't work for me at all. She's a card carrying member of the corporate wing and sponsored a bill to outlaw flag burning, which for a 1st Amendment near-absolutist like me is a killer.  Then there's her trying to have it both ways on Iraq.  I'm willing to forgive a lot that happened between 2001-2004, but unlike most others, I think she still believes in the war in Iraq and would keep us there, no matter what she says today.

Obama is magic on the stump, but look at his votes in Congress and you see a conventional member of the corporate wing.  There's a little tinge of artiface there too.  He plays Gen X but is really a baby boomer (albeit the tail end) and I don't appreciate his badmouthing the boomer generation.  He's trying to hard to overcome being the first "serious" African American candidate (I don't think JJ would like that description...he won primaries) by being painfully conventional.

Richardson has the resume and this is the right time to have someone who's not learning on the job, but he and I disagree on too many issues for me to give him early support.

Dennis Kucinich, although I respect his positions on issues, has shown he can't summon the magic.

I like Mike Gravel, but he's dead wrong on taxes.  A national sales tax is regressive, painfully so.  We need to fix the tax code, but not on the backs of the middle and working classes.

I have opinions on the other candidates too, but why would you care :-)?

When this process started, I was hoping either Gary Hart and/or Russ Feingold would get in. 

Hart has spent the time since his last campaign getting a Doctorate from Oxford and writing some of the most insiteful books and articles on America's role in the world and the government's role in America, as well as serving on the commission that warned us about terrorism before 9/11.  Hart would have changed the subject of debate in this country, win or lose, had he run.

Russ Feingold is known to most here.  Campaign finance reformer, against the Iraq war from the beginning, Feingold has an ability to communicate that crosses party lines.  He is missed.   Russ, there's still time to get in.

Was Howard really at TBA, or was it something we imagined?

I'm sure that whatever Dean had to say, it was worth more than whether one corp. hack was booed, and another was flip flopping, and still another was hiding behind a slim majority as an excuse to not lead.

I've heard enough from them for now, and enough about the rehashed anti Dean propaganda from the past. I decided on that long ago.

Right now I would like to hear from the Gov.

If they nominate Obama they WILL get what they deserve.  A uniter, not a divider, with strong policies for a better America.  They will get out of Iraq, have Universal Health Care that works, and a President with the background and life experiences to lead them in an increasingly shrinking world.  A President that will restore America's forgotten status as a beacon of hope in the world.

 They will get what they deserve.  A President we can all be proud of.

Thanks, Linda, will be watching.   Not a word about it anywhere. 

I hope he makes it out alive of the meeting with our Fliorida congressmen.  Hey Bill Nelson cares about something finally...being one of the first states to vote.  He has blasted dean on this.

He did not mind the war, or cutting taxes to the rich, or the bankruptcy bill....but he sure wants that early vote. 

He thinks only Florida gets to break the rules.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1345

Just a clarification, my #93 is in response to #'s 14 + 19 :)