Our PUMA Anti-Convention

Lady Boomer NYC as Miss Piggy Puma, courtesy of Gary and Mawm

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“So, how’d it go at the Democratic Convention?”

I get that a lot from my family and friends. They know I had been working the entire year to get Hillary Clinton elected President while “raging against the machine,” and that I was going to Denver to protest. I replied,

“Ummm . . . good. . . . I, I wasn’t really at The Convention.

We were like . . . the Anti-Convention!”

Post-Denver, although still mourning for what could have been, most hardcore, grassroots Hillary supporters have moved on — in one way or another. They know, or are deciding, what they will do with their votes and/or their efforts. Will they work for one campaign or other at the top, or just support down-ticket candidates? They are mulling over whether to: vote nothing on top, vote third party, write in Hillary’s name, stay home, or cast a protest vote for John McCain. For most, that would be their first Republican vote ever, and they do not take it lightly. The only reason they would do it is to protest Barack Obama and Democratic Party leaders who subverted the democratic process and 18 million voters.

But I can’t fully move on yet. This story is roiling around inside me, unwilling to be forgotten. One week plus is old news, past prime, but I keep getting these “little messages.” Last week I ran into my neighborhood Brazilian Café and struck up a conversation with husband and wife owners, Marcello and Juliet. I’d been socked away in my “Puma Den” for the last six months, making rich stove top espressos at home on the cheap.

Marcello asked, “I heaven’t seen you for a while. Where have you bean? What have you been doing?”

I hesitated protectively, having lived undercover using my handle for so long that I had to consciously produce my real name in my head before saying it. “Actually, I’ve been doing a lot of writing most of the year, political writing. Do you know what blogs are? I have a blog and contribute to other sites and efforts.”

They continued the conversation as they scurried about their business, “Oh really, and who were you supporting for President?”

My personal self gulped inside my political self having been so underground and divided, “Actually, I was supporting Hillary Clinton, working to get her elected. I still support her and believe she would make the best President.”

They both jumped to attention and gravitated back to the counter to face me, “Really? We’re for her too!”

(See why I can’t stop?) “That’s great,” I cooed, as I came clean, telling them about my blog and links to others, our efforts prior to and during Denver, and our work to ensure a roll call, a floor vote, and a record of the truth about this election.

They pointed out to me, “It’s just like 2000, Gore and Bush!”

“Right!” I answered, “and now from our own. It seems so much worse that way. Did you know that Democrats have a weird gene that makes them eat their own?”

They laughed. We talked about the delegates. They had seen the same things that Puma and Just Say No Deal Coalition members have been uncovering, observing, highlighting, and shouting about all year long: the subversion, bullying, and undemocratic processes. They could not believe when they saw the vote halted and delegates switched. “We voted. We went in and pulled the lever. Why should we even bother?”

“I KNOW. How do they do it in Brazil?”

“We vote. It gets recorded. Somebody gets elected. That’s it.”

Delegate Account #1: We the Sheeple

This account is number one of a series that we hope to bring you with the help of Michele Thomas of 300 Delegates.  These are first hand accounts of what happened in the lead up and during the Democratic National Convention in 2008.  We hope to present new ones right up to the eve of the election.

Note to the media:  Here was a real story for you.  What happened during the convention should go down in history as one of the most infamous abuses of the primary voting system.  But we in the blogosphere have heard precious little media coverage of the story.  In an election year when the Democrats had everything going for them, the reason for their inevitable loss isn’t the fault of Hillary’s dogged refusal to leave the race, nor the entry of Sarah Palin, though both of those two events, both entirely reasonable, were contributing factors.  The primary reason why Barack Obama is going to lose is because he burned his bridges during the primary caucuses and during the largest caucus of all- the convention.  The media should be aware that these are not the days of falling trees, forests and no ears.  In the era of the Internet, the ability to get the truth out has a much lower threshhold barrier.  First hand accounts are always the most valuable.  When the narrative of the first hand account clashes with consensus reality, it is the consensus reality that starts to break down.  The media becomes progressively less trustworthy.  Hey, it’s your livelihood, not ours. We do this for free. Just sayin’.

Without further ado, here is the first hand account of sbc, a delegate from Portland, Oregon:

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Thoughts on the Denver Sham(e) by We the Sheeple

I was SO looking forward to this Convention.  Staying in a hotel w/ Arizona and Washington, my two former home states, I knew many of their delegates and wanted to reconnect.  Many of us were Wes Clark delegates and recalled how welcome we felt by the Kerry/Edwards people in Boston in 2004.

But there was this strange undertone when talking to some fellow delegates.  A furrowed brow or quizzical look.  “Hillary lost.  Don’t you ‘get’ it?”  I was repeatedly asked when I was going to “let go” or “get in line.”  After being berated on the streets of Denver for wearing my HRC T-shirt on Saturday, I was loaded for bear.  Don’t tell me how Obama is better than McCain.  My DOG is better than McCain!

Tell me what is it about Obama that is supposed to impress me.  His health care plan that leaves 15 million people still uninsured?  How’s he going to pay for it?  Rolling back my tax break?  That’s going to pay the $60 billion plus health care price tag?  Well, we really don’t know if it’s $60 or $70 billion.  His policy peeps can’ t seem to come up with a figure.  Or will that be covered by the AMT redo?  Or will THAT money go to shoring up Social Security?   Or infrastructure?  Or cancer research?  You know – his mother died of breast cancer while fighting those dastardly insurance companies.  (Will the trite People Magazine personal anecdotes never cease!)

Or is it his strong stand on filibustering any legislation that let telco’s off the hook for illegal wiretaps that inspired you?  Is that what he stands for?  Oh wait.  His FISA vote?  Did he do that while scratching his head and asking “What’s a filibuster?”

And he’s going to reform our broken educational system with what?  Vouchers?  Or even MORE faith based initiatives than Bush dreamed of – to the tune of $500 million a year?  Why not!  Obama’s Chicago Trinity United Church of Christ already pocketed $1.5 million in such programs.  And did anybody take note of the fact that Obama’s “community organizing” was done thru a church group?  This gets creepier by the talking point.

I guess I couldn’t recite Sen. Clinton’s policies chapter and verse either.  But I knew her RECORD.  She actually HAD a record.  What we thought we knew of Obama’s record seems tossed aside for the sake of political expediency.  Gun control?  Death penalty?  Um…where does he stand today?  Thursday?  How about next Thursday?  Please – someone tell me?

So here we are.  Once again adrift and bereft of any substantive leadership in the Democratic Party.

As a delegate, I kinda knew the “roll call” was going to be theater of the absurd.  I just didn’t think it would be that absurd.  The thing that broke my heart?  The text message from my sister who lives in NJ.  We were never a politically active family.  We were god-fearing daughters of a staunch Republican father but voting was never a required activity.  I convinced her it was important in 2004.  She’s a nurse.  She has three (gorgeous) kids.  She’s seen health care at its worst and deals with it everyday.

Last February, she bundled up her 3 year-old daughter and her 1 year old twin sons and put them in the stroller for the short walk to the courthouse to vote.  The Baby Girl (she does have a name but we call her the Baby Girl) proudly wore her Hillary t-shirt and her “I Can Be President” button and the polling place workers let her keep the button on.  My sister was thrilled that NJ came down on the right side of history in her primary.  My mother, an 80 year-old Japanese woman who was always proud of her country when she became a naturalized  US citizen, thought she would be able to see a woman become president in her lifetime.  When Gov. Corzine cast their 127 delegate vote for Barack Obama in Denver, my sister furiously sent a text: WTF!  My vote doesn’t count?

How am I supposed to defend a system that’s broken?  What civics lesson do I teach the Baby Girl the next time we walk past the courthouse where she went with her mom and her brothers to vote?  The courthouse is white.  The Baby Girl thinks THAT’S the White House and that’s where Hillary lives.  Do I tell her that there are still men out there who will try to hold her back, who will call her names and will tell her that she is “less than?”  Do I explain she will have to fight harder than ever because we couldn’t get it done?

I am all outta love with the hope ‘n change mantra.  Give me facts.  Give me substance.  Tell me how he’s going to get troops out of Iraq.  Immediately or after listening to the ground commanders?  And if the ground commanders say “don’t blink,” will he listen to them or get new commanders?  And can he PLEASE come up with a REAL stimulus package?  One that actually stimulates the economy.  Not one that send checks out so that people can pay off their credit card debt.  A jobs growth program that can carry us into the next decade, taking into consideration a truly global economy and an undeniable manufacturing dilemma?  And what about a small business plan?  THAT would show true initiative when it comes to women since women start small businesses at twice the rate of the weaker sex.  An actual PLAN, please, hold the rhetoric.

This weekend, I’m headed to do some serious diving/sailing in Hawaii, where the messiah went to high school.  I’m sure there’ll be plenty of Obama swag at the airport and on street corners.  Maybe a left over Hillary nut-cracker or two.  I’ll swim with real sharks.  Not the poseurs we are now left with in this political hell hole.

Apparently, BHO has recently taken a stand on what IS off limits.  Palin’s daughter and sexist comments about Palin herself are off limits.  It’s a sham(e) that he couldn’t take such a bold stand when Chelsea was being “pimped out” or when Sen. Clinton was being told “iron my shirt.”  Or when Tucker Carlson said he crosses his legs whenever he hears Hillary’s voice or when Alex Castellanos called a fellow Democratic senator a “white bitch.”  The anointed leader of this progressive party sat and didn’t say a word.  That would have taken real leadership and true leadership sometimes means taking a principled yet unpopular stand.  What would he have lost?  The nomination?  No – but he might have gotten my vote.   sbc

Hillary’s Convention Speech: Keep Going!

What a speech! Many tears were shed, as we were again touched by the most Presidential, brilliant candidate of our lifetime. For us, “it’s been a privilege.” Here at Puma Headquarters for hours afterward: lots of happy partying — is there another kind? The mood was extremely upbeat and festive, and we are so proud of our true Democratic candidate.

Your determination to keep going, often in the face of enormous obstacles . . . you taught me so much.

To my supporters, to my champions, to my sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, because you never gave in, and you never gave up. Together we made history. . . .

And even in the darkest moments, that is what Americans have done: we have found the faith to keep going. . . .

My mother was born before women could vote, my daughter got to vote for her mother for President. This is the story of America, of women and men who defy the odds and never give up.

So how do we give this country back to them? By following the example of a brave New Yorker, a woman who risked her lives to bring slaves to freedom along the underground railroad.

On that path to freedom, Harriet Tubman had one piece of advice:

‘If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If they’re shouting after you, keep going. Don’t ever stop, keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.’

And even in the darkest moments. That is what Americans have done. We have found the faith to keep going.

We do not yet know the results of the floor vote petition. Word is that the ballots went out to the delegations on Tuesday night. In the face of enormous odds, from our hearts, we can do no less. We keep going.

Keep Going (click to play)

[by Pearl Harbor and The Explosions]

[cross-posted from Lady Boomer NYC]