Howard Dean is first. Can you name the 15 we are giving this to?

Obama gave a great speech that transcended the nonsense about his preacher.

Interestingly, Pat Buchanan is at this very moment characterizing his words in the old way of division.  So expect others to repeat them -- even on this blog.

I think MSNBC should have had linda b on their program. She nailed Barack's speech.

I want to see Pat Buchanan with Rachel Maddow again today.

Pat Buchanan just SUCKS.

Who said Barack wasn't a fighter or tough enough? This speech was unbelievable. Just unbelievable.

The man is a fighter.

Obama's speech read very well........... until he got to the point of absolving Israel for all responsibility for the mideast mess, and blaming it all on "radical Islam"

Following AIPAC's bs, unfortunately.

11:44am

After telling another commentator ( a black woman) to "shut up," a few days ago, I'm surprised Buchanan is still allowed to spew on MSNBC. Another example of affirmative action for intolerant and bigoted conservatives, I guess.

didn't see the speech but read it thanks to your link mary vb

DFA needs to take another poll and endorse the winner, this contest is too close for all of us not to participate fully, and I would like to see the weight of this organization behind whichever of the two we choose

if Hillary Clinton can provide a narrative in a speech that lifts us up to a higher calling like the one Obama gave today, it might even be a competitive vote, let's have it

let's have a race to the mountaintop

Obama's speech read very well........... until he got to the point of absolving Israel

Well, if one sentence each is all you and Pat B. can find wrong with it, it must have been a hell of a speech. 

hopefully that speech will be required reading in middle school some day, when it is all history

 Pat Buchanan is at this very moment characterizing his words in the old way of division. 

It's the way a rethug's brain is programmed.

I liked the part of the speech where Obama took it to the commentators and the constant playing of the video of Rev. Wright (reminded me of Howard's scream speech played over and over). Also, to some he was too black to others not black enough.

a bankrupt superpower

http://www.counterpunch.org/roberts03182008.html

The Bush administration's $410 billion deficit forecast is based on the unrealistic assumption of 2.7% GDP growth in 2008, whereas in actual fact the US economy has fallen into a recession that could be severe. There will be no 2.7% growth, and the actual deficit will be substantially larger than $410 billion.

A troubled currency and financial system and large budget and trade deficits do not present an attractive face to creditors. Yet Washington in its hubris seems to believe that the US can forever rely on the Chinese, Japanese and Saudis to finance America's life beyond its means. Imagine the shock when the day arrives that a US Treasury auction of new debt instruments is not fully subscribed.

The dollar has even collapsed in value against the euro, the currency of a make-believe country that does not exist: the European Union. France, Germany, Italy, England and the other members of the EU still exist as sovereign nations. England even retains its own currency. Yet the euro hits new highs daily against the dollar.

Noam Chomsky recently wrote that America thinks that it owns the world. That is definitely the view of the neoconized Bush administration. But the fact of the matter is that the US owes the world. The US "superpower" cannot even finance its own domestic operations, much less its gratuitous wars except via the kindness of foreigners to lend it money that cannot be repaid.

The US will never repay the loans. The American economy has been devastated by offshoring, by foreign competition, and by the importation of foreigners on work visas, while it holds to a free trade ideology that benefits corporate fat cats and shareholders at the expense of American labor. The dollar is failing in its role as reserve currency and will soon be abandoned.

When the dollar ceases to be the reserve currency, the US will no longer be able to pay its bills by borrowing more from foreigners.

I sometimes wonder if the bankrupt "superpower" will be able to scrape together the resources to bring home the troops stationed in its hundreds of bases overseas, or whether they will just be abandoned.

 I think MSNBC should have had linda b on their program. She nailed Barack's speech.

She's a great narrator!

Gee, is Pat Buchanan ashamed of himself? Barack's white grandmother used to be afraid of black men walking past her and made racist comments about blacks. Did Barck disown his grandmother? No!

11:53 AM EST

Question for those 68% of republicans in America who think that the surge in Iraq is working and that the war in Iraq has been worth it:

What percentage of the 160,000 os so U.S. troops in Iraq are of AA and/or hispanic origin ?

DFA needs to take another poll and endorse the winner, this contest is too close for all of us not to participate fully, and I would like to see the weight of this organization behind whichever of the two we choose

The trouble with that is, the weight of DFA will be much less when about half the people in it quit in disgust after such an endorsement. 

The people who make up DFA should support the candidate they prefer and stay united here for the larger and longer term purpose of reforming the Democratic Party from the bottom up.

11:56 AM EST

What is the average combined familial income level of the U.S. soldier serving in Iraq ? 

Sitka
Tue, 03/18/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To the true foreign policy historian this gaffe is signicant as always......in other words, BO preaches hope and unity and change, yet in the ONE key area of flawed US foreign policy he is not practicing what he is preaching...........................

To blame all of the ills of the ME one single entity or idea shows he needs to review his hisory somewhat..............unless he is under the wing of the usual protractors of Amerian interests abroad..................

Well, if one sentence each is all you and Pat B. can find wrong with it, it must have been a hell of a speech. 

 Unfortunately, that sentence (absolving Israel and blaming "extremist Islam", whatever that is, for the mideast mess) is laden with menace, to say nothing of its being utter nonsense.

I love the way that my comment is conflated with Buchanan's--good smear.

11:57am

11:57 AM EST

Why are their more military recruiters in largely poor AA and hispanic urban neighboorhoods and in poor rural white and indian towns ?

Why are bonuses out there ?  Why are pathways to citizenship out there ?

Is it largely a poor man/poor woman's force fighting for us in Iraq ?

Just read the speech, and yes, it is one hell of a speech.

Obama is running a near-flawless campaign. The delegate gap continues to widen. I look forward to helping elect him president.

(BTW, his words about his grandmother reminded me of my own grandparents, who casually used racial epithets yet maintained a community grocery store in a ghetto as third generation owners, kept their prices fair, gave liberal credit during the Depression, created jobs, and didn't abandon their neighborhood ever. Race in this country is a tricky issue when one's outwrdly bigoted grandparents did more for the well-being of the poor than many a better-mannered suburban politically correct person.)

-- volney

Obama's speech was extraordinary.

the constant playing of the video of Rev. Wright (reminded me of Howard's scream speech played over and over).

Worked then--will probably work this time too.

Do you think Sen. Barack Obama successfully tackled the issue of race in his speech?   * 2453 responses 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23691276/
 
 Yes. He answered the tough questions and wasn't afraid to be honest.
69% 
 
 No. He didn't ease my concerns about the divisive comments of his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
25% 
 
 I don't know. I need more time to review the points of his speech.
5.5% 
 
 Do you think the country is ready for a black president?   * 2410 responses 
 
 Yes. Obama proved he is ready to lead and bridge the racial divide.
68% 
 
 No. The underlying racial issues in this country have yet to be resolved.
19% 
 
 I don't know. I want to see how this speech is received by both black and white voters.
13% 

I don't know why I bother when this is going to be buried, but.......

http://www.feralscholar.org/blog/index.php/2008/03/17/peasants-with-pitchforks/

Mark Jones eight years ago described the post-Cold War booms as the capitalist metropoles digesting the fallen Eastern Bloc, somewhat slowly, “like a snake who’s swallowed a goat.” The snake is shitting now… and starving.

The unfolding economic crisis — which surprised the mainstream commentators and analysts, but about which those crazy leftists have been Playing Cassandra for a decade — is now firmly off the tracks and roaring toward some abyss.

12:09pm

FIrst of all - Happy Birthday Kimmy Cash !

Now - my LTE about the Reverend Wright brouhaha :

There are many very good reasons why Senator Barack Obama is better suited
for the White House than Senator John McCain or Senator Hillary Clinton. The
recent news about Reverend Wright's incendiary statements about America and
9/11 speak very clearly to this.

Senator Clinton's style of slash-and-burn-politics, "blaming everyone else
for her failings except herself", and drawing a line in the sand between
herself and anyone who disagrees with her is very similar to Reverend
Wright's style. With both of them, there is no dialogue with anyone who
disagrees - and a clear "my way or no one else's" approach.

The "straight-talk" Senator McCain of 2000 disavowed the so-called
right-wing ministers like John Hagee ( who has called the Catholic Church a
"cult" ) and Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell ( who have since blamed 9/11 on
feminists, lesbians and gays ). The 2008 "waffling" John McCain has kissed
up to these same ministers - whose rhetoric is just as vile as Reverend
Wright's - in order to earn their endorsement.

Senator Obama has a clearly different manner of dealing with problems
confronting America than the manner of Senator Clinton, Senator McCain,
Reverend Wright, Reverend Hagee, Reverend Falwell and Reverend Robertson. He
finds common ground on issues with people across the political spectrum by
conducting reasonal and respectful dialogue with them - and then sets out to
find solutions that everyone can find agreement on.

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

( Side note to my fellow Dean Democrats - I learned much of the notion of reasonable dialogue from Howard Dean - when I heard him talk about a young Evangelical woman who he met at a fundraiser in Texas - and to his surprise was supporting him ).

And, as always . . . .  . .

Looking forward to Keith's coverage tonight.

Write MSNBC and tell them how you really feel about Pat Buchanan.

12:15 EDST

 And I'm off to Pennsylvania on Friday to help Barack Obama become the next President of the United States.

thank you for the kudos but msnbc won't hire me cause I am an old white woman. LOL.

Well I am white, and not too old but I would have to btch slap buchanan.

I don't think people are smart enough to think that wright is running for office.

even fox can't take that on.

I think the black commentators on msnbc are out of their minds.

what speech did they watch?????

I can only say they are reading from a prepared script and told what to say.

Barack for President/

For once Mark Halperin gets it right. Hallelujah!

http://thepage.time.com/

12:25 EDST 

I just realized that I went to New Hampshire for the week which led up to the 2004 Dem primary - right after the so-called "Scream Speech". Howard regained a lot of lost ground during that week - even though he did not catch John Kerry.

I suspect the same scenario will play out with the Pennsylvania primary. It's good to know that there is very little that can happen in Pennsylvania that would change the ultimate outcome of Barack Obama winning the nomination. Senator Clinton can dis other states as being "too primary-ish, too black, etc." - but the facts and the numbers still leave her far behind.

I think it is heartning that the corporate has white people telling us about obama's speech.

jeezus.

NOT THIS TIME.

NOW they have clinton on at a rally. I think they have the camera up her nostril.

Obama is amazing. He is the real deal.

Obama's speech

is being depicted as another MLK moment as was the "I have a dream" speech.

Hard to believe this speech was written by Obama, as all his speeches are, in two late evenings, and after campaigning during those two days. Is this guy brilliant or what!!

Eat your heart out Hillary. Wonder how the Clintonites will attempt to continue to destroy this man who was born to be president at this time and place.

12:40 PM EST

12:15 EDST

 And I'm off to Pennsylvania on Friday to help Barack Obama

...

+++

David -

Great to hear that !

Take Back America Conference now on CSPAN

Joan - Did you read Chuck Todd's piece on the last thread. check it out. She has no path to victory.

My sister just called because she's at work and couldn't see the speech. She's so excited to watch it when she gets home. I gave her the play by play (although not as well as linda b)

David, keep us informed. Kudos to you.

12.

Michael Ellis
Tue, 03/18/08

To blame all of the ills of the ME one single entity or idea shows he needs to review his hisory somewhat..............

===================
Ironman, you are all chips and no fish. You'll never walk in his shoes. You should try running for President being half African with a name like his. This person has enough to try and win in this country - he doesn't need to commit political suicide just to keep people like you happy.

I am studying and reading Obama, and trust his judgement on this issue, regardless of the rhetoric he must reluctantly use to keep from being driven into political oblivion. You need to read between the lines on this one.

Write MSNBC and tell them how you really feel about Pat Buchanan.

vb

Do you have a link to where we can write MS?

We used to be able to write them easily but I cannot find anywhere to do that now. Maybe they just don't want to hear from us peons any more.

I believe this speech is a turning point in our country. Millions are wanting change, no matter what race you are.

Let's work together.

mary

I'll check out Todd's piece now. Thanks.

Check out the comments section of this thread - you'll see a lot of Deaniacs there from the old days - all of whom (at least on this particular thread) who support Barack. Nice to see.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/18/...

33. mary vb - thanks for the link - it led to this story

Just because BO did better than she in the TX caucus, seems they're trying every trick in the book - slick Hillary, and slimy Wolfson.

Texas Democratic conventions to go on as scheduled

By ANNA M. TINSLEY
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Texas Democratic leaders said they will not delay the March 29 conventions that will help determine how many delegates are awarded to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama or set up "unnecessary" verification processes to review those who already cast their votes.

Clinton's camp sent a letter Friday asking that the March 29 conventions at the senatorial district or county level -- the next step in the state's hybrid of a primary election and caucus -- be delayed until signatures from the conventions held March 4 could be verified.

The party said no....

http://www.star-telegram.com/news/story/533262.html

Listening to Barack talk about the 50's and 60's reminds me of what my parents did back then. They built a resort up in northern Michigan and obtained a list of potential vacationers from the Chamber of Commerce. They sent out advertising literature for their resort to them and was very successful.

At the very bottom of the page it said: "We accommodate white people only."  As a result, they received a letter of a possible suit against them from an attorney representing prominent black people. So to compensate, this is what they did with that sentence:

We accommodate white people only

Contact infor for Morning Joe (since Pat B. was on his show)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/

scroll down and to the right.

karen wow.

I grew up in the 50's and 60's as a child of an air force sargeant. - six kids, traveled all over the world.

we lived in apartment buildings with blacks whites, hispanic. Gee I knew they were black cause of their skin and I liked people because of who the where.

When I move back to Virginia from Germany , there were no blacks in our high school. They had a seperate school (1963). And they had sorority's and fraternaties - in high school!!

What a back assward era.

36.  Obama is amazing. He is the real deal.  

44. I  believe this speech is a turning point in our country. Millions are wanting change, no matter what race you are.

=============================

I agree.  I didn't think there was a politician out there that could take such negative destructive forces, like Wright's speech, and use it as an opportunity for healing and introspection, like only "Barry" (BO) can do.

It brings back that old nostalgic newpaper hack expression from another era,

"any publicity is good publicity."

Jim Dean will be a guest on the Ed Schultz show.

just wrote msnbc to fire both joe and pat b. racists . both.

What a back assward era.

linda b~ I know and the sad part was, as a kid, I never questioned anything my parents did... that's what kids do, they trust their parents.

*sigh*

1:07 PM EST

Obama speech (approx 38 minutes long): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWe7wTVbLUU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWe7wTVbLUU

John wrote "[Obama] got to the point of absolving Israel for all responsibility for the mideast mess, and blaming it all on 'radical Islam'" and "(absolving Israel and blaming 'extremist Islam', whatever that is, for the mideast mess) is laden with menace, to say nothing of its being utter nonsense."

Mike wrote "To blame all of the ills of the ME one single entity or idea shows [Obama] needs to review his hisory somewhat."

Here is the actual text from Obama's address.  You should take the precaution of reading it carefully in light of the "utter nonsense" charge at issue:

"But the remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren’t simply controversial. They weren’t simply a religious leader’s effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country – a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam."

[All emphases are mine.]

From Paul Hackett:

the constant playing of the video of Rev. Wright (reminded me of Howard's scream speech played over and over).

Worked then--will probably work this time too.

Sometimes wishes do come true. 

Texas Democratic conventions to go on as scheduled

Couple that with no redos in FL and MI and this is actually Hillary's bad day. 

Hi Folks,

This from a friend showing what's out there.  It's pernicious, scurrilous, and sadly represents a faction in our society.

Just saw Hillary on TV and wonder if anyone else has noticed her latest personna? The newest Hillary is a calm, lecturing matron.

DFA needs to take another poll and endorse the winner, this contest is too close for all of us not to participate fully, and I would like to see the weight of this organization behind whichever of the two we choose

After DFA endorsed Dennis Kucinich, I think our endorsement of Obama would not be viewed as being at all helpful to Obama.

62.

Hi Pat

I have to disagree.

I don't believe in giving wings or legs to such a piece of trash.

No re-dos in FL and MI. Kos pays homage to Howard Dean's leadership.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/18/...

Just saw Hillary on TV and wonder if anyone else has noticed her latest personna? The newest Hillary is a calm, lecturing matron.

I wonder if even Hillary knows which personality she really has, she has presented so many of them in this campaign.

Hi Joan,

I don't either, but I wanted people on the blog to see what's out there.  It is awful.

By the way, I think your recent thread where you talk of your neighbor who almost married an African American but didn't, whose children play with other African Americans but who would feel uncomfortable if they were in the majority was astute and right on. Thank you for that.

I remember the old cliche from the Sixties, maybe it was Bill Cosby who made a joke of it, but the claim that (you put in the ethnicity) Jews, Blacks, Mexicans, Irish, etc. are some of my best firends.

In your dreams! 

2:16 PM EST

Just saw Hillary on TV and wonder if anyone else has noticed her latest personna? The newest Hillary is a calm, lecturing matron.

I wonder if even Hillary knows which personality she really has, she has presented so many of them in this campaign.

+++

Joan and Sitka --

I suspect that it might have a lot to do with the type of consultant each campaign hired -- Mark Penn  (the pollster, change strategy, demeanor based on which way the wind is blowing) for Clinton; and David Axlerod (the ad man, staying on message of telling a personal story):

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/03/16/america/strategist.php

typo - and David Axlerod (the ad man, staying on message of telling a personal story):

s/b - and David Axlerod (the ad man, staying on message of telling a personal story) for Obama:

After DFA endorsed Dennis Kucinich, I think our endorsement of Obama would not be viewed as being at all helpful to Obama.

I'm more concerned that an endorsement would not be at all helpful to DFA and its broader purpose than electing a particular president in this election.

I'm sure BO's speech was excellent and I'll watch it later.  For now I want to post this again.

"a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America; a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarilyin the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam." 

OK, is he saying that this above ME statement is part of what's wrong or what's right about America. Is he saying that radical Islam is hateful and perverse and this view is what's right about America or what's wrong with America.  It sounds open for interpretation, yet I read it also as him saying that Israel is primarily the root of the ME problems. OTOH, it can also be read as hateful Islam is the problem.

Either way, he's obtuse about ME foreign policy and this is troubling.  I don't care how wonderful his speech sounds...if we don't do something about I/P, we'll be there 100 years and our country will continue to tank.  Everything now hinges on our ME policy .IMO

Neither cand is addressing this grievous situation, except to assure AIPAC that Israel is special and will be protected by us.   

By the way, I think your recent thread where you talk of your neighbor who almost married an African American but didn't . . .

Pat LOL, I didn't write that, perhaps some other Joan on some other blog.

Anyway, you are right, that is pretty awful stuff. Obama's speech as powerful as it was is not going to bring around many if any of those dyed in the wool racists who never seem to leave home, perhaps because they have a fear of running into the real country which is mostly integrated and content with it.

The next challenge is to have a great speaker speaking for gays like Obama did for blacks, although I think there has been a great deal of improvement there despite the Rovians.

Pat, did you say a "friend" sent you this?  Yikes!

Ahh, Pat, I see.  A friend sent this as an example.  I'm sure it'll get very much worse and hopefully the voters won't cave to fear.

Thanks rdorgan for posting the URL to Obama's speech.

Joan, years ago, I received an anonymous letter from a person in the community who said nasty things about me as a teacher.  I pinned the letter to the bulletin board so everyone could read it.  On parent/teacher night, I wondered if someone who wrote it saw it.

The same thing occurred when my husband was a principal at Pago Pago Elementary School. Again, an anonymous letter, libelous, threatening.  He also posted it for everyone to see.  I think there's something to exposing a rat's nest and letting people see just how things are.  Let them then question the viciousness, the fear, the hatred, the willingness to do harm. 

2:43 PM EST

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23691276/

  Live VoteDo you think Sen. Barack Obama successfully tackled the issue of race in his speech?   * 93291 responsesYes. He answered the tough questions and wasn't afraid to be honest.
67% No. He didn't ease my concerns about the divisive comments of his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
26% I don't know. I need more time to review the points of his speech.
7.7% Do you think the country is ready for a black president?   * 91855 responsesYes. Obama proved he is ready to lead and bridge the racial divide.
66% No. The underlying racial issues in this country have yet to be resolved.
20% I don't know. I want to see how this speech is received by both black and white voters.
14%

2:47 PM

above didn't paste right; so --

Do you think Sen. Barack Obama successfully tackled the issue of race in his speech?   * 93291 responses

Yes. 67%

No. 26 %

I don't know. 7.7 %

Do you think the country is ready for a black president?   * 91855 responses

Yes. 66%

No. 20%

I don't know. 14%

 This is explosive, but not all that new.  I love DeFazio.

    My Interview With Congressman Peter DeFazio
    By Matt Renner
    t r u t h o u t | Report

    Tuesday 18 March 2008

    In a wide-ranging interview, Congressman Peter DeFazio (D-Oregon) discussed the Democratic presidential primary contest, the ongoing occupation of Iraq, the sudden resignation of Adm. William Fallon and the recent revelations about the Bush administration's surveillance programs.

    Serving in his eleventh term, DeFazio is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and has been a leading critic of Bush administration policy. DeFazio serves on three committees in the House: Homeland Security, Natural Resources and Transportation and Infrastructure.

    As we discussed in our interview, DeFazio is concerned about the infighting between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in their contest to become the Democratic Party's nominee for president. He wrote a letter to both senators urging them to compete with each other to prove who can better take on the Republicans in the general election by targeting Republican nominee Sen. John McCain with their attacks.

    DeFazio is in a powerful position as a "Super Delegate," one of almost 800, who could ultimately decide the outcome of the nomination contest. "In the end, it is the candidate who can take the fight to McCain and win that deserves my support and, most importantly, the support of the Democratic Party," DeFazio said in his letter.

    Our interview also addressed the abrupt resignation of Adm. William Fallon, who, until March 11, served as the head of US Central Command and oversaw the ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. A strongly worded feature story in Esquire magazine painted Fallon as the main roadblock to war with Iran.

    DeFazio said military action against Iran would be "the ultimate disaster."

    We also discussed the Wall Street Journal report that revealed a massive hidden spy apparatus similar to the Total Information Awareness program. DeFazio said it is up to members of the House Intelligence Committee to investigate the legality of the program.

    The Bush administration has been working on a Status of Forces Agreement with the government of Iraq in an attempt to "tie the hands of the next president," according to DeFazio. A previous report on the subject by Truthout's Maya Schenwar can be viewed here.

    More information about DeFazio's work in Congress can be found at his web site.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/031808J.shtml 

2:49 PM EST

thus, 2 out of every 3 Americans have an open mind

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23691276/

Hmmm,  Joan, I should have gone back to check who wrote it.  Sorry.  But, it was right on, and I was delighted that whoever wrote it did.  It was cogent; it exposed the hypocrisy, and it revealed the real attidtudes of people sho say such things by way of excuses.

seashell wrote "[Obama's statement] sounds open for interpretation, yet I read it also as him saying that Israel is primarily the root of the ME problems. OTOH, it can also be read as hateful Islam is the problem."

It's not.  His statement can be digested to read 'Rev. Wright's remarks expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country – a view that sees the conflicts in the Middle East as rooted primarily in the actions of stalwart allies like Israel, instead of emanating from the perverse and hateful ideologies of radical Islam.'

If this statement strikes you as different in any substantive way from the views expressed by Al Gore or Howard Dean as presidential candidates, please explain how. 

Interest rates cut 3/4 %

A friend sent it to me, Seashell, with a question as to where she could recommend a relative go to find out the truth about Obama.  This wasn't her perspective. She supports Barack Obama.  I gave her the URL for his speech, the URL for his biography, and an AP article.  Still, I wanted people on this blog to be aware that there is hatred, deception, fear mongering, a Swift Boating situation out there that that won't let up unless it's exposed and dealt with.

I believe that we are at a crossroads in this country.  We have before us an extraordinary person of high ethical standards, who is honest, who is knowledgeable, who, as my husband said so aptly, when Clinton threw the kitchen sink at him, he caught it and gently set it down.

He's brilliant, eloquent, principled, charismatic, has experiences abroad with cultures, various belief systems, and has shown by his life's work that he is someone who can bridge the differences, can work with others who may hold opposing viewpoints.  His service in the inner city of Chicago is heroic.  

Am I a supporter of this man:?  I think he's exactly what we need to get out of the old fear mongering, aggressive, empire building, (600 plus military bases around the world), corporate enabling mindset that has made us disrputable, even an enemy around the world.  Will we be wise enough to choose him?  Dear heaven, I hope so.  If we don't, we damn well deserve what we get. 

What I find appalling is blacks on the corporate media shilling for bush.

I hope they get paid a lot cause they are going to hell in a handbasket. and my pastor had nothing to do with that statement.

and who dug up the obama/wright tape?

maybe a photo of hil and bill actually going to church with their pastor who just got sentenced for child molesting.

Linda wrote "History Lesson for Robert Torricelli...and Hillary Clinton...uh excuse me, Torricelli was JOHN KERRY's GUY."

You're excused.  Torricelli is a Hillraiser.  Wouldn't raising $100,000 for Clinton make him as much her "guy" as John Kerry's?

The story goes. David defeated Goliath alone with a single pebble, a sling shot. There was NO army. And he was only a boy at the time who liked to play the harp, write tunes of praise which he sung to his God. David was his Father's favorite son from his Father's favorite wife (which he had many).

IMHO, this is a terrible analogy. Folks really do need to know their bible study and attend church every now and then if they're going to use characters out the bible.

IMHO, DFA really shouldn't be using bible stories to make money and win elections. It's not very ethical or moral. This email kind of reminds me of something the Republicans produce. Comparing politicans to the boy David who wrote songs to his God just isn't a place where DFA needs to be headed.

If anyone wants to watch Obama's speech being given, there's a link to the YouTube on KOS.

and who dug up the obama/wright tape?

Correction: and who dug up the obama/wright tape?

Because of course, Obama isn't even in it. 

This media circus is a "Dean Scream" without  a Dean even having done the screaming.

3:14 PM EST

...

I believe that we are at a crossroads in this country.

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Pat -

1) You're welcome (re: youtube Obama speech link)

2) In regards to your comment, if mainfem were here, she could attest to it better, but there's a Maine phrase that goes something like this "ya can't get thera from hera".

In other words, Barack thought that race wasn't going to play as big of a issue, and neither did I or millions of other supporters (and non-supporters) too.

But it's out there now and no matter how much I had wished it hadn't come out, I'm glad now in hindsight that it has surfaced.  For if it had not, then when would it have surfaced ?

In other words, like you said we are at a crossroads -- we only have ourselves to look at now and once we decide which path to take.

If it was a Kodak moment, would it be a photo picture that we would be proud to hand down to our children and their children ?

, a sling shot s/b in a sling shot

Thurman, no matter how you spin it, you violated the rules.

Maybe you should resign. You made the DNC and Howard Dean a laughing stock.

Why, cause you wanted to make a statement. You did . YOU DISENFRANCHISED YOUR VOTERS. YOU DID IT.

NOW RESIGN.

Pat, did you say a "friend" sent you this?  Yikes! 

My father-in-law just sent me an email "joke" going around -- "What if Obama's elected?" -- which has doctored photos relating to various things in our society which would be islamicized.

I replied in a friendly manner that he shouldn't spread disinformation. 

King David got an army later when he made a deal with the god Jehovah for some kind of out of this world strange weapon technology. He used it to conquer and enslave his neighbors in the name of his god. He later lost grace with his people because of his infidelity with a married women from a foreign land.

What goes around always comes around.

Oh, poor Tom, I forgive you too if you just wiped from your memory the Toricelli Fundraising for John Kerry and Jones and Robert Gibbs (Obama campcaign).

I know you wish they haven't all been working together, but they do.

Former Senator Torricelli Wields Clout as Party Fund-Raiser
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By LAURA MANSNERUS
Published: February 14, 2004

Robert G. Torricelli, the former United States senator from New Jersey, is once again emerging as a principal fund-raiser for Democratic candidates and, as overseer of $2.3 million left from his own campaign fund, as a donor as well.

The ex-senator has come under scrutiny this week as his fund-raising efforts for Senator John Kerry's presidential campaign have drawn attention, leading some Democrats to distance themselves from Mr. Torricelli. Many others, however, are seeking support and receiving money from Mr. Torricelli, who dropped his 2002 re-election bid after accusations of ethical missteps and an admonishment from the Senate ethics committee for his relationship with a wealthy campaign donor.

''All of a sudden this guy who left national politics under a very dark cloud seems like one of the New Jerseyans who's going to have access to the Democratic nominee, and maybe the next president,'' said David Rebovich, a political scientist at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J.

Mr. Torricelli, through a spokesman, Richard McGrath, declined to discuss his plans. The former senator has no official role in the Kerry campaign, although ''he is an old friend and colleague'' of Senator Kerry, Mr. McGrath said. He has met with campaign organizers and offered to raise funds, however.

Republicans and many Democrats seized upon reports this week that Mr. Torricelli donated $50,000 to an organization that sponsored political advertisements attacking Howard Dean, who last month was Mr. Kerry's main rival in the Democratic presidential primaries. In an angry response, Dr. Dean said Mr. Torricelli had ''raised money from the same donors'' to contribute to Mr. Kerry and the Florida-based group that ran the advertisements, Americans for Jobs, Health Care and Progressive Values.

Full article;
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.ht...

your welcome.

CNN still playing the Wright tape and using the excuse to ask questions about Obama's speech relative to Wright.

I wonder how long this is going to go on. It isn't Obama shouting those things. How hard up can CNN get. They are evil.

Last night on Countdown, mention was made that it may take a week or more to weed through the speech to see where it falls. That was before they even heard it!

So a few minutes ago, Eugene Robinson says it may take weeks, maybe months to see how the speech plays out.

So Keith Olbermann and his show are no better, in the end, than Blister's hogwash on CNN. No matter what the subject matter, they are all simple pundits who keep whoring to keep their jobs.

We should tune them all out and listen to PBS and Link.

Barack will give a major speech on Iraq tomorrow. Hopefully he will link the faltering economy with the cost of Iraq.

Linda in NM - I think you should definitely be posting links here as you have been doing - I read them all. But I think you'd be better served not to be so condescending. You are so much better than that. Just my .02 cents.

For a year now, the Florida Democratic Party has tried to comply with the Delegate Selection Rules of the Democratic National Committee.

We researched every potential alternative process - from caucuses to county conventions to mail-in elections - but no plan could come anywhere close to being viable in Florida.

We made a detailed case to the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee, but we were denied.

Our Democratic legislators in Tallahassee tried to set the Florida primary on Feb. 5, instead of Jan. 29, but of course, their proposed amendment to House Bill 537 was greeted with laughter and derision from the Republicans who control the state government.

Does '537' ring a bell? It should. It's the number of votes that separated Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore in Florida in 2000.

It's the number that sent this country and this world in a terrible direction.

We can't let 537 - or the Republicans - determine our future again.

President Bush plans to stop in Florida tomorrow to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Republican National Committee's efforts to elect his successor in November.

The last thing America needs is a third Bush term. Despite the widespread anxiety that working families feel, not to mention the broad agreement among economists that we are in a recession, President Bush and John McCain blindly believe that the economy is strong.

And let me remind you that John McCain endorsed President Bush's decision to deny health care to thousands of Florida children by vetoing an expansion of the successful SCHIP program. McCain also promises to jeopardize the financial security of Florida seniors by privatizing Social Security. He continually threatens to push Florida's military families to the brink by keeping American troops in Iraq for "100 years" or more.

This is why we are Democrats, and this is why we must stick together, no matter where this ongoing delegate debate takes us.

Last week, the Florida Democratic Party laid out the only existing way that we can comply with DNC Rules - a statewide revote run by the Party - and asked for input.

Thousands of people responded. We spent the weekend reviewing your messages, and while your reasons vary widely, the consensus is clear: Florida doesn't want to vote again.

So we won't.

A party-run primary or caucus has been ruled out, and it's simply not possible for the state to hold another election, even if the Party were to pay for it. Republican Speaker of the Florida House Marco Rubio refuses to even consider that option. Florida is finally moving to paper ballots, which is a good thing, but it means that at least 15 counties do not have the capacity to handle a major election before the June 10th DNC primary deadline.

This doesn't mean that Democrats are giving up on Florida voters. It means that a solution will have to come from the DNC Rules & Bylaws Committee, which is scheduled to meet again in April.

When this committee stripped us of 100% of our delegates last year, some members summed up their reasoning by saying, "The rules are the rules." Unfortunately, the rules did not apply to Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina when they, too, violated the DNC calendar by moving from their assigned dates.

As the late great Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, "We must adjust our ideas to the facts of today... Rules are not necessarily sacred, principles are."

The Florida Democratic Party has stuck to its principles throughout this debate. We've remained open-minded while never wavering from our commitment to an open and fair election that would allow all Florida Democrats to participate, whether serving in Iraq, retiring in Boca, studying abroad or entertaining at a theme park.

Another late great President -Abraham Lincoln, a Republican - said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand."

If Democrats heed this wisdom, we will win in November.

America needs a great president again, but a President McCain will settle for the status quo and carry on the disastrous Bush tradition.

President Clinton or President Obama will make history and lead this nation in a new direction.

Let's remember this as the delegate debate continues. We must stick together as Democrats. The stakes are too high and the opportunities too great.

I will keep you posted on any major developments. Thank you for your concern and your commitment.

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Karen L. Thurman
Chair, Florida Democratic Party

Joan - I think Keith is just trying to be fair. I don't think he's overdoing the Wright tape. I think he'll see the speech for what it is - truly magnificent and healing. Just wait and don't give up on Keith.

57.

Sitka
Tue, 03/18/08


Hillary's last couple of "campaign" speeches have been totally staged for the media. Her camp is trying to make her "look presidential" or like she is already the president.

The Clintons' camp are staging her speeches as if she is alREADY giving Presidential Press Conferences with a "chosen audience". The truth is they're stump speechs and she is not making policy. If fact she isn't even the front runner in the race. It looks very Bush Republican as far as I'm concerned.

A lot of magical thinking is going on in Camp Hillary these days. They're now having to play an illusionary performance of pretence. It's quite a magic act and a very good theatrical production. I bet they're even spraying perfume in the air like they do a rock concerts and across American inter-city highways.

Both Mich and Fla screwed up and in both states, the Dem party had a hand in it.
We can tell them to stay home and hope the Dems support the candidate. The rank and file are not inclined to help Dems get elected.
We can either tell them to stay home and loose both states and maybe the election or we can grant them all free agents who can vote for whom they want at the convention.
I sent an email to the Michigan Dem Party suggesting they decide who to support at the state and district conventions and have heard nothing yet.
An easy solution is to give Hillary her votes and Obama the non-committed which favors Hillary but not enough to give her the nod. She gets her votes and Obama still wins.

Here is the planned delegate meetings for Mich. They can easily unscramble the delegate messes before the convention.

The Michigan Democratic Party today released the official allocation of pledged delegates, alternates, and committee members for Hillary Clinton and for Uncommitted based on the official January 15, 2008 Presidential Primary results certified by the Board of State Canvassers on February 4, 2008.

Overall, Clinton will have 73 pledged delegates, 16 pledged alternates, and 10 committee members, and there will be 55 uncommitted delegates, 5 uncommitted alternates, and 8 uncommitted committee members.

Eighty-three (83) pledged delegates and 15 pledged alternates will be elected at Congressional District Conventions on March 29, 2008. The remaining 45 pledged delegates and 6 pledged alternates will be elected at a State Central Committee meeting on May 17, 2008 in Grand Rapids. Committee members will be elected that day by the entire delegation.

These 128 pledged delegates, 21 pledged alternates and 18 committee members together with 28 unpledged delegates (also known as “super delegates”) will constitute Michigan’s delegation to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado on August 25-28.

LINDA IN NM , what does that post have to do with anything?

have you noticed there's a new thread?

69.

mary vb
Tue, 03/18/08

Some folks never believed or didn't want to believe in the 50 state strategy. But the DNC members voted to do it.

Trade is so much better than war.

Goliath is known also as Goliath of Gath. Gath is one of five city states of the Philistines. The Philistines were a people who inhabited the southern coast of Canaan. Their origins are from Crete (Ancient Greece) and Sumer (Ur). And yes they were giants. The Canaanites are mentioned in Mesopotamian (Iraq) and Ancient Egyptian texts. They grew grapes and olives the size of melons. They produced the drink of the gods, red wine. Canaan was the land of milk and honey. The original Canaanites were farmers. Sumerians were the "inventors of agriculture".