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Sunday: President McCain is Howard Dean’s Responsibility

We now have at least three pieces of evidence that there is trouble in the DNC paradise caused by those annoying and irritating deadenders.  Let’s review:

  • About a week ago, in a conversation with a potential donor, Obama reveals that he hasn’t ruled out Clinton as VP.  Nothing in this campaign happens by accident.  It’s too tightly scripted, managed and marketed.  This was floated out there to keep the public interested and to have them accept Clinton in the #2 spot.  It also gave Obama a chance to bash the Big Dawg.  Now, that’s a mixed message, because it shows the degree of animosity between the two camps.  So the fact that he is forced to admit that he is considering her as VP makes him look like he’s vulnerable.
  • About a week ago, David Plouffe, Obama’s campaign strategist, creates a video for a DNC beg-a-thon.  It turns out that the RNC is raking in the big bucks and now has an almost $100 million dollar warchest.  The DNC?  Ehhhh, not so much.  I can not imagine why the DNC isn’t raising funds.  We could probably make the DNC rich overnight.
  • A few days ago, Don Fowler, former head of the DNC and Alice Germond, RBC member, write what will surely become a letter that will live in infamy.  If these two are not politically tone-deaf, then the only possible explanation for this incredibly insulting letter is to provoke Hillary’s supporters to loudly and emphatically demand her comeback.  I must conclude that Fowler and Germond are secretly working with the Clinton campaign.

In science, three data points is a trend.  (except if you’re a biologist who seems to be satisfied with two).  This list of datapoints is by no means exhaustive.  I think there was someone in Texas recently who was complaining about emails and letters but that hardly counts.  We all hate emails and letters cluttering up our in-boxes.  Oh, yeah, there was a report that when Obama mentioned Hillary’s name at an event recently, he was greeted with deafening applause.  That went on.  And on.  And fatigued and irritated the Dauphin.  Ahh, here is the citation:  Crowd erupts during Obama speech– but it’s over mention of Clinton.  (Thanks to SM77 for the hint)

It appears that the party is getting a tad impatient with us deadenders.  We who issue demands for our votes.  Damn us!  We are going to ruin everything.  We hear this everyday.  Like, here is a polite version of this message that I fished out of the spam dungeon:

Scott Erb

  • This Darragh Murphy has proven what kind of person she is with her slime against Cristina at “yestodemocracy.org.” Christina has also proven that PUMA, a tiny impotent group of mostly Republicans, was organized by and is strongly influenced by the GOP. The kind or irrational desire not to support Hillary’s natural political ally because of emotion over personality will only infect a small group of people. Think about the issues at stake. I certainly understand that you believe Hillary to be the better candidate, but in politics someone wins and someone loses, and this was a very close race. Now it’s McCain and the GOP vs. Obama and the progressives. If because of irrational emotion you can’t see the issues clearly, I pity you. I think, though, you guys are caught up in groupthink and immune to rational argumentation.

Well, at least he pities us.  There are others who think we’re not funny anymore.  Now THAT really bothers me.

I’ve mentioned this before but apparently it needs to be repeated periodically.  Our votes belong to us.  If a politician wants our votes, it is his obligation to come to us and grovel and scrape and make us promises he does not intend to keep in order to get them.  Every voting bloc since time immemorial has had the power to compel the politician to do this sometimes humiliating exercise in sucking up.  Some of them do it better than others.  So far, Senator Obama and the DNC have decided they do not need to do this to get the votes of the old, working class, uneducated, sino-peruvian lesbian category to which we Clintonistas have been involuntarily assigned.  This is a big mistake on their part because we now have a huge lever and the motivation to use it.

Dr. Dean should have had enough classes in science to understand inverse proportionality.  The more the DNC disses us and tells us to get in line, the less likely we are to do so.  Howard is forgetting the rules of human behavior.  We are not chattel or indentured servants.  We do not belong to the DNC.  We can’t be told to get in line if there isn’t anything in it for us.  BUT, if the DNC fails to provide us with sufficient reasons to vote for its candidate, we do have the means and motive to punish the DNC for abandoning us and its principles in its pursuit of younger, more affluent and conservative voters.

Now. how did we get to such an impasse?  To me, it looks like Howard Dean dd not exercise good leadership.  He allowed his strategy and ideology to get ahead of him.  He pursued a 50 state strategy that favored sparsely populated mountain and western states over the richer hunting grounds of the coasts.  In order to reward these states that we will never win in the fall, his candidate of choice has had to adopt a Blue-Dog persona at the expense of the bigger, more progressive states that have had to wait on their hands for the last 8 years while their tax dollars are siphoned away from state needs to line the pockets of Republican cronies and contractors.

Howard allowed the social engineering nannies of the Rules and Bylaws Committee to restructure the delegate counts so that Barack Obama, the first African-American potential nominee, would “win” at the expense of the first woman potential nominee who also happened to be the most qualified. They conveniently forgot that women outnumber African-Americans.  They stupidly tried to rope us in with the tired Roe v. Wade argument, as if Hillary Clinton wouldn’t be better able to defend women against its reversal..This was irresponsible.  Now, the only way to bestow legitimacy on the nominee chosen at the convention is for Howard Dean to guarantee that Hillary’s name is placed in nomination.  A floor fight is the only way to ensure that we all grudgingly accept the nominee.  Way to go, Howard.  Because if after 2 months of fluffing this sham of a candidate you have to backtrack to appease the rest of us, you are going to piss off a whole new constituency of young, idealistic and deluded Obama supporters.

Howard Dean has royally screwed the party.  He did not exercise appropriate control of the various factions of the party and he allowed bias to creep into the selection process.  He has allowed his various committees and their clueless mouthpieces to write off half of his base.  He has allowed the DNC treasury to be depleted, putting at risk dozens of downticket Dems who are running to displace Republicans who will be more flush with cash.

If the result of all this stupidity and poor leadership is that John McCain is elected president because half of us won’t vote for or support this empty suit of an inexperienced African-American male who was carried across the finish line at the expense of his more qualified challenger who was the real DEMOCRAT, there is no one to blame but Howard Dean and his incompetent leadership.

If you want a Democrat in the White House this year and solid majorities in Congress, it is time for Howard Dean and his henchman, Donna Brazile, to go.  Don’t expect us to even listen to the plaintive wails and whinings of the DNC until they are gone.

BTW, what kind of coward goes in front of a friendly audience the day after he gets thoroughly trounced by his opponent in the last debate he agrees to and disses her like she’s bird poop?  He can’t win a debate against her so he gets in front of his clique and insults her when she isn’t around to defend herself?  Yeah, that’s classy.  That’s brave.  No it’s not.  It’s immature and cowardly.  We’re supposed to vote for this guy?  Seriously?  Not until he apologizes for this and every other chickenshit act he did throughout the campaign.

167 Responses

  1. You said it, in a nutshell: “Our votes belong to us.” (and I love the thought that they are secretly working for Hillary. haha That was surely not meant to unify us, was it?? calling us names, and immature…)

    This was my reply to Don and Alice:

    First of all, Obama hasn’t *won* anything yet. His nomination is NOT official until after the convention. Obama won the presidency months ago, in his own mind, but he is not the President yet, as much as he pretends, and he certainly is not the nominee yet.

    “When Morgan Freeman comes over to greet Obama, the senator begins bowing down both hands in worship. “This guy was president before I was,” says Obama, referring to Freeman’s turn in Deep Impact and, clearly, getting a little ahead of his own bio. Next, a nod to Bruce Almighty: “This guy was God before I was.” (Okay, more than a little ahead.)”

    Secondly, it is the members of the DNC that *selected* Obama as their nominee, not the people. Hillary obtained MORE votes than Obama. It was the Super Delegates, party insiders that selected Obama. And considering how Obama has flip flopped lately, there are delegates switching back to Hillary, and voters who want to take back their vote for Obama. So, Hillary still has a chance to secure the nomination.

    CNN political analyst Donna Brazile railed against the scenario. “If 795 of my colleagues decide this election, I will quit the Democratic Party. I feel very strongly about this,” Brazile said. (this was back when Hillary had more Super Delegate support than Obama…we’re still waiting for Donna to quit.)

    Thirdly, Since when does the Democratic party OWN it’s members? Since when is it required that if you vote or support one democratic candidate you HAVE to support all of the candidates?

    I have voted for Clinton twice, Gore and Kerry, and am a Hillary Clinton supporter, but that does NOT mean that the friggin Democratic Party OWNS me, OR my vote, OR my loyalty. Where was their loyalty to two of it’s most beloved leaders? Where was their loyalty to millions of voters in FL and MI? Where was their loyalty to 18 million voters who voted for Hillary?

    It is my American right to vote for who I feel is the best person for the job. It is the right, and DUTY of every American to vote for the person they feel is the best candidate for the job and who represents who they want in the White House, and who can lead our country.

    I, nor any American, OWES the Democratic Party full support of a flip flopping, lying, empty suit who has not accomplished ANYTHING, has changed jobs every two years, has served 146 days in the US senate, worked 55 days a year in the IL senate, served communities that were devestated by poverty, partly due to the fault of Obama’s good buddy, hangs out with Anti-American ministers and terrorists, and never once spoke out and defended the Former First Lady and Senator from New York against the sexist attacks from the media and his supporters.

    What the frick has Obama EVER accomplished that makes him qualified to be POTUS?

    Just because he has a (D) next to his name is not a good enough reason.

    And the way the DNC acted this primary season, I am not so sure I even want a (D) next to my name anymore.

    Oh, and by the way, Don and Alice, we are carping, complaining and criticizing you and the DNC, so I can see why you are irritated by it. But, frankly, we are tired of being treated like children who are not responsible for our own votes, and our own decisions. And very irritated about being called immature and racist.

    We heard the message from Donna Brazile, loud and clear – “message to base: stay home”. You all wanted a new party base, now you’ve got it. Deal with it. So, quit your whining, and complaining.

  2. If Hillary did not want this, she would have released her delegates.

    We told her we have her back! I will never let her down. The problem they have is we have morals and scruples and cannot be bought off! I would rather lose admirably than win as a lying dog!

    President Hillary Rodham Clinton 2008

    PUMA, We’ve Come A Long Way Baby!

  3. Riverdaughter,

    You are so right, and your post has gotten me fired up even though I’m still exhausted from two straight weeks of nearly round the clock work. If McCain wins in November it will be on Howard Dean and his minions as well as all the Democratic losers like Kerry, Daschle, and yes, Gore, who are backing Obama instead of the best candidate, Hillary Clinton.

    I vote is mine, it is precious to me, and I won’t be told how to vote, not by anyone. Some of these young whippersnappers may not have taken civics in hs, but I did. I studied American history too. What is going on now is an aberration and it is unacceptable. I’m never giving up this fight and I’m proud of all the smart, terrific people we have on the side of right.

    Thank you Riverdaughter for your strong, unyielding voice!

  4. RD, I’m afraid I’m the one who threw Erb into the spam pile. But it is rich that he continues to push the debunked myth that Murphy is a republican, when in fact he himself seems to have closer ties to the GOP. If you go to Mr. Erb’s website, you’ll see his job history (which mainly includes pizza boy, until he managed to join the ranks of the academic elite). He worked for REPUBLICAN senator Larry Pressler:

    1983-1986: Senator Larry Pressler

    I needed a job while working for my MA, and I found one with South Dakota Senator Larry Pressler

    http://faculty.umf.maine.edu/~erb/narrative.htm

    So not only is Erb a sexist jerk (don’t you just hate women and their “irrational emotions”?), he’s a hypocrite too. Or else HE is the GOP ratfucker…take your pick.

  5. If Hillary was given 30 minutes on all television networks and it was all that was reported on for 24 hours, Hillary begging and pleading with us to support Obama, it still wouldn’t make me vote for Obama or send him on red cent.

    In fact it would steel my resolve.

    I love it that they don’t get it.

  6. Holy Hemiola!

    RD what took you so long?

    Since I stopped watching “Meet The Clowns”, “Deface The Nation” and “This is Weak”, I Love enjoying my (insane) caffeine intake Sundays with The Confluence. Either I enjoy it some more or I spit it out because something was funny or irritating.

    You raised a major problem with the disparity of funds because the DNC is not raising anything. They’ll have to depend on Obama because that were all the donations are going.

    By my calculation Obama needs to keep the $55 mio pace (which he won’t) to be able to compete in the fall against the GOP machine. Keep in mind McCain has $80 mio waiting for him for the last 2 months of the campaign.

    Whereas Obama’s$$+DNC$$=Obama’s$$, RNC$$+McCain$$ is way larger than Obama’s war chest.

  7. GMTA RD

    I’m working on a similarly themed post.

    My vote is for sale, bidding ends on November 4th.

    I’m not giving it away this time.

  8. Gary: Oh, he definitely belongs in the spam filter. Unfortunately, he was the best I could find this morning since I emptied the gunk out last night.

  9. Riverdaughter – I love you. You are so old fashioned. You report the facts, and make interpretations based on these facts.

    One of my favorites quotes from Sherlock Holmes is (paraphrase) “Data, data, data. I cannot make bricks without clay!”

    PUMA

  10. myiq: What is GMTA? Good morning to all?
    Can’t wait for your auction post. Sounds good. 😉

  11. did anyone else notice that CNN and MSNBC have scrubbed their sites of any reference to the story they were pushing yesterday about Al Maliki supporting Obama’s timeline for withdrawal from Iraq? I can’t find any of them, anybody else?

  12. Yay!!! Riverdaughter tell-off letter!!!

    Oh, yeah, there was a report that when Obama mentioned Hillary’s name at an event recently, he was greeted with deafening applause. That went on. And on. And fatigued and irritated the Dauphin.

    YES! This happened at the National Council of La Raza, a Latino Right Organization.

    HA!!

    I don’t know how Dean can tie his shoes in the morning. This guy was too out of touch with the base.

  13. I ignored the little voice in my head telling me no and went to Taylor Marsh’s site this morning because I just knew that she would have that awful Alice and Don letter up. As I expected, she did have it up and agreed with it. Incredible. None of them quite get that threats and stern warnings is not the way to convince people to vote for your candidate. It is Obama and the DNC’s job to convince us that he is the candidate to vote for. I didn’t comment because Taylor and her DNC cronies deserve to be ignored. Try not to go to her site if you have more control than I had this morning.

    Luckily, I don’t believe that Clinton will be VP. I don’t think she wants it and Obama and his supporters are probably still too arrogant and with CDS that they believe Clinton would actually hurt Obama if she were on the ticket. Since I want to see Obama lose, I’m glad that their arrogance and anger will be the reason if he loses. Obama is only telling Clinton supporters that she is being considered because he wants our money. After he gets our money he’ll throw us under the bus too. Trust.

    The movement not to vote for Obama is bigger than Hillary. I love Hillary but even she doesn’t control my vote. I understand her responsibility as a member of the Democratic Party to help Obama. We all know that Big Dog does not like Obama and is a closeted PUMA who must also support Obama whether he likes it or not.

    Their anger and impatience just shows that our movement is bigger than they expected and it is working. It also shows that they are in a vulnerable position. Thank you Riverdaughter for explaining this thoroughly.

  14. Gary,

    From what I’ve been reading about that this morning, Malicki’s statement was misreported by the German press.
    http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aA5DN8wz9e6s&refer=us

  15. I had a troll tell me that I was too stupid to vote, and that for the good of my country I should stay home. I love how the Obama method of voter suppression has so infused his community of supporters.

    I can’t believe they don’t get how un-american it is to encourage someone NOT to vote.

  16. SM,

    That is so cool! I wonder if there is any video of that moment? Have you seen any news stories about it?

  17. Obama is using Hillary just to keep you people in line and yes you’re falling for it! He will use her up until the time she is needed no more and under the bus she goes and you people will be supporting Obama just as he plans! He has now voted for the warrantless phone tap bill after saying he would not support it, he has talked about changing his mind about pulling the troops out of Iraq, and you people will still vote for such a man after all his lying to you.

  18. bboomer, I know, but CNN was headlining it yesterday, now its gone, only the story about Al Maliki saying its not true. I actually have a screen shot of a google search showing the original article, but when you click it it takes you to the Al-maliki denial instead.

  19. goodtime, I don’t think you’re at the right place…

  20. All this talk of votes for sale reminds me of the late great Ruth Brown:

    If I can’t sell it,
    I’m gonna sit down on it.
    I ain’t gonna give it away.

    What a woman she was.

    http://phoebefay.blogspot.com/2006/12/ruth-brown-1928-2006.html

  21. SM,

    Oooh, I found one! Gosh I’ve been missing so much lately. I’m so glad I have a few days off for blogging this week. From the LA Times:

    http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/07/clinton-obama.html

    The crowd was very respectful of the Democratic nominee-to-be, who easily leads among Latinos, according to polls. And Obama also talked about giving tax credits to small businesses that provide health insurance for employees.

    It was then that the crowd erupted in enthusiastic applause and warm cheers. But not over Obama’s policy proposal.

    What ignited that outburst was the mere mention by Obama of the name Hillary Clinton, his vanquished party opponent.

    She wasn’t there, of course. But in absentia the Democratic Party’s loser got a noticeably warmer response than the winner, perhaps a reflection of that lingering party unity thing that was taken care of up in Unity.

  22. Gary,

    I know. You’re right. I noticed they were starting to scrub that after cheering about it yesterday. It certainly looks like the media is going to keep working overtime to elect Obama, doesn’t it? I guess maybe BTD was right about that. I wonder why they have abandoned McCain?

  23. gary – I noticed that too!

    did anyone else notice that CNN and MSNBC have scrubbed their sites of any reference to the story they were pushing yesterday about Al Maliki supporting Obama’s timeline for withdrawal from Iraq?

    I’m trying to catch up with stuff after being out of the loop for a while. There was a post on, I think, Talk Left about the Al Maliki story. I was trying to unravel the story and I felt as if I were in the Twilight Zone. It has been “disappeared.”

    PUMA

  24. not only did they cheer for Hillary, when McCain spoke to them and mentioned that Obama was “inspiring”….***crickets***

    When McCain praised Obama as an inspiring figure, the crowd listened attentively. When he praised Clinton, the crowd cheered. (Obama got a similar response when he invoked her name on Sunday.)

    http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=McCain+follows+Obama+into+San+Diego+to+woo+Hispanics&articleId=2ecc5a90-784f-48ea-8775-a287088c1fe4

  25. Arabella,

    It’s great to see you! I love Ruth Brown too.

  26. Gary,

    From what I hear, NH is not big on The One. In fact I think that’s the case in most of New England still. Maybe he’ll carry Connecticut and Vermont.

  27. BB: They need to keep Obama viable until the convention is over. They can’t allow Clinton to be resurrected. I don’t know why the superdelegates are falling for this. The best way to neutralize the effect that the media has on our selection process is to put the better candidate out there. That’ll really frost their crockies.

  28. More Ruth Brown:

    Now, I have really had my fill of folks always comin around with their hands stuck out, wantin something, don’t want to give up nothing.
    Now if you want this, put your hand in your stash and give me some cash.
    Now if you want something for free, go to the Salvation Army, don’t come runnin to me.
    Now this is not Saint Paul’s place, this is Ruth’s place. Read my lips. NO FREE TRIPS!
    And you can look at me and see I have not been starvin’ darling. Now I have a few diamonds that I haven’t even taken off to dust lately.
    Now you are not getting anything around here for free. Show me the color of your money. GOODBYE!

    What a woman.

  29. RD, this is a wake up call and a seriously wonderful post.

  30. the NY Times still has the headline up that “Maliki endorses Obama’s plan” but when you click on the article, it has an update at the top explaining that Maliki’s statement was mis-translated.

    hmm… just who does it benefit?

    oh, right… Obama…

  31. I just saw something that made me think on Obama’s statement on national security.

    https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2187rank.html

    Remember that the US spend more money on their military than the rest of the world combined. Now Obama wants to spend the same amount on US national security..

    Clinton has the green jobs and other ideas about turning the economy around, how on Earth is Obama going to manage this?

  32. bboomer, I had never been to new england before the unity rally (does NYC count as NE?)…I found the people in NH to be friendly, honest, and genuinely concerned about their country (unlike the obots that were bussed in for the event). it was quite refreshing actually.

  33. Don’t you folks remember “Read my lips, no new taxes”. Then Bush raised taxes and lost the next election to Bil. Americans do not want Politicians to make promises they don’t intend to keep. We may expect politicians to make them, but we look for candidates we can trust, who are honest, who have integrity. Lying is a voter punishable offense. If you lie to us, you need to expect to lose support.

    I don’t want a candidate to pander to me. I want to know what they believe and what policies they plan to try to enact. I can then decided if I can support him/her. This is why Obama’ support is disappearing. Obama can not be trusted.

  34. YES! This is dead-on.

    My take here.

    🙂

  35. RD:

    They need to keep Obama viable until the convention is over.

    How can you keep something alive when it’s dead to begin with? I may only be a biologist (mock me: soft science, two data points, etc.) but I know a dead fish when I see one.

    PUMA

  36. RD, “I don’t know why the superdelegates are falling for this.”

    A local paper said that a Dem Senate candidate was promised $5 million from the DNC if he ran. That’s an incredible amount of money for a Kansas Senate campaign.

    I think the promise of that sort of money must have swung it. Because nothing else makes sense. At least not to me.

  37. Gary:

    I went on Der Spiegel to read the original Maliki interview but I came across something more interesting:

    Obama is so obsessed with giving speeches in large venues that he keep generating SNAFU. Check out what is going on with his transformational and transcendental decision to give a historic speech at The Victory Column, since he was denied at the Brandenburg Gate:

    Is Obama Speech Site Contaminated by Nazi Past?

    Finally, Barack Obama’s campaign has settled on a site for his Berlin speech. But some German politicians have now criticized his choice as being one full of Nazi-related symbolism.
    ( … )
    Still, even as the issue of his speech’s location has now been settled, a number of politicians in Berlin are still dissatisfied with the site. The Siegessäule — or Victory Column — was erected in memory of Prussia’s victories over Denmark (1864), Austria (1866) and France (1870/71). The column originally stood in front of the Reichstag, Germany’s parliament building, but was moved by Adolf Hitler to its current location in 1939 to make way for his planned transformation of Berlin into the Nazi capital “Germania.”

    The Siegessäule in Berlin was moved to where it is now by Adolf Hitler. He saw it as a symbol of German superiority and of the victorious wars against Denmark, Austria and France,” the deputy leader of the Free Democrats, Rainer Brüderle, told Bild am Sonntag. He raised the question as to “whether Barack Obama was advised correctly in his choice of the Siegessäule as the site to hold a speech on his vision for a more cooperative world.

    Must. Avoid. Any. Reference. To… Never mind! Forget it!

  38. katiebird – I agree, it’s all about the ducats.

    And I don’t think they’re all falling for it. Why else would Hillary still have superdelegates?

  39. RD: your gift at breaking all this cr*p down is amazing.

    One quibble — I don’t think for a second that Howard ‘allowed’ the RBC to eff Clinton over. He was as much the architect as the rest of them.

    After all, Obama’s run is the campaign Dean never had. Dean’s just another past-it middle-aged guy who’s living out his own failed fantasies through others.

    But Howard, couldn’t you have just bought a zippy little sports car number, and saved us all this trouble?

  40. Arabella: LOL on the data points. I’m just funnin’ ya’. 😉

    Yep, hard to believe they have to continually prop up this guy. They have to generate excitement now that Hillary has left the stage to him. Let’s face it, he’s boooooorrrrrrinnnnggg.
    Nevertheless, Hillary is just too threatening. Therefore, the media will continue to fluff him until after the convention. The Democrats will be lead to a false sense of security.

  41. The thing that really confuses me is that so many experienced politicians are insulting voters as a campaign strategy. I don’t remember this ever happening before. And now it’s a weekly occurrence.

  42. B.: I LOVE the Oh Laura song you link to a couple of weeks ago. You got anything else? New music is always welcome.

  43. Valhalla – Yes! It’s the mid-life crisis red car. Hot day-um, you called it.

    PUMA

  44. Bostonboomer: ISN’T THAT FUNNY??? I don’t think there’s video and if there is, the “Dauphin” will destroy it, unless of course, there’s an intrepid videographer who put it on Youtube.

  45. Chuck Todd climbed down from the tree where he bakes cookies and just made this prediction on “Meet the Depressed,”

    I have it on good authority that Obama will not wait until the convention to name his Vice President and he will not do it during the Olympics so in pretty short order when he returns from this trip we can expect an announcement.

    The gist of the comment was to float the idea of Jack Reed as Veep since Reed is on the magical, mystical tour with him.

  46. BO has completely dissed foreign journalists. It doesn’t look like this link is live–might have to cut and paste, but worth the read. They have mastered the art of maintaining his blank slate status, so he can remain the perfect illusion for the gullible. No complex facts please. So, he plays more basketball in Kuwait.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/18/AR2008071802612.html

  47. {{SM}} I hope you finally got some sleep last night and that your day goes well!

  48. Taggles:
    I would love it if Hillary got 30 minutes on tv, to make her case for HER nomination–just before the August convention!! Is such a thing possible–would she do it, could we help her? Such an event would have to be covered in in the network/cable news.

  49. Who is Jack Reed?

  50. katiebird – That’s because these politicians were never the ones that held the power in the Party before. These are the liberal elitists that I personally used to think were a right-wing myth.

    They think we are too stupid to understand the consequences of our actions. They are just “educating” us low-information voters as to the “error” of our ways.

  51. katiebird, it has been Obama’s MO all along to blame voters when they don’t vote for him. (remember KY and WV when he said they were too easily fooled by spam emails and fox news?). They even went so far as to “correct” the votes of michigan voters who had “mistakenly” voted for Clinton.

    its funny, they tell us to stay home, but then the RBC takes it upon themselves to determine how people who didn’t vote would have voted. Consider that, if you plan to not vote because you can’t stomach mccain. Whos to say they won’t try toargue later that you intended to vote for him.

  52. ” I think the promise of that sort of money must have swung it. Because nothing else makes sense. At least not to me.”

    That’s been my sense too, Katie. They were promised big $$. But they have to be seeing now what the rest of us are. The $$ is drying up. Maybe that’s enough to get the SDs we need back on our side.

    I know most SDs are beholden not only to $$, but to party loyalty and don’t want to be seen as not supporting the party. Too risky for the political careers.That’s our big hurdle.

    But we should still throw PUMA $$ at the Clinton Loyalists–especially now.

  53. Hey Disenfranchised said
    “I love Hillary but even she doesn’t control my vote. I understand her responsibility as a member of the Democratic Party to help Obama. We all know that Big Dog does not like Obama and is a closeted PUMA who must also support Obama whether he likes it or not.”

    I wish I could understand. I don’t and want a leader who can stand up to them.

    Remember: McCarthy used smears and innuendo to maintain power. Dissent was punished and our leaders at the time were afraid to say. Obama’s campaign is using racism label:

    “Even during the height of McCarthy’s power, a few members of the U.S. Senate had opposed him. The first was Margaret Chase Smith, a Republican from Maine and the only woman in the Senate at the time. Smith issued a “declaration of conscience” speech in June 1950, which identified McCarthy without naming him. As a result, McCarthy ousted Smith from a key investigation subcommittee and attempted to foil her 1954 re-election bid, but to no avail. Others also rebuked McCarthy for his tactics, including Senator Wayne Morse of Oregon.

    After the Army-McCarthy Hearings had sufficiently wounded McCarthy, the Senate finally recovered its nerve and voted an official censure against McCarthy on December 2, 1954, for “conduct that tends to bring the Senate into dishonor and disrepute.” The censure cost McCarthy his committee chairmanship and effectively ended his power.

    We need leaders.

  54. Now, the only way to bestow legitimacy on the nominee chosen at the convention is for Howard Dean to guarantee that Hillary’s name is placed in nomination. A floor fight is the only way to ensure that we all grudgingly accept the nominee.

    Sorry, but as far as I’m concerned any semblance of legitimacy has long since been destroyed. I will never vote for Obama, even if the DNC “allows” Hillary’s name to be placed in nomination and there is a floor fight and The Pretender wins anyway.

    The only thing that placing Hillary’s name in nomination MIGHT do for me, is persuade me to re-register as a Dem (I switched affiliation to Indie).

    But Obama will never, ever, ever get my vote. No matter what. I will never accept him. If the primary race had been run ethically, and morally, and with integrity, Obama would never have even gotten to the convention.

    This PUMA will not accept Obama, grudgingly or otherwise.
    NObama
    Never

  55. Fif,

    He’s a two term senator from RI. He has denied interest in the Veepstakes so far.

  56. YES! This happened at the National Council of La Raza, a Latino Right Organization.

    Why can’t we recreate the moment and put it on YouTube? But that would be dishonest, wouldn’t it?

    PUMA

  57. Thanks Prolix. I’ve heard nothing about him–why are they suggesting that he’s a serious contender now? What would he bring to the ticket?

  58. Gary, I know it’s been Obama’s strategy. But, I always saw it as a weakness. His supporters think it’s successful. I think it’s NOT helping his campaign at all.

    Joanie, I don’t think the money drying up will be enough. Just like PUMA isn’t enough.

    But losing votes/support AND money? I hope so.

    We’re in trouble if something doesn’t change their minds.

  59. Even my bill collectors are not so rude when they ask for money that I actually owe them.

    If they want my donation, they can act in ways that inspire me, and reflect what I used to believe were Democratic party values.

    Riverdaughter, you say it so well and so clearly. They must be deliberately obtuse not to understand.

  60. mystic: I don’t think Obama can win in a fair floor fight. She is simply more commanding than he is and the whole country knows it.

  61. ah barack, you know that new yorker cover that you’re all up in arms about? here’s a suggestion, just as you did on the video here, do the shoulder brush off “that’s what you gotta do” snark.

  62. Fif,

    All I know is what I’ve read about him. He’s very well liked by other senators. He is a work horse and not a show horse. He has good military bona fides. Also, he’s kinda short so BZero towers over him by a good half a foot or so — that last characteristic is most attractive to BZero.

  63. posted in wrong spot before:

    http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,566920,00.html

    is specifically off topic, but not generally. just a little piece of info on the magical 0 tour.

  64. Reed sounds like an odd choice. Even if he has military bona fides, they can hardly compare to McCain’s. It sounds like he wants someone who will do a lot of work (for him) and make absolutely no attempt to upstage him. Yea, that sounds about right.

  65. Hi Katiebird!! Aw thanks, I just dropped PUMA cub off to see the Tampa Rays game with her dad’s side of the family. Mind you, PUMA cub’s dad is not there. He was supposed to be there. So I get there, ask for PUMA cub’s dad, PUMA cub’s uncle says he’s in Orlando and won’t be coming today because he’s indisposed and couldn’t bother to change his travel plans to spend a nice day with HIS family and HIS daughter. They are all from out of the state and are here for a Little League Tournament thingy (uncle is a coach).

    Then, and I’m assuming uncle did this out of embarassment, he told PUMA cub that his brother is a nightmare and that it was a good thing that we are divorced so she didn’t have to grow up with him doing stuff like this all the time. THEN my PUMA cub said “That’s why my mom says to never trust a man when he says soemthing until he does it.” HA!

    Now, this is a family that made my life hell (I moved to FL just to get away from HIM and THEM) because I DARED TO DEFY their “precious” little brother.

    So I have a little redemption, then I get a morning Riverdaughter Tell-Off ™ moment, yeah, it’s a good morning so far!

  66. taggles- do you 1, or all of his 300 foreign policy advisers picked this new site for his speech?!

  67. Arabella – LOL! Yes, just like that magical moment of the “The Speech On Iraq.”

  68. SM,

    That’s a pretty nice turn of events. I have to say that one of the nicest things about our kids growing up is that they clearly see the weird games their mother plays. AND they complain to me about it! It makes all those years of bitting my tongue worth it.

  69. Off Topic whining: I’m working on a web page image gallery and the navigation part is driving me crazy. It’s so much more fun to hang out here.

  70. RD,

    What I don’t get is why the Clintons are falling for it. Do you think they are fighting behind the scenes for Hillary to be nominated at the convention? I know they don’t believe Obama can win. I have to believe they have something up their sleeves. Or maybe I’m just hoping against hope?

  71. My dinner last night with two Obamabots:

    We tried to avoid politics as long as we could, and finally couldn’t. To all of my concerns re FISA, abortion, gun control, separation of church and state, the war, etc. they could only respond “but he’s better than McCain.” The usually talking points were rolled out. A vote for Obama is a vote for women. If I stay at home and McCain wins, I am personally responsible for the continuation of the war. Obama is just playing politics and we should just trust him to be a good guy when the time comes. The subtext of all of this: I must live up to Obama’s expectations rather than him living up to mine.

    But that wasn’t what shocked me. After their expressed preference for Chuck Hagel as Obama’s VP, they blew me away with the following statement, verbatim:

    “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just have one party?”

    I pictured these lifelong “Democrats” goose-stepping out of Mile-High Stadium in Denver.

    I pictured Obama speaking in Berlin.

    I pictured eight years of dissent suppressed so firmly it would make the Bush years look Utopian.

    I gave them a stunned look that ended the conversation. Well, almost ended it. Their last shot was that McCain would establish “permanent bases” in Iraq. I said, “Obama’s going to do the same thing, but he’ll call them ‘transitional installations of change.'”

    Thanks, RD, for the great post.

    Thanks Arabella for the brilliant Ruth.

  72. Katie,

    I know what you mean. I’m going to hang out here a lot today. And it’s so nice to have you here too. I’ve missed everyone so much while I’ve only been able to check in briefly from time to time. It’s no fair that I have to make a living. Waaaaaaah!

  73. I said it at the end of the last thread, but Don and Alice invoked the wrong sports metaphors there. I mean, if one must use sports metaphors, more apt ones would be 2004’s men’s all-around debacle – or even more accurately, what with the collusion and vote-manipulation hijinx – the 2002 figure skating scandal.

    In short: Bite me, DNC..

  74. RD: I’m afraid I’ve gotten a wee bit cynical lately. I agree, if Hillary speaks, she’ll blow Obama out of the water. As always. I just don’t know how toxic that kool-aid is, and if it will have worked its way out of the delegates’ systems in time!

  75. rktothemk, I forgot all about those events! But, you’re right — THOSE are the sports metaphors we should be using!

  76. Mystic: The SD’s still have 5 weeks to decide if they want to preserve their party or if they want to risk losing it. If they aren’t into taking risks, they’d better find some excuse to sideline Dean and Obama. Time’s a-wastin’.

  77. Katiebird, AMEN! The thing is, I’m so used to being accused of being the “villian” – the “bitch” – the “uncooperative” one from them because they always saw through his eyes. Personally, I don’t care what they think, and I lmoved to FL in the best interest of my PUMA cub (and my sanity).

    Now they see what a great PUMA cub she is, they saw her school trophies & certificates, they see that she’s a very well adjusted, happy, smart kid with a good head on her shoulders and FINALLY they gave me credit today. Not that I was expecting praise or approval from them, but it felt good that my point of her dad being an inconsistent and incompetent parent was proven today.

  78. Reed is a good man, and I can’t imagine that he buys into BO. Reed is a Hillary supporter. I like to think this is more of a babysitting trip for him. He would have influence with the other SDs.

    I just read the pool report on BO’s trip. It mentioned that BO had chicken, rice, and broccoli and everyone else was given sandwiches.

    MAblue: the germany site might make a great photo (wink, wink)

  79. Jack Reed might be too liberal for Obama. Plus he’s from a very tiny state, Rhode Island. My guess is Chuck Hagel is the one being showcased. Obama will “reach across the aisle” for his VP, and if elected, he will be another Ronald Reagan without the popularity and silly stories. Like Reagan, he’ll only speak well in front of a teleprompter and he’ll “delegate” all his presidential duties.

  80. MABlue,

    That’s just more of BO imitating Reagan. Remember when Ronnie laid a wreath in a cemetary full of SS officers?

  81. Magdalena, on July 20th, 2008 at 11:52 am Said:

    But that wasn’t what shocked me. After their expressed preference for Chuck Hagel as Obama’s VP, they blew me away with the following statement, verbatim:

    “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just have one party?”

    I pictured these lifelong “Democrats” goose-stepping out of Mile-High Stadium in Denver.

    I pictured Obama speaking in Berlin.

    I pictured eight years of dissent suppressed so firmly it would make the Bush years look Utopian.

    OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! It IS a cult! That is friggin SCARY!

  82. morning all,riverdaughter your right about a FAIR floor fight but howard and his nazgul will not let that happen.if anything they will try and stage it,good letter as always btw can i have a long distance crush on you.

  83. bostonboomer, on July 20th, 2008 at 11:52 am Said:
    Katie,

    I know what you mean. I’m going to hang out here a lot today. And it’s so nice to have you here too. I’ve missed everyone so much while I’ve only been able to check in briefly from time to time. It’s no fair that I have to make a living. Waaaaaaah!

    We miss you too Bostonboomer!

  84. Riverdaughter:

    Tech issue: For some reason, the image on the top header isn’t showing on my end.

    Anyone else have that problem?

  85. As myiq mentioned in his post a while back, I like the idea of a campaign of ridicule of Obama. If anything is going to sink his poll #s among both dems and repugs, it’s that. The issues–however obvious –are not working. It appears to be about whats hip and whats not.

    We here at the Confluence are like the old days of SNL and National Lampoon. Brilliant. Funny. And Correct!
    No one likes to be on the wrong side of cool.

    poll numbers tanking + no $$= cover for SDs

  86. I can’t see anything the Democratic Party or its presumptive nominee, Obama, can do to “convince” me to support or
    vote for BO. I will not be “convinced” that he “is” qualified
    or competent to run the most powerful country in the world;
    or that he suddenly, over a period of one month, has
    acquired the experience and credentials to make sound
    decisions in foreign policy in our behalf. No matter how
    many “right” words or promises he makes, no matter what
    kind of posturings or showings he makes to try to “earn”
    my vote, I will still see and know that he is not a qualified
    presumptive nominee. BO will not get my vote.

    In regards to his alleged “speech against going to war with
    Iraq”, in 2002 (of which there apparently are no recordings,
    and had to be “reconstructed” based on “witnesses” or
    attendees recollections) I really thi

  87. Riverdaughter & all, GREAT posts on the “Letter that will live in Infamy!”

    garyinCH, do you know if Kay Hagan has endorsed BO in any way? AFAICT, most of the NC SD’s up for election did endorse him and therefore won’t get my vote. If Hillary gets the Nom, I’ll vote as usual straight-D; if it’s BO, I’ll sit this one out for the first time in 40 yrs unless I can find a devoted Hillary supporter who deserves a vote. Do you know of any?

  88. Is this the video that end’s with a “flip of the bird”!!
    “fif”, GREAT Link !

  89. magdalena,maybee you could show your friends pictures of berlin after a democracy converted to one party rule,or for that matter dachau and ask them is this where we are supposed to be reeducated.im sorry if the koolaid drinkers think that we will roll over and accept the destruction of our country i guess they really do not know american history.too many have shed blood throughout our history for us to roll over for either the right or the far left to take it away.one party rule what planet did thease people come from.

  90. joanie- I think the reason why the issues aren’t working is because his initial message was vague and allowed voters to insert their own ideas, and by taking multiple stances on issues and stating that they are really not different, allows the voters to pick one that best fits their original imaginary outcome.

  91. Finally I have a day off! It’s hot and muggy outside. I’m staying indoors in the shade and hanging out here.

    Gotta make some ice tea.

    Topic? Obama wants a VP who is shorter than he is and is from a very small state.

  92. I planned a moratorium for myself today, no Sunday morning talking heads, no political second guessing, no editiorials in m Sunday paper telling me of the wonder of Obama, no tip toeing through blogsites gushing with praise. I am Obamabomed out.

    But I chose to come here just for an update and read the great essays and comments and cannot resist. It fires up my engines knowing that for those of us resistant to the s**t and crap that is being heaved at us we are far from caving in. When the Boy King finishes up his “fact finding mission” he will have the networks at his mercy since they accompanied him there so be prepared for another “policy” speech sans questions.

    This is the most choreographed and script ridden campaign in history and if Hillary got down on her knees to beg me for his vote she would go away disappointed. I will never vote for him as he represents nothing. Just another actor on the stage. Too bad for those falling for it.

  93. As a former RI’er, I sincerely believe Reed won’t take it, since he has already said he would not.

  94. I could easily sit out the POTUS vote, because the big o isn’t taking KY even if McCain throws his mother to the curb & stomps her. But, I don’t just want Obama to lose, I want him to lose in a landslide. That’s the only way that his POTUS ambitions will be quelled for a long time. When he loses this year, I don’t want him to be the leading candidate in 2012.

  95. Jack Reed is a good man, but I doubt if he would want to run for BP with Obama. Reed served as an infantry officer and was on the ground in Vietnam, which McCain wasn’t. I’d say Reed’s military bona fides are every bit as good as or better than McCain’s. I’m not saying Reed should be VP, just defending him.

  96. SM, I was having terrible trouble with images shrinking in Firefox. It turned out there’s a bug in the Image Zoom Firefox add-on that caused it. As soon as I removed the add on the problem resolved itself (I might have had to reboot)

    Do you use that?

  97. SM,

    You are such a sweetheart. Thank you!

  98. (waving at Pat)

  99. I love lazy summer afternoons. I don’t have enough of them.

  100. Another great one, RD!

    Mystic-I agree! There is nothing and no one in this world that could make me vote for O!

    Missed everyone this week. Traveling for work. Catching up today on what I’ve missed here on my favorite site!

    I don’t know if I can handle five more weeks however. I can hardly stand to hear his name anymore. My stomach just turns. And then, if the worst happens and he is coronated at the convention, I’ll just cry!

  101. I don’t know if I can last five more weeks either. 2008 gives new meaning to the phrase “the dog days of summer.”

  102. SM,

    That’s such a funny story about your ex’s family. You have obviously brought your daughter up well!

  103. I like Reed a lot. He actually owns legitimate anti-war creds and has military experience, which BO does not. Because I respect him, I sincerely hope he won’t change his mind and accept VP (if offered).

    Truth be told, I like Hagel, too. Again, anti-war and more moderate than his Senate counterpart, Ben Nelson (NE-DINO); but Hagel is also anti-choice, so any Dem that would vote for a BO/Hagel ticket is an Obamacan and NOT a Dem.

  104. Don, I honestly don’t think they would see the connection.

    If anything, we need MORE viable parties in this country, not one.

    On the other hand, I hope he picks Hagel. My husband, a lifelong Democrat who as of this writing is still planning to hold his nose and vote for Obama, would stay home. And I don’t think he is unique in that regard.

  105. I can’t see anything the Democratic Party or its presumptive nominee, Obama, can do to “convince” me to support or
    vote for BO. I will not be “convinced” that he “is” qualified
    or competent to run the most powerful country in the world;
    or that he suddenly, over a period of one month, has
    acquired the experience and credentials to make sound
    decisions in foreign policy in our behalf. No matter how
    many “right” words or promises he makes, no matter what
    kind of posturings or showings he makes to try to “earn”
    my vote, I will still see and know that he is not a qualified
    presumptive nominee. BO will not get my vote.

    In regards to his alleged “speech against going to war with
    Iraq”, in 2002 (of which there apparently are no recordings,
    and had to be “reconstructed” based on “witnesses” or
    attendees recollections) I don’t think BO even had an
    opinion in favor or against going to war, IMHO ALL he
    wanted to do was not to upset her Iraqi friends and
    campaign donors, I don’t think he had the best interests of
    our country in his mind at all. Had he been in any of the congresses chambers in a position where he would have
    been forced to vote for or against the war, I think he would
    have voted “present”. No guts. No priciples.

    It would be interesting to look at the chronology of this
    “speech” (on which he has based his alleged “judgement”)
    in relation to the timing of contributions to his campaign n
    Illinois, and other dealings with Rezgo, Auchi, and others.
    Somebody out there?

  106. Hillary ran a center left campaign; a campaign that would take her to the general without being dishonest.

    I am so livid at all people who went to Move On meetings with me that shouted “No more Republican-lite” and immediately jumped on the Obama train. Look what they’ve got now. And it was easy to figure he was center-right just by listening to his health care plan. Now they are “frustrated” with his faith-based initiative and the FISA vote.

    And their frustrated with ME! PUMA!!!!

  107. Waving back at katiebird!

    Does it sometimes feel that we are watching a cheesey B rated movie starring some former soap star actor instead of a race based on the best candidate to lead the world? At times it is so surreal. Who the hell wrote this script?

  108. One of my best friends in the world is a german woman who has lived in this country for many many years she is a citizen and she votes …. and we talk daily . One of her greatest fears that she expresses frequently and without hesitation is how much bo reminds her of adolf hitler , and how things bo does resemble things hitler did , promises he made , and how his followers asked no questions but simply accepted whatever he said . I
    I am not afraid to compare bo to tyrants and his mindless followers to …um mindless followers.
    I will never vote for him
    PRESIDENT MCCAIN sounds fantastic I plan to say it loud and often .

  109. I truly see Reed’s role in this trip as a supervisory one. I think he’s sizing up BO’s ability to talk to foreign leaders, and he will report back his findings, since those conversations are not being made public.

  110. I meant , “his Iraqi friends”

  111. Obama Embarrass The US Again

    After receiving a hailstorm of criticism for considering Brandenburg Gate for a public speech, as well as official German dissuasion, Barack Obama moved the venue to the Siegessäule monument. Obama will speak about “historic” US-German relations, but once again, Obama’s own grasp of history has been proven deficient. Not only does the site contain a monument to Prussian victories over other American allies in Europe, its placement was decided by Adolf Hitler — in order to impress crowds in his idealized version of Berlin called Germania:

    Still, even as the issue of his speech’s location has now been settled, a number of politicians in Berlin are still dissatisfied with the site. The Siegessäule — or Victory Column — was erected in memory of Prussia’s victories over Denmark (1864), Austria (1866) and France (1870/71). The column originally stood in front of the Reichstag, Germany’s parliament building, but was moved by Adolf Hitler to its current location in 1939 to make way for his planned transformation of Berlin into the Nazi capital “Germania.”

    “The Siegessäule in Berlin was moved to where it is now by Adolf Hitler. He saw it as a symbol of German superiority and of the victorious wars against Denmark, Austria and France,” the deputy leader of the Free Democrats, Rainer Brüderle, told Bild am Sonntag. He raised the question as to “whether Barack Obama was advised correctly in his choice of the Siegessäule as the site to hold a speech on his vision for a more cooperative world.”

    Andreas Schockenhoff of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats said, “the Siegessäule in Berlin is dedicated to a victory over neighbors who are today our European friends and allies. It is a problematic symbol.”
    http://countusout.wordpress.com/

  112. Swannie: I was up late last night and watching videos of Hitler speeches and they had some similaries to BO speeches. A lot of the “together we can do this” stuff.

  113. I also like Hagel. I lived in Nebraska when he ran for the Senate and Nelson was running against him. Hagel sounded like the Democrat and Nelson sounded like the Republican. I was so disgusted with Nelson (d) I didn’t vote for either. Hagel won; then Nelson won the next go round.

    But I mentioned Hagel at a Democratic MeetUp once in Texas and everyone got angry; so, I agree, Hagel would make even more Democrats stay home.

  114. Fred- I can’t wait to see the pictures of that speech!

  115. I suppose by choosing the site in germany they prove without a shadow of a doubt that bo and his mindless followers cannot be bothered with anything as unimportant as history

  116. Swannie; My son in law’s mother was a teen living in Poland a at the time of the nazi invasion. She often says she sees the same similarities with the tactics currently displayed through the Obama campaign.

    The cultishness of the youth! The taunts and derision displayed against those who refuse to support him. The treats, intimidation, and verbal abuse displayed. The overriding support of the media. The falling in line by the supers. The dismissal of any criticism. Although she is not 85 yrs of age, she can still recite days and dates of the outrages suffered by the Polish people under the nazis.

    This woman came from an academic background and along with the Jews, these were the first groups to be herded up and placed into the labor camps. She says in her opinion the symbols from that era are visible today as he goes about untested and unquestioned. Scrary.

  117. Although I generally hate it when politicians are compared to Hitler, I can see it with this one.

  118. Obama’s trip reminds me of recent college grads whose parents promised them a trip abroad following their degrees. A reward for 4 punishing years of study. Only in his case it’s a little different. This trip is a cram session of all the things he has yet to learn. Are we ready to put this job into the hands of a beginner?

  119. Pat, I actually feel like I’m watching “Evita.”

    Obama es muy Juan Peron. A man who pretends to be for the people, when he is really only for himself. A populist authoritarian whose supporters will be bitterly disappointed down the road. He’s also muy Eva, with his current Rainbow Tour and constant love of celebrity and attention. “Why bother to run a country when you can become a saint instead?”

    But at least Evita helped poor people she actually cared about. She would have done much better than BO in the tenements Chicago . . .

  120. I hope the Germans loudly sound the warning bell after they see this guy in action. It seems like they are already tapping on the bell.

  121. riverdaughter,

    I really commend your efforts and energy of the last month. From what happened in the primary, I believe Obama is dangerous to women, democracy and the Democratic Party.

  122. The data points of threats— er, requests for Hillary supporters to get in line contradict the false data points, i.e. that claims that PUMAs are Republicans

  123. Obama could be a great President and great for the Democratic Party but one can draw conclusions from his primary performance alone.

  124. Pat, I am afraid for this country . I know that the obamabots think they are doing something good and don’t realise how close they resemble goosesteppers .. and I try very hard to think what will convince some of them to see how bad it is .. I wish that anthropology was taught in grade or high school so that children were taught at an early age that huma survival depends on diversity not conformity .

  125. We have to be realistic though, after 8 years of W, there would be roaring European crowds for Snidley Whiplash if he was running. I’m hoping for a BZero gaffe so large Dukakis could drive a tank through it.

  126. Katiebird, nope no Firefox. I shut down IE and brought it back up, now it works, but thanks!

    BostonBoomer: THANK YOU! It was a redeeming moment, but knowing my PUMA cub, she’s going to rake him across the coals. She’s supposed to leave with him & them for 2 weeks tomorrow. I just don’t want her to be traumatized because I made the choice of marrying the wrong guy. At the same time, he’s responsible for his actions, and if my kid doesn’t want to see him anymore because he’s let her down so much, then so be it. I’ll do the best that I can to help her understand that she is not to blame nor should she feel any less of a person because her dad’s a BS artist. THANK YOU & KATIEBIRD FOR LETTING ME VENT!

  127. Donna , absolutely one can draw conclusions from his campaign . he would be a snide thin skinned observer who blames anything adverse on anyone and everyone else . His cabinet memebership would change as fast as the bus speed that he would throw them under .

  128. Swannie,

    I share your concerns about Obama and his supporters. He is very authoritarian in his ideas and behavior, and his supporters have aped him every step of the way. It’s frightening when you consider that only a year or so ago, the book “The Authoritarians” was being discussed and praised at The Orange Cheeto. Yet they have all lapped up BO’s BS. I never thought I could find any politician more detestable and more frightening than Bush the younger. But BO scares me more.

  129. SM,

    You will protect your little puma cub, I know that! Your ex will regret his irresponsibility toward her later on when it’s too late. Why do so many men do that?

  130. sherrync–Kay Hagan actually called mawm and he asked her about the whole clinton fiasco and PUMA. She feigned ignorance and said she would look into it and calll him back. First of all, if she’s running for senate she has to be politically attuned enought to know what is going on—so that makes her a liar—and she did endorse Obama during the primary (I voted for JIm Neal)–so she’s an obot to boot. Oh, and she never called mawm back. So she doesn’t keep her promises either. Elizabeth Dole is the worst of the Bush apologists, so I will not vote for her. But I won’t vote for Hagan either. In fact I’m not voting for any downticket dems. My rep (david price) is an obama supporter and a member of the committee that established this flawed primary syster. The only one who I MAY vote for is bev perdue…I think she may have reconsidered her Obama support when he couldn’t even remember her name at a rally he had to “phone in” when his plane mysteriously diverted to st. louis….I think he needed to go get his ego stroked by claire…

  131. Prolix, about those european crowds, I lived in Spain for years and know that the unions can strong arm their members like nobody’s business…they also tend to terrorize the public when they’re on strike. (I remember once during a general strike my favorite bar refused to close, when the mob of union members patrolling the street to enforce the strike came by we had to turn off the lights and music, lock the door, and hide under the tables until they had passed.) Don’t doubt that many of those large crowds are union members “working” for the union by propping up their preferred candidate.

  132. Note to SM: Been there done that and in the end it does happen. Take my word for it. These kids know.

  133. Magdelena: The Evita phenom is right on target! The cult continued their worship even years after her death. She may have assisted some of the poor in that country, but they both raked clean the coffers during their time in power and left years of destabilization behind.

  134. Swannie: I dread to see who his appointees will be. His judgment up until now is suspect.

  135. […] I mentioned this analogy over at The Confluence, and Riverdaughter dug up this fabu […]

  136. Thank you Riverdaughter for telling it like it is!

    The damage is done. Dr. Dean mismanaged this primary. Unless Hillary is made the nominee the Democratic Party will break.

    And why is Senator Obama going off to Europe? He could be discussing the issues in debates with Senator McCain. He could be outlining important policies that will benefit the working class, African American communities, et al. But no, he takes a vanity trip. How elitist! What an astoundingly ill-advised marketing strategy!

    The whole Obama brand gives me the creeps.

    .
    .
    .
    madazhel
    a California PUMA

  137. Pat & Boston: THANK you!

  138. Gary, an atta boy on not giving in to the anti-drinking hoards. I find it kinda amazing that the pooled news reports are actually giving accounts of what he’s wearing and what he’s eating. A case of dyspepsia would be breaking news.

  139. He is insufferable!

  140. garych: thx for the info re K Hagan. I remembered reading here that she had contacted mawm but not the result. As I suspected. I am in Robin Hayes’ (ugh!) district & supported Kissell in 06. He’s running again, but I figure he’s also a ‘bot due to his predilection for posting diaries at kos. 😦

    Do you think so many NC supers endorsed BO to pander to the 30% AA Dems in NC? Looks like it to me.

  141. Oy – I feel a migraine coming on. Must be those energy-efficient light bulbs we just put in.

  142. Damn. I love the sound of your voice RD!

    FAB. Hey I found something good this morning, on SEXISM —
    it’s taking them long enough….to realize just WHO they have offended, because Hillary “is us” —— ! She was the feminist OLDER SISTER we looked up to as kids! And now, her vast minions stand for her in her time of need, because that is how the LEVER works, no?

    What makes me the maddest, are all the women who bashed her in the press, and all the Democratic Women who didn’t stand for her when she needed them. So, in this little article about “Emily’s List” this morning — it looks like the Republican Women have their own list called the “Wish List.” They could learn so much from us, couldn’t they? In fact, four years of McC might not be a bad thing for those Republican Women. My sense is that they’d love to know PUMAS, no? Why, those sisters of ours could see how we’ve done things!

    I feel better already after reading you this morning!

    Here is the article!

    http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/13142

    xxoo!

  143. My beef is with the notion that Howard Dean is incompetent.

    Sunday, July 13, 2008
    Dean Compares Clinton Supporters To His 2004 Supporters, Admits He Controlled Primaries

    http://tinyurl.com/6s4vlg

  144. Thank you for the link to Fowler’s letter. I posted this on TPM:

    Instead of sports, let’s use an analogy from the noxious annals of racism in the U.S.

    Senator Clinton’s supporters (aka “the house Negroes”) are being chastised and abused (i.e., “whupped”) for not exactly following the orders of Don, Alice and the DNC leadership (aka “massa”).

    We are not following orders because the DNC leadership is no better than the Republican leadership and, in many ways, more hypocritical.

    I am proud to be standing with other “house Negroes” on the side of individual civil rights. And if the party (“plantation”) is sinking beneath the feet of DNC leaders, oh well……

  145. “I pity you. I think, though, you guys are caught up in groupthink and immune to rational argumentation.”

    Obamabots resemble that comment!

  146. If you want a Democrat in the White House this year and solid majorities in Congress, it is time for Howard Dean and his henchman, Donna Brazile, to go. Don’t expect us to even listen to the plaintive wails and whinings of the DNC until they are gone.

    Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out.

    And I remember that post-debate mocking and posturing very well. What a friggin coward. Hillary has the guts to confront him TO HIS FACE, and SHE is called negative and Rovian. He is like an adolescent. He waits until he’s with his posse to make fun of her and they all cheer. I don’t care what the DNC does at this point–he’ll never get my vote. (Unless of course, they nominate Hillary at the Convention…)

  147. Thank you Riverdaughter! I’ll see what I can find. 🙂

    As for masses in Europe; for one, people are more politically active here and secondly people are naturally curious when a celebrity visits. If Obama comes here I might very well go and watch him with my own eyes but believe me that it doesn’t equal ANY support whatsoever (I won’t pay him 10öre). Remember those latino audiences only cheering Clinton…

  148. What on earth happened to Howard Dean? It’s like he was taken over by an evil force. Or we never knew him to begin with.

  149. It’s very creepy whatever it is.

  150. IF I WERE TO TAKE A TRIP ABROAD FOR A WEEK WOULD THAT QUALIFY ME TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE U.S? WHAT ARROGANCE THIS MAN HAS.!! I CAME ACROSS THIS PHRASE THE OTHER DAY..” BETTER AN OLD HERO THAN AN INEXPERIENCED ZERO” PLEASE FEEL FREE TO USE IT..OFTEN.

  151. AS A LIFELONG DEMOCRAT, HERE IS WHY I CAN JUSTIFY VOTING FOR MCCAIN. SINCE THE DEMS WILL PROBABLY TAKE THE MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE, MCCAIN WONT BE ABLE TO DO MUCH DAMAGE IN HIS 4 YEARS. WITH OBAMA, THEY WILL GIVE HIM WHATEVER HE WANTS. (WHETHER ITS GOOD FOR THE COUNTRY OR NOT)ITS MUCH BETTER FOR THE COUNTRY IF THERE IS SOME BALANCE OF BOTH PARTIES. THEREFORE A MCCAIN PRESIDENCY DOES NOT SCARE ME BUT AN OBAMA PRESIDENCY HORRIFIES ME.

  152. ANYONE NOTICE HOW MANY OF OBAMBI’S POSSIBLE PICKS FOR VP HAVE SAID THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN THE JOB? COULD THIS BE BECAUSE THEY KNOW HE WILL PROBABLY LOSE AND DONT WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH A LOSER?

  153. Howard Dean was always like this we just wasn’t paying attention to our party and now we got the government we hate.

  154. I’ve just found an excellent post by Anglachel on this subject:
    “The fundamental problem with categorically labeling Hillary voters as infantile is that it takes as true the elite pundit meme that she and her supporters are illegitimate participants in the process, the equivalent of Ralph Nader and his adherents. This initial error is further compounded by assuming that those who will refuse to vote for Obama are simply a small group of delusional HRC supporters, though the vehemence with which the prospect of voter defections is being met belies that public stance. There are two increasingly overlapping groups of voters who are likely to defect from the Democratic column in November, and they illustrate two ways in which Obama has lost political legitimacy.”
    http://anglachelg.blogspot.com/2008/03/gathering-storm.html#links

  155. Anglachel of course refuses to vote for McCain.

  156. this sounds like a perfect place for my invitation, so, here it is…

    I have an open invitation for people to come to my blog and tell their own vision of how puma came about, what caused them to become pumas and what puma means to them.

    we all need to tell our stories, so lets hear them.

    Mine is here – http://texashillblog.wordpress.com/2008/07/19/a-brief-history-and-personal-declaration-of-pumahood/

    Please feel free to post yours in a comment on my blog, write one on your blog and leave a link to it on the comments on my blog, or to just tell me to go to hell!

    Respectfully,

    Texas Hill Country
    http://texashillblog.wordpress.com

  157. So the presumptive POTUS is on tour to get 5 credits for remedial foreign affairs 101 … Oh well, I suppose that is one class GWB never even bothered to take.

  158. The Gaffe-a-thon Rolls On: Obama Expects to Be President “For the Next 8-10 Years”

    http://patriotroom.com/?p=575

  159. If McCain wins in November, it means that cool headed adults looked at the Qualifications rather than the popularity of Mr. Obama and found him completely lacking.

  160. Foreign Affairs 101For Dummies, ..This is what this country has come to..electing///no …selecting someone who knows NOTHING about foreign affairs, sacificing the most qualified Democrat because BO was raising money faster than anyone else ever has in the Dem. Party.(never mind that a lot of it was coming from RP because they knew she would be impossible to beat… you see it always comes down to money. i hope that the Europeans see rthrough him, and let us know how quickly we have fallen in their eyes. number 1 in World Power we are NOT anymore!!

  161. We are the laughing stock across the world. First we have Bush for 8 pathetic years> He and his administration (Cheney, Rove.,etc.) will go down in history, as the WORST President ever.
    Next we go from a Yale dolt to a Harvard fool who has no exerience and has never held a job for more than 2 years in his 47 years on this planet. People say he was in the State Senate for 7 years!! Yes, but they only met 55 days a year!!!..if that. He’s flipped on everything the Left Wing stands for, turning away from the very people who suppossedly voted for him. He’s on a trip to Afgh. and Iraq and Europe with minions feeding him answers and what to say so he doesn’t come off as a n “empty suit”…….Well you are Bo…you are!!

  162. could it be that at least those who were supportive of Clinton such as Rendell, Bayh, etc. are saying NO to the VP job because they want BO to consider Clinton?

    It seemed odd that Clark had a meeting with Clinton before he made it apparent he was interested in the VP job because he needed her blessing?

    Anyway, that’s one of my theories. But in the end if the illegitimate presumptive nominee becomes the actual nominee, I hope he does not pick her (because she will help him win)…I hope he loses by one of the biggest landslides in Presidential history and McCain doesn’t even have to lift a finger.

    At that point, we should surround the DNC with our figurative torches and pitchforks calling for the Deaniac trio to step down.

  163. I suspect that BO plans on doing away with elections so he can be Dictator for Life. Congress will vote that in-right after they make him eligible to be Pres. They’ve already laid the ground work with the legislation recognizing that MCCain and others with American parent(s) are born citizens.

    The DNC and the BO minions are not going to go away willingly. They are on the BO Carousel and have their collective fingers on the brass ring.

  164. Blair,

    Why are you here? Would you like the name of a good psychiatrist? I think you need help. Why on earth would someone repeatedly troll a website that upsets them and post comments noone will read?

  165. “It turns out that the RNC is raking in the big bucks and now has an almost $100 million dollar warchest. The DNC? Ehhhh, not so much. I can not imagine why the DNC isn’t raising funds. We could probably make the DNC rich overnight.”

    What a joke. Despite it’s promises, PUMA has yet to pay off Hillary’s debt. She just loaned her campaign another million dollars in order to stay ahead of the creditors. Do you really expect anyone to believe that PUMA is capable of making the DNC rich overnight?

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