Dean is first!

Governors are setting national clean energy agenda

In Brief: In the absence of presidential leadership, America's governors are setting a clean air agenda to fight global warming.

No matter what the president said Wednesday about his global warming commitment, many of America's governors aren't buying. Long ago they gave up hope of White House leadership on the subject and have taken matters into their own hands.

Today, the governors are meeting at Yale to discuss ways they can combat global warming that directly affect their states. At the heart of their discussions are greenhouse gas emissions, from vehicles and coal-fired power plants, that the administration refuses to control or won't let states control.

Leading the way is California's Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, still battling Bush over the president's refusal to approve California's plan to regulate tailpipe emissions in a state whose vehicles contribute more global warming gases than any other state. The governor's energy adviser candidly declared that "the states are designing the true U.S. climate policy."

But Schwarzenegger notwithstanding, the real star at the conference is Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius, who has achieved near-heroic national stature for her 7-month fight against coal and for clean energy. The Sebelius stand has helped fuel a state-by-state rebellion against coal power. Last year alone, states stalled or outright rejected plans for 59 coal-fired plants. Other plant projects simply died for lack of financing as major financial institutions recognized that coal has become a risky business.

Why risky? ... full article: http://www.earthjustice.org/our_work/tri...

Obama and Sebelius in 2008!

I left this at the end of the last thread - check out the photos section as it gives great overviews of many of their projects.  they have a wide variety of great programs - be sure to check out 'healthy cities'!....

good morning!  this is how Burlington is trying to answer the food problem locally - this org is great and I've been hoping to work for them for several years - interview is Monday! (fingers, toes, arms, legs and eyes crossed!)   

The Intervale Center supports financially viable and environmentally sustainable agriculture. We manage 354 acres of farmland, nursery, compost production, trails, and wildlife corridors along the Winooski River in Burlington, Vermont, and we share what we do and what we learn with others around the state and throughout the world.

Our Mission

To develop farm-and land-based enterprises that generate economic and social opportunity while protecting natural resources.

The Big Picture

As people disconnect from active lifestyles, nutritious food, and the natural world, they become less healthy. Community fabric becomes frayed. Food producers struggle financially while people nearby consume highly processed food products with minimal nutritional value manufactured in distant facilities.

At the Intervale, we are trying to reverse this cycle. Reconnecting people, food and nature helps to preserve natural resources and create a roadmap to a secure food system and a sustainable future.

Our Goals

Our goals are to grow viable farms, preserve productive agricultural land, increase access to local, organic food, compost and other soil amendments, and protect water quality through organic waste management and stream bank restoration.

http://intervale.org/

9:29 AM EDT 

speaking of STAND UP , will the real Hillary please stand up ?:

http://www.blog.newsweek.com/blogs/stumper/archive/2008/04/17/clinton-s-not-as-bad-as-you-think-tour-kicks-off-in-pennsylvania.aspx

Posted Thursday, April 17, 2008 7:19 PM

Clinton's 'Not as Bad as You Think' Tour Kicks Off in Pennsylvania

Andrew Romano

...

a ferociously competitive politician often depicted as America's Iron Lady--and who last night in Philadelphia delivered one of the edgiest, elbow-throwing debate performances of the cycle--the former seems only marginally more plausible than the latter.  But it was clear from the opening moments of today's appearance in this tony Main Line college town that, with the debating done and her TV ads dealing with the dirty work, Hillary now intends to show Pennsylvania her softer side. Call it the "Shrinking Violet" strategy.

Billed as a "Conversation with Families," today's event, the first of Clinton's final five-day swing before Tuesday's primary, was designed to keep the upscale, well-educated suburban women who constitute one of the Keystone State's potentially decisive constituencies from defecting to Obama. As with the online launch of Clinton's candidacy, the "conversation" part was a bit of a misnomer; she did approximately 98 percent of the talking.

...  

haha - good luck with that, Hillary - your soft side is always just a moment away from your 'hard' side!   you might consider.... I've heard that medication can help slow the 'sway'.  lol!

John Heilemann is reporting in his Daily Intel blog at New York Magazine that President Clinton's labor secretary, Robert Reich, will endorse Obama today.  Here are some excerpts, which include Reich's commnets during a discussion with Heilemann:

"'She's an old friend,' Reich said, "I've known her 40 years. I was absolutely dead set against getting into the whole endorsement thing. I've struggled with it. I've not wanted to do it. Out of loyalty to her, I just felt it would be inappropriate.'

"So what's changed? I asked Reich.

"'I saw the ads' — the negative man-on-street commercials that the Clinton campaign put up in Pennsylvania in the wake of Obama's bitter/cling comments a week ago — 'and I was appalled, frankly. I thought it represented the nadir of mean-spirited, negative politics. And also of the politics of distraction, of gotcha politics. It's the worst of all worlds. We have three terrible traditions that we've developed in American campaigns. One is outright meanness and negativity. The second is taking out of context something your opponent said, maybe inartfully, and blowing it up into something your opponent doesn't possibly believe and doesn't possibly represent. And third is a kind of tradition of distraction, of getting off the big subject with sideshows that have nothing to do with what matters. And these three aspects of the old politics I've seen growing in Hillary's campaign. And I've come to the point, after seeing those ads, where I can't in good conscience not say out loud what I believe about who should be president. Those ads are nothing but Republicanism. They're lending legitimacy to a Republican message that's wrong to begin with, and they harken back to the past 20 years of demagoguery on guns and religion. It's old politics at its worst — and old Republican politics, not even old Democratic politics. It's just so deeply cynical.'

" . . . .

"[B]eyond the bald fact of Reich's support for Obama, the Clinton campaign should pay heed to the reasoning behind it. In his disgust with Hillary's increasingly harsh tactics, Reich is hardly alone. Indeed, the feeling seems to be spreading more broadly in the party with every passing day. It's been clear for some time that Hillary's attacks on Obama were driving up her negatives. You could certainly argue this might be a price worth paying if those attacks were amping up doubts about him. But it's hard to see any logic — or even sanity — in the tactic if the result is to drive even people who once regarded Hillary dearly into Obama's arms."

9:33 AM EDT

Jo -

Indeed.

When I read that she is now selling her softer side --

-- well, the first thing that popped in my head ?

Sears

Great news about Robert Reich. Is he a Judas?

I mentioned last night two columnists at the NY Times both going after Obama (and on the same bloody day). Here's a diary with more details.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4...

Mary - yes great news!  and what will Carville say if a whole new slate of SDs move on over to Barack?!  Edwards joked last night that he wasn't endorsing anyone because something like:

Carville 'bites'...  and the 'the ed-word' prompter read: he hasn't had his shots!

if you missed Colbert's stream of guests last night, check it out - it was great!  it had a very special ending.  (the website has been taking forever to load, last night and today - I think their server's getting quite a hit).  you can watch all the segments or scroll to the ones you want.  'The EdWords' was very good!

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_colbert_report/index.jhtml

Some cockle warming 'gnus' from this morning's headlines on capitalnews.org:

Ongoing nomination fight hurting Clinton more than Obama
By CHARLES BABINGTON and TREVOR TOMPSON, Associated Press Writers
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a dramatic reversal, an Associated Press-Yahoo! News poll found that a clear majority of Democratic voters now say Sen. Barack Obama has a better chance of defeating Republican Sen. John McCain in November than Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.

http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008...

also

Fact check: Obama, Clinton and the Weather Underground
Thu Apr 17, 6:22 PM ET

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080417/ap_o...

The Dean 25 could decide Clinton's fate.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/040...

That's our Howard. I realize he'll never be President but he has done so much for the Democratic Party. What a guy. And he's looking mighty fine in this pic!

vb wrote "I mentioned last night two columnists at the NY Times both going after Obama."

Krugman is like Linda in NM.  He has just worked his way down the list of Democratic presidential contenders since the nomination process began until he's finally stuck with Obama at the bottom.  Brooks seemed actually smitten by Obama in some of his earlier op-eds, but he's a Republican.  These are par for the course.

To see Secretary Reich, however, a Clinton cabinet member and long-time colleague of the Clinton's, is eye-opening and should be sending a message to her campaign, if she still has the sense and good judgment to hear it.

WaPo: 90% of Americans feel the economy is not good. So what did the debate cover? Flag pins and capital gains taxes. Ridiculous and out of touch - just like the Republicans.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...

Erratum: I didn't actually mean that it is eye-opening to see Robert Reich so much as that it is eye-opening to see his endorsement for Obama.

I like this paragraph from a KOS diary:

These recent NYT columns fit in w/ the approach taken by Gibson/Steph 2 nights ago. Elitism isn't defined by the fact that a candidate's spouse inherited a $100mm beer distributorship fortune, nor is it defined by the fact that a candidate's spouse made $100mm in 7 years giving speeches and writing books. Elitism is defined by one's views on gun ownership and on flag lapel pins.

NYT columnists lets Obama have it w/ both barrels
by RFK Lives [Subscribe]

Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 06:26:57 AM PDT

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4...

3.

Susan Rowe
Fri, 04/18/08

Reply to this
Obama and Sebelius in 2008!


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

Susan, Sebelius will put us to sleep -- I like

Obama and Schweitzer in 2008!

What a coup for Colbert - EdWords, Clinton and Obama - I liked Obama looming large. he he. Thanks, Jo.

I won't be contributing to a jet ski for John and Elizabeth however! Someone had a diary up about contributing to that effort.

Schweitzer = Mountain West. I'm hoping for that too but I doubt it will happen. Montanans are quite happy.

From the Courage website if you live in LA:

Please join us at ABC's headquarters in Burbank on FRIDAY to protest and pass out flag pins to ABC employees leaving their Disney corporate office. Your mission: Ask ABC/Disney employees whether they can pass their own flag-pin litmus test: "Are you patriotic enough to wear a flag-pin?"

We need to know how many people are coming, so watch MoveOn's video and PLEASE RSVP NOW:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/FlagPinProtest

At 4 p.m. please join the Courage Campaign and your fellow activists at ABC's Disney Studios in Burbank in front of the West Alameda Gate, between S. Buena Vista and S. Keystone Streets (click here for a map). We're going to protest ABC's debate disaster and ask their employees to pass the flag-pin litmus test until about 7 p.m.

The Democrats' Wimp Factor:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/132566

Let Hirsh know how you feel about this article. I am SOOOOO
tired of the traditional media sliming Barack. Wimp? Yeh, right.

Will the Web Power Obama Past McCain (McAncient)? Starring JOE RASPARS!!!!

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/articl...

Denise

Great blog subject. Too many people don't realize that trees have a great deal to do with global warming.

Though my own yard is plum full of large oaks and other decideous trees as well as the Florida brand, there are thousands of places where trees can and need to be planted. I see wide open parks that cold use some plantings. I'm sure the country is full of such places.

Our Florida Dept. of Agriculture offices around the state often have small seedlings in cup available just for the taking. That's probably truee in many other states. Check around, pick some up and do some planting. That department can probably make good suggestions as to where to plant them and how to make sure they keep growing.

that politico rundown on the 25 Dean-picked SDs was great - thank you for the link!  Howard is doing a fantastic job in his role of chairman in this rather, well 'difficult' primary season - thank you, too, Howard!

22.

Tom Bearse
Fri, 04/18/08


Erratum: I didn't actually mean that it is eye-opening to see Robert Reich so much as that it is eye-opening to see his endorsement for Obama.
-----------

Very many respect and appreciate non-compromising stands, once in a while, over compromising....

Friendlier Hillary Woos Suburbs.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08109/874...

Okay, this is silly. Why can't Hillary just be Hillary all of the time? Barack is consistent and authentic. Good grief - she only brings out her warm and fuzzy side in the 'burbs?

Mydd is now completely irrelevant with Jerome leading the way. I won't link anything from there but he's completely lost all credibility with his defense of Clinton's Republicanism and Obama's so-called weakness.

Susan Rowe
Fri, 04/18/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Obama/Sebelius ?  Against Mccain/?  Leave it to the Dumbocratic Party to go with a loser lineup..........havent you folks learned anything since 1980?   Hmm??????????????????

Obama/ STRONG MILITARY or WELL KNOWN SEASONED GUY..repeat...GUY

Ya wanna win in November...............................dont tempt fate..........

A must read story at Daily Kos. The New McCarthyism.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/4...

I have a very queasy feeling about Tuesday's primary in PA. I think Hillary may win big. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think so. What worries me is how the traditional media will cover the story - they have been relentless in their attacks against Barack since Rev. Wright and I feel they will try to bury him. I pray I am wrong.

11:12 AM EDT

Friendlier Hillary Woos Suburbs.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08109/874...

Okay, this is silly. Why can't Hillary just be Hillary all of the time? Barack is consistent and authentic. Good grief - she only brings out her warm and fuzzy side in the 'burbs?

+++

mary vb -

Lo and behold !

The softer side of Hillary today has already flipped back again on same day to selling hardware -- jeez, if I was a Clinton supporter, I'd be like the words of that Led Zeppelin song Dazed and Confused as to who and what is Hillary's campaign all about ?:

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0408/512543.html

Ongoing nomination fight hurting Clinton more than Obama.

http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008...

The comments the voters make are what worries me. Jeez.

Please recommend.

http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/24992...

Thank you.

Mike wrote "Obama/ STRONG MILITARY or WELL KNOWN SEASONED GUY..repeat...GUY"

Your posts are becoming indecipherable.  You rail against namby-pamby Democrats who can't meet your standards for liberal orthodoxy, opting for third-party nonentities like Ron Paul or some Green Party candidate, then essentially advise Democrats that the country will elect their hide-bound conservative opponents unless they field some jingoistic ticket with military ambitions.  You essentially argue that any candidate you would support would be radioactive at the polls, but you won't consider tempering your views in order to actually install a left-leaning president.

Obama/Webb

11:18 AM EDT

Hillary advice to her supporters ?

well, since I'm not a supporter, I can only quess but maybe it goes something like this ?

"don't worry, I'm steering this campaign on the right course to victory" --

"or is it left ?":

http://www.animationlibrary.com/animation/29361/Skipper/

Mike has it right (again)

vb wrote "I have a very queasy feeling about Tuesday's primary in PA. I think Hillary may win big."

The nomination was sewn up a month ago.  Clinton's march to the sea ends in the drink.  She's going Captain Queeg on us.  Democrats are so unused to a competitive, drawn out nomination process that they don't know how to act when they have one. 

We used to just complain that the first two states determined the nominee.  Now we fail to comprehend that it's possible to settle on a candidate sometime before the 50th state weighs in in June.

New Rasmussen poll has Obama down by 3. I'm not buying it. I just don't.

http://rasmussenreports.com/public_conte...

I sure as he!! hope I'm wrong!

Good Morning,

Thanks for all the links, posts, and information.  It's great to feel the connection to what is happening.  

I watched the debates, and thought that Obama did very well, shows that a debate should be about thinking, not personal attacks, not accusations.  For me, a revealing moment was when  Hillary cited the Reagan Moynihan Commission on Social Security, and Obama pointed out that that commission raised the caps for people and the age for retirement.  Hillary came across as ignorant.  No one seemed to pick up on that.

She has so adopted her style of presentation to declaraations, sound bytes, and attacks, that she doesn't even realize what a debate is.  

Finally, for me, I feel sometimes we are like Frodo, poised on the brink of Mount Doom, with our best instincts being drawn in towards ourselves, willing to be our worst selves.  These politics are sheerly destructive and the longer people can view both candidates if they have any human knowledge, insight, or morality at all will be able to see that Hillary and Bill Clinton are very flawed people as is McCain and will do us continued damage.  We are lucky, maybe in ways we don't even deserve, to have a young man with the life experience, capabilities, commitment and ideals of Obama.  May we finally let that ring of doom go and begin a new course.

I sometimes think, after spending six days on the interstate highways, that humanity itself is out of control with over population, greed, violence, corruption, lack of ethics, and that politics is merely a side show.

Thanks Denise, for a needed post upfront.  Maybe we can change things. 

11:47 AM EDT

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/16/hillary-clinton-on-workin_n_97017.html

April 16, 2008 02:21 PM

...

I actually agree with Mike about Obama's running mate choice. I think Schweitzer or Webb would do the trick. I like Sebelius a lot but feel she would be pummeled. The media is already starting a new meme about Obama (with Hillary's help) that he is somehow a wimp. I don't want a street fighter for POTUS. You don't have to be brash to be a *fighter* like Hillary. She's arrogant and a bully. We've had that for seven years. No thanks.

30.

mary vb
Fri, 04/18/08

I have a very queasy feeling about Tuesday's primary in PA. I think Hillary may win big. I hope I'm wrong but I don't think so. What worries me is how the traditional media will cover the story - they have been relentless in their attacks against Barack since Rev. Wright and I feel they will try to bury him. I pray I am wrong.
-------------------

There is no guarantee it can’t happen, and if so there is a guarantee it won’t happen next time...

Each next failings of a “progressive” (whatever it means…lol) agenda IS a guarantee that its final victory has only become closer.

Getting lucky in prolonging agony of this system is only what it is - the “prolonging agony” but nothing more. Imo, society as a whole has ripened to understand it..., we’ll see.

Obama/Dean

2nd choice Obama/Webb

Pat

hard not to connect hunger to the farmland under all that sprawl you saw

mary vb
Fri, 04/18/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Hi mary and thanks...........agreed.....elections in this country are based alot on image, not issues or quality.......sadly.......its a flaw of our society.......now this Sebelius woman, image alone sinks her..........in Obama the Dems have an adequate candidate and articulate and maybe Mccains match, but he will have to be alongside a VP that signifies strength, courage , expereince and wisdom..............Clinton/Gore was  a great combo..............

Listen to your "gut" on the Obama slide that will commence with PA.........I just dont see the rural areas siding with him as mayb be proven.............getting vibes like this from rural NY state as well...............alot of people dont want to be lectured on race, many still are inflamed by affirmative action, bussing etc................

The Democrats had the country for their taking 10 months ago, but stupid, silly mistake after another and we are seeing a Mccain resurgency...............as I predicted when he was in last place and buried.....................

for the delegate race Hillary has to win 60/40 in PA and then sweep NC and IN and that isn't going to happen, but I still see no reason not to finish it out and organize the rest of the states.

Clinton won't do anything Republicans won't do and it will then be old news by fall.

              IF  by Rudyard Kipling
 
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling
 

Tom Bearse
Fri, 04/18/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Look pal...........do ya wanna win this frickin election?.................its a long shot at best..............the country is another ME adventure and economic upheaval(depression) away from the resurgency of liberalism................

Obama/Webb  

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

Phil........thanks.....its 12.13 pm..........as non military as I am, I would say Webb or someone comparable............combine youth too and it just may negate the Mccain military/experience factor...............

37.

Tom Bearse
Fri, 04/18/08
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Look pal...........do ya wanna win this frickin election?.................

+++

Spoken like a true non-voter.

12:17 PM EDT

http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-041808-ah-earlyvoting.76d6b019.html?npc

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It didn't take long to look like a real election.

The opening curtain of early voting in Charlotte drew six times the turnout of 2004, when N.C. voters last held primaries to help elect a president.

Four years ago, about 50 showed up the first day; this time the tally was more than 300. The day even featured a mid-afternoon traffic jam around the Central Piedmont Community College polling site as voters hunted places to park. And the numbers will only grow as more early-voting sites open around Charlotte and the state.

...

10 months ago, but stupid, silly mistake after another and we are seeing a Mccain resurgency...............as I predicted when he was in last place and buried.....................

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

You weren't the only one warning it would not be a cake-walk.  However, I am not the cynical one.  I see the party going through a revolution - which are never easy - between the old machine style corporate-supported, and the new unity of purpose from the grass roots.  It started with Dean and Obama is picking up the torch.

39.

mary vb
Fri, 04/18/08

Reply to this
New Rasmussen poll has Obama down by 3. I'm not buying it. I just don't.

http://rasmussenreports.com/public_conte...

I sure as he!! hope I'm wrong!
-----
mary vb I hope you are wrong too of course but what interested me about the poll is it was taken AFTER the debate.

12:22 PM EDT

fyi - new Front thread

http://www.blogforamerica.com/view/24978#comments

There are some preachers who have been known to attack abortion clinics and Drs who perform them. There are pastors who preach to women to be subservient. There are Priests who are attacking their choir boys. There are Rabbis who attack those who disagree with them. There are the polygamists who attack women, by brainwashing 3 yr old babies in preparation to be sex slaves for older men.

I understand what Rev. Wright was getting at.

NYTimes article about the founder of Kitchen Gardeners International.

In the Garden
Out of the Yard and Onto the Fork By ANNE RAVER

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/garden...