The New York Football Giants are.........................first.

A new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg national poll shows Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the Democratic presidential race with 42%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama at 33% and John Edwards at 11%. Just last month, Clinton had a 24 point lead which has now dwindled to nine points.

Interesting finding: "Three out of five supporters of each candidate say they would like Clinton or Obama, if nominated, to choose the other as a running mate."

by Ed Kilgore, January 23, 2008 12:21 PM EST

There is a new and (no matter whom you support) disturbing CW dominating analysis of the Democratic nominating contest at the moment. It's that Obama is becoming the "black candidate," repelling the white and brown voters who will determine the ultimate outcome. Indeed, this point of view is feeding the Clinton campaign's efforts to downplay an expected Obama win in South Carolina this Saturday. After all (suggest the pundits, not the Clintons), SC is just about black folks, who won't matter down the road. Typically, Dick Morris is the bluntest in publicly presenting this point of view, but I can tell you, it's endemic in the DC chattering classes.

Totally aside from the corrosive effect of such race-based political assumptions--including the planted axiom that white and Latino voters don't want to be on the same bandwagon as African-Americans--they strike me as a being over-simplistic from even a cold, amoral perspective. Here's a new flash for the punditocracy: there are African-Americans who live in states other than South Carolina.

A case in point: the most under-discussed story about the Nevada Caucuses was that (according to the entrance polls) the African-American vote was a large as the Latino vote. Among the latter, it was widely reported that Clinton won by a little better than two-to-one. But among the former, Obama won by better than five-to-one. And lest we forget, Clinton was running even with or even ahead of Obama among African-Americans nationally until very recently.

http://www.slate.com/id/2182569#obamaescape

How Obama Can Escape from the Ghetto: I thought Margaret Carlson was out on a very shaky limb a few years ago last Thursday when she wrote that Obama had lost the essence of his candidacy as the first black man to run as himself. Once the race card is on the table, no matter who puts it there, it's impossible to put it back up anyone's sleeve. Obama may look back on the first two weeks of 2008 as the time when he lost the nomination to Clinton.

Now the idea that Obama has been "ghettoized" as the "black" candidate has become the accepted template for the campaign--even the point that a win in hotly contested South Carolina on Saturday is seen as actually hurting Obama because (in Dick Morris' analysis) [w]atching blacks block vote for Obama will trigger a white backlash that will help Hillary win Florida and to prevail the week after.

TEST s/b 4

Dean is first!

Personally, I really object to the author's choice of the word, "ghettoized".

Gratuitous racism.  Sheez. 

the Rovian adage is "attack where you are weakest", so a Clinton campaign that has so completely relied on the gender bias wants to innoculate itself against the charge that she doesn't appeal to men voters

thus the race riff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28baJIanXIw

dang

I should have seized on bloggie kicking my posts upward and said Howard Dean is first.

If John Edwards pulls off an upset and beats Clinton in South Carolina for second it is a whole new Super Bowl, Mike, and the Giants aren't the only longshots making a return

The final SurveyUSA poll in the South Carolina Democratic primary shows Barack Obama on his way to a win, but it's one marked by racial polarization. Obama has 43%, Hillary Clinton 30%, and John Edwards 24%. Only 18% of black respondents said they'd vote for Hillary, and only 21% of whites preferred Obama.

Pollster.com analysts Mark Blumenthal and Charles Franklin are giving their final takes on the SC polling. Franklin's word of caution to Obama fans is particularly noteworthy: "Obama has appealed to white voters in previous primaries and caucuses. The pre-election polls have found him getting as low as 10% of the white vote in South Carolina. The potential for racial polarization in this Southern state could damage his ability to transcend race as a basis of voting."

Well, let's hope people just have to get it out of their systems and see how other people react.

That, after all, is what it's about--acceptable social attitudes.  If it's not acceptable to be exclusive, people won't. 

I like the Giants game too Mike.

How many more times do pollsters have to get it wrong to lose credibility?  Or maybe we're seeing the birth of a new national passtime--fool the pollsters.  LOL

the Rovian adage is "attack where you are weakest"

Wrong again.....

For those who saw BUSH'S BRAIN, the Swift Boat Ads came as no surprise. They were vintage Rove. You attack your opponent's strength, not his weakness. And you cast deep shadows of doubt -- which can't be refuted in time for the election. 

 The Directors of BUSH'S BRAIN

http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB207/index.htm

even the point that a win in hotly contested South Carolina on Saturday is seen as actually hurting Obama

That was being pushed here a few days ago. That slimey stuff keeps overflowing onto this blog like backed up sewage. 

Almost everyone has heard about Hurricane Katrina's toll on the
residents of New Orleans. But Gulf Coast trees also took a wallop.
Hundreds of millions of trees were destroyed or badly damaged and have
become an unexpectedly large contributor to global warming, according to
new research.


http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17814049&ft=1&f=100

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

unexpected negative feedback loops aren't even in most global warming models

lol, Monica.  The pollsters and pundits haven't had the best of scores this primary.

http://gesterling.wordpress.com/2006/11/...

Report: LA Times to Be Split Off and Sold

According to Editor & Publisher, citing several sources, the Tribune Co. is now open to selling the LA Times separate from the rest of the company:

The intrigue surrounding the troubled Tribune Co. continues to swirl. How else to explain news that L.A. mogul David Geffen sold a Jackson Pollock painting last night for a record price — about $140 million — was taken as further evidence that he intends to buy the Los Angeles Times any week now. Recently he sold two other classic paintings for $143.5 million.

Indeed, with bids for the mammoth Tribune Co. coming in far lower than expected, the media giant is telling prospective bidders that individual pieces are now available for sale, according to published reports.

That’s probably good news for the LA Times, which is currently engaged in trying to figure out a longer term digital strategy. The purported synergies of print and online newspaper and local TV affiliate ownership never materialized for Tribune, which has been subject to a highly publicized internal board fight about the future of the LA Times. Most recently the Tribune Co. fired the LA Times’ publisher Jeff Johnson who supported an editor refusing to make editorial cutbacks Tribune ordered.

The Giants can't be first as shown on this blog...endorsed by Clinton too...phew!

Keith now.  JE climbing fast in last three days.

Go, John.

Sea, thanks for posting that.  I'm a dance with the one that brung ya kinda gal and bailing on JRE doesn't feel right.  At the same time, I'd sure like to feel that I was voting in an historic "first" type of election.  I'm troubled!

Caveat emptor

Res ipsa loquitir

The corporate media speaks for itself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sky_Is_...

How many more times do pollsters have to get it wrong to lose credibility?

It's like the gambloholic when who got into a crap game with crooks. When he found out the dice were loaded he kept playing because it was the only game in town.

Jeez, the segment about super delegates is disgusting.  And who are they going to endorse?  The progressive or the corporate candidates?  Bets, anyone?

And Phil, why are you a delegate for Obama?  Please tell us  how many super delegates there are and why they can go against their state?  Looks to me like the dem party is not gonna let the people choose the nominee. 

Everything is upside down.

Phil Specht
Fri, 01/25/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Ill be posting my in depth Super Bowl preiction next week, but I think the Giants are in a great position...................NE,s playoff games have exposed them to not be invincible, where the Giants have basically outplayed each of their opponents 10fold...................

Edwards................if theres anything Ive learned about American politics............never count anybody out................

*** cChalfonte***
Fri, 01/25/08
____________________________________________________________________________

Dont worry....................ObaM is going to unite us all into a utopian world of peace, love and.........wow. lol

Reed in VT
Fri, 01/25/08
___________________________________________________________________________

Yeah..........but Romney likes the patriots...................pass the toilet roll please.

Please tell us  how many super delegates there are and why they can go against their state?

You can ask Phil, who's often dead wrong, or you can let someone else look it up for you........ 

The 2008 Democratic National Convention, where the Democratic presidential ticket is formally agreed upon, has 796[2] superdelegates, although the number is not final until March 1, 2008. Superdelegates to the Democratic Convention include all Democratic members of the United States Congress, Democratic governors, various additional elected officials, as well as members of the Democratic National Committee.[3] A list of superdelegates can be found here.

A candidate needs a simple majority of the combined delegate and superdelegate votes to secure the nomination. Democratic delegates from state caucuses and primaries number 3,253. This means that the total number of votes is 4,049. The total number of delegate votes needed to win the nomination is 2,025.[2] Superdelegates account for approximately one fifth (19.6%) of all votes at the convention. Delegates chosen in the Democratic caucuses and primaries account for approximately four fifths (80.4%) of the Democratic convention delegates.[2][4] Note: All numbers in this section assume that Michigan and Florida's delegates are not counted per current Democratic National Committee rules. If those rules are changed before or during the convention, the numbers above will change as appropriate.

The Democratic Party is often criticized during election cycles for conducting primary elections in a non-democratic fashion, since superdelegates are appointed by the party and not obligated to support the candidate chosen by the voters. There have been repeated calls to eliminate the superdelegates from the primaries to more accurately reflect the popular vote and lessen the party's control over the nomination process. [5]

( The Republican Party does not have superdelegates. There are 123 delegates, members of the Republican National Committee, however it constitutes a much smaller portion of the vote.[1])

It sucks when the Republican Party is more democratic than the Democratic Party. 

Michael, lol.  Well, unity, peace and love are noble goals, you've got to admit:)

Ill be posting my in depth Super Bowl preiction next week

if theres anything Ive learned about American politics..
>
The guy talks as if he was not born and bred here.

Michael, lol.  Well, unity, peace and love are noble goals, you've got to admit:) 

The candidates who supported the worst of Bush (and their supporters) have nothing of substance to attack Obama with.

Wow, the blog is boned, again.
8:45EST

I'm a dance with the one that brung ya kinda gal and bailing on JRE doesn't feel right.

He reminds me of The Picture Of Dorian Gray.

*** cChalfonte***
Fri, 01/25/08
____________________________________________________________________________

Noble yes.........but not realistic.........thats why the Republicans win more elections...........

The way i see it for Democrats, if you want to win the battle go for Obama..if you want to stand  a chance at the war..........vote for Edwards.  Thats politics...............

Tuesday | July 29, 2003

Delegate counts, super delegates
I have seen periodic questions about the delegate allotments for the Democratic National Convention. Here they are. ...full post: http://www.dailykos.net/archives/003574....

---

Unveiling the "They"

http://www.democrats.org/page/community/...

---

Super Delegates = Banana Republic Rules

http://www.democrats.org/page/community/...

---

Superdelegate Endorsement List

http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/...

Edwards plays the "southern guy" card........ again.......

“Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama have brought their New York- and Chicago-style politics to South Carolina. Fighting with each other, tearing each other down,” Edwards said at a campaign stop in Greenville. “But South Carolina’s better than that, and you deserve better than that.”

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_convention_delegate_process_explained

The Convention Delegate Process Explained -- Why can't Obama run ads in Florida? Who gets to be a superdelegate? And what exactly is a brokered convention? We take you inside the secret world of delegates and the nomination process.   

Brokered conventions (where no candidate arrives with a majority of the delegates) are predicted every four years, and every four years they don't actually happen. However, it does seem likely this year that we'll, at the very least, see a closer result than any since 1980 or even 1968. We might not even know who will win until the convention gets underway. Edwards could act as a kingmaker by throwing his delegates to Clinton or Obama and putting him or her over the top (his delegates would not be required to follow his instructions, but they will likely be personally loyal to him). Or, unelected superdelegates could throw the nomination to a candidate who comes in second in pledged delegates. Even if the result is known at the start of the convention, it might not be determined until June or July.

Despite the importance of the convention, the actual rules that cover delegate selection and behavior are obscure even to seasoned political watchers. While some of the rules are too complicated to get into even here (there are, for instance, actually three different ways pledged delegates are selected), what follows is a brief overview of the Democratic convention process: where the delegates come from, how they will be assigned, and what the process will look like from now until August. 

(More at the link--interesting.  I didn't know about this process at all) 

35.

Sitka
Fri, 01/25/08


Edwards is a Southern Guy and charming. But not because of good looks. He was raised in a loving family.

since superdelegates are appointed by the party

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

that

The way i see it for Democrats, if you want to win the battle go for Obama..if you want to stand  a chance at the war..........vote for Edwards.  Thats politics...............

Your polling is way out of date. Hillary and Obama are dead even with McCain. They don't even bother including Edwards any more.

And polling 11 months from the election is meaningless anyway. 

Edwards is a Southern Guy and charming.

The last thing we need in the South is somebody like you coming down and telling us what we need to do.

Really charming. 

superdelegates are not appointed by the party they have won elections to that job through other paths some receiving hundreds of thousands of votes

Any opinion from that side is roll worthy Mike...

39.

Sitka
Fri, 01/25/08


I heard him say that on C-SPAN. He sounded very charming and the local folks loved it!

superdelegates are not appointed by the party they have won elections to that job through other paths some receiving hundreds of thousands of votes

Phil greatest asset to this blog is that he'll always tell you exactly what the party insiders think their inherent rights are. 

And Phil, why are you a delegate for Obama?

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

my son wants to go to Denver and I am holding a spot for him at the County Convention, while winning the concession from the Obama folks that they need a progressive delegate favorable to Edwards

and I think a Clinton nomination would be a disaster in November, but even more so in the years to come if she wins

you too can be a super delegate  ... run for the US Senate and win

I heard him say that on C-SPAN. He sounded very charming and the local folks loved it!

When he goes up north, people don't like him for some reason. 

9:18EST

you too can be a super delegate  ... run for the US Senate and win

You too can be a disenfranchised voter -- be a Democrat. 

Giving politicians 20% of the delegates is shameful to the "Democratic" Party. 

the dem party is not gonna let the people choose the nominee. 

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

the people choose the President, and the Party chooses its nominee for the General Election ballot and we are in the Party part of that process

and I think a Clinton nomination would be a disaster in November, but even more so in the years to come if she wins

And her senate record is the virtually the same as Edwards'. Connect the dots.

the people choose the President, and the Party chooses its nominee for the General Election ballot and we are in the Party part of that process

Phil reveals is anti-democracy side once again. But they should just change the name of it to the Politicians' Party. 

Giving politicians 20% of the delegates is shameful to the "Democratic" Party. 

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

the shame !!!!

 politicians have a part in politics

Really charming.
>
Good dis', Sitka.
Arn't ya just sick and tired of those a-holes in the south who toss that line. Makes ya wanna go back in time and execute the treasonous. They are near treasonous today.
Oh well, that's my rant and a goal for the time machine.

I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?

Say that 10 times :)

Anyone posting this - Fri, 01/25/08 - without a timestamp included is an idiot.

the shame !!!!

 politicians have a part in politics

Phil loves the backroom wheeling and dealing, but it belies the very label of the "Democratic" Party. Let them be chosen as committed delegates like everyone else.

I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?
I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?
I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?
I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?
I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?
I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?
I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?
I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?
I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?
I wonder if Obama listens to Bananarama?

9:32EST

Thanks for the delegate info, cC
~ ~ ~ ~

ROFL... men and football! Really, you'd like a team or not because some politician likes or dislikes them? I know you're just kidding, the real way to choose a team to root for is their uniform colors.
~ ~ ~ ~

hey Paine, you were right about that picture. but of course :-)

39. On Southern "Charm" 
Touche'
I saw it and heard it.
First in a continuing and unbroken line of disappointments from JE.

from my point of view the "politicians" as sitka calls the super delegates that are elected officials are closer to "democratically" elected than pledged delegates who are "allocated" by primary votes

and if the nomination isn't sewed up by July expect a draft Al Gore movement to resurrect

he is the un-named fourth candidate in the three person current race

oops ~ 9:33 pm est

Let them be chosen as committed delegates like everyone else.
~~~~~~~~~~~~

and they would all win seats, so what would that prove?

a random few might be less popular inside the party than with the voters if they are elected officials and if they are party officials already have won inside the party votes

mainly just a way to save time during the delegate selection process

from my point of view the "politicians" as sitka calls the super delegates that are elected officials are closer to "democratically" elected than pledged delegates who are "allocated" by primary votes

If you don't call them "politicians" it just shows how far gone and in their pocket you are. And all I'm saying is that having 20% of the delegates who can wheel and deal and "sell" their votes before the first ballot even happens in undemocratic and unworthy of the party's name. 

8:38 CST

47.

Sitka
Fri, 01/25/08

I grew up in Indiana. He's charming and Elizabeth Edwards is equally as so. Lots of Northern and Central Californian folks think so too.

the Democratic Party outlaws "loyalty oaths" so every delegate is a "super delegate" in a sense in that nothing holds a single one to a particular candidate going in

you were right about that picture.
>
I'll take your word for it, Thankful

Let's see...this post should be 74

Thankful...lol...I don't like any politician attaching themselves to a team. When I was a kid I liked the Vikings because the helmets had horns on them...go figure ; )

My posts get buried way upthread so no one will prolly see this anyway but to those who don't like the present state primary schedule...the chair of our county committee came up with this and the same Rep. who introduced the break bill for me introduced this resolution.

http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.c...

regional primaries...more people get to have a say yet the unknown candidate still has a chance.

Now gotta hit the hay...two meetings tomorrow up north.

74 was 74...I knew I should've played the lottery today...dang!

Paine...LOL

Thanks I needed that :)

6:51 PT rainy California time

9:54

Edwards was one of the two Presidential candidates who actually showed up at Democracy Fest 2007 in NH. He was gracious even though our folks gave him some very tough questions to answer. Which was to be expected. He graciously answered them all and stay in the halls to talk to as many of our folks as possible. Which could have been more considering the high numbers of DFA members.

First in a continuing and unbroken line of disappointments from JE.

>
Good point. Hit the nail on the head with that one. Ya, and he was so freaking weak in the '04general

Write a comment
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78.

Denise
Fri, 01/25/08

We actually had snow in Coarsegold this week. Climate change.

76. very funny cuz 74/73 is back to being 74.

Hey Denise :-)

79. Agreed

10:00 pm est

I don't think Gov. Dean would have said what he did if he had been on a visit the south.

85.

Susan Rowe
Fri, 01/25/08


the south. s/b to the south.

CELTICS WIN!

http://www.clubceltics.com/wp-content/up...

7:04 PST - Bitter cold in the San Juans. About 24 degrees. We're expecting snow in a couple of days. I thought I left that behind in Colorado.

http://www.nba.com/celtics/

Romneys ex-aide busted on sex offender charges.

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

7:08 PST

Ooohh...you got a bit of the white poweder, eh Susan? Nice

Tomorrow I'm headed to San Diego for a week. Packing now.

Hey there Thankful - hard to see you with the bouncy bounce :)

Post Topic: Vote for Bill


Bill Hedrick for Congress, 44th District, California

Back to candidates Background: A native of Los Angeles, Bill was born in 1952. The son of a Teamster and a teacher, both from the South, he absorbed the lessons of hard work, common sense, and tolerance modeled by his parents. After church, Sunday dinner table conversation always centered around current events, politics in general, and the Democratic Party. Through annual summer visits to east Texas, he learned first-hand the value of tradition, but also the human cost of segregation and poverty. The contrast between middle class Los Angeles and the deep poverty of the rural South left an indelible impression on him and a desire to change the world one student at a time.

A product of public schools, Bill received his BA in Social Science and MA in Education from CSULA. He began teaching elementary school in Hollywood in1974, and has spent 33 years in education in Southern California, the last eight years serving as president of the Rialto Education Association, an NEA/AFL-CIO affiliate. Bill’s particular area of expertise has been working with English language learners, and early in his career, he traveled to Mexico to learn Spanish to better communicate with his students and their parents.

In November 1988, Bill was elected to the Board of Education of the 51,000 student Corona-Norco Unified School District. He has served four terms as president of the Board, representing 250,000 residents of the 44th district, and deals with an annual budget in excess of $400,000,000.

Upon election he immediately set to work to expand choices for students and families. In doing so, he was instrumental in the adoption and/or expansion of AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), IB (International Baccalaureate), Dual Immersion (English-Spanish), JROTC (Navy, Air Force), and a host of other options to provide support for students.

Student safety is foremost for Bill. In the wake of a tragic off-campus incident charged with racial overtones, he championed district efforts to develop a comprehension response, including tolerance education, enhanced safety measures, and a comprehensive district plan that values diversity.

Bill demanded an aggressive response from the District to news that toxic vapors were present at a district high school, most likely caused by a contaminated ground water plume. He doggedly pursued remediation despite strong opposition•a fight that continues to this day. He has also worked to create a “green” high school to be uniquely situated in a recovered quarry.

Bill and his wife of 27 years, Beth, have lived in Corona since 1981, and have five children. Their son Adam, a soldier with the 3rd ID, is currently serving a second Iraqi deployment east of Baghdad. Son Jesse served in Baquba with the 1st ID before suffering a near-fatal “heat event,” while his wife, Evelyn, is an army convoy driver in Baghdad, also serving a second tour. Sarah is an apprentice electrician, and Zach and Rebekkah are students.

85. (or thereabouts) I think he would have ~

Dang!  I don't know where I got this...from one of the clickies from cC I think.  Thank you.  This delegate/super delegate thing is alarming and Keithie is starting to focus on it.  :-)  I didn't know any of this...and super del. can cast 2 votes!   Looking at that monstrous list of delegates, it looks like HC has it sewn up.    So we have dems that are not doing what we elected them to do, choosing a nominee who will, if elected, not do what we want them to do.

Time for another country? 

****************\

"Of course we will never hear it--at least not on mainstream media, but it would be interesting to hear all those who are still running for president to defend the super delegate system.

I wonder what that would say?  I am certain that Kucinich and Edwards would denounce it as a system that allows the few to have control over the majority in what is supposed to be a democratic government.

But I wonder what kind of spin that Hillary and Obama would weave in its defense,or if they, like Kucinich and Edwards would condemn it for what it is:  Insurance that the upper 5% will always remain in control of our party.

Interesting to consider that Bill, unlike other citizens gets to cast not one but two votes for the president of this Nation.  One as a citizen and another as a super delegate.  Same may be said for people like Kerry.  I believe that he is a super delegate as well.  He can cast one vote in his precinct and then another as a super delegate for his candidate.

How can the superdelegate system be defended in a democracy?

It can't because it is modeled after banana republic rules, not democratic rules."

91.

Denise
Fri, 01/25/08


We sure did. It stayed around for a while too.

Reached for comment by the the Boston Herald on Friday, Romney's campaign argued that Elliott was never affiliated the campaign, only with Romney's Commonwealth PAC.

>

Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly. ...


Romney savagely cuts all ties to save himself.

I know Denise - krezzy. Have fun in SD... I'm heading up to VT tomorrow and will go see the movie premier w/ listener, et.al. on Sunday ;-D

10:18 pm est

That was being pushed here a few days ago. That slimey stuff keeps overflowing onto this blog like backed up sewage. <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I'm not pushing it, Sitka. It was a quote from Dick Morris.....nuff said.

It IS, however, what I think the Repubs will be pushing should Obama win our primary.

If Obama wins the Repubs will fuel racism, if HC wins they'll fuel mysogeny (sp?).  Whatever fear they can tap into they will. 

Nevertheless, if Obama is our candidate I'll be workin' my heart out for him. Same for Hillary.  I can't even put JRE's name in this one cuz I know it's curtains for him.   {{{ok, I said it out loud}}}  whew.

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

Aaaaccchhhhhhhh....Judy For Dean!  Our Roger lost to Djokovic!?!?!?!?!  In straight sets:( 

Time for a popular vote, but the dems surely don't want that.  Is their nominating system more corrupt than that of the repugs?  Is that possible?  It seems much more so and much more complicated.

Who's trying so hard to keep this country in the 18th century?

Did you read about the party's snit-fit over McGovern? 

Please give listener and hug for me - and anyone else I might know. Oh yes, Jo - I think she's going as well.

No beach time in SD this trip but I am going to the zoo on Thursday. Wish I had time to hook up with tc.

"'You have to consider what the audience is, and obviously these are very popular positions to take when you are in a primary where you are trying to get the progressive vote. But wait a minute -- there were opportunities to vote against the bankruptcy bill, there was an opportunity to vote against the China [trade] deal. Those are the moments where you sort of find out where somebody is. So I think, people are being taken in a little bit that now he is taking these positions.'"

cC, please don't give up on JE.  Positive energy and all that!

102. 

oh, god sea.  Just saw your post.  Sorry. 

Well I'll just say hi and bye -- heard a funny bumper sticker I think on Cafferty - "Monica Lewinsky's boyfriend's wife for President." LOL

Nitie.

S/B #105 and it's 10:23 PM ET

Positive energy and all that!
>
Let's stick with non-fiction, please. No holding out for miracles...OMG, it's a miracle! Positive energy was individually wasted on Dean, Gore...you get my drift (I could have added super K).

Oops, is the blog gunna blow-up?

I'm surprised at Feingold.  What about the war money from HC and BO...and recently? 

Why even bother to vote if the super dels will decide our future?

Some wag on TV was talking about the real possibility of a HC/BO ticket in order to unite the badly fracturing party.  

If that happens, I will be on this blog with a big  *I told you so.*  LOL 

Neither HC nor BO can win after super Tues.,...not enuf delegates.

But why continue?  Just let the super duper dudes and dudettes choose tomorrow and end this.  I need to country shop.  :-)

The blog is doing its own editing with my posts now, damnit.  I'll try that once more for readability.

"'I don't understand how somebody could vote, five or six critical votes, one way in the Senate and then make your campaign the opposite positions,' Feingold said, . . . 'That doesn't give me confidence that if the person became president that they would continue the kind of policies that they are using in the Democratic primary. I'm more likely to believe what they did in the Senate.'"

Asked to explain what precisely he found problematic, Feingold offered that Edwards had 'taken in' voters by switching positions on several key issues.

"'You have to consider what the audience is, and obviously these are very popular positions to take when you are in a primary where you are trying to get the progressive vote. But wait a minute -- there were opportunities to vote against the bankruptcy bill, there was an opportunity to vote against the China [trade] deal. Those are the moments where you sort of find out where somebody is. So I think, people are being taken in a little bit that now he is taking these positions.'"

The DNC Convention rules at time were even worst.

Truman vs. Kennedy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJeFlB1Q8...

seashell wrote "I'm surprised at Feingold."

You must have thought he was no better at spotting a phony than you.

Will do, Denise.
Howdy Annilow :-)
Ya never know ~ with positive energy adn hard work, great things have been done :-)
Hey Paine ~ where's yer time stamps? :-P

10:31 pm est

101. Tom Bearse - That's where judgment comes in IMO.

cC, we need JE as kingmaker at least.  Besides, tomorrow is still ahead of us.  Are you really switching?  To whom?

If this fighting continues, maybe Gore will do or say something. 

Nighty, night. 10:35EST

Tom....neener neener, it takes one to know one!  LOL

106.

Susan Rowe
Fri, 01/25/08


worst s/b worse

111.

Ronald Cloud
Fri, 01/25/08


I think there was a mention about gun racks too.

It's the Authenticity, Stupid!

McAncient v. Clinton

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-folma...

Hope all goes well in SD, Denise. BTW - great post for Hedrick :-) One of my votes went to him a few days ago.

Nite Paine

I'm off too, need some sleep before traveling...

♥'s to all

Kindness is free!

10:44 pm est

The latest Pew poll :

67 percent of Democrats say "protecting the environment" is a top priority, 59 percent say "dealing with energy problems" and 47 percent say "dealing with global warming."

For Republicans, those numbers are 39, 53 and 12, respectively.

Strengthening the nation's economy, in case you wondered, gets 76 percent from both.

seashell wrote "Tom....neener neener, it takes one to know one!  LOL"

I guess that ends this particular discussion.  

seashell wrote "If that happens, I will be on this blog with a big  'I told you so.'"

Everyone has big plans.  John will be suppressing his urge to write "I told you so" when McCain becomes our next president. 

Tom wrote:   in an interview yesterday with the Huffington Post. Sam Stein's article is excerpted below:"'I don't understand how somebody could vote, five or six critical votes, one way in the Senate and then make your campaign the opposite positions,' Feingold said

sounds like the same argument Hillary's been making about Obama's votes. 

Linda wrote "sounds like the same argument Hillary's been making about Obama's votes."

To you, I guess, but not to Sen. Feingold.  

111.

Ronald Cloud
Fri, 01/25/08


"I think there was a mention about gun racks too."

Susan,

There might have been.  I can't remember the last time I saw a gun and rack
in a truck here.  Could be there is concern that someone would bust in and steal
it.

Also, there were cases of the guns causing traumatic brain injuries during traffic collisions.
So, best to secure the arms out of sight and strapped tight.

 
 

Images

http://blog.johnedwards.com/images/user/...

http://www.dailyyonder.com/files/u2/mens...

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2007...

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2007-07...

123.

Ronald Cloud
Fri, 01/25/08


Some folks sure like them in my neighborhood.

If we used Senator Feingolds argument, that because Edwards voted on the 2001 Bankruptcy Bill and the WTO, so he couldn't possibly be genuine about his positions now, then there should be equally a problem supporting Obama, where he campaigned on against the war, but voted for all the funding and to keep it going, not even getting Obama's support to end our occupation on his Bill in June 2006. Or, campaigning on the injustices of the Patriot Act, but getting elected and voting for the Reauthorization of the Patriot Act.

That would also hold true for a myriad of Obama's other votes, saying now he wants fair trade, but proudly proclaim he support Free Trade and supported adding Peru to the agreement. And also not fitting with the predatory lending he espouses now, when he didn't support capping the interest rate to a maximum 30 pct on the Bankruptcy Amendment.

But, I guess being John Edwards is now the populist candidate and no longer in the Senate, he's not part of that Good 'Ol Boy Club.

Tom, only if Senator Feingold is looking through Rose colored glasses, which it seems he is.

123.


"Some folks sure like them in my neighborhood."

Okay, I have been off the farm and living in cities
a long time.  I'll keep an eye out for them. 

126.

*** cChalfonte***
Fri, 01/25/08

The latest Pew poll :

67 percent...say "protecting the environment"...,
59 percent say "dealing with energy problems"...
47 percent say "dealing with global warming."

For Republicans, those numbers are 39, 53 and 12, respectively.

Strengthening the nation's economy, in case you wondered, gets 76 percent from both.
--------

Wow, that's the data of a strategical importance!

Without knowing those numbers we might not be able to bring about progressive changes to America!

Good night and...don't forget those numbers...roflmao.

Linda wrote "Tom, only if Senator Feingold is looking through Rose colored glasses, which it seems he is."

That sort of thing is hard to say.  This poses a dilemma for me.  In evaluating who is more familiar with Edwards and in the best position to offer some useful insight on whether Edwards is a phony, should I be more persuaded by you or his former colleague, Sen. Feingold?  Let me think about this.

Linda NM, your response is so much more mature than my "neener, neener."  LOL  I didn't want to go into all that since it was just another slam.  Great post. 

No matter about Feingold.  We have Keithie giving him air time and Rachel Maddow with her insightful one sentence about each...and my tango practice partner, who told me today that he hopes JE is the kingmaker, at the very least.

Now what do we do about those superdelegates who control the party?

Tom, you're using the word phony, Senator Feingold did not.

And equally applicable according to your terms then that Senator Obama too would be considered a phony.

Feingold is assuming that the past predicts the future.  What humans do is study the past, reject it, and then make the same mistakes, arrogantly thinking that they know that the future will be different.

Staying in the present is good judgment. HC would have us live in the past.  BO is trying to breathlessly take us into the future.

No thanks.  I'll take the little engine, huffing and puffing along in the present.  :-) 

I was deeply troubled when Obama again avoided answering to Rezko and his ties of their long relationship. From personal deals, to being a money bundler for him, besides the massive contributions and the house and land deal they made together. How hypocritical to claim others are distorting the facts when he claimed "he only worked 5 hours" for the guy, when there is soooo much more.

First he apparently claimed he was donating 40K to Charity, the amount he said he received directly from Rezko. Now it's gone up to 85K. And now apparently ABC will be covering more news they found out tonight, including that he was the unnamed politician involved on the kick back scheme,"The Chicago Sun-Times reported on Saturday that Obama was the unnamed "political candidate" referred to in a court filing in the Rezko case last month. The court document accuses Rezko of funneling money from a kickback scheme to Obama's 2004 Senate campaign through an associate."

And they are reporting they've found an addition $100,000.00 given to Obama.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4...

Linda wrote "Tom, you're using the word phony, Senator Feingold did not. And equally applicable according to your terms then that Senator Obama too would be considered a phony."

True.  I was interpreting Feingold's assessment that Edwards had taken in voters by switching positions on several key issues to mean he regarded Edwards as a phony.

Whether I would consider Obama a phony according to my terms a separate issue.  I'm obviously not convinced of it by the paucity of evidence you've produced, although it's possible I could be otherwise persuaded by a good old boy like Feingold. 

132. LOL...I dunno. I couldn't go for it here, as I wanted, because of just buying the house. Too much on my plate at once (and money)

Being party loyalists, it's really hard to know which way they go. Hey...it may be like Edwards is the new Dean. If they are inside the beltway folks, and they really don't shine on to the now outsiders....the best for the job doesn't generally mean squat.

Lets remember, not one Democratic Senator stood to contest the vote in Florida that Congressional Reps were requesting. NOT ONE.

Tom wrote: I'm obviously not convinced of it by the paucity of evidence you've produced

Then I doubt any facts produced would convince you on Obama. Regardless of the long list, as you've pointed out.

Don't worry, I won't talk about that river. :)

seashell wrote "Feingold is assuming that the past predicts the future.  What humans do is study the past, reject it, and then make the same mistakes, arrogantly thinking that they know that the future will be different."

On the other hand, he may simply believe that a person's past actions, and their words before they apologize for them, better suggest what they would do in the future than do their words alone after they apologize for their past deeds. 

No. It's because he said he was. Edwards supporters think he's the liberal in the field because they ignore his entire professional and legislative career and listen to speeches he makes to construct his reputation as a liberal populist. And people believe him, because he's a very successful trial lawyer.

Linda wrote "Then I doubt any facts produced would convince you on Obama. Regardless of the long list, as you've pointed out."

On no, you're quite incorrect.  Relevant or persuasive facts would have a great deal of influence on my opinion.  Take, for example, a senator who co-sponsors a bill to authorize the Iraq invasion with Sen. Lieberman, and goes to great lengths as the Democratic vice-presidential candidate to convince his running mate that the vote must not be renounced for fear of looking weak in wartime.  No amount of apologizing, even if sincere, would help me believe that person had been converted to a genuine liberal populist, or had the judgment to serve ably as a president.

On the subject of southern politics....
A look way back at what might have been:
Campaigning for Congress in 1892, Georgia’s great populist, Tom Watson, called for political unity from both white and black farmers. “You are deceived and blinded that you may not see how this race antagonism perpetuates a monetary system which beggars both.” Insisting on political equality, Watson observed that “the accident of color can make no difference in the interests of farmers, croppers, and laborers.”

OK, this bouncing blog is really annoying. I'm the only one coming up on the bottom and everyone else is coming above me.

9:36PM


...well, hubby just dived in to an Organic Chocolate Bar I picked up for him to have something sweet after his spicy mex pizza. If anyone is in to Dark choc. they are actually making an 85pct Dark choc...with only 5grms of sugar in a 40 gram serving. It's called Green & Black's Organic.

Edwards Campaign Breaks Online Fundraising Record
Jan 25, 2008 12:41 PM


In the first 25 days of this quarter, campaign has raised more online than the whole 4th quarter - the vast majority of which will be doubled by federal matching funds

Chapel Hill, North Carolina – As a sign of John Edwards' growing grassroots support across the country, today the Edwards campaign announced that it has raised more than $3 million online during the first 25 days of the quarter - more than it raised during the whole 4th quarter of last year. Just yesterday, the campaign had one of its best fundraising days, taking in more than $230,000 in contributions. The vast majority of online contributions will be doubled by federal matching funds.

------------

so, it seems they raised 4 times the ammount than they were asking for from just yesterday. Ca OOL.

Well, be well, I'm off.

Linda wrote "Well, be well, I'm off."

Come by again so we can read more John Edwards campaign material pasted whole from the website, complete with time stamp. 

Bill & Shrill = dysfunctional

Iraqi reinforcements rush to Mosul By STEVEN R. HURST, Associated Press Writer
Fri Jan 25, 4:54 PM ET

"Today, our troops started moving toward Mosul ... and the fight there will be decisive," al-Maliki said during a speech in the Shiite holy city of Karbala.

----

Operation Lam Son 719?

I'll go out on a limb and say they'll (ISF) be as successful at this as the the Iraqi government is at political reconciliation. In fact, I believe I heard where the Iraqi police and army occasionally shoot at one another.

QUAGMIRES are tough....

Edwards Campaign Breaks Online Fundraising Record

This is such a poor argument to support a candidate. It didn't work for Dean either.

OK, this bouncing blog is really annoying.

I know what you mean. I posted 148. well after 152. LZ XRAY

Of course, my fault. Didn't do the timestamp.

12:20 am

You know we are screwed.

12:38 am vt time

9:45 west coast

152. LZ XRAY has become 154. at 12:43 am

There must be something wrong. Oh, sorry, I'm just a conspiratist.
It's me that lives in fantasies and illusions.

My reallity doesn't count. ~  Thank god.

LZ XRAY  must be a super.....

Stays ahead of the posts

I know it's silly.
Hey, but even HQ survived all incompetence. So far.

Last one. 12:48 am

LZ XRAY is now 157.

Sorry dude.

It's certainly looking more and more that this is a possibility.

Could Tight Primary Races Lead to Brokered Conventions?
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/012508R.shtml
Reporting for McClatchy Newspapers, Matt Stearns asks, "What happens if the primaries don't produce presidential nominees for one party - or the other - or both?"

9:50 west coast

...back for a quick drop to post this, too.

Don't Pack Your Bags Yet, 'Draft Gore'

I have previously written about the increasingly possible scenario of a brokered convention, but today, the mainstream media finally raised the specter of a potential draft of Al Gore at August's convention. Likewise, South Carolina Congressman Jim Clyburn also hinted at the possibility that the Democratic nominee may not be someone currently running. Now, I'm not going to jump any conclusions (or on any bandwagons for that matter), but I think the idea of a brokered convention is something that we as the Netroots should seriously start thinking about.

Also today, Jack Cafferty delved further into the idea and specifically asked his viewers what they thought of Al Gore coming in to save the party:

Consider this: What if we go through the Florida primary and Super Tuesday and the race between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama remains as tight as it’s been? For the primaries, Democrats have the same rules in every state: delegates are awarded in proportion to the vote — meaning no winner-take-all. If Clinton and Obama continue to split the vote in many states, it’s possible we could get to late spring or early summer and neither candidate would have enough delegates to secure the nomination.

And that’s assuming they get that far without destroying each other with their increasingly nasty bickering. There just might be an opening for someone else to step in and unify the party. Oh, you know, like say maybe Al Gore.

The responses ranged from the simple:

I like Al Gore. If he ran I would vote for him.

-John

to the insightful:

Yes, in a big way. Al Gore has proven over and over again that he has the right stuff. He picked his life up after the election debacle and followed his path. He is a true leader and advocate for this country and the world. A man of intellect and integrity , not one to follow anyone else’s drumbeat. Could we be so fortunate!

-Paula

to the funny but unfortunately true:

There is more than room for Al Gore regardless of what Hillary and Barack do as long as he doesn’t bring whining Joe along and the courts keep out of the results. Al and John Edwards would be an attractive ticket and would bring many young voters into the Democratic column on election day. He’s already beat Bush once and all the Republican candidates, except Ron Paul, are simply Bush clones.

-Jim

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/25/...

yes, seashell, thank you.

Sunlight, that was MST for me.

NOW

11:00PM MST/1:00AM EST

While it is way too early to suggest that former North Carolina Senator John Edwards has been renewed by distaste among Democrats for the character of the Clinton-Obama campaign -- which he highlighted in a stellar performance during Monday's Democratic presidential debate -- the polls numbers are encouraging for the man who was all but written off a few days ago.

As new rounds of attack ads from the Clinton and Obama campaigns air in advance of Saturday's South Carolina primary, a fresh WCSC-TV/Survey USA poll shows Edwards gaining ground among likely voters. Obama retains a solid lead, with 45 percent. But Clinton is down to 29 percent and Edwards is up to 22 percent.

John Zogby's latest tracking poll for Reuters and C-SPAN, which was released Friday morning, had even better news for Edwards. It showed Obama falling from 43 percent at the start of the week to 38 percent, Clinton stuck at around 25 percent, and Edwards rising from 15 percent to 21 percent.

Those numbers suggest Obama's once steady rise in South Carolina has stalled or begun to reverse. Clinton's in a similar or worse circumstance. And, as Zogby suggests, "The real movement here is by John Edwards, who is the only one who continues to gain ground in our three-day tracking poll. His increase appears to be coming from African American voters who are slowly making up their minds he is up to 7 percent. Can he catch Clinton by Saturdays vote, perhaps bumping her from a second-place finish?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/thenation/20080125/cm_thenation/45275120 

Interesting finding: "Three out of five supporters of each candidate say they would like Clinton or Obama, if nominated, to choose the other as a running mate."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I remember back when they ran polls for Nixon, vis a vis a running mate, and discovered he did better with no running mate, than any in the field. So he picked Agnew as being as close to nothing as possible. It worked.

1:09 a.m. EST

I know who runs this blog:

1:13 pm EST

1:32 am EST

How did you folks get on? Blog was gone for me. checking in to see if Judy has her Howard report from Davos while I make my nightly barn check 

it will not be a brokered convention if it is just Obama and Hillary splitting contests that only happens if Edwards continues to do well. (Hillary wins)

It keeps that agenda that polls well in the discussion

the only way Obama folk need to fear edwards in the race is if they don't want to see the discussion of where populist ideas fit in a progressive agenda

 I see from Bill Clinton's escalation of the "spat" that lines are hardening that would keep Obama teaming with Hillary to stop Edwards if he makes a comeback after a good showing

all Edwards has to do is get as many delegates as he got the last time because there are two other candidates not one like last time

I still wish Howard had stayed in the race and played that role and been running for re-election as VP

these candidates all three come from a similar part of the political spectrum so what they are saying now is the direction they are giving the party and America

unity means a stimulus package that has to have corporate giveaways with nothing in it for the poor, not a dime 

put up a fight, dammit

3:16 am EST

Where are BO and HC standing on the FISA issue?  I haven't heard anything from them.

Good stuff, Linda NM. 

JE is moving fast now, so we'll see.  If he has a good showing tomorrow, the money will roll in.  Good to know that it already is, but I wouldn't want to see BO and HC ganging up on him...altho methinks he could take it quite well.  His debate performance the other night was stellar.

I find it fascinating that Super Tues. is not gonna give it to either BO or HC.  Yes, indeedy, populist AND progressive.   

Oh. 12:30 am left coast.

Phil, nice to see you shouting quietly.  Will you tell us about your conversation with JE?  :-)

Off to zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Tomorrow night is a  tango costume house party.  I'm going as Groucho Marx.  LOL  (say the secret woid) 

Well, maybe I'll take a quickie looksee for news.  About JE. LOL 

RealClearPolitics.com poll averages from South Carolina over the past week show Obama and Clinton losing traction in tandem, while Edwards is trending upward.

A Reuters/C-Span/Zogby poll from Jan. 22 to Jan. 24 of 811 likely voters showed Edwards with a 6-point gain since the beginning of the week. The poll gave Edwards 21 percent, Clinton 25 percent and Obama 38 percent. Obama leads both candidates by more than 10 points in most polls.

A story Friday in South Carolina’s The State newspaper highlighted the Edwards uptick, saying the former senator had started rising right after the debate.

Click here to read more on the article in The State about Edwards’ uptick in South Carolina.

It's becoming very clear that the public would go big for JE.  He needed face time which the CMWs hardly gave him and the early crowning of King Obama and Queen Hillary also prevented him from getting his message out.

But I'm still troubled by those super delegates and I should think BO supporters would be also.  The Clinton fix is in and frankly, I don't know how to stop it if those super dels make the final decision.  

GO, JOHN!  May you garner a huge percentage of voters tomorrow.

nowzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz 

I really don't trust polls after NH, but here is the latest Zogby poll.

Released: January 26, 2008

Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Polls:
- Obama Solidifies Lead as Election Day Looms in South Carolina
-McCain Holds Narrow Lead Over Romney in Florida; Others Far Back

Democrats in South Carolina

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama reversed a declining course and regained some support heading into Election Day here, posting a 15-point lead just hours before polls open here today, the latest and last Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby daily telephone tracking poll shows.

Democrats in South Carolina

1/23-25

1/22-24

1/21-23

1/20-22

Obama

41%

38%

39%

43%

Clinton

26%

25%

24%

25%

Edwards

19%

21%

19%

15%

Gravel

<1%

<1%

<1%

<1%

Someone else

4%

5%

4%

4%

Not sure

10%

7%

13%

14%

Buoyed by widespread support among African American voters who are planning to participate in the Democratic Party primary here, Obama wins 41% support, compared to 26% for New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and 19% for former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. Clinton and Edwards are splitting the support of white voters, who make up about half of the total Democratic electorate here.

While previous tracking polls have included three days of polling, this final release from South Carolina includes survey interviews conducted just on Thursday, Jan. 24, and Friday, Jan. 25, 2008. This latest telephone tracking survey included 816 interviews with likely Democratic voters and carries a margin of error of +/- 3.4 percentage points.

The race is closest in the largest cities of the state, but Obama still leads there - and enjoys wider leads in the suburbs and rural areas of the state. He also enjoys solid support across ideological lines, leading among progressives, liberals, and moderates alike.

Pollster John Zogby on the Democrats in South Carolina: “Obama holds solid leads in every section of the state, and among both men and women. He has big leads among voters under age 65. Interestingly, among voters over age 65, Clinton leads him by a few points only, and Edwards is doing well.

“We are making no predictions, but on the watch list is the order of finish here. Obama leads big among moderates and liberals and among all age groups. He is back over 60% support among blacks, while Clinton and Edwards are tied among whites. Clinton returned to the state after her numbers here started to slip and Edwards started to gain. After all, he is, like Bill Clinton, a son of the South.

Overall, Obama’s lead is solid as Election Day dawns, but voters here have been fluid in their support.

http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1435

<>Here are the two rules that apply to the voting of unterdelegates.....

F.    No delegate at any level of the delegate selection process shall be mandated by law or Party rule to vote contrary to that person’s presidential choice as expressed at the time the delegate is elected.
G.    Delegates elected to the national convention pledged to a presidential candidate shall in all good conscience reflect the sentiments of those who elected them.

So unterdelegates are "pledged" to a candidate and should represent the sentiments of the people. Uberdelegates have no such obligation and can sell their votes to the highest bidder. That isn't democracy and it shouldn't be "Democratic" -- as in "Party."

The Democratic party is -- or should be -- a party of people rather than a political machine where people are just grease for the cogs.  And it totally sucks that Republicans are more democratic than Democrats in their delegate process.

It's becoming very clear that the public would go big for JE. He needed face time which the CMWs hardly gave him and the early crowning of King Obama and Queen Hillary also prevented him from getting his message out.

He's been running for 5 years. He was the VP candidate. He's been covered in the press plenty for a long time. If people still don't cotton to him, real reasons should be considered for it. 

Good morning, everybody

So, maybe Edwards was, like Lieberman, a poor choice.  Not having Lieberman as VP has always seemed like the only bright spot in that disaster.  But, now that the Clinton record is clearer, I think we have to re-assess the whole Clinton/Gore administration.  While I agree that all the proposed life-style changes to respond to a warming of the atmosphere are good, I'm not really impressed by Gore's hectoring.

How are we going to fix it so people don't waste so much of their time and energy running around in circles?   

180.  Yes, the idea that democracy is merely a selection process, rather than a directing function, appeals to lots of people.  Government BY the people is an ideal still to be achieved. 

The Rezko story, if it's being promoted by the Clintons, is really dangerous.  It will prompt a re-airing of all the stuff from 1996 and all of that stuff was elicited under oath and sent some people off to prison.

We expect people who commit crimes to try to hide them, but the real criminals want to be recognized.  They want their victims to know who's sticking it to them and making them squirm in discomfort and pain.   

We asked the Bush EPA for answers.  Instead, we got white-out.

Last Friday at 5pm, 11 days late, EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson finally turned over some documents about his terrible decision to reject an effort by California and 18 other states to raise vehicle emissions standards and fight global warming.

However, the materials the EPA sent to the Environment & Public Works Committee were heavily redacted with white tape, providing censored page after censored page rather than the facts we deserve -- and literally obscuring the agency's real decision-making process.  What's more, we're still waiting on hundreds more documents to be handed over.

The American people deserve to know why EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson put politics over science and blocked  ...

Why should taxpayers, already in debt due to a never ending war, and an economic downturn, have to pay millions of dollars for a lawsuit -- a lawsuit that has already been filed by the state of California to overturn the EPA's decision, and that the EPA's own legal staff says they will not win?

We have one planet, and that planet must be saved.  The Bush Administration must change course and grant California's waiver.

Many thanks for caring about global warming and for supporting my work on this critical issue.

In Friendship,

Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator

P.S. The Bush EPA's censorship of key documents is an insult to the American people and a dereliction of duty.  The American people deserve a full accounting of why EPA Administrator Johnson ruled against California and 18 other states, representing more than 152 million Americans. Please forward an email to the EPA now.

Edwards/Boxer

BTW, NH politicos are really upset by the Clinton request that Michigan and Florida delegates be seated anyway.

If the argument comes up, just remind people that the delegates don't BELONG to the candidates, any more than the votes.  Elections are about the voters.  Which is why the tally and any recount or audit should be paid for by the electorate, just like the election.

An applicant for a position does not have an interest in that position until s/he's hired.  This is a reality we need to emphasize because it lies at the base of why a conflict in the electoral/hiring process cannot be properly resolved as long as there's an expectation that the candidates have a responsibility to do something about it. 

184.  And the President is going to be held accountable when?

Something wrong with the formatting of the index page.  The blue edges just disappeared again.

There needs to be a tax on the movement of money.

This weeks Ag futures markets moved limit up and limit down and limit back up as hedge funds raced around the globe trying to find a safer place than Wall Street and if there is not a hedgeable contract that bears a relationship to the real commodity the whole system of trading and pricing ag commodities breaks down. Right now they are causing liquidation in the livestock sector. It means the future food price inflation is being masked as the breeding herd is sold off and competes in the meatcase as sausage or hamburger.  The problem isn't liquidity, it is the aggregation of it in too few hands that slosh money around with no accountability and those trying to fix the problem don't even know the nationalities of those holding the dollars. That whole system gets real precarious if the Dollar isn't the global Reserve Currency.

bloggie is about to go down when the margin changes

bbl

Please recommend.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/23650...

41 Obama
26 Clinton
19 Edwards

Zogby/CSPAN tracking poll

http://tinyurl.com/3azlq5

Zogby CSPAN 4 day tracking

ALSO

31 McCain
29 Romney
15 Guliani

in FL 1st day of tracking

ALSO

Opera composer that Respighi honored in 'song' is Rossini ("Rossiniana")
Credit to WUFT FM Gainesville FL for the weekly trivia quiz

Back to bed till the coffee's done!

Good luck today Barack!!!!! Hope the dirty tricks don't getcha today in SC.
Fired up. ready to go!

Now it's back.

While reviewing comments at KOS, I had a new thought.

When it comes to health care, all the profit needs to accrue to the patient.  Which is not to say that the provider isn't entitled to fair compensation for service; only that there's no surplus to distribute when the patient gets 100% of the benefit of service.

For comparison, consider that insuring against the hazard of fire is in a different class.  The neighbors chip in to fund the suppression so their property won't be affected, but the insured victim sustains a loss that's only partially compensated by insurance because it isn't even necessary or possible to achieve a 100% restoration.  Indeed, because of material improvements and innovation, it's actually possible that 75% is actually better than the old.

But, when it comes to health care, 75% is not likely to be sufficient to sustain life. 

This woman is a Clinton sympathizer IMO based on her appearance on Wash Journal a couple of weeks ago - she makes me take all of AP with a very very large grain of salt

S.C. primary marked by talk of race
By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer
3 minutes ago
COLUMBIA, S.C. - Democrats headed to the polls here Saturday in an unusual contest that pitted Barack Obama against two Clintons. Race was a persistent subtext in the first primary to feature a large number of black voters.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080126/ap_o...

The spouse says it's being reported on TV that people in South Carolina are getting emails telling them that Obama is a Muslim.

It seems to me that perhaps what they're tying into (which would account for Hillary doing better with people over 60) is the memory of the Muslim brotherhood to which African Americans were attracted.  If so, then the roots of the current war on terror aren't in the Middle East or Central Asia, but rather in the urban riots of the 1960s, which would account for its persistence despite all rational explanations.  This would also account for why the "foreign" meme has had so little traction.   

Yes, the AP has lost its objectivity since it was acquired by that Texas media corporation.

Missed this:

Dear Staffers:

It was the most talked-about, blogged-about political story of the week _ twice.

First, John Solomon in Washington broke the news that Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid had accepted free ringside seats to three pro boxing matches from the Nevada agency that was trying to influence his legislation to bring federal oversight to the sport.

Then Solomon followed up by describing how Reid returned home to Nevada and misstated the ethics rules in an effort to defend himself. Ultimately, the Senate leader reversed course, admitted he misstated the rules and promised never again to accept free tickets from special interests.

The exclusive resulted from several tips that came in after Solomon and Sharon Theimer wrote a series of stories about gifts lawmakers got from fallen lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Before his report moved, Solomon had a one-hour interview with Reid in his Capitol office where Reid uttered his widely quoted declaration that, "I'm not Goodie Two-Shoes."

AP secured the rights to HBO video footage showing Reid in his free ringside seats at one of the fights, and that footage became the centerpiece of an OVN package and also was used by the TV networks and in frame grabs in newspapers. Solomon also did an audio Q&A for radio and Web customers. The story and video won widespread play on the Web fronts and newspaper fronts, and stirred an enormous debate in the blogosphere, generating more than 10,000 postings and more than a dozen newspapers wrote editorials chastising Reid, including USA Today.

For his work giving AP ownership of this high-profile story, Solomon wins this week's prize of $500.

Unfair to old people!!!! (Truth in lending - I think the 'stimulus bill' is inane.)


Senators consider rebates for retirees
By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer
46 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Retirees living off Social Security are frustrated that they won't get tax rebate checks through a bipartisan economic stimulus package before the House. Senate Democrats Friday began efforts to include them.

quote

But it would leave out about 20 million senior citizens living chiefly on Social Security. They wouldn't get rebate checks unless they have at least $3,000 earned income or pay income taxes based on other sources such as earnings, interest, investments or private pension plans.

"Less than half of all Americans 65 and older would get it," said AARP spokesman Jim Dau/"

It's not clear whether seniors would ultimately be included in the final bill sent to Bush's desk.

unquote

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080126/ap_o...

With ALL (whoopie!) channels we git what with the advent of cable TV (whoopie! ...can't wait for High Definition! Wwhoopie!) ...what with all the channels (somethin' gots ta be good) I just watch a decent enough (finally something decent...cable sucks-the-bag):

http://www.answers.com/topic/the-outrage?cat=entertainment

Chris Dodd would make a great replacement for Reid.

8:05EST

Fans of Barack,

As you probably have already heard, we are opening our Fresno office this Sunday, January 27, 2008, at 2pm. It's on the southwest corner of Maroa and Shaw (421 W. Shaw). I hope to see you all there, and please be sure to invite your friends and neighbors. There'll be some snacks, a band or two, and lots of fantastic Obama supporters. RSVP here: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/det...

---

The Clintons' office opened last week in Fresno. I've not heard if Edwards plans to do so.

The Clintons' office opened last week in Fresno. I've not heard if Edwards plans to do so.

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

does it make sense to open an office which would take a months rent to use for a week?

the good news for us locally was Obama holding the lease for our local party HQ's for eight months in our off season

187.

Phil Specht
Sat, 01/26/08

Phil, something I think Fox Mulder said the other day -- the reason Euros look more attractive than dollars is just b/c the interest rates are higher for Euros - ergo one can get a better return on investment. So when the Fed keeps lowering interest rates our money gets less attractive. (Truth in lending - I have no idea of the comparative interest rates of Euros vs dollars - going on the post from the other day I believe was Fox's.)

Have folks seen the Olbermann diary on KOS - also on Countdown I think - that Mukasey our (I use the term loosely) Attorney General, has a picture of George Orwell on his wall. LOL

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/1/26/...


Well, I'm out of posts and through reading so have a great day and see y'all later -- Monica, we may be alone in the sandbox this morning.

S/b 207 and it's 8:25 AM ET on Saturday

Jan 17th 2008
From The Economist print edition

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10534697&fsrc=RSS

John Edwards' other America got the shaft in Pelosi caving to Bush on the stimulus package. It reminds me of how the vulture capitalists celebrated as pensioners suffered in Russia after the collapse, as they helped loot the engines of the economy there.

didn't pay taxes last year?

tough sh*t you don't count

(as an example you left the workforce to care for an aging parent to keep them in their home and did more real productive work  for society than you were getting done at the job;sorry, no rebate for you or your parent on Social Security)

I just sent this note to tech support:

BFA has been extremely erratic lately, down 2 nights, extremely long threads. Do you guys need money? Is this an intern learning curve? Are you tryinng to kill the blog? Some little communication from HQ on the blog would be very helpful as the situation is extremely frustrating to those of us who blog regularly. If money is the issue, I'm guessing us regulary bloggers would respond to a bat to 'save the blog.'

Please respond.

Thanks, Ann


TTFN (credit to mprov I think)

Money and interest rates       http://www.economist.com/markets/indicators/displaystory.cfm?story_id=10568638

Paine thanks for link to Forbes - can't pull up - will try again. Agree that cable TV is absolutely sucky. I would go to satellite if they offered a decent internet connection.
For this thread at least, you have to read UP the thread b/c they are not being posted in order.

Really gone now as JudyforDean would say.

212. Paine I mean Economist.

http://www.economist.com/

LZ XRAY
Sat, 01/26/08
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Its 9.15 am...........Iraq is for all intensve purposes a "protectorate" of the US.......much like the old colonial empire states of the UK...............and now you have all the headache of it........never again wil any American ever be able to condemn the British empire for their colonial period..........at least they didnt go in and bomb, mame and kill in the fashion the US did...........

FEDERAL RESERVE STATISTICAL RELEASE

   H.15 (519) SELECTED INTEREST RATES
   For use at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Yields in percent per annum                  January 22, 2008

http://www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h15/current/

Phil wrote "does it make sense to open an office which would take a months rent to use for a week?"

Not unless you're actually trying to attract voters.

Mike wrote "never again wil any American ever be able to condemn the British empire for their colonial period."

It seems as if you could do both.

paine I get the print edition of The Economist and between it and the other magazine I read cover to cover each week ,Science, the two set me back a couple of hundred bucks

it is always a shock to see what it costs to print and mail a magazine because I get a dozen farm magazines "free" with the unsaid understanding I'm going to be buying from advertisers

Phil wrote "does it make sense to open an office which would take a months rent to use for a week?"

Not unless you're actually trying to attract voters.~~~~

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

when is the last time you walked into a storefront office and changed your mind? (were attracted)?

Phil wrote "when is the last time you walked into a storefront office and changed your mind? (were attracted)?"

I would suggest that the efficacy of a local campaign office relies more on what goes on inside and who comes out, as opposed to what potential voters walk in. Even so, I picked up Gore and Dean yard signs from their local offices, so even that much accessability can lead to free promotion.

Tom

what i meant was six weeks is to me a minimum utility for an office and Clinton appears desperate to be opening new ones just before the vote, while flush with cash

212. Paine -- thanks -- looks like not much difference except maybe 2/10 of a point makes a big difference if you are dealing in millions?

A guy just called Open Phones on Wash Journal saying we should say Democrat party b/c Democratic connotes being democratic which is unfair to Repugs and "most" news channels respected that (I think most=Fox) and said Democrat party. So I sent this to Wash Journal:

Please tell the idiot I mean gentleman who just called
that Democrat is a NOUN and Democratic is an
ADJECTIVE. So to identify the party of Democrats we
say the Democratic Party b/c the word is describing
the noun PARTY there.

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

I have a slow rainy day here so I'll be a blog hog prolly.

Phil wrote "what i meant was six weeks is to me a minimum utility for an office and Clinton appears desperate to be opening new ones just before the vote, while flush with cash."

Okay.  I'm not the expert but whatever the time frame, one open office would seem to hold more promise than none.

Tom just curious, but I have spent hundreds of hours at political offices and except for the GOTV on election day you are mostly organizing volunteers and the time frame is just as everyone becomes aware there is a vote coming up otherwise you are getting the word out about the office location instead of the candidate and you can only get one message across at a time

if instead you just need a boiler room for phone lines sure go ahead and put a barn sign outside, but the curious street traffic might cost you votes as you miss phone time for what at this late time is a GOTV effort

it is too late for ID calls in any Feb 5th state you should be doing call backs

California is too big a state to create a top to bottom structure everywhere in a week without immense ($100 million) campaign coffers Clinton might see California as a firewall against Obama and worth the cost for a win

if I were Edwards I moight rather win Oklahoma than get the same number of extra delegates in California for a state wide staffed set of offices

9:58 EST AM

There is nothing to stop the U.S. from claiming whatever it wants.  Free speech does not preclude lying.  Obviously.  Which is why people have to be sworn to tell the truth and then have to admit that they don't recall nearly as much as they thought they could.  Paper was a terrible invention and the printing press even worse.  LOL 

If John Edwards pulls off an upset and beats Clinton in South Carolina for second it is a whole new Super Bowl, Mike, and the Giants aren't the only longshots making a return  

...

+++

Phil -

I may be rooting for Edwards to beat Clinton in SC but the NY Giants ?  Please.  I won't say anymore on that [smile].

I'm surprised at Feingold. 

...

+++

"Surprise, Surprise, Surprise !", not my quote, Gomer's (Pyle, that is).

Well I'll just say hi and bye -- heard a funny bumper sticker I think on Cafferty - "Monica Lewinsky's boyfriend's wife for President." LOL

...

+++

Annilow -

Good one (though a bit long on words).

How about this "Billarwinsky for President" ?

If you all want to jump to another thread.

Al Gore's Week's News Round Up
http://blogforamerica.com/view/23652

Senators consider rebates for retirees By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 41 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Retirees living off Social Security are frustrated that they won't get tax rebate checks through a bipartisan economic stimulus package before the House. Senate Democrats Friday began efforts to include them.

-----

I would hope that the War Parties can find some way to include our nation's elderly in this stimulus package.

If we can waste 12 BILLION dollars a month on two QUAGMIRES, I'm sure we have the resources to give the elderly a rebate.

229.  Be great if you'd stop being the Repugs' water boy.

I suggest folks start calling their Senators about leaving the elderly out of the stimulus package.

Let me find the number of these "pro amnesty for illegal-immingrant" Senators here in Georgia.

233.

LZ XRAY
Sat, 01/26/08

........
If we can waste 12 BILLION dollars a month on two QUAGMIRES, I'm sure we have the resources to give the elderly a rebate.
-----------

That's the whole point, LZ!

Apparently, we DON'T "have the resources" for both and....will have to FORCED to chose the one only, sooner or later.

Vote Rona Paul, it'll be rather sooner than later!

Just want to post this before it gets away. Not that it's news exactly but it lays out the statistics quite well. It was in our newspaper this morning:

· Nixon-Ford (R): Surplus was $3 billion when Nixon took office in 1969, deficit was $74 billion by the end of Ford's last year in office. Worse by $76 billion.

· Jimmy Carter (D): $74 billion deficit on taking office in 1977, $74 billion deficit in 1980. No change.

 · Ronald Reagan (R): $74 billion deficit on taking office in 1980, $155 billion deficit in 1988. Worse by $81 billion.

· George H.W. Bush (R): $155 billion deficit on taking office, $290 billion deficit in 1992. Worse by $135 billion.

· Bill Clinton (D): $290 billion deficit on taking office, $236 billion surplus in 2000. Better by $526 billion.

· George W. Bush (R): $236 billion surplus on taking office, $413 billion deficit by the end of his first term, worse by $648 billion. The deficit at the end of 2007 was $163 billion. Overall, worse by $399 billion.

Link to the article at 233:

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Opinion/Editorials/opnOPN88012608.htm

New thread.

As Tom wrote >>>>>>>>>> there is a NEW THREAD which he has duly initiated.

Does everyone know there's a new thread?